A set of incredible records from Charles Mingus – all presented together in one mighty nice package! First up is Mingus Moves – a fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". CD also features bonus tracks – "Big Alice" and "The Call". Changes is key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", "Remember Rockefeller At Attica", "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. On 3 Or 4 Shades Of Blues, Charles Mingus is returning to the soulful gospel-influenced mode he swung big in the early 60s! The record's something of a later predecessor of the classics Blues & Roots for Atlantic and Mingus (x5) for Impulse – and the style is slightly less dramatic, but still quite steeped in soulful explorations that feature plenty of notes from the bluer side of the spectrum! Players include George Coleman and Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and titles include new takes on "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" and "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" – plus"Nobody Knows", "Noddin Ya Head Blues", and "Three Or Four Shades Of Blues". Next is Cumbia & Jazz Fusion – one of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". Me Myself An Eye is complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker on tenors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side two contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". Something Like A Bird is one of the last albums Charles Mingus ever gave us – before departing this planet way way too soon! The set shows the increasing sophistication of Mingus' music in these later years – a mode that almost echoes the path that Duke Ellington would take in his final decade – a move towards some larger-form material that still holds onto all the raw energy of the early days, but finds a way to not only bridge larger musical ideas – but musical generations as well! As part of this, the set's got a wonderful lineup – with Lee Konitz on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, George Coleman on tenor, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include the long title track, "Something Like A Bird", split up over 2 sides of the LP, plus "Farewell Farwell". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of keyboard work from the legendary Piero Umiliani – and one that's definitely heavy on the Fender Rhodes promised in the title! Piero first started out with a more jazz-based sound in the 60s, and that definitely returns here – but updated nicely with a sweet set of 70s electric keys – used here in ways that move between funky jazz, gentler bossa numbers, and a whole range of other styles that fit very nicely on the groovier side of the sound library spectrum! As with most of Umiliani's music during the decade, this album wasn't commercially released at all – just done as a sound library session under the name of Rovi – but pure Piero all the way through, on titles that include "Medium Cool", "Honey Moon", "Jolly", "Pianofender Blues", "Proposal", "Good Job", "Dark Blues", and "Atmosphere". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that was years ahead of its time – in part because Karen Dalton's a singer with a style that's wonderfully hard to peg! The set was issued on Capitol Records at a time when the label was doing great work with Fred Neil – but Dalton's got this blues-inflected style of singing and a kind of inflection that also maybe echoes Billie Holiday a bit – yet all at a level that's very laidback and easygoing, so that Karen never sounds like some of her contemporaries who were trying a bit to hard to reach for the more soulful side of the spectrum! Instrumentation is mostly acoustic, gut there's some great use of electric bass and a bit of electric guitar – which makes Dalton's 12 string and banjo performances come across more like some of the hipper acoustic sessions on Vanguard at the time. Tunes include a few originals two Fred Neil covers, and a well-chosen Tim Hardin track too – in a set list that includes "In The Evening It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best", "Little Bit Of Rain", "Blues On The Ceiling", "Sweet Substitute", "Ribbon Bow", "I Love You More Thank Words Can Say", and "Down On The Street". LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely fantastic look at the strong legacy of gospel music from Savoy Records – a company who were initially a powerhouse in the fields of jazz and R&B, but who moved into the gospel world and dominated that market for decades! Savoy is a bit like Chess Records – a company who really learned how to record blues singers and soulful styles from the secular world, then used that same ability to work some real magic on songs from the more spiritual side of the spectrum – an approach that really made for top-shelf music, even as the decades moved on! Savoy's gospel legacy has always been a bit underground – not nearly as reissued for larger audiences as their jazz and blues material – but this collection does a great job of correcting that lack, by presenting their music in a wonderful format – all in a mix of rare cuts and classics from the gospel underground. This second volume features work from Savoy's prime 70s gospel years – 20 tracks by artists who include The Metro Tones, Betty Hollins, Gene Martin, Swan Silvertones, Artistic Sounds, James Moore, Holy Lights Of Baltimore, Brooklyn Skyways, World Wonders, Myrna Summers, Brockingham Ensemble, Prof Charles Taylor, Exciting Supreme Highlights, and Highway QCs. LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely fantastic look at the strong legacy of gospel music from Savoy Records – a company who were initially a powerhouse in the fields of jazz and R&B, but who moved into the gospel world and dominated that market for decades! Savoy is a bit like Chess Records – a company who really learned how to record blues singers and soulful styles from the secular world, then used that same ability to work some real magic on songs from the more spiritual side of the spectrum – an approach that really made for top-shelf music, even as the decades moved on! Savoy's gospel legacy has always been a bit underground – not nearly as reissued for larger audiences as their jazz and blues material – but this collection does a great job of correcting that lack, by presenting their music in a wonderful format – all in a mix of rare cuts and classics from the gospel underground. Savoy kept going strong into the 80s, in a mix of styles that includes some funk and boogie – served up here on 17 tracks by artists that include Solomon Burke, Genobia Jeter, World Wonders, Edith Moreno, Glenn Jones & The Modulations, Hollywood Stars, James Cleveland, Holy Lights Of Baltimore, Sensational Williams Brothers, Gospelaires Of Dayton, Helen Hollins Singers, Edith Moreno, and The 4th Of May. LP, Vinyl record album

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

A really fantastic live album from Nina Simone – recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1966, and delivered with that hard-burning energy that always makes Nina's concert performances so mindblowing! There's a lean, mean groove to the record – sharply soulful piano from Simone, and backing from a group that includes some exceptional work on drums from Robert Hamilton – a player who really helps kick up the rhythms at times – while Nina delivers these searing lyrics that definitely showcase the more righteous, political side of her spectrum! The set's a great addition to the Philips material from this period – and titles include a killer version of "Mississippi Goddam", plus "You've Got To Learn", "Blues For Mama", "Be My Husband", "Music For Lovers", and "I Loves You Porgy". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic live album from Nina Simone – recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1966, and delivered with that hard-burning energy that always makes Nina's concert performances so mindblowing! There's a lean, mean groove to the record – sharply soulful piano from Simone, and backing from a group that includes some exceptional work on drums from Robert Hamilton – a player who really helps kick up the rhythms at times – while Nina delivers these searing lyrics that definitely showcase the more righteous, political side of her spectrum! The set's a great addition to the Philips material from this period – and titles include a killer version of "Mississippi Goddam", plus "You've Got To Learn", "Blues For Mama", "Be My Husband", "Music For Lovers", and "I Loves You Porgy". LP, Vinyl record album

A great assortment of rare jazz and soul – and a set that you can totally dig, even if you don't know the meaning of Klinkhamer! The title's a reference to a Dutch record shop, whose owners compiled these tracks – but the music here has a very universal appeal, especially if you dig your music on the deeper side of the spectrum – as the cuts are mostly late 70s/early 80s numbers, served up in a blend of spiritual and funky jazz styles, with just a bit of vocals in the mix. Almost all the cuts here are pretty darn hard to track down on vinyl, which makes for a very essential set – and titles include "Kweenie" by Don Jules Pules Band, "Offshore Sounds" by Rene Van Heldingen, "Epitaph" by Gianno Basso, "Don't Let Love" by Oasis Band, "Funky Blues" by Sergio Coppotelli, and "Holy Ghost" by Eddie Holman. LP, Vinyl record album

A spooky space age fantasy put together by electronic music Joel Vandroogenbroeck as a sound library project – done right around the early years of his famous group Brainticket, but with a much more abstract quality overall! The tunes are sometimes groovy, but mostly fall on that darker side of the sound library spectrum – all sorts of cool elements rumbling down at the bottom of the sonic palette, mixed with some higher-soaring electronics and keyboards – yet all at a level that really fits the dark-tinged image on the cover! Titles include "Riflessione Introspettiva", "Hertz Blues", "Risonanze Estaiche", "Curva Di Energia", "Angolazione Acustiche", "Eco Cosmico", and "Ricerca Di Sintonia". LP, Vinyl record album

Kahil El'Zabar reinvigorated his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble a few years back, and the results have been a really stunning reworking of his legacy on the Chicago scene in the 80s – especially on the great run of albums on the Spiritmuse label! All the rhythmic, hypnotic qualities of Kahil's past music informs these sounds – but there's also maybe more majesty and more spiritual power overall – as El'Zabar's work on a variety of percussion instruments is matched with bold baritone work from Alex Harding, and tremendous trumpet from Corey Wilkes! Kahil's vocals are also fantastic – an element that he never used this strongly in the past, and which open up a lost possible career as a soul singer from the more righteous side of the spectrum. The set also features work from James Sanders on violin and viola, and Ishmael Ali on cello – both musicians who add to the majesty of the music – on titles that include "Burundi", "All Blues", "Can You Find A Place", "Great Black Music", "Open Me", "Kari", "Return Of The Lost Tribe", and "Passion Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

A dramatic, dynamic set from the early 70s Aussie scene – a record that's got a lot more grace, power, and flight than you might guess from its cover – and a vibe that also doesn't entirely fit the group's Lord Of The Rings reference in their name! The set's definitely in the prog side of the spectrum, but it's also delivered with an instrumental complexity, especially on the piano lines – which have a similar vibe to some of the live tracks on Jethro Tull's Living In The Past 2LP set – echoed by the phrasing in the vocals, and the album's great use of flute. Yet this is hardly a Tull set either, as there's no blues rock references – and maybe more of an inspiration from higher concept jazz fusion projects, reflected especially on the longer instrumental passages on the record. Titles include "Rivendell", "Land Of Mordor", "Trees & Grass", "A History Book", "Sky", "Dark Lord", "Aragorn", and "Dance Of The Ring". LP, Vinyl record album

Weird and wonderful sounds from a very electric man – the mighty Piero Umiliani, an Italian composer who first rose to fame for a set of groundbreaking film scores in the 60s – then moved into even more experimental sound library work in the following decade! This set has Piero working in all sorts of cool electronic styles – never too outside or avant, but definitely in the darker side of his spectrum – although almost always with that playful sense of a tune that made his 60s music such a delight! The range of instruments varies – Umiliani clearly had a studio that was full of brand-new, top-shelf technologies – and titles are mostly from the mid 70s, with a few later cuts from 1983. Tunes include "Danza Magica", "Soundmaker Blues", "Fruitori", "Batticuore", "Sinistro Carillon", "Dolomiti", "Apocolaisse Atomica", "Description", "Lavorazione A Mare", and "Elettrone". LP, Vinyl record album