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The first full length album recorded by the legendary Association – a classic bit of Sunshine Pop that would forever change the sound of the 60s! Although familiar, the album's got an amazing depth that still never fails to surprise today – odd production twists and turns, courtesy of a young Curt Boettcher; personally youthful harmonies that slip as often as they soar; and just the right touches of flower power to move the group away from their folkie roots into the new sun of a changing decade! The hits "Along Comes Mary" and "Cherish" are almost worth the price of admission – but lesser-known cuts are even better, and show a wealth of great work penned by members of the group! Other titles include "Standing Still", "Message Of Our Love", "Changes", "I'll Be Your Man", "Blistered", "Round Again", "Remember" and "Enter The Young".

Excellent live work by The Association – quite different than their earlier pop hits, but still with the same great harmony feel! The style here is in the rougher, more guitar-based mode of albums like Birthday and Stop Your Motor – and the band really sounds great in this live setting, which helps us to understand just how much of their magical sound came from the group itself, and not just Warner Brothers studio tricks. The set's got 22 tracks in all – 2LPs worth of music – and titles include "Dream Girl", "Goodbye Columbus", "I'll Be Your Man", "Never My Love", "Seven Man Band", "Cherish", "Requiem For The Masses", "Are You Ready", "Just About The Same", and "Along Comes Mary".

Mindblowing music from The Association – a heady double-length package that features every single the group ever cut for the Valiant and Warner Brothers label – which together make for an amazing evolution in sound! Although best remembered for their few soft rock hits, The Association were a hell of a group who never stopped growing back in the 60s – from sublime folksy harmonies at the start, to more complicated baroque pop as years went on, to some psych elements, and even a return to rootsier sounds they never had in the first place – always delivered with qualities that were head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – and perfectly put together in the best LA studio styles, with help from giants like Curt Boettcher, Gary Paxton, Bones Howe, and others. The group also became quite skilled in the studio themselves – as you'll hear in the book's copious notes and comments from members themselves – all a perfect package for a set that features 37 mighty tunes that include "Six Man Band", "Goodbye Columbus", "Like Always", "No Fair At All", "Standing Still", "Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies", "Looking Glass", "Birthday Morning", "Makes Me Cry", "PF Sloan", "Just About The Same", "Traveler's Guide", "I Am Up For Europe", "Hear In Here",a nd "Forty Times" – not to mention some bigger hits!

Fantastic dreamy pop! Despite the fact that this one yielded the super-huge hits "Windy" and "Never My Love", the album's also filled with great 60s pop tunes that you've probably never heard before – all as fantastically well-crafted and delicately strung-out as the big hits. The Association were truly one of the greatest 60s pop harmony groups to come out of the LA scene – and even a big hit album like this is the kind of gem that you'd spend years digging through rare vinyl to hope to find! Other titles include "Happiness Is", "On A Quiet Night", "We Love Us", "Reputation", and "Requiem For The Masses". This great expanded mono edition has 10 bonus tracks (!!!): "Autumn Afternoon", "Windy (Mono 45)", "Requiem For The Masses (Mono 45)", "Sometime (Instrumental)", "We Love Us (Instrumental)" and more.

A record that really lives up to its title, given the sweet Philly grooves of the set – a real surprise, given that the album was recorded in Germany! The session's a rare studio project in the early years of the German disco scene – and comes off with the best soulful styles that were bubbling up in the US at the time – clubby instrumental grooves that are filled with soaring strings and tight rhythms – yet served up in ways that are never too overdone! In fact, if you slapped some obscure US label on this one, folks would be more than willing to believe that the set's some underground corner from the New York scene – quite a surprise for a record that was initially cut just for sound library usage. Titles include "City Train", "Alaska Flight", "Skyline", "Night Shift", "Full House", "Star Shot", "Rush Hour", "Sun Ship", and "Flash Point".

A record that really lives up to its title, given the sweet Philly grooves of the set – a real surprise, given that the album was recorded in Germany! The session's a rare studio project in the early years of the German disco scene – and comes off with the best soulful styles that were bubbling up in the US at the time – clubby instrumental grooves that are filled with soaring strings and tight rhythms – yet served up in ways that are never too overdone! In fact, if you slapped some obscure US label on this one, folks would be more than willing to believe that the set's some underground corner from the New York scene – quite a surprise for a record that was initially cut just for sound library usage. Titles include "City Train", "Alaska Flight", "Skyline", "Night Shift", "Full House", "Star Shot", "Rush Hour", "Sun Ship", and "Flash Point".

A soaring number that easily shows why Players Association were way ahead of most of the rest of the disco pack – and a tune that's got real depth, life, and energy that goes far beyond a simple gimmicky title! Vocals are mostly in a chorus mode, and the tune instead focuses on the tight instrumental side of the group – letting a sax solo break out nicely in the middle, and featuring some warm rolling piano that's got a real Sigma Sound feel! "Disco Inferno" is a remake of the hit, but not as great as the original track on side 1!

Really great work by The Association – recorded a few years after their "Cherish" and "Along Came Mary" singles, and with a sound that's a lot more sophisticated and far-reaching! The band still has their sweet harmony sound in place, but the arrangements and songwriting show a lot more signs of their association with the hip LA scene of the 60s – fitting them in nicely with the underground mainstream that was then rewriting the sound of rock at Warner Brothers. Titles include "Broccoli", "The Nest", "Love Affair", "Boy On the Mountain", and "Yes, I Will".

Excellent live work by The Association – quite different than their earlier pop hits, but still with the same great harmony feel! The style here is in the rougher, more guitar-based mode of albums like Birthday and Stop Your Motor – and the band really sounds great in this live setting, which helps us to understand just how much of their magical sound came from the group itself, and not just Warner Brothers studio tricks. The set's got 22 tracks in all – 2LPs worth of music – and titles include "Dream Girl", "Goodbye Columbus", "I'll Be Your Man", "Never My Love", "Seven Man Band", "Cherish", "Requiem For The Masses", "Are You Ready", "Just About The Same", and "Along Comes Mary".

One of the harder to find LPs by this fantastic pop harmony group from LA. You already know their hits from other LPs, but this one's got a bit more of a rock sound, and some excellent groovy production by Bones Howe. All of the tracks are originals, and they've got nice groovy themes, as you'll guess from titles like "The Bus Song", "Birthday Morning", "Barefoot Gentleman", "Toymaker", and "Rose Petals, Incense, & A Kitten"!

Fantastic dreamy pop! Despite the fact that this one yielded the super-huge hits "Windy" and "Never My Love", the album's also filled with great 60s pop tunes that you've probably never heard before – all as fantastically well-crafted and delicately strung-out as the big hits. The Association were truly one of the greatest 60s pop harmony groups to come out of the LA scene – and even a big hit album like this is the kind of gem that you'd spend years digging through rare vinyl to hope to find! Other titles include "Happiness Is", "On A Quiet Night", "We Love Us", "Reputation", and "Requiem For The Masses".

Great little stuff from The Players Association – one of those groups that you want to write off as throwaway disco before you listen, but who have a great sound when you really get into their music. Jazzman Chris Hills was at the head of the group, and he plays drums in the funky group that includes Joe Farrell, Jon Faddis, and Ray Mantilla. This first record's probably their best – and it includes the funky cut "I Like It", which has a nice break in the beginning, plus the tracks "Let's Groove", "Hustlin", "Moon In Pisces", and a sweet cover of "For The Love Of You".

A fantastic collection of unreleased material by mid-to-late 60s psych pop songwriter genius Tandyn Almer – who's probably best know for penning the eternally great "Along Comes Mary" for The Association – but we sure didn't know how great of a performer he was on his own! The 15 track record was cut for his publisher Davon Music, who circulated it to insiders at the time, looking to sell the songs – but what they should have done was found a label and released it. Fuzzy guitars, raw drums and great keyboards, excellent background harmonies – and the good-natured, melodic quality that attracted groups like the Association to Tandyn! Sundazed has long been a favorite source of rewarding 60s and 70s reissues, but they really deserve some bigger love for releases like this one – which is a first-ever commercial release. It feels like a complete, finished production for the most part – and not at all like a bunch of demos. Psych pop greatness! Includes "Find Yourself", You Turn Me Around", "Anything You Want", "About Where Love Is", "Face Down In The Mud", "I Get High", "Bring Your Own Self Down" (by The Purple Gang)", "Where Will They Go", "Sunset Strip Soliloquy" and more.

One of the few ECM sides recorded by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – easily some of the hippest work the label issued at the time, and a key way for the avant collective to get a bit of large audience exposure! The sound is still very much in the best AEC style here – and if anything, ECM's sensitivity to sound has allowed the group to explore some of the farther reaches of their sonic sensibilities – those contemplative moments that could sometimes be lost in the hands of other producers, captured beautifully here in a range of instruments far too many to mention! Some of the bolder tracks have Lester Bowie's trumpet right out front – almost hinting at his own solo association with the label – and titles include "Care Free", "Magg Zelma", "Full Force", and "Old Time Southside Street Dance".

One of the hippest groups of the Nigerian scene of the 70s – presented here in two classic albums, back to back on a single CD! Chapter One is a landmark set of African grooves – very unusual in both conception and execution – with a feel that's unlike anything we can think of! There's definitely a rock influence in the set, but the music isn't rock at all – it's a very dark, almost dubby groove at points – and a bit more straightforwardly funk at others – almost a post-colonial style that clearly comes from a London influence, given to the group by a previous association with Ginger Baker. Rhythms are quite tight, and the bass is as strong as the drums – mixed up nicely with riffing guitar, and moody vocals that color the whole thing nicely. Titles include "Preacherman", "Time To Face The Sun", "We Are Out Together", "Chant To Mother Earth", "Miss Sagitt", "Beware", and "We Gonna Have A Party". Phase II is a critical next step for the group – music that's even deeper than before, but a bit funkier too! There's clearly some touches here of other African funk of the time – especially in the way the guitar parts groove with the rhythms – although those heavy Blo basslines from before are still nicely in place, as are some of the fuzzier production elements too. Titles include "Whole Lot Of Sh*t", "Atide", "Blo", "It's Gonna Be A Good Day", "Native Doctor", and "Don't Take Her Away From Me".

Classic 60s pop from Jackie DeShannon – served up here with a massive batch of bonus tracks too! The core album was issued after Jackie's successful run opening up for The Beatles during their first American tour – but more than that easy association with the Fab Four, the record's actually a surprisingly great batch of material with a sweet west coast pop groove – and one that includes a fair number of original tunes written by Jackie herself! Jackie's ability to write her own material really made her stand out amongst sweeter female 60s singers – and it ensured that on an album like this, she'd be working with a depth that went beyond simple pop, and which avoided the over-trodden filler that clogged up too many other albums of the genre. Bonus tracks follow in a similar DeShannon-penned spirit – and the CD features a total of 20 tracks that include "She Don't Understand Him Like I Do", "Should I Cry", "You Won't Forget Me", "Did He Call Today Mama", "When You Walk In The Room", "Oh Boy", "The Prince", "Over You", "Till You Say You'll Be Mine", and "Today Will Have No Night".

A beautiful later Blue Note album from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – a set recorded after his famous association with Harold Land, but with a groove that's wonderfully soulful in a whole different way! Bobby plays marimbas instead of vibes this time around, and he's working with his own arrangements for a slightly larger group – one that has some sweet fusion overtones, and these wonderful mellow funk inflections – so that even the mellow cuts have this warmly glowing, ultra-soulful sound that's mighty nice – a bit like some of the work from Gene Harris around the same time. Other players include Jerry Peters on Fender Rhodes, who also helped out with the arrangements – plus Harvey Mason on drums and Ernie Watts on reeds – and a few tracks feature sweet backing vocals from The Waters. The highlight here is a nice moody extended version of "People Make The World Go Round", but all cuts are great, and titles include "Silver Rondo", "Manzanita", "NTU", and his dark cover of "Theme From MASH".

A later album from the Last Poets – recorded after their classic run in the 70s, but still pretty nice overall! The record's a bit of an unusual one, in that it shows a bit of the creeping "street" element that the Poets would absorb into their work after being dubbed as the "Godfathers Of Rap" during the early years of hip hop. The record's not really a hip hop set, but it's definitely got a bit more of a street soul vibe, thanks to Celluloid production from Bill Laswell – who certainly shows some of his association here with the hip hop related projects on the label. Laswell mixes in bits of street funk and electro with the Poets' older style of jazzoetry – and the lyrics are sometimes a bit more song-structured than before, with a few more choruses than in the earlier days of free-flowing lines. Titles include "Hold Fast", "What Will You Do", "Parting Company", and "This Is Your Life".

Wonderful stuff! You probably know Mama Cass as one of the "mamas" in the Mamas & Papas – but she's got an insane pop vision on her own, a mad mix of the sweet, psychedelic, and historic, filtered through the haze of a late 60s LA summer afternoon. File this one next to your gems by The Association, Harper's Bizarre, and Van Dyke Parks – and you'll grow to love Mama for her tripped-out groovy pop! Titles include "You Know Who I Am", "Sweet Believer", "Rubber Band", "Long Time Loving You", and "California Earthquake".

Two classic Riverside Monk LPs, reissued together in one nice set! Brilliant Corners was a real comeback for Monk from the late 50s, and a record that features some of his best writing for horns! The group is incredible – bringing together Clark Terry, Sonny Rollins, and Ernie Henry – in a bracing front line that takes Monk's angular piano compositions, and forges them into a horn sound that would have an undeniable influence on modern jazz for years to come! The whole thing's brilliant, and titles include "Brilliant Corners", "Ba-Lue Bolivar Blues Are", "Pannonica", and "Bemsha Swing". Five By Monk By Five is a certified classic of modern jazz, with a lively quintet that includes Thad Jones, Sam Jones, Art Taylor, and the amazing Charlie Rouse, here just beginning a very fruitful association with Monk – and really adding a lot to the session with some incredible tenor work that's as angular and modern as needed for Monk's work, yet with a soulful edge that really brings a lot to the music. The original album's got 5 long tracks – hence the title – and they're all Monk originals: "I Mean You", "Ask Me Now", "Jackie-ing" and "Straight No Chaser", plus this set includes two takes of "Played Twice".

Great stuff – and very very groovy! Cal cut this record for Verve during the height of his swinging 60s Latin years – and he's working here with arranger Chico O'Farrill, who at the time, was perfectly suited for Cal's short, jaunty approach to a groove! The album's filled with nice tracks that bounce along – a bit of bass at the bottom, and plenty of strong vibes and piano. Titles include "Trick or Treat", "Similau", and "Green Peppers", plus his take on "Along Comes Mary" is every bit as groovy as the original by The Association!

Way more than some of the star-type bios on Scott Walker that have littered the market over the years – and instead, a well-chosen collection of writings on Walker that really get at the full depth of his genius! The book's a co-production with The Wire – and definitely lives up to the thoughtfulness you'd expect from that association – as editor Rob Young pulls together work on Scott from a number of different fronts – served up first in chapters on specific records, each written by a different artist and commissioned for the book – then moving onto other interview material too. Includes writings by Nina Power, Ian Penman, Biba Kopf, Amanda Petrusich, Richard Cook, Anthony Reynolds, David Toop, and others – and the book is 297 pages, hardcover.

Funky soul from the west coast – and a motherlode of tracks that you've probably never heard! Inner City Records was a small time funk powerhouse – owned and run by organ player George Semper, who cut some mighty fine records on his own! The label's not to be confused with the New York-based jazz label Inner City – because this one was a much more down-n-dirty funky one – and cut some killer work in a deep deep mode, much of which was never issued before – and is making a long-overdue first appearance here! The tracks have some seriously fine jazzy work in them – snapping funk, with a hard and dirty edge, played by performers that include Charles Owens, Rodney Franklin, and James Gadson – all of whom would later go onto become superstars in their own right. A number of tracks have vocals, too – and titles include "Plastic Situation" by Ron & Candy, "In One Peace" by In One Peace, "Funkorgy" by Funkafreek, "Tenderness" by Funkhouse with Candy, "Thank U" by The R&B Classic Funk Band, "It's Insane" by In One Peace, "Spread The News" and "Hands Of Time" by Perfect Circle, "Sticky Boom Boom" by United Soul Association, and "Funktime" by Funkproof.

Massive mixes from the mighty Tom Moulton – a huge 4CD package that not only includes some classic lost and rare mixes from the 70s, but also a whopping 17 previously unreleased Moulton mixes, appearing here for the first time ever! If there's anyone who's ever been well-suited to reworking a Philly groove, it's Tom – given his long standing association with the soul scene in the City Of Brotherly Love – and his crucial role in pushing soul tracks into the clubs during the 70s. As with most of Tom's best work, the mixes here are richly faithful to the originals – and never try to overstate themselves at all, just focus on the best elements, and bring them to the forefront of the groove! 4CDs, 31 tracks, and Moulton remixes of "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays, "Dirty Ol Man" by Three Degrees, "Trusting Heart" by The Trammps, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by People's Choice, "Nights Over Egypt" by The Jones Girls, "I Don't Love You Anymore" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Year Of Decision" by Three Degrees, "Slow Motion" by Johnny Williams, "The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "She's A Winner" by The Intruders, "Trammps Disco Theme/Zing Went The Strings" by The Trammps, "Let's Groove" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "The Devil Made Me Do It" by Robert Upchurch, "Love Is The Message" by MFSB, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, and "See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls.

A fantastic collection of unreleased material by mid-to-late 60s psych pop songwriter genius Tandyn Almer – who's probably best know for penning the eternally great "Along Comes Mary" for The Association – but we sure didn't know how great of a performer he was on his own! The 15 track record was cut for his publisher Davon Music, who circulated it to insiders at the time, looking to sell the songs – but what they should have done was found a label and released it. Fuzzy guitars, raw drums and great keyboards, excellent background harmonies – and the good-natured, melodic quality that attracted groups like the Association to Tandyn! Sundazed has long been a favorite source of rewarding 60s and 70s reissues, but they really deserve some bigger love for releases like this one – which is a first-ever commercial release. It feels like a complete, finished production for the most part – and not at all like a bunch of demos. Psych pop greatness! Includes "Find Yourself", You Turn Me Around", "Anything You Want", "About Where Love Is", "Face Down In The Mud", "I Get High", "Bring Your Own Self Down" (by The Purple Gang)", "Where Will They Go", "Sunset Strip Soliloquy" and more.

A well-done documentary on "the music known as free jazz" – one that features interviews and performances from some key avant jazz figures of the 60s and 70s! The ESP association with the movie is no coincidence – as the film features interviews with old ESP stalwarts such as Marion Brown, Roswell Rudd, John Tchicai, Alan Silva, and Burton Greene – as well as Joseph Jarman, Baikida Carroll, William Parker, and Matthew Ship. Performers include Denis Charls, Joseph Jarman, Wilber Morris, Peter Brotzmann, John Tchicai, and the Sun Ra Arkestra – and the film also features some great incidental music too. Directed by Alan Roth, in color.

Mid-period Stylistics, recorded after their association with Thom Bell and Linda Creed, and during the time that the group was handled by Hugo & Luigi. H&L do an ok job with them, and they've got Van McCoy handling arrangements to add a bit more soul to the mix – but the record is still down a few notches from the classic years. The album includes one last Thom Bell arrangement – the group's huge "You Make Me Feel Brand New" – plus other cuts like "Love Is The Answer", "I Got Time On My Hands", "I Got A Letter", and "We Can Make It Happen Again", perhaps the group's wish for a bigger hit.

A masterful album of righteous trippy soul – recorded during the height of the Temptations' strong association with Norman Whitfield! The record has more than a few political/social conscience songs – like "Take A Look Around", "Stop The War Now", and "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" – but the strongest point is the music, more than the message. The arrangements are super funky – with complicated stretched out passages filled with spacey effects, rumbling bass, fuzzy guitars, and cool processing on the vocals. "The End Of Our Road" has some great tight drums, and "What It Is" begins with rolling snare work that's in a Sly Stone sort of groove. Vocals are great as always, and the album also features a long mellow cover of "Ain't No Sunshine".

Great American soloists – presented here in rare European work from the late 60s! The album has each individual player delivering a small set with the Jazz Live Trio – a combo led by pianist Klaus Koenig, with a great ear for shifting modes to bring out the best in a strong-voiced guest soloist. Phil Wood's performance is definitely proof of that – worth the price of admission alone, as Phil snakes out beautifully on long, soulful alto lines that rival any of his other work of the time – on the tracks "Freedom Jazz Dance" and "I Remember Bird". Leo Wright is wonderful too – kicking into high gear on alto and flute, really showing off his association with Dizzy on "Groovin High", then sliding into a soulful style on "The Shadow Of Your Smile". The set also features Stuff Smith sliding nicely on "C Jam Blues" and "How High The Moon" – plus Eddie Daniels, back when he still had a bite, on "Some Day My Prince Will Come".

Seminal club tracks from the New York underground at the end of the 70s – a host of killer singles from the Spring, Vanguard, and Posse labels – all in a fantastic blend of boogie, disco, electro, and soul! The work here is easily some of the most sophisticated to come out of the east coast club scene at the time – a real return to indie genius after disco broke heavily in the mainstream, almost a reinvention of the groove with a host of new elements! Some of these tunes will be familiar, but they're presented here in their full extended versions next to others that have been un-reissued for years – making the set an essential batch of tunes that really gets at the best sound of New York from these years! 10 long tracks in all – including "Over Like A Fat Rat" by Fonda Rae, "It Ain't No Big Thing" by Rainbow Brown, "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All)" by Jimmy Spicer, "Charley Says (Roller Boogie Baby)" by King Tim III, "Wired For Games" by C-Bank, "Rockin It" by MC Flex & The FBI Crew, "Electric Kingdom" by Twilight 22, "Is This The Future" by Fatback, "Love Hangover" by Players Association, and "You Keep On Making Me Hot" by Busta Jones.

Massive mixes from the mighty Tom Moulton – a huge package that not only includes some classic lost and rare mixes from the 70s, but also previously unreleased Moulton mixes, appearing here for the first time ever! If there's anyone who's ever been well-suited to reworking a Philly groove, it's Tom – given his long standing association with the soul scene in the City Of Brotherly Love – and his crucial role in pushing soul tracks into the clubs during the 70s. As with most of Tom's best work, the mixes here are richly faithful to the originals – and never try to overstate themselves at all, just focus on the best elements, and bring them to the forefront of the groove! This totally cool package features 31 mixes in all – pressed up as eight 12" EPs – most with four tracks each, leaving plenty of room for very long mixes! Titles include Moulton mixes of "Jam Jam Jam" by People's Choice, "I Don't Love You Anymore" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, "Intro/My Love Don't Come Easy" by Jean Carn, "Trusting Heart" by The Trammps, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Let's Groove" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Dirty Ol Man" by Three Degrees, "Slow Motion" by Johnny Williams, "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders, "The Devil Made Me Do It" by Robert Upchurch, "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays, "See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls, and "Love Epidemic" by The Trammps.

One of the few ECM sides recorded by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – easily some of the hippest work the label issued at the time, and a key way for the avant collective to get a bit of large audience exposure! The sound is still very much in the best AEC style here – and if anything, ECM's sensitivity to sound has allowed the group to explore some of the farther reaches of their sonic sensibilities – those contemplative moments that could sometimes be lost in the hands of other producers, captured beautifully here in a range of instruments far too many to mention! Some of the bolder tracks have Lester Bowie's trumpet right out front – almost hinting at his own solo association with the label – and titles include "Care Free", "Magg Zelma", "Full Force", and "Old Time Southside Street Dance".

Dubby funk with plenty of Jamaican undertones, but not exactly a reggae set – and instead the sort of wonderful criss-crossing of modes we've come to expect from The Lions! The group definitely owes a lot to the sound of 60s and 70s Kingston – yet their approach is different, too – a bit sharper and maybe more soul-based than the usual reggae group – in ways that belie some of the deep funk associations of the group members! Yet from a reggae perspective, the set's right on the money too – played at a level that easily rivals the Studio One sound back in the day, yet served up with production that's even sharper overall – thanks to work by Connie Price in the studio. Titles include "Birds On A Wire", "This Generation", "Picture On The Wall", "New Girl", "Pieces Of A Man", "Let's Go Out Tonight", and "Be Easy".

Key moments in the career of Charles Mingus – all recorded during the crucial years of 1964 and 1965, and featuring the first-time release of a fair bit of live material too! The set represents the first full presentation of recordings that have appeared piecemeal on a handful of obscure releases – self-released records from Mingus himself – Town Hall, My Favorite Quintet, and Music Written For Monterey – all really expanded here with the full recordings of the tracks, and unreleased titles provided from the original tapes! Mingus was really on fire during these years – severed from most of his bigger label associations, and freely working on some of his most inventive ideas with various smaller groups of players – all fresh young talents who were key interpreters of Charles' ideas – including Johnny Coles and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, Jimmy Owens on trumpet and flugelhorn, Charles McPherson on alto sax, Clifford Jordan on tenor, Jaki Byard on piano, Eric Dolphy on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. The stalwart Dannie Richmond is on drums, and the sides represent some of Dolphy's last, and most important recordings on the planet – recordings done at Town Hall and in Amsterdam in April of 1964 – in addition to live material at Monterey in 1964 and 1965, in Minneapolis in May of 1965. Tracks are all quite long – some pushing the half-hour timing – and as with the best live Mingus, there's variations here that go way past any studio readings – really incredible solo flights that are still beautifully integrated with the ideas of the main group. Titles include "So Long Eric", "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress Then Blue Silk", "Mingus Piano Solo", "Bird Preamble", "Themeless Blues", "Copa City Titty", "A Lonely Day In Selma", "Cocktails For Two", "Praying With Eric", "Parkeriana", "ATFW", "Meditations On A Pair Of Wire Cutters", and "Meditations On Integration". 7CDs, limited edition, and with a great book of notes too!

Dubby funk with plenty of Jamaican undertones, but not exactly a reggae set – and instead the sort of wonderful criss-crossing of modes we've come to expect from The Lions! The group definitely owes a lot to the sound of 60s and 70s Kingston – yet their approach is different, too – a bit sharper and maybe more soul-based than the usual reggae group – in ways that belie some of the deep funk associations of the group members! Yet from a reggae perspective, the set's right on the money too – played at a level that easily rivals the Studio One sound back in the day, yet served up with production that's even sharper overall – thanks to work by Connie Price in the studio. Titles include "Birds On A Wire", "This Generation", "Picture On The Wall", "New Girl", "Pieces Of A Man", "Let's Go Out Tonight", and "Be Easy".