A beautiful setting for the vibes of Milt Jackson – a record that has his sublime chromatic sound stepping out in front of fuller orchestrations from Quincy Jones – never overdone, but with just the right sort of soulful focus to send Milt over the top! The album's an early example of the great solo path that Jackson would pursue more strongly in the 60s – work away from the MJQ that showed that he may well have been the most multi-faceted member of that group. Barry Galbraith plays guitar on many tracks – and his light hues are a perfect complement to the vibes – on titles that include "The Cylinder", "Makin Whoopee", "Alone Together", "Tenderly", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Nuages", "Deep In A Dream", "I'm A Fool To Want You", "The Midnight Will Never Set", and "Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice mixture of boppish and swing-based material, and an excellent soulful session that has Illinois Jacquet playing in a stripped-down setting with Ben Tucker on bass, Alan Dawson on drums, and Barry Harris on piano, who adds a nice warm dimension to the set. Jacquet's tone is fantastic as always, and it's a real treat to hear him work his way around the tracks in a relatively free environment. Titles include "Sassy", "Bottoms Up", "Jivin With Jack The Bellboy", and his classic "Port Of Rico". LP, Vinyl record album

A selection of tracks from Illinois Jacquet's late 60s albums for Prestige, featuring Milt Buckner, Barry Harris, and Wynton Kelly on piano, Alan Dawson, Al Foster, Jo Jones, and Oliver Jackson on drums, Frank Foster on tenor, Matthew Gee on trombone, Tiny Grimes, Billy Butler, and Wally Richardson on guitar, Montego Joe on congas, Joe Newman and Ernie Royal on trumpet, and Ben Tucker and Buster Williams on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique album from the great Etta Jones – a session recorded down in Muscle Shoals, and not in Chicago – a setting that gives James an extra sort of deep soul power! The backing is nicely different than some of the other Chess material – killer work from the legendary Fame Studios lineup that included Barry Beckett on organ, Charles Chalmers on tenor, and Roger Hawkins on drums – all coming together with the great Rick Hall at the production helm! Etta's back in hard-belting R&B-tinged territory here – a bit more sophisticated than the 50s, with a good mix of hard soul numbers and ballads, opening up in some southern territory that really suits her well. Titles include "The Same Rope", "Watch Dog", "Tell Mama", "I'd Rather Go Blind", "Just A Little Bit", and "Don't Lose Your Good Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the all-time great Rick James albums – a return to funkier sounds for Rick that worked both artistically and commercially – and actually got over far better than his more blatant attempts at crossover material on other records! The mix here is perfect – a true summation of all that made Motown great at the time, and the special sort of energy that made Rick one of the freshest mainstream talents at the end of the 70s! The record put a lot of money in Barry Gordy's pockets, and for good reason too – given that the set includes the classic hit "Super Freak" – plus "Give It To Me Baby", "Ghetto Life", "Make Love To Me", "Below The Funk (Pass The J)", and "Fire & Desire" – all done in that compressed pop-funky style that James kind of took from Bootsy Collins and manage to successfully soup up for the masses! LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from one of the hippest jazz singers ever – a session that showed the world that Eddie Jefferson was firmly back in business during the 60s! The set's got a really rollicking feel, and a bit more influence from soul than the bop of Eddie's roots – with elements of gospel and R&B filtering into the mix from time to time, alongside some of the more sophisticated jazz styles we've always loved in Jefferson's vocals. The group features some great tenor work from James Moody – one of Eddie's frequent musical partners – plus Dave Burns on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Bill English on drums. Titles include "Now's The Time", "So What", "Psychedelic Sally", "Filthy McNasty", "Oh Gee", and "See If You Can Git To That" – plus a very cool spoken introduction by Ed Williams! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best of the blacksploitation scores of the early 70s – a masterpiece of music that we rate every bit as high as Shaft or Superfly – maybe even higher! The music here is incredible – a surprising funky turn for JJ Johnson, who most folks know for his straighter jazz work – and like Marvin Gaye, Barry White, and others who were surprising the world with their ability to score music for a full film during the early 70s, JJ really knocks it out of the park with this one – coming up with a batch of tunes that are a wonderful mix of sophisticated scoring, creative instrumentation, and some damn funky grooves! The title cut features Joe Simon on vocals, and Millie Jackson sings on the cuts "Love Doctor" and "It Hurts So Good". The rest of the set is instrumental, and other cuts include an instrumental take on "Cleopatra Jones", plus "Go Chase Cleo", "Goin To The Chase", "Wrap Up", and "Airport Fight". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from this great pre-Motown Barry Gordy protege – a surprisingly nice album of spiritual songs! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Grace Jones' best albums – recorded at a point when she was really beginning to stretch the boundaries of club music, crossing over with the early 80s post-punk/post-disco crowd through a melange of sounds that was all her own. The oveblown diva mode of her disco years is gone by this point – and in its place is a wonderfully stripped down sound that bubbles with influences from reggae, post-punk, and elsewhere! The set was recorded in Nassau, with rhythm from Sly, Robbie, and Wally Badarou – and titles include a fair bit of original numbers penned with Barry Reynolds. Tracks include "Nipple To The Bottle", "My Jamaican Guy", "The Apple Stretching", "Cry Now, Laugh Later", and "Inspiration". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sam Jones' hippest sessions of the 70s – recorded with a quintet that also includes Charles McPherson on alto, Barry Harris on piano, David Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant 70s album from bassist Sam Jones – a player who rose to fame with Cannonball Adderley at the start of the 60s, and worked on his own as a leader too – but who really seemed to take off during the time of this recording! Sam's sense of groove and arranging is very strongly in place here – a sense of fire that was no doubt developed with Cannonball, but given a much wider vision on Jones' 70s albums like this – records that might well be some of the few to find a new space forward in the decade for a 60s soul jazz aesthetic! Sam's bass is right out front, and gets some good exposure on a few of the tunes' intros, too – and the rest of the lineup is excellent – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Bob Berg on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, Barry Harris on piano, and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Miss Morgan", "Laverne Walk", "Sam's Things", "Trane's Changes", "Blue's", and "Stablemates". LP, Vinyl record album

Kanye's tightest, most heavily synth soaked set yet – and possibly the best – a leap ahead for his evolving sound! Graduation gleams and shines more than it bounces on the bottom end, and if his LP titles to date overtly suggest that this caps off a trilogy – it really goes beyond the title – it's POST Graduation! By the end of Late Registration Kanye was dabbling in hip hop symphonies (for the better) with a few too many skits, but this one's all laser beam efficiency with a human heartbeat. Kanye's moved on, well past our expectations anyway, and he better not call the next one Class Reunion. A bunch of these cuts could rule several radio formats, and they sound great in the headphones, too. To tell the truth, any modern hip hop record with a big fat (and surely expensive) Steely Dan sample is going get an automatic recommendation from us, but Graduation works for us for many more reasons than that alone. Well done, Kanye! "Good Morning", "Champion", the Daft Punk-ed hit "Stronger", "I Wonder", "Good Life", "Can't Tell Me Me Nothing", "Barry Bonds" with Lil Wayne, "Drunk And Hot Girls" with Mos Def, "Flashing Lights" with Dwele, "Everything I Am" with DJ Premier, "Homecoming" and "Big Brother". LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie certainly was the "hit man" on this one – a tight album of hard stepping soul tracks, mostly cut in Eddie's famous "boogie" mode of the mid 70s! The cuts mix wonderful soul vocals with some tight jazzy instrumentation – laid down by players like Wah Wah Ragin, Harvey Mason, Ray Parker, and Leonard Caston, who produced the album with Frank Wilson. The record's got swirling strings around harder instrumentation – in a mode that's perfect for Eddie's sweet vocal style – and the sound is right up there with classic work by Marvin Gaye or Barry White. Includes the nice long cut "Body Talk", plus "Happy", "If Anyone Can", "Fortune Teller", "I've Got To Be", and "Skippin' Work Today". LP, Vinyl record album

Gene Krupa and Gerry Mulligan – hardly a pairing that we would have thought of – but one that works surprisingly well here, and which showcases Mulligan's increasing fascination for larger group settings! The album features Gene on drums with a set of players that include Kai Winding, Urbie Green, Phil Woods, Hank Jones, and Barry Galbraith – but the real star of the set is Gerry, who's not playing here, but conducting the larger group of jazz players through charts that are all his own, and which display the same love of fluid ensemble horn parts that he used in his own smaller combo work. There's a lot more brass in the mix than you'd usually get from Gerry – which gives the album a bit more of a Krupa kick – and Gene also gets some nice space to show himself on drums. Titles include "Yardbird Suite", "Margie", "Bird House", "The Way Of All Flesh", "Disk Jockey Jump", "Birds Of A Feather", and "Mulligan Stew". LP, Vinyl record album

The title says it all – as Yusef Lateef works here in that wonderful mixture of hardbop, soul jazz, and Eastern stylings that he brought to all of his best early sessions as a leader! Lateef himself is playing tenor, flute, and oboe – which he uses to craft these eerie snakecharmer lines that work perfectly with the modal grooves of the tracks – very unusual rhythms for the time, and a real precursor to some of the world jazz experiments to come from overseas. The rest of the group features pianist Barry Harris, drummer Lex Humphries, and bassist Ernie Farrow, who also plays a strange instrument called a rabat – which further adds to the charm of the record. Titles include "Plum Blossom", "Purple Flower", "Three Faces Of Balal", and "Chinq Miau". LP, Vinyl record album

The title says it all – as Yusef Lateef works here in that wonderful mixture of hardbop, soul jazz, and Eastern stylings that he brought to all of his best early sessions as a leader! Lateef himself is playing tenor, flute, and oboe – which he uses to craft these eerie snakecharmer lines that work perfectly with the modal grooves of the tracks – very unusual rhythms for the time, and a real precursor to some of the world jazz experiments to come from overseas. The rest of the group features pianist Barry Harris, drummer Lex Humphries, and bassist Ernie Farrow, who also plays a strange instrument called a rabat – which further adds to the charm of the record. Titles include "Plum Blossom", "Purple Flower", "Three Faces Of Balal", and "Chinq Miau". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the strongest sessions recorded by pianist John Lewis in the 50s – a date that shows depths of his talents that run even greater than his work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, quite possibly because is work on piano is at the forefront of the record throughout! There's a sense of darkness here that really fits the image on the cover – a style that's stated clearly on piano lines that are often as spacious as they are gentle, but which also have a moodier undercurrent below, thanks to Lewis' careful choice of keys and notes. The backing is often quite spare – Lewis sometimes plays just with Connie Kay's drums, or the guitar of either Jim Hall or Barry Galbraith – and at its fullest, the record features 2 trio numbers with the bass of Percy Heath and drums of Connie Kay. Tracks are lyrically and thoughtfully composed – and titles include "Two Lyric Pieces", "Harlequin", "D&E", "Little Girl Blue", and "Warmeland". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic club from Webster Lewis – and much more of an all-out disco affair than some of his later work! The record introduces Lewis' all-encompassing style – as he writes, arranges, and produces the album at a level that easily matches that of Barry White – who would later emerge as a mentor for Lewis, introducing him as part of the later Love Unlimited Orchestra records. The group here is billed as "Webster Lewis & The Post-Pop Space-Rock Be-Bop Gospel Tabernacle Orchestra & Chorus" – a pretty good way to describe the soaringly full sound of the album – one that's built up from Webster's keyboards with lots of added strings and rhythms, plus occasional backing vocals from a female chorus. Most of the focus here is instrumental, though – filled with great tunes that include "On The Town", "Love Is The Way", "Do It With Style", "Song Of Joy", "Goodnight Baby Girl", "Since I've Been Gone", and "Saturday Night Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Timeless sounds from Lewlewal – a contemporary group from Senegal, and part of a vanishing culture in the city of Podor! The tracks were recorded recently, but have a feel that goes back decades – mostly acoustic instrumentation on percussion and guitar, played with an intimate approach that draws strongly on tradition – but which also allows for some personal inflections from the group members too. The vocals – sung by Demba Doka Barry – are especially nice – with this hauntingly soulful feel that really grabs us, even over the space of a language difference. Titles include "Ziarre", "Patrimonie", "Jaanfa", "Diaraby", "Yela", and "Almamy". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic selection of work from one of the hippest girl groups of the 70s – the mighty Love Unlimited trio, three singers who all worked under the genius of Barry White in his prime! Unlike other girl trios of the time, who often used an older soul mode refitted with disco grooves – sometimes acting more like a chorus than a lead act – Love Unlimited always brought their full vocal strengths to play, and do a fantastic job here working in modes that rival some of the best male harmony groups of the early 70s – especially the sweet soul groups from New Jersey, New York, and Philly. And yes, Barry does kick up the groove a bit at times, but even then things are usually more in a midtempo mode, not a disco one – which makes for tremendous sounds throughout. This is the first-ever proper collection of the girls' singles from the early 70s – and titles include "Oh Love Well We Finally Made It", "Fragile Handle With Care", "Are You Sure", "I Should Have Known", "Is It Really True Boy Is It Me", "Walkin In The Rain With The One I Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "It May Be Winter Outside", "I Love You So Never Gonna Let You Go", "I Belong To You", "So Nice To Hear", "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today", and "Share A Little Love In Your Hear LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from the girls who first put Barry White on the map! The record is the group's second – and by this point, Barry had developed that tight snapping drum sound that made his orchestral albums work so well. You'll hear it to good effect on most songs on the LP, which have a great groove that's in the best Barry White mode of the 70s – but which kind of dominates the girls' vocals a bit. Not that anyone should complain that much, as it's the overall package that's always made Barry's albums sound so great – but we do wonder how the group felt when they had to sit out the first track, which was the instrumental "Love's Theme", a song that went onto become Barry's biggest song ever, and which probably sold the album a lot more than the vocal tracks. Still, you can hardly detect a note of disharmony – and the album soars from track to track, through titles like "Under The Influence Of Love", "Say It Again", "Yes, We Finally Made It", and "It May Be Winter Outside". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent instrumentals from The Maestro! Barry's in fine fine form here – and he's just about the only one who could make a record with so many strings sound so funky! The album includes the excellent groover "Bring It On Up", which has a tightly snapping rhythm underneath soaring violins and harp – and just about ever other cut on the album sounds as great! Titles include "Midnight Groove", "Forever In Love", "Give Up Your Love Girl", "You're All I Want", "Makin Believe That It's You", "I Wanna Stay", and "It's Only What I Feel". Maybe the best Love Unlimited Orchestra album – with loads of great tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album by Barry White – a bit later than some of the early 70s hits, but one of his most satisfying records overall! The perpetual favorite on the album is the great groover "Strange Games & Things", a slow sly funky track that's been sampled often over the years, and which is a perfect summation of the mix of heavy drums and orchestra that made Barry's records so great. The album's also got a lot of other very nice groovers, most of which have a more uptempo sound than "Strange Games", but all of which are very nice. Titles include "Brazilian Love Song", "My Sweet Summer Suite", and "You, I Adore". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful swirling instrumental LP that features the classic "Love's Theme", the cut that made Barry a multi-millionaire, and which firmly established his sophisticated orchestral soul style as one of the trademarks of the 70s! This is the ultimate in 70s soul class – from the cover that features Barry standing with ladies by the pool, to the complicated rhythms and sweet patterns of sound that made the record an instant classic. Includes some nicely funky cuts, like "What a Groove", "Baby Blues", and the sweet "Midnight and You". LP, Vinyl record album

An album of theirs that you don't see that often – with Barry White's takes on popular movie hits. Some of this veers a little to close to the cheesy side of things, but it's worth it for the "Theme From King Kong" alone, an uptempo funk number that has a great almost afro-funk guitar, way up front in the mix. There's also a great take on the theme from Shaft, and "People of Tomorrow Are the Children of Today" from the Together Brothers soundtrack. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album of funky instrumental tracks from Barry White – often overlooked because of the "greatest hits" association you could make with the "gold" in the title. The record's got that perfect Love Unlimited sound – heavy beats underneath, and the orchestra soaring over the top in tight rhythmic washes of strings and keyboards! Tracks include "Spanish Lei", "Barry's Love", "Satin Soul", "Power Of Love", "You Make Me Feel Like This", and "Dreaming". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent solo work by Lowrell Simon – once a singer with Lost Generation, but opening up a whole new style of Chicago soul here on his own! The album's a tasty batch of smooth soul tracks with a midtempo club groove – not disco, but with the kind of large production and loping groove that you'd find in a good Barry White album – hitting all the right mellow funky moments at once! The prime example of this is the killer "Mellow Mellow Right On" – offered up here in two long parts that take up most of side two of the original album. Other nice ones include a version of Lowrell's "Overdose Of Love", plus the tracks "Out Of Breath", "You're Playing Dirty" and "Smooth & Wild". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Man gets nitty and gritty at the Muscle Shoals Studios – bringing his funky flute to the southern powerhouse of sound, and hitting some of his most soulful grooves of the time! The approach here is really great – definitely cast in the southern soul mode that was associated with Muscle Shoals, but also done with the looseness of a jazz record – so that the sound's a fair bit different than similar projects coming out of the scene at the time. Most tracks are long and flowing – with lots of sweet electric elements that include vibes from Roy Ayers, guitar from Eddie Hinton, and keyboards from Barry Beckett. Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love slide in on horns – but Herbie's flute is still the main solo element, and it gets plenty of space to stretch out with some great trippy grooves! Titles include Edwin Birdsong's "Can You Dig It?", plus Sonny Sharrock's "Blind Willy", and Herbie's own "Panama Red's Panama Hat" and "Claudia Pie". LP, Vinyl record album

With Warne Marsh on tenor, and Jimmy Halperin on second tenor on a few tracks – plus Barry Harris on piano, David Williams on bass, and Albert Heath on drums. Titles include "Back Home", "Heads Up", "Good Bait", and "Two Not One". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album of smooth soul tracks, and maybe Van's best record of the 70s! The record shows Van sitting at the piano in an intimate setting – ala Barry White – and it's got a similar Love Unlimited Orchestra approach, with much large backing behind Van's voice, and a very full instrumental sound. Van sings lead vocals, which aren't always that great – but he more than makes up for it with some great piano and keyboard work, and some wonderful soul songwriting and arranging that recall his best uptown moments of the late 60s. The record has a few uptempo hustle-type tracks, but they're all pretty darn great soul songs, and there's loads of great mellow soul moments woven in to make the record a nice album of ballads and groovers. Titles include "Before & After", "Wings Of Love", "My Favorite Fantasy", "That's The Story Of My Life", and "You're So Right For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from reedman Charles McPherson – a player who was really coming back to basics in the mid 70s, but also finding a way to stretch out with a sound that was different than his initial albums of a decade before! Charles has moved way past the straight bop that first got him notice – yet he's also got this deft way of making changes that hardly denies that legacy at all, and instead turns to a newly fluid sense of expression that might well make McPherson one of the most soulful altoists of his generation – especially in the long legacy of great records that flowed from this period. The group features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Leroy Williams on drums – and tracks are nice and long, with titles that include "Tokyo Blue", "East Of The Sun", "Desafinado", "Orient Express", and "Bouncing With Bud". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of soul jazz from McPherson – recorded live, with a rolling groove that's in the Blue Note mode of the mid 60s – but even more open overall! The group's got a lot of hometown talent from McPherson's native Detroit – including Barry Harris on piano, Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, and Ray McKinney on bass – and the mighty Billy Higgins handles the drums, always with a lean and fluid groove that works well with the extended energy of the set! McPherson's horn is sometimes a bit overshadowed by Hillyer's trumpet on the head arrangements – but given how much we like Lonnie, that's hardly a bad thing – and Charles more than comes into his own on the solos! The album features a catchy original called "The Viper", plus the tracks "Suddenly", "Shaw Nuff", and "Never Let Me Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Charles McPherson is one of those players who had a unique vibe right from the start – and is one who's continued that way, even well into his many decades in music! This live set has McPherson demonstrating his amazing sense of tone and phrasing – an approach to the alto sax that's really unlike anyone else, and which steps away from expectations with all these strong solo moments in a group that also features excellent trumpet from Terell Stafford, plus piano from Jeb Patton, bass from David Wong, and drums from Billy Drummond. The set features a number of great originals – "Ode To Barry", "Surge", "Dynamic Duo", and "Blues For Lonnie In Three" – plus nice takes on "Old Folks" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most distinct early dates from reedman Charles McPherson – a unique "with strings" session recorded as a tribute to Billie Holiday – and with a style that shows off sides of McPherson's playing that wouldn't show up on other records for years to come! The album's got a beautifully understated quality – hip, adult arrangements by Ernie Wilkins – neither in his Basie-esque style of the early years, nor in any sort of slavish relationship to the Billie Holiday recordings of the 40s and the 50s either – which makes for a mode that just lets Charles flow with this wonderfully soulful tone on his alto – almost in a way that points towards some of Stanley Turrentine's music to come in such a setting. The core group features piano by Barry Harris, guitar by Earl Dunbar, bass by Sam Jones, and drums by Leroy Williams – plus larger backing by a string section – and titles include "Don't Explain", "Miss Brown To You", "Lover Come Back to Me", "Lover Man", and "God Bless the Child" – but all shaped beautifully and personally by McPherson! LP, Vinyl record album

Ahhh, good ol' Mel & Tim – possibly our favorite soul duo ever, and a really dynamic pair that carve some great new territory away from the path set by Sam & Dave! The album's a bit of a comeback for the duo, as you'd guess from the title – even though it was only recorded a few years after their initial work for the Bamboo label. There's a stylistic shift that marks a second chapter in the Mel & Tim groove – as they move away from the New York uptown sound, and go for more of a gritty southern sound – thanks to help from producer/arrangers Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins. The set list is filled with loads of great southern soul tunes – penned by composers who include Phillip Mitchell, Isaac Hayes, Dan Penn, and Homer Banks – on the titles "Heaven Knows", "Wrap It Up", "Don't Mess With My Money My Honey Or My Woman", "Carry Me", and a great cover of "I'm Your Puppet". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early work from Helen Merrill – with some of the best backings we've ever heard for her chilling vocals! The record has a core jazz group made up of Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, Barry Galbraith on guitar, and Sol Gubin on drums – and they're augmented by string arrangements by Richard Hayman, used in an economical manner that never overtakes Helen's voice, instead providing a breathy pillow that gives her sometimes-thin vocals a nice push. The jazzier side of the record is nicely preserved throughout – and the moody Merrill vocals get some of their best support of the early days! Titles include "Comes Love", "Lilac Wine", "Just You, Just Me", "You Won't Forget Me", and "End Of A Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

A two-record superjam from blues rocker Neil Merryweather – one that features contributions from a rich array of guest stars that include Howard Roberts, Steve Miller, Barry Goldberg, and Charlie Musselwhite. The overall groove is blues rock, as you'd expect – but there's also some nice soulful undercurrents to the album, as you might guess with Miller in the picture. Our favorite track is the long instrumental "Mrs Roberts' Son", which features lead fuzz guitar from Howard, and which gets a bit funky at times. Other tracks include "Teach You How To Fly", "Sun Down Lady", "News", "The Hard Times", and "Licked The Spoon". LP, Vinyl record album

A key moment for the Philly soul scene of the 70s – and the first album to feature the MFSB backing group as a solo act on their own! The ensemble were responsible for key sounds on countless soul singles of the time – yet also find a way to soar beautifully on their own – in a sweet instrumental groove that matches the strength of Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, and which was definitely a key inspiration for the sound of the Salsoul Orchestra! There's definitely a bit of early disco in the mix, but the style's more uptempo east coast overall – that pre-disco groove that was going down in the clubs – with larger strings added to a core group of funky rhythm players. Gamble & Huff production make the whole thing sparkle, and arrangements are by Vince Montana, Bobby Martin, and Jack Faith – on titles that include "Love Is The Message", "Cheaper To Keep Her", "TSOP", "Zack's Fanfare", "Touch Me In The Morning", and "My One & Only Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A madly grooving late 60s French soundtrack by Jean-Pierre Mirouze – and a masterful one at that – with sounds that range from a moody, dramatic vocal tune to some killer instrumental funk! The haunting "Together" opens the record in a great way – with a mystical mellow vibe and English language vocals by Barry Green. Subsequent instrumental tunes have a similarly evocative or sultrier vibe – while others such as "Sexopolis" have heavy Hammond, massive rhythms, and a totally freaked-out groove! Includes "Tivoli Garden", "Ulla Et Georgie", "Karin On The Ryke", "Lovers Party", "Tivoly By Night", "Scene Du Port" and "Tandoori Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

No filters here, as Hank Mobley's sound is clean, lean, and right on the money – hitting that newly-sophisticated groove of the Caddy For Daddy years in this sweet unissued set! The date was recorded in the 60s, but unissued by Blue Note for many years – another one of those head-scratching mysteries from the label, yet also a real treat to 80s jazz fans who finally got their hands on the sides – a whole new discovery of Hank Mobley's genius, further appreciated at a time when we weren't hearing more from him. The players are top-shelf all the way through – and include Freddie Hubbard or Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock or Barry Harris on piano, Paul Chambers or Butch Warren on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Third Time Around", "Hank's Waltz", and "The Feelin's Good". Only briefly on LP – and only in this pressing! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever Hank Mobley albums on Blue Note – and a killer batch of soulful hardbop that was cut right around the same time as the classic No Room For Squares LP. In fact, the album contains work from 2 different sessions that filtered over to the Squares album – one that featured Mobley with Freddie Hubbard, Barry Harris, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins; and another that included Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Butch Warren, and Philly Joe Jones. The work is incredibly sharp – with that wonderful mix of soul jazz, hardbop, and nascent spiritualism that Mobley brought to his best work of the 60s. Titles include "My Sin", "Straight Ahead", "The Turnaround", and "East Of The Village". LP, Vinyl record album

The Monkees had so many fantastic records during their short span of recording, nearly all of them might well be "greatest hits" – but this set does a nice job of slimming the selection down to focus on some of the most long-lasting tracks from the group! There's a few killer Boyce & Hart compositions, produced by the duo too – and the set also features contributions from other 60s pop heavyweights, like Chip Douglas, Neil Diamond, Jeff Barry, and the duo of Carole King & Gerry Goffin – all of whim give the foursome some great material, on tunes that include "Theme From The Monkees", "Last Train To Clarksville", "She", "Listen To The Band", "A Little Bit Me A Little Bit You", "Daydream Believer", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Steppin Stone", "I'm A Believer", and "I Wanna Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of 70s hardbop from MPS – a set that has both Al Cohn and James Moody on tenors, set up in a wonderful combo that features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Jones on drums! The recording quality is at the usual high standard for MPS – although the set was actually produced by Don Schlitten, presumably in New York. All the tracks are long, with lots of warmly crafted solos – and titles include "Mr. George", "The Underdog", "Vezzioso", and "Good Bait". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of 70s hardbop from MPS – a set that has both Al Cohn and James Moody on tenors, set up in a wonderful combo that features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Jones on drums! The recording quality is at the usual high standard for MPS – although the set was actually produced by Don Schlitten, presumably in New York. All the tracks are long, with lots of warmly crafted solos – and titles include "Mr. George", "The Underdog", "Vezzioso", and "Good Bait". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz classic if there ever was one – and the best-selling album ever by Lee Morgan, thanks to the use of the title track in a car commercial! Sure, you've probably heard "The Sidewinder" enough that you think you know the album already – but the rest of the tunes really open up past that groover, into a realm of lyrical, soulful playing that's simply tremendous! The group on the record features Joe Henderson on tenor, Barry Harris on piano, Bob Crenshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the album rolls along with a sense of perfect power that is every bit Blue Note at its best! Titles include "Sidewinder", "Gary's Notebook", "Hocus-Pocus", and "Totem Pole". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more obscure albums from this 50s reedman – with Sam on flute and clarinet, in a combo that includes Barry Galbraith on guitar, Billy Triglia on piano, and Marty Flax on baritone! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the seminal blues rock albums of the 60s – a set that features Charlie Musselwhite in the lead on vocals and harmonica – plus heavy guitar from the great Harvey Mandel, in a group that also includes Barry Goldberg on piano and organ too! Titles include "Chicken Shack", "Cha Cha The Blues", "Baby Will You Please Help Me", "39th & Indiana", "Strange Land", and "4pm". LP, Vinyl record album

With Sam Noto on trumpet, Joe Romano on tenor, Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

With Barry Harris on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lenny McBrowne on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A cool collection of space-themed club tracks from Gene Page – and possibly one of his greatest albums of the 70s – dispite a gimmicky approach! There's a tightly soaring feel to most of the cuts that's Page at his best – arranging fully with styles borrowed from Barry White, but also hitting with a bit of Philly inspiration too – never too over the top, and never too commercially driven as you might expect from the concept. There's some great moogy bits on the record – and plenty of great session players who include David T Walker and Wah Wah Watson on guitars, Jack Ashford on percussion, and Ernie Watts on alto sax. Great Phillinganes sings a bit on the record – and titles include "Star Trek", "Close Encounters", "Saturn", "Dancin In The Sky", "I Feel Like I've Been Livin", "Beyond The Hole Space", and "I Sho Like To Ride On Your Star". LP, Vinyl record album

A compilation of Bird's work with the groups of Barry Ulanov and Howard McGhee; with sidemen that include Lennie Tristano, Ray Brown, Maz Roach, Russ Foreeman, Shorty Rogers, Hampton Hawes, and Roy Porter. LP, Vinyl record album

With Nat Pierce on piano, Barry Galbraith on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Sun Ra's first album as a leader – originally issued on the Transition label, but presented here in its better-known incarnation by Delmark Records! Even at this early point, Ra had a sound unlike any of his contemporaries – large group and modern, but not in a way that showed any similarities to work going on in New York or LA – a voice that was all his own, and already quite boldly stated, even in these early years! The format might be somewhat familiar – an ensemble with horns and rhythm – but the overall execution really starts to open up as the album moves on – with odd phrasings, timings, and unusual moments that live up to all the promise you might expect from Ra. Even Mingus and some of his better-known contemporaries weren't heading in these directions in the mid 50s – and the record is a proud showcase of the freedoms that players were often accorded in the less-trafficked Chicago scene of the time. Horns include Art Hoyle & Dave Young on trumpets, John Gilmore on tenor sax, Pat Patrick on baritone, Julian Priester on trombone, and James Scales on alto sax – and rhythm includes Jim Herndon on tympani, Robert Barry on drums, Wilbur Green on electric bass, and a young Richard Evans on acoustic bass! Titles include "Brainville", "Call For All Demons", "Transition", "Lullaby For Realville", "Street Named Hell", "New Horizons", "Fall Off The Long", "Possession", and "Future". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that follows nicely on the first Reggae Strings effort on Trojan – and, like the first, a package that features older vocal tracks with the lyrics stripped away, all to provide a focus on the fuller orchestrations of Johnny Archey! The approach is cooler than you'd guess – lots of nice charts that bring a bit of 70s smooth to the sound of Trojan – almost like Barry White was recording down in Kingston – on titles that include "How Many Times", "Jump Hallelujah", "Strange World", "It's Too Late", "Tell It Like It Is", "Scientist", "Jamaica Jerkoff", and "Sweet Bitter Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A complete classic from British pianist Howard Riley – exactly the sort of record that made him as important a new voice on the piano as Cecil Taylor in the US or Alexander Schlippenbach and Martial Solal on the European scene! The set's got the free, fiery vibe of some of Taylor's best work – but with even more inventive sounds from the whole trio – which also includes Barry Guy on bass and Tony Oxley on drums and amplified percussion – a tremendous lineup that's equally matched, and brilliant throughout! Riley is as wonderful as on his solo sessions – but he's almost even more incredible here for the way he balances things between all the players, and gives both Oxley and Guy some key space to make themselves known. Titles include "Cirrus", "Motion", "Flight", "For Lesley/For Sue", and "Forgotten Game". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice change from some of Sam Rivers' more extended modes of the time – with tracks that are a bit shorter, with a bit more focus – yet still a relatively loose approach overall! The album features a few differeing trios – with Rivers on flute, tenor, soprano sax, and piano – plus Richard Davis, Cecil McBee, or Avild Andersen on bass – and either Norman Connors, Warren Smith, or Barry Altschul on drums. Titles include "Amber", "Rose", "Mauve", and "Violet". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of Sam Rivers' best remembered work from the post-Blue Note years – hard-blowing trio material that features Sam on a range of reeds, plus piano, and occasional vocalisation, working with bassists that include Cecil McBee, Arild Anderson, and Richard Davis, and drummers that include Norman Connors, Warren Smith, and Barry Altschul. Although he works great in a larger setting, we think this is where he really shines, given rom to breathe and move. This release features material from the Streams LP, including one track that appears in a longer form from that one, plus tracks that were issued on other ABC albums at the time. Titles include "Hues Of Melanin (in 4 parts)", "Suite For Molde (in 2 parts)", "Indigo", "Mauve", and "Encore". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sam Rivers' most freely expressive albums – a set of extended improvisations that features the leader on tenor, soprano, flute, and piano – really spinning out with some strongly expressive solos! The rest of the lineup is quite free too – with Dave Holland on bass and Barry Altschul on percussion – a pair who sometimes hit rhythmic impulses at the best moments, but also often stretch out and do their thing in a relatively free way too – and who work together with Rivers to push forward on that amazing territory that Sam first opened up on some of his classic long improvised performances for Impulse Records at the start of the 70s. Titles include "Judgement", "Hope", "Expectation", and "Vision". LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Parker may live again in the title of this set – but given the strengths of the group, the album would be great even without a reference to Bird! The setting's a bop one, as you'd guess – but there's also a lot more going on here too, given that some of the tunes are longer and open – and almost show some of the maturation of all the players on the date – especially saxophonist Charles McPherson and pianist Barry Harris, both of whom got their start with boppish ideas, but who were really branching out by the time of this early 70s session. The quintet also features some excellent rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Roy Brooks on drums – both players who bring plenty of fresh ideas to the table – and Red Rodney's work on trumpet has lots of earthy notes that show a strong sense of personality too. Titles include "Big Foot", "I'll Remember April", "Donna Lee", "Chasing The Bird", "Round Midnight", and "52nd Street Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

With Richie Cole on alto, David Schnitter on tenor, Barry Harris on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Leroy Williams on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure one from Annie Ross – recording here as a solo act back in England after leaving her famous group with Dave Lambert and John Hendricks! The style here is a bit like some of the solo work that Ross cut in the US at the end of the 50s – particularly her sides for Pacific Jazz – not as vocalese and solo-oriented as the sort of recordings that first got her noticed, but still a lot more dynamic than most straighter jazz singers of the time! Arrangements are pretty groovy overall – nicely jazzy, and penned by Johnnie Spence – also produced by John Barry, who really helps keep the right sort of "punch" in the set. Titles include "Fly Me To The Moon", "Nature Boy", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "Like Someone In Love", "A Handful Of Songs", and "All Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant record – much more straightforward, and straight ahead, than much of Rudd's other work, which is why we like it so much! The album's an ingeniously subtle affair – with Rudd on trombone and French horn, working with a small group that features Sheila Jordan on vocals, Hod O'Brien on piano, Arild Anderson on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums. Jordan is at the height of her powers here – singing beautifully in a wordless mode on tracks like "Maiden Voyage" and "Suh Blah Blah Bu Sibi", or straight and icy on one of the best versions of "What Are You Doing the Rest Of Your Life" that we've ever heard! Hod O'Brien is brilliant too – and the album's one of the few widely-released sessions to really display his talents! LP, Vinyl record album

This is the kind of Italian disco we can get our ears around! Bebu Silvetti is on keyboards, and at the helm of the orchestra – working here like an Italian Barry White, on a groove that's very similar to the best work of the Love Unlimited Orchestra. The tracks have a harder focus on the drums and beats than you'd expect – which punches things up nicely, and is a perfect complement to the breathy vocals and smooth Euro grooving over the top of the mix. Great stuff – a real treasure, and with a lot more soul than you'd expect! Titles include "Primitive Man", "Spring Rain", "Two Cups Of Coffee", "Voyage Of No Return", "Coconut Rain", and "Contigo". LP, Vinyl record album

We've gotta admit, this record sounds a lot better with the passing of time than we might have expected – thanks in part to some totally sweet Fender Rhodes, used often, and in all the best ways to pepper the tunes! Barry Beckett and Bob James handle the keys – and there's even some gospel touches at times, thanks to help from the Jessy Dixon Singers and Chicago Community Choir. And Paul Simon's songwriting is mostly mature – and even on the hit "50 Ways", the drums from Steve Gadd more than make up for any clunk! LP, Vinyl record album

Obscure work from the enigmatic guitarist Peter Sprague – and one of the most obscure albums on the Xanadu label too! The group here is a quartet – with Kenny Barron on piano, Gene Perla on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums – and titles include "Cheryl", "The Message Sent On the Wind", "Chick Boom Chicl Blues", and "Soul Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Stitt on alto and tenor – plus Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost gem from Sonny Stitt – one of his most obscure sides for Argo, recorded with a no-nonsense quartet that included Barry Harris on piano, William Austin on bass, and Frank Gant on drums – all on the day after the trio worked together on Harris' Breakin It Up session for the label! There's a soulful quality to the rhythm section that takes Stitt way past bop – a relaxed groove from Harris that flows nicely into that confident, exploratory territory that we love so much on Stitt's Verve and Roost albums from the time. Sonny blows strongly on both alto and tenor sax – and titles include "It's Hipper Than That", "I'll Tell You Later", "Lover Man", and "A Minor Sax". LP, Vinyl record album

A return to basics after Sonny Stitt's late 60s Varitone and funk experiments – all-bop and all soul all the way through, and recorded with a tight quartet that features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums! The style's a bit like Sonny's work of the late 50s, but there's also a fluidity to the rhythm section that makes it a bit different too – a sound that's warm, open, and soulful – creating a space into which Stitt settles nicely and blows like mad. There's no gimmicks at all, just solid classic jazz skills – and titles include "Casbah", "Constellation", "By Accident", "Webb City", and "Topsy". LP, Vinyl record album

A very nicely selected 2LP set of tracks from Stitt's oft-overlooked years at Argo/Chess! The tracks have him in great company that includes the pianists Barry Harris, John Young, and Ronnie Matthews – and if you know Stitt's style from the time, you know that his choice of piano player made a very important difference in the sound of his playing. Most of the cuts are easily blown quartet material – with a lot of creative imagination applied to tunes that would otherwise be top-snooze material in the hands of a lesser player. Titles include "Ko Ko", "It's Hipper Than That", "A Natural Fox", "Wee", "Reed & A Half", "Flame & Frost", and "A Minor Sax". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of style here – a great later date from Sonny Stitt – one of those near-perfect gems from the years when he had fallen far from the mainstream of jazz, but could still blow with some of the best! There's a simple, almost understated quality to the date that's really wonderful – especially for 1981 – a lineage that flows right back to Stitt's marvelous work for the Roost label, alongside which this record could stand proudly, with only a slight difference in production technique. Other players include Barry Harris on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "Western Style", "Yesterdays", "Eastern Style", "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby", "The Good Life", and "Killing Me Softly". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sonny Stitt's great laidback dates from his later years – with Stitt on both alto and tenor, alongside Jimmy Heath on tenor, soprano, and flute – plus Barry Harris on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

With Barry Harris on piano, Leroy Williams on drums, and Sam Jones on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a simple, elegant title – and a similar cover image too – but if you know Sonny Stitt, you know there's often plenty beneath the surface, and this classic Chess Records has plenty to offer, once you start listening! The album's right up there with Sonny's work for Roost – in terms of straight, strong, confident blowing – remarkably subtle, but also remarkably well-conceived, and proof that by the end of the 50s, Stitt had really matured greatly as a player – bringing so much to bear in very short space, and really coming up with imaginative solos in the process! The group's a quartet with Barry Harris on piano (although conflicting information also claims that it's Ramsey Lewis) – but Stitt's the main focus on this set, and for good reason – on titles that include "Jack Spratt", "Propapagoon", "This Is Always", "Everyone Does", and "Mr Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

By this point in his career, Sonny hardly needed a tune up in his style – but the album's a great one from his post-Prestige years, and a real back-to-basics effort that recalls the genius of his work on Roost! The format is straight and simple – Stitt's tenor and alto fronting a quartet that includes Barry Harris, Sam Jones, and Alan Dawson – all playing in a way that puts Sonny in command on all tracks, blowing with an amazing tone that makes us want to throw away all his funk, organ, and electric outings, and just concentrate on these straight acoustic sides. Stitt has a way of blowing the reed like he's got his whole mouth moving into the sax – an earthy, human, and personal feel that first came out strongly in his work during the late 50s, but which has grown even more by this point – even if you couldn't hear the development on other sets. And given our love of funk and electric sides, we're honestly surprised we find ourselves championing a record like this from the early 70s – but it's a great one, and not to be missed if you remotely dig Stitt! Titles include "Tune Up", "Idaho", "Just Friends", "Groovin High", and "Blues For Prez & Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange one for Sonny Stitt – but also a real gem! The album has Sonny, who'd been working for the Roost/Roulette label, coming together with other jazz players in the same boat, plus Latin musicians who were recording for the related Tico label. Moishe Levy never made such a good talent judgement as he did with this session – which features an all-star Latin jazz jam that includes the likes of Ray Barretto, Joe Cuba, Junior Mance, Les Spann, Billy Taylor, Wild Bill Davis, Barry Galbraith, Walter Perkins, and Tito Puente. The organ of Davis is a particularly great touch – odd for a Latin session, but creating a cool groove on the best tracks, and a nice way to touch back with a soul jazz sound. Stitt's tone is right out front, and never sounded better – making us wish he'd recorded a few more albums in this manner! Titles include "Duketation", "Twana", "Icey Stone", "Let My People Split", "Samba De Orfeo", "Liberian Love Song", and "Handkerchief Head". Very hip stuff – and organized by Henry Glover, which might be part of the explanation for that! LP, Vinyl record album

Musicians include Chuck Hedges on clarinet, Chuck Calzaretta on vibes, Bobby Roberts on lead guitar, John Defauw on rhythm guitar, John Barry on bass, and Wayne Jones on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful fusion from the mighty Tarika Blue – a group who recorded for the Chiaroscuro label around the same time that James Mason gave the imprint his classic Rhythm Of Life album – recording here in a sound that's not only a bit like James, but which also features his guitar on a number of tracks! The group's way different than the standard fusion acts of the time – as they blend together spiritual currents that allow for breezier instrumentation – sounds that take off to the skies, while still grooving at the core – thanks to an excellent lineup that also includes guitar from Ryo Kawasaki and soprano sax from Justo Almario! The core of the group features Philip Clendeninn on Fender Rhodes and Arp, with bass from Barry Coleman and drums from Kevin Atkins – and the record's got some very James Mason-like vocals at some points, from singers Dolores Smith and Irene Datcher. Titles include "Jimi", "My Love Is So Free", "Love It", "Dreamflower", "Things Spring", "Truth Is The Key", and "Charlie". LP, Vinyl record album

The Ebony Godfather is grooving here with a set of fuller backings – sweet clubby funk, arranged and conducted by Brad Baker (of B Baker Chocolate Company fame) – all as a showcase for Joe's sweet work on flute and tenor sax! There's a fair bit of keyboards on the tunes – played by Pat Rebillot and Barry Miles – and Steve Gadd's playing the drums on the date, which helps the rhythms keep a bit of an edge, even amidst the larger backing. Some cuts have backing chorus vocals, in a style used on other Thomas albums – and although definitely touched by a bit of disco fever, the album's still got a jazzy element too – like some of the crossover club sessions on the Kudu label from the 70s! Titles include "Funky Fever", "Feelins From Within", "Polarizer", "Coco", "Galaxy Dreamin", and "Venus". LP, Vinyl record album

Traffic get some help here from Muscle Shoals heavyweights Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, and Jimmy Johnson – a trio who help the group continue that richer, more expanded sound that was first unfurled on the group's Low Spark album! The sound is maybe a more focused attempt at territory from that record, but one that also really stretches things out too – long tracks that have just the right balance, and which never make the extra long space of the tunes feel like their wasted at all – just perfect settings for the energy of the tunes composed by Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi. Titles include "Roll Right Stones", "Tragic Magic", "Evening Blue", and "Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s soulful classic from the mighty Stanley Turrentine! Stan's not the bad "Mister T" on this set – he's more in a smooth, mellow mode – blowing over some nice soulful arrangements by Gene Page, ones that take the CTI funk approach, add in some strings, and create a bit of a Barry White sort of instrumental groove! The result is surprisingly great – a lot nicer than you might think – with plenty of slinky soulful numbers that have a subtle undercurrent of funk, and still feature some excellent and inventive blowing from Stan. Titles include "Midnight & You", "Blanket On The Beach", "I'm In Love", "Evil", "Pieces of Dreams", and "Deep In Love". LP, Vinyl record album