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One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD features an alternate take of "Body & Soul", plus the track "26-2".

A fantastic cover, and some great music to match – a key early classic in Chris Connor's late 50s run for Atlantic Records! As on her debut for the label, Ralph Burns handles the arrangements here – in a mode that's somewhat modern, but never too academically so – with just the right pitch to create an additional sense of edge next to Connor's vocals, but never overwhelm them too much. There's a new sense of expression going on here – one that perfectly illustrates why Chris' approach was so different than some of the more emotive singers from years before. Tracks include "Why Can't I", "About The Blues", "Thursday's Child", "High On A Windy Hill", and "Round About".

An ultra-rare gem for Ted Curson fans – material that's right up there with his best, and only issued overseas by Atlantic Records! The set features Robin Kenyatta on alto and soprano sax, and Kenny Barron on acoustic and electric piano – and titles include "Typical Ted", "Greasy As A Porkchop", "Quicksand", "Spiderlegs", and a version of "Tears For Dolphy".

A brilliant criss-crossing of group from this cool trans-global group – a set recorded in London, but with roots in Venezuela, LA, and Ghana – served up with a sound that's even greater than the sum of its parts! Malcolm Catto recorded the record – and really helps bring a funky energy to the record, by working alongside lead studio help from Jack Yglesias of The Heliocentrics – pushing here into a space that's even more offbeat than the grooves of that group! There's loads of rich acoustic instrumentation – especially percussion – and Mulatu joins the record at one spot, furthering the exotic appeal of the set. Some tracks have an almost ethnographic vibes, while others are a bit more contemporary – although the overall sound is more than worthy of placement on the Soundway label. Titles incude "Arena", "Cumbacutiri", "Fly Through The Lightning To Speak With The Sun", "El Negrero", "Escape To The Palenque", "Manicero", "La Familia", and "Speak To The Spirit Of The Sea".

One of the wildest jazz albums ever recorded for Atlantic! Rufus plays amazingly soulful jazz lines on bagpipes (no kidding, he's really great, and as he points out, the instrument's of African origin originally, and not just Scottish), plus he also proves that he's a monster talent on other instruments like flute, soprano, and tenor sax. His playing is sort of a mix between mid 60's Coltrane and the best stuff by Yusef Lateef. And like Lateef, Harley comes from the Detroit jazz underground, and his group on this LP features the great talents of pianist Oliver Collins, another member of the Detroit scene. Includes the tracks "Passing The Cup Around", "Taurus The 20th", "Sufur", and "Scotch & Soul".

One of the earliest albums as a leader from reedman Robin Kenyatta – and a set that's also one of his most compelling too! There's a definitely freer sound here than on some of Robin's smoother sets from the 70s – a vibe that's somewhere near the space of Impulse Records in the post-Coltrane years, and which is right at home on Atlantic's Vortex label subsidiary. A few tracks get surprisingly out, but always with a nice sense of focus, especially in the rhythms – and in addition to Kenyatta's own bold work on alto sax, the album features performances by Roswell Rudd on trombone, Mike Lawrence on trumpet, Walter Booker on bass, Fred Simmons on piano, and Horace Arnold on drums. The tunes have lots of sharp edges – almost Ayler-like at times, but more inside – and titles include "You Know How We Do", "Little Blue Devil", "This Year", and "Until".

Hit stuff from Herbie – recorded back at the Newport Jazz Fest, where he'd cut some other strong-selling albums for Atlantic. This one features a soulful group that shows Herbie's strong talent for picking hip players – with Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Reggie Workman on bass, and Carlos Patato Valdez on percussion. The album features 4 tracks recorded at Newport, plus one more recorded beforehand, with an expanded group that also includes guitarist Atilla Zoller. Tracks are all long, and titles include "Project S", "Scratch", "She's A Carioca", and "All Blues".

An early Atlantic set from the Modern Jazz Quartet – and a bit of an odd one, in which the crack MJQ crew recruit a rich slate guests! The first two numbers, "Da Capo" and "Fine" bring in Jimmy Giuffre's trio, nicely stretching out the vibe with expected, but no less sweet results! The remaining tunes, "Exposure", "Sketch", and "Conversation" bring in a crew of classical musicians in an effort bridge the world's of small combo jazz and chamber music! An amibitious set – from much different creative viewpoint than later, staid MJQ work!

A very different record than Oliphant's other one for Atlantic, which was a funky organ/guitar album with a famous breakbeat – but equally fantastic! This one (which we actually like a lot more) is a moody set of tracks played by a small group that includes Harold Ousley on tenor and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Ousley's sound is amazing, and he hits these wonderful moments on some of the solos that will just blow you away. He almost never gets his due on wax, and this record is certainly one of his finest moments. Hutcherson's pretty darn great, too, and lays out some haunting lines on the vibes that match his best Blue Note playing. Titles include lots of originals by Ousley, including "Haitian Lady", "Mrs. O", "The Descendant", and "One For The Masses". Nice stuff, and one that hardly ever turns up!

It's a bit far from the early P-Funk days on the club groover "Not Yet", but "I Think I Got My Thang Together" has an excellent Bootsy-esque groove – with midtempo drums, fuzzy guitar, and some super-slick lyrics with a good hook!

Broadway is the beat, but the sound has plenty of Parisian touches, too – thanks to arrangements from the mighty Michel Legrand! Legrand's in a mode here that's somewhere between his earliest soundtracks, and the European-themed records he cut for Columbia in the late 50s – styles that are a bit more warm and sentimental than in later years, with evocative elements designed to coax the Broadway-based listener out on a voyage across the Atlantic! Strings are relatively full, and sometimes used with great dynamic energy – and titles include "Bewitched", "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York", "Old Devil Moon", "With A Little Bit Of Luck", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Yesterdays".

A standard-setting debut – with amazing early electronics from Brian Eno, sublime vocals from Bryan Ferry, and offbeat classics that never get old – like "Remake/Remodel", "Virginia Plain", "2 HB", "Bitters End", "Chance Meeting", and "Ladytron".

A killer album of African-tinged jazz – recorded privately by Randy Weston in the mid 60s, and not issued formally until 1972 by Atlantic Records! The session shows Weston at the height of his modernist experiments – and at a time when his work was going largely undocumented, probably because of its progressive nature – but really flowing out with a rich Africanist inspiration, and served up with even sharper modern edges than before! His group here includes Big Black on congas, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Ray Copeland on trumpet – and Copeland also arranged all the tracks, transforming a few older numbers with the bolder spirit of the session. Titles include "Niger Mambo", "African Cookbook", "Portrait Of Vivian", "Willie's Tune" and Weston's classic "Congolese Children".

An odd pairing of musicians – but a classic album of piano jazz from the 50s, and some of the more obscure sides by both players! Barbara Carroll works here in a really lovely way that retains the fluidity of her 50s work on RCA, but which also has a slightly rougher edge – a mode that's got some nicely boozy undercurrents, yet still the sort of poise and grace that made Carroll one of the best female pianists of the time. Joe Shulman is on bass and Herb Wasserman is on drums – and titles include "Taking A Chance On Love", "Love Of My Life", "Autumn In New York", "Tis Autumn", and "The Lady's In Love With You". Mary Lou Williams works here in a bit of a comeback mode – some of her first American recordings in a number of years, with Carl Pruitt on bass and Bill Clark on drums. Titles inlcude "Opus Z", "S' Wonderful", "In The Purple Grotto", "From This Moment On", and "You're The Cream In My Coffee".

A beautiful fusion of Joe Zawinul's roots in the groups of Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley – a set with some of the far-reaching jazz ideas of the former, and much of the soulful subtleties of the latter! The album features Joe on electric piano throughout, playing alongside Herbie Hancock in a twin-piano style that's quite spacious, and filled with slow-building, long-flowing lines! Other players include Woody Shaw on trumpet, Earl Turbington on soprano sax, George Davis on flute, Miroslav Vitous and Walter Booker on drums, and Joe Chambers, Billy Hart, and David Lee on a range of percussion. All these elements are used slowly, and sparingly – brought in with a style that's modern, but in a gentle sort of way – not as over the top as some of the work that Joe cut with Miles at the end of the 60s – and almost a more sensitive, compositional approach to the same territory of music. Titles include "Arrival In New York", "Doctor Honoris Causa", "In A Silent Way", "His Last Journey", and "Double Image".

Chicago house music really takes off – in this massive collection that really documents the most experimental years in the Windy City club scene! By the mid 80s, Chicago house had already had a few years under its belt – stepping strongly forward as a revolutionary new mode of club music – stripped-down from disco, borrowing some electronics from overseas, and giving the world a fresh new vision of dancefloor sounds that would have a huge influence for decades to come! And by the end of the decade, folks were really starting to play with the format – bringing in lots of older analogue electronic sounds, dubbed "acid" for the way they burned and tweaked – and garnering the city even more interest from the UK and European scenes – who thought the name referred to drug usage, and took the cue to ignite their own waves of house-based parties on the other side of the Atlantic. While back home, Chicago artists were spurred on to experiment even more – and things went from warm and clubby to downright sci-fi – an aesthetic that's really captured strongly in this set from Soul Jazz. 2CD set features the cuts "Can You Feel It" from Mr Fingers, "Hallucinate" by Acid Wash, "151" by Armando, "The Jacking Zone" by Risque Rhythm Team, "I Can't Understand" by Pleasure Zone, "Rabbit Trax 1" by James Jack Rabbit Martin, "Freedom (Factory mix)" by The Children, "Ecstasy" by Mr Fingers, "Washing Machine" by Mr Fingers, "The Night Calls" by Bizzy B, "Go Wild Rhythm Trax No 3" by Virgo, "World Turns Around" by Cool McCool, "House Nation" by The Housmaster Boyz, "Love Trak" by Acid Wash, "Strength Of Bass" by Devotion, "Abstract Expressionism" by The Unknown, "No Way Back" by Adonis, "Choice Of The Underground" by Rocky Jones, "The Juice" by Mr Fingers, and "I Believe" by A Black Man, A Black Man, & Another Black Man.

An excellent batch of 25 groovers, all hand-picked from the Atlantic soul catalog with a selection that moves waaaaay past the big ol' hits! This is the kind of stuff that we die to find on funky 45s – only if we're lucky! Titles include "Walking Up A One Way Street" by Willie Tee, "At The Club" by The Drifters, "It Ain't What You Got" by Jimmy Hughes, "Help Me Get The Feeling" by Ray Sharpe, "Some Other Guy" by Richie Barrett, "I'm Gonna Run Away From You" by Tami Lynn, "Que Sera Sera" by The High Keys, "Keep Lookin" by Solomon Burke, and the amazing "Some Kind Of Wonderful" by Soul Brothers Six, a monster track that is worth the price of the CD alone!

A killer collection of singles from the legendary Cotillion arm of Atlantic Records – all presented as individual 7" records with original labels, served up in a hip limited edition package! The work here would already be great as a CD compilation – but it's extra special when served up in this stunning format – like finding a pile of rare soul singles in the back of a rack in an overlooked record store – still in great shape, and ready to explode anew on your turntable! The music is very well-chosen – and includes cuts by some key artists who only worked briefly for Cotillion, and never cut a full album for the label – such as Baby Washington, Otis Clay, or Walter Jackson. Other artists are ones who really hit their height at Cotillion, but still remain relatively obscure – and the singles here easily represent some of their best work ever. All cuts are right from the hippest tail end of the 60s – and titles include "Do Right Woman" and "That Kind Of Lovin" by Otis Clay, "Keep On Striving" and "Come On Let Me Love You" by Moses Smith, "Night After Night" and "The Love That I Needed" by The Blendells, "The Love Of My Woman" and "I Wanna Go Home" by Darrell Banks, "I've Fallen In Love" and "You Are The Circus" by C & The Shells, "Any Way That You Want Me" and "Life Has Its Ups & Downs" by Walter Jackson, "I Gotta Get Back To Lovin You" and "LA/USA" by Hollywood Spectrum, "I Don't Know" and "I Can't Afford To Lose Him" by Baby Washington, "Don't Play That Song" and "People In Love" by Lou Johnson, and "Ain't No Sun" and "Murder IN The First Degree" by The Dynamics.

A silly title, but a great selection of grooves – and a record that features a few really nice clubby soul tracks from the Atlantic catalog – making a rare appearance on LP! Most of the work has a prime mid 70s Philly groove – no surprise, since Tom Moulton put together the set, and remixed a few of the tracks at Sigma sound – taking grooves from the New York, Miami, and Muscle Shoals scenes – and making them sit nicely next to homegrown Philly tracks! Titles include the funky break classic "Getting Uptown (To Get Down)" by United 8, "I Can Understand It" by The Valentinos, "This World" by Sweet Inspirations, "Look Me Up" by Blue Magic, "Mama Never Told Me" by Sister Sledge, "Time" by Jackie Moore, "You Call Me Back" by Clyde Brown", "Look Me Up" by Blue Magic, and "Got To Get You Back" by Sons Of Robin Stone.

A killer set in the fantastic Mojo club series – a stellar mix of soul, jazz, fusion, and Brazilian tracks – all wrapped into a groovy tracklist that makes each of the rare tunes sound even more wonderful together! As with other volumes, there's a boundary-less nature to the work here – as the music is not just from a few different decades, but also spans both sides of the Atlantic, and the equator – making for nearly a globe's worth of wonderful tunes! Cuts include "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love, "Wouri" by Manu Dibango, "Maracaibo" by Michel Legrand, "Take Us Down To The River" by Michael Naura, "Sambao" by Walter Wanderley, "Roots" by Willie Bobo, "Soul Soul Soul" by Wild Magnolias, "Mundo Deserto" by Elis Regina, "Calypso Blues" by Marvin Gaye, "In Memory Of" by Randy Weston, and the great "El Soul Condor" by Certain Lions & Tigers.

Tripped out jazz and funk! This great little set features some gems from the late 60s/early 70s years at Atlantic, Warner, and Elektra – and has a focus on tunes that draw more than a bit of influence from the fuzzed-out, long-haired late 60s scene. You're bound to recognize a few of the names on the set – but what you'll really appreciate is the way the tunes come together, grooving hard with a mixture of heavy jazz and trippy elements – staying soulful in most parts, and even hitting a bit of funk at just the right moments! Titles include "Back Home" by Yusef Lateef, "Threnody For Sharon Tate" by Freddie Hubbard, "Smoke Signals" by Eddie Harris, "Sorcery" by Charles Lloyd, "Mirror" by Charlie Mariano, "Raymond Winchester" by Yusef Lateef, "Freaks For The Festival" by Roland Kirk, "Vibrafinger" by Gary Burton, and "Spontaneous Simplicity" by Sun Ra.

Atlantic soul live – recorded in a great grassroots setting! The performance comes from the Uptown Theater in Philly – as important to that city as The Apollo was to New York – and features a host of key Atlantic Records talents from the 60s, really hitting some hard and heavy notes in the live setting – with a bit of MC introduction at the start from Jimmy Bishop! There's a few great surprises here – artists you don't normally associate with Atlantic – and titles include "Mixed Up Shook Up Girl" by Patty & The Emblems, "Can't You Hear The Beat" by The Carltons, "My Girl Sloopy" and "The Watusi" by The Vibrations – plus "Under The Boardwalk" and "On Broadway" by The Drifters, "Down The Aisle" by Patti LaBelle & The Bluebells, and "I'm Gonna Cry" and "If You Need Me" by Wilson Pickett.

More funky breaks than Evel Knevel after the Snake River Canyon jump! The groove hounds at BGP records were set loose on the Ace catalog – which includes holdings from Atlantic, Stax, Volt, Westbound, and other funky classic labels – and they managed to come up with a killer batch of funky cuts, even though this is their 3rd dip into the crates! If anything, perhaps they dipped even deeper this time – especially as some of the once-trusted sources for breaks, like the famous Ultimate Breaks & Beats series, are now disappearing from the market. Titles include "Soul Pad" by The Coasters, "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Nappy Dugout" by Funkadelic, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by The Mad Lads, "The Rose" by 50 Foot Hose, "Holy Ghost" by The Bar Kays, "No Strings Attached" by The Mad Lads, "After Laughter Comes Tears" by Wendy Rene, "River's Invitation" by Freddie Robinson, "This House Is Smokin" by BT Express, "Music Man (parts 1 & 2)" by Pleasure Web, and "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter.

A stone killer from Cannonball Adderley's funky brother – one of the best soul jazz sets ever cut by Nat Adderley, and one done with a smoking 60s Atlantic Records groove! Nat's blowing trumpet throughout – and working in 2 different groups – one a larger ensemble with a tight soulful swing, arranged by Jimmy Wisner – the other a smaller combo with tenor from Joe Henderson and piano from Herbie Hancock! The whole thing grooves beautifully – and titles include "Gospelette", "Call Me", "Cantaloupe Island", "Hippodelphia", "The Other Side", and "Manchild".

A blend of jazz funk and rawer informed grooves from Harold Alexander – and actually a step into more polished vibes thanks to some Arif Mardin arrangements and a new home at Atlantic Records! Although some of the earlier records cut by reed player Harold Alexander may have been more accurately described with the title Raw Root, this one stands up a lot better today than we remembered it! It has a pretty tight electric sound, and good Atlantic soul grooves running through it – with Alexander on flutes & saxes, Joe Boner in on keyboards, Ricard Davis on bass and Brian Beaks on drums on the bulk of it, with altered personnel on "De Black Musician" and "Lady Euphoria" (which also include vocals by Tequila). Soulful backing vocals credited to Something Different and some guitar by Junior Hanson and some spacey synth by Billy Allessi. Other tracks include "Country Soul", "Raw Root", "New York Sister", and "Street Life".

2 very groovy records by Mose Allison – both recorded during the early 70s, when he was hipping up his bag a bit! Western Man is a really amazing record – with some good funky tracks! The real key here is the fact that Mose plays electric piano and is working in a hip trio with Billy Cobham playing some funky and soulful drums! We don't know what kind of piano Mose is using, but on the tracks where he's playing the electric, it's got a jagged and raw kind of sound, almost recalling the one used on the Atlantic albums by Eugene McDaniels. Includes the great funky track "If You Only Knew", which has a real McDaniels kind of feel – plus the cuts "Western Man", "Mountains", "Ask Me Nice", "Night Club", and "Meadows". Mose In Your Ear is a live set – one that's a bit more back-to-basics than the first, but still grooving with a unique blend of New Orleans soul and Northern jazz influences, his own particular brand of music, timeless from the day it was born! The setting here is a live one, and Mose is playing with a trio that includes Clyde Flowers on bass and Eddie Charlton on drums. The album features a number of strong originals – including "Look What You Made Me Do", "Powerhouse", "I Don't Worry About A Thing", and "Don't Forget To Smile" – plus versions of "The Seventh Son" and "Fool's Paradise".

A wicked album of Latin Soul tunes – recorded by Harvey Averne, one of the heaviest hitting producers of the New York scene of the late 60s! The album's one of the few that Harvey issued under his own name, and it features him on piano and vibes, working with arrangements by Marty Sheller, and a tight batch of studio players who cook up the grooves in a classic Fania/Tico style! The album's got some very groovy originals – like "The Micro Mini", "You're No Good", "My Dream", and "You Mess My Mind Up" – plus some sweet little covers, like "The Think Drink Theme", "The Word", and "Wishing & Hoping" – all of which come off like some of Willie Bobo's best work of the time!

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace".

An essential record from Gary Bartz – one of two albums he cut with Andy Bey, and the killer group he was calling his NTU Troup! Andy's vocals are incredible – light years ahead of anything he did with his sisters, and similar to those he laid down on his own solo album for Atlantic, and on Blue Note sides with Horace Silver – a righteous mix of jazz and soul, with a burning intensity that makes the political themes of the tracks come out strongly. The album includes one of Andy's all time classics – the original 7 minute version of "Celestial Blues", plus the fantastically grooving "Uhuru Sasa" – as well as the cuts "The Planets", and "Blue (A Folk Tale)". And Gary Bartz is pretty great too – dropping in these angular reed lines that really give the record an edge, and which sound totally great next to Bey's vocals!

A stormer from Archie Bell & The Drells – one of our favorite soul albums ever, and a masterpiece of mid-tempo soul! Archie Bell & The Drells sound amazing here – light years from the rougher funk of their earlier years, yet still with a groove that's undeniable – an incredible meeting of soul music scenes handled by the young Gamble & Huff team – who not only produce most of the record, but also wrote most of the tracks on the set! The groove is lightly lilting, and totally on the money – a sound that's incredible, and hard to describe in words – but which really grabs us from the get-go. All tracks are great, and totally fresh – and tunes include "I Love My Baby", "Houston Texas", "Showdown", "My Balloon's Going Up", "Giving Up Dancing", "Girl You're Too Young", and "Green Power".

Stunning sounds from Beady Belle – one of the greatest albums we've heard from the group in years – and that's saying a heck of a lot! Beady Belle are as soulful as ever, but also have a new sort of crackle too – a bit more clavinet mixed in with their Fender Rhodes, and this cool moogy way of laying down a groove that at times is almost a 21st Century version of Shuggie Otis during his Inspiration Information years! The lovely vocals of Beate Lech still keep a great degree of humanity in the music – with these beautifully personal lyrics that have always made the group one of the warmest of all their contemporaries on the Scandia scene – sung this time with a maturity that could well get these guys the much-needed audience they've always deserved on this side of the Atlantic. A gem through and through – with titles that include "Saved", "Party Pooper", "Song For Irie", "Faith", "Circlet", "So Far So Good", "My Name On The World", and "Poppy Burt-Jones".

Stunning sounds from Beady Belle – one of the greatest albums we've heard from the group in years – and that's saying a heck of a lot! Beady Belle are as soulful as ever, but also have a new sort of crackle too – a bit more clavinet mixed in with their Fender Rhodes, and this cool moogy way of laying down a groove that at times is almost a 21st Century version of Shuggie Otis during his Inspiration Information years! The lovely vocals of Beate Lech still keep a great degree of humanity in the music – with these beautifully personal lyrics that have always made the group one of the warmest of all their contemporaries on the Scandia scene – sung this time with a maturity that could well get these guys the much-needed audience they've always deserved on this side of the Atlantic. A gem through and through – with titles that include "Saved", "Party Pooper", "Song For Irie", "Faith", "Circlet", "So Far So Good", "My Name On The World", and "Poppy Burt-Jones".

A funky female duo from the P-Funk empire – one of George Clinton's few girl-based projects of the 70s, and a group who are markedly more funk-based than Parlet! Vocals are by the duo of Lyn Mabry and Dawn Silva – but the main sound of the set comes from the tightly crafted rhythms served up by a cast of well-known P-Funk regulars – all hitting a spaciously snapping vibe that reminds us a lot of the best energy of late 70s Parliament albums on Casablanca! Tracks are longish, but nicely focused – with less of the disco that you might expect, and more of a slow-stepping groove overall! Titles include "Disco To Go", "War Ship To Touchante", "Just Like You", "When You're Gone", "Amorous", "Nappy", and "Birdie".

A rare meeting of 2 modern talents from the 50s – joined together in one unique performance from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1971! The baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan's a nice contrast to the usual Brubeck alto of Paul Desmond – long-departed from Dave's combo by this time, but referenced strongly by Gerry in his fluid lines for the set, almost a solo culmination here of previous recorded duets with Desmond in earlier years. Tracks are all quite longish, and given that Dave's group here features Jack Six on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, there's a quality to the session that's a fait bit more rhythmic than before – pulsating strongly with forceful lines on Brubeck's piano, and an overall feel that's much more freewheeling than you'd expect! Album features 3 long tunes – "Blues For Newport", "Open The Gates", and "Take Five".

Sweet funky piano from the mighty Ray Bryant – one of his excellent albums for Atlantic Records, a label who really seemed to give him an extra push in the groove department! The record's got a nicely laidback sort of feel – core grooving from a trio that features Bryant on acoustic piano, Jimmy Johnson on drums, and Chuck Rainey on electric bass – the last of whom really makes things move along in a soul-stepping sort of way! The set also features a few bigger arrangements by Deodato and Arif Mardin – both of whom really get the spirit of the set – and Ray's got that floating keyboard feel firmly in place – with a heavy left hand on the rhythm, and a right hand that kicks and flicks the tunes all over the top, really making them dance with a lot of spirit. Titles include "Stick With It", "Hey Jude", "Let It Be", "Shake A Lady", "My Cherie Amour", and a great version of "Spinning Wheel".

An unreleased treasure from the European scene of the late 50s – material recorded for a soundtrack, and a rare meeting of American trumpeter Donald Byrd and French tenor giant Barney Wilen! Neither the film nor the music were ever issued at the time – and this archival project finally brings together the sublime sounds in the studio from Byrd and Wilen – music that's easily every bit as great as the best French jazz scores of the time, as well as most other European hardbop records too! The group features talents from both sides of the Atlantic – Jimmy Gourley on guitar, Walter Davis on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Al Levitt on drums – and the style is a bit tighter than usual for a jazz soundtrack – with long tracks that have a more conventional jazz tune shape, instead of shorter atmospheric numbers. Wilen gets plenty of room to stretch out in expressive tones – as on his soundtrack work with Miles Davis from the same time – and hearing Byrd's trumpet alongside makes for a really nice contrast!

Seminal southern soul from the legendary Clarence Carter – one of his early killers for Atlantic Records, all of which really stand out from most of his work to come in later years! There's a raw, raspy brilliance here that's undeniable – the blind singer stepping out with incredible confidence on a host of tunes that really run the gamut – numbers of love and loss, mixed with a few more contemporary pop tracks – but all given a unique Muscle Shoals twist that really transforms them. Carter wins our heart from the start with his version of "I'd Rather Go Blind" – then keeps on soaring through cuts that include "Think About It", "Steal Away", "Look What I Got", "That Old Time Feeling", "Let Me Comfort You", "Weekend Love", "Light My Fire", and "Too Weak To Fight".

Excellent early work from Clarence Carter – recording here with production and arrangements by Rick Hall – in that sweet Muscle Shoals style that never sounded better than it did with Clarence! Carter had a way of working with Hall that was really beyond some of the cliches that crept into the scene at the time – a blend of bluesier roots and leaner soul that was totally great – and which was always touched by Clarence's keen sense of wit and personality! The record's got a slightly funky sound in parts – especially on the great cut "Snatching It Back" – and the rest of the titles are all killer southern soul material, with classics that include "Making Love (At The Dark End Of The Street)", "Soul Deep", "Doin' Our Thing", "I Smell a Rat", and "I Can't Do Without You".

Incredibly lovely work from Italian guitarist Franco Cerri – easily one of the best players on his instrument in the 60s – even on both sides of the Atlantic! The setting here is relatively lush – fuller backgrounds with Cerri's guitar on lead solos – but often with some nice bits of bossa and some of the other delightful flourishes you'd get in Italian charts of the time, particularly some of the soundtrack arrangements. The feel is wonderful – a great expansion of some of Cerri's small group modes of the earlier part of the decade – and titles include "Ti Basta Dare Tempo Al Tempo", "I Love You", "Bluesette", "Che Faro", "Tonsambaris", "Stella By Starlight", and "Girl From Ipanema".

Change get the Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis treatment on this 1984 release – as the pair wrote and produced most of the record. With their help, the group's kicking up the beat a bit more, which gave them the big hit "Change Of Heart", plus the tracks "You Are My Melody", "True Love", "It Burns Me Up", and "Say You Love Me Again".

Perhaps one of the best 70s albums by drummer Billy Cobham – and one that's still got a hard edge to it, and some nice funky work on the traps by Mr. B! The record includes the famous sample track "Heather", a very dope, very mellow cut with great electric keyboard work by George Duke. Other titles include "Crosswind", "The Pleasant Pheasant", and "Spanish Moss – A Sound Portrait".

Billy's got no "inner conflicts" here – as the album's a full-on set of heavy jamming, one that features some nice electronics alongside Billy's drums! The album's actually one of our favorite Cobham sessions of the 70s – a record that we'd rank right up there with Spectrum for sheer intensity, and for its ability to appeal to our funk-tuned ears. The variety of rhythms on the record is really really great – earthy and tribal one minute, and electric and spacey the next – all coming off well without trying too hard, and with a feel that's much more jazzy and soulful than some of Billy's more rock-focused work. Players include George Duke as Dawilli Gonga on keyboards, John Scofield on guitar, Julian Priester on trombone, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, and Pete & Sheila Escovedo on percussion. Titles include "Inner Conflicts", "Arroyo", "El Barrio", "Nickels & Dimes", and "The Muffin Talks Back".

A stunning session by Ornette, and one that always seems to get overlooked in discussions of his albums for Atlantic! His quartet here features the amazing Scott LaFaro on bass, and a young Ed Blackwell on drums – both of whom give the tracks an amazing pulse that brings new energy out of Ornette and Don Cherry's solos – working in a modal groove that's as catchy as it is modern! All tracks are named after initials of titles of books by Sigmund Freud, including "T & T" (Totem & Taboo), "C&D"(Civilization and Discontent), "W.R.U.", and "R.P.D.D.".

Pre-Atlantic work from Ornette Coleman – one of his first recorded statements in jazz – and one of his boldest! At some level, the complete Coleman sound isn't entirely in place here – as there's a bit of a trace of hardbop in the mix – not entirely, but just a bit. But at another level, the record's still way darn bolder than just about anything coming out of LA at the time – proof that amidst all the cool jazz ruminations of the 50s, there was a second wave of modernism about to explode! The group here features Don Cherry on trumpet, Walter Norris on piano, Don Payne on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and while the core harmelodic rhythmic approach isn't always in place, it's more than made up for by some surprisingly free energy. Titles include "Invisible", "The Blessing", "Alpha", and "The Sphinx".

Coltrane plays the blues, but in a way like nobody else – stepping off of the deeply soulful sound of his late Prestige years, and moving into even more open and exploratory space for Atlantic! The setting is bare bones and simple – and many of these numbers begin with the sort of simple vamp that might characterize a blowing session for other labels, but which still has a strong degree of focus for this date. Rhythm is from McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and there's some great sharp edges from Coltrane here, especially on the numbers that feature tenor sax in the lead. Side one of the album features more standard bluesy vamps, but side two really opens up into some tremendous numbers that show the first great hint of modal energy – rollingly enchanting titles that still leave us breathless after all these years! Tracks include "Blues To Elvin", "Blues To Bechet", "Mr Syms", "Mr Day", and "Mr Knight".

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD features an alternate take of "Body & Soul", plus the track "26-2".

Modal Coltrane at its finest – a record that almost returns the great one to the territory explored at the end of his years at Atlantic Records, but which still incorporates all of the new ideas learned afterwards! The album's actually one of the straightest that John Coltrane cut after 1964 – and it features 4 long, beautiful tracks that soar with rhythms from McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones – topped with searing, searching work on tenor and soprano sax from Coltrane! Titles include one of the greatest readings of "Chim Chim Cheree" we've ever heard – a version that remakes the tune almost as a part 2 of "My Favorite Things" – and other titles include "Song of Praise", the classic "Nature Boy" and "Brazilia".

One of the all-time soul classics from Atlantic – the fantastic debut of singer Arthur Conley, introduced as a protege of Otis Redding, who also produced the record! The sound is similar to Otis' own work, but often a fair bit rawer – and Redding works here with both Jim Stewart of Stax and Rick Hall of Fame Studios, ensuring that the album has equal doses of Memphis and Muscle Shoals in the mix! Otis also wrote some great tracks for the album, along with Conley and the legendary Dan Penn – and although the title track is Conley's huge single "Sweet Soul Music", the album is filled with loads of other great original tracks, including "Who's Foolin' Who", "There's A Place For Us", "Wholesale Love", "I'm Gonna Forget About You", and "Let Nothing Separate Us".

The first album in a legendary run of vocal jazz classics on Atlantic Records – and a set that really helped Chris Connor move to a new level of expression in her music! The sound here is much richer than Connor's previous recordings for Bethlehem – and the small combo jazz backings have been replaced by fuller orchestrations by Ralph Burns – done in a cool, edgey sort of way that really pushes Chris into newly sophisticated territory! The sound's on a par with the best June Christy/Pete Rugolo collaborations on Capitol – and the group's filled with some great jazz players, including Zoot Sims, John Lewis, Milt Hinton, and Oscar Pettiford. Titles include "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "My April Heart", "He Was Good to Me", "Where Are You", and "Get Out Of Town". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Circus" and "Flying Home".

After Hours is the time when Crawford really hits his stride – playing lean and mellow in that easy soulful way that always seemed to work better than any of his other approaches to jazz. This album's got him blowing alto and even playing a bit of piano, in middle-sized groups that include players like Wendell Harrison, Joe Dukes, Sonny Forriest, and Willie Jones. These lesser-known soul jazz players do a pretty darn nice job of setting the mood, and Hank's comfortable approach puts everyone at ease. Tracks include "Soul Shoutin", "After Hours", "Junction", and "Next Time You See Me".

Sweet soulful jazz from reedman Hank Crawford – one of his killer Kudu sessions from the 70s – all of which really helped Hank redefine his sound! The setting here is large and full – put together beautifully by Bob James, with that sense of space for the soloist that makes his CTI/Kudu arrangements so crucial – and light years ahead of what other arrangers were doing at the time. The tracks are longish, but never overdone – and the record has all the soulful alto sounds of Crawford's 60s work at Atlantic, but with a definite 70s bent overall. James plays Fender Rhodes, Arp, and clavinet – and other players include Joe Farrell on tenor and flute, Idris Muhammad and Bernard Purdie on drums, and Richard Tee on additional keyboards. Titles include "Jana", "Sho Is Funky", "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "Groove Junction", and "All In Love Is Fair".

One of the most highly-regarded albums of Hank Crawford's 60s run on Atlantic Records – a set when everything seems to come together just right – and provide an even better showcase than usual for Hank's soulful lines on alto sax! The set also features tenor from David Newman – easily a perfect companion to Crawford for the record – and the rhythms have a nicely laidback, easygoing vibe – almost more Prestige Records soul jazz than the usual Atlantic style of the time. The set's got some warm mellow instrumental versions of blues classics, plus a few originals like "Lorelei's Lament", "Blue Stone", and "Playmates".

Hype ATL bounce track in full on street soldier mode. You might recognize this from a popular mix from a few years ago (Holler!), but in all seriousness, there is some incredible drum programming on this one courtesy of Shawty Red. Essential material for fans of the South.

For years En Vogue was the sort of group we would ignore because of their huge mainstream success, but listening to this album, now it's hard to pass up! Still quite commercial on all fronts to be certain, but their sound was infused with a nice dose of hip hop influence in a way that would become pretty much commonplace for every mainstream R&B vocal group or singer to follow. 13 tracks in all, including "My Lovin (You're Never Gonna Get It)", "Free Your Mind", "Giving Him Something He Can Feel", "Give It Up, Turn It Loose", "Hooked On Your Love", "Love Don't Love You", "This Is Your Life", "Desire" and "It Ain't Over Till The Fat Lady Sings".

An incredible document of the growth of the European jazz scene in the postwar years – a set recorded in Berlin, but featuring a host of the best players from all over the continent! The mix of musicians here is wonderful – similar to some of the great boder-crossing experiments from Saba/MPS a few years later – but still wonderfully fresh in this setting – as modern jazz giants from the other side of the Atlantic come together with amazing clarity of sound – and a host of fresh ideas that really set them apart from their contemporaries in the US! The set features a driving take on "Haitian Fight Song" with Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, Arne Domnerus on alto, Hans Koller on tenor, and both Martial Solal and Tete Montoliu on piano. Other numbers include a version of "Am I Blue" with vocals by Monica Zetterlund, "Blue Monk" by a Montoliu trio, "Hittin The Blues" with vibes by Fats Said and guitar from Franco Cerri, "Gone With The Wind" with Arne Domernus on alto and Ronnie Ross on baritone, "3 + 3" with Domerus and ross – plus Koller on tenor and Cerri on guitar, and "Avertissez-Moi" by a larger group with Martial Solal on piano, Koller on tenor, Domerus on alto, Goykovich on trumpet, and Sadi on vibes!

Thank God for Fat Joe, who keeps repping the birthplace of hip hop in an era when it seems like the freshness is mostly coming from elsewhere. The DITC crew member spits east coast street rhymes over beats definietly aimed to put him on the airwaves like "Lean Back" did, and if we have to listen to anyone over the hot ish, it might as well be Fat Joe. Beats by Streetrunner, the Runners, Just Blaze, Cool & Dre, Swizz Beats, Sott Storch and Timbaland.15 tracks in all, icluding "Does Anybody Know", "Safe 2 Say (The Incredible)", "My Fofo", "Rock Ya Body", "Get It Poppin'", "Everybody Get Up", "So Hot" and "Lean Back Remix".

Aretha Arrives in great style – and a mixture between her earlier vocal jazz years at Columbia, and her later southern soul sides of the 60s! Arif Mardin is already arranging Aretha's work at this point, and the backing group includes southern soul studio giants like Spooner Oldham, Tommy Cogbill, and Roger Hawkins – but there's also a number of tracks that have mellow strings and horns by Ralph Burns, very much in the lush style of Burns' work for other vocalists – and a bit different than some of Franklin's other Atlantic work. The Sweet Inspirations back up Aretha on "Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around)", and a few other tracks feature backings by sisters Erma and Carolyn – who are always a welcome addition! Titles include "Prove It", "Never Let Me Go", "I Wonder", "Going Down Slow", and "Night Life".

One of Aretha's sadly overlooked 70s gems – a great little session produced by Lamont Dozier, with a mix of smooth soul, driving rhythms, and just the right amount of rough edges to keep things real, very much in the tone of Lamont's own strong work for the ABC label at the same time. Lamont also wrote a fair number of the tunes – and titles include "Sunshine Will Never Be The Same", "Touch Me Up", "A Tender Touch", "No One Could Ever Love You More", and "When I Think About You".

One of Aretha's best! There's a massive old school break on the intro to "Rock Steady" – but even without that bit, the song's a real winner – ripping along with massive soulful grooves! "Don't Play that Song" is one of her better mellow tunes too!

Fantastic stuff – and a record that may well be the greatest ever from the mighty Serge Gainsbourg – high praise indeed, considering the greatness of Gainsbourg's other music! The album is one long suite built around a spare, electric bass-driven theme – a slow funk riff that's been sampled countless times over the years, and which has gotten the album continuous play on both sides of the Atlantic for many many years. The mighty Jean-Claude Vannier handles the arrangements, and Serge mutters the lyrics over the top, in a raspy loud whisper – while the funky rhythms dart in and out of odd washes of sound, and unusual eerie sounds. There's a very strong soundtrack feel to the album, as waves of music envelop the lyrics – tripped out in funky beats that have become legendary over the years, thanks to some very famous samples! Titles include "En Melody", "Cargo Culte", "Ballade De Melody Nelson", "Valse De Melody", "Ah! Melody", and "L'Hotel Particulier". Great new LP reissue package – with 180 gram vinyl, notes, an interview, and even lyrics in English & French!

A later and lesser-known set from Dizzy Gillespie – and a real departure both from his bop of the 40s and his funk of the 70s! The album's got Dizzy working in a more modern soul-influenced setting – blowing over larger electric-tinged backings arranged by Kenny Kirkland, Marcus Miller, and Barry Eastmond – almost in a format that's a bit like some of Freddie Hubbard's R&B-styled albums of the time. Gillespie's always up for the challenges of any sort of session, and more than holds his own in the format – but the overall credit for the groove is less focused on his solo work, than it is the smoothly soulful style of the backings. The album includes a great cover of Leroy Hutson's "Closer To The Source" – complete with a sweet female lead vocal – plus other jazz versions of R&B material, like "It's Time For Love", "You're Number 1 In My Book", and "Textures".

Fantastic stuff from Jimmy Giuffre! This record captures him at a perfect turning point in his career – after his initial piano-less experiments on Atlantic, but before the totally free work that graced his later years. The group is his trio with Paul Bley on piano and Steve Swallow on bass – and the tracks are angular modernism carried to its most perfect realization. Titles include "Ictus", "Carla", "Sonic", "Whirrr", and "The Gamut".

A fantastic album by Slide Hampton – one of his best, and one of his rarest! Like a number of other important players of his generation, Slide got his start on the American scene, but moved to Europe during the 1960s – where he really began to open up. This excellent session was recorded in Paris in 1962, and it features Slide leading an octet through some of the most complicated arrangements of his early years. Players include some great underground American players, like trumpeter Richard Williams, bassist Butch Warren, tenorist George Coleman, and trombonist Benjamin Jacobs-El, whose frequent co-tromboning with Hampton always made for an excellent sound. As on Slide's Atlantic sides, the group swings like a mofo – staying tight on the choruses, but really breaking out from the pack with some amazing solo work. Titles include "Star Eyes", "Straight No Chaser", "Confirmation", "Exodus", and "A Moment's Notice".

An amazing record, from an amazing player – the mighty Rufus Harley, heard here on tenor, flute, and soprano sax – as well as bagpipes, his "trademark" instrument! Don't be put off by the bagpipes, though, because Harley plays in a righteous soul jazz groove, and uses the instrument more like a Coltrane-ish reed soloing vehicle, with sheets of hard blown sound, than he does as a corny Scottish sounding one. His playing is great, and he's recorded here with a great group of obscure Detroit musicians who play with a style that hints at the later stuff to come on the Tribe label – Oliver Collins on piano, James Glenn on bass, and Billy Abner on drums. The LP includes the cuts "Bagpipe Blues", "Sportin", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", "Chim Chim Cheree", "Kerry Dancers", and "More".

One of the best Eddie Harris albums ever recorded – a later session, but one handled with a tight, lean approach – returning Eddie to all the majestic glory of his late 60s masterpieces for Atlantic! The album's got a sound that's nicely off kilter – Eddie blowing electric sax with a hip combo backing – never too funky, but always really soulful, with lots of open-ended notes on the solos that blow past the polish of some of his later sides in a really great way. The whole thing's a gem – with not a bad track on the whole set – and titles include "Essence Of Matter", "For Your Life", "Deacceleration", and "Let The Healing Begin". Also features great remakes of "Listen Here" and "Theme In Search Of A Movie".

Previously unreleased Donny Hathaway at Atlantic! A cover of Addrissi & Addrissi’s "Never My Love" plus the Hathaway original "Memories Of Love".