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Beautiful bass work from 50s LA player Red Callender – heard here on this classic side recorded for the Modern imprint. Swingin Suite is easily one of Red's tightest sessions – a date that has Callender's basslines strongly leading a nonet of players that includes Harry Jones on trumpet, John Ewing on trombone, Willie Green on alto sax, and Buddy Collette on flute and tenor. Collette's lines have a nice sharp edge throughout, and soar out beautifully amidst the bigger backings – and although a "suite", the whole session's got a much more relaxed feel than that compositional title might make you think. Tracks include "On Again", "Greenery", "Pastel", "Dancers", "October Blue", "Bihari", "Skyline", and "Outlines".

One of the most essential Can albums, and perhaps their best – have drums ever sounded better on a record? Ege Bamyasi features some of Jaki Liebezeit's greatest beats, from the shorter songs like the amazing "Vitamin C", "I'm So Green", and "Spoon", to the longer, stretched out tunes in the tradition of the group's previous masterpiece, Tago Mago – "Pinch", "Soup", and "One More Night". With the classic second lineup, featuring Damo Suzuki on vocals, spouting off in several languages during the course of single song, but with a few instrumental numbers too. Elastic grooves with a driving pulse!

A couple of lost proggy and surprisingly funky early 80s albums by keyboardist Tony Carey – his Explorer and Yellow Power LPs – together in cool 2LP gatefold set from Medical Records! Just a few years earlier, Carey was playing with Ritchie Blackmore in Rainbow – but the sound of this solo material is a world away! It carries a bit of a late era Euro disco vibe – mixed with some starker, more walloping sounds that are more indebted to new wave. It's got hypnotic keyboard grooves, compelling beats and cosmic atmosphere to spare – the kind that'll be welcome to connoisseurs of artists as varied as Giorgio Morodor, Alexander Robotnick, John Carpenter and Devo! Explorer is the slightly sparer record and Yellow Power is the more polished one -which features alternate versions of the majority of the Explorer songs and some completely different titles, too– and it ultimately serves as a more fleshed out version of the preceding LP. Both were recorded in 1982 at Hotline Studios in Frankfurt. Really cool, mostly instrumental grooves! Explorer includes "Enjaw J", "Transit To Nowhere", "Megawar", "Blue Fusion", "No. 8", "No. 14", "Rabbits" and more. The Yellow Power LP includes "Hai Samurai", "Tojo", "Queen Of Scots", "Blue Fusion", "Peking Duck", "Radio Tokyo", "Dynamite" and more.

The last album in a legendary run of music from keyboardist Doug Carn – his final album for the Black Jazz label, and a set that pushes even farther than his previous efforts! Jean Carn isn't in the group this time around, but the set does feature a totally great twin-vocal approach – with singing by Joyce Green and John Conner, blending their voices together in a style that's right up there with the most righteous 70s jazz experiments by Horace Silver or Billy Gault! This vocal balance really brings a new sort of power to Carn's music – furthering the righteous spirit of earlier years with a hell of a lot of energy – also aided by great instrumental work from Ronnie Laws on tenor and soprano sax, Thurman Green on trombone, Calvin Keys and Nathan Page on guitars, and Big Black on percussion. Titles include the classic "Higher Ground" – plus "Adam's Apple", "Western Sunrise", "Chant", "Sanctuary", "The Messenger", and "Mighty Mighty".

Plenty of spirit, and plenty of soul – a 70s classic from organist Doug Carn, and a record that took his instrument, and jazz in general, to a whole new level for the decade! Carn's got this burning, righteous quality on his keys – a vibe that certainly owes something to Larry Young, but also takes off even further – working in a spiritual ensemble that also features his wife Jean Carn on vocals – sounding way more like a righteous jazz singer than on her later soul sides for Philly International! Other players are great, too – and include Charles Tolliver on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, George Harper on tenor and soprano sax, Buster Williams on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks include "New Moon", "Trance Dance", "My Spirit", "Blue In Green", and "Arise & Shine".

Mellow magic from Betty – one of her first "comeback" albums for Verve, and an excellent set of tunes that still keeps the same feel as her 80s work on her own label. The group on most tunes is a trio – with Benny Green on piano, Michael Bowie on bass, and Winard Harper on drums – but some tracks feature additional tenor from Don Braden, blowing soulfully next to Betty's incredible voice. Tunes skip around with imagination and a sense of soul in places where you'd never expect it – and titles include "Look What I Got", "The Man I Love", "That Sunday That Summer", "All I Got", and "Just Like The Movies".

Another one of the great LPs by a band that was probably one of the best to grace the Muse label – and who have not really ever been reissued. Eddie Green, Odean Pope, Tyrone Brown, and Sherman Ferguson form the core of this funky fusion outfit, and they play in a beautiful way that mixes choppy fusion riffs with more soulful instrumentation. Their sound is really unique, and is an incredibly clear realization of a style that a lot of other groups attempted, but always managed to muddy up. Tracks on this one include "Maze", "Athene", "Mail Order", and "Shorter Street". Nice stuff, and one that we just about never see!

Sublime modern jazz from Teddy – right up there with the best mid 50s work of other groundbreakers like Charles Mingus or George Russell, to whom Charles acknowledges more than a bit of inspiration! Charles plays vibes like no one else – especially at this point in his career, when he's moving into offbeat chromatic ranges that wouldn't be duplicated for another decade, in the work of players like Bobby Hutcherson or Gary Burton. His players on this set include Art Farmer, JR Monterose, Gigi Gryce, and Mal Waldron – and the album includes the original tracks "Green Blues", "The Emperor", and "Vibrations", plus a great version of "Nature Boy".

A richly complex album from vibist Teddy Charles – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and certainly one with the boldest sound! The groups here are filled with hip players – all working under Charles' direction in a set of tracks that shimmers with dark sounds and moody colors – often as textural as it is jazz-based – with a level of sophistication that goes beyond even Charles key modernist work from the early 50s. Teddy's on vibes, alongside Art Farmer on trumpet, Eddie Bert on trombone, Hal Stein on alto, Don Butterfield on tuba, George Barrow on baritone, Hall Overton on piano, and Jimmy Raney on guitar – and while some tracks feature a tentet, 4 of the album's numbers feature a smaller quartet with Charles Mingus on bass! Titles include the 10 minute composition "Word From Bird" – plus "Blue Greens", "Laura", "Showtime", and "Just One Of Those Things".

A glorious relic of early 70s studio pop – and a record that's awash in unapologetic references to The Beatles and The Beach Boys! Chesapeake Jukebox Band were a short-lived collaboration between singer-songwriters Steve Sawyer and Freddie McFinn, who are working here with genius producer Ron Frangipone in the best compressed style of the legendary Record Plant studios. There's lessons here learned clearly from Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, George Martin, and some of the hipsters on the late 60s Warner scene – but an overall approach that's a bit more personal in the lyrics – which makes for a great combination with the loftier production of the album. At one level, there's also a spaciousness here that reminds us a bit of later work from the UK pop scene – but again, the whole thing's a bit more down to earth, in a way that we really like. Titles include "Sad Nite In Boston", "This Time", "Jennifer", "Love", "Until We Meet Again", "Daisies For The 8th Of May", "Fizbee's Tavern", and "The Door's Unlatched". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Don't Howdy Doody On Me", "Crime Of The Century", and "Don't Cry Your Eyes Out".

A weird early 70s Godfather-era concept album – older tunes, given a hip twist with arrangements by Arthur Greenslade!

Amazing work from guitarist Charlie Christian – an artist who only recorded for a few short years before an untimely early death – but a player whose work went onto have a huge impact on both the guitar and jazz music in general for years to come! Charlie's playing has a sharp edge that's undeniable – an approach to the guitar that's definitely jazz, yet also finds a place for bluesy inflections too – in styles that no doubt influenced later players like Grant Green or Tal Farlow – and which may have also been an inspiration to electrified bluesmen in the 50s, too. This package brings together a huge amount of Christian's crucial sides for the Columbia label – material that features his raw electric instrument in the company of the Benny Goodman sextet, where Charlie could really shine – and a bit in Benny's larger group too. The package also features raw material that has Christian playing with Count Basie & Lester Young, and the Metronome All Stars – plus detailed notes too. 98 tracks in all – and a much better design than the previous box – with each CD in a smaller sleeve inside the box.

Full throttle fusion from Billy Cobham, the kind of stuff we once winced at because of the really over the top moments of heavy, heavy jamming, but that we find ourselves more sympathetic to these days, probably for the more sublime moments that poke through the onslaught here and there, including some nice spacey tracks. The Brecker brothers are up front, and the group has the tight electric approach you'd guess, with some easier grooves sliding in between the full on moments, and even a bit of funk, too. Includes "Solarization", "Lunarputians", "Total Eclipse", "Bandits", "Moon Germs","The Moon Ain't Made Of Green Cheese", "Sea Of tranquility" and "Last Frontier"

A reading of Duke Ellington's famous suite of tracks, in a performance that features Norma Winstone on the vocal tunes – and which has some extremely strong solo work from Richard Sudhalter, John Davies, Keith Nichols, and Paul Nossiter. Titles include "West Indian Dance", "Come Sunday", "Work Song", "The Blues", and "In One Movement".

A key album for any fan of classic Ornette Coleman – a 1971 Atlantic release that pulled together tracks from the late 50's and early 60's that didn't make it onto Ornette's earlier records for the label! Why these tracks weren't released at the time is a mystery to all, because the material is great, and ranks with some of his best stuff – and over the years, the value of the album has grown even more within the early Ornette oeuvre – as it contains key tracks that have come to define his edgiest moments of the early 60s . The LP includes "First Take", a 17 minute earlier version of the material the ended up on Free Jazz, plus additional quartet recordings with Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell – on titles that include "Check Up", "Little Symphony", and the wonderful "Joy Of A Toy".

Soaring work from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – a session that was incredibly far-reaching for the time, and which originally was unissued until after the time of Coltrane's death! The record's got the group really pushing forward strongly – hitting a Love Supreme mode, but also showing even some of the sharper edges that John would explore with the group after this one – a beautiful swan song to the lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Things soar with a hell of a lot of spirituality, yet never get too overindulgent to lose their groove – and titles include "Amen", "Dearly Beloved", "Ascent", "Attaining", and "Sun Ship".

One of those great examples of a wildly successful songwriter recording a terrific album of his own, but not connecting with the pop consciousness – which is shame, because Roger James Cooke's Study is, well, a study in wonderful late 60s songcraft! Cook was actually no stranger to performing, having scored a hit with Roger Greenaway as David & Jonathan – but this solid Columbia album really deserves a bigger audience. Titles include "Primrose Jill", "Black Paper Roses", "Teresa", "Something", "Ellie", "Today I Killed A Man I Didn't Know", "My Home City", "Stop" and more. This great CD version from RPM has 11 bonus tracks: late 60s and early 70s singles and B-Sides including "I'm Burning", "Paper Chase", "Someday", "Anticipation Grow", "People I've Gotta Dream" and more.

Alain Mion leads a new Cortex – grooving nicely, too – doing it live in Paris! Mion is at the grand piano for a good deal of the first side, energetically leading a great group on some stellar, timelessly jazzy numbers. The second half of the set has him on Fender Rhodes, for tracks that fully dive into the jazz funk vibe of classic Cortex. The musicians are fantastic, too! Patrik Boman on bass, Gerard Prevost on electric bass, Adeline De Lepinay on percussion and some vocals, Michael Kersting on drums,and a great lineup of soulful saxes: "Loic Soulat Pietro Tonolo, Greg Deletang, Romano Pratesi and Phil Brohet. Includes a nice set of Mion originals including "Phila Nite Song", "The Wrong Soul Blues", "When The Ship Sails Away", "East St. Louis, 1917", "The Tap Tap", "Green Street" and more.

An obscure little album from Jack "Mr Bongo" Constanzo – his only entry into the Latin Soul genre, and a really nice batch of grooves! Jacko's working here with singer Gerrie Woo – who sings in English on about half of the album's tracks, giving the set a nice pop-styled Latin groove that reminds us a lot of Willie Bobo's work for Verve, and some of the more unusual indie Latin albums of the time. The set's filled with loads of great numbers – including Hector Rivera compositions "Recuerdos", "Que Vengo Acabando", "Don't Squeeze The Peaches", and "Mambo Jack" – plus covers of "Jive Samba", "Words", and "Green Onions".

The title's terrible, but the album's a great one – a really classic-styled jam session, of the sort that the Prestige label hardly ever recorded! The session features 4 tenor giants of slightly older vintage – Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Coleman Hawkins, Arnett Cobb, and Buddy Tate – all coming together in some loosely-structured arrangements that offer the same sympathetic blowing space that you might get from an all-star tenor date on Verve. Rhythm is by a trio with Shirley Scott on organ, George Duvivier on bass, and Art Edgehill on drums – and titles include "Very Saxy", "Fourmost", "Foot Pattin", and "Light & Lovely".

What can we say? This is the ultimate Miles Davis album – the one that includes so many songs that we've heard way too much in Starbucks, in retail stores, or at a friend's house who claims to be a "jazz expert", but is really a yuppie dilettante. Yet somehow, over all the years, and all those playings, the record manages to still sound fantastic – a truly inspirational piece of music that's long deserved all the attention it gets! The legendary group on the album includes John Coltrane on tenor, Cannonball Adderley on alto, Bill Evans on piano, and Paul Chambers on bass – working with Miles in a relatively modal style, with brilliant rhythm changes and a wonderful sense of space. The whole thing's sublime – and titles include "Blue In Green", "All Blues", "So What", and "Freddie Freeloader".

Amazing live documents of Miles Davis and his incredible mid-to-late 60s quintet – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – complete concert recordings from Antwerp, Copenhagen and Paris on 3CDs seeing release for the first time ever, plus a DVD featuring the only known video footage of this group from the period! CD 1 features material from 10/28/68 in Antwerp, CD 2 on 11/2/67 in Copenhagen and 11/6/67 in Paris, with the latter concert continued on CD 3. This is landmark stuff here – a surprisingly rare opportunity to hear first rate live recordings of legendary material from the ESP, Miles Smiles, Sorcerer and Nefertiti albums – as well as brilliant revisits of vital earlier material. Includes live takes on "Agitation", "Foot Prints", "No Blues", "Gingerbread Boy", "On Green Dolphin Street", "The Theme", "Footprints", "Masqualero", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Walkin'" and more. The DVD starts with five numbers recorded on 11/7/67 in Karlzruhe, Germany: "Agitation", "Footprints", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". It concludes with material in Stockholm on 10/31/67: "Agitation", "Footprints", "'Round Midnight", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme".

Amazing live documents of Miles Davis and his incredible mid-to-late 60s quintet – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – complete concert recordings from Antwerp, Copenhagen and Paris on 3CDs seeing release for the first time ever, plus a DVD featuring the only known video footage of this group from the period! CD 1 features material from 10/28/68 in Antwerp, CD 2 on 11/2/67 in Copenhagen and 11/6/67 in Paris, with the latter concert continued on CD 3. This is landmark stuff here – a surprisingly rare opportunity to hear first rate live recordings of legendary material from the ESP, Miles Smiles, Sorcerer and Nefertiti albums – as well as brilliant revisits of vital earlier material. Includes live takes on "Agitation", "Foot Prints", "No Blues", "Gingerbread Boy", "On Green Dolphin Street", "The Theme", "Footprints", "Masqualero", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Walkin'" and more. The DVD starts with five numbers recorded on 11/7/67 in Karlzruhe, Germany: "Agitation", "Footprints", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". It concludes with material in Stockholm on 10/31/67: "Agitation", "Footprints", "'Round Midnight", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme".

A beautiful little record by Miles Davis – oft overlooked next to some of the better-titled Prestige sessions of the 50s, but a great one nonetheless! The session features Miles working with trio backing from Red Garland on piano, Oscar Pettford on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – often in a mellow mode that fits the "musings" in the title, but which also provides a wonderful showcase for Davis to further intensify his vision on a set of longer tracks. Most tunes are familiar, but they're really transformed here – and titles include "I Did", 'Will You Still Be Mine?", "Green Haze", "I See You Face Before Me", "A Night In Tunisia" and "A Gal In Calico".

A beautiful little record by Miles Davis – oft overlooked next to some of the better-titled Prestige sessions of the 50s, but a great one nonetheless! The session features Miles working with trio backing from Red Garland on piano, Oscar Pettford on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – often in a mellow mode that fits the "musings" in the title, but which also provides a wonderful showcase for Davis to further intensify his vision on a set of longer tracks. Most tunes are familiar, but they're really transformed here – and titles include "I Did'nt", 'Will You Still Be Mine?", "Green Haze", "I See You Face Before Me", "A Night In Tunisia" and "A Gal In Calico".

With Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, recorded in Paris, France, November 6, 1967. 8 tracks: "'Rond About Midnight", "No Blues", "Mascalero", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", 'Riot", "Walkin'", "Green Dolphin Street" and "The Theme".

Incredible stuff – and a rare meeting of two giant jazz talents you'd never thought would appear on the same stage! The album features a 1960 concert in Sweden – Miles and Sonny upfront, with backing by the trio of Wyton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. Tracks are long, fiery, and a bit dirty (if we can say that in mixed company!) – and titles include "No Blues", "If I Were A Bell", "Walkin", "All Of You", and "On Green Dolphin Street".

Smooth soul from Cliff Dawson – a singer as classy as his look on the cover, and definitely a cut above most of the mainstream soul artists of his time! The album's an overlooked gem that's very nicely put together – well recorded, arranged with a subtle flair, and usually done with a warmer sound than you might guess for the vintage of the set – almost like some late 70s underground modern soul set, which is saying plenty to ears like ours! Thor Baldursson did most of the arrangements, but in ways that are much more restrained than his disco years – and titles include "It's Not Me You Love", "Waiting For Your Love", "Betcha Didn't Know", "I Can Love You Better", "Ocean Green Eyes", and "Never Say I Do".

An infectious batch of soul tunes from Raheem DeVaughn – his long overdue debut for Jive Records! Raheem stands apart from many in the mainstream soul and neo soul, not because he wears his influences so proudly on his sleeve, but in the way he wears them. Raheem's soul style is born of love for singers from Marvin Gaye, to Prince, to D'Angelo, to the Isleys and beyond – but his approach to songcraft and recording is born of hip hop and mixtapes – in which he can appropriate a given groove into his own tunes. The album's full of peaks and valleys, and the peaks are worth the the climb! Tracks include "The Love Experience", the Kenny Dope-produced "Guess Who Loves You More", "Who", "Where I Stand", "Breathe", "You", "Sweet Tooth", "Ask Yourself", "Believe", "Is It Possible", "Catch 22", "You", "Cadillac", "Green Leaves" and more!

An album led by pianist Aaron Diehl – but a set that also features some especially great vibes from Warren Wolf – one of our favorite players on the instrument in the past decade or so! Wolf's tones ring out beautifully – with that richness he really brings to his own albums, and hasn't spared a bit with Diehl – a style that really has great ways of expanding out Aaron's initial impulses on piano, and giving the record a lyrical quality that almost takes us back to 60s collaborations between Jack Wilson and Roy Ayers! Other quartet members include David Wong on bass and Rodney Green on drums – and titles include "Generation Y", "The Cylinder", "Stop & Go", "Single Petal Of A Rose", and "Blue Nude".

Classic 60s soul jazz from Lou Donaldson – and one of the first albums that has him working with Grant Green on guitar and Baby Face Willette on organ! Both players were discovered by Lou and brought to New York for Blue Note – a move that not only helped give the Donaldson sound a really soulful edge on a few key records, but which also helped jump-start the careers of both heavy-hitting players! Green's guitar is always a treat next to Lou's well-crafted lines on the alto – and Willette's organ brings a nicely unbridled quality to this session, giving it a rougher edge than the usual Blue Note. The cover's great too – and tracks include "Cool Blues", "Watusi Jump", and "Here 'Tis".

One of the best albums we've heard in years from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a really in the pocket session that's filled with rhythmic intensity, and some of the boldest music we've heard from Dave in years! There's plenty of edges to the set – especially the trumpet of Douglas and tenor of Jon Irabgon – but there's also a groove to many numbers too – a kind of forward-rolling energy that really takes the whole thing to great points throughout the set, and which makes a great progression from the somber tone of Dave's last album – almost a musical rebirth of sorts! Crack rhythms flow from the trio of Matt Mitchell on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – and titles include "Time Travel", "Beware Of Doug", "Little Feet", "Garden State", and "Bridge To Nowhere".

Quite a compelling project from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a record that has him working strongly with singer/guitarist Aoife O'Donovan, whose presence really helps transform the sound of the set! Aoife's got a folksy touch on her vocals, and colors things in with some great earthy tones that are a surprisingly good fit for Douglas' lines on trumpet – sometimes jazzy, sometimes sparkling with a rich sense of American history – yet delivered in a subtle, linear way. The blend works a lot better than it sounds on paper – thanks to help from other musicians who include Jon Irabagon on tenor, Matt Mitchell on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums. Titles include "Barbara Allen", "Living Streams", "Be Still My Soul", "High On A Mountain", "God Be With You", and "This Is My Father's World".

American sounds, but forged in Sweden – a surprisingly great batch of work from expatriate Jack Downing – including some rare singles, previously unreleased tunes, and even some live material too! Downing clearly picks up some of the folk rock styles of the post-Dylan generation – but he's also got this rough, raspy style of singing that's much more garagey at points than any folkies in the US – a weird sort of hybrid that only gets more interesting as the music here moves into the early 70s! The package brings together a full album recorded for RCA in Sweden, singles for Karusell, RCA, and CBS, and some live material recorded for Swedish radio too – 37 tracks that include "No Man's Land", "Out My Light", "Muddy Water", "Queen Jane Approximately", "Branded Man", "Only Dadd That'll Walk The Line", "The Kind Of Words", "Greenback Dollar", and "Going To California".

The third in The Drifters' early 70s revival run in the UK for Bell Records – and possibly the strongest album of the bunch! The lineup of the group has changed a bit, but the sound here is still the same – a nice 70s update of the group's earlier sound – in a way that still keeps all the lilting moments of the early 60s Drifters' style on Atlantic, but which also brings in some fuller, smoother production too – handled by Roger Greenaway, who also wrote a number of tracks for the record too. The wealth of original material really keeps things fresh – and has the group stretching past a simple rehash of the early days – and titles include "The Juggler", "Harlem Child", "Hello Happiness", "I've Got You On My Mind", "Don't Cry On A Weekend", "Can I Take You Home Little Girl", "There Goes My First Love", and "You Chose A Fine Time". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "It Looks Like I'm The Clown Again" and "Closely Guarded Secret".

One of the slinkiest shirts we've ever offered – featuring a wistful-looking lass with her hair in the breeze and a sultry twinkle in her eye! The image is rendered with a few simple lines – falling together, almost accidentally, to reveal this lovely lady caught in a moment of private contemplation. Thinking about her latest purchase from Dusty Groove? Perhaps. Or perhaps a lost love from days done, never to be returned. Capture the moment in heavy 100% cotton – more lasting than bronze.

One of the grooviest shirts we've ever offered – a peek into a late night recording session, captured in all its retro glory – all served up in colors we can guarantee that you don't already have in your wardrobe, and which makes the shirt stand out even more! 100% cotton – whatta deal!

Just like the title says, two bad, bad Dee Jays plying their trade over niced up rhythms from Junjo Lawe – with all star backing that includes Flabba Holt, Sly & Robbie, Style Scott, Santa Davis, Sowell, Chinna Smith, Bo Pee, Bingy Bunny, Gladstone Anderson, Ansel Collins, Steelie, Winston Wright, Sky Juice, Skully Sims and others! 10 tracks in all, including "Can't TakeAnother World War", "Another One Bites The Dust", "Talk About Run", "Sweet Sweet Matilda", "Special Request To All Prisoner", "Dance It Have Fe Nice", "Gal Pon The Front Line", "Jack Spratt", "Tribute To General Echo" and "Hey Mr DJ".

Tight session of hard post-swing jazz, but still very straight ahead. With Jimmy Forrest on tenor adding a nice hard edge to Harry Edison's trumpet sound, and a large rhythm section featuring Jimmy Jones, Freddie Greene, Joe Benjamin and Charlie Persip. 6 in all: "Nasty", "Pussy Willow", "The Very Thought O f You", "Sunday", "Fair Ground" and "The Strollers".

A great high-concept composition from Duke Ellington – one that rivals the earlier brilliance of his Liberian Suite! Like that one, vocals are a key part of this long-form work – a special performance done for the Century Of Negro Progress Exposition in Chicago in 1963 – with an all-star cast that includes Jimmy Jones both at the piano and conductor's stand; Joya Sherrill on vocals with the Irving Bunton Singers, Jimmy Grissom, Jimmy McPhail, and Lil Greenwood; Billy Strayhorn on celeste, Juan Amalbert on conga, and other familiar Ellingtonians in the larger group! The tunes have a mix of gospel and folk roots, turned towards more modern Ellington compositional modes – and almost all numbers feature vocals, including one with narration by Ellington himself. Titles include "Will You Be There", "Come Sunday", "David Danced", "Montage", "My Mother My Father", "My People", "The Blues Ain't", and "What Color Is Virtue". CD features 25 tracks in all – the first-ever appearance on CD of the entire performance!

An amazing record from the legendary Booker Ervin – and a set that really does a great job of bridging his modernist tendencies and soul jazz roots! The title track – "The Trance" – is an amazing 20 minute number that takes up all of side one of the record – and features Ervin soloing in an incredibly imaginative way – not as boppish as on his set with Dexter Gordon, but more in the powerful-voiced style that he developed with Mingus. The rest of the group features Jaki Byard on piano (always a treat!), Reggie Workman on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums – and side two features a very moody take on "Speak Low", and a nice bluesy vehicle for Booker, entitled "Groovin At The Jamboree".

First-ever vinyl release of the Flaming Lips at their most gonzo – the 4 disc set Zaireeka – with each intended to be played simultaneously! Call your friends with portable turntables and make it happen!

A lost groover from this obscure soul jazz guitarist – recorded with some pretty interesting backing, and a firey guitar style that makes us wish he'd recorded more! The record sports two main groups backing up Forriest's guitar – one with Ernie Hayes on organ, Bernard Purdie on drums, Willie Rodriguez on conga, and Albert Winston on bass; the other with Grachan Moncur on trombone, Frank Haynes on tenor, Charles Davis on baritone, and Leo Morris on drums. Sonny's guitar work is right out front – very complicated and bluesy, mostly single-note plucked, in the manner of Grant Green, but with a lot more inflection on the strings. Titles include "Minor Blast", "My Soul Is Happy", "Mashin It", "Steppin", "Miss Dee McC", and "Bitter With The Sweet".

Rare early 70s soul from Cinci! "Doon-Chang" by the female vocal combo 4 Jades has a little bit of a psych funk vibe going on thanks to the guitars – with a funky bassline prominent in the mix, some sax, nicely -grooving organ and solid drums. Still, it's the voices that shine the brightest! Sweet lead and backup vocals really make this one a standout. "Gee How I Miss You" is a mellower tune – but still with a heavy bass groove – and the vocals are even more sublime on this track! The flip has a pair of strong, stylistically divergent tracks by Longmire – the funky disco instrumental gem "Make You Wanna Holler" – and the tender vocal ballad "Everybody's Somebody's Fool".

We love Kim Fowley, and can never get enough of his genius – and no matter what the setting, Fowley always seems to move around the maddest corners of rock and pop music! This raw batch of gems is all pulled from the Fowley vaults – and features a host of indie singles recorded in LA between his bigger bursts of fame – some with Kim in the lead, lots more with lesser-known talents all given Fowley's forceful treatment in the studio – a push forward that makes just about every track here sparkle like some long-lost garage rocker or weird novelty number. Norton provides very detailed notes that are as much a musical journey as the cuts themselves – and titles include "The Knight In Shining Armor" by Knights Of The Round Table, "Kalani Honey" by John Paul Jones, "Young & Wild" by Renegade Five, "Big Bad Wolf" by Kim Garry & The Rhythm Kings, "Watch Your Step" by Larry Green & The Rhythmaires, "Goin Away Baby" and "Golden Apples Of The Sun" by Grains Of Sand, "Wanted Dead Or Alive" by The Rogues, "Moses" by Navarros, and "The Trip", "Astrology", and a rare radio spot all by Kim Fowley.

One of a handful of crucial early Aretha Franklin albums for Atlantic – and a key example of her genius pairing with arranger Arif Mardin! Instrumental backing is by a hard burning Memphis/Muscle Shoals lineup that includes Spooner Oldham on electric piano and organ, Tommy Cogbill on guitar, Andrew Love and Charles Chalmers on tenor, Wayne Jackson on trumpet, and Roger Hawkins on drums – and even Aretha herself gets to play a bit of piano on the set. But the really amazing thing here is the way that this core live mode of backing is also given some airier, loftier overtones by Mardin and co-arranger Tom Dowd – in a way that lifts up the tunes a bit more, and pushes them away from straight indie southern soul – into the range of greatness that made Franklin stand apart from most of her contemporaries. A key example of this is the album's seminal reading of "I Say A Little Prayer" – but all cuts are great, and other tunes include "Think", "A Change", "You're A Sweet Sweet Man", "I Take What I Want", "See Saw", "Hello Sunshine", and "You Send Me".

Aretha's tour of the south continues – recording here at Atlantic's new home in Miami, with studio work from The Dixie Flyers, Dave Crawford, Roger Hawkins, Duane Allman, and Eddie Hinton – all very much in the tradition of the Muscle Shoals work that supported Aretha on earlier recordings. Aretha's playing piano on all tracks – and titles include her remake of "Don't Play That Song", plus "You & Me", "Pullin", "Spirit In The Dark", "Try Matty's", "Oh No Not My Baby", and "One Way Ticket".

Given that Atlantic's big claim to fame with Aretha was that they took her from being a supper club jazz singer and made her a hard soul act, we've always been a bit surprised at the way they chose to hook her up with some Bacharach tunes after her first few sides – giving her a classier uptown sound to mix with the deeper southern style that broke her out big. This album's a great example of how Aretha can mix the two styles – as it features the title rendition of "This Girl's In Love With You", and great versions of "Dark End Of The Street" and "Sit Down & Cry", and the sublime "Call Me", which is a perfect blend of the two styles in one song. And oddly, the "classier" material was recorded down in Miami, Atlantic's new home for soul in the south.

Wonderful work from this hip Japanese ensemble – a largeish group who draw on big band modes from earlier generations, yet find a youthful way to create rich new colors, tones, and timings! The set's got a really beautiful reed-heavy approach – one that has all the poetry you might expect from the title – with echoes of Kenton or Gil Evans sorts of arrangements, yet often turned towards the sharper tones of the post-Coltrane generation – and mixed with offbeat rhythms that further push the edges of the tunes. There's also a good number of trumpet and trombone parts, plus lots of great percussion – and titles include "Ladiga", "Divine Gift", "Trivial Chief", "Never Say Die", and "Bold & Able". 2CD set features 7 more bonus tracks too!

The Funk Ark floats mighty high on this sweet little set – charting a course on the sea of grooves with strong currents of African and Latin rhythms in the mix! The group are a funk combo at the core, but they've got a great ear for all sounds global – complex rhythms, unusual instrumental inflections, and a forward-moving groove that's able to pull in plenty of different strands, and keep things funky throughout! Funk Ark work here with sweet production from Adrian Quesada, who helps them find just the right sort of vibe in the studio – with the crisp crackle of some of his own work – and titles include "Road To Coba", "High Noon", "Riconcito", "Wayward Bill", "El Rancho Motel", and "Green Tree Yellow Sky".

A landmark collaboration between Serge Gainsbourg and actress Jane Birkin – his paramour at the time, and a much younger woman! The pair come together beautifully here in a set of sensuous duets – tunes that have an open, honest approach to the relations between the sexes – yet never in any sort of cliched late 60s hippie-esque ways. This album is perhaps the archetypal Gainsbourg erotic effort – and it's filled with wonderful duets set to breathy, bouncy orchestrations – tunes that forged a whole new "adult" level in pop music – not just in France, but around the globe! The arrangements are amazing, and feature some of the weirdest instrumentation ever heard on a pop record – especially one that was as successful as this. Backings are by Athur Greenslade – and titles include the classic "69 Annee Erotique" and "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus", plus "Jane B", "Elisa", "Orang Outan", "Les Sucettes", and "Manon".

Not as completely wonderful as Hal's more electric work – but not a bad album either. Galper always has a way with the piano (acoustic here) that lends itself to warm, blocky chords – perfect for our post hip hop-influenced ears, not as complicated as other jazz pianists, but filled with just the right amount of space and soul. The set was recorded live, with horns by the Brecker Brothers and drums by Bob Moses. Tracks include "Blue & Green", "Now Hear This", "Speak With A Single Voice", and "Waiting For Chet".

A wonderful set of work by a jazz guitarist who doesn't get enough love! Hank Garland was a player who recorded mostly in the Nashville studio scene, but who also had a warmly chromatic approach to jazz, one that was light years ahead of many of his contemporaries on the instrument. Hank's style mixed the complexity of electric guitar on a country session, with the subtle jazzy phrasing of a small group player – in a way that's hard to compare to anyone else! This set features the 2 albums Hank cut for Columbia records – Jazz Winds From A New Direction and Velvet Guitar – plus rare unreleased tracks from the same session, for a total of 31 tracks in all. Tracks include "Ed's Place", "Scarlet Ribbons", "Secret Love", "Autumn Leaves", "Greensleeves", Three Four The Blues", "Move", "Riot Chorus", "Relaxing", "Call D Law", "Rainy Afternoon", "Ed's Place", "It's Love, Of Course", and "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That, Baby".

Almost an historical artifact – London recordings by Fred Astaire from the 20s, with Gershwin actually backing him up on piano – and a few tracks feature dancing too! Also features songs from Gay Divorce and Flying Down To Rio.

A rare set from one of Stan Getz's hippest groups! The album was recorded in Paris in 1966, during a time in which Stan was working with a groundbreaking quartet that included Gary Burton on vibes, Steve Swallow on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a combo that unfortunately got a bit overshadowed by Stan's bossa work, which was recorded in earlier years, but still getting issued and played heavily during the time of the Burton quartet's reign. The upshot of that situation was that the combo weren't nearly as exposed, or recorded, as much as they should have been – making the CD an essential look at this under-documented side of Stan's career. Getz's tone is fantastic – and he glides freely with the young modernists in a way that you barely ever hear on any of his sides from the 60s, save for, perhaps, the sublime Sweet Rain LP. Titles include the long "The Knight Rides Again" – plus the tracks "Singing Song", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Stan's Blues", "Edelweiss", and "Manha De Carnaval".

Classic Jam Session work from Norman Granz – featuring a group with Stan Getz, Harry Edison, Wardell Gray, Benny Carter, Willie Smith, Buddy De Franco, Count Basie, and Freddie Green – on two long tracks, "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Blues For The Count". The session's got a number of interesting aspects – Basie plays organ, Getz is a bit harder than usual, and Willie Smith sounds great, as always, in one of his rare appearances from the time.

The rare one-off collaborative side project by Robert Smith of The Cure and Steven Severin of Siouxsie & The Banshees! Includes "Like An Animal", "Looking Glass Girl", "A Blue In Drag", "Punish Me With Kisses", "Relax", ""Mouth To Mouth", "Like An Animal", "This Green City" and more.

Chicago alto player Bunky Green gets "Latinized" – in a very groovy set of soul jazz tunes from the 60s Cadet Records scene! The style isn't entirely straight Latin – more just a soul jazz approach to small combo jazz, supported with great percussion from a trio of added players – but Bunky's alto sax is right out front in the mix, bounding warmly over the top of the grooves with a sound that's a bit like Lou Donaldson or Chicago contemporary Sonny Cox! The Dells bring in a bit of vocals to the record – not much, but just enough to create a nice sense of surprise – and tracks include "Feeling Good", "Do It Like You Feel It", "Fast n Foxy", "A Ting A Ling", and "How's Your Mambo?".

A fantastic single! "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy" is an amazing song that starts out with Garland knocking loudly at his girlfriend's door, and telling her to open it up and not be mad just because he "smacked her pretty little face". He then proceeds to argue that he's not a violent guy, and the whole thing grooves on from there. The arrangements are spectacular, and Garland's voice is beautiful throughout.

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes".

Soulful, spiritual work from guitarist Grant Green – an exploration of older tunes with a hip Blue Note 60s soul jazz approach! The album features Grant working in a quartet with Herbie Hancock, Billy Higgins, and Butch Warren – plus some added tambourine on a number of tracks – and the overall approach is extremely laidback and open, with Green soloing in a personal style that's a bit less frenetic than some of his other work of the period. Tracks include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen".

Soulful, spiritual work from guitarist Grant Green – an exploration of older tunes with a hip Blue Note 60s soul jazz approach! The album features Grant working in a quartet with Herbie Hancock, Billy Higgins, and Butch Warren – plus some added tambourine on a number of tracks – and the overall approach is extremely laidback and open, with Green soloing in a personal style that's a bit less frenetic than some of his other work of the period. Tracks include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD features the bonus track "Deep River".

Grant Green's first-ever session as a leader – recorded by Blue Note in 1960, and not issued until now! The set features Green's guitar playing in a piano quartet, with rhythm by Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones – about as fine a backing trio as Green could hope to find. We're not sure why Blue Note didn't issue this material at the time – perhaps because they were trying to break Green as R&B-inflected soul jazz player, and this set had more of a straight jazz quality (like his Sunday Morning album) – but whatever the case, it's all here now, along with 2 other tracks from a 1961 session with Sonny Clark on piano. Titles include "Seepin", "Sonnymoon For Two", "Just Friends", "Woody N You", and an early recording of "Grant's First Stand".

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green".

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green".

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green".

One of Grant Green's best funky records for Blue Note! The group's cut from the same cloth as Lou Donaldson's great ones from this period – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – with Idris Muhammad on drums, kicking up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves. Neal Creque plays keyboards on the set, and contributed 2 tracks – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"!

Fantastic stuff! This was one of Grant Green's first ever sessions, and it's a winner all the way through! Dave Bailey and Ben Tucker back up the young Grant in a set of impeccably played guitar grooves that showcase the brilliant technique of this young genius – straight and to the point guitar jazz, with a soulful feel that gives the album a really warm finish. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than they're titled, too! Also includes two alternate takes.

A rare early chapter in the career of guitarist Grant Green – local material, cut in his hometown of St Louis – in the years before Lou Donaldson picked him up and delivered him to Blue Note Records! Amazingly, though, the Grant Green heard here is every bit as great as the guitarist who emerged strongly on his early Blue Note dates as a leader – a smoking soloist with a strong talent for single-line grooving – working here in a hip organ combo that features Sam Lazar on Hammond and Bob Graf on tenor sax! Lazar's got a mean bite to his organ, and pairs beautifully with Green – and together, the players hit a groove that's gritty, yet which has surprisingly strong fidelity – more than enough to make the record an essential piece of Grant's catalog. The CD's hardly a muddy live recording, and instead has surprisingly great fidelity – and lots of long tracks with open solos, on titles that include "Deep", "Blue Train", "Holy Barbarian Blues", "Caramu", "Grovvin High", and "Out Of Nowhere".

A wicked session by Grant Green – one that's very different than any of his other Blue Note records! Here, Grant's going for a "Latin bit" – adding in a trio of percussionists to spice up the groove with a bit of bossa rhythms, and some harder jamming styles that feel a lot like those used in some of the better Cal Tjader albums of the time. Willie Bobo's in the group on drums, and the only other accompaniment is piano, bass, and percussion – letting Grant run out nice and long on his solos, on a very hip set of tracks that includes "Tico Tico", "Mama Inez", "Besame Mucho", and "Mambo Inn". CD reissue also includes 3 bonus cuts, not on the original album – "Grenada", "Blues For Juanita", and "Hey There".

A wicked session by Grant Green – one that's very different than any of his other Blue Note records! Here, Grant's going for a "Latin bit" – adding in a trio of percussionists to spice up the groove with a bit of bossa rhythms, and some harder jamming styles that feel a lot like those used in some of the better Cal Tjader albums of the time. Willie Bobo's in the group on drums, and the only other accompaniment is piano, bass, and percussion – letting Grant run out nice and long on his solos, on a very hip set of tracks that includes "Tico Tico", "Mama Inez", "Besame Mucho", and "Mambo Inn". CD reissue also includes 3 bonus cuts, not on the original album – "Grenada", "Blues For Juanita", and "Hey There".

A soaring set from guitarist Grant Green – a really amazing double-length set that caps off his legendary run for Blue Note – done with a vibe that's different than most of his other work for the label! Like some of the other Lighthouse sessions from Blue Note – particularly those from Lee Morgan and Elvin Jones – this one has a very open, free vibe – a way of stretching out on the tracks, yet still staying soulful – all an amazing document of the rich talents of the leader in a live setting! The group's a bit unique, too – and features Gary Coleman on vibes, Shelton Laster on organ, Claude Bartee on tenor and soprano sax, Wilton Felder on bass, and Greg Williams on drums – all players who hit this hip Cali groove with Green – and really take off on cuts that include versions of Donald Byrd's "Fancy Free", Neal Creque's "Windjammer", and The Fabulous Counts' "Jan Jan" – plus the cuts "Flood In Franklin Park", "Walk In The Night", and "Betcha By Golly Wow".

A soaring set from guitarist Grant Green – a really amazing double-length set that caps off his legendary run for Blue Note – done with a vibe that's different than most of his other work for the label! Like some of the other Lighthouse sessions from Blue Note – particularly those from Lee Morgan and Elvin Jones – this one has a very open, free vibe – a way of stretching out on the tracks, yet still staying soulful – all an amazing document of the rich talents of the leader in a live setting! The group's a bit unique, too – and features Gary Coleman on vibes, Shelton Laster on organ, Claude Bartee on tenor and soprano sax, Wilton Felder on bass, and Greg Williams on drums – all players who hit this hip Cali groove with Green – and really take off on cuts that include versions of Donald Byrd's "Fancy Free", Neal Creque's "Windjammer", and The Fabulous Counts' "Jan Jan" – plus the cuts "Flood In Franklin Park", "Walk In The Night", and "Betcha By Golly Wow".

A fantastic mid 60s album from Grant Green – but one that never got its due originally, because it was unreleased at the time – and didn't come out until a Japanese version in the late 70s! Despite that oddly long gap, Matador is truly one Grant's best ever records – a really inventive session that goes way past his standard soul jazz roots – and which really shows the guitarist stretching out towards future styles of jazz! The session's a spare quartet date – with Green's guitar playing modal grooves over rhythm by by his incredible combo – with Bob Cranshaw on bass, Elvin Jones on drums and the incomparable McCoy Tyner on piano – blocking out bold changes that really drive the record strongly. Cuts are long, and there's a freewheeling quality to the material that's only ever matched by some of the Grant Green/Larry Young sessions from the same time – especially the Street Of Dreams Record. Titles include "Matador", "Bedouin", Green Jeans", and a killer version of "My Favorite Things", done in a very Coltrane-esque style.

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". CD also features "Nancy" and an alternate of "Airegin".

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". Also features the bonus track "Wives & Lovers".

Although Grant Green started the 60s recording for Blue Note in a soulful churchy kind of groove, he ended the decade recording some great funky albums, most of them with a tight hard groove, of the sort of Idris Muhammad-ish rhythm track that was dominating the soul jazz scene at the time. This tasty 10 track compilation brings together cuts from the mid to late 60s, and features some killer funk and rolling soul jazz groovers from one of the greatest guitarists ever! Titles include "Talkin About JC", "Walk In the Night", "Cease The Bombing", "Final Comedown", "In The Middle", "Grantstand", "Lazy Afternoon", and "Sookie Sookie".

One of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a quartet that also includes Elvin Jones on drums – who provides a loose, fluid approach to rhythm that really sets the tone for the date – a flowing vibe that folds together the organ, guitar, and vibes beautifully – with an incomparable floating vibe that's pure magic! All tracks are long and very open – and titles include "Street Of Dreams", "Somewhere In The Night", and "Lazy Afternoon".

Double LP reissue of the Johnny Green score for the film Raintree Country – including all of the long passages written to accompany the epic action of the cinematic spectacle. Titles include "Flash Perkins", "July Picnic", "War Begins", "Battle Montage", "War's End", and "Her Death". First time in stereo, too!

Vivian's in the green room, and more than ready to step out on the stage – sounding tighter, smoother, and more confident than ever – easily one of the strongest leading lights in contemporary soul today! The set's got a nice sort of crackle right from the start – a crispness that we didn't always hear on the last few releases – almost as if she's going back to basics, yet still hanging onto all the poise and class she's developed over the years. Guests include Algebra Bessett, Freeway, and Brian Culbertson – and titles include "Anything Out There", "Free As A Bird", "X", "Forever", "I'm Not Prepared", "Heaven", "Still Here", and "Light The Universe".

A cooking group effort from the Chris Greene Quartet – a great Chicago combo we've watched grow tremendously with each previous release – stepping out here in their first-ever live recording! Greene's got a soulfully sophisticated approach to his saxes that really belies his Windy City roots – with this great way of stretching out on the solos, yet still keeping things real – a bit like Eddie Harris at his best, with the depth of Eric Alexander on tenor,but with some deeper sounds too – which come through especially strong on the album's extended tracks. The rest of the group features electric piano, bass, and drums – and titles include the originals "Shore Up", "Future Emperor Of Evanston", "State", and "Three & Six" – plus a nice cover of "Blue Bossa".

Solo Burton Greene – beautifully recorded – in ways that have his already-wonderful lines on piano echoing out in the performance space, and almost folding back on themselves in waves of sound! Given Greene's striking touch on the keyboard – sharp, yet always melodic, which we really love – this presence of "room" really illuminates the record – and makes each statement seem even more forceful, and a more personal utterance that really sends the whole thing home. The whole thing's as tuneful as it is creative – a wonderful demonstration of Burton's talents in these later years – and titles include "Elevation", "Greene Mansions", "Freebop The 4th", "Space Is Still The Place", "Get Through It", "Little Song", and "Tree".

A beautifully tuneful record from Narada Burton Greene – maybe more so than any of his other albums – at least that we can remember! The set's a solo outing, and it's definitely got some of the modern elements that have always made Greene's music so wonderful – but it's also got this brilliant ear for little turns of a tune – one that's handled especially well on the right end of the keyboard, where Burton's got these tones ringing out beautifully, in haunting melodies we really love. And if you're fans of his older music, you've still got plenty to dig here – because the complexity of the keyboard work is rock solid throughout – as you'll hear on tunes that include "Acrturus", "Skumpy", "Bubba Meisa Drama", "Longing", "Moldavian Blues", and "Time Remembered".

Let's get this straight. Merle Haggard SINGS "Okie From Muskogee" but he is not THE "Okie From Muskogee". Nevertheless, this is the record that put the honky in honky tonk. Merle sure pretended to not like hippies back in '69, and story has it he even refused an invitation to produce Gram Parson's GP album on the basis that Gram was just another damn dirty hippie. Of course that's just a story – Merle simply didn't fancy himself a producer. Okie From Muskogee is pretty much the definitive portrait of the Hag at his most reactionary, and if the ignorant politics of the title track gives us a few goosebumps along the way, it's well worth it to hear him perform some of his best tracks at the very peak of his career. Besides, what's an outlaw if he doesn't scare you a little? Many of the great ones are here, including "Mama Tried", "No Hard Times", "In the Arms Of Love", "If I Had Left It Up To You", "White Line Fever", "Blue Rock", "Okie From Muskogee", and a medley of "Swinging Doors", "I'm A Lonesome Fugitive", "Sing Me Back Home", and "Branded Man".

Sanctified, indeed – and just the kind of record to show why Slide Hampton was unlike any of his trombone-playing contemporaries! The set's got a tightness and punch that's really unique – not the compact quality of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but also not the hardbop of Curtis Fuller either – instead king of a rousing approach to jazz trombone that really makes Hampton the kind of the soul jazz approach to the instrument! Slide's working here with a cool octet that has the focus of a group half their size – a really well-chosen lineup of young, hip players that includes George Coleman on tenor sax, Hobart Dotson and Richard Williams on trumpets, Larry Ridley on bass, and additional trombone from a y oung Charles Greenlee! Titles include "El Sino", "Ow", "Milestones", and the stormin' title cut "Somethin Sanctified".

Classic Herbie from the early years, and a great mix of soul jazz and modernism! The record include a nice groovy "hit", Herbie's "Blind Man, Blind Man" – an obvious follow-up to "Watermelon Man", but still a standout track with a lot of imagination, and a fierce soul jazz hook that just won't quit! The rest of the record, while still groovy, also shows much more signs of Herbie's far-reaching conception – especially shared with players like Tony Williams, Grachan Moncur, Chuck Israels, and Grant Green – all of whom work with Herbie, Donald Byrd, and Hank Mobley – in a larger than usual group that makes for a really great sound! Titles include "A Tribute To Someone", "King Cobra", and "The Pleasure Is Mine". The CD also includes a bonus alternate take of "Blind Man, Blind Man"!

A masterpiece from Gene Harris – an album that's probably been his biggest influence on the sound of soul in the 21st Century, and for good reason too! The set moves way beyond both Harris' acoustic piano roots in the Three Sounds, and his other electric sides of the 70s – into sublime spacey territory that's wrapped up in soul – as much a pinnacle of his musical vision as early 70s records were for Herbie Hancock or George Duke! The vibe here is a bit between the looser styles of Duke's MPS recordings, and the tighter grooves of the Mizell generation – and arrangements are by Harris, Harvey Mason, and Jerry Peters, the latter of whom really adds some great elements to the record. Harvey's drums make for a great funky undercurrent – and the album features the funky break track "Higga-Boom", the great groover "Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong", and the cuts "Rebato Summer", "Don't Call Me N*gger, Whitey", "Love Talkin", "I Remember Summer", "Green River", and "My Roots".

Gene Harris in three different periods – the past, present, and future – served up here in a record issued under Gene's name as a leader, but which still continues the vibe of the later records by the Three Sounds! Most of the work is trio material – with just Gene on acoustic piano, John Halton on acoustic and electric bass, and Carl Burnett on drums and percussion – but there's a fluid, reaching sort of feel that definitely echoes some of the larger productions that Harris was recording at the time – not full strings or heavy electrics, but a really complex approach to the material nonetheless! Tracks on this volume include "On Green Dolphin Street", "Hymn To Freedom", "Love For Sale", "Trieste", and "Something".

A weird and wonderful album from Tribe Records giant Wendell Harrison – an obscure electric set from the start of the 80s! There's still a strongly spiritual feel on the record, but Wendell also adds some Fender Rhodes and vocals to his work on tenor and flute – bringing in the same sort of spacey soul vibe you'd find on work from the time by Oneness Of Juju! The overall sound is still quite soulful – a great extension of the early Tribe spirit from Detroit – and some cuts feature a bit more acoustic piano and sweet earthy percussion. Other cuts have more of a soulful bounce – thanks to vocals from Miche Braden and Kathy Simmons – and titles include "The Wok", "Ginseng Love", "Love Juice", "A Green Meadow" and "Peace of Mind".

A weird and wonderful album from Tribe Records giant Wendell Harrison – an obscure electric set from the start of the 80s! There's still a strongly spiritual feel on the record, but Wendell also adds some Fender Rhodes and vocals to his work on tenor and flute – bringing in the same sort of spacey soul vibe you'd find on work from the time by Oneness Of Juju! The overall sound is still quite soulful – a great extension of the early Tribe spirit from Detroit – and some cuts feature a bit more acoustic piano and sweet earthy percussion. Other cuts have more of a soulful bounce – thanks to vocals from Miche Braden and Kathy Simmons – and titles include "The Wok", "Ginseng Love", "Love Juice", "A Green Meadow" and "Peace of Mind".

One of Hampton Hawes' last sessions for Contemporary Records – a wonderful little date that's filled with the bright tones and bold confidence that marked Hamp's piano work in later years! The style here is simple, but effective – and Hawes has a way of ringing out the notes without overdoing his thing – a balance that was never present in his earlier work, and which made him a more and more compelling player as the years went on. Titles include "Morning", "Blue In Green", "Sunny", "Soul Sign Eight", and "Killing Me Softly".

Great later Coleman Hawkins on Impulse – just the sort of deep-toned, soulfully-blown record that makes all his sessions for the label so great! Hawk's very firmly in the lead on that classic tenor of his – but the rest of the lineup keeps things swinging too – with Snooky Young and Bill Berry on trumpets, Urbie Green on trombone, Barry Harris on piano, and Eddie Locke on drums. The best tracks are the sparest – the album's quartet readings of "Out of Nowhere" and "Indian Summer" – but the rest of the material features some nice gutsy solos from Hawk too, and other tracks include "Bean's Place", "Marchetta", and "She's Fit".

The full length debut of Mayer Hawthorne for Stones Throw – with both classic Motown and 60s & 70s Detroit indie soul influences, done the right way, and all of it wonderful and true to his heroes – after some promising early singles, we can now say emphatically that Mayer Hawthorne is indeed the real thing! On some of this material, Hawthorne is a one man soul band, with the tunes stripped to a gritty, raw soul essence – and on other tunes he gets some assistance on brass, strings and keys – pulling off a number of modes with equally excellent results. He evokes Curtis Mayfield when he gets the falsetto going, but other touchstone influences are apparent – a couple of the more uptempo tunes sound like they could be late 60s Temptations b-sides. Mayer may look like Dwight Schrute on the cover, but don't be fooled – his love for soul music is true and unironic, and he has the chops to pull it off! Titles include "A Strange Arrangement", "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out", "Maybe So, Maybe No", "Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'", "I Wish It Would Rain", "Make Her Mine", "One Track Mind", "The Ills", "Shiny & New", "Let Me Know" and "Green Eyed Love".

Eddie Henderson really lets his spirit flow here – working on some great long tracks in a sweet live setting – caught at a small club in Paris with backing from the trio of pianist Laurent DeWilde! Laurent really seems to get Henderson's groove here – and lays back with Eddie to let each tune take slow shape out of sound – then build tremendously with these sweeping, soulful lines that show that both players are still very much full of imagination on their solos. The group's completed by Gilles Naturel on bass and Simon Goubert on drums – and titles include "Lost", "Oasis", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Dubai", "Tender You", and "Sand Storm".

A 70s soul genius – even if you've never heard of the guy! Ron Henderson's a real enigma – a totally great soul artist who recorded throughout the 60s and 70s, but never really cracked the big time – thanks to the fact that his work was spread out over a number of different labels, and never given the push or full album release it deserved. His sound is one that rivals the best bigger names of the 70s mellow soul era – and Ron's got a wonderful talent for gently grooving rhythms and lovingly laidback tunes – in a style that reminds us a bit of Bobby Wilson, or of some of Leroy Hutson's first solo work, and which has a similar evolution as the 70s progress. This excellent CD finally gives Henderson his due – and presents a total of 20 tracks recorded during the early and mid 70s – all packaged with great sound and a full set of notes on Ron's life and music. Titles include "Gemini Lady", "I Feel I Have It In Me", "Your Love", "Problem Child", "The Other Side", "Hooked On Your Love", "Yours Is The Love I Want", "I'll Be Around", "Baby I Wanna Be Yours", "Sunshine", "Mary Green", "You're Twenty One Today", and "She Pleases Me".