By Gregg Shapiro

Contributing writer

Everything about “Keep Reachin’ Up” (Light in the Attic) by Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators, suggests another time. The album’s title, the cover art and photo of Willis, even the name of the performers themselves—the Soul Investigators. The whole package is a sort of tromp l’oeil, because it is, in fact, a recording made only a couple of years ago. The ex-pat Willis and her Finnish band mates do a number on Northern Soul over the course of 10 tracks that won’t take no for an answer. They insist that you dance, and that’s that.

“I’m getting ready to go/I’m living for the night time,” Willis sings on “Feeling Free,” a song that sounds like it fell off the disco flatbed, with Willis “spinning on the dance floor” where she wants to be, wah-wah guitar and all. “If This Ain’t Love (Don’t Know What Is)” is also a provocative dance track, “boiling over with joy,” as the title track takes a funky detour that the late James Brown would admire. “My Four Leaf Clover” reaches even farther back in time for inspiration, conjuring visions of girl groups, iridescent lipstick and kohl eye shadow. “A Perfect Kind of Love,” about lonely boys and girls, and “Invisible Man” keep the vibe visible on the vintage meter without ever losing focus on the importance of dancing.

When it comes to “What Happened to Television?” (Sci Fidelity) by The Greyboy Allstars, it’s best to cut to the chase. The funky jazz-oriented unit has its priorities straight, but when it chooses to cut loose, it does so with style. Play their cover of “How Glad I Am,” featuring special guests The Living Sisters (Becky Stark, Eleni Mandell and Inara George of The Bird and the Bee fame) and transform your lame dance party into one with class and status. Instrumentals “Left Coast Boogalo” and “Old School Cyclons” would have fit nicely on the soundtracks to 1970s cop movies or TV shows, while others might wish that they would have given the drummer more on “Give the Drummer Some More.”

Leave it to Mocean Worker to set things right on “Cinco de Mowo!” (Mowo!). Drawing on various influences, including big band and Latin jazz, Adam Dorn cuts and pastes a baker’s dozen songs into a tasty patchwork. Especially appealing are “Shake Ya Boogie,” “Tickle It,” the tickled ivories of “Changes” (which features a guest spot by Herb Alpert), the overlapping rhythms of “I Got You” (featuring vocals by the underrated Morley), the good cheer of “Siss Boom Bah!” (with Rahsaan Roland Kirk blowing in) and the playful “Son of Sanford.”