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Just to get things straight: Ann's the Beauty and Al's the Beard – and they're paired together in this surprisingly tasty set that stands as one of Ann's jazziest albums for RCA! Part of the strength is from arranger Marty Paich, who has Al's trumpet and Ann's voice working with a small group that includes Red Norvo on vibes and Al Hendrickson on guitar. Tunes are a bit laidback, especially for Ann – and titles include "Mutual Admiration Society", "Personality", "My Baby Just Cares For Me", "Little Boy", and "The Best Man".

Not the usual jazz outing from trumpeter Pete Candoli, and more an album of pop instrumentals, designed to cash in on the success of the big hit single "Moscow Mule"! (Pete didn't do the original version of that, right?) Tunes are short, jaunty, and use the trumpet in the kind of 60s pop way that was working big with Al Hirt and Herb Alpert – not as cool as Pete's 50s jazz work, but groovy enough if you're not looking for that. Titles include "Wild Turkey", "Rum & Coca Cola", "Moscow Mule", "Tequila", "Cool Green Grasshopper", and "Scotch & Soda".

Sublime work from Blue Magic – a record that still has them singing in the sweet harmony sound of earlier records, but which also picks up a fuller sound and a bit of a groove – thanks to stone Philly arrangements by Norman Harris and Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey! A number of tracks add in a bit of moog that sound surprisingly great next to the group's harmonies – electrifying them a bit without overwhelming them – and letting Blue Magic step way past their fragile harmony roots into the forefront of Philly group soul at the time! Tracks include the groovers "We're On The Right Track" and "Magic Of The Blue", the ballads "Chasing Rainbows" and "Loneliest House on the Block", plus "What's Come Over Me", which is a duet between the group and Margie Joseph.

One of many projects headed up by Alec Costandinos – a briefly successful producer/arranger during the late 70s, with a real penchant for overly complicated disco! Given the huge amount of instruments in this project (strings, brass, percussion, guitar, and lots more), Costandinos must have blown all of the cocaine-fueled budget amassed by Casablanca at the time – but who was bothering to keep tabs, as everyone was probably too busy watching the sexy lady on the cover getting her shirt ripped off! Fortunately, the great Alan Hawkshaw (of The Mohawks and Serge Gainsbourg fame) is on keyboards, and his work on the keys provides a few bright moments amidst all the fluff. Two long tracks – each a side apiece – "I've Found Love" and "Accidental Lover". A great one for DJs to put on when they have to skip out, use the toilet, get a coffee, do their laundry, balance the checkbook, go home and make the bed, etc. . .

Stitt & McDuff in a very tasty set of organ/tenor grooves, played with that style that Prestige was finally beginning to perfect in the early 60s, as it let these organ combos shake off their 50's R&B sound, and start to hit a straighter jazz groove. Art Taylor's on drums, Eddie Diehl's on guitar, and Ray Barretto lopes along behind on congas. Titles include "Thirty Three, Ninety Six", "Nuther Fu'Ther", "Ringin' In", and "Pam Ain't Blue". Great cover, too – with Stitt in some very heavy-duty shades, looking very tuff!

A great little entry into a genre that got way too overdone and way too cluttered by the end of the 80s – but which was surprisingly fresh at the time of this initial release! The set pays tribute to the late Thelonious Monk, but does so by moving way past his modern jazz roots – and allowing for participation by a variety of artists in a number of different fields. Hal Willner masterminded the set, and does a great job of making unlike artists work well next to each other – really expanding on famous numbers by Monk, but never getting too goofy overall. Titles include "Functional" by Randy Weston, "Four In One" by Todd Rundgren & Gary Windo, "Thelonious" by Bruce Fowler, "Criss Cross" by Shockabilly, "In Walked Budd" by Terry Adams & Roswell Rudd, "Evidence" by Steve Lacy & Elvin Jones, "Ba-Lu-Bolivar-Ba-Lues-Are" by Was Not Was, "Ask Me Now" by Steve Lacy & Charlie Rouse, "Monk's Mood" by Sharon Freeman, "Round Midnight" by Joe Jackson, and "Friday The Thirteen" by Bobby McFerrin and Bob Dorough. There's plenty of other great Lacy work on the set too – and even if you're put off by the presence of non-jazzers on the set, the album's worth it alone for the Lacy tracks!

Groundbreaking work from Laura Nyro – exactly the kind of record that sums up the unique genius in her music! The record's not folk, not pop, not soul, nor jazz vocals – but a new sort of style that draws a bit from all those genres, and comes up with a bold new approach that opened the door for countless other female singers in years to come. Despite the fame of the record, and many attempts to copy its genius over the years, Nyro is completely without cliche here – unique in her approach and presentation of the material, and as personally possessed as she is fragile and introspective. Arrangements are by Charlie Calello, and really get the spirit of the tunes right – and titles include "Luckie", "Lonely Women", "Emmie", "Timer", "Eli's Comin", "December's Boudouir", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Woman's Blues", and "Once It Was Alright Now".

Excellent trippy pop-psychedelia from Gabor Szabo! The record's a bit less jazz than some of his other efforts, with more of that faked-out "eastern"production that you'd get on efforts like these – with occasional voices behind his guitar. Titles include "The End Of Life", "White Rabbit", "Saigon Bride", "Twelve Thirty", "To Sir With Love", and "Are You There?"