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Cosmic hip hop, moody keyboard funk, tripped out bits of strings, brass, rubbery bass grooves and gritty beats from Sa-Ra's uber creative partner Shafiq -- and a record that rivals the best work of Sa-Ra proper! We long suspected that En'A Freek Ka would be a gem, and it does not dissappoint --... read more

A seminal world jazz crossover from bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik -- one of the first albums ever of its kind, and as fresh today as it was back in the late 50s! At the time of the set, Ahmed was working as Thelonious Monk's bassist -- but here, he also plays a fair bit of oud -- that lute-like... read more

Beatiful soul from one of Chicago's greatest female soul artists! Barbara Acklin was not only a great singer, but she also wrote an incredible batch of tracks during her years at the Brunswick label -- most of which were sung by her, and some of which became huge hits for other artists. This set... read more

Tremendous work from saxophonist Pepper Adams -- quite possibly one of his most hard-blowing sets on record! The album's a live date, recorded at the legendary Five Spot -- and the group here is a swinging one with plenty of soul jazz touches -- a combo that includes a young Bobby Timmons on piano... read more

A hip little live set from Cannonball -- recorded at the end of the funky 60s, in Paris, with Joe Zawinul on keyboards, and in the same long electric tradition as his famous Country Preacher album! The tracks include some of the gems from the Capitol years -- stretched out and served up with a... read more

Rock-solid live material from the classic Cannonball Adderley Sextet -- a combo who could usually groove even better on a concert date then they could in the studio! The album's one of a number of key live sides from Cannon in the 60s -- and although it pre-dates his work on Capitol, it's done in... read more

A swingin' Japanese concert by one of Cannonball's best groups from the 60's. Joe Zawinul's on piano, brother Nat's on cornet, Sam Jones is on bass, and Louis Hayes is on drums. But the real treat here is Yusef Lateef, who does some excellent reed work on tenor, flute, and oboe -- and who's... read more

Sweet funky 70s work from Cannonball Adderley -- a record that has him revisiting older tunes from his early soul jazz years -- but in ways that give them a whole new electric vibe overall! The album's actually Cannonball's last full studio set, but it's also one of his greatest too -- a very hip... read more

Most of two early sessions that featured Cannonball Adderley -- both recorded for Savoy Records in 1955! First up are tracks from Kenny Clarke's album Bohemia After Dark -- an excellent hardbop session from the glory days of the Savoy label -- easily one of the label's key 50s classics! Drummer... read more

A strong showcase for young Nat Adderley's talents on cornet -- and an album that's got a different feel that his work with his more famous brother's combo at the same time! The style here is simple -- Nat blowing with 2 different quartets -- one with Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and... read more

When it comes to soul jazz, you can't get any more classic than this! The title was one of the biggest jazz hits of the 60s -- covered by countless other artists, but presented here in all its original brilliance in a group led by its composer, a young Nat Adderley! At the time of the record, Nat... read more

A lost treasure from Antiono Adolfo -- keyboard player, arranger, and one of the greatest Brazilian talents of his generation! Adolfo's sound and style is contemporaneous with the best work of Marcos Valle, Edu Lobo, and others -- and like them, he has an approach that mixes together jazz, MPB,... read more

The second half of the mighty Africanism project -- a groundbreaking collection of new dancefloor tracks inspired by classic Afro Funk -- all coming from the cross-cultural hotbed of the Paris scene! Many of the titles on the set appeared separately as singles, but only received brief release --... read more

The Gods of Jazz give plenty of help to Airto here -- in a fair turn too, given that Airto graced some of their best records in the 70s! The percussionist works here as the leader, amidst other players who include Herbie Hancock on piano and keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, Chick Corea on... read more

Alexander's second outing for the Milestone label (hence the title), and a wonderful album of soulful tenor tracks that has him working in a quintet with Harold Mabern on piano and Jim Rotondi on trumpet. Mabern and Alexander have, by this time, forged quite a sympathetic relationship -- and, dare... read more

Sweet modern soul from Philip Alexander -- a singer with smoothly commanding vocal approach the swept us in right away -- here dropping one of strongest nusoul efforts we've heard in a long time! Philip's rich vocal arrangements are the lead element throughout -- and he has an excellent way of... read more

A beautiful later set from Lorez Alexandria -- produced by Houston Person, and put together with a sensitivity that really stands out! Although Lorez always sparkles on tunes that swing, she really rises to the occasion even more here on the ballads -- really gentle tunes that are taken in a... read more

Always-great work from singer Lorez Alexandria -- still sounding wonderful, even at this late date! Her presentation's a bit earthier than before, but no less poised than on earlier sessions -- with the same sense of space and timing that's always made her one of our favorite jazz singers! And as... read more

One of the few great Christmas jazz albums recorded in recent years -- one with a classic sound that takes us back to 60s holiday jazz from Blue Note and Prestige! Harry Allen's working here in a no-nonsense mode with organ, guitar, and drums backing him up -- a lean and clean sound that really... read more

Sublime soul by one of the 70s most overlooked artists! Rance Allen was a powerhouse -- born out of the gospel scene, and picked up by Stax records during its hip post-Atlantic years. Rance recorded for the label's Truth subsidiary, where he crafted a unique blend of gospel and soul that was some... read more

A beautiful mix of gospelly soul and heavy Memphis production -- and the kind of heavy soul album that made Rance Allen one of Stax's best new artists during the 70s! David Porter produced and arranged, and the album has some great electric keyboard work by Rance that provides a perfect... read more

A return to Stax by Rance Allen -- his first album for the label after a stellar set for Capitol, and a much smoother set than before! Rance has learned from his work with Larry Mizell on Capitol, and is using a warmer glide on his tracks on this set -- arrangements mostly done by producer Henry... read more

Mose Allison's last album for Prestige Records -- before moving onto even bigger fame at Columbia and Atlantic during the 60s! Unlike Allison's later sets, this one is mostly instrumental -- but there are a few sweet vocal tracks that bring out the hip, rootsy lyrical modes that would make Mose a... read more

An all-instrumental set from Mose Allison -- one that drops out his familiar jazz vocals, and really brings a nice focus to his energy on the keys of the piano! Given that Mose really got his start as a sideman in other combos during the 50s, the selection's no surprise -- and if you've only heard... read more

A pivotal album for Mose Allison -- and one of the first records to ever feature his voice, even if only on one track! During the 50s, Allison was mostly known for his work as a bop-styled pianist -- on records by Stan Getz and others -- but at the end of the decade, he really returned to his... read more

The solo debut of Alltruisms -- focused, straight forward and strong underground boom bap -- with production by J-Zone, DJ PRZM, Kaz1, Maker, and others -- plus guest appearances from Verbal Kent, Doomsday, Roadblok & Moodswangz and Rusty Chains. Impeccable rhymes and bedrock beats from the... read more

2 lesser-known Gene Ammons albums for Prestige -- back to back on one CD! First up is Got My Own, a more laidback set than usual from Ammons' early 70s stretch on Prestige -- but a record that nicely gets back to that big-toned tenor sound he used often on ballads from earlier years! The combo... read more

Rare funk from the Indy scene of the early 70s -- the long-overdue release of material recorded by a really hard-jamming, horn-heavy combo! Amnesty have a sound that's awash in the best large group influences of the time -- a bit of Earth Wind & Fire, a bit of Parliament/Funkadelic, but also a... read more

One of the greatest albums to come from the New York underground of the early 80s -- even if it was a relatively big "hit" on a major label! Laurie Anderson is in perfect form here -- drawing on a strong tradition of avant garde performance, but without any of the indulgences that would... read more

One of the few albums ever cut by singer Mildred Anderson -- a bluesy vocalist, but one with a strong touch of jazz as well! The format of this record really helps bring out the jazzier side of Mildred's music -- as it features small combo backing, with work from players that include Al Sears on... read more

A noirish and beautiful fifth album from Keren Ann -- sung in English and recorded in New York, Tel Aviv, Paris, Avignon, Reykjavik and LA (did we leave anywhere out?) -- a record that's hypnotic and mesmerizing throughout! Keren Ann's voice is the unequivocal lead instrument and mood setter,... read more

First, we'll confess, we've been in love with the Aqua Teens since first stumbling upon it, bleary-eyed, on latenight cable tee vee a bunch of years ago. OK, with that said, take with however many grains of salt our word that this is the absolute funniest comedy Christmas album we've heard in... read more

A lost treasure of Brazilian fusion -- originally released by keyboardist Marcos Ariel on his own tiny label in 1981! The set sparkles with the best of the larger Brazilian fusion scene of the time -- working in a post-Azymuth blend of keyboards, guitar, percussion, and Brazilian instrumentation --... read more

Beautiful work from the Art Ensemble -- and one of their undisputed classics! The record features some of the most perfectly realized moments the band ever cut to wax, with a blend of whimsical multi-instrumental improvisation, and a strong sense of the spiritual tradition in jazz. The album... read more

Killer work from this Chicago soul group -- a set that brings together all the beautiful best the Artistics recorded for Brunswick Records! At the label, the group had that soaring, lilting vibe that virtually defined the Chicago group sound at the end of the 60s -- a bit more punch than some of... read more

One of the first albums by this excellent Chicago vocal group -- a group who made it big on a track or two, but who managed to put out a great deal of excellent sides in their career! This album's from 1967, and it features a tight rendition of the band's sweet/sour style -- with great vocals by... read more

One of the grooviest records ever -- a sublime blend of African percussion, soulful orchestrations, and Dorothy Ashby's amazing electric harp! By the time of this landmark album, Dorothy had been knocking around the jazz world for a number of years, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard... read more

Lost funky soul from Jersey -- incredible work by Tyrone Ashley & The Funky Music Machine -- a rare batch of gritty harmony soul and some mighty funky numbers! Tyrone, aka Sonny Campbell, and the Machines were contemporaries of the Parliaments and future P-Funkers George Clinton and Bernie... read more

An excellent CD that brings together some hard to find tracks recorded by two of the few vocal groups to record for the legendary Stax label! The Astors recorded during the mid 60's, and their work has a sound that's similar to some of the classic Stax recordings during the Atlantic years, but... read more

Brian Auger's first album away from singer Julie Driscoll -- and a landmark batch of funky organ work that made big waves in both the rock and jazz worlds at the time! Auger's really stretching out here -- getting past the simple R&B of his roots, and going into a bubbling funky style that's... read more

A relatively recent set from Patti Austin, but a great one too -- an album that has her working in warmly jazzy arrangements that are much more restrained than her soul work of a few years before! There's a relaxed, easygoing feel to the set -- one that's somewhat smooth, as you might expect from... read more

Warm jazzy soul from Patti Austin -- a record that still holds strongly in the sound she pioneered with GRP Records in earlier years, proof that Austin was one of the leading lights of the label during its classic years! There's a few tinnier keyboards here than a decade ago, but there's plenty of... read more

It's great to see that David Axelrod's finally getting his due -- and this reissue of material from Fantasy is one of the first reissues of his work in the US! Most cuts here are much more jazz-based than Axelrod's higher-concept material under his own name for Capitol in the late 60s -- and the... read more

A wonderful album from the eternally underrated Hoyt Axton -- whose rich, folksy lead vocals are given some fairly soaring arrangements on tunes that range from topical but not quite protest folk material to some trippier, chemically enhanced narratives! Hoyt's got the kind of easygoing, laconic... read more

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul -- and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new... read more

One of the rarest and greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time -- the sly, funky and spiritual masterpiece He's Coming from 1971 -- really the beginning of the funk years from Roy Ayers Ubiquity! This one's a totally solid mix of soulful jazz, jazzy soul and righteous funk -- and it's straight up... read more

One of Roy Ayers' best-remembered albums of the 70s -- a sublime blend of mellow numbers and some of his more club-oriented grooves of the time -- all wrapped together with a genius that we can only describe as Ayers-like! The album's a beautiful example of the balance that Roy was striking in his... read more

2 overlooked albums by Roy Ayers -- back to back in a single set! First up is Wake Up -- proof that Roy Ayers is always great, no matter what the setting! Even in a low-budget, later album like this, there's an Ayers genius that really shines through -- a way of inflecting the rhythms, jazzily... read more

One of the greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time -- and one of the rarest! The record is right in the same vein as Roy's groundbreaking He's Coming LP -- a righteous mix of soul jazz, subtle funk, and some of the cosmic wisdom that Roy was spreading among the jazz funk underground -- all wrapped... read more

One of Roy Ayers' greatest albums of the 70s -- a set that tightens up the groove from previous Polydor productions, yet still keeps all the soul intact! The record picks up the style begun with the Mystic Voyage album, and pushes it to some slightly tighter territory -- a more focused Roy Ayers... read more

A great little album from Roy Ayers -- a very funky record that's almost all instrumental all the way through! The sound is a bit in the vein of Roy's Live At Montreux set -- but funkier overall, thanks to some very heavy rhythms on the bottom -- and an approach to the tunes that's short, tight,... read more

A masterpiece -- and don't pass it up! Sure, the date's a bit later than some of Roy's classic work, but the record's got a sound like no other -- with a slow mellow jazzy style that shows Roy working at the height of his powers! There's some wonderful spacey production on the record -- bringing... read more

Fantastic jazzy funk! This is the second record by Azymuth -- and it's way way better than anything they ever cut in America! It's got a wonderful vibe that mixes Brazilian fusion influences with the tight grooves of a Maurice White-inspired generation -- and the result still sounds amazingly... read more

Compelling work from the LA modern scene of the 50s -- two rare 10" LPs originally issued on the Nocturne label, both of which feature bassist Harry Babasin and trombonist Bob Enevoldsen! Like most of their contemporaries on the scene, both players worked on other instruments besides their... read more

Really lovely work from Susana Baca -- more of an EP than a full-length set, but a record that has more than enough depth in each tune to make up for its brevity! Baca's vocals are wonderful -- even more filled with feeling than the last time we'd heard from her -- and the instrumentation is... read more

Mid 70s revivalist swing by Parisian tenorist Gerard Badini -- recorded in a loose and free format that almost recalls the glory days of Verve's 50s recordings of the style. Badini's blowing here with a quartet that includes Raymond Fol on piano and celeste, Michel Gaudry on bass, and Sam Woodyard... read more

Spare improvisations from this transatlantic trio of avant jazzers -- Derek Bailey on guitar, George Lewis on trombone, and John Zorn on alto, soprano sax, and clarinets! Despite the avant-rock stylings of other work on Celluloid at the time, this one's got a spare, free sound that's very much in... read more

Balkan Beats galore -- a sweet set of remixes handled by Nickodemus, Dub Gabriel, and others -- all in a mode that follows strongly in the spirit and strengths of the originals! As with the core BBB grooves, the rhythms here are pretty contemporary, but the instrumentation carries echoes of older... read more

An excellent album by one of the greatest Brazilian funk bands ever! Band Black Rio were the stuff of legends back in the 70s -- an all-funky powerhouse, with inspiration from American groups like Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players, but a uniquely Brazilian approach that also threw in some added... read more

A tasty bit of political funk by one of the best groups on Stax! The record's got that heavy guitar-driven funk sound that was the group's calling card at the time -- but it's also infused with a righteous sense of social consciousness, clearly influenced by Curtis Mayfield and Sly Stone. The mix... read more

A nice return to form for Gato Barbieri -- still somewhat smooth, as in his later years -- but with some great Latin backings on a number of the tracks! Barbieri's tenor still has those sharp edges we love, and even when things get a bit more soul-based on some of the cuts here, the feel is still... read more

A pretty hard rocking set of soul instrumentals from Gene Barge -- a sax soloist with a honking King Curtis type sound, and a talent who was also doing a fair bit of producing and arranging for Chess during the 60s! This set is one of the few that Gene cut on his own, and is a loping set of tunes... read more

Two of Ray Barretto's earliest albums, both recorded for the Riverside label at the start of his career! Latino has an approach to Latin jazz that's certainly informed by the charanga sound of the New York scene in the early 60s -- but one that's also opened up a bit more to new ideas -- bits of... read more

A beautiful later session from Bill Barron -- one that has him playing both tenor and soprano sax, in a group with brother Kenny on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The feel here is quite different than Barron's earlier groundbreaking work -- but equally wonderful in its own... read more

Sublime 70s work from Kenny Barron -- a record that really has him stretching out strongly from his roots in the 60s, and sounding almost even more inventive than on some of his later material as well! Kenny's playing a fair bit of keyboards on the set -- showing a wonderful sensitivity for... read more

Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz -- music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary -- and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip... read more

A landmark set of recordings -- both of Gary Bartz's Harlem Bush Music albums, back to back on one CD! After a few years as a modern-tinged soul jazz saxophonist, Bartz broke strongly into the 70s with this pair of sessions -- working in a mode that brought together rhythmic percussion, funky bass... read more

A well-titled set, as the record's definitely more intimate than some of Walter Beasley's other albums -- a nicely laidback session with an even warmer feel than before! Walter's saxophone skills are more at the forefront than his vocals, but those make a nice appearance too -- warming things up... read more

The sound of the Star Club lives again -- in this great set of retro-styled German beat group tracks! Beatplanet have a sound that's sure to take you back to early 60s Hamburg -- a clear Beatles inspiration in the way they put together their tracks, complete with great production touches that make... read more

The Paris scene of the postwar years had a real love affair with Sidney Bechet -- and it was in Paris that Bechet cut some of his finest recordings of later years! This set brings together material from Bechet's first 2 sessions in France -- a 1948 date that features a small orchestra of French... read more

Late 60s magic from William Bell -- two tremendous albums on a single CD! Wow is a record that definitely earns the "wow" in its title -- as it makes us sit up and take new notice of William Bell's talents! Although Bell's best known for his earliest Memphis hits, he really changed a... read more

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A sweet swinging Christmas from the legendary Tony Bennett -- a set that features some wonderful backing from the Count Basie Big Band, which includes a core quartet with Monty Alexander on piano! There's a really old school Holiday feel here -- the kind of Christmas record that could have been... read more

A sweet swinging Christmas from the legendary Tony Bennett -- a set that features some wonderful backing from the Count Basie Big Band, which includes a core quartet with Monty Alexander on piano! There's a really old school Holiday feel here -- the kind of Christmas record that could have been... read more

Pretty mellow stuff from George Benson, but with some nice moments! Don Sebesky handled the arrangements for this set of larger backings -- but Benson's guitar is right out front, hitting some super-dope lines at the best moments, stretching out from the warm Fender Rhodes or horn heavy backings. ... read more

Quite a rare one from George Benson -- a set recorded during his late 60s run during the CTI/A&M years -- but one that wasn't formally issued until the mid 80s! The style here is a great link between some of Benson's fuller work of the time, and some of the leaner grooves he'd cut with Creed... read more

George Benson's first LP for Columbia -- a hard, heavy, soul jazz slammer that bears no resemblance to his overproduced work of the 70s! The album's a real cooker -- recorded hot on the heels of Benson's classic work on Prestige with the Jack McDuff group, and sounding a lot like McDuff's hard... read more

A wonderfully wicked album -- one that sold so many copies that it's sometimes hard to remember how great it is! George takes on all of Abbey Road -- or just about all of it -- as he runs through some of the most beautiful tracks The Beatles ever wrote, like "Golden Slumbers", "I... read more

An early George Benson groover from the A&M years of CTI -- a set that's quite different than his famous 70s sets, with a really unique sound overall! The arrangements here are by Latin Soul maestro Marty Sheller -- who brings some of the vibe to the set that he brought to his 60s work with... read more

One of the moodiest sessions on CTI from the early days -- and a landmark album that took George Benson from the funky jazz scene into the upper reaches of 70s jazz. The record was put together by Don Sebesky, and it's a lot more high concept than some of George's earlier work -- and proof that he... read more

One of the rare few records recorded by a young Andy Bey and his sisters! The group was an obscure jazz harmony trio formed by Andy in his earlier years -- and it features him on piano, joining with the vocals of his two sisters Salome and Geradine Bey -- in a soulful, moody style that's unlike... read more

Wow, we never thought we'd see this one reissued! But then again, Bey's had a nice comeback these days, and his work from the past more than deserves another look. Andy Bey was originally a member of the jazz group Andy & The Bey Sisters -- but by this time, he'd gone solo, and had done... read more

Snapping drums and a tasty little groove -- another hard wailer from London's Big Boss Man! "Party 7" starts with a nicely extended drum bit -- breaking relatively fast, with a mod go-go groove -- before Hammond slides into the tune and stretches out in a mighty nice solo! "Kelvin... read more

A massively jamming LP of funky jazz -- recorded in 70s Rio by British bank robber Ronnie Biggs! Ronnie's story -- including his fugitive status in Brazil -- was the inspiration for the tracks on the set -- and although he was the producer of the set and tells a bit of his story, the real stars... read more

A wonderful set of moody pop numbers -- recorded by Benjamin Biolay, one of France's greatest pop producers of recent years! Biolay's had a hand in work by Keren Ann and Coralie Clement -- and on his own, as a singer, he sounds every bit as great as those two artists -- working in a style that's... read more

Benjamin Biolay's looking a bit strung out on the cover, but the music here is as warmly charming as ever -- a sublime modern French take on territory first explored by Serge Gainsbourg in the 60s! Biolay's production, as always, is impeccable -- a beautiful blend of warmth and grit, acoustic and... read more

An obscure early set from Walter Bishop -- recorded for the tiny Cotillion label in the mid 60s, and featuring a young Butch Warren on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The setting is simple and soulful -- with Walter working through a batch of tunes that are mostly standards, but which include a few... read more

Excellent heavy funk from Stax! Black Nasty were one of the heaviest groups on the label -- with a rock-solid guitar-based groove that went even farther than the Bar-Kays, who were no slouch in the guitar department themselves! The grooves are all slow to midtempo, with the band coming down hard... read more

One of our favorite Black Uhuru albums, when they'd fully matured as a group under the production of Sly & Robbie, with a tight modern reggae sound that few other groups could match from that era. Heavy, heavy grooves saddled with the trios potent lyrics and harmony vocals, including the... read more

The follow up to the burning Showcase set and second LP finding the harmony trio of Michael Rose, Puma Jones and Duckie Simpson under the heavy guidance of Sly & Robbie. While it didn't produce as many singular hits as the preceding set or the following Red LP, this album's still solid from... read more

2 incredible albums from The Blackbyrds -- back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Blackbyrds record -- a funky jazz treasure, and the band's landmark first album! The Blackbyrds were a legendary 70s combo that were discovered by Donald Byrd while he was teaching at Howard... read more

2 classics from The Blackbyrds -- back to back on a single CD! City Life is a fantastic album from the legendary jazz funk combo -- a bit smoother than their first, but that's the great thing about it! The record has the band getting even tighter than before -- coming up with an amazing jazz-infle... read more

Sublime funk by one of the greatest combos of the 70s -- the mighty mighty Blackbyrds, a group who first came to prominence under the guidance of Donald Byrd, but quickly showed they had plenty to offer on their own! Back in the day, the sound of The Blackbyrds was really the sound of Fantasy... read more

Cindy Blackman's looking a bit foxy on the cover, but her sound here is solidly soulful -- a forceful batch of tunes that really match the best energy of the Muse Records soulbop scene of the early 90s! There's a nice blend of modern ideas and straight jazz energy here -- sounds that grow strongly... read more

Cindy Blackman's one of those players who always surprises us with her music -- coming across with a lot more to offer than just her unique role as a girl drummer in jazz -- sounds so bold, we instantly forget her gender and pretty image on the cover, and always just let ourselves get swept away by... read more

Killer material from the 1964 edition of the Jazz Messengers -- an incredibly hard-hitting sextet that features Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Wayne Shorter, Reggie Workman, and Cedar Walton. The mix of players is amazing, and Walton's warm lyricism is a haunting combination with the sharp-edged... read more

A killer pounding session from Blakey! The record was recorded during Blakey's bright flash of genius in 1964, when the Jazz Messengers were briefly revisited by Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter, with the added horn of Curtis Fuller to add new colors to the group. Cedar Walton's on piano, and his... read more

An excellent live set by the Jazz Messengers -- recorded in Paris in 1958, but with a hard heavy groove that's right up there with their best Blue Note work. The group at this time -- Blakey, Bobby Timmons, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, and Jymie Merritt -- plays hard, heavy, and straight ahead, with... read more

A lost classic from Art Blakey -- quite different from some of his Blue Note work! The album's a very swinging mid 60s session, noteworthy for the presence of John Gilmore, recording here in one of his few appearances away from Sun Ra. Gilmore wails on tenor, and he sounds great next to Lee... read more

A beautiful Art Blakey album from the early 70's, and one that's got the same sort of electric soul jazz vibe as his great Buhania album. He's playing here with a great set of musicians that includes Woody Shaw, George Cables, John Hicks, and Ramon Morris -- and the group grooves together in a... read more