Jazz — All Formats  

A great overseas date from trumpeter Bill Coleman, one that also features Ben Webster on tenor on most tracks, plus Jim Douglas on guitar and Fred Hunt on piano.

Includes "Tiger Rag", "After You've Gone", "I'm Just Wild About Harry", and "St Louis Blues".

Looking like she does on the cover, it's hard to imagine Julie London being a lonely girl – as she's very seductively posed, with that slinky bare shoulders look that no doubt helped many of her early Liberty sides sell so well! But apart from the cheesecake, the record's one of Julie's perfect late 50s sides for Liberty – spare, moody, and very smoky – all set to mellow accompaniment, and backed by some nice guitar work by Al Viola. Tracks are short and sad, and titles include "Fools Rush In", "What'll I Do", "Lonely Girl", "When Your Lover Has Gone", and "Mean To Me".

That's London, Ontario – not London, England – which means that the group have an even more far-flung sound than you might expect! The album's a brilliant and overlooked gem from the Canadian scene of the 70s – really mindblowing music by a group who are equally great at grooving, and at taking things very far outside – mixing together modes that are sometimes highly rhythmic, other times very loose and freewheeling! We're really not familiar with any of the players from later projects at all – but they're clearly a very hip batch of younger musicians who come together and sparkle brilliantly for this rare set – with a mix of soprano and alto sax, wood flute, cello, piano, bass, funky drums, vibes, and even some other cool effects that really make the record a treat throughout! Titles include the funky gem "Destroy The Nihilist Picnic", plus much more outside material that includes "Time Is Of The Essence", "Edible Wallpaper", "Ron Martin Special With Mustard", "Spain Is For Old Ladies", and "Jazz Widow Waltz". CD also features the bonus track "The Potential Of Something Exquisite".

A lively band of young British players, packed into a large group with a tight swinging sound that evokes some of the better continental bands of the sort at the time – like the Clarke-Boland Ensemble, the Johnny Dankworth group, and even bits of Mike Westbrook's early work. The set list is a nice group of lesser-known titles – like "Who-Wray?", "Full House", "Spaghetti Junction", "Marianne", "Eleven Plus", and "Legs Eleven". Orchestra directed by Bill Ashton, and the set was recorded at London Weekend Television in 1975. And if it sounds drippy, give it a chance – as there's more than a few nice cuts here that feel like they're lifted off a compliation like Jazz Biznezz, or some of those other hip European sets!

"The London Suite" is broken up into six pieces – "Picadilly", "Chelsea", "Soho", "Bond Street", "Limehouse", and "Whitechappel".

Think that groovy sounds in London only started with the acid jazz scene at the end of the 80s? Think again – because in the years before, The Bass Clef was a real hotspot of cross-cultural activity – helping to spark the fire that would burn strongly in the Dingwalls years and beyond! This excellent set provides a rare look at London's Latin and African grooves in the mid 80s – featuring not just local players, but groups from outside the UK who were making a big impact at the time – yet who also seemed to pick up some of London's great ear for funk and soul as well. Titles include "Amata" by Somo Somo, "Wosa Wena" by District Six, "Batucada" by London School Of Samba, "Cafe De Paris" by Cayenne, "Dos Labrimas" by El Sonido De Londres, and "Entre Rejas" by Barrio Latino.

Basie was getting all over the place during the 50s – and this set's a great little concert recorded in London! The album's classic Basie for Verve – with Joe Williams on vocals on 3 tracks, and a tight group that includes Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Benny Powell, Matthew Gee, and Frank Foster. Titles include "Flute Juice", "Nails", "Blues Backstage", "Corner Pocket", "Roll Em Pete", and "Well All Right Okay You Win".

Features Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Arthur Blythe on alto and soprano, George Dadams on tenor and soprano sax, Masabumi Kikuchi on organ, Pete Levin on clavinet and moog, and Gil Evans on electric piano!

Two rare ones from the 60s London jazz scene – back to back on a single CD! First up is a tremendous little record – a rare meeting between Ellington tenorist Paul Gonsalves and Brit reed genius Tubby Hayes – a set that's cut very much in the best spirit of some of Hayes' free-thinking classics on Fontana Records! The grooves are open, and beautifully-executed – and both sax players sound sublime – Gonsalves with that raspy tone that you'll know from Ellington dates, but cut loose much more here – and Hayes with that powerful sense of depth that's always made him one of our favorite saxophonists! The rest of the group is quite nice too – and players include Stan Tracey on piano, Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, and Keith Christie on trombone. Titles include "Tupa", "Amber Mood", "Pedro's Walk", "Baby Blue", "Mini Minor", and "Souraya". Johnny Scott takes over the CD on the second half – turning in an EMI Studio 2 classic with London Swings – a date that's done with largeish charts, but a great sense of rhythm throughout! The players in clude Ian Hamer and Ray Davies on trumpets, Ronnie Ross and Duncan Lamont on saxes, John Marson on harp, Don Lusher on trombone, and Alan Branscombe on piano – and the tunes offer up a cascading mix of large charts and individual instrumental voices, occasionally filled in by a bit of strings. Titles include "London By Night", "Greek Street Soho", "Let's All Go Down To The Strand", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Knocked Em In The Old Kent Road".

Herbie Mann rides his Memphis Underground approach over to London – where he grooves nicely in a similar jazz funk take on that scene's biggest tunes of the time! The set was recorded in the UK, and features hip help from an assortment of rockers – including Mick Taylor and Albert Lee on guitars, Ian MacDonald on alto sax, and Aynsley Dunbar on drums – plus Herbie's frequent partner Pat Rebillot on keyboards. The sound is surprisingly laidback at times – warmly soulful, and a lot less rockish than you might guess for an album with two guitarists in the mix – and titles include "Bitch", "Spin Ball", "Mellow Yellow", "Paper Sun", "Layla", and Herbie's original "Memphis Spoon Bread & Dover Sole" – plus a great Fender Rhodes-heavy take on "You Never Give Me Your Money".

A pair of compelling British instrumental albums back to back – both of them with a really unique flavor! Russo In London is a rare British outing for Stan Kenton alumni Bill Russo – a date recorded at the legendary Lansdowne studios, and one that may well be one of Russo's greatest albums ever as a leader! The set's filled with material originally scored for the Kenton group – but served up here with really inventive arrangements from Russo – modern in tones, but soulful in colors – and filled with unusual changes that really keep things interesting, and a bit swinging too. Soloists include Johnny Scott on alto, Duncan Lamont on tenor, Keith Christie on trombone, and Leon Calvert on trumpet – and titles include "Frank Speaking", "Egdon Heath", "Portrait Of A Count", "Sweets", "Bill's Blues", and "Ennui". Blowing Up A Storm is a showcase for the trumpet talents of Kenny Baker – working here with his sprightly Baker's Dozen combo, on a date that was recorded by the legendary Joe Meek! Baker's horn isn't always out front, which makes for a nice focus on the overall sound of the ensemble – and titles include "Blowing Up A Storm", "Call Of The Flute", "Night Blooming Jazz Man", "Threesome", and "Sunrise Serenade".

Some of the most important recordings in the career of Sarah Vaughan – rich package of albums that really helped her refine her style strongly, and unlock an approach to jazz that nobody else could touch! Vaughan had always been a great singer, no matter what the setting – but here, she takes things a strong step forward – by mixing instrumental inspiration with careful lyrical delivery, all at a level that's quite different than Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, or any other contemporaries! Vaughan's got this mature approach that's never overdone, and never tries to call too much attention to itself – even though Sarah's singing in ways that are technically mindblowing, and set to the kinds of backings that never would have been so subtle a few years before. The beautiful package is a 7" square book – with heavy hardcovers, and lots of color images on the many pages inside – plus four CDs nestled alongside the words – containing the full albums Images, In The Land Of Hi Fi, Sarah Vaughan, At Mister Kelly's, After Hours At The London House, and No Count Sarah – plus 11 bonus tracks added to the Mister Kelly's album, and 5 more bonus tracks from the Swingin Easy record as well. 72 tracks in all – in a really lovely package!

Genius work from this lesser-known British combo of the late 50s – a group that actually features some of the best players on the London scene at the time! Drummer Tony Crombie leads the combo, and also handles the arrangements – but the real shining stars are the reedmen – Tubby Hayes, who plays tenor, alto, and flute, plus a bit of vibes – and Alan Branscombe, who handles tenor and alto, plus some piano as well! The quartet lineup ensures that there's plenty of space for these horn players to really do their thing – and since some tracks only have drum and bass, while others have more piano than drums, there's a really loose rhythmic feel to the whole thing – quite nice, and much more relaxed than the usual Crombie-led session. Consider the record a lost gem in the Tubby Hayes cannon – and then marvel at all the other great bits its got to offer too! Titles include "London Lament", "Cheekie Chappie", "The Baron's Blues", "Slick Riff", "Wait & See", "Big Ben Bounce", and "Lakeland".

Lovely work from Kimiko Kasai – easily one of the best female jazz vocalists on the Japanese scene in the 70s! Kimiko's got a wonderfully deep range – an ability to dip into lower notes when needed, but not in any sort of gimmicky way – just this full-voiced quality that makes her interpretation of American standards come across with a really rich groove! Backing is by a piano trio, and Kasai's right out front in the arrangements – on titles that include "The Good Life", "Get Out Of Town", "Bewitched", "Just In Time", "Wild Is The Wind", and "Sunny".

One of the many very groovy albums cut by pianist/comedian/actor Dudley Moore. Unlike his films, the album's filled with a great range of emotion and talent – and the set features some stunning original by Dud, played with a nice lively groove by his classic trio. Includes the rolling groover "Amalgam", a tasty jazz dance number, plus "Bags Of Chris", "Chimes", and "120 Plus Optional Magic Exploding Cadence".

An overlooked gem from the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s – a record that's got a great mix of funky and groovy touches, all of which come across like better-known work from the Japanese Columbia label! Reedman Richard Pine leads the group on soprano sax, tenor, alto, and flute – and other instrumentation includes guitar, drums, and bass – plus funky piano and electone – all used in ways that have a groovy/funky sort of vibe overall – somewhere near the coolest late 60s projects on Verve or Impulse, with maybe a bit of Cadet Records thrown in for good measure. We don't know Pine at all, but he's got the soulful edge of a young Tom Scott – and titles include "Left Right", "Cosmos", "Summertime", "Windy", "30 60 90", and "El Condor Pasa".

One of the greatest albums ever by studio genius David Axelrod! The album's one of Axelrod's first on his own – cut for Capitol Records at a time when he was working with some of the label's biggest selling soul acts – like Cannonball Adderley and Lou Rawls – turning their already-successful sounds into super-hit material by adding some nice funky touches, and excellent baroque production. This album lets Axelrod fully explore his talents for larger studio arrangements, and complex yet soulful instrumentation. The record is subtitled "an anthology of awareness after birth, based on the 18th century poems of William Blake" – and it features incredible arrangements conducted by Don Randi, played by a host of excellent LA jazz and studio players. The overall sound is spacey and dark, with nice touches of funk, and plenty of cool instrumental passages that have been sampled over the years by hip hoppers and other producers. Titles include "London", "The Fly", "The Human Abstract", "A Divine Image", and "The Sick Rose". Reissued with the original gatefold cover, and everything!

Very, very dope LP by this London studio funk jazz genius. While half the scene's been messing around with blunted beats and weak stuff, Chris Bowden's composed a suite that has the sound of a great blacksploitation soundtrack or a classic album on Curtom. Lots of heavy grooves weaving in and out of deep string arrangements, with hard sax solos cutting in from time to time. A monster piece of wax, and perfect for kickin' back in the wee hours.

The one and only album by this righteous funky combo from Ohio! Although Brute Force were an American group of the late 60s, they've got a sound that brings in traces of the African rhythms that were bubbling under at the time – similar to some of the best London groups of the post-colonial years, like Cymande, Demon Fuzz, or Asiko. There's often a jagged and jazzy style on the bottom of the grooves, topped with brighter horn flourishes, and combined with a vocal approach that has some slight folksy touches – very hip, progressive, and as righteous as you'd expect from the cover! Sonny Sharrock sits in on some tracks, and the titles include "Some Kind Of Approval", "Doubt", "Ye Le Wa", "Do It Right Now", "The Deacon", and "Monster".

A great couple of harder-to-find Ornette Coleman records – nicely paired up in a 2CD set! First up is The Music Of Ornette Coleman, from 1967 – which is beautiful record that serves as both a showcase for Ornette's "serious" writing efforts – and his ability to play with a larger ensemble! It kicks off with Ornette playing trumpet solos with The Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet as they perform his "Forms & Sounds" live. That's followed by recordings of Ornette's "Space Flight" and "Saints & Soldiers" performed by The Chamber Symphony of Philadelphia Quartet, a string ensemble that brings a new light to Ornette's compositions! Skies Of America is an ambitious record with full orchestra, in a haunting sound that's light years from any of his smaller group recordings of the 60s and 70s! There's an incredible feel to the strings used here – played by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Measham – all tied up and dark, with swirling sounds that run up beautifully from the bottom, then take off to the skies promised in the title – opening the door for Ornette to come in and solo freely over the top – in a magical mix that easily makes the record a standout in his long and mighty career! Harmolodic theory is definitely a part of Coleman's conception here – but in very different ways than his quartet or quintet recordings. Lots of tracks on this one, including "Skies Of America", "The Men Who Live In The White House", "Sunday In America", "Dreams", "Native Americans", "Silver Screen", "The Artist In America" and more.

Mod mod 60s jazz – and 12 tight-as-can-be instrumentals from London's Dave Davani combo! Dave's a Hammond player with a great mix of soul jazz and R&B in his grooves – very much the best sort of instrumental work you might expect from London in the swinging 60s – a great blend of American influences and UK mod styles. The rest of the group includes guitar, bass, and drums – plus a bit of vocals and Latin percussion from Beryl Wayne. The groove here is clearly a precursor to the James Taylor Quartet, and the overall sound is better than some of the more famous groups from the time – such as the combos of Brian Auger or Graham Bond. Titles inlcude "Big Boss Man", "Working Out", "Funky Mama", "Sack O Woe", and "Pig Foots".

A seminal session of modern jazz and poetry – very similar to American experiments of the type from the 1950s, but recorded in mid 60s London with a group that includes pianist Michael Garrick, trumpeter Shake Keane, and alto saxophonist Joe Harriott! The double-length recording features both instrumental jazz and recitations by poets Adrian Mitchell, Dannie Abse, and Jeremy Robson – all presenting their own work, sometimes with musical backing from the Garrick group, sometimes without. The albums are almost worth it alone for the instrumental tracks by the Garrick Quintet – "Salvation March", "Vishnu", "Wedding Hymn", and "She's Like A Swallow" – all of which have the same dynamic changes and modern edges of Garrick's best work on other Argo albums of the time. But the poetic work is pretty good too – especially on the few sections that feature jazz backing, used in a way that draws from some of the beat-era albums from the US. Poetic titles include "Odd", "Pals", "First Love", "Stork In Jerez", "Apples", "The Long War", "SOS The Poets", and "A Face In The Crowd". CD also features bonus material from the Before Night/Day EP – 6 more tracks with readings by poet Jeremy Robson – with backing by a Garrick group with Joe Harriott on alto and Ian Carr on trumpet.

2 landmark albums from British maestro Michael Gibbs – a key link between the jazz and rock scenes of late 60s London, and one of the few artists of that crowd to really work in a large group mode! Gibbs' albums from the time are a bit like those of Mike Westbrook – in that they take an older big band mode, and infuse it with youthful energy – bringing in modern horn passages, unusual rhythms, and often a rock-based approach to the tunes that makes for some freshly grooving numbers. On both albums, Gibbs is working with the cream of the crop of the Brit crossover scene – and soloists include Chris Spedding on guitar, Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, John Surman on saxes, Frank Ricotti on vibes, and Gordon Beck on electric piano. The tunes are all originals, which adds to the fresh and free-thinking nature of the set – and titles include "Feelings & Things", "Sweet Rain", "Throb", "Nowhere", "Tanglewood 63", "Canticle", "Five For England", and "Sojurn".

Matthew Herbert never fails to amaze our ears, but he does so even more than ever on this stunning Big Band set! The album's more dynamic, more creative, and more experimental than any of Herbert's other work – hardly the slower, cinematic modes of some recordings – or the jazz-meets-groove styles of others – and instead a rich new palette of musical colors, one that pushes Matthew far far from the mainstream! The work's more orchestral than big band – complicated in tone and rhythm at times, but always finding a space for soul – either in solo instrumental passages, or in the great vocals on the record – sung by Eska Mtungwazi in a really beautiful style, echoing out brilliantly over the larger orchestrations – which themselves were recorded in the House Of Commons and London City Hall. Titles include "Pontificate", "The Yesness", "Battery", "Regina", "One Life", "Just Swing", "The Rich Man's Prayer", and "The Story".

A wonderful full album from keyboardist Jessica Lauren – a London talent we've loved for years, and have watched mature deeply over the past few decades! Jessica's keyboards have graced a number of key recordings from the past 20 years or so on the British scene – but she's issued woefully few albums under her own name, which makes this jazzy session an even greater treat! Jessica plays acoustic piano and organ on the record – the latter of which still brings in some of the more electric modes we know from her roots – while the piano tones ring out with a beautifully earthy feel – alongside bass, drums, and a heck of a lot of percussion – more than enough to bring in plenty of Latin and other global elements to the music! Most tunes are instrumentals, but the set does feature guest vocals from Jocelyn Brown on the tracks "Happiness Train" and "I Believe". Instrumental cuts include "The Name Of Fela Will Always Stand For Freedom", "White Mountain", "Vaya Con Dios", "Dogtown", "Gangaman", and "Mel Benson".

A smashing set of work from drummer Louis Moholo – a set that shows that after all these years, he's still a richly creative talent on his instrument! The album has Louis duetting with pianist Alexander Hawkins – a younger player who'd caught his ear a few years before, and who turns out to be a perfect partner for the record – graced with just the right kind of free-thinking, yet spiritual elements as Moholo's own music – able to stretch out strongly with a lot of freedom, yet never lose sight of the overarching goal! The tracks are all long and open – and almost recall some of the interplay between Moholo and Chris McGregor in years back – especially some of the freer work on the 70s London scene. The album's a beautiful extension of the Ogun Records tradition – and titles include "Lakutshon Ilanga", "Hear Our Hearts", "Heavy Manners", "Amaxesha Osizi", "If I Should Lose You", "Pure Vision", and "Catch You On The Rebound".

A great performance from this ultra-hip group – a set of American players who got plenty of chance to work on the European scene of the 60s and 70s – hence the Paris Reunion name! The lineup features Woody Shaw on trumpet, Johnny Griffin on tenor, Nathan Davis on tenor and soprano sax, Slide Hampton on trombone, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Billy Brooks on drums – and they're joined by London legend Dizzy Reece on trumpet too. Titles are different than those on the For Klook album, although the spirit here is the same – a performance dedicated to the recently-departed Kenny Clarke – with titles that include "Rue Chaptal", "Lonely Windows", "To Kill A Brick", "Foofy For President", "Fifty Six", and "The Big Fist".

A trio of well-matched players – really stretching out on some long improvised passages! The album's a live one – a concert performance at London's Vortex – and features two very long sets that really demonstrate the mature improvising talents of the trio – boldly blown tenor and soprano sax from Evan Parker, incredibly complicated work on bass from Barry Guy, and electrifying percussion from Paul Lytton! There's definitely an FMP vibe to the playing, yet the overall feel is looser and more London, too – if we can say that – and together, the tracks offer up nearly 80 minutes of music in all.

Jazz in romantic places, but some pretty groovy ones too – a host of global destinations all referenced in the track selection for the set! Dave Pell's tenor is at the lead on most numbers, but the octet's in fine formation too – arranged by Jack Montrose, Marty Paich, Johnny Mandel, and Shorty Rogers – the last of whom also produced the album, and manages to give it the same sort of feel as his own great sets for Atlantic at the time! The style is prime west coast 50s – with a classic cover to match – and players include Bob Gordon on baritone sax, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Ray Sims on trombone, and Donn Trenner on piano and celeste. Titles include "New Orleans", "Flying Down To Rio", "Paris In The Spring", "Memphis In June", "Isle Of Capri", "Shuffle Off To Buffalo", "On A Slow Boat To China", and "London In July".

Kind of a companion to the better-known Sound Of The Trio set recorded at London House – an album that features more material from that date, but issued here without the indication of a live album. The style is still as great as before, though – really cooking work from the classic early 60s combo that featured Peterson on keys, Ray Brown on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include "Put On A Happy Face", "old Folks", "Woody'N You", "Yesterdays", "Diablo", "Soon", and "The Lonesome One".

Unreleased recordings from that amazing moment when British jazz was really coming into its own – exploring the farther reaches of the avant garde, but in ways that were quite different than American sounds at the time! The lineup here features some of the most inventive London players of the generation– Kenny Wheeler on trumpet and flugelhorn, Paul Rutherford on trombone, Trevor Watts on alto and flute, Evan Parker on soprano and tenor, Barry Guy on bass and piano, and John Stevens on drums and percussion – plus some especially mesmerizing guitar from Derek Bailey on two thirds of the album's tracks. Given the 1966 and 1967 dates, the music is years ahead of its time – and titles include unused tracks for a film soundtrack – "Withdrawal" – plus other Withdrawal tracks, and the longer "Seeing Sounds & Hearing Colours".

The title's a bit confusing, but it'll make a bit more sense once we get through telling you about all the great music on this CD! The core of the disc features the album 4444 – a 1978 London performance from the quartet of John Stevens on drums, Paul Rutherford on tormbone, Evan Parker on soprano and tenor sax, and Barry Guy on bass and electronics – all really feeling their energy strongly together, and working at a level that's some of the fiercest we've heard from this time – clearly all confident enough to improvise at a very frenetic level on most of these numbers. Added to this material are three more tracks that feature the duet of Rutherford and Guy – although this time Rutherford's handling the electronics at points, which really sound great next to Guy's bass – and which, oddly, often have some of the same offbeat tones as his trombone! Last up are two more duet tracks that feature Stevens' drums and Parker's soprano sax – both recorded in London in 1992, and issued here for the first time ever! So essentially, you've got 5 improvised tracks from the original 4444 album, 3 more tracks with Rutherford and Guy, and 2 more with Stevens and Parker – a heck of a lot of music!

Snapping rhythms with plenty of jazz – a great collaboration between musicians who've worked together with Gregory Porter, Jose James, and Ty – stepping out here on a unique project of their own! The core energy of the set comes from the live drums of Richard Spaven and keyboards of Grant Windsor – who uses a fair bit of Fender Rhodes on the record, often with the best cosmic touches of the London scene, but a bit more classic focus overall – which really gives the set a sparkling, soulful energy that you'll love right from the start. Most tracks also features these wonderfully round acoustic basslines from Neville Malcolm – and although one track features some vocals from Nailah Porter, the main vibe overall is instrumental – with a quality that's quite similar to Kaidi Tatham's entry in the 5ive series. Titles include "Perseophone", "Koln", "The Sure Chimes", "Sort Of Things", and "Loose Shots".

A pretty wonderful live set of "spontaneous composition" from Keith & Julie Tippett – with moments of spare atmosphere and others of rapt tension – recorded at The Purcell Room in London, for the London Jazz Festival, captured for the BBC program Jazz On 3. The set is furnished by loose bits of hand percussion, piano and Julie's voice, always an alluring, beautiful thing! Keith plays piano, wood blocks, maraca, chimes, panpipe and more. Julie's brings both poetry and wordless vocals, playing thumb piano, shake, xylophone, hand drums and more. The performance is the single 46 minute piece "Mirror Image".

A killer set of funky jazz from veteran vibes man Billy Wooten – backed by mod funk masters Speedometer – live at the London's Jazz Café! The hour + set was captured back in 2003, and the players are in fantastic form, sounding like they've worked together for years. They totally roll with a funky vibe, too, not so much on the gritty side of the sound, but with a deft, controlled energy that's phenomenal. Wooten's vibes out from of guitar, sax trumpet, flute, keys, drums and percussion of the mighty Speedometer. We wish we were there! Titles include groovy takes "Open Up JB (Paarty)", plus "Sookie Sookie", "In The Rain", "In The Middle", "Steve's Song", plus Wooten's "Chicango (Chicago Land)", "Monkey Hips & Rice" and more.

They might well call this a Beginners Guide To Blue Note Jazz Funk – given that most of the tracks here are from the hip 70s run at Blue Note Records! The vibe is wonderful – funky and soulful, but definitely with jazz at the forefront – as older soloists were finding new ways to reach their audiences through electric grooves – and younger players were making a huge name for themselves through a very inventive approach to their work! The 3CD set is a hell of a deal for the money – with 33 tracks that include loads of Blue Note gems, plus some 70s Capitol funk and soul tracks too – titles that include "As" by Gene Harris, "Dominoes" by Donald Byrd, "The Genie" by Bobby Lyle, "Down The Way" by John Lee & Gerry Brown, "Chicago Damn" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Sassy Soul Strut" by Lou Donaldson, "Think Twice" by Donald Byrd, "Tidal Wave" by Ronnie Laws, "London Town" by Light Of The World, "Windy C" by 100% Pure Poison, "Daisy Mae" by Raul De Souza, "Movin" by Brass Construction, "Prance On" by Eddie Henderson, "Music Is My Sanctuary" by Gary Bartz, "Abdullah & Abraham" by Chico Hamilton, "Cheshire Cat" by Ronnie Foster, "Funky Sneakers" by Willie Bobo, "Sunshine" by Nancy Wilson, "People Make The World Go Round" by Bobby Hutcherson, and "Sky Islands" by Caldera.

Rare grooves in many flavors – a wonderful collection of rare gems from the American 70s underground – and a set that's overflowing with cuts from some of the most valuable albums of the period! The core vibe here is jazz, but there's also a lot more going on too – bits of funk, some spiritual touches, and some downright soulful moments too – all presented in a set of tracks that really lives up to the "deep" in the title – a bit like Gilles Peterson pulling together music of this nature, but as if he dug even deeper than usual! Titles include "Shake Your Poo Poo (45 version)" by Earl Carter & The Fantastic 6, "Vaya Mulatto" by Stone Alliance, "Free Man" by George Freeman, "African Rhythms (45 version part 1)" by Oneness Of Juju, "Mr PC" by Mike Selesia, "Destroy The Nihilist Picnic" by London Experimental Jazz Quartet, "Intergalactic Love Song (alt mix)" by The Diddys with Paige Douglas, "Ain't Got No I Got Life" by Nina Simone, "Only Yesterday" by Weldon Irvine, "Afra Jum (alt take)" by Francisco Mora Catlett, and "Dream Come True (part 1)" by Three Of Us.

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones.

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones.

Mod mod 60s jazz – and 20 tight-as-can-be instrumentals from London's Dave Davani combo! Dave's a Hammond player with a great mix of soul jazz and R&B in his grooves – very much the best sort of instrumental work you might expect from London in the swinging 60s – a great blend of American influences and UK mod styles. The rest of the group includes guitar, bass, and drums – plus a bit of vocals and Latin percussion from Beryl Wayne. The groove here is clearly a precursor to the James Taylor Quartet, and the overall sound is better than some of the more famous groups from the time – such as the combos of Brian Auger or Graham Bond. The set features tracks from Dave's Parlophone album, a few other singles, and even 4 previously unissued tracks from the same time – with titles that inlcude "Big Bossa Man", "Working Out", "Funky Mama", "Sack O Woe", "Boot Leg", "Harlem Waltz", and "Pig Foots".

A killer session that matches the talents of American drum genius Philly Joe Jones with some of the leading lights in British jazz! The set was recorded in London in 1968, at that perfect moment when the Brit jazz scene was turning towards new ideas of modernism, but hadn't yet strayed too far from the tight swing that characterized most of its playing since the postwar years. Philly leads a group that includes Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Chris Pyne on trombone, Pete King on alto, and Harold McNair on tenor and flute. King and McNair are some of our favorite players ever, rarely reissued on CD or LP – and the set gives them plenty of free reign to solo madly in a bop-heavy environment. Titles include "Gone Gone Gone", "Trailways Express", "Mo Joe", and "Ladybird".

An amazing collection of work from the legendary Graham Bond – a 60s Hammond player who was incredibly important to the London scene during the best mod years of the decade! Bond was way more than just a jazz musician – and like George Fame, Zoot Money, and a few of his other contemporaries – he had a way of mixing together jazz and soul with a strong touch of blues – almost a new British version of soul jazz, similar to the way that some of the bigger English rock groups were drawing from American R&B! Graham sings on most tracks – with these raspy vocals that are incredibly charming, and downright soulful – and in addition to his own work on organ, instrumentation features lots of pre-Cream work from Ginger Baker on drums and Jack Bruce on bass – plus plenty of tenor from Dick Heckstall-Smith too. If you dig the mod work of Georgie Fame, you'll find plenty to love here too – but Bond also really helps point the way towards more progressive jazz-rock experiments of the future – although this set features mostly tracks from 1966 and before, without any of Graham's later trippier music. The 4CD package is the best collection we've ever seen of Bond's music from these years – and includes rare singles, unreleased cuts, and even some side projects with Ernest Ranglin and Duffy Power too. 98 tracks in all, with a great booklet as well – and titles that include "Cabbage Greens", "Harmonica", "Early In The Morning", "Tammy", "Honey Bee", "Long Tall Shorty", "Soul Tango", "Down In The Valley", "Waltz For A Pig", "Like A Baby", "Please Don't Say", "Walking In The Park", "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf", "Dick's Instrumental", and lots lots more.

Two rare albums from these Duke Ellington sidemen – both recorded in New York with production from Stanley Dance! Rock Me Gently offers up some rare work as a leader from baritone saxophonist Harry Carney – working here in a swinging smaller group of players from the larger Ellington ensemble – including Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Willie Cook and Ray Nance on trumpets, Booty Wood on trombone, and Rollins Griffith on piano. The set's got a very different feel than the usual Ellingtonian outing like this – as it features songs and arrangements from Kenny Graham – the inventive British leader of the 50s who really knew how to work some fresh sounds from players like these. There's definitely a London modern vibe going on – and tracks include "Mabulala", "Five O'Clock Drag", "Tree Of Hope", "Blues For Blokes", "Baby Blue", and "Rock Me Gently". Two From Duke focuses on the solo talents of two key tenorists – Harold Ashby and Paul Gonsalves, sometimes heard together, sometimes on tunes that just feature Ashby. The set's got a wonderfully warm, laidback small combo feel – very different than the usual Ellington-ish setting you'd usually hear the players on their own – and the groups feature piano from either Jimmy Jones or Sir Charles Thompson, and some tracks also have a bit of trumpet from Ray Nance. Titles include "Backstairs", "Jeep's Blues", "Swallowing The Blues", "My Buddy", and "Oh Shucks".

A beautiful combination of piano and vibes – performed here by a hip German combo from the postwar years! The quartet features piano from Wolfgang Lauth and vibes from Fritz Hartshuh – the latter of whom plays with a nicely hard-edged, chromatic sound – a great link between some of the first jazz players to pick up the instrument and some of the key modernists to emerge later in the 60s. Lauth's piano work is great, and the record is a wonderful early example of his standout skills on the instrument – one that also features bass from Wolfgang Wagner and drums from Joe Hackbarth. The album's recorded with a bit of an echoey tone, which brings out some of the darker elements in the music – and the set includes a few really great original compositions, plus more familiar standards. Titles include "La Cave", "Miniature", "Darn That Dream", "Visions Of Cathy", "London Bridge Is Not Falling Down", "Near You It Was Always So Beautiful", and "Everything Happens To Me". (Note: there appears to be a slight imperfection on track 3 – causing a musical dropout for a brief moment.)

One of the greatest British jazz albums ever to feature the Blue Notes – the legendary South African jazz group who left their country in the mid 60s, and took up an expatriot home in London! The session's led by pianist Chris McGregor, but it features a sextet that includes Blue Note members Louis Moholo on drums, Dudu Pukwana on alto sax, Mongezi Feza on pocket trumpet, and Johnny Dyani on bass – in addition to British tenor player Ronnie Beer. The sound of the work is pretty tremendous – ranging from completely free and outside jazz to slower, more somber tunes that strongly recall the later work of the players in the group. All tunes are originals by McGregor and Pukwana – save for the track "Don't Stir The Beehive", which is a reworking of a traditional African tune. Other titles include "The Sounds Begin Again", "White Lies", "Heart's Vibrations", and "Marie My Dear".

A previously unissued performance by the Brotherhood Of Breath – recorded at a time when the group was at the height of their early powers! Some of the styles here are in the straighter, South African-inspired jazz of pianist Chris McGregor's roots – but other tracks get far more experimental, and show the new ideas and levels of expression that some of the players were adopting at the time – a great criss-crossing of cultural modes as the London jazz scene absorbed ex-colonial artists from South Africa and the West Indies. The lineup here includes Dudu Puckwana and Mike Osborne on altos, Alan Skidmore and Gary Windo on tenor, Harry Beckett and Marc Charig on trumpet, Nick Evans and Malcolm Griffiths on trombone, Harry Miller on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums – all coming together with a sense of magical creativity that we'd reserve for a rare few groups – like the Sun Ra Arkestra! Titles include "Nick Tete", "Restless", "Do It", "Eclipse At Dawn", "The Bride", and "Funky Boots March".

Two amazing sets from Harold McNair – a fantastic London 60s flute player with a really sharp edge! The self-titled Harold McNair has the leader working in a tight combo with some nice offbeat sounds – including a lot of breathy, soul-toned notes that remind us a fair bit of Roland Kirk – but which also showcase some of Harold's West Indian roots! (McNair was part of the same great West Indian influx of jazz musicians that also gave England Joe Harriott and Dizzy Reece.) The group features Harold mostly on flute, plus a bit of tenor – alongside Bill LeSage on piano, Spike Heatley on bass, and Tony Carr on drums – and titles include the seminal groover "The Hipster" – worth the price of the record alone – plus "Mento", "Indecision", "The Cottage", and "Mini Blues". Flute & Nut features the flute of Harold McNair alongside some sweet arrangements from John Cameron – with whom Harold worked famously on Donovan sessions in the 60s! Many tunes are McNair originals, and Harold's flute is definitely in the lead – but we also love the grooves that Cameron brings on board – a sweet blend of soulful jazz and sound library styles – all of which gives the album a similar feel to Roland Kirk's work with the Benny Golson group on Mercury. Titles include "Burnt Amber", "Herb Green", "Nomadic Joe", "Barnes Bridge", and "The Umbrella Man".

Beautiful! London-based, West Indies-born trumpeter Dizzy Reece was one of the most fantastic trumpet talents of the late 50s and early 60s – as you'll clearly hear on this previously unreleased session recorded by Blue Note in 1960. Reece had an incredible tone that managed to be very polished and sparkling, yet still stay incredibly soulful, especially when paired with good players – as on this CD! The sessions feature 2 different groups – one with Stanley Turrentine (at a good raw early tone here), Bobby Timmons, and Art Blakey; the other with Turrentine, Duke Jordan, and obscure tenorist Musa Kaleem. Both groups are great, and the record is quite possibly the best that Dizzy recorded for Blue Note – which makes it even more strange that the material was not issued until now. Titles include "Achmet", "Ye Olde Blues", "The Case Of The Frightened Lover", and "Sands". 9 tracks in all, and a delight throughout!

Live London recordings from the trio of pianist Pat Smythe – a player you might know from his work with Joe Harriott in the 60s – joined here by a great guest star – the American tenor giant Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The setting is very open and fluid – longer live tracks that allow Eddie to really stretch out on his solos – in that maturing mellower tone that he really mastered in the latter half of the 60s – an approach that's even more subtle than his earlier records on Prestige, but which really yields a hell of a lot, once it draws you in! And although Pat's billed as the star here, the tunes are clearly a showcase for Davis' tenor talents – on long readings of "Days Of Wine & Roses", "I'll Never Be The Same", and "If I Were A Bell". Note that although Harold McNair is listed on the cover, he doesn't appear until volume 2!

A beautiful contemporary project from these two British jazz legends – one that definitely lives up to all their genius from earlier years – while finding a whole new level of expression! The album was done in collaboration with the London Vocal Project – a large group who are used here in a manner that's similar to some of the Donald Byrd "with voices" albums on Blue Note, or some of the Max Roach choral projects of the 60s. Winstone comes forth as the key soloist on some tracks – singing lyrics with this amazing quality that hasn't dimmed at all, with all the darkness we've always loved in her approach – and on other numbers the full chorus rises with the rhythms, propelling things forward alongside Wheeler's lines on flugelhorn – and the work of Mark Lockheart on saxes and Nikki Iles on piano. A stone classic, and a real surprise – with tracks that include "Black March", "The Hat", "The Broken Heart", "Breughel", and "The Lover Mourns".

One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from Toshiko Akioshi – a wonderfully sensitive trio session that's quite different than her more bop-oriented work of the 50s! The mid 60s album features a fair bit of tunes pulled from traditional and Japanese sources – a few of the lullabies hinted at in the title, and a few more tracks with some slightly Eastern-styled themes. Toshiko's piano, while bold at times, also has a sensitivity that hadn't often shown up in her work by this point – a new sort of gentleness that's open to light colors and tones that really flesh out the album beautifully. Bass is by Yasuo Arakawa and drums are by Kanji Harada – and that's a young Monday Michiru sitting on the piano on the cover (and the album was also one of the last to bill Toshiko as "Mariano", referring to Monday's father Charlie.) Titles include "Mari To Tonosama", "The March", "Angel's Lullaby", "Tuppen Och Honan", "London Bridge", "Cancion De Extremadura", "Kanchororin Bushi", "I Ken Pien Tan", and "Chocho".

Mindblowing work from Lol Coxhill – mostly long solo improvisations, but with one surprising big band track as well! The leadoff track is the longest and our clear favorite – titled "Music For Feathery Fronds", and recorded amazingly in the fern room of the Lincoln Park Conservatory in Chicago – a place we've spent much time over the years, and which seems to really inspire Lol to new ends as he blows solo, improvised, for almost 30 minutes at one go! Two other solo tracks – "Relaunch One" and "Relaunch Two" – were both recorded in London, and are equally excellent – and the set also features a cool ten minute track titled "The Unlaunched Orchestra" – performed by a large group with Paul Rutherford on trombone, Ian Smith on trumpet, Veryan Weston on piano, Michael Kosmides on theremin, and a number of other British players as well.

Sharp-edged live work from Victor Feldman – a set that features both vibes and piano, often with a bit more bite than usual for Vic! The material was recorded live at Ronnie Scotts in 1964 – and the group's a trio on all numbers – with Feldman on vibes and piano, plus Rick Laird on bass and Ronnie Stephenson on drums. Tracks are of moderate length, but stretch out nicely – almost recalling some of Feldman's best London recordings of the late 50s – and certainly with that open, swinging sense of rhythm that made those sides so great. Overall, the album's a great revelation if you've only thought of Victor as a more staid player – and titles include "Alley Blues", "Liebestraum", "Azul Serape", "Swinging On A Star", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "Too Blue".

Way more than the trad jazz and bebop you might guess from the title – as the set's an incredible compilation of unreleased British jazz treasures – mostly from the 60s, and showing the London scene in the grip of some very formative years! In the immediate postwar years, UK jazz was a pretty straight and tight thing – but as the 60s approached, the sound of London really opened up – not just because of a huge influx of key post-colonial players, but also because the locals were really gaining confidence, and trying out a wealth of new styles on their own – styles that explode wonderfully here, in a mix of 60s modern styles that's really incredible. All tracks here are pulled from the archives of the artists, and many capture key players at periods we haven't heard this strongly before – with work by a quintet with Mike Taylor on piano and Dave Tomlin on tenor; a quintet with Henry Lowther on trumpet, Lyn Dobson on tenor, Tony Hymas on piano, and Harry Miller on bass; a septet with John Stevens on drums, Kenny Wheeler on flugelhorn, Alan Skidmore on tenor, and Ray Warleigh on alto; a quintet with Joe Harriott on alto and Kenny Wheeler on flugelhorn; a quartet with Mike Osborne on alto and John Surman on baritone; Amancio D'Silva on guitar with the quintet of Don Rendell and Ian Carr; a quartet with Lol Coxhill on soprano sax and Steve Miller on piano, and work by groups that include Elton Dean's Just Us, Gary Windo's Symbiosis, and Graham Collier Music.