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Lots of older songs, nicely messed up by the Chips – which creates lots of yelling from Dave! Titles include "Chim Chim Cher-ee", "Alvin's Harmonica", "Witch Doctor", and "What's New Pussycat?".

Fuzzy guitar, heavy drums, and some monstrously funky rock tracks – all hand-picked in the same style as the first great Cherrystones volume! The general era for most of these tracks is the 60s – but it's mostly an obscure 60s that goes way beyond the cliches you might know from oldies of the time – into a garage space where tripped-out combos plug away at some really hard-hitting little tunes! Most of the artists on the set were completely new to our ears, and the whole thing was lovingly put together by Gareth Goddard, with some great notes on the individual tunes! Titles include "Sister Sue" by Soul Men, "Neurotic Reaction" by Die Anderen, "Shadow Mann" by Shadow Mann, "Afraid Of Losing You" by Mashmakhan, "Scotch On The Rocks" by The Shadows, "I Can Tell" by Bugsy, and "Peanuts 68" by Little Joe Cook & The Thrillers. Surprising additions include "Svolta Definitiva" by Ennio Morricone and "I Walk On Gilded Spinters" by Cher!

Country cats, southern rockers, and even some soul-singers too – all wrapped up in a heady brew of grooves that definitely lives up to the swamp rock in the title! The package is a rich discovery of tracks from the southern scene at the start of the 70s – an amazing place where sounds were really criss-crossing at the time – not just mixing up country and redneck rock styles, but also drawing a surprising amount of influence from soul and funk too – especially the latter, given some of the massive rhythms in the set! Like the first volume, the collection is a great illustration of the way that, in the right parts of the south, boundaries were constantly being broken – as you'll hear on great tracks that include "Ruby" by Area Code 615, "Houston" by Cowboy, "For What It's Worth" by Cher, "Touch Em With Love" by Bobbie Gentry, "Sufficiently Breathless" by Captain Beyond, "Deep In Kentucky" by The Box Tops, "Lonesome & A Long Way From Home" by Earl Scruggs, "Let The South Wind Blow" by Grinderswitch, "Midnight Rider" by Gregg Allman, "The Minstrel Is Free At Last" by Barefood Jerry, "Somewhere In Between" by Bobby Lance, "No Fence Around Me" by Joe South, and "Who's Making Love" by Tony Joe White.

Country cats, southern rockers, and even some soul-singers too – all wrapped up in a heady brew of grooves that definitely lives up to the swamp rock in the title! The package is a rich discovery of tracks from the southern scene at the start of the 70s – an amazing place where sounds were really criss-crossing at the time – not just mixing up country and redneck rock styles, but also drawing a surprising amount of influence from soul and funk too – especially the latter, given some of the massive rhythms in the set! Like the first volume, the collection is a great illustration of the way that, in the right parts of the south, boundaries were constantly being broken – as you'll hear on great tracks that include "Ruby" by Area Code 615, "Houston" by Cowboy, "For What It's Worth" by Cher, "Touch Em With Love" by Bobbie Gentry, "Sufficiently Breathless" by Captain Beyond, "Deep In Kentucky" by The Box Tops, "Lonesome & A Long Way From Home" by Earl Scruggs, "Let The South Wind Blow" by Grinderswitch, "Midnight Rider" by Gregg Allman, "The Minstrel Is Free At Last" by Barefood Jerry, "Somewhere In Between" by Bobby Lance, "No Fence Around Me" by Joe South, and "Who's Making Love" by Tony Joe White.

Hard to believe a genre as obscure as this would yield up enough material for another set – but this second volume's almost even more wonderful than the first! As before, the work here is all molam – a Laotian and Thai folk country music genre, but one with plenty of psychedelic touches too! The instrumentation often includes a lot of electric guitar – played in weird and wonderful ways that often get kind of echoey and exotic – usually with a sound that's older than the date of the material, and which ends up sounding even cooler because of the odd production used on the tunes. There's less folk or rural elements here than you'd expect – and most numbers come across like some of the non-dance tracks from Bollywood. Titles inclu de "Instrumental Lam Sing" by Kalasin, "Hak Beb Nang Thai" by Palatoni Songsim, "Lam Plern Chawiwan" by Chawiwan Damnoen, "Chun Cher" by P Promdan, and "Raiteem Tarn" by Thong Thaithin Isan.

Who can ever figure this chick out? Mrs Miller was a strange denizen of the bottom level of the music industry food chain – and her stock-in-trade was performing 60s pop tunes with a shrill fuddy-duddy style that was instantly recognizable, and forever annoying! This record is less of a "best of" than just a collection of her versions of 60's pop stuff like "These Boots are Made for Walkin", "Chim Chim Cher-ee", and "Downtown" – all given the mad Miller Sound treatment, with a harsh edge, and a wacky off-kilter sound. Wild stuff, and very goofy!

This former member of the Rena Rama group steps out in a loving tribute to Don Cherry – who was himself an importance force on the Swedish scene at the same time as Aberg's earlier fame! The album's got a slow-building quality that reminds us a fair bit of the Cherry of later years – a great sense of space and sound, and one that really benefits from an expanded lineup of musicians on the set. Some tracks are quite laidback and atmospheric, but the best ones are fuller and more driving – and apart from drummer Peter Erskine, Palle Mikkelborg also plays the role of Cherry on trumpet on a medley of tracks from Don's Relativity Suite! Titles include "Arthur", "Rain", "Amarone", "Kashmir", "Folkvisa", "In Memoriam", and "Tantra/Mali Doussn'Gouni/Desireless".

One of the most amazing players to ever pick up the vibes – an artist with the sort of boundless creativity that Walt Dickerson and Bobby Hutcherson brought to the instrument in the 60s! Jason Adasiewicz has an amazing ear for both sound and music – and manages to balance the two perfectly – reaching for completely fresh sounds from the vibes, yet also with a sense of structure that's never too free – really maintaining a musical, melodic approach that keeps us rapt and attentive all the way through! Jason's music has always been great, but these recent Delmark sets are even a cut above – proof that both the label and the new Chicago scene are powerful forces in 21st Century jazz. The trio features excellent work by like-minded musicians Natt McBride on bass and Mike Reed on drums – and titles include "The Volunteer", "Pillow", "Run Fly", "Solo One", "Diesel", and "Waiting In The Attic".

A totally great set by Cannonball Adderley – one of his funkiest albums ever, recorded live at Operation Breadbasket under the supervision of Jesse Jackson, and a session in which the band is cooking a lot more than on some of their other albums from the time! The set grooves hard with some tight electric piano from Joe Zawinul – amazing snakey lines that not only set the tone for the whole record, but which really make for a strong evolution from the Mercy Mercy Mercy era of the group a few years before. Cannon's alto and soprano work are beautiful – a masterpiece of soul jazz expression – as is the cornet from brother Nat – and the group's completed by bassist Walter Booker and drummer Roy McCurdy. The album's a bucketful of great jazzy sample tunes – and tracks include "Walk Tall", "Country Preacher", "Hummin", and the extended "Afro-Spanish Omlet".

One of Jug's funkier albums from his time back out of the pen, and a tasty electric session with Billy Butler on guitar and Sonny Phillips on organ. Pretty Purdie plays drums, and he kicks it nice and lean on the great groover "Jungle Strut". The album also features a nice version of "Son of A Preacher Man", plus "Ger-ru", which features Junior Mance on piano.

Amazing sounds from one of the best funky combos anywhere – ever! Antibalas have certainly risen to fame in the years since we first heard their Afro-styled grooves – working famously in the Fela musical, and reaching generations of ears with their own brilliant records. Yet throughout it all, they've always stayed true to their sound – and, if anything, are even sharper, tighter, and funkier than before – all extremely adept not only at playing their instruments, but at hitting the right sort of sound to cut through all the BS that was holding back funky Afro grooves for years! Part of that sound comes from superb Daptone production by Gabriel Roth – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean and full of energy. But the core credit really goes to the group – who never cease to amaze us here – and continually come up with fresh sounds on their keyboards and horns – and inventive rhythms to match! Titles include "Dirty Money", "The Rat Catcher", "Ari Degbe", "Ibeji", "Sare Kon Kon", and "Him Belly No Go Sweet".

Amazing sounds from one of the best funky combos anywhere – ever! Antibalas have certainly risen to fame in the years since we first heard their Afro-styled grooves – working famously in the Fela musical, and reaching generations of ears with their own brilliant records. Yet throughout it all, they've always stayed true to their sound – and, if anything, are even sharper, tighter, and funkier than before – all extremely adept not only at playing their instruments, but at hitting the right sort of sound to cut through all the BS that was holding back funky Afro grooves for years! Part of that sound comes from superb Daptone production by Gabriel Roth – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean and full of energy. But the core credit really goes to the group – who never cease to amaze us here – and continually come up with fresh sounds on their keyboards and horns – and inventive rhythms to match! Titles include "Dirty Money", "The Rat Catcher", "Ari Degbe", "Ibeji", "Sare Kon Kon", and "Him Belly No Go Sweet".

Previously unissued material from the great Harry Arnold – excellent mid 60s big band sessions, as creative as they are hard-swinging! Arnold's group here is at the top of its form – working together with a rich array of tones and colors that show the best legacies of 50s modern jazz in the large ensemble idiom – yet with a lean quality that really allows lots of voice from the soloists, too – a lineup that includes Arne Domnerus, Jan Johansson, Lars Farnlov, Bengt-Arne Wallin, and Georg Riedel! Arrangements are by Wallin, Pete Jacques, and others – but it's Arnold who clearly knows how to make the whole thing hold together this well. Titles include "It's In The Bag", "Margie", "Blues For Nathan", "Cheryl", "Tina", "Per Spelman", "You've Got It", "I Knew It I Knew It", and "King Valiant".

The first full length album recorded by the legendary Association – a classic bit of Sunshine Pop that would forever change the sound of the 60s! Although familiar, the album's got an amazing depth that still never fails to surprise today – odd production twists and turns, courtesy of a young Curt Boettcher; personally youthful harmonies that slip as often as they soar; and just the right touches of flower power to move the group away from their folkie roots into the new sun of a changing decade! The hits "Along Comes Mary" and "Cherish" are almost worth the price of admission – but lesser-known cuts are even better, and show a wealth of great work penned by members of the group! Other titles include "Standing Still", "Message Of Our Love", "Changes", "I'll Be Your Man", "Blistered", "Round Again", "Remember" and "Enter The Young".

Excellent live work by The Association – quite different than their earlier pop hits, but still with the same great harmony feel! The style here is in the rougher, more guitar-based mode of albums like Birthday and Stop Your Motor – and the band really sounds great in this live setting, which helps us to understand just how much of their magical sound came from the group itself, and not just Warner Brothers studio tricks. The set's got 22 tracks in all – 2LPs worth of music – and titles include "Dream Girl", "Goodbye Columbus", "I'll Be Your Man", "Never My Love", "Seven Man Band", "Cherish", "Requiem For The Masses", "Are You Ready", "Just About The Same", and "Along Comes Mary".

Mindblowing music from The Association – a heady double-length package that features every single the group ever cut for the Valiant and Warner Brothers label – which together make for an amazing evolution in sound! Although best remembered for their few soft rock hits, The Association were a hell of a group who never stopped growing back in the 60s – from sublime folksy harmonies at the start, to more complicated baroque pop as years went on, to some psych elements, and even a return to rootsier sounds they never had in the first place – always delivered with qualities that were head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – and perfectly put together in the best LA studio styles, with help from giants like Curt Boettcher, Gary Paxton, Bones Howe, and others. The group also became quite skilled in the studio themselves – as you'll hear in the book's copious notes and comments from members themselves – all a perfect package for a set that features 37 mighty tunes that include "Six Man Band", "Goodbye Columbus", "Like Always", "No Fair At All", "Standing Still", "Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies", "Looking Glass", "Birthday Morning", "Makes Me Cry", "PF Sloan", "Just About The Same", "Traveler's Guide", "I Am Up For Europe", "Hear In Here",a nd "Forty Times" – not to mention some bigger hits!

An incendiary collection of mid-to-late 60s material from The Attack – a proponent of the same UK scene that spawned The Creation and The Who – and influenced later firebrands like The Buzzcocks and other punk era greats! About Time includes the group's Decca singles, rare radio sessions, and previously unreleased records – some with a slight bluesy guitar tinge, but nearly all of them heavy and driving – way ahead of their time! Tracks include "Any More Than I Do", "Feel Like Flying", "Created by Clive", "Try It", "Go Your Way", "Strange House", "Freedom For You", "Hi Ho Silver Lining", "Magic In The Air (aka Watch With Mother)", and "We Don't Know". 15 tracks in all – and slightly different than the Cherry Red version.

Seminal early funk work from Roy Ayers! The record catches him at that perfect point when he was turning from a straight jazz player into a sinister force in 70s funk – and the group on the session includes super-hip soul jazz giants like Charles Tolliver, Sonny Fortune, and Harry Whitaker, running through short hip soul tracks that were very different than the style of music they were laying out on albums of their own. Roy's on organ, piano, vibes, and vocals – and he also handles the arrangements, with extra help on strings by William S Fischer, whose usual dark touches come across very well here. The album features some great soul covers – like "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Day Dreaming" – plus the original tracks "Cocoa Butter", "Rhythms of Your Mind", and "Red Black & Green".

A beautifully packaged reissue of this rare set from 1964 – an early example of the genius of Albert Ayler, recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out – especially when playing overseas – but recorded with the clarity of some of his studio albums for ESP – that sharp-edged sound that really highlights the groundbreaking style of his playing! The rest of the group here is equally great – and the quartet features Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – the latter of whom is almost completely freed up from rhythm at some points. Titles include "Angels", "CAC", "Infant Happiness", and "No Name". Also includes a bonus fold-out poster with a painting of Ayler!

Seminal ESP work from Albert Ayler – a unique session done as a soundtrack to a short (and weird!) film from experimental director Michael Snow! The lineup is a bit different than some of Ayler's other ESP albums – and features Don Cherry on trumpet and cornet, John Tchicai on alto, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums. At times, the record's got a bit of a "new thing" vibe – a bit more spacious and sonic than some of Ayler's other material – but at other times, it burns with an intensity that's almost harder and freer than any of Albert's trio dates of the 60s. The album features 2 long tracks – "AY" and "ITT" – plus the shorter "Don's Dawn".

These guys have a great old school sort of sound – Philly production by Bobby Eli, sweet female vocals from Cherry, and guest vocals from William Hart of The Delfonics, who really makes the tune sound wonderful! "No Answer" is back to Cherry in the lead – coming across with a blue-eyed soul vibe that takes us back to some of the best Brit divas of the late 60s!

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". The 9th Wonder produced single "Honey" is an unlisted bonus track.

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". The 9th Wonder produced single "Honey" is an unlisted bonus track.

Not much of a package, but some pretty great music! Gato Barbieri and Don Cherry play together on "OCDC" and "Third Movement", and the set also features a live take on "If We Only Knew" by John Handy, and "Ghosts" by Albert Ayler.

A pair of mid 70s album by Bobby Bare – the ambitious, concept-driven Hard Time Hungrys – and the easygoing The Winners & Other Losers – two worthy efforts from one the most unique voices and personalities of his era! Both albums are heavy with songs written by Bare family friend and frequent songwriting partner Shel Silverstein. Johnny Cash gets all the mainstream attention for collaborating with Shel on "A Boy Named Sue", but Shel and Bare have a far richer collaborative history together. Home For The Hungrys tells the story of the impoverished, with the title track, "Back Home In Huntsville Again", "Bottles And Boxes", "Truck Driver, Truck Driver", "The Unemployment Line" and more. The Winners And Other Losers is simply a great batch of tunes, sans concept, with the enduring "Drop Kick Me Jesus", "My Better Half", "Keeping Rosie Proud Of Me" and more. 24 tracks in all.

Bruce Barth is a pianist who always knows how to open up and run – making him an excellent choice for the Smalls Live series – easily some of the best-recorded live jazz CDs in recent years! Barth's touch on the keys is amazing – very fluid, and a mixture of sharp tones and gentler elements – always incredibly well-conceived, and really holding up in the space of the album's extended tunes – which also are almost all original compositions as well! The trio features Vincente Archer on bass and Rudy Royston on drums – and titles include "Yama", "Almost Blues", "Oh Yes I Will", "Afternoon In Lledia", and "Wilsonian Alto".

Far reaching modern salsa and Latin grooves from Bio Ritmo – perhaps their best stuff yet! The group has been impressive all along, but they've progressively gotten better and better, really developing into one of the most exciting and least pigeonhole-able modern groups out there. The diverse elements flow naturally, which is really not an easy thing to pull off for a group that clearly cherishes Latin and Latin-American musical forbears very deeply. They brilliantly blend 70s salsa and Latin funk with a heavy, raw rhythmic and percussive underbelly, impassioned lead and group vocals, terse brass blasts, weird bits of keyboards and other unpredictable touches that firmly root them in the here and now. Titles include "La Verdad", "Dina's Mambo", "La Muralla", "Carnaval", "Majadero", "Verguenza", "Caravana Del Vejigante" and "Lola's Dilemma".

Nicely-structured performances between pianist Ran Blake and guitarist David Knife Fabris – done with plenty of free-thinking elements, including those bold-ringing tones that we've always loved in Blake's recordings – yet still based around some relatively tight song structures overall! Most numbers are relatively short, but benefit from that fact – as they let Fabris bring in a flurry of chromatic sounds from his instrument, and Blake hit those almost bell-like notes on the piano – often doing a lot with just a little. And the setting sometimes has one player handling all the work on a track, then shifting to the other on the next one – and coming together on duets on others. Titles include "Watch What Happens", "Desafinato", "My Cherie Amour", "Sontagism", "Driftwood", "In Pursuit", "Cry Wolf", and "Shlof Manyn Kind".

Killer material from the 1964 edition of the Jazz Messengers – an incredibly hard-hitting sextet that features Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Wayne Shorter, Reggie Workman, and Cedar Walton. The mix of players is amazing, and Walton's warm lyricism is a haunting combination with the sharp-edged solos of Shorter and Hubbard. All tracks are long, and titles include "Free For All" and "Hammer Head" – both written by Shorter – plus "The Core", by Hubbard, and a beautiful version of Clare Fischer's "Pensativa".

Tried-and-true underground hip hop mixed with more experimental beathead touches from Blu – with collaborations and production by Exile, Shafiq Husayn, Flying Lotus, Dibia$e, Daedalus and more – plus appearances by U-God, J*Davey, Co$$, Pac-Div and more. Titles include "Doin Nothing" with U-God, "Everything OK" feat Ms Jack Davey, "Everybody Nose" feat Sa-Ra & Nola Darling, "Hours", "Annie Hall" feat Chop, Cherry Pop & Tiombe Lockhart, "Tags" feat Exile, "Spring Summer Winter Fall" feat Jimetta Rose, "Down To Earth" feat Donel Smokes, Definite & Double Oh, "Keep Pushinn", "Doin Something" feat Pac Div, U-N-I, J*Davey, Tiron & Ayomari and more.

A rare early album by the legend Brazilian guitar genius – still bossa, but also recorded in the US – which gives the album a stronger jazz feel at times! The core focus here is still on Bonfa's lively guitar solos – but the presence of added jazz musicians make for a set that's a bit fuller and richer than some of the more solo-styled album from Luiz – not exactly Verve bossa, but somewhere close – and a wonderful record that manages to capture the best side of Bonfa's lyrical genius – thanks to a mix of original sambas and bossa tunes, plus Bonfa-ized versions of some American standards. Titles include "Brasilia", "Island Of Trinidade", "Blue Madrid", "Old Times", "Indian Dance", "Marajo", and "Arabesque".

One of Bostic's best – played with a group that includes Stanley Turrentine and John Coltrane, although you'd never know it, because Earl's alto sax is right up front in the mix. There's no problem with that, though – and as you'll hear from his tone, it's more than likely that Trane and Stan picked up a bit of their sound from Earl, who they both acknowledge as being a strong inspiration during this period. Titles include "Sleep", "Cherokee", "Night & Day", "Linger Awhile", and "For You".

A great lost performance from David Boykin's Expanse group – one of the boldest forces in Chicago underground jazz a few years back! The lineup here is great – with Boykin on tenor, Nicole Mitchell on flute, Josh Abrams on bass, James Baker on piano, and Myron Cherry on drums – working together beautifully in a tribute to the late Hazel Boykin – at a level that arguably has more structure and force than even other great Boykin recordings of the time! The interplay between tenor and flute is wonderful – very complex, but also deeply soulful, and quite organic – and David's especially great, blowing with that spiritual power that really made us sit up and take notice when he first came onto the scene. Titles include "His & Hers", "1/20/03", "Eli Whitney", "Gates", and "Big & Fine".

Scorching raw soul from Charles Bradley – backed by the tight Menahan Street Band! "World (Is Going Up In Flames)" might be the best track yet from Bradley – an incredible groover with a heavy theme – but the apocalypse never sounded so sweet! The groove is raw and emotive, given a deeper feel thanks to some piano in the mix – with a rubbery bass line and backing vocals by the Gospel Queens! The flip "Heartaches And Pain" is another emotional workout – and has the feel of a lost southern soul scorcher, but with funkier bassline and drums! Amazing stuff!

A landmark New York session from Dollar Brand – recorded in the late 70s, with a larger group than usual! Brand spins out some really magical African-tinged jazz grooves – stretching forth in his usual modal mode, but augmented by a great set of horn parts that includes work by Don Cherry, Carlos Ward, and Hamiett Bluiett. Rhythmically, the album is incredibly strong as well – as it features bass work by Johnny Dyani, percussion by Claude Jones and John Betsch, and drums by Roy Brooks – working here at the height of his spiritual powers. One track on the album gets quite free, and titles include "Sister Rosie", "Jabulani" and "Hajj".

Great stuff – and possibly the best album ever by this classic harmony soul group! The style is wonderful – with Brenda's sweet voice in the lead, and backing by the all-male Tabulations. The overall approach was used by Gladys Knight & The Pips for years, but we've always liked Brenda's stuff better – because it's got a deeper soul approach, and much richer harmonies. This CD features all the tracks from the group's rare 1971 album, plus a number of singles that weren't on the record. Titles include "Right On The Tip Of My Tongue", "Don't Make Me Over", "The Touch Of You", "California Soul", "A Part Of You", "And My Heart Sang", "Lies Lies Lies", and "A Child No One Wanted".

Includes tracks by Philippe Brun with his swing band and orchestra, Arthur Briggs & his orchestra, and Alix Combelle with his swing band, orchestra, and Le Jazz De Paris.

Moody sonics from Nick Butcher – seemingly served up from instrumental sources which are then manipulated electronically! Some of the best moments have this kind of crispy, crackling sort of feel – almost the poetic beauty of a CD messing up, but a lot more melodic – often bursting forth in a way that creates a great sense of surprise after a mellower moment! Titles include "Tearing Paper", "Bee Removal", "Glass Paragraph", and "Shape Note Singing".

A pretty compelling record from the Chicago scene – one that brings together the city's historical music roots and some of the best improvisers working today! Side one features these cool little cuts from Nick Butcher – made up of "microsamples" of older Chicago jazz and house records, and really deconstructed so that you can hardly hear a trace of the original sounds at all – nicely obtuse, and sounding a lot like Nick was working from scratch! Side two features other musicians each given a track from side one, then encouraged to play their own live improvised take on the track – each with a very different flavor! So on the first half, you've got Nick serving up cuts like "Cozy Kitchen", "Great Lake", "Formats", and "Implements" – and side two features 6 solo numbers, each with a different artist – Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Keefe Jackson on tenor, Jason Roebke on bass, Tim Daisy on marimba, Jason Stein on bass clarinet, and Mike Reed on drums! Very nice package, too – with a hand-printed die-cut cover and sleeve!

Sweet electric funk – in a very trippy style! Before Donald Byrd hooked up with Larry Mizell and started recording his smooth fusion grooves of the mid 70's, he recorded this gem – kind of a "lost" album that has Donald working in an open-ended electric sound – one that's clearly inspired by the experiments of Miles Davis, but which has a generally funkier feel overall! The tracks are very long – with lots of spiralling keyboard and trumpet solos – and the hip players on the set include Bobby Hutcherson, David T Walker, Wilton Felder, and Harold Land. We love the tracks on this set – especially "The Emperor" and "The Little Rasti", which are both over 15 minutes long, and have a haunting spacey sound that's a departure from Donald's usual work!

A heck of a rare slice of Donald Byrd's career – a rare "with strings" session, recorded in 1957, but never issued until this brief 1982 LP on Discovery! The set also marks a rare early large set of arrangements by Clare Fischer – who backs up Byrd's shimmering trumpet lines with some great strings on the album – making for a moody session that's also got some nice modernist touches underneath. Given Byrd's Parisian recordings, and his work for a variety of labels at the time (this one was supposedly done for Warner Brothers), it's interesting to hear his more open style before it was clamped into the tighter Blue Note groove of the 60s. Titles include "Varmeland", "Lazy Afternoon", "Moon Mist", "I'm A Fool To Want You", "Dearly Beloved", and "September Afternoon".

Stellar sounds from pianist George Cables – the kind of fluid, soulful set he's been serving up for years – but one with a bittersweet undercurrent too! The "muse" in the title is Cables' late partner – for whom he wrote a few key tracks on the set, showing us that his skills as a composer are richer than ever – and really on a par with his majestic playing on the date as well. There's a lyricism that we haven't heard this strongly from George in a number of years – and the trio's beautifully balanced, with bass from Essiet Essiet and drums from Victor Lewis – both partners sensitive to the needs of the songs. Cables brackets the record with two solo performances – and titles include "My Muse", "Helen's Song", "But He Knows", "You're My Everything", "He It's Me You're Talking To", and "My Old Flame".

A lost west coast gem from the 50s – a unique quintet session for Atlantic Records, cut by a group co-led by trumpeter Conte Candoli and pianist Lou Levy! There's a bit more fire here than in some of the other sides from the time by the players – especially Levy – and in a way, the record goes a bit farther past the limits of Candoli's Bethlehem sessions, showcasing an especially searing sound in his horn! Other players here include the great Bill Holman on tenor, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums – and titles are all hard and short, and include "Marcia Lee", "Pete's Alibi", "Jordu", "Cheremoya", and "Comes Love".

An undisputed 70s soul jazz classic – and arguably the best album that Doug Carn ever cut for the Black Jazz label! The set is a masterpiece of spiritual jazz – with Carn on keyboards setting up the groove, and wife Jean singing some incredible vocals – very different than her later soul work as a solo act, and with a vibe that's like Dee Dee Bridgewater at her soulful 70s best. Jean does a killer job with the album's classic vocal version of Bobby Hutcherson's "Little B's Poem" – done here with sweet lyrics that really open the song up a lot, and make it into an anthem of love and joy that we'd be hard pressed to match with any other tune! And all other tracks are great too – with titles that include "Moon Child", "Passion Dance", and a great version of Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes".

An undisputed 70s soul jazz classic – and arguably the best album that Doug Carn ever cut for the Black Jazz label! The set is a masterpiece of spiritual jazz – with Carn on keyboards setting up the groove, and wife Jean singing some incredible vocals – very different than her later soul work as a solo act, and with a vibe that's like Dee Dee Bridgewater at her soulful 70s best. Jean does a killer job with the album's classic vocal version of Bobby Hutcherson's "Little B's Poem" – done here with sweet lyrics that really open the song up a lot, and make it into an anthem of love and joy that we'd be hard pressed to match with any other tune! And all other tracks are great too – with titles that include "Moon Child", "Passion Dance", and a great version of Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes".

A killer set from Cashmere – and a batch of music that definitely turns us on! The album's got a lean, mean groove that's mighty nice – a tight, keyboard-driven approach to 80s soul – but one that's also held together beautifully by lead vocals from Dwight Dukes, who was previously a member of Heaven & Earth! Dukes has this sweet falsetto mode that works perfectly with the cuts – and on many numbers, he gets vocal support from Dean Williams, whose deeper style really helps ground the tunes nicely – making for a blend that only gets richer as the album rolls on. Groovers dominate the styles, but there's a few nice laidback numbers too – and the contrast makes for the same energy that always made a record by Heaven & Earth so great. Titles include "Contemplation", "Try Your Lovin", "Inner Feelings", "Let The Music Turn You On", and "Do It Anyway You Wanna". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Do It Anyway You Wanna (12" version)", "Let The Music Turn You On (single)", "Try Your Lovin (single)", "Do It Anyway You Wanna (inst)", "Try Your Lovin (12" inst)".

Sublime modern jazz from Teddy – right up there with the best mid 50s work of other groundbreakers like Charles Mingus or George Russell, to whom Charles acknowledges more than a bit of inspiration! Charles plays vibes like no one else – especially at this point in his career, when he's moving into offbeat chromatic ranges that wouldn't be duplicated for another decade, in the work of players like Bobby Hutcherson or Gary Burton. His players on this set include Art Farmer, JR Monterose, Gigi Gryce, and Mal Waldron – and the album includes the original tracks "Green Blues", "The Emperor", and "Vibrations", plus a great version of "Nature Boy".

Nothing Fragile here – as Cherrelle comes across with plenty of power on this debut LP – thanks to sharp production from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on some of the best cuts, and an overall groove that's right on the best side of early 80s soul! The Jam/Lewis tracks are heavy on keyboards and beats – but still have a nicely early, un-commercial sort of sound overall – never too poppy, and more in an indie soul club sort of groove. Other production is by Michael Everitt Dunlap and Isaac Suthers – who bring in some slightly softer sounds that show off Cherrelle's more sensitive ballad side. Titles include the hit "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" – plus "When You Look In My Eyes", "I Need You Now", "Who's It Gonna Be", "Like I Will", "Fragile Handle With Care", and "Stay With Me". Great reissue – with a book-like cover, lots of notes, and bonus tracks that include "Like I Will (Tokyo mix)", "Fragile Handle With Care", "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (edit)", "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (special rmx)", and "When You Look In My Eyes (special version)".

Sweet 80s grooves from Cherrelle – a set that really has the singer cooking strongly with the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – complete with all the heavy beats you might expect! Jam and Lewis borrow plenty of bottom sounds from the styles of hip hop and electro, and do a great job of mixing the rhythmic elements with Cherrelle's catchy vocals – all in a way that really blows away some of their more chart-topping productions, as the tunes have a bit more of an underground appeal! Make no mistake, this is definitely the poppier side of the soul spectrum – but there's also a freshness here that goes way past Janet Jackson – and which retains some of that smoother, more sophisticated sound we always love in the Tabu label. Titles include "You Look Good To Me", "High Priority", "Artificial Heart", "Saturday Love", "Oh No It's U Again", and "New Love". 2CD version features a cool book-style cover, new notes, and 11 bonus tracks that include "Artificial Heart (dance rmx)", "Oh No It's U Again (ext version)", "Saturday Love (ext version)", "Saturday Love (feelin luv ext mix)", "Saturday Love (Steve Anderson rmx)", and "You Look Good To Me (ext rmx)".

A rare slice of work from trumpeter Don Cherry – music that's every bit as forward-thinking as his three classic 60s albums on Blue Note! The session is a live one, but the sound is quite strong – recorded up-close, and with great focus on Cherry's incredible horn work – as well as the efforts of the rest of the group, which includes Gato Barbieri on tenor, Karl Berger on vibes, Bo Stief on bass, and Aldo Romano on drums. There's a definite "new thing" vibe going on here – a style that's similar to some of Archie Shepp's work of the period, or that of some of Cherry's Blue Note contemporaries. Tracks are all long, and titles include "Complete Communion", "Neopolitan Suite", "Cocktail Piece", and "Free Improvisation Music Now".

Incredible work from Don Cherry – a previously unreleased live date from the 60s, but every bit as great as any of his better-known records from the decade! The sound here is really amazing – a hip blend of Cherry's trumpet with tenor from Gato Barbieri and vibes from Karl Berger – working here in a piano-less setting that has all three players snaking together beautifully as the tunes unfold – freed up a bit to explore some really bold new territory, yet always held together with the same sense of inherent rhythm you'd find on Cherry's Blue Note albums from the late 60s. Rhythm is by Bo Stief on bass and Aldo Romano on drums – both players who really help the tunes take on some great structures – especially during the group's extended take on "Orfeu Negro", a number taken in very similar ways to Archie Shepp's Fire Music version of "Girl From Ipanema"! Other numbers are great too – and include "Remembrance", "Spring Is Here", "Suite For Albert Ayler", and "Complete Communion", done in a 22 minute take.

A trio of classic albums from Don Cherry – packaged in a heavy book-like cover, with lots of new notes too! On the first part of the set, Cherry really breaks out on his classic Mu sessions from France – using the new freedoms of post-68 Paris to explore themes at a level that would set the tone for generations to come! The album's very spare, and very improvised – with Cherry on pocket trumpet, piano, and wooden flute – plus a bit of percussion too – alongside drummer Ed Blackwell, who's equally unbridled – showing a huge evolution since the time both he and Don spent in the group of Ornette Coleman! There's a few echoes of the global elements that Cherry would later embrace more strongly in the 70s – but the core energy here is mostly improvised jazz, handled at a level that really makes a lot better use of the freedom than some of Don's contemporaries. Titles include "Total Vibration", "Sun Of The East", "Brilliant Action", "Terrestrial Beings", "Bamboo Night", "The Mysticism Of My Sound", "Psycho Drama", "Smiling Faces Going Places", "Teo Teo Can", and "Dollar Brand/Spontaneous Composing/Exert Man On The Moon". Orient is a beauty from Don Cherry – and one of his rarest records! This set was originally only ever issued by the Japanese branch of BYG Records in the early 70s, and it features 2 live performances from France, both of them great! Don's in a spare trance-like mode here – working with one trio comprised of bassist Johnny Dyani and percussionist Okay Temiz; and another trio with Han Bennink on percussion and Moqui on tambura. Tracks from both sets are very long and stretched-out – a mixture percussion, trumpet, flute, piano, and occasional vocals, often done in a globally expansive style. Titles include "Si Ta Ra Ma", "Orient", "Eagle Eye", and "Togetherness".

Early 70s greatness from Don Cherry – a double album's worth of profoundly spiritual soundscapes paired with lots of weird effects – and a very laidback groove overall! Tracks are written by Cherry, Terry Riley, Pharoah Sanders, and Nana Vasconcelos – and include performances by Don on trumpet, voice, and harmonium. Lots of cool percussion elements by the group, with some tabla and other Indian instrumentation. Titles include "Elixir", "Relativity Suite (Parts 1 & 2)", "Terry's Tune", "Hope", "The Creator Has a Master Plan", and "Resa".

Early 70s greatness from Don Cherry – a double album's worth of profoundly spiritual soundscapes paired with lots of weird effects – and a very laidback groove overall! Tracks are written by Cherry, Terry Riley, Pharoah Sanders, and Nana Vasconcelos – and include performances by Don on trumpet, voice, and harmonium. Lots of cool percussion elements by the group, with some tabla and other Indian instrumentation. Titles include "Elixir", "Relativity Suite (Parts 1 & 2)", "Terry's Tune", "Hope", "The Creator Has a Master Plan", and "Resa". In a cool, trippy gatefold, too!

Easily one of the most powerful albums ever cut by Don Cherry – a searing set of tracks done for Blue Note in the late 60s – and featuring some tremendous tenor work by Pharoah Sanders! There's a tightness and level of energy here that surpasses even Cherry's other excellent Blue Note sessions – a rawness that recalls the style forged often on key ESP albums of the 60s, but honed here into a slightly tighter mode. Sanders' horn is especially well-placed in the set – and pushes Cherry past the spacier notes of other recordings, in a way that unlocks fire from the years with Ornette – but which opens up into a much freer groove. The rest of the group includes Henry Grimes on bass and Ed Blackwell on drums – both a perfect match for the quartet – and titles include the 17 minute "Unite", plus "There Is A Bomb", "Awake Nu", "Taste Maker", and "The Thing".

Funky grooves from Basque country – an unlikely location, but one that turns up some surprisingly great work from this sharp-edged little combo! The Cherry Boppers have a name that might be a little hokey, but they hooked us in right from the start with their tight version of classic funk – one that swings nicely between the grit of the funky 45 generation, and some of the sharper modes of the mid 60s mod years – a blend the group uses to keep things fresh throughout the record, in a blend of heavy sax, flute, Hammond, and guitar! Things are almost all instrumental here – and titles include "Play It Again Funk", "Black Lolita", "Groovy Groovy", "Midnight Walkers", "Blues De Los Colores", "El Cairo", and "Four Little Catties".

Great grooves from The Cherry Boppers – way more than you'd expect from the cover! We'll be honest in saying that these guys have a name and look that sometimes puts us off at first glance – but digging into their music, the sound is totally great – a tight blend of Hammond and horns, handled with equal parts jazz and soul – and a bad-stepping set of rhythms that lie somewhere between mod soul and 60s soul jazz! The sound is funky, but not in the usual deep funk way – more a London late 60s mode – and titles include "Flyin High", "Hey", "The Harvest", "Two Sides Of The Groove", "Deep Down Inside", and "Humo En El Ambiente".

A more obscure late 60s outing – with a bit less of David yelling at Alvin than we'd like – but still a set with some nice numbers, including "Que Sera Sera", "Chim Chim Chere-ee", "The Roses Of Success", and "The Bare Necessities".

A unique account of the oft-told history of Chess Records by author Rich Cohen – focusing on the business acumen the the Chess Brothers, and the brazen approach that brought the music of juke joints to the mainstream. Cohen doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the exploitational side of the Chess story, telling the story of the Chess Brothers and the artists that changed music forever, with a focus on the facsinating and complicated business behind it. Hardcover, 220 pages.

The title gets it right – as the album's easily the closest thing to free jazz that Ornette Coleman ever recorded – an album-length improvisation played by a "double quartet" that's overflowing with classic players! The style here is a fair bit like John Coltrane's Ascension album for Impulse – and like that one, the session features Ornette and his contemporaries really stretching out – blowing like never heard before on record, and working in a highly unstructured setting! Other players include Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Scott LaFaro on bass – alongside regular group members Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass, and both Ed Blackwell and Billy Higgins on drums. One long track – just titled "Free Jazz"!

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

An album that certainly lives up to the promise of its title – as it's filled with amazing instrumentation, groundbreaking compositions, and a sound in jazz that few ears could imagine at the time! The groove here is extremely modal – all instruments rolling along on the same rhythmic pulse, with drums, bass, trumpet, and alto sax incredibly intertwined! Ornette's really got an edge on his instrument – cutting even more deeply here than the clipped, punctuated cornet work of Don Cherry – and the rhythm team of Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins are simply amazing – not just keeping up with the energy of Ornette, but also really helping facilitate it as well! Titles include the haunting "Lonely Woman", plus "Peace", "Chronology", and "Focus on Sanity".

A key album for any fan of classic Ornette Coleman – a 1971 Atlantic release that pulled together tracks from the late 50's and early 60's that didn't make it onto Ornette's earlier records for the label! Why these tracks weren't released at the time is a mystery to all, because the material is great, and ranks with some of his best stuff – and over the years, the value of the album has grown even more within the early Ornette oeuvre – as it contains key tracks that have come to define his edgiest moments of the early 60s . The LP includes "First Take", a 17 minute earlier version of the material the ended up on Free Jazz, plus additional quartet recordings with Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell – on titles that include "Check Up", "Little Symphony", and the wonderful "Joy Of A Toy".

Buddy Collette's definitely a man of many parts here – and many talents too, considering the reedwork on the set! Buddy plays alto, tenor, clarinet, and flute – using the horns with wonderful invention that really showcases his unique style of the time – that mix of modern and playful modes you'd hear in the Chico Hamilton group when Collette was around! The album features a few different groups, too – with players who include Gerald Wilson on trumpet, Ernie Freeman or Gerald Wiggins on piano, Red Callender on bass, and Larry Bunker on drums. Titles include "Ruby", "Cycle", "Cheryl Ann", "Jazz City Blues", "Zan", and "Jungle Pipe".

A rare score from French arranger Michel Colombier – penned for an equally-obscure film directed by the great Jacques Demy! The album follows the same musical style as some of Demy's better-known work from the 60s – like Umbrellas Of Cherbourg or Young Girls Of Rochefort – although the overall style is a bit darker, and Colombier's music definitely rises to the challenge. Vocals don't feature as heavily as on some of Demy's movies with Michel Legrand, but they still have a strong role in the music – and this beautiful 2CD package brings the complete score to light for the first time – quite an achievement considering that the film never even made it to video. Titles include "Edith Et Sa Mere", "Violette Amoureuse", "Visite D'Edmond", "La Chambre D'Hotel", "Chez La Baronne", "La Rupture", and "Mme Pelletier Et Sa Fille".

NuHop? Common newcomers who buy Electric Circus for the single with Mary J Blige are going to be left with some head scratching – but if you like the spiritual/psychedelic Com that was hinted at on Like Water For Chocolate, this may be the follow up you were waiting for! This is still hip hop – with production by the Neptunes, Jay Dee, ?uestlove and others, but it's definitely a boundary stretcher. The mood runs from Roots style soul bumpers to Hendrix and Eugene McDaniels style feedback heavy freakouts. There's a guest on nearly every track, mostly from the Okayplayer camp and NuSoul titans, including Bilal, Omar, Pharrell Williams, Cee-Lo, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab and others. We won't lie to you, we miss the Chicago hip hop Common that kicked insight over raw and soulful productions, but you can't fault the guy for being an artist, and he really has crafted something original here. A great cover – a kind of rainbow drenched cut and paste photo collage of the contributors and inspirations with Com out front, sort of reminding us of Tribe's Midnight Maurauders, and even Sgt. Pepper. Tracks include "Ferris Wheel", "Soul Power", "The Hustle", the first single "Come Close", "New Wave", "Star *69", "Jimi Was A Rock Star" and more.

A classic set of spiritual fusion from this short-lived allstar group Compost – featuring Harold Vick, Bob Moses, Jumma Santos, and Jack DeJohnette! Vick's at his moody soulful best here, in a mode that's similar to his Strata East work – and the record also features occasional vocals by Lou Courtney and Jeanne Lee. They hit a fairy feverish, funky jazz mode throughout, and every player is in incredible form here. Titles include "The Ripper", "Moonsong", "Changing Streams", "Mon Cherry Popsicool", "Compost Festival", "Life Is Round", and "Buzzard Feathers".

A nice 6 song mini LP/EP scorcher from Portsmouth, NH garage rockers The Connection! Seven Nights To Rock is a hook-filled blast – with a tight, no frills and no-nonsense style inspired by the greatests 60s garage sounds – and a tuneful delivery that's above and beyond so many of their contemporary peers. The group not only has a great ear for hooks, but the ability to pull them off with a mix of raucous rock and sweeter harmonies. Fun stuff! Includes "Seven Nights To Rock", "I Think She Digs Me", "Comes 'N Goes", "Bad To Worse", a cover of The Ramones rarity "Yeah Yeah" and in another cool nod to The Ramones – the Connection original "Gonna Leave You" features production by Ed Stasium – producer/engineer of some the Ramones most treasured material!

Enigmatic sounds from UK reedman Lol Coxhill – a really cool collaboration with Morgan Fisher – who adds in his own tape manipulation, guitar, and piano next to Coxhill's work on soprano sax – plus a bit of carillion too! The style's even more spacey and laidback than Lol's 70s duets with Steven Miller – but has a similarly hypnotic quality – proof that Coxhill was always trying to go way beyond jazz, and way beyond some of the standard free modes of his contemporaries – always interested in shaping sounds to new ends – with fascinating results that make the album a corker! Titles include "Slow Music", "Matt Finish", "Jetsam", "Flotsam", "Vase", and "Que En Paz Descanse". CD features a bonus sound collage titled "Play Quiet" – with work by Gavin Bryars!

A plenty cool split single – with great work on both sides! CSC Funk Band sound better than ever on "Catcher's Mitt" – a tune that has a nice sense of color in its main funky riff – almost a soundtracky level of funky expression! "Ogun" is on the flipside – a mighty nice number from the Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra – rompingly tight, and with some great percussion and organ!

Our favorite album ever from Tyrone Davis – even if it's completely different than most of his other work too! The set's got a wonderfully smooth feel right from the start – a mellow-grooving, slow-stepping approach that works perfectly for Tyrone's wonderful vocals – pushing them out of their bluesy roots, into a more sophisticated modern soul style that's mighty nice! The change is a key illustration of the way that Chicago soul was really growing in the 70s – moving into some of the richer territories that you'd find in work from Philly, too – and Davis' growth on a record like this is a real testament to his maturity as a singer. James Mack handled the arrangements – and titles include the sublime "In The Mood" – plus "You Know What To Do", "Keep On Dancin", "All The Love I Need", "I Don't Think You Heard Me", "Ain't Nothing I Can Do", and "I Can't Wait". CD features 2 bonus tracks – single mixes of "In The Mood" and "Ain't Nothing I Can Do".

A groovy little soundtrack – put together by the DeAngelis brothers for one of the earlier pairings of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer – with a sound that's arguably better than most of their later soundtracks! There's plenty of playful elements in the mix – the kind of jaunty grooves that always seemed especially well suited to Hill's moments onscreen – but there's also some great 70s moments too, of the sort that push forward from mod 60s Italian comedy grooves, with some nice exotic and bossa touches on a few of the best tracks. Instrumentation is a lot richer than other Hill/Spencer scores – and the CD features a whopping 23 tracks that include "Flying Through The Air", "Gli Amici", "Valzer Fra Amici", "Il Matto", "Samba", "Bossa", "Plata & Salud", and "Il Ballo".

A really well-penned western score from Francesco De Masi – put together in ways that are even richer and more vivid than usual! The tunes are short, but really work some scene-setting magic in just a short space – leaning heavily on the full range of soundtrack drama while mixing in key western elements – and almost acting as a link between the spaghetti western generation and the previous era of Hollywood scoring. Instrumentation features great harmonica from Franco De Gemini, and a few vocal bits from I Cantori Moderni – and tracks include "Where Are The Killers", "Johnny Revenge", "Wishville", "Sibyl Murder", "Bloody Sunset", and "Over Death" – plus 13 more bonus tracks too!

Beautiful – and some of the best soundtrack work ever recorded by this mad French genius! Francois De Roubaix is one of our favorite soundtrack composers ever – and if you've never heard his work, this is a great place to start. The 3 films included in the package all feature amazing music that's unlike anything else you might have heard before – a blend of funky rhythms, soaring strings, floating flute, and odd little instrumental touches that evoke a lot of weird moods and mystery moments. A few tracks feature vocals – either by Nicoletta, Los Incas, and Gilles Dreu – but the bulk of the package is instrumental, with 22 tracks that include "Jeanne & Marceau", "La Recherche", "Gregg", "Le Bosco", "Le Ritual", "Jerk Carceral", "Aspic", and "Un Aller Simple".

Post-Blues Magoos work by the team of Joey Stec and Ralph Scala – both of whom bring a lot of the late Magoos energy to these sides originally recorded for United Artists in the early 70s! The work's got a blend of blues, rock, and soul influences – all done with more proficiency than the early Magoos sides, but still rough and raw enough to keep their core interests shining through. Titles include "Don't Blame Me", "Loving You More", "Give Me Love", "Get It Get It", "I Take What I Want", "I've Got No Time", and "Baby Don't Cry".

Just in case you thought all the backstage and tour bus action in the 70s was exaggerated, Pamela Des Barres comes along to show you that things were even wilder than you thought! The book is maybe a bit more freewheeling than some of her other volumes – as Pamela brings together stories from other groupies of her generation – told in their own words, but reworked a bit to really give them punch – in this volume filled with dirty details from the likes of Cherry Vanilla, Gail Zappa, Cynthia Plaster Caster, Dee Dee Keel, Cassandra Peterson, and other legendary names from the backroom! Maybe the most gossipy book the Chicago Review Press has ever released – and almost 400 pages in length.

A great guitar session from late 60s Brazil – bossa at its core, but with some other groovy touches too! Guitarist Heraldo Do Monte plays light acoustic, in a style that's right up there with Luiz Bonfa or Baden Powell – but the overall setting of the album also gives a nod towards some of the more advanced changes going on in Brazilian instrumental music at the time – the first inkling of some of the Blue Brazil touches from EMI/Odeon, with a deeper sophistication in some of the arrangements than just straight bossa. A few moments are straight ahead, mixed with others that have a nice degree of darkness – and titles include "Teletema", "My Cherie Amour", "Recit De Cassard", "Que Maravilha", "Casa Forte", and "Moanin".

A nice little groover from Bill Doggett – recorded after his years at King Records, with a sound that's even more jazz based than his original work! The set features Doggett hitting the Hammond hard, on short instrumental grooves with a mixture of soul jazz and R&B lines to them. Players include Billy Butler on guitar, Elvin Shepard on alto and tenor, Andrew Ennis on tenor and baritone, and Charles Hatcher on percussion – and titles include "Fatso", "Mudcat", "The Kicker", "Ol Mose Blues", and "Oo Da".

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender".

We love The Creation, but never knew their full story until now – a really compelling tale that not only gets at the greatness of their music in the 60s, but which also explains why they never reached the sort of fame they deserved! The story here is incredibly detailed – not just fan fluff pulled from vintage music mags, but well-researched information, fleshed out by surviving group members, producers, and key contemporaries and later influences too – plenty of details that will have you going back to your Creation records and hearing them all over again in a very different light! The book is almost 400 pages, with some black and white photos, and a helpful discography at the back.

A lost gem from Donnie Elbert – and a record with some really unusual touches! The style here has a bit of the spareness of some of Stevie Wonder's work from the time, but it's also got a skittish kind of groove that seems to have picked up a bit of a Jamaican influence – all of which makes for a great setting that brings out the best in Donnie's paper-thin vocals. Unlike other records, which seem to overwhelm him sometimes, this one's got a floating feel that glides Donnie nicely along! Titles include "Stop In The Name Of Love", "My Cherie Amour", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", "Never Can Say Goodbye", and "We Got A Good Thing Going".

A pair of surprisingly sweet albums from the Elgart brothers – back to back on a single CD! Girl Watchers is maybe the grooviest album ever from the team of Les & Larry Elgart – as you can probably guess from the title! The set's awash in groovy tunes from the late 60s – not just the fab title cut, but a host of other sweet numbers that are given an inventive new take on the Elgart horn style! The style is pretty great – kind of a 60s update of older big band modes – lean at points, full at others – and given some sweet Bobby Scott arrangements on some of the album's best tracks. Titles include "Music To Watch Girls By", "That's Life", "The Spy With A Cold Nose", "Girl Watchers", and "Girl Talk". Wonderful World Of Today's Hits is way more than you'd guess from the title – as the arrangements are by Bobby Scott, and have this sweet mix of jazz and 60s mod – often worked in ways that really reboot familiar numbers of the time – with that soulful undercurrent that makes Bobby's own music so great. Teo Macero produced, and really knows how to bring out the best shimmering sounds in the horns – and titles include "The Bobo", "Torino", "When I Look In Your Eyes", "Spanish Eyes", "To Sir With Love", and a wild take on "Ode To Billie Joe", with some surprisingly fuzzy guitar!

Duke Ellington and Mary Poppins? Sounds like a terrible combination – but it's actually pretty darn great! You see, the key words in the title are "plays with" – as Duke takes the core score of the film and, working with Billy Strayhorn, comes up with some groovy little tunes that really depart from the originals – and become perfect backdrops for the modern Ellington genius of the 60s. Solo work on the set is by Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Cootie Williams, and Harry Carney – and overall, the album's got that nice punchy feel of Ellington's other Reprise sides – and makes especially nice use of the modal quality of some of the tunes from the film. Titles include "Jolly Holiday", "The Life I Lead", "I Love To Laugh", "Stay Awake", "Chim Chim Cheree", and "Feed The Birds".

Duke Ellington and Mary Poppins? Sounds like a terrible combination – but it's actually pretty darn great! You see, the key words in the title are "plays with" – as Duke takes the core score of the film and, working with Billy Strayhorn, comes up with some groovy little tunes that really depart from the originals – and become perfect backdrops for the modern Ellington genius of the 60s. Solo work on the set is by Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Cootie Williams, and Harry Carney – and overall, the album's got that nice punchy feel of Ellington's other Reprise sides – and makes especially nice use of the modal quality of some of the tunes from the film. Titles include "Jolly Holiday", "The Life I Lead", "I Love To Laugh", "Stay Awake", "Chim Chim Cheree", and "Feed The Birds".

A great Riverside LP that brings together early material from the 78rpm generation!

Herb Ellis pays homage to one of the first great jazz guitarists – the legendary Charlie Christian, certainly one of the first true soulful talents to emerge on the instrument! The set's one of Ellis' nicer ones for Verve – and although it mentions Christian in the title, there's nothing outdated or old-timey about the sound of the record! Herb's lean lines on the guitar come through nice and clear – in a group that features Frank Strazzari on piano, Chuck Berghofer on bass, and Kenny Hume on drums – as well as Harry Babasin on cello, playing some nicely plucked notes that sound beautiful alongside the guitar! Tracks are relatively short, and titles include "Everything's Pat", "Workin' With The Truth", "Cherry Kijafa", and "Karin".

Heavy funk from the great Jimmy Ellis – billed here with a "preacher" in his name, which is a great indication of the spiritual soul going on in the music! Jimmy's grooves here are definitely secular, but there's a depth that definitely echoes some gospel roots too – mixed nicely with some sharp jazzy changes in the instrumentation, and given a sweet funky 45 twist throughout! Some of the best cuts here are in that great space between late R&B and early soul – but often still have the funkier bite of later years too – a perfect blend that makes the music here really stand out, and which makes the set essential for fans of all things funky. Titles include "Cry No More", "Go Head On", "Kiddio", "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love", "Tough Competition", "Puttin It On Your Mind", "Work With What You Got", "Baby I Love You", "Happy To Be", and "Don't Tax Me In".