Really fantastic later work from Bobby Darin – material that's quite different than the simple pop of his early Atco years, and even the jazzier style he used earlier on in the 60s! The set is one of two issued by the Direction label – and features Bobby taking off from some of the Tim Hardin-inspired modes he was using later on at Atlantic – picking up some of the deeper themes of the earlier singer-songwriter years – and singing in a very moody, contemplative style! According to some, Darin was aware that his health only gave him a few more years to live – which was part of the introspection of the music – and although the style owes a lot to Tim Hardin and some of his contemporaries, the songs are all originals by Darin – with some elements that are very different than before. Tracks include "Hey Magic Man", "Light Blue", "Distractions", and "Song For a Dollar". Features four bonus tracks too – "Sweet Reasons", "Maybe We Can Get It Together", "Baby Man", and "RX Pyro (Prescription Fire)". CD

An album as incredible as its bulls-eye cover – the first record ever from a young Bob Dorough – and easily one of his most swinging sessions! The style here is a bit straighter jazz than on some of Bob's later work – vocalese inspired by Jon Hendricks, King Pleasure, Eddie Jefferson, and others – recorded with a small combo that includes Jack Hitchcock on vibes, Warren Fitzgerald on trumpet, Jerry Segal on drums, and Bob's longtime partner Bill Takas on bass. Many of the tunes are vocalized versions of bop numbers – done with a nicely quirky style that shows that the mad Dorough touch was already in place during these early years – on titles that include "It Could Happen To You", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Baltimore Oriole", "Yardbird Suite", "Devil May Care", and "Ow" – plus his great original "You're The Dangerous Type"! Also features a bonus alternate take of "Yardbird Suite". CD

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 30 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey". Also features the bonus track "Here Let My Life" – and presented here with new liner notes! CD

A record that makes us go "wow" all over again at the mighty talents of Bob James – because even this late in life, he's clearly open to new ideas and pushing the boundaries – which he really does here in collaboration with younger musician Sam Franz! In the way that Bob's CTI albums were a landmark electric jazz effort for the 70s – this set's maybe one for the 21st Century, with a vibe that's shows the passage of time in so many different ways! This isn't fusion, smooth jazz, or traditional jazz at all – yet Bob's got some great moments on keyboards throughout, in different sonic settings from Franz, merging together in ways that make it difficult to figure out who's doing what. Titles include "Brew This Again & Again", "This Theme Needs A Movie", "Polar Tangents", "Starless Vault Of Heaven", "See Ya", and "Atsuko's Arcade". CD

The first Bob Marley album on Island Records – and the start of a really legendary run that would not only transform reggae in the 70s, but the rest of popular music as well! Chris Blackwell's partially at the helm on production, but the album was mostly recorded in classic Kingston studios – Randy's, Dynamic, and Harry J's – and retains the same vibe as some of Marley's earlier work, but with more of the forward-thinking vision he brought to his time at Island. Bunny Livingston lays down some excellent percussion on the set – and rhythm is from the team of Aston and Carlton Barrett on bass and drums. Titles include the classic "Stir It Up" – plus "Slave Driver", "Kinky Reggae", "High Tide Or Low Tide", and "Concrete Jungle". Very cool 3CD edition – comes in a hardback book-styled cover, with new notes and rare photos. CD2 features a rare live set recorded in London at the Paris Theater in 1973. CD3 features more unreleased tracks – eight from the sessions, including Jamaican alternative and extended versions of "Slave Driver", "Stop That Train", "No More Trouble", "Stir It Up", "400 Years", and "High Tide Or Low Tide" – plus three more unreleased live tracks from 1973! CD

A key record in the solo development of Bob Seger – a set that has the Detroit powerhouse letting his feelings show a bit more than before, and in a way that really paves the way for his 70s fame to come! Yet the setting here is nicely down to earth, too – still away from the rock arena shows, with elements that echo Bob's earlier roots in some of the more soulful combos on the Motor City scene in the late 70s – amplified at points by a few nice touches from the Muscle Shoal studios! The career-propelling track on here is the early hit "Turn The Page" – next to lots of other great material that includes "Rosalie", "Midnight Rider", "So I Wrote You A Song", "Back In 72", "Neon Sky", "I've Been Workin", and "I've Got Time". CD

A really surprising moment in the career of Bob Seger – a set that has him stepping away from the fuller rock backings of the Bob Seger System, and moving into a mode that's more singer/songwriter, and which has very light instrumentation that really seems to suit Seger's vocals! There's a surprisingly powerful, heartfelt vibe going on here – at a level that, if he were picked up by Columbia and given the same treatment as their big singer/songwriter superstars of the 70s, might have seen Bob create some very different music overall. Most of the time, there's just some piano or acoustic guitar next to the vocals – and Seger's style of singing sounds much more powerful as a result – very different than on his arena rock classics. A stunner, honestly – with titles that include "Maybe Today", "Song For Him", "Something Like", "Railroad Days", and "You Know Who You Are". CD

A really pivotal album for the young Bob Seger – still very much in the Detroit territory of his early years, but already learning how to focus all his inspirations in a really great way! If you know the very young Bob, you'll know that he began as a soul-inspired rocker – but here, with an early incarnation of the Bob Seger System, he's really starting to hit his stride – sharing lead guitar with Tom Neme, for a fuzzier version of the group than before – and really opening up those vocal chops that would soon make him a legend – but without any of the hoke of his mainstream hits of later years. A very worthy nugget from the late 60s Detroit scene – with titles that include "Jumpin Humpin Hip Hypocrite", "Loneliness Is A Feeling", "Cat", "Death Row", "Paint Them A Picture Jane", "Hoan", and "Innervenus Eyes". CD

A wild little record – one that was issued under the name of Flying Dutchman label headman Bob Thiele – but which actually features work from some of the grooviest artists on the label at the time – including Tom Scott, Ornette Coleman, Jon Appleton, John Carter, Horace Tapscott, and Bobby Bradford! The package has a very different feel on each of the album's four sides – and side one is a tremendous showcase for the young reedman Tom Scott – working here in a cool mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation that's similar to his other records of the time – including organ, vibes, and some nice funky touches as well. Side two features an exploration of the history of jazz – but one that progresses quickly from early modes to hipper ones – showcasing the talents of John Carter on tenor, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, and Horace Tapscott on piano! Side three is a mighty dedication to the late John Coltrane – played at first by a trio with Joe Farrell on flute, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – then moving into a mix of Farrell's flute and narration by Rosko – then a performance by the Ornette Coleman quartet. And side four is especially mindblowing, as it's comprised of lone long piece by Jon Appleton's Syntonic Menagerie – a mix of sound samples, tape tricks, and jazz – as a commentary on The American Indian, JFK, and Martin Luther King. The whole thing's a great illustration of the Flying Dutchman label at its most revolutionary – and titles include "Head Start", "Freaky Zeke", "Lanoola Goes Limp", "Swing Era", "In The Vineyard/Avant Garde", "Love Supreme", "Lament For John Coltrane", and "A Few Thoughts For The Day". CD also features a rare bonus track – "The Flying Dutchman". CD

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A really great duo set – alto from Bob Mover and piano from Walter Davis Jr – playing together here in a relaxed live setting that really has both players at the top of their game! Mover is an especially great surprise – and blows here with this openly flowing sense of imagination that's mindblowing – a raspy edge on the alto that hearkens back to some of the players who inspired him, but with this very personal quality that's at a level that was only captured on a rare few of his other albums. Davis is the piano giant you'd expect – with that masterful sense of tone and timing that resonated especially well on some of his overseas dates of the 70s – and the recording quality has this nice sense of room that only further underscores the intimacy of the two players working together, and which seems to do especially nice things for Mover's horn. Titles include long creative takes on "Star Eyes", "Bird Feathers", "A Nightingale Sang In Barkley Square", "Donna Lee", "Nica's Tempo", and "All The Things You Are/Prince Albert". CD

A great little 70s album of electric blues – a set that begins with a song about Watergate – then moves off into a whole other great range of themes too! Bob Kirkpatrick's got a vibe here that's in the better style of the small club scene of Detroit or Chicago at the time – lean, gritty, and with vocals wrapped around his guitar in a really wonderful way – getting support from a slightly unusual trio that features Jothan Callins on bass, Ron Burton on piano, and Harold White on drums – two of whom you'll know from work in spiritual jazz! Titles include "Watergate Blues", "Sweet Little Angel", "I Don't Know Why", "When The Sun Rose This Morning", "I Been Down So Long", and "I Got Love". CD

The last album that Bob Seger recorded with his early System group, and a set that's still got more of the hard rock and psych elements that Bob was using during his initial late 60s rise to fame! There's a rawness here at times that will surprise folks who only know Seger's late 70s mainstream classics – yet Bob's already got that nicely soul-drenched approach to vocals too, which makes for a nice change from the usual underground group of the time. Dan Watson provides great piano and organ, Pep Perrine handles some mighty heavy drums, and titles include "Big River", "Mongrel", "Lucifer", "Teachin Blues", "Song To Rufus", "Leanin On My Dreams", "Highway Child", and a heady take on "River Deep Mountain High", with some mighty nice guitar! CD

Bob Berg's always been a heck of a great tenor player, but he sounds especially great on this early album as a leader – a tight and soulful session cut with Cedar Walton on keyboards, Al Foster on drums, and Tom Harrell on trumpet! The groove here is freewheeling but straightforward – a bit like the Art Blakey style of the Prestige years – in which the band pulsates with a highly rhythmic approach, but the soloists soar on even farther with their own sense of life and energy. The group also features electric bass and a bit of congas, which brings a slightly Latin flavor to a few cuts – and overall, the album's an extremely soulful set that really deserves greater mention. Titles include "Pauletta", "Neptune", "This Masquerade", "Magic Carpet", and "Shapes". CD also features the bonus track "I'll Let You Know". CD

A compelling album of twin-piano lines – one in which Bill Evans and Bob Brookmeyer play head-to-head, in a spiraling modernist style that brings out the best in each player! Although Brookmeyer's best known as a trombonist, he's pretty great here on piano – and the album's a real treasure from his legendary late 50s years – a time when Bob was really opening up tremendously in his music! The album separates out the players via stereo – with Bill Evans in the right channel and Brookmeyer in the left – and the format usually has one player in a rhythm groove while the other solos over the top. The bass of Percy Heath and drums of Connie Kay complete the group – and titles include longish versions of "As Time Goes By", "I Got Rhythm", "The Man I Love", and "The Way You Look Tonight". CD

A merry, merry, merry and groovy groovy groovy Christmas from Captain Kangaroo, Mister Green Jeans and the early 60s cast! For the young or otherwise uninitiated, Captain Kangaroo (played by Bob Keeshin) was a groundbreaking, legendary children's television program that ran from the mid 1950s to the early 80s – with silly charm to spare. This wonderful Christmas record comes from the early part of the 60s, with the grander period production touches to show for it – groovy chorus backing vocals, sound effects, and a big, bright sound – on Christmas classics, original material, fun spoken intros and interludes. Not hokey at all...a real charmer! Includes "Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas", "Jingle Bells", "Santa's Other Reindeer", "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas", "When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter", "Happy Little New Year" and more. CD

A really cool set from the Polish scene at the start of the 80s – one that's definitely got some of the disco elements promised in the title, but sometimes with an offbeat vibe that's pretty unique! About half the tracks have some familiar disco-styled charts, done at an instrumental level – which means that there's fast funk in the rhythms, and jazzy instrumentation at the core – and these cuts are mixed with others that are a bit more lean and electric, and almost hint at some of the UK electro club sounds that were just showing up in the post-punk years – maybe not as dark here as on those recordings, but still quite a nice surprise. Titles include "Family Disco", "Mimma", "Erebus", "Disco Flash", "Sarisari", "Drums", and "Mr Fuzz". CD features three bonus tracks – "Horoskop", "Forte Brass", and "Warka Eksport". CD

Maybe one of the most unique albums ever cut by tenorist Heinz Sauer, and one that definitely lives up to its title – as the session features plenty of blues harmonica and vocals from the great Carey Bell! The format is very unique – partly jazz, partly blues – with Bob Degen playing piano in a way that bridges both modes, while Sauer is more soulful than usual, yet still never really handling his horn in any way that's more familiar blues material either! Carey's right at home in the setting – really rising to the occasion on titles that include "Degen Blues", "I Want You To Love Me", "One Day I Get Lucky", "A Classical Preacher", and "Hollerin The Blues". CD

Hypnotic and frenzied instrumental sounds from the early 70s – heavy rhythms and fuzzy walls of guitar from Bob Thompson and Doug Snyder – a masterful piece of avant rock! Daily Dance is one of those records that's so far ahead of the pack stylistically, you can hardly believe it was made when it was. The songs are long and roll out in a way that makes it clear the players are unafraid of noise, but it's wholly riveting and finds a real groove – they set up their own dynamics and they work well within them. The duo does more with electric fuzz, echoes, and pounding rhythms than all too few boundless artists dared to even attempt – and it's a record that you could have easily convinced us was produced at some point in the 80s, 90s, or 00s rock underground had we not been informed it was from early 70s southern Ohio! Timeless, original and exciting stuff. Includes "Daily Dance", "Living With The Crocodiles", "Time Overlaps Itself", "Soul And Universe", "Hit And Run", "Truth Is A Pathless Land" and "Teenage Emergency". CD

An amazing, largely unheard collection of recordings by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys! If you're not down with the lore, what's now known as The Tiffany Transcriptions is a series of recordings that the western swing pioneers cut for Tiffany Music, Inc. in the mid-to-late 40s, which were intended only for syndicated radio play at the time – but Tiffany went bust shortly thereafter, and a lot of went unheard for years and years. Wills and his Playboys are really at a peak level here – bridging rural dancehall music with swing jazz in landmark fashion and folksy charm. We've always been huge fans of Playboys singer Tommy Duncan, and he's in top form here, - and the set includes some excellent instrumentals, too. It features 50 tracks on 2CDs – 30 of which have never been reissued, or included on earlier Tiffany Transcriptions anthologies – and 20 of the 50 have never been released before now! Includes "Put Another Chair At The Table", "Travelin' Blues", "Bubbles In My Beer", "Detour", "Sliver Dew On The Blue Grass Tonight", "On The Alamo (Instrumental)", "Ragtime Annie (Instrumental)", "Goodnight Little Sweetheart", "I Wonder If You Feel The Way I Do", "She's Gone", "Still Water Runs The Deepest" and many more. Deluxe package, too! CD

Four of the more obscure RCA albums from the great Bobby Bare – all brought together here in a single set! First up is the very unusual English Countryside album – a special set that has the vocals of Bobby Bare paired with a group from the UK – Liverpool's Hillsiders, who sing with a style that's a bit folk, and a bit rock – but which takes on a very distinct country vibe amidst the RCA production of Chet Atkins! Both Bare and The Hillsiders sing solo on the record – but most of the set has them paired together, and the presence of all those voices on the tracks create a nice sense of spontaneity – maybe a hint at the more relaxed recording approach that Bobby would use on his big albums of the mid 70s! Titles include "Sweet Dreams", "Six Days On The Road", "Find Out What's Happening", "Love's Gonna Live Here", "Goin Home", "Blue Is My Lonely Room", and "I Washed My Face In The Mountain Dew". Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn is a seminal album in the career of Bobby Bare – and the record that really has him turning from a young smiling country singer to the kind of more adult, mature talent that would really send him over the top! The album's promise of "controversial country songs" is certainly apt – as in addition to the great Tom T Hall title cut, the album also features Bare taking on great material from Kris Kristoffersen, Mel Tillis, and even the team of Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn – all set to arrangements that are nicely more sophisticated than those used on the more pop productions of some of Bobby's earlier albums. Titles include "Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn,", "The Law Is For The Protection Of The People", "Watching The Trains Go By", "Skip A Rope", "Rainy Day In Richmond", "Cincinnati Jail", "Wild As The Wind", and "Drink Up & Go Home". I Hate Goodbyes is the record that marked the return of Bobby Bare to RCA Records in the early 70s – and one that also marks the start of a very different phase in Bare's career! This time around, Bobby's handling the production himself – working with the kind of thoughtful, mature material that would really let him open up – songs from Billy Joe Shaver, Mickey Newbury, the team of Bill Rice and Jerry Foster, and even an early tune from Shel Silverstein – who would soon become one of the biggest contributors to Bobby's records. The vibe is very different than his RCA material of the mid 60s, and in a great way – on titles that include "I Hate Goodbyes", "Restless Wind", "Ride Me Down Easy", "Send Tomorrow To The Moon", "You Know Who", "An Offer She Couldn't Refuse", "What's Your Mama's Name Child", and "Poison Red Berries". Last up is Cowboys & Daddys – an overlooked gem in the mid 70s RCA years of the great Bobby Bare – and a set that really shows the dedication that Bare had during these years to finding the most sophisticated material of the new country generation! The list of songwriters alone is great – as the set features tracks from Terry Allen, Shel Silverstein, David Hickey, and Tom T Hall – plus an early contribution from Bob McDill, with whom Bare would soon record a lot more material on albums to come. There's a mature, laidback vibe to the whole set – different than some of the more playful Bobby Bare albums of the time – and titles include "Chester", "The Cowboy & The Poet", "Amarillo Highway", "Speckled Pony", "Calgary Snow", "Last Dance At The Old Texas Moon", "Pretty Painted Ladies", and "The Stranger". CD

Big Maybelle's got a new bag – and we like it! This tasty set was cut for the tiny Rojac label in between Maybelle's earlier years at Savoy and later albums on Brunswick – and it's got a swinging, 60s mod sort of style that's pretty darn groovy, baby! The arrangements are by Bob Gallo, and most of the tracks are 60s pop and soul standards – but Maybelle sings them with a gusty, sincere style – and brings a really great approach to the album – almost giving it the feel of some of the best Tangerine label albums from the decade. Titles include "Eggplant That Ate Chicago", "I Can't Control Myself", "Coming On Strong", "Mellow Yellow", "96 Tears", "Eleanor Rigby", and "Black Is Black". Kind of nutty, but it kind of works! CD

A legendary bit of fuzzy funk from James Brown – an important collaboration with the mighty Dave Matthews, who brings a more tripped-out feel to the record than some of James' other King sessions of the time! Matthews adds in lots of psych-influenced guitar – used very different than the scratching riffs of the other JB material of the late 60s – in ways that almost make the record a second chapter to Dave's Grodeck Whipperjenny album – a gritty blend of funk, soul, and psych – all with some nice touches by the James Brown Band! All tracks are co-written by Brown and Matthews, and all are instrumental – and titles include "Can Mind", "Don't Mind", "Bob Scoward", and "Just Enough Room for Storage". CD

The first great, label-spanning compilation of great 50s & 60s tracks by a variety of artists with some little in common in some cases, but share at least one unbreakable bond – they recorded these tracks with the incredible James Burton on guitar! It's got fiery, pivotal rockabilly Dale Hawkins and Bob Luman, pop takeover numbers by Ricky Nelson, rustic charisma from Lee Hazlewood, benchmark honky tonk from Merle Haggard, harmony country rock from Buffalo Springfield and much more – including numbers credited to James Burton himself and with Ralph Mooney. Includes "Susie-Q" by Dale Hawkins, "Red Hot" by Bob Luman, "Cannonball Rag" by James Burton, "Blood From A Stone" by Ricky Nelson, "A Child's Claim To Fame" by Buffalo Springfield, "Swamp Surfer" by Jimmy Dobro, "Someday, Someday" by The Shindogs, "Just For A While" by Carol Williams, "Tryin' To Be Someone" by David & Lee and more. CD

An incredible treasure from a lost vocal jazz genius – the little-known Bobby Cole, every bit as great a singer as he was a songwriter, very unusual for the time! Bobby was probably best remembered as the house pianist at Jillys, but at the time of this 1964 recording, he was poised to emerge as a serious vocalist with a rich talent for penning interesting and witty little tunes. The album's got Bobby singing in a style that's halfway between Matt Dennis and Mark Murphy – with the sophisticated talents of both in place, and perhaps a bit of the wit of Bob Dorough or Roy Kral. The original album features Bobby on piano and vocals, with only bass and drums behind him – and the CD features a bonus 6 tracks recorded in more recent years, with larger backings. The core album is completely brilliant – the kind of off-kilter vocal record we die for – and every track's a fresh original by Bobby! Titles include "You Can't Build A Life On A Look", "Heat", "You Could Hear A Pin Drop", "Change Of Scene", "A Perfect Day", "Elegy For Eve", and "Status Quo". CD

A rare session as a leader from trumpeter Johnny Coles – a player who cut some great work in the groups of James Moody and Gil Evans, but who shines even more brightly on this classic Blue Note album! Coles really has an ear for finding the hippest side of his instrument – and he blows with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – and certainly far from the mellower tones of his previous leader set for Columbia. This album's got a great mix of hardbop and modern ideas – right up there with the best Blue Note had to offer at the time – and the group's filled with equally hip players who include Joe Henderson on tenor, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Pete LaRoca or Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Heavy Legs", "Hobo Joe", "Jano", and "Little Johnny C". Very hip, very hard, and very swingin! CD

A fantastically beautiful album that strongly proves the old jazz adage "It's not the song, but the singer"! The "singer" in this case is alto player Sonny Criss – and the songs are a middle of the road batch of compositions, like "Sunny", "Willow Weep For Me", "Up Up & Away", and "Scrapple From the Apple". Forget the songs, in this case, because it's the "singer" who adds all the genius, as Criss' solos are fantastically warm, lyrical, and imaginative – far more so than you could imagine by just reading the titles on the album. We love all of the late 60s albums by Criss on Prestige, but this one's one of our favorites, and is a beautiful example of the late altoists sheer creative power in action. Other players include Cedar Walton, Tal Farlow, and Bob Cranshaw. CD

A record that marks a slight shift for Family – maybe a more focused approach to songwriting, yet one that's still very much their own – given the undeniably wild vocals of the legendary Roger Chapman! Chapman's knocking it out of the park here – even nudging aside John Wetton, who doesn't sing as much as before – as the group swerve between hard rock moments and some even cooler, artier touches – on titles that include "Burlesque", "Bolero Babe", "Coronation", "Dark Eyes", "Broken Nose", "My Friend The Sun", "Glove' , "Top Of The Hill", and "Ready To Go". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "The Rockin Rs", and early Olympic Studios versions of tracks, never issued before – plus five more numbers from a BBC Bob Harris Show performance in 1971. CD

Fantastic work from one of our favorite Dizzy Gillespie groups ever – an early 60s lineup that not only features a young Lalo Schifrin on piano, but also the great Leo Wright on alto sax and flute! Dizzy's maybe best known for his bebop material – and he recorded famously in that mode earlier on the Parisian scene – but here at the start of the 60s, he's opening up an entirely new chapter in his book – blowing on much longer tracks that are really set free in new rhythmic modes – in large part by Schifrin's input in the group, which comes not just from his piano work and arrangements, but also from some of the great material he penned for the set! There's plenty of influences from Latin and Brazilian music – but at a level that's nicely submerged, and very different than Dizzy's earlier cubop – more matured, and taken in all these new righteous directions, which unlocks all these incredible elements in Gillespie's trumpet too. This isn't the scat-singing, bebop jokester from the past – and instead a proud, powerful talent who sounds incredible throughout. The 1960 material also features Art Davis on bass and Chuck Lampkin on drums, plus guest congas from Candido – on the long "Gillespiana Suite", plus "Caravan" and "Cripple Crapple Crutch". The 1961 material features Bob Cunningham on bass and Mel Lewis on drums – on titles that include "Kush", "Lorraine", "Desafinado", "Long Long Summer", "Pau De Arara", and "Cripple Crapple Crutch". CD

Right from the start of his career, poet Allen Ginsberg experimented with recording and music – maybe not a surprise, because as a young beat poet, he grew up in the era when long playing records were really taking off – yet still delivered in a way that was often very different than recorded projects by contemporaries like Lawrence Ferlinghetti or Jack Kerouac! For one thing, Ginsberg was never afraid to sing – which he definitely does here – and as a poet with an already-striking voice for reading, his vocals really follow suit – as does his collaborative spirit that ran through all generations of his creativity – leading him to work on some of these tracks with artists as diverse as Paul McCartney, Elvin Jones, Bob Dylan, Arthur Russell, and Philip Glass. The set was done in collaboration with Ginsberg's estate, and brings together both vocal and spoken selections, some never issued before – with selections that include "First Party At Ken Kesey's With Hell's Angels", "Raghupati Raghava", "Ballad Of The Skeletons", "Hum Bum", "Birdbrain", "Grey Monk", "Prayer For John Sinclair", "Put Down Yr Cigarette Rag", "Gospel Noble Truths", and "Ballad Of The Skeletons". CD

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". Also features the bonus track "Wives & Lovers". CD

A pair of charmers from legendary producer Lloyd Charmers – served up here with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is the classic Sweet Bitter Love from Marcia Griffiths – a set that helped cement her reputation as one of the most soulful female singers in Jamaican music at the time – and one that really helps bridge worlds by serving up some great reggae-styled takes on American soul music! Marcia serves up sublime takes on tunes by Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Roberta Flack, and others – completely reworked by Charmers' instrumentation – which also includes some wonderful keyboards! Titles include "Play Me", "Gypsy Man", "Sweet Bitter Love", "Green Grasshopper", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", and "Everything I Own". Far & Distant features wicked guitar work from Willie Lindo – spun out here over an all-instrumental set that almost feels more like Jamaican records of the late 60s than you'd guess from the mid 70s date of the album! The grooves are definitely more 70s – certainly with a strong reggae current – but the spare, stripped-down manner of presentation takes us back more to some of the instrumental rocksteady records – especially in the way the production allows for lots of focus on the core musician – which means you really get to hear all the wicked, trippy currents of Lindo's instrument – used in a heady style that almost makes him come across like the Phil Upchurch of the Jamaican scene! Lloyd Charmers produced, and also plays piano and organ – and titles include "Drum Song", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Midnight train To Georgia", "Samba Pati", "Chopper", "Hear I Am Baby", "Charmers Mood", "Mystic Mood", "Breezing", and "Holly Holy". 2CD edition features 20 more bonus tracks – 17 of which are new to CD – a full alternate mix of the Marcia Griffiths album, the tune "Midnight & You" by Willie Lindo, and more Lloyd Charmer productions from rare 7" singles – work by Big Youth, Drifting Blenders, Bob Andy, BB Seaton, Errol Thomas, and others. CD

One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes conventional reggae, but the instrumentation is often nicely different, with ties to some of the more mainstream Mid-East modes of the period, especially on the keyboards – a quality that's also echoed in the lyrics here, which on most tracks are in Libyan Arabic, with phrasing that's miles away from the world of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff! Titles include "Only World", "Tayr Al Salma", "Kesati", "Enti", "Watany Al Kabir", "Tendme", and "Fouhi Ya Nesma". CD

Three full albums from heavy rocker Bob "Catfish" Hodge – a great underground talent on the Detroit scene of the late 60s and early 70s – and one who recorded for the same Westbound label as Funkadelic! Hodge shares a lot with some of the best Detroit talents of the time – namely a real genre-crossing sound that's very color blind – one that mixes in equal parts blues, rock, and soul – and which sometimes hits some funkier edges too – no surprise, given the Westbound recording style at the time. The guitar is great – often fuzzy, but never too freaky – and nicely focused on the rhythms on most tunes, until it takes off in some sweetly expressive solos. Hodge's vocals have a nice degree of grit, and a quality that's a bit like Dr John – in which he's referencing older modes and styles, but manages to come off without any hoke at all. The 2CD set features all three albums recorded for the Westbound/Eastbound label – Soap Operas, Dinosaurs & Alleycats, and Boogie Man Gonna Get Ya – plus b-sides and a few unreleased tracks too. Titles include "Train To Detroit", "Boogie Man", "Different Strokes", "Ghetto", "Hungry Love", "Big Boss Man", "Oscar Teo", "For Free", "Des Woman", "Sweet Cocaine", and "We Got Love In Our House". CD

One of the most spiritual sessions we've ever heard from Noah Howard – a real gem from his 70s years on the European scene – and a record that takes all his previous avant explorations and gives them even more focus than before! The group's got a great way of building up a cosmic sense of energy before it takes off – real magic that comes from the Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano of Michael Smith, the bass of Bob Reid, and drums of Noel McGhee – the last of whom is a player who really drives the action along when needed – setting the spark that burns to a fire in Howard's bold alto solos. Noah also plays a bit of bells and tambourine – and Smith has a great way of resonating his acoustic keys in these wide waves of sound – very introspective, like some of Lonnie Liston Smith's early work with Pharoah Sanders. Titles include "Paris Dreams", "Lecke", and "Mardi Gras". CD

The complete recordings of Bo Kirkland & Ruth Davis – a great west coast duo who should have been huge! The core of the CD is the self titled Bo & Ruth record – a killer album of smooth soul – done with a bit of a southern tinge, and a great indie production approach that really makes the best of the duet-style vocals! Bo Kirkland is actually the great Mike James Kirkland – who you may know from killer indie soul albums issued before this gem – and these duets with Ruth Davis really expand his previous sound, and make the best use of his warm, mellow style of singing – a groove that's somewhere between Marvin Gaye, Stax Records, and maybe some of the best soul duo styles of the time. Bob Kirkland was the creative force behind the set – and has a great way of wrapping the vocals together in a mellow mode – often with Bo's vocals in the lead, as Ruth comes in to give him great support. The whole thing's wonderful – an overlooked gem that rivals some of the bigger southern soul albums of the time, especially those with a modern vibe – and titles include "Can You Feel It", "Grandfather Clock", "Easy Loving", "You're Gonna Get Next To Me", "To Make You Love Me", and "Train Of Desire". CD also features bonus tracks from singles – "Lost In A Love Zone", "That's A Bet", "Stay By My Side", "That's The Way The Wind Blows", and "Loving Arms". CD

A standout set from keyboardist Neil Larsen – a record that crossed over big back in the 70s, and which still sounds pretty darn great in the 21st Century! Larsen's keys here are kind of a more mainstream take on territory Bob James was exploring a few years before – arguably hipper at this point that some of James' own recordings, and recorded in a relatively lean setting with guitar, bass, drums, and percussion – plus a bit of tenor or trumpet from time to time. The keyboards glide along gently on the spacey numbers, and get a bit more bite on some of the funkier ones – always with a good sense of space that means that Neil's never jamming too much, or getting in the way of his groove. Titles include the classic "Sudden Samba" – plus "Jungle Fever", "Red Desert", "Emerald City", "Last Tango In Paris", "Windsong", and "Promenade". CD

A never-issued live set from spiritual reed genius Yusef Lateef – one that was recorded during the years he was recording for Atlantic Records, but with a nicely different vibe! The tracks are all long, loose, and very open – Yusef blowing tenor, soprano sax, and flute – shifting the moods and tones has he can do so well, with some gentle modal and spiritual currents – qualities that are really emphasized by the piano of Kenny Barron, who's a key member of the group here – and also gets plenty of space to stretch out on solos on the very long tracks. Albert Tootie Heath is in the group on drums – although on one track, he blows Indian flute, in just a duet with bassist Bob Cunningham, who's the fourth member of the group. Barron duets with Yusef on flute on the title "A Flower", and the Cunningham/Heath duet is titled "Lowland Lullaby" – while all others are quartet numbers, and include "The Untitled", "Eboness", "Yusef's Mood", "Inside Atlantis", and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". CD

Fantastic work from bassist Gunter Lenz – a set with maybe a jokey title, but a heck of a lot of power underneath – one of those overlooked German jazz gems from a very special time in the scene! The players here are aware of the farther reaches of jazz, yet work together with more inside stile – yet always with a sensibility that there's a much broader frontier that informs their music! The lineup features Frank St Peter on alto and flute, Lesek Zadlo on tenor and soprano, Johannes Faber on trumpet, Bob Degen on piano, and the great Joe Nay on drums – and titles include "Speed Freak", "Children Of The Night", "The Bear Is Gone", and "Do Not Tear The Posters Down". CD

A killer set of electric keyboards – with a groove that stretches from wigged-out Herbie Hancock to the laidback style of Bob James on CTI! Mikio Masuda plays a range of different instruments – from Fender Rhodes to Clavinet, Yamaha organ, ARP, and mini-Korg – and the group behind him includes guitar, bass, drums, soprano sax, and lots of percussion – all jamming together on the fiercest tracks like a full-on version of The Headhunters! Tracks are all long, and the album's proof that Japan was turning out some amazing electric jazz albums in the 70s – real classics that stand with the best from America at the time. Titles include "Hello Jess", "What's Happening", "I Saw The Light", and "Airplane". CD