Mose Allison is one of the coolest, grooviest singers ever to grace the face of jazz – a voice you'll recognize instantly, even if you don't know his name – and an artist who had a huge influence on the sound of the London scene in the 60s! Mose was mod before mod was a thing – and was able to mix his sharp jazz skills on piano with a gutbuckety style of singing that drew heavily from the sound of New Orleans – as did his sense of rhythm – but always with an approach that was more upbeat and jazzy overall, with a hip sophistication that few other artists could hope to touch! And while Mose recorded excellent sounds for decades, this collection focuses in on some of the most important work he ever cut – music done for Prestige, Columbia, and Atlantic Records from the late 50s through the early 70s – served up in the most amazing tribute to Allison we've ever seen. 24 tracks in all – with cuts that include "Foolkiller", "I'm Not Talking", "If You Only Knew", "The Seventh Son", "I'm Smashed", "Wild Man On The Loose", "Back On The Corner", "I Love The Life I Live", "Jus Like Livin", "If You Live", "V8 Ford Blues", "Parchman Farm", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Western Man", "Your Molecular Structure", "Hellow There Universe", and "Swingin Machine". CD

An incredible pairing of two important 60s talents – magnificent vocals from Arthur Prysock, and some of the best backings he ever received – thanks to Basie! CD adds in three more tracks – originally done for Old Town Records! CD

Great groovy pop from the Italian scene of the 60s – a wealth of rare singles from female singers, almost all of whom we've never heard before! We'll confess to a long love and deep knowledge of female French singers from the time – but also admit a strong ignorance about most Italian pop, which always seems a bit harder to find – especially collected together in sets like this for the English-speaking world. And while we totally love the French sets from Ace Records, we almost dig this one even more – as the whole thing's so fresh, so groovy that each new tune is a real delight – as bold orchestrations mix with mod rhythms, rockish instrumentation, and some totally cool Italian lyrics sung by a batch of female singers who've definitely got us already digging for more. Titles include "Baluba Shake" by Brunetta E I Suoi Balubas, "Il Mio Posto Quale" by Ornella Vanoni, "Sono Qui Con Voi by Caterina Caselli, "Un Amore Inutile" by Isabella Ianetti, "La Notte E Fatta Per Rubare" by Catherine Spaak, "Il Geghege" by Rita Pavone, "Ragazzo Triste" by Patty Pravo, "Se Telefonando" by Mina, and "Questa Sinfona" by Carmen Villani. (Rock, Vocalists) CD

A stunningly soulful setting for the magnificent voice of Kurt Elling – set up here in a lean trio with Nate Smith on drums and Fender Rhodes, and Charlie Hunter on guitar – or rather, his own unique "hybrid guitar" variation of the instrument! Elling just seems to get better and better in his mature years – using that trademark rasp in his vocals in ways that are even more expressive and soulful, especially in this setting – where the Superblue presentation and production treat him in very different ways than some of his straighter jazz records – letting Kurt really knock it out of the park on a set of surprisingly great covers that include "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", "Sticking To My Guns", "Baby Hold On", "Bounce", "Boogie Down", and "Wrap It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Great groovy pop from the Italian scene of the 60s – a wealth of rare singles from female singers, almost all of whom we've never heard before! We'll confess to a long love and deep knowledge of female French singers from the time – but also admit a strong ignorance about most Italian pop, which always seems a bit harder to find – especially collected together in sets like this for the English-speaking world. And while we totally love the French sets from Ace Records, we almost dig this one even more – as the whole thing's so fresh, so groovy that each new tune is a real delight – as bold orchestrations mix with mod rhythms, rockish instrumentation, and some totally cool Italian lyrics sung by a batch of female singers who've definitely got us already digging for more. Titles include "Baluba Shake" by Brunetta E I Suoi Balubas, "Il Mio Posto Quale" by Ornella Vanoni, "Sono Qui Con Voi by Caterina Caselli, "Un Amore Inutile" by Isabella Ianetti, "La Notte E Fatta Per Rubare" by Catherine Spaak, "Il Geghege" by Rita Pavone, "Ragazzo Triste" by Patty Pravo, "Se Telefonando" by Mina, and "Questa Sinfona" by Carmen Villani. (Rock, Vocalists) CD

Great groovy pop from the Italian scene of the 60s – a wealth of rare singles from female singers, almost all of whom we've never heard before! We'll confess to a long love and deep knowledge of female French singers from the time – but also admit a strong ignorance about most Italian pop, which always seems a bit harder to find – especially collected together in sets like this for the English-speaking world. And while we totally love the French sets from Ace Records, we almost dig this one even more – as the whole thing's so fresh, so groovy that each new tune is a real delight – as bold orchestrations mix with mod rhythms, rockish instrumentation, and some totally cool Italian lyrics sung by a batch of female singers who've definitely got us already digging for more. Titles include "Baluba Shake" by Brunetta E I Suoi Balubas, "Il Mio Posto Quale" by Ornella Vanoni, "Sono Qui Con Voi by Caterina Caselli, "Un Amore Inutile" by Isabella Ianetti, "La Notte E Fatta Per Rubare" by Catherine Spaak, "Il Geghege" by Rita Pavone, "Ragazzo Triste" by Patty Pravo, "Se Telefonando" by Mina, and "Questa Sinfona" by Carmen Villani. (Rock, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughan has a wonderfully warm glow here – that richness in her voice that only seemed to come on more strongly as the 70s moved on – with elements that are every bit as great as her famous recordings of the 50s, but even more mature, and more finely-tuned with an understanding of the powers of her vocal range and sense of inflection! The group is a spare, gentle one – Carl Schroeder on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and as on some of Sarah's key records from the time, all players often give Vaughan plenty of space up front on her own. Titles include seven minute takes of "Sarah's Blues" and "Tenderly", plus "Round Midnight", "The Lamp Is Low", "Watch What Happens", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", and a long medley of "It's Magic/My Reverie/Body & Soul/Moonlight In Vermont". CD

Amazing work from singer Dee Alexander – a wonderfully soulful album of jazz vocals, and one that we'd rank right up there with our favorite records by Carmen Lundy or Dee Dee Bridgewater! Dee's a singer who's worked in Chicago for years, but we've honestly only begun to appreciate her talents of late – possibly because she's really hipped up her sound a lot over the years, picking up a range of spiritual, soulful influences that push her music to a whole new level – as you might have heard on her recent collaboration with IG Culture. The music on the set is wonderful too – work by Chicago players we know, but have never heard this strongly before – grooving in modal and soulful modes behind Dee's great vocals, with a lineup that includes Miguel De La Cerna and Michael Logan on piano, Harrison Bankhead on bass, and Leon Joyce on drums and percussion. Titles include versions of two tunes by AACM member Henry Huff – "Live" and "You & I" – plus the Alexander originals "Long Road Ahead", "Rossingnol", "Butterfly", and "C U On The Other Side". CD

One of Chet Baker's most classic albums of the 50s – a record that features both vocals and strong trumpet solos – all from a time when Baker was one of the hottest things going in jazz! The album's different from records from previous years, in that it moves Baker from LA to New York – where he works with a great quartet that features Kenny Drew on piano, George Morrow or Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Danny Richmond on drums – all players who have a slightly different approach than some of Baker's compatriots on Pacific Jazz sessions, which also seems to bring out a bit more bite in Chet too. Tracks are still shortish, with those breathy Baker vocals we love so much, balanced with really well-crafted trumpet solos – and titles include "It Could Happen To You", "Do It The Hard Way", "Old Devil Moon", "Dancing On The Ceiling", and "The More I See You". (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

They're not lying with the title on this one, as Ella's singing to backings from the great Bill Doggett – who cooks up some of the liveliest rhythms Ella ever received from Verve! The style is still similar to other Verve records of the time – with that magnificent Fitzgerald vocal style transforming familiar tunes and standards – but the groove is much more upbeat, and Ella swings it hard in a style that really takes us back to her earlier years. Titles include "Runnin Wild", "No Moon At All", "Laughin On The Outside", "I Can't Face The Music", and "Rough Ridin". CD

One of the earliest records by the legendary Novi Singers – and a rare MPS set that exposed the group to a larger European audience! Novi hail from Poland, but have a name that's an condensation of the English phrase "new original vocal instruments" – a great summation of the way the quartet use their voices to recreate the feel of instruments in modern jazz – a mode first explored by the Lambert Hendricks & Ross group in the US, but taken to a much farther extreme on this set! The group are supported here by a border-crossing small combo of musicians that includes Zbigniew Namyslowski on alto sax, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Adam Makowicz on piano, and Billy Brooks on drums – and the sound is cool, laidback, and very groovy – extremely tight, almost even more so than some of the group's Polish albums! Titles include "The Second Side", "Secret Life", "Kulfon", and "Apartment Under The Roof". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever recorded by vocalist Lorez Alexandria – and a perfect summation of her rich talents as a singer! Backing is by a small Chicago trio that includes John Young on piano, Vernel Fournier on drums, and George Eskridge on bass – but the arrangements of the tracks, and Lorez's unique interpretations drive the tunes into territory that's surprisingly advanced for the 1962 date of the session. You'll recognize most of the tunes – but as the old adage goes, it's not the song, but the singer – and you'll hear Lorez crafting a rich tapestry of sound and emotion from titles like "No Moon At All", "I Was A Fool", "Detour Ahead", "Travlin Light", and "I Want To Talk About You". The album's a gem – right up there with her best work ever – and it's an essential CD reissue that won't be on the market for long! CD

While not as funky as some of her other records for Discovery, this tasty session of vocal tracks still has Lorez singing in a beautifully soulful style, of the type that she's finally getting recognition for these days! The lady has always been one of our favorite vocalists, and she's got some nice backing here from the Mike Wofford trio, plus some additional tenor and flute work by Herman Riley. The whole thing's got a very nice round soulful sound – and titles include "Days of Wine & Roses", "I Remember You", "Early Autumn", and "My Shining Hour". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from Peggy Lee's first stretch at Capitol Records – 39 tracks from the late 40s and early 50s that are collected here on CD for the first time ever! The work is a wonderful illustration of Peggy's early brilliance – and they show a strong evolution from simple big band singer into the mature, melancholy territory that really set Lee apart from most of her generation – and which paved the way for other solo singers like Chris Connor and June Christy in the 50s. Styles vary as the set goes on, and backings are from Dave Barbour, Pete Rugolo, Billy May, and others. Titles include "Neon Signs", "Trouble Is A Man", "Music Maestro Please", "Ain't Goin No Place", "Don't Be So Mean To Baby", "Ay Ay Chug A Chug", "Something To Remember You By", "Goin On A Hayride", "Shame On You", "That Ol Devil", "Boulevard Cafe", "A Man Wrote A Song", "Sunshine Cake", "Run For The Round House Nellie", and "Love". CD

Four fantastic records from a time when Johnny Mathis was really evolving his sound! On Me & Mrs Jones, Johnny Mathis takes on the sophisticated soul modes of the 70s, and also adds in a few other styles too – on an album that shows just how much the singer had changed in nearly 20 years of recording – sometimes shaped by all those other artists he'd inspired along the way! The title version of the Billy Paul classic "Me & Mrs Jones" is superb – maybe worth the price of the record alone, and perfect for the mature Mathis approach – and Johnny shines equally well on the album's blend of other 70s tunes, arranged by D'Arneill Pershing with a bit of help from Larry Muhoberac. Titles include "Summer Breeze", "Sweet Surrender", "Corner Of The Sky", "Remember", "You're A Lady", "If I Could Reach You", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Soul & Inspiration/Just Once In My Life", and "Me & Mrs Jones". Johnny takes on a mix of sweet & tender and more melancholy tunes on Killing Me Softly, showing a surer hand at making a batch of then contemporary hits his own much more successfully than other veteran pop vocalists of his generation. Jerry Fuller produced, and the titles Includes "Aubrey", "And I Love You So", "Break Up To Make Up", "Sing", "Good Morning Heartache", "Neither One Of Us Wants To Say Goodbye", "Show And Tell" and "Ariane". On I'm Coming Home, Johnny Mathis gets a great new sound – thanks to Philly production and arrangements from the great Thom Bell! Thom had quite a hand in the songs, too – as almost all numbers were written by the team of Bell and Linda Creed – really sensitive songwriters who've got an adult, mature approach to the music – one that still respects Mathis' roots in other vocal territory, but which also gives him a bit more soulful depth, too. The setting is wonderful, and the record's a real standout in Johnny's 70s career – one that helped reignite interest in the singer at a time when so many folks had left him behind. Titles include "I'm Coming Home", "Foolish", "I'm Stone In Love With You", "A Baby's Born", "Life Is A Song Worth Singing", "I Just Wanted To Be Me", and a classic version of "Stop Look & Listen To Your Heart". Feelings is a prime 70s Columbia era Mathis gem, with production by Jack Gold and this time out, arrangements by Gene Page that mix tender hearted intimacy and lightly sweeping touches as sweetly as can be. Titles include "One Day In Your Life", "Stardust", "Midnight Blue", "Feelings", "That's All She Wrote", "Solitaire" and more. CD features the bonus track "Crazy Little Love Makin Ways". CD

A set that starts out sounding like one of the most old school, straight ahead records we've ever heard from trombonist Roswell Rudd – but which soon opens up to all the creative, compelling modes we've always loved in Rudd's music! The record's the result of recent work with vocalist Heather Masse – a hell of a singer who takes Roswell back to older eras of jazz in style, but in ways that are still touched with all the creative tones we've always loved in his work on trombone! The mix is a bit like some of Roswell's 70s album with Sheila Jordan – in the way the songs are familiar, the structure is mostly standard, but the whole thing's open to these amazing inflections that really keep things interesting. Masse really surprises us, too – as while she can sing straight some times, she can also open up with these modes that are both modern and inventive, but never in a way that ignores older jazz roots. The pair have a way of embracing decades of jazz history at once – a bit in the way that Jaki Byard was always able to do – and they work here alongside Rolf Sturn on guitar and Mark Helias on bass – on titles that include "Social Call", "I'm Goin Sane", "Winter Blues", "Con Alma", "Tova & Kyla Rain", and "Blackstrap Molasses/Old Devil Moon". (Jazz, Vocalists) CD

One of the greatest records ever recorded by vocalist Lorez Alexandria – and a perfect summation of her rich talents as a singer! Backing is by a small Chicago trio that includes John Young on piano, Vernel Fournier on drums, and George Eskridge on bass – but the arrangements of the tracks, and Lorez's unique interpretations drive the tunes into territory that's surprisingly advanced for the 1962 date of the session. You'll recognize most of the tunes – but as the old adage goes, it's not the song, but the singer – and you'll hear Lorez crafting a rich tapestry of sound and emotion from titles like "No Moon At All", "I Was A Fool", "Detour Ahead", "Travlin Light", and "I Want To Talk About You". The album's a gem – right up there with her best work ever! LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet bit of funky jazz vocals from Oscar Brown Jr – recorded during his early 70s stay at Atlantic Records, in a style that's very different than his early work! The tracks are all still original numbers by Oscar – penned with that clever bad-rapping approach to the lyrics that always earned him a huge audience in the cognoscenti. The feel is a bit more electric than before, with Richard Tee on electric piano, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and percussion by Ralph MacDonald. A few cuts have female backing vocals, and titles include "Gang Bang", "Feel the Fire", "Dime Away from a Hot Dog", and "Young Man". CD

A sweet bit of funky jazz vocals from Oscar Brown Jr – recorded during his early 70s stay at Atlantic Records, in a style that's very different than his early work! The tracks are all still original numbers by Oscar – penned with that clever bad-rapping approach to the lyrics that always earned him a huge audience in the cognoscenti. The feel is a bit more electric than before, with Richard Tee on electric piano, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and percussion by Ralph MacDonald. A few cuts have female backing vocals, and titles include "Gang Bang", "Feel the Fire", "Dime Away from a Hot Dog", and "Young Man". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – one that we'd never part with! The session is one of Blossom Dearie's greatest records ever – a sublime set of tunes recorded in London, at the end of the 60s, with larger arrangements than usual, and a feel that's almost psychedelic. Backings were arranged and conducted by Brian Gascoigne – with a host of Brit underground jazz players that include Harold McNair, Ian Carr, Kenny Wheeler, and Ray Warleigh. More incredibly than that, though, is the set of tunes that Blossom wrote and chose for the record – tunes that have really dark edges, playful turns, and which go past the simplicity of some of her other work. The whole thing's truly amazing – really – and is a record that we've been coming back to again and again and again over the years! Titles include "I Know The Moon", "Long Daddy Green", "Hey John", "That's Just The Way I Want To Be", "Dusty Springfield", "Will There Really Be A Morning", and "I Like London In The Rain". CD