A record that's every bit as cool as its cover – and one of the strongest Blue Note sessions from Hammond organ legend Big John Patton! The tracks are long, and have a great loping rhythm – a groove that Patton creates by using the bass pedals alongside the drums of Ben Dixon – a player who really helps John break past more familiar Hammond modes – and helps establish that unique sound that really made the organist one of the strongest 60s players on his instrument! The rest of the combo is fantastic too – with Fred Jackson on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, Richard Williams on trumpet – the last of whom is a real surprise, if you only know his work with Charles Mingus. The tracks are nice and long, and have a good balance between soulful roots and more modern intentions – on titles that include "Just 3/4", "The Way I Feel", "Jerry", "The Rock", and "Davene". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem by the great Charlie Rich – an album recorded for Hi Records in the years before he broke big on Columbia in the late 60s – but at a level that certainly points the way towards his country fame to come! And yet, as with most of the best music by Rich – like his stunning Smash Records sides – there's a quality here that's quite far from both the mainstream, and conventional modes of expression – as Charlie almost seems to be drawing as much on soul music for inspiration as he is the sounds of Nashville – which might almost put this album in the territory of classic country soul material by singers like Ray Charles or Brook Benton. The whole thing's a perfect setting for that unique combination of talents that makes Rich so wonderful – and most tracks are Hank Williams hits, but redone completely. Titles include "I Can't Help It", "My Heart Would Know", "Take These Chains From My Heart", "Your Cheatin Heart", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Cold Cold Heart", and "Nobody's Lonesome For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Toots Thielemans on harmonica, Shirley Horn on piano, Charles Ables on bass, and Steve Williams on drums. CD

Incredible work by Randy Weston – light years ahead of his trio material from just a few years before! The album is one of his most progressive from the early years, and features an extended suite dedicated to the newly-won freedoms of the African Nations – with occasional lyrics by Langston Hughes, and arrangements by the great Melba Liston! The material's political, radical, and modernist – but it never fails to groove, and uses its politics to achieve an added emotional punch, as in the best work from the same time by Max Roach and Charles Mingus – and some of their larger progressive projects. The group is much larger than you'd expect from Randy – with Benny Bailey and Richard Williams on trumpets, Slide Hampton on trombone, Sahib Shihab on reeds, and Candido and Olatunji on percussion – which really dominates the record. The whole thing is amazing – one of the purest realizations of the African influence in Weston's music – and movements of the suite are entitled "Uhuru Kwanza", "African Lady", "Bantu", and "Kucheza Blues" CD

A very cool little set – maybe not the deepest dive into the decade of the 70s, in that the package isn't full of unissued tracks or super-rare singles – but it does represent a great look at the decade that goes way past the hits, and much farther than the charts – including the sort of material that was slightly ignored at the time, but has gone on to be really appreciated in more recent years! The book-style set is filled with great choices and unusual tunes – work from both the US and UK scenes, some of it by bigger names represented here by more unusual cuts – some by others who barely cracked the mainstream, but did some great work at the time. There's one full CD of female artists, and a pretty unusual mix of titles – 71 titles in all, by artists who include Murray Head, The Records, Ronnie Lane, Terry Reid, Sandy Denny, Wendy Waldman, Freddie King, Montrose, Tim Buckley, Don Nix, Jerry Williams, Big Star, Tony Joe White, Delaney & Bonnie, John Prine, Michael Franks, Bobby Charles, Andy Pratt, Hirth Martinez, Robert Palmer, Jess Roden, Roy Harper, Patto, Sharks, The Roches, Linda Lewis Valerie Carter, and many others! CD

A great entry in this wonderful series – a set that's full of rare 7" singles from the late 60s and early 70s, but with a vibe that's very different than other collections of this nature! As with previous volumes, the sound is warm and uplifting – not heavy funk or deep soul, but tunes that soar and glide on soulful energy – showcasing a few early modern soul elements that were years ahead of their time, and often using just the right sort of production and arrangements to really expand the sound of a singer or harmony vocal group! The whole thing's wonderful – fantastic rare soul listening all the way through – and titles include "Can't Forget About You Baby" by Marian Love, "I Believe In Miracles" by Mark Capanni, "Standing In The Way" by Charles Williams, "The Game Is Over" by Brown Sugar, "Too Late" by Tavares, "Get Involved" by George Soule, "My Heart Is Closed For The Season" by Bettye Swann, "How Can I Go On Without You" by Corey Blake, "Reason To Survive" by Rance Allen Group, "You Had It Made" by Freddie Terrell & Blue Rhythm Band, and "Oh Mama" by CM Lord. CD

Ralph J Gleason might just be one of the coolest cats to ever write about music – a key part of the San Francisco scene during the postwar years – where his talents helped illuminate both the worlds of art and music during the beat generation – then really helped shine a spotlight on all the cultural changes in the city during the 60s – which even led to Gleason's role in the founding of Rolling Stone magazine! Gleason always had a great eye (and ear) for things that were new and special, but never in a way that was slavish to the moment – or to its creator – and the book features an initial section on his writings on jazz and blues – with essays on John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Carmen McRae, BB King, John Handy, Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete, Cal Tjader, Ben Webster, the San Francisco Jazz scene, and other diverse topics. The second section features Gleason on folk and rock – with bits on Jefferson Airplane, Hank Williams, Lenny Bruce, Odetta, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and others – and the final section features articles on politics and culture – covering topics that include Richard Nixon, radio payola, Law & Order, flower children, and other slices of society, seen from the Gleason viewpoint. Book is hardcover, and 309 pages. Book

A stunning tribute to the great Alan Lomax – the legendary musicologist, historian, and recording engineer who captured so many wonderful American sounds in the 20th Century! Lomax's work has been crucial to both the Library Of Congress and Smithsonian/Folkways Records – yet there's also a fair bit that has never seen the light of day before – amazing recordings that make up a surprisingly large part of this box set – which compiles work in many different styles recorded by Alan in the field – blues, folk, gospel, and global modes, plus compelling regional genres – all presented here in a special 6LP set. The box features 55 never-issued tracks, and lots more great ones too – with music by Shirley Collins, Fiddlin Joe Martin, Compagna Sacco, Calvin Frazier, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jelly Roll Morton, Ernest Williams, Neal Morris, Skip James, Son House, Elmer Barton, Brendan Behan, George Sea Island Singers, Big Bill Broonzy, Elizabeth Austin, Jean Ritchie, Bascomb Lamar Lunsford, Bessie Jones, Duke Of Iron, Charles Barnett, and many others. The box features a nice booklet of notes, too – and some rare photos from the archive! LP, Vinyl record album

Two early 60s albums from the team of Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt – both recorded in Chicago! Boss Tenors is a head to head classic from Jug & Stitt that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut here in our hometown with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love". The second album, Dig Him, is one of those overlooked Argo sessions and features great straight-ahead blowing from Stitt and Jug! The album's a quintet session, with John Houston piano, Buster Williams bass, and George Brown drums providing all the rhythm. But the real focus is on the twin-sax frontline – with Sitt taking up the alto on a few numbers, but mostly blowing tenor head to head with Jug. Recorded in 1961 during Jug's great year of contract-breaking – and issued later in the 60s by Prestige under a different title. Titles include "A Mess", "Water Jug", "New Blues Up & Down", "Red Sails In The Sunset", and "A Pair Of Red Pants". CD

Well, "album of the year" might be a hard claim to live up to – but this is a heck of a great record! The album's one of Blakey's real sleepers – cut years away from his time at Blue Note, with a fluid soulful approach that steps off his work at Prestige quite nicely. The real strength of the set is the group – as even at this point, Blakey's got an insanely perfect ear for picking young talent. Every player's a star, and the group features work by Bobby Watson, James Williams, Bill Pierce, Charles Fambrough, and even a young Wynton Marsalis, who still sounds pretty nice at this point. The set list include some great tracks, too, originals by group members that include "Soulful Mister Timmons", "Little Man", "In Case You Missed It", and "Ms BC". CD

Plenty of spirit, and plenty of soul – a 70s classic from organist Doug Carn, and a record that took his instrument, and jazz in general, to a whole new level for the decade! Carn's got this burning, righteous quality on his keys – a vibe that certainly owes something to Larry Young, but also takes off even further – working in a spiritual ensemble that also features his wife Jean Carn on vocals – sounding way more like a righteous jazz singer than on her later soul sides for Philly International! Other players are great, too – and include Charles Tolliver on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, George Harper on tenor and soprano sax, Buster Williams on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks include "New Moon", "Trance Dance", "My Spirit", "Blue In Green", and "Arise & Shine". CD

One of the greatest albums of Hammond jazz ever recorded – and a darn funky one at that! Bobby Forrester may not look like a hipster on the cover, but this set grooves like some of the best early 70s work by Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, and Groove Holmes – hitting hard with some really funky tracks that have made the album a must-have with collectors for years. The sound here a lean, mean revision of the Prestige Hammond jazz groove of the 60s – Bobby grooving on organ with just drums by Johnny Kirkwood and guitar by Elijah Williams Jr – all coming together in a totally solid sound that has plenty of funky riffs, nice drums, and soaring organ lines! Given the lean, compact approach to the groove, we might compare Forrester most with Charles Earland at his best – although the album's got a voice and depth that's certainly all its own. Titles include the classic groover "Uncle Funky", a great cover of "Sanford & Son Theme", and the cuts "Blues For Razz", "Don't Misunderstand", and "Funky Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

Magician features Bob Cranshaw on fender and acoustic bass, Grady Tate on percussion, Jose Mangual on congas, Norman Gold on organ and Jackie Williams on tambourine. The second album features Eddie Calhoun on bass, Kelly Martin on drums, and Charles Ike Isaacs on bass. CD

Early genius from the great saxophonist John Handy – working here at a time when he was fresh from some key experience with Charles Mingus, and ready to try out some of his own great ideas as a leader on his own! The album's a stunner right from the start – a record of subtle power and very deep soul – one that's also different than some of the directions Handy would take in years to come – both in some of his more freewheeling hippy modes, or his slicker jazz funk of the 70s. Instead, this set's a mix of modern ideas and sharper swing – a bit like Jackie McLean during some of his pivotal early 60s years, but with raspier soul too – delivered by a perfect group that also features great work on trumpet from Richard Williams, plus piano from Roland Hanna, bass from George Tucker, and drums from the great Roy Haynes. Titles include "Blues In The Vernacular", "Suggested Line", "First Time", "I'll Close My Eyes Again", "Quote Unquote", and "Dance To The Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

Shirley Horn caught right at the height of her great revival years in the 90s – a time when she was arguably even more expressive and deeply soulful than before! Like most of Horn's best recordings of the time, this live date features a trio – with Shirley herself on piano, Charles Ables on bass, and Steve Williams on drums – all working in warmly swinging territory that's totally great! Horn's vocals are wonderful throughout – very well-recorded, despite the festival setting – and there's an intimacy and sense of personality to the record that you'll be hard pressed to find in some of the other Monterey live dates. Titles include "Blues For Big Scotia", "A Song For You", "How Am I To Know", "Foolin Myself", "The Look Of Love", "Nice N Easy", and the sublime "LA Breakdown". CD

Recordings from 1946 through 1950 – with sidemen that include Charles Brown, Johnny Moore, Eddie Williams, Ernie Royal, Pee Wee Crayton, Tyree Glenn, Russell Procope, Oscar Pettiford, Wendell Marshall, and others! CD

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

One of the most earthy, organic offerings of the Herbie Hancock scene of the 70s – a session that's led by Headhunter reedman Bennie Maupin, and which also features Herbie on acoustic and electric piano – all in a sound that's quite different from his own work of the time! The tracks here have a very spacious, slow-building approach – a sound that's often quite stark at times, and not nearly as funky or soul-directed as you might expect. Maupin shows incredible sensitivity in his way of putting together a tune – letting things come together quite naturally, almost with the botanical quality you might expect from the title. Other players include Buster Williams on bass, Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums, Bill Summers on percussion, and Charles Sullivan on trumpet – all used quite spaciously and sparingly. Titles include "Esenada", "Mappo", "Excursion", "Past Is Past", "The Jewel In The Lotus", and "Song For Tracie Dixon Summers". CD

One of the most earthy, organic offerings of the Herbie Hancock scene of the 70s – a session that's led by Headhunter reedman Bennie Maupin, and which also features Herbie on acoustic and electric piano – all in a sound that's quite different from his own work of the time! The tracks here have a very spacious, slow-building approach – a sound that's often quite stark at times, and not nearly as funky or soul-directed as you might expect. Maupin shows incredible sensitivity in his way of putting together a tune – letting things come together quite naturally, almost with the botanical quality you might expect from the title. Other players include Buster Williams on bass, Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums, Bill Summers on percussion, and Charles Sullivan on trumpet – all used quite spaciously and sparingly. Titles include "Esenada", "Mappo", "Excursion", "Past Is Past", "The Jewel In The Lotus", and "Song For Tracie Dixon Summers". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's every bit as cool as its cover – and one of the strongest Blue Note sessions from Hammond organ legend Big John Patton! The tracks are long, and have a great loping rhythm – a groove that Patton creates by using the bass pedals alongside the drums of Ben Dixon – a player who really helps John break past more familiar Hammond modes – and helps establish that unique sound that really made the organist one of the strongest 60s players on his instrument! The rest of the combo is fantastic too – with Fred Jackson on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, Richard Williams on trumpet – the last of whom is a real surprise, if you only know his work with Charles Mingus. The tracks are nice and long, and have a good balance between soulful roots and more modern intentions – on titles that include "Just 3/4", "The Way I Feel", "Jerry", "The Rock", and "Davene". CD

With Tony Williams on drums, George Duke on keyboards, Charles Icarus Johnson on guitar, and Paul Jackson and Byron Miller on bass. CD

David Weiss has a great conception for this hip little set – a contemporary exploration of the best spiritual energy running through the Blue Note scene in the late 60s – based around compositions by Charles Tolliver, Wayne Shorter, and Charles Moore – the last of whom was featured with the Kenny Cox group from Detroit at the end of the 60s! In keeping with the chosen work, there's a great balance here between swing, soul, and modernism – tunes that unfold strongly with the best sort of progressive jazz energy, yet never get too indulgent – and really let the main soloists take flight over a complicated groove provided by the other members of the group. Weiss is wonderful on trumpet – reminding us of Charles Tolliver back in the day – and other players include JD Allen on tenor, Nir Felder on guitar, Matt Clohesy on bass, and Jamire Williams on drums – on tunes that include "Revillot", "Gravity Point", "Paraphernalia", "Hidden Meanings", and "Snuck In". CD

A treasure trove of rare postwar blues from the west coast – material cut for Dootsie Williams, best known as the head of the seminal Dootone label in LA! The set offers both tracks from Dootone and Williams' rarer imprint Blue – the latter of which existed from the late 40s into the early 50s, and featured a fair bit of excellent material done in the more laidback bluesy mode of LA after the war – styles popularized by Charles Brown, Cecil Gant, and others – echoed strongly in many of the performances here. As the set rolls on into the later 50s, some of the tracks pick up a bit more of an R&B sound – but the work is still relatively unified here, thanks to a good focus on the more blues-based work on Dootone. 30 tracks in all, plus some really great notes – all at the usual high Ace level! Titles include "Rent Day" by Stormy Herman, "Richmond Blues" by Betty Hall Jones, "West Coast Baby" by Johnny Taylor & His Mellow 5, "I Got A Country Girl" by Bobby Nunn, "Everybody's Jumpin Tonight" by Dootsie Williams & His Rhythm Kings with Joe Turner, "You'd Better Come Home Baby" by Violet Hall, "The Hole In The Wall" by Cleo Brown, "Are You Ready To Go Steady" by Paul Monday, and "Katy Lee" by Fats Gaines. CD

Features tracks by Donald Byrd/Johnny Coles, Howard McGhee, Richard Williams, Clark Terry, Freddy Hubbard, Kenny Dorham, Booker Little, Benny Bailey, and Charles Tolliver. CD

Rare dancefloor soul on King Records – and another crucial look at a side of the label that's beloved by the most devoted of 60s & 70s soul seekers – but it's deeply overlooked by the mainstream! Volume 3 is the best yet in the series – partly because they're found some stellar proto-funk treasures that work just as strongly with the Northern Soul community – and also because there's some really great stuff here that paves the way for some of our favorite 70s soul! It's heavy with singles released from 1968 to 1971 – by Marva Whitney, Mill Evans, Charles Spurling, Mary Johnson, Royal Flush, The Presidents, Willie Hatcher, The Brownettes and many more! 24 tracks in all: "Unwind Yourself" by Marva Whitney, "Right Now" by Mill Evans, "Popcorn Charlie" by Charles Spurling, "Thunder" by Lord Thunder, "Name In Lights" by Freddie Williams, "You Have My Blessings" by Mary Johnson, "Mama's Baby" by Royal Flush, "Something You Didn't Done" by Mike Williams, "When We Get Together" by Otis Williams & His Charms and many more. CD

A huge array of soul tracks from the Mainstream label – an imprint that was probably best known for its jazz work of the early 70s, and as the launching pad for a few key rock groups – but one who also cut some killer soul tracks in the best New York and Philly styles of the period! Mainstream only ever issued most of its soul material as singles – 45s issued on their own label, and under the IX Chains, Brown Dog, and New Moon imprints too – spread out in an array of under-circulated, poorly-distributed releases that never fully got their due at the time – partly because much of the music was years ahead of its time! There's a groove here that reminds us of the hippest sounds from bigger labels – including Philly International or All-Platinum – with a similar blend of sweetness, honest vocal performances, and some top-shelf studio work that gives the lyrics a hell of an instrumental push, but all without ever sounding slick or commercial. The package is a much-needed look at this scattered legacy – and brings together 24 rare cuts that include "These Memories" by Almeta Lattimore, "I'm The One Who Loves You" by JG Lewis, "Come Back (part 1)" by The Fantastic Puzzles, "I Can't Give You Up" by Linda Perry, "It Ain't Like It Used To Be" by Randolph Brown & Company, "No Rebate On Love" by The Dramatics, "You're A Friend Of Mine" by Words Of Wisdom, "Satisfy My Woman" by Calvin Arnold, "Plain Out Of Luck" by Nia Johnson, "We're Not Too Young To Fall In Love" by Jackey Beavers Show, "Let The People Talk" by The Steptones, "To Whom It May Concern" by Ellerine Harding, "It's So Real" by McArthur, "Stop & Think A Minute" by Charles Beverly, and "That's The Way She Is" by Bobby Earl Williams. CD

Fantastic soul from Mainstream Records – an imprint that's normally best-known for their work in the field of jazz, but a label that also cut some killer soul singles in the early 70s! Mainstream soul artists almost never got a chance to record a full-length album – so over the years, this soul legacy has been somewhat lost in the shifting sands of time (and shifting piles of funky 45s) – which makes this collection a much-needed resurrection of that material – especially when given the ultra-hip, extra-level presentation of the Kent label! The CD features 23 great tunes from these years – some of them in the modern soul mode promised in the title, lots more in kind of a hip funky soul approach – very early 70s New York, with righteous themes mixed with more familiar soul styles – all set to impeccable instrumentation. Titles include "Oh My Love" by Almeta Latimore, "Come Back With Your Love (part 1)" by Special Delivery, "Grass Ain't Greener" by Charles Beverly, "Love Bug" by Sugar Billy, "You'll Do It" by Calvin Arnold, "I'll Never Trust Love Again" by McArthur, "You've Got A Lot To Give" by Chocolate Syrup, "I'll Never Be The Same (part 1)" by Chapter Three, "I've Been Trying To Love You" by Lenny McDaniel & The Last Nikle, "Slow Down World" by Charles Colbert, "Everyone Has Someone" by Linda Perry, "Your Love Is Like A Rising Sun" by Steptones, "Let Her Know" by Bobby Earl Williams, "Please Don't Set Me Free" by Jeany Reynolds, and "Today Or Never" by Eleventh Commandment. CD

Music from Wynonie Harris, The Dominoes, Louis Jordan, Paul Williams, Jackie Brenston & His Delta Kings, Lloyd Price, Big Mama Thornton, Amos Milburn, The Clovers, Fats Domino, Guitar Slim, Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, Bill Haley & The Comets, The Five Keys, Muddy Waters, Joe Turner, The Robins, Faye Adams, Gene & Eunice, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, and The Orioles. CD

A killer collection of cuts, and one that looks at one of the coolest musical hybrids of the postwar years – work that's very strongly R&B at the core, but which also bears a surprising influence from Latin music in the rhythms – all of which makes for a very unusual groove! There's been other collections of this nature, but this one not only stacks the deck with a huge number of tracks – 62 in all – but also includes material that you might not normally associate with this mode, but which fits into the track list surprisingly well! Titles include "The Crawl" by Guitar Junior, "Got Love If You Want It" by Slim Harpo, "Mary Ann" by Texas Ray, "Girl That Radiates Charm" by Arthur Alexander, "Where's My Money" by Willie Jones, "Hurricane" by Dave Cortez, "Shoo Doo" by Andre Williams, "Night Train To Memphis" by Bobby Hebb, "Only Sixteen" by Tal Miller, "Voodoo Woman" by Curtis Knight, "Yours Truly" by Ford Eaglin, "Tell Me Pretty Baby" by Screamin Joe Neal, "Pig Tails & Ribbons" by Leonard Carbo, and "Wicked Old Fever" by Charles Sheffield. CD

A great entry in this wonderful series – a set that's full of rare 7" singles from the late 60s and early 70s, but with a vibe that's very different than other collections of this nature! As with previous volumes, the sound is warm and uplifting – not heavy funk or deep soul, but tunes that soar and glide on soulful energy – showcasing a few early modern soul elements that were years ahead of their time, and often using just the right sort of production and arrangements to really expand the sound of a singer or harmony vocal group! The whole thing's wonderful – fantastic rare soul listening all the way through – and titles include "Standing In The Way" by Charles Williams, "Reason To Survive" by Rance Allen Group, "Consider The Source" by Leon Haywood, "Oh Mama" by CM Lord, "Thank You Girl For Loving Me" by Enchantment, "The Game Is Over" by Brown Sugar, "Get Involved" by George Soule, "Too Late"b y Tavares, and "My Heart Is Closed For The Season" by Bettye Swann. LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of spirit, and plenty of soul – a 70s classic from organist Doug Carn, and a record that took his instrument, and jazz in general, to a whole new level for the decade! Carn's got this burning, righteous quality on his keys – a vibe that certainly owes something to Larry Young, but also takes off even further – working in a spiritual ensemble that also features his wife Jean Carn on vocals – sounding way more like a righteous jazz singer than on her later soul sides for Philly International! Other players are great, too – and include Charles Tolliver on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, George Harper on tenor and soprano sax, Buster Williams on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks include "New Moon", "Trance Dance", "My Spirit", "Blue In Green", and "Arise & Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

With Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Ben Riley on drums; plus guests Kermit Moore, Charles McCracken, John Abramowitz, and Richard Locker on celli; Hugh McCracken on guitar and harmonica, and Ralph MacDonald on percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

Natalie Cole gets some great Chicago soul help here from Richard Evans and Gene Barge – who did the original arrangements – which are adapted by Don Hannah for performance, then conducted by Linda Williams! That's a mouthful, but under the guidance of Charles Jackson and Marvin Yancey on production, everything comes out mighty nice! LP, Vinyl record album

A great Japanese-only date from Walter Davis Jr – a trio session at the core, but with great flute from Jeremy Steig on the long title track! The trio features Buster Williams on bass – and either Bruno Carr or Art Blakey on drums – and titles include "Scorpio", "Illumination", "Ronnie's A Dynamite Lady", and "Backgammon". Plus, CD also features bonus tracks – 7 more numbers from a different session – with work by Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Carter Jefferson on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums! CD

One of the greatest albums of Hammond jazz ever recorded – and a darn funky one at that! Bobby Forrester may not look like a hipster on the cover, but this set grooves like some of the best early 70s work by Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, and Groove Holmes – hitting hard with some really funky tracks that have made the album a must-have with collectors for years. The sound here a lean, mean revision of the Prestige Hammond jazz groove of the 60s – Bobby grooving on organ with just drums by Johnny Kirkwood and guitar by Elijah Williams Jr – all coming together in a totally solid sound that has plenty of funky riffs, nice drums, and soaring organ lines! Given the lean, compact approach to the groove, we might compare Forrester most with Charles Earland at his best – although the album's got a voice and depth that's certainly all its own. Titles include the classic groover "Uncle Funky", a great cover of "Sanford & Son Theme", and the cuts "Blues For Razz", "Don't Misunderstand", and "Funky Fly". CD

A really wonderful album by Sonny Fortune – recorded for a major label, sure, but with the soulful depth of some of his earlier work for the indies! Sonny's on alto, flute, and soprano sax – and also plays a bit of percussion and some slight mini moog – not too much, as the session only has slight electric touches, but mixed with additional Fender Rhodes from Michael Cochrane, which gives the record a shimmering finish that helps take Fortune's reed solos up to the heavens! Other players include Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Buster Williams on bass, and Chip Lyle on drums – and tracks include "In Waves Of Dreams", "A Space In Time", "Thoughts", "Revelation", and "Seeing Beyond The Obvious". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool collection – all rare New Orleans R&B, originally issued on 50s singles by Chess Records, mostly handled by producer/arranger Paul Gayten! Features work by Al Little, Ralph Williams, TV Slim, Robert Green, Roland Cook, Sherman Jones, Charles Williams, Buddy Stewart, Virginia Darrow, Alanzo Stewart, and Gayten himself! LP, Vinyl record album

Sanctified, indeed – and just the kind of record to show why Slide Hampton was unlike any of his trombone-playing contemporaries! The set's got a tightness and punch that's really unique – not the compact quality of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but also not the hardbop of Curtis Fuller either – instead king of a rousing approach to jazz trombone that really makes Hampton the kind of the soul jazz approach to the instrument! Slide's working here with a cool octet that has the focus of a group half their size – a really well-chosen lineup of young, hip players that includes George Coleman on tenor sax, Hobart Dotson and Richard Williams on trumpets, Larry Ridley on bass, and additional trombone from a y oung Charles Greenlee! Titles include "El Sino", "Ow", "Milestones", and the stormin' title cut "Somethin Sanctified". LP, Vinyl record album

A great live set from pianist Barry Harris – material recorded on the same date that gave us the excellent Live In Tokyo album from reedman Charles McPherson – but done in a very different way that shows that Barry's clearly the leader on these tracks! The rhythm duo is wonderful – the mighty Sam Jones on bass and Leroy Williams on drums – players who can crackle when Harris wants them to, yet also lay back and give Barry lots of spacious territory to work some incredibly deft, personal magic on the keys. The sound almost takes us back to the initial Harris recordings of the early 60s, but also has some of those colors that would flow even more freely in some of his sessions for the Japanese market – on titles that include "I'll Remember April", "Fukai Aijo", "A Soft Spot", "Round Midnight", and "Un Poco Loco". CD features four bonus tracks too – two versions of "Ornithology", plus "Like Someone In Love" and "Night In Tunisia", both nice and long! CD

With Charles Ables on bass and Steve Williams on drums. Titles include "Something Happens To Me", "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good", "Nice 'N' Easy", "The Great City", "I Thought About You", and "Our Love Is Here To Stay". CD includes two bonus tracks – "I Wish I Didn't Love You So", and "Quiet Nights (Instrumental)". CD

Unissued live work from the great Shirley Horn – recorded in Las Vegas right before her big comeback recordings of the 90s – at a time when Shirley was hardly getting a chance to make an album! That lack of attention hardly matters to Horn, though – as she faces this performance with all of the class, charm, and undeniable soul of her bigger label material – both singing and playing piano with that unique sense of phrasing that made her a standout from the 60s onward – easily one of the coolest jazz talents of her generation – and an artist that we'd rank up there with Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and a rare few others. The album's got a few especially nice long tracks – which have Shirley stretching out with great long solos on piano, too – in a trio that features Charles Ables on bass and Steve Williams on drums. Titles include "Meditation", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Hi Fly", "Just For A Thrill", "Blues For Big Scotia", "Lover Man", and "Isn't It Romantic". CD

An overlooked gem from the great Shirley Horn – a record from a time right before she burst into bigger fame, thanks to Verve Records – but was still working strongly in the underground, cutting fantastic records like this! Horn's got this mature, thoughtful approach that makes her way more than just another jazz singer – this well-developed mixture of sophistication and swing that's got the same very personal level of Betty Carter at this point – even though Shirley's a completely different singer – with the lady herself playing piano, alongside bass from Charles Ables and drums from Steve Williams. Titles include a great version of "Summer" (aka "Estate") – plus "Since I Fell For You", "You're My Thrill", "Dindi", "Softly As I Leave You", "Forget Me", and "I Watch You Sleep". CD

A soundtrack project from tenorist Javon Jackson, and one that may well be our favorite album from him in years – as it really lets Javon explore all these different sounds, shapes, and styles – while still working with a small combo that makes for a very unified vibe on the entire record! The set mixes a few non-soundtrack titles with the shorter numbers from the film, really expanding the palette – and overall, things have this soulful, swinging quality that almost reminds us of the spirit of some of the soundtrack material by Bill Lee from many years back – equally evocative, lyrical, and well-performed – by a quintet that features Gregg Glassman on trumpet, Jeremy Mansaia on piano, David Williams on bass, and either Charles Gold or McClenty Hunter on drums. Titles include "The Game", "Brother G", "Never Let Me Go", "In The Studio", "CB", "D Town", "In The Clouds", "On The Move", and "Amy's Theme". CD

Something of a "lost" album from Sun Ra – material initially intended as his second album for Transition records in the 50s, but not issued until a decade later when Delmark Records was first putting the Chicago underground on the map! The sound here steps out nicely from the first Transition session – and Ra is already a bit bolder, not just in his structure of the songs, but in the way he handles his piano – with some darker notes and tones, more exotic phrasing, and even some very early use of electric piano – already with the haunting qualities that would show up more strongly in the Saturn years. Every member of the group is wonderful too – each with their own voice, spoken strongly and freely – in a lineup that includes Art Hoyle and Dave Young on trumpets, Julian Priester on trombone, Pat Patrick on alto and baritone sax, John Gilmore on tenor, Charles Davis on baritone, Victor Sproles on bass, William Cochran on drums, and Jim Herndon on tympani and timbali. Titles include "El Is A Sound Of Joy", "Overtones Of China", "Ankh", "Two Tones", "Saturn", "Reflections In Blue", and "Planet Earth". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "As You Once Were" and "Dreams Come True" – with vocals by Clyde Williams. CD

A rare gem from Archie Shepp – really wonderful, and still pretty darn spiritual! The record features 2 long tracks – "Lybia" and "My Heart Cries Out To Africa" – each a side long, and each with a soulful fire missing from many of Shepp's other recordings from the time (save for a few gems, like Sea Of Faces). The group is a quintet, and features Charles Greenlee on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, David Williams on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums. Very nice stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

A great set that brings together 2 albums recorded by Weston during his most formative years – the classic Uhuru Afrika album, and a lighter trio side for Jubilee, from 1960. Uhuru Afrika was one of the first-ever Afro-centrist albums of jazz – was one of Randy's most progressive from the early years, and features an extended suite dedicated to African freedom, with occasional lyrics by Langston Hughes, and arrangements by the great Melba Liston. The material's political, radical, and modernist – but it never fails to groove, and uses its politics to achieve an added emotional punch, as in the best work from the same time by Max Roach and Charles Mingus. Players are all totally hip, and include Benny Bailey, Richard Williams, Candido, Olatunji, Slide Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, and Sahib Shihab. Movements of the suite are entitled "Uhuru, Kwanza", "African Lady", "Bantu", and "Kucheza Blues". The trio sides are more restrained, but still quite nice – with Randy grooving with a group that includes Peck Morrison on bass and Connie Kay on drums – on tracks that include "Gingerbread", "Saucer Eyes", "Fe Double U Blues", and "Earth Birth". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible sounds from the Chess Records catalog – not the blues that you might know the label for, but a huge range of funk, soul, and jazz tracks from the headiest years of the 60s and 70s – a time when the Chicago scene was really turning out some incredible musical hybrids! As you'd guess from the title, all the cuts here have had a new life in recent years – thanks to samples by hip hop artists or other producers – but the original grooves are even better than the tracks that used them, and come together here to make one of the most mindblowing collections of Chess material we've ever heard! The package is nicely heavy on sounds from the Cadet/Concept years of the label – with more than a few contributions from producers Charles Stepney and Richard Evans – and the package features 42 wonderful tracks – including "Fonky Thang Diamon Ring" by The Dells, "Windmills Of Your Mind" by Dorothy Ashby, "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun" by Rotary Connection, "Jelly Jam" by Jack McDuff, "The Getaway" by Alvin Cash, "In My Body's House" by Gene Chandler, "Cross Country" by Archie Whitewater, "Memory Band" by Rotary Connection, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Inside Out" by American Gypsy, "Go Go Power" by Sugar Pie DeSanto, "Shake It Up" by The Vibrations, "Up Above The Rock" by Ray Bryant, "Bad Moon Rising" by Bo Diddley, "Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Be Do Da Day" by Eddie Fisher, "Humpin Bumpin & Thumpin" by Andre Williams, "Who Got The Number" by Pigmeat Markham, "Walk On By" by Jo Ann Garrett, "Chocolate Candy" by Soulful Strings, "Got To Get Your Own (7" version)" by Reuben Wilson, "Hanky's Panky (7" version)" by Shirley Scott, "Liberation Conversation" by Marlena Shaw, "Look Of Love" by Monk Higgins, and "Think About It" by Odell Brown & The Organizers. CD

A killer early release on the UK Kent Records – already at the top of their game with their choice in rare soul! The set's overflowing with gems – and features work by Garland Green, Lee Charles, Jeanette Williams, Diane Newby, The Blue Notes, Lenny Welch, Shirley Lawson, The Marriots, Patti Austin, Trends, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

Not just cool jazz – despite what the title might say – and instead a whole host of soulful jazzy styles from the late 50s and early 60s – pulled forth from the kind of singles that once boomed from backroom jukeboxes in taverns on the south side of town! The collection is great – very much in the spirit of some of the Mod Jazz compilations on Ace, but maybe even a bit more farther-reaching too – and the tracks are a great mix of instrumental and vocal jazz numbers, put together with the same great ear as the soul collections on the Outta Sight label. Titles include "Like Young" by Ann Henry, "I Walk The Streets" by Lyn Avalon, "Scenes In The City (edit)" by Charles Mingus, "Comin Home Baby" by Dave Bailey, "Johnny With The Gentle Hands" by Cootie Williams & Wini Brown, "Baby Do You Ever Think Of Me" by Sonny Stitt, "Goodbye Old Girl" by Art Farmer, "Wayning Moments" by Wayne Shorter, and "Sack O Woe" by Ray Bryant. CD

We're not sure if Santa makes the best dance instructor, but he definitely gets plenty of help from this groovy collection – a batch of 26 Christmas tunes that run the spectrum of soulful styles! Most numbers here are from our favorite stretch of Holiday soul – and although there's some tracks here you might have on other collections, there's plenty more unusual ones in the mix as well! Titles include "Santa Soul" by Rocki Lane & The Gross Group, "Christmas Joy" by The Soul Stirrers, "Santa Bring My Baby Back" by Joe Johnson, "Happy Birthday Jesus" by Sam Sweetsinger Bell, "Christmas Round The Corner" by Smuggy Williams, "Santa Teach Me To Dance" by Debbie & The Darnells, "Christmas In Viet Nam" by Charles Bowens & Gentlemen From Tigerland, "Spirit Of Christmas" by The Gospel Heavyweights, "Presents For Christmas" by Solomon Burke, "Christmas Time Is Coming" by The Storytellers, "Christmas Greeting" by The Elgins, "Christmas Time Baby" by The Organics, "Mama's Gift" by Stormy Weather, and "Alone On New Yers Eve" by The Manhattans. CD

Plenty of spirit, and plenty of soul – a 70s classic from organist Doug Carn, and a record that took his instrument, and jazz in general, to a whole new level for the decade! Carn's got this burning, righteous quality on his keys – a vibe that certainly owes something to Larry Young, but also takes off even further – working in a spiritual ensemble that also features his wife Jean Carn on vocals – sounding way more like a righteous jazz singer than on her later soul sides for Philly International! Other players are great, too – and include Charles Tolliver on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, George Harper on tenor and soprano sax, Buster Williams on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks include "New Moon", "Trance Dance", "My Spirit", "Blue In Green", and "Arise & Shine". CD

12 tracks from T Bone Walker & Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, Junior Parker, Joe Williams & Joe Turner. CD

There's two stylish British hipsters on the cover, but the album's filled with classic American jazz tracks – each hand-picked by Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller, and served up with plenty of soul! The work here begins in hardbop territory, and moves through 60s soul jazz and more righteous moments in the 70s – and while there's a few more recent tracks, the vibe of the record is very vintage throughout – and really reflects that longtime London love of obscure American records – sounds from a scene that has really taught us a lot over the decades! There's a few tracks here we haven't seen in years, and some great old favorites too – and titles include "Now At Last" by Blossom Dearie, "Trees & Grass & Things" by Charles Williams, "The Hipster" by Harold McNair, "Chains" by Blacks & Blues, "Bend Your Head Down Low" by Geoffrey Stoner, "Sphynx" by Brand New Heavies, "Look At Me Look At You" by Marlena Shaw, "Get Up Off Your Knees" by David Axelrod, "Psychedelic" by Lee Morgan, "Terra Firma Irma" by Joe Gordon,"The Rhythm Changes" by Kamasi Washington, "Just In Time To See The Sun" by Leon Thomas, "Mother Of The Future" by Norman Connors, and "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell. LP, Vinyl record album

Two different slices of Art Blakey – served up here in a 3CD set! Moanin isn't the Blue Note album of the same name, but a fantastic live set from 1968 – recorded after Blakey's classic Blue Note years, but with a group of fantastic players that includes a young Billy Harper on tenor, Ronnie Matthews on piano, and Julian Priester on trombone. Harper alone is worth the price of the CD – as his firey solos are great, and the whole album's an excellent peek at his early career! There's a sense of open freedom here that's quite different than the earlier Jazz Messengers groove – and this European date is a great complement to the better-known US live recording with the same group from the time. The set features a number of nice long tracks – like Slide Hampton's "Slide's Delight", Billy Harper's "Blues For Eros", Bobby Timmons' "Moanin", and the Jazz Messengers' standard "You Don't Know What Love Is". Sesjun Radio Shows 1 is fantastic radio performances from one of our favorite stretches of the legendary Jazz Messengers group – a time when the lineup featured a young Bobby Watson on alto and Valery Ponomarev on trumpet – two players who'd grow into fantastic leaders on their own, but who here help bring a lot of new life to the group! Watson is especially wonderful – contributing a few key compositions, and that soaring spirit in his horn, which really helped usher in a whole new generation for Blakey's group. James Williams is on piano too, and we actually love his work in this group more than on his later sets as a leader – and remaining players include David Schnitter on tenor on the first six tracks, and Billy Pierce on the horn on the remaining two – and either Dennis Irwin or Charles Fambrough on bass. Art's still the rock-solid core of the group – a tremendous leader who always gets fantastic performances out of young players – and titles include "ETA", "Dr J", "Free For All", "Along Came Betty", "ETA", and "Evaline". Sesjun Radio Shows 2 is live work from the great Art Blakey – a set that features two different performances from two really great groups! The first two cuts are from 1980 – from a time when the Jazz Messengers features up and coming 80s giants Bobby Watson on alto, Valery Ponomarev on trumpet, Billy Pierce on tenor, James Williams on piano, and Charles Fambrough on bass – all young musicians who'd evolve into leaders on their own in a few short years after these recordings, but who really sparkle here under Blakey's leadership! The cuts feature a great take on the Williams tune "1977 AD", and a long version of the Jazz Messengers standard "Blues March". The last four tracks feature a slightly later group – still with Fambrough on bass, but including wonderful tenor and soprano sax work from Jean Toussaint, plus trumpet from Terence Blanchard, alto from Donald Harrison, and piano from Johnny O'Neal – an equally great lineup, but in a completely different way. Titles include a great take on the Fambrough tune "Little Man" – plus "Polka Dots & Moonbeams" and "Moanin". CD