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A great 80s groove from AM & Shawn Lee – heavy on these Casio-like keyboards at the start, then given a dubby finish as it moves on – all to set the scene for the cool spacey lyrics in the middle! Slow funky, with a nice retro vibe – and "Dancing Heart" follows in a... read more

Amalia's future soul full length debut for Tokyo Dawn! On Art Slave, Amalia does a pretty amazing job of showing off a broad range of inspiration, but delivering a record that's fresh and uniquely her own. She's one of more expressive contemporary soul vocalists on the international scene –... read more

Guess what? They DO make 'em like they used to – as Amalia steps out here on two tracks that easily rival the best female soul from the early 80s! "Welcome To Me" feels just like Chaka Khan on Warner Brothers from 1982 – complete with sweet keyboards that percolate... read more

A spacey, soulful and funky showcase for singer Amalia – one the finds her collaborating with an impressive roster of guests including Atjazz, Portformat, Opolopo and others! Amalia blends inspirations that range from heartfelt, though trippy 70s soul and funk, to 80s electro and the more... read more

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Contemporary work from Mali – but played by a Tuareg group with a very earthy feel! Percussion and guitar dance together at the core of the tunes – often in these simple, hypnotic patterns that change slowly – especially as the chorus vocals come into the mix – sometimes... read more

Amazing work from a legendary Peruvian guitarist – an electric player who works here with a really wonderful sense of groove – and often an echoey tone that's completely sublime! Most numbers have this bouncy, tropical sort of vibe – but the guitar really gives them all an edge,... read more

Uncategorizable coolness from Amazing Ghost – a Richmond, VA group that features members of Bio Ritmo. Both tracks bring a lot of sounds to a dancefloor ready, insistent groove – bits of Latin inspired percussion, electro, synth rock and more.... read more

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A holy grail of 70s African Funk – and not just for the unusual look of the cover! The set's a really unique one – almost rootsier than most of the better-known Ghanian grooves of the time, but funkier too – with a brilliant blend of raw percussion, quirky basslines, and some... read more

A holy grail of 70s African Funk – and not just for the unusual look of the cover! The set's a really unique one – almost rootsier than most of the better-known Ghanian grooves of the time, but funkier too – with a brilliant blend of raw percussion, quirky basslines, and some... read more

Sweet jangle pop from Amen Corner – one of the sunniest UK groups of the late 60s! The group checked in big with their hit "Bend Me Shape Me" – and follow through here with an equally catchy, equally groovy set of tracks – tunes that really let them move past the... read more

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Amazing stuff – and proof that there's way more to America than just their classic singles! The sound of the trio is the sweet sound of 70s pop at its best – wonderful harmonies, with a heartfelt quality that's never cloying at all – produced to perfection, yet never too slick,... read more

A lesser-remembered album from America, and one with some surprisingly nice moments, too! The group here are still working with producer George Martin – but they're recording in Hawaii, with some tight studio help – and almost hitting that sound they helped inspire in so many others... read more

Warm, mellow, and completely sublime – the mighty America at the height of their powers – working with a quality that nobody else can match! The trio wrap together all the best ideas that were bubbling under in the LA scene of the late 60s – vocal harmonies, studio perfection,... read more

A well-titled album, given that the overall feel here is maybe a bit more stripped-down and almost rootsy at times – even though the trio's still working with producer George Martin! The set was recorded in just a week at Caribou Ranch – and it's almost a return to the core harmonies... read more

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A very unique outing – a set that mixes the sweet harmonies of The Ames Brothers with wild backings from Esquivel! Most of the tracks are in Spanish, and have Esquivel doing a standard Latin sound, but which also approaches his own solo work in some of the more unusual moments!... read more

Amazing work from the 78rpm days of Blue Note!... read more

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A stone classic from Gene Ammons – and a record that introduced his talents to a whole new audience in the 60s! The album's a more laidback one than some of Jug's more hard-blown honkers – as you might guess from his hit rendition of the ballad in the title – and the... read more

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Classic Jug, playing in a laidback open-ended blowing session, with other strong Prestige players – like Coltrane, Jerome Richardson, Paul Quinichette, Art Taylor, and Mal Waldron, who always seems to be the driving force between most Prestige sides like this. The album has only 4 tracks,... read more

Way more than just an album with Gene Ammons as a leader – and instead, a set that truly earns the "all stars" listed on the cover – thanks to a great array of supporting players, and a very loose, open-ended jam session style that lets everyone get in plenty of solo space! ... read more

In "back", the title is pointing to the fact that Gene Ammons is back on the scene, after being released from 7 years of a tragic 15 year narcotics sentence in prison. The album marks a proud return for Jug – who'd not recorded since a very successful flurry of sides recorded in... read more

One of Gene Ammons' classics from the 60s, and a straight ahead session of soul jazz tenor and piano, with drums by Art Taylor and a bit of extra conga from Ray Barretto. Nice rolling 60's soul jazz groove, and some nice piano comping behind Jug by Patti Brown and Walter Bishop Jr. Tracks include... read more

One of Jug's funkier albums from his time back out of the pen, and a tasty electric session with Billy Butler on guitar and Sonny Phillips on organ. Pretty Purdie plays drums, and he kicks it nice and lean on the great groover "Jungle Strut". The album also features a nice version of... read more

Dang! Poor Gene Ammons kept getting stuck with albums that had titles which referenced his prison time! Fortunately, the quality of this one's good enough to live past the stupid name – and the record has Gene blowing with a larger group of west coast soul jazz players, arranged by Bobby... read more

One of Ammons' classic blowing sessions for Prestige, with an all-star lineup that includes Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Mal Waldron, and Kenny Burrell. The group plays together on 4 long tracks, and in a tight hardbop vein, with long soulful solos from every player. Titles include "Pint... read more

Pretty cool early work from Jug! This original 10" LP features one of his first blowing sessions for Prestige – caught in the company of Art Farmer, Lou Donaldson, Freddie Redd, and Kenny Clarke. The album features 2 long tracks – "Woofin & Tweetin" and "Juggern... read more

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A wonderful batch of mellow, laidback balladry by Gene Ammons. Like a lot of the two-fers issued by Milestone and Prestige in the 70s when they came under the Fantasy umbrella, this set collects sides from a couple of different sessions, Nice An' Cool and The Soulful Mood Of Gene Ammons in this... read more

Our favorite side of Gene Ammons' talents – summed up nicely in a 2LP set! Ammons wasn't the first tenor player to work with a Hammond organ, but once the format gained popularity, Gene made a wise move to take it up – and it became a pairing that forever defined the later years of his... read more

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 mixes both electric piano and organ – the former from Hank Jones, the latter from Ernie... read more

More proof that the Prestige blowing session style worked perfectly for Gene Ammons – as he's right at home on the album's long relaxed tracks, cut in the company of expert players like Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Duke Jordan, and Art Taylor. Candido's also along for most of the ride, giving... read more

A real turning point in the career of Gene Ammons – a record that almost returns Ammons to his earthier roots, and in the process helps build up a whole new sound in soul jazz for the 60s! The "Jug" nickname in the title is kind of a joking way to help Ammons stand alongside "M... read more

Bad Bossa Nova is right – as Gene Ammons really hits a great groove here – one that's not exactly bossa, but which has lots of Latin and tropical touches! The session makes great use of 2 guitars at the same time – using that of Kenny Burrell for soulful rhythm, but also adding... read more

Very nice album by Jug that often gets overlooked because it's comprised of 2 different sessions, and can't get the "historical" writeup of being a single significant moment in the studio. Some tracks – including "Lascivious" and "Soft Winds" – are with a... read more

Very nice album by Jug that often gets overlooked because it's comprised of 2 different sessions, and can't get the "historical" writeup of being a single significant moment in the studio. Some tracks – including "Lascivious" and "Soft Winds" – are with a... read more

Killer live work from Jug – recorded during the early 60s in Chicago, with just an organ-based trio, and very much in the feeling of the best small-group lounge jazz shows of the day! The material is issued here in a 1967 version, its first release – but the grooves were recorded at... read more

Although late in the Prestige jazz funk years, and not in the small combo mode of some of Ammons' best early 70s sides, this is still an excellent batch of tracks – thanks to hip arrangements from Bill (William S?) Fisher! The format's almost in a Kudu/CTI mode, as larger arrangements... read more

Nice and cool, but not in a west coast way – and instead a set that's got Gene Ammons working some wonderfully soulful magic on a set of gentle ballads! The set's got a brilliant late nite sort of feel – one of those tenor albums that seems to sound even better in the space past... read more

Kind of an obscure session by Ammons – most likely recorded in that jumble of contracts and conflicting label arrangements in the early 60s – a time when Jug actually did some of his best work! There's no players listed on the notes – which is sometimes typical for these early... read more

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Beautiful beautiful work from tenorist Gene Ammons – and an album that really demonstrates that during the 60s, one of Ammons' strongest suits was his work with a mellow tune or ballad! The tracks here are wonderfully laidback, but never sleepy – very soulful, and solidly put together... read more

A pair of soulful gems from tenorist Gene Ammons – back to back on a single CD! The Soulful Moods is beautiful beautiful work from tenorist Gene Ammons – and an album that really demonstrates that during the 60s, one of Ammons' strongest suits was his work with a mellow tune or ballad!... read more

Classic mellow Jug – from a time when Prestige discovered that Gene Ammons would sell equally well to the mellow jazz crowd as to the jukebox jumpers! This set brings together tracks from 3 Gene Ammons 60s albums – 2 of which were best sellers, Velvet Soul and Sock, the last of which,... read more

Classic mellow Jug – from a time when Prestige discovered that Gene Ammons would sell equally well to the mellow jazz crowd as to the jukebox jumpers. Most of the cuts feature Gene with a deep soulful tone that could qualify as "velvet", but which still has enough of a rough edge... read more

One of the tasty blowing session albums that Jug cut for Prestige – remarkable in the quality of the players (Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Pepper Adams, and others), and in the relaxed easy groove of the solid soulful tracks. There's 4 long cuts, and they all swing nicely nicely nicely! Titles... read more

Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George... read more

A pair of hard-wailing tenor albums on Verve – both of them great! Boss Tenors In Orbit is a studio album, but one that really has Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recreating some of the bold energy of their live shows – coming across with a vibe that's much more Prestige Records than Verve... read more

A nice little album – featuring some of the sides that Gene Ammons cut "off contract" for Chess/Argo during the early 60s, and ones that feature him paired with Sonny Stitt, his longtime partner in legendary tenor battles from the 50s. The two horns aren't really locked in combat... read more

These two tenor giants meet in the period slightly before Ammons death, and they're grouped with some of the younger funky players on Prestige, like Leon Spencer, Idris Muhammad, and George Freeman. The sound is fairly traditional, but there's some nice funky moments. Tracks include "Out Of... read more

The brain trust of soul jazz in the early 60s – led by tenorist Gene Ammons on both albums! Soul Summit Volume one features Ammons and Sonny Stitt on tenor, plus Jack McDuff on Hammond – a definite soul summit for the time – with 3 top-shelf players in the lead, all getting... read more

A hard-hitting blowing session, cut very much in the mode of Gene's late 50s sides for Prestige – and with a very accomplished group of soul jazzers that includes Nat Adderley, Frank Foster, Bennie Green, and Frank Wess. The groove has a nice raw late night sound – and tracks are... read more

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A really wonderful document of of the Takamba style of music in Northern Mali and Niger – passionate, energetic and hypnotically performed by Ali Ag Amoumine! Ali's home is in Timbouctou, a couple hundred kilometers upriver from the Takamba region, and it was here that this excellent... read more

A mix of moods, colors, and feelings – handled with the full range of talents of David Amram, who's one of the few composers who could pull this one off! A number of the tracks have weird instrumentation that gives them a sound that's almost "eastern", and certainly exotic –... read more

Second pressing of a set that originally focused on the many different styles of arranger/conductor/horn player David Amram, but unlike the original on RCA, this pressing condenses the material into a single LP. The best material mixes up "Near Eastern" instrumentation and funkier... read more

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A killer 80s groove set – served up by this obscure Chicago group, and done with a high class sound that's really great! The record easily rivals much of the work on the bigger labels at the time – thanks to some great arrangements by Dunn Pearson that mix together all the right... read more

The major label debut of Amuzement Park – almost more obscure than the indie set that preceded it, and kind of in a different mode altogether! There's still a boogie groove to most of the set, but the group are also funking things up a bit more – possibly following a Minneapolis... read more

A stellar set from one of the most underrated reed players of all time – a brilliant bit of searching soul jazz, cut at a time when Curtis Amy was leaving behind his Texas roots for the new sounds of the Coltrane generation! The album's quite different than the organ and tenor dates that Amy... read more

A fantastic LP of beautiful modal tracks, played by one of the most underrated reed players ever, during the most fruitful time of his career. At this point, Amy's moved away from his bluesy Texas roots, and has discovered a freer Coltrane-esque sound that works beautifully with his spiritual,... read more

Mellow soul and soaring club – all nicely balanced together in this first album from the group Anacostia! There's a sound here that's slightly different than some of the other east coast groups of the time – a willingness to slow things down, then groove them up – all with a... read more

Mellow soul and soaring club – all nicely balanced together in this first album from the group Anacostia! There's a sound here that's slightly different than some of the other east coast groups of the time – a willingness to slow things down, then groove them up – all with a... read more

Anacostia make the move to Tabu Records for this sweet second set – and they seem to have picked up more of a groove along the way! The same elements as before are firmly in place here – production by Charles Kipps, with supervision from Van McCoy – but the groove is a bit more... read more

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The complete recordings of a wonderful soul singer who never fully got her due – Detroit diva Carol Anderson, best known for a few tracks that broke big on the UK Northern scene – but finally presented here with the full scope of her work in one set! Carol had a great approach that was... read more

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Nice and rarely seen trio side from under-recorded Chicago pianist Anderson. He plays here with Bill Lee and either Walter Perkins or Philly Joe Jones on drums, in a trio that made the core of the rhythm section on Frank Strozier's excellent Jazzland date, Long Night. The group is in fine form... read more

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Nice, nice 70s material by this oft-overlooked AACM member from Chicago, one of the few documents of hismind blowing playing from that era. Anderson's hefty tenor is captured live at the Moers festival of new jazz in a quartet setting with other great Chicago players like the equally underheard... read more

A long-lost session from Chicago tenorist Fred Anderson – recorded in the early 90s, but only just released! The album's a treasure from a time when Anderson wasn't as well-documented as he's been in recent years – and it's got a beautifully open sort of sound – just a spare trio... read more

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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... read more

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Recorded live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City, February 7-10, 1983. A HUGE amount of material! Includes the tracks "Say Hello", "Walk The Dog", "Violin Solo", "Closed Circuits", "For A Large And Changing Room", "Pictures Of... read more

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One of the only albums ever cut by Maxi Anderson – a hell of a soul singer who's lent her talents to a number of sessions over the years, but who sounds especially great here in the lead! Anderson's got a vibe that's almost like Minnie Riperton at the time – a warmly glowing approach... read more

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Some of the funkiest female soul ever recorded – the near-complete work of James Brown diva Vicki Anderson, compiled here officially for the first time ever! Vicki was one of the first female singers to work with James – replacing the sweeter style of vocalist Anna King in the James... read more

Pre funk, perhaps, but mightily storming soul singles from Vicki Anderson – James Brown productions from the mid 60s to the end of the decade – incredible stuff that's been a bit underappreciated in a world of funky compilations, yet no less incredible and even more diversely soulful... read more

Lovely vocals from Mayra Andrade – a singer who's been bubbling under for the past few years, and emerges here with a really strong debut for the US market! Mayra's got a very transatlantic pedigree – with roots both in Brazil and Cuba, as well as Cape Verde – and a fair bit of... read more

Spare set of moody out pieces, played by a trio that includes Andrews on reeds, Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, and Nat Adderley Jr. on piano – adding a surprisingly nice sound to the album. Titles include "Vamos Para Casa", "Danca Das Kashala E Sarhanna", and "Um... read more

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Two nice mellow jazzy numbers, with backing by the legendary Fuzzy Kane trio – and some nice hip vocals from Ernie!... read more

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The spare, foreboding score for Donnie Darko by Michael Andrews! The film mixed period pop songs in with this exceptional original music – which worked brilliantly, but unfortunately, that tends to overshadow just how effective Andrews' compositions are, at least to those with less of an ear... read more