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Features Kenny Barron on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Grady Tate on drums – plus David Fathead Newman on sax. CD

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With Kenny Barron on piano – plus Erik Friedlander on cello. CD

A different James Brown album – but a nice one! James doesn't sing soul, so much as jazz – in front of large backings by Louis Bellson, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that are in his best 60s soul mode – and which give the album a very very groovy feel overall! The record's not funky, but James' vocals are plenty darn soulful – and the album is proof that he could be a huge talent in just about any mode that he chose – shining with a brilliance that was irrepressible! James covers a few of his older tracks on the album, and sings a few other pop standards – and titles include nice versions of "It's Magic", "The Man In The Glass", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "That's My Desire", and "I Need Your Key (To Turn Me On)". CD features the previously unissued bonus track "There Was A Time" – plus the full, unedited versions of 4 other tracks – appearing here for the first time ever! (Soul, Vocalists) CD

Featuring Bob Mintzer on bass clarinet and Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet. CD

An overlooked album from the legendary Nina Simone – recorded in Paris in the early 80s, and not circulated as much as some of her records from the 60s and 70s – but every bit as compelling in its own sort of way! Nina's working here with a greater array of global elements than on previous recordings – very much in that way that the French scene was embracing sounds from the Caribbean and African cultures in these post-colonial years, and using them to forge a wealth of wonderful new styles in the studios of Paris. The approach is still jazz-based, but with lots of earthy percussion, including some handled by Nina with her own piano work – a mode that's not foisted on Simone by another producer, but arranged and conceived by the lady herself. Lyrics are in French and English, and titles include "I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive", "They Took My Hand", "Stop", "Liberian Calypso", "Vous Etes SEuls Mais Je Desire Etre Avec Vous", "Fodder In Her Wings", "Thandewye", "Heaven Belongs To You", and "Le Peuple En Suisse". CD

2 Nancy Wilson Capitol sets from 1966 – back to back on one CD! From Broadway With Love is Broadway material – but given the Nancy Wilson twist – and sung in a mode that's a lot more soulful than other records of its type! Nancy's at her strong early Capitol best here – working with arranger Sid Feller in a set of tunes that get some nice syncopation and jazzy inflections from Sid – pushing them past their showier roots, and into leaner territory that really matches the class of the Nancy Wilson voice! And although they all came from musicals, most titles have had their own life as standards and pop songs – making the record less of a dip into Broadway than just a continuation of modes that Wilson was already exploring at Capitol in the 60s. Titles include "I've Got Your Number", "He Loves Me", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Hey There", "Makin Whoopee", and "Young & Foolish". Tender Loving Care has Nancy singing with arranger Billy May – who comes across here with a bit more sensitivity than usual for his Capitol work, especially given the 60s time of the recording! Sometimes, May is using full strings as a broad pillow of sound for Nancy's vocals – but other times, he strips things down and goes for a livelier, jazzier approach that's even better – one that helps give the familiar tunes a new lease on life in the hip Wilson style of the 60s. Titles include "As You Desire Me", "Like Someone In Love", "Don't Go To Strangers", "Tender Loving Care", "Love-Wise", "Try A Little Tenderness", and "Close Your Eyes". CD

The first-ever album from the legendary Hi-Lo's – a landmark indie debut that went onto transform the sound of vocal harmony in the 20th century! The record's got a subtle brilliance that's hard to catch at first – a way of putting together the tunes that's often only slightly different than some of the group's contemporaries, but which already shows the rich talents that leader Gene Puerling would bring to later vocal experiments with Singers Unlimited in the 70s. As with most of the group's famous records, backings here are by Frank Comstock – perfectly poised on the gentle tunes, and nicely jazzy on the more swinging ones! Titles include "June in January", "Little White Lies", "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore", "She's Funny that Way", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Island of Desire", "You Brought a New Kind Of Love", "Fools Rush In", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Where Are You", and "You Can't Hardly Get Them No More". CD

A nice album featuring Ethel's great vocals alongside dynamic backings from Sid Bass – music that's certainly jazz at the core, but which also has some of the more inventive flourishes that Sid was bringing to his own instrumental sides for RCA – not really tricks or gimmicks, but these great little touches that help keep things interesting throughout! Ethel's vocals are straightforward, but have a nice undercurrent of soul – more so than the usual RCA singers of the time – and titles include "Dear Friend", "An Occasional Man", "He Loves Me", "As You Desire Me", "Who Will Buy", "Night Club", "Love Don't Turn Away", and "When Did I Fall In Love". CD