A set that's way groovier than you'd guess from the "mood music library" on the cover – as the album features drum-heavy instrumental takes on popular tunes of the 60s! LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Freddy Cole, Stanley Turrentine, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, Ruth Brown, Merl Saunders & Friends, Charlie Byrd, Hank Crawford, Etta Jones, Sonny Rollins, and more – 28 songs in all. CD

With Marion Felder on drums. CD

Featuring Kid Ory, Bobby Hackett, Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, Leonard Feather, Sid Catlett and others. Tracks include "Mahogany Hall Stomp", "Rockin' Chair", "St James Infirmary Blues", "Save It, Pretty Mama", "Before Long", "Blues In The South", and "Ain't Misbehavin". CD

Although Ramsey first scored big with his spare trio recordings during the late 50s, by this point in his career, Cadet were wisely playing with his sound a lot, adding in new elements to keep things fresh and soulful. Such is the case with this album, which has Ramsey's second trio (with Cleveland Eaton and Maurice White) performing with very groovy arrangements by Richard Evans. The result is some totally cool material – very much in the best crossover mode of the Cadet Concept years. The highlight of the album is the Eastern-tinged funky number "Jade East", which has some nice sitar and chimes in the background. Other tunes include "Party Time" and "Bear Mash", plus hard piano covers of "I Was Made To Love Her", "Soul Man", and "Respect". LP, Vinyl record album

Trakcs include "Shining Star", "Elis", "Tapestry", "Triumph", and "Fast Love". CD

Includes tracks from a 1947 session, with sidemen that include Bud Freeman, Art Hodes, Pops Foster, and George Wettling; plus a 1950 session with Max Kaminsky and Wilber DeParis. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic lost work from Charles Mingus, from a very under-recorded time in his life – the same period in which he gave the world the seminal album Let My Children Hear Music! The setting's a live one – and as on some of Mingus' superb 60s concert sessions, there's a force and fire here that really surpasses the group's energy in the studio – long tracks that are filled with brilliant solo work, and handled by a sextet that includes Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Foster on piano, and Roy Brooks on drums – a group with just the kind of young, imaginative horn players that Mingus always used to create a special sort of fire. Titles include the 19 minute "The Man Who Never Sleeps", the 30 minute "Mind Readers Convention In Milano", a 25 minute version of "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress", and a 20 minute take on "Noddin Ya Head Blue" – plus a 35 minute jam on "Fables Of Faubus" and the shorter "Pops". CD

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". CD

Attica Blues, and beyond – a great late 70s performance that has Archie Shepp turning the clock back towards that famous album – but also making some very new grooves with a richly expanded lineup! The double-length set was recorded in Paris, in front of a very lively crowd – and it's honestly one of Shepp's most dynamic records from the time – definitely inspired by all the freedom he'd had in the French scene for the previous decade – yet also brought together with a great sense of focus too. The lineup is excellent – with vocals from Joe Lee Wilson and Irene Datcher – trumpets from Malachi Thompson, Charles McGhee, and Roy Burrowes; trombones from Charles Greenlee, Dick Griffin, and Steve Turre; reeds from Marion Brown, James Ware, and Marvin Blackman; plus piano from Art Matthews, some added strings, great percussion, and piano, tenor, and soprano sax from Shepp himself! Ray Copeland directs the group – giving it the hip focus of his few key recordings like this – and titles include "Star Love", "Moon Bees", "Attica Blues" (in two parts), "Steam", "Quiet Dawn", "Hi Fly", "U-Jaama", "Ballad For A Child", "Simone", "Crucificado", :A Change Has Come Over Me", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", and "Skippin'". CD

Incredible rare jazz from the Japanese scene of the 70s – all hand-picked by DJ Muro, one of the coolest talents on the contemporary scene in Tokyo! The set's a bit of a shift from other collections of this nature – as it focuses a bit more on tracks that are funky than those that are spiritual – yet also includes those that have some very cool, hip Japanese touches – at a level that's hugely different from American jazz work of the time! The selection of cuts is great – and rather than offer a completely diverse dozen, Muro does a great job of focusing in on a few key acts – most of whom have not hit the reissue market strongly in recent years. Titles include "Hanagasa Odori", "Sakura Sakura", "Soran Bushi", and "Yagi Bushi" by Tadaaki Misago & Tokyo Cuban Boys; "Nanbu Ushioi Uta", "Saitara Bushi", "Souma Nagareyama", and "Asadoya Yunta" by Kifu Mitsuhashi & Kiyoshi Yamaya; "Seijinshiki (Adult Day)" by Toshiyuji Miyama & His New Herd; "Tabaruzaka" by Katsuya Yokoyama & The Million Pops; and "Fuku Jobutso Part 1 (Muro edit)" and "Osorezan (Muro edit)" by Kiyoshi Yamaya & Contemporary Sound Orchestra. 2CD set also features a full continuous mix of the music by Muro on the second CD! (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

Don't think "disco", think "funky jazz" – because this sweet South African group from the 70s is filled with lots of groovy twists and turns – all in a mode that's quite different than any of the American or European jazz albums we know from the time! The lineup here includes reed heavyweight Basil Coetzee on both flute and tenor sax – working in a quartet with some sublime organ lines from Pops Mohamed – who plays in this snakey sort of way that's a bit like South African jazz piano, but maybe even more flowing and moody. The grooves are sometimes funky, sometimes more modal – but always forward moving in a really great way, but again with a very fresh approach to rhythm! Titles include "Super Natural Love", "Yasmeen's Blues", "Night Express", "Odd's On", and "Echo On The Delay". (Global Grooves, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Jack Walrath is something of a secret hero in jazz – a player who's created amazing sounds for decades, both in his own groups and in lineups led by giants like Charles Mingus or Bobby Watson – but also an artist who's sometimes a bit under the radar, then pops up with an amazing record like this! Walrath is often at his best in a more open, freewheeling live setting – definitely the case in the way the Smalls Live series allows a key player to open up – often producing the kind of material that doesn't always get captured this well in the studio. And as with most Smalls sessions, the rest of the group is superb too – Abraham Burton on tenor, George Burton on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Donald Edwards on drums – all stretching out on tracks that all hover nicely around the ten minute mark. Titles include "A Bite In Tunisia", "Roadkill", "Sacrifice", "Mood For Muhal", and "Left Turn On 86th Street". CD

There's less disco here than you might expect, as the group's a very jazzy one – with tenor and flute from South African jazz legend Basil Coetzee, working next to the organ and drum machine of Pops Mohamed as he creates a very cool, unique groove! The music's an extension of other South African funk of the time, but given the use of drum machine on some tracks (a few feature live drum performances), there's a mix of modes going on here that's really unique – jazz funk, but of a leaner style – maybe a bit more laidback, and with plenty of focus on reedwork and keyboard solos! The set brings together tracks from three rare albums by the group – and titles include "Dark Clouds (part 1)", "Spiritual Feeling", "Night Express (single version)", "Kids In The Dark", "I'm Organized", and "Pops Blue". (Global Grooves, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic lost work from Charles Mingus, from a very under-recorded time in his life – the same period in which he gave the world the seminal album Let My Children Hear Music! The setting's a live one – and as on some of Mingus' superb 60s concert sessions, there's a force and fire here that really surpasses the group's energy in the studio – long tracks that are filled with brilliant solo work, and handled by a sextet that includes Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Foster on piano, and Roy Brooks on drums – a group with just the kind of young, imaginative horn players that Mingus always used to create a special sort of fire. Titles include the 19 minute "The Man Who Never Sleeps", the 30 minute "Mind Readers Convention In Milano", a 25 minute version of "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress", and a 20 minute take on "Noddin Ya Head Blue" – plus a 35 minute jam on "Fables Of Faubus" and the shorter "Pops". CD

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". LP, Vinyl record album

Archie Shepp returns to some of the hippest, most righteous modes of his early 70s album for Impulse Records – especially those post-Paris sessions that often brought in singers and an expanded instrumental lineup! The performance here is a live one, and features beautiful vocals from Amina Claudine Myers, Marion Rampal, and Cecile McLorin Salvant – who sometimes work in a righteous chorus mode, sometimes sing solo, to bring out this depth in the compositions that we really love. Shep's on tenor and soprano sax, and sings a bit too – and there's a larger ensemble that features Famadou Don Moye on drums and percussion, plus guitar, trumpets, trombones, and even some added strings. Jimmy Owens conducts, and titles include a very cool reworking of the classic "Blues For Brother G Jackson" – plus "Quiet Dawn", "Cry Of My People", "Arms", "Attica Blues", "Mama Too Tight", and "Goodbye Sweet Pops". CD

The legacy here is a strong one – given that most of the players on the set have their roots in some of the most soulful jazz of the 60s and 70s! Trumpeter Charles Tolliver's the first member listed of the ensemble, but it's hardly his group – and is more of a collective effort between players who include Gary Bartz on alto and soprano sax, Grachan Moncur on trombone, John Hicks on piano, Mickey Bass on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all musicians who really do a lot here to recreate the soulful sound of the indie jazz scene of the 70s. Bass produced the record, and it's issued on his own Early Bird label – home to a few other great dates like this – and titles include "Brother Rick", "The Juggler", "Avotcja", "A For Pops", "Do A Funny Dance", and "Franess". CD

With Johnny Windhurst on clarinet, Ray Parker on piano, Pops Foster on string bass, and George Thompson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

With Johnny Windhurst on clarinet, Ray Parker on piano, Pops Foster on string bass, and George Thompson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest albums ever from organist Milt Buckner – a set that not only features his own great work on Hammond, but also some excellent vibes from Gene Redd! This isn't the Redd that was a member of Kool & The Gang, but his pops – and Gene works with Buckner here on arrangements to craft a sound that's much hipper and more soulful than usual for Milt – quite a change from some of his dates for other labels, especially some of the overseas ones. The rest of the group features Bill Willis on bass and Phil Paul on drums – and tunes are awash in cool tones and unusual sounds – handled very differently than in other versions. The album includes nice versions of "Take Five", "Fly Me To The Moon", "All Blues", and "Why Don't You Do Right" – all with a lot more of a soul jazz groove than you'd expect! CD

With Don Ewell, Albert Nicholas, Pops Foster, James P Johnson, and Danny Barker. LP, Vinyl record album

The younger Grant Green grooves in ways that would have made his pops proud – recording here in a sweet old school style that features Hammond from either Reuben Wilson or Michael Torsone, plus alto sax from the legendary Eddie Pazant! There's a warm, fluid groove to most tracks – one that hits that same sort of Prestige-era groove referenced in the "Jungle Strut" title – and the hollow-body tones of Green's instrument ring out very nicely next to the organ lines on the set. Titles include "Green Onions", "We Can Fly", "Jungle Strut", "Walk On By", and "When A Man Loves A Woman". CD

Mangione plays Arp Soloist, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CS80, and piano, accompanied by Larry Carlton on guitar, Robert Pops Popwell and Abraham Laboriel on bass, Peter Donald and Ralph Humphrey on drums, Jeff Porcaro on drums and percussion, Greg Mathieson on piano, Chuck Findley on trumpets, Bill Reichenbach Jr on trombone, and Vincent DeRosa on french horn. LP, Vinyl record album

Very groovy stuff! Although the bulk of the material on this album is "pops meet jazz", in the hands of Oliver Nelson, it's transformed into something wonderful – with just the right blend of jazz to keep things lively. The arrangements have a nice off-kilter sound that works well with Nelson's strong reed performances – and tunes include "Jazz Bug", "Yesterday", "Flowers On The Wall", "Boots Are Made For Walkin", and "Beautiful Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". CD

Really fantastic music from pianist Ahmad Jamal – a set of tracks that's a really nice change from some of the recordings he was doing for Chess Records in the early 60s, and which definitely point the way towards the more stretched-out performances to come on Impulse Records! As the title implies, the setting is live – and Jamal really stretches out here on a number of tunes – working with a free-flowing sense of lyrical beauty that's even more stunning than in the shorter space of a studio cut – really skilled with that ear for tone and timing that made his work such a fresh voice on the piano scene at the time, and a subtle hint at righteous modes to come in the following generation. Chuck Lampkin is on drums throughout, and one set features Richard Evans on bass, the other Jamil Nasser – on long takes of "Bogota", "Minor Adjustments", "All Of You", "Squatty Roo", "Keep On Keeping On", "Minor Moods", "Lollipops & Roses", "Tangerine", and "But Not For Me". CD

From Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass ; "The Lonely Bull", "Mexican Shuffle", "Whipped Cream", "Lollipops And Roses", "A Taste Of Honey", "Spanish Flea", "Tijuana Taxi", "Zorba The Greek", "What Now My Love", "So What's New?", "The Work Song", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Casino Royale", and from Herb Alpert ":Route 101", "Fandango", "Rise", "Rotation", "Diamonds", "Keep Your Eye On Me", and "Making Love In The Rain". (Now Sound, Jazz) CD

A classic set of spiritual fusion from this short-lived allstar group Compost – featuring Harold Vick, Bob Moses, Jumma Santos, and Jack DeJohnette! Vick's at his moody soulful best here, in a mode that's similar to his Strata East work – and the record also features occasional vocals by Lou Courtney and Jeanne Lee. They hit a fairy feverish, funky jazz mode throughout, and every player is in incredible form here. Titles include "The Ripper", "Moonsong", "Changing Streams", "Mon Cherry Popsicool", "Compost Festival", "Life Is Round", and "Buzzard Feathers". CD

Bobby Timmons at the height of his powers – recorded live at the Village Vanguard, with a trio that includes Ron Carter on bass and Albert Heath on drums! The tracks are a bit longer than on some of Bobby's trio studio sides for Riverside – nicely swinging, with some killer piano work that reminds us, once again, that Timmons' young genius was far greater than the talent that most other players could hope for after the age of 30! Titles include "So Tired", "Goodbye", "Popsy", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

Very mellow work from guitarist George Van Eps and his unique 7 string guitar – spare recordings with mostly guitar solos, plus some occasional extra vibes and percussion by Frank Flynn. The tracks include a number of 60s pop numbers, but they're done here in versions that are quite different than the original hits – just spare guitar grooving and little else to hold them up! Titles include "All My Loving", "Love Me Do", "If I Fell", "I'll Walk Alone", "Lollipops & Roses", "It's Been A Long Long Time", and "Spanish Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Really fantastic music from pianist Ahmad Jamal – a set of tracks that's a really nice change from some of the recordings he was doing for Chess Records in the early 60s, and which definitely point the way towards the more stretched-out performances to come on Impulse Records! As the title implies, the setting is live – and Jamal really stretches out here on a number of tunes – working with a free-flowing sense of lyrical beauty that's even more stunning than in the shorter space of a studio cut – really skilled with that ear for tone and timing that made his work such a fresh voice on the piano scene at the time, and a subtle hint at righteous modes to come in the following generation. Chuck Lampkin is on drums throughout, and one set features Richard Evans on bass, the other Jamil Nasser – on long takes of "Bogota", "Minor Adjustments", "All Of You", "Squatty Roo", "Keep On Keeping On", "Minor Moods", "Lollipops & Roses", "Tangerine", and "But Not For Me". LP, Vinyl record album