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Three different slices of work from Julius Hemphill all served up over the course of five albums for the Black Saint/Soul Note label! The first two records in the package – Raw Materials & Residuals and Flat-Out Jump Suite – both have Hemphill coming off the New York loft jazz years – working on the first record in open improvisatory format with cellist Abdul Wadud and percussionist Don Moye – and on the second set with Olu Dara on trumpet, Wadud on cello, and Warren Smith on percussion. Both records have a very loose, open feel that's mighty nice – and darn soulful at times! Next are two early 90s albums – Fat Man & The Hard Blues and Five Chord Stud – both done with a sextet of reed players, with no other instrumentation at all – in a style that's a lot like the World Sax Quartet, but even more complicated. Reedmen include James Carter and Andrew White on tenor, Marty Ehrlich and Carl Grubbs on soprano and alto sax, Tim Berne on alto, and Fred Ho on baritone. Chile New York is the last album, and quite possibly the most intimate – beautiful duets that feature Warren Smith on percussion, plus Julius Hemphill on alto, tenor, flute, and even a bit of voice! The music is wonderfully evocative – and although released in the late 90s, was actually recorded in 1980 – with a loose, loft jazz sort of feel throughout.

We're not sure what to make of the title – but to our ears, everything here sounds plenty new and plenty fresh – the kind of creative guitar-driven work we've come to expect from Jon Lundbom and his cool contemporaries from the Mostly Other People Do The Killing side of the universe! The group here also features Jon Irabagon on alto and soprano sax, Bryan Murray on tenor and balto sax, Moppa Elliott on bass, and Dan Monaghan on drums – and there's an intensity to the music right from the start – a blistering sort of energy that almost takes us back to some of the most creative downtown jazz experiments of the New York scene in the early 80s. Titles include "The Other Third One", "Of Being Done To", "The Bad Thing", and "Talent For Surrender".

The title's a bit hokey, and the cover is too – but the record's a really great batch of tenor, organ, and guitar lines – served up with guitarist Randy Johnston at the helm, and featuring great contributions from Eric Alexander and Joey DeFrancesco! Drummer Mickey Roker completes the quartet – kicking things along with his classic sound – and Joey's strong ability to handle basslines with the organ gives the record a nice rumbling feel up from the bottom. Alexander's tenor is perhaps a bit less pointed than on other albums of the 90s, but his presence is always a welcome one – and titles include "Minor Mystery", "Sunday In New York", "The Philadelphians", "Wonder Why", and "Blues For The New One".

Includes "Through My Fingers", "My Youth", "Fade Away", and "Method".

The oddball early 80s debut of The Big Boys – a slice of weirdness from the Austin, TX underground that paved the way for stylistically sprawling 80s punk and hardcore to come! One thing that sets The Big Boys apart is the bass sound, which is way up there in the mix. As paired with shredded-chord vocals and the brute force of the guitar and drums, the group had a really unique, nearly unprecedented sound. Oddball songs mixed with irascible punk attitude! This great reissue from Light In The Attic's Modern Classic imprint gives it the proper respect – with heavy vinyl, packaging and insert. Includes "Security", "TV", "I Don't Wanna Dance", "Identity Crisis", "Thin Line", "Advice", "Complete Control", "Work Without Pay", "Spit", "Act/Reaction", "Self-Contortion" and "Wise Up".

James Brown screams at the beginning of the record – "I'm Back! I'm Back!" – which is his proclamation that he was ready to take on a whole new generation of funk music – grooving with a new sound that was guaranteed to hit as big as it did in earlier years! The approach is a bit more uptempo than previous albums, but still never at all in a disco/club mode – and James really does strike a strong new chord with the groove here – stretching things out and cooking things up nicely. Rhythms are still quite sharp, although possibly not as dynamic as before – and titles include the great title medley of "Get Up Offa That Thing/Release The Pressure", plus "This Feeling", "Home Again", "I Refuse To Lose", and "Can't Take It With You".

An incredible album from Donald Byrd – hard, funky, and with more of an edge than most of his other Blue Note work! The sound on the album's incredibly sinister – really concerned with downward chord turns in moody rhythms – played with a real sense of soul by a frontline that features Byrd, Hank Mobley, and Sonny Red. Cedar Walton drives most of the tunes with hypnotic lines on piano – and the rest of the rhythm's cooked up by Walter Booker on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Includes the massively hard funky title cut, "Blackjack", plus "Beale Street", "Loki", and some other nice groovers. Red and Mobley are amazing, and Byrd's solos are some of his cleanest and leanest of the 60s!

A nice little funky fusion set by Dreams – who were basically the Brecker Brothers, before they stepped out on their own and started calling themselves by that name! The fusion super group actually hews a little closer to the rock side of the fusion game at times, but there's no shortage of jazzy chord structures and some nice riffing and soloing going one – not unlike Chase or some of the other groups that were grooving in a similar jazz rock vein at the time! Billy Cobham joins the Breckers on the set – and titles include "Devil Lady", "15 Miles To Provo", 'The Maryanne", "Holli Be Home", "try Me", "Dream Suite" and "New York".

A mostly instrumental Exhibit from the mighty K Def – and a top shelf slice of timelessly inventive, head nodding hip hop production! Great stuff with prominent beats that pull you right in, but there's a lot more going on in the mix – sinister bass lines, moody keys, bits of guitar and more. It kicks off a pair of strong tracks with guest MCs – "Exhibit 2A" featuring Seven Shawn of World Renown and "The Fundamentals" with Blu & Quartermaine – and the instrumentals include "Improvs From The Brain", "Mind Boggled", "Get Your Mustard", "Relay The Piece", "Lost My Thought Part 1", "Stay Thinking About Music", "Chord Tester", "Rock It", "Lost My Thought Part 2" and more. 17 tracks in all.

One of the rarest albums on the Groove Merchant label – and one of the best! Ramon Morris has a sweet tone on the tenor that works very well with the electric piano in his tight little combo – grooving with a style that's like the best Black Jazz funk records of the time – mixing together bright notes, funky rhythms, and plenty of great chord changes! Cecil Bridgewater's on trumpet, and the band has a really righteous feel – with lots of real soul and thoughtful playing mixed into the jazz funk grooves of the record. Massive – with titles that include "Sweat", "Lord Sideways", "Sweet Sister Funk", and a nice version of "People Make The World Go Round".

As great a rock & roll album as there's ever been! It's impossible to describe this record without sounding like a blow hard, but you really can't overstate what these four goony guys from Queens accomplished. 30-odd years of the most visceral pop music concentrated into 2 minute, 3 chord blasts of beautiful sonic catharsis – and they could barely even play. Thanks boys! Tracks include "Blitzkrieg Bop", "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", "Beat On The Brat", "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue", "I Don't Wanna Around With You", "Loudmouth", and "Today Your Love Tomorrow The World".

Some of the most godlike soul music to be recorded on this planet, and two of the best-ever albums by this amazing Chicago collective that included the late Minnie Riperton, and who were arranged and produced by the great Charles Stepney! Both albums feature swirling complex arrangements, filled with strange time changes, chord passages, and nice jazzy bits. Inside it all, the group's cool male/female vocal sound rings out – with Minnie singing on some cuts along, and in duet on others. Includes the band's classic "I Am The Blackgold Of The Sun" (covered recently by NuYorican Soul), plus "The Sea & She", "Hey Love", "Song For Everyman", "The Weight", "Respect", "Salt Of The Earth", and "Vine Of Happiness". Imagine if Scott Walker met The Dramatics, and you've only got part of the picture!

An incredible album from Donald Byrd – hard, funky, and with more of an edge than most of his other Blue Note work! The sound on the album's incredibly sinister – really concerned with downward chord turns in moody rhythms – played with a real sense of soul by a frontline that features Byrd, Hank Mobley, and Sonny Red. Cedar Walton drives most of the tunes with hypnotic lines on piano – and the rest of the rhythm's cooked up by Walter Booker on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Includes the massively hard funky title cut, "Blackjack", plus "Beale Street", "Loki", and some other nice groovers. Red and Mobley are amazing, and Byrd's solos are some of his cleanest and leanest of the 60s!

The fantastic first album by Cerrone – a landmark disco record that features the 16 minute long "Love In C Minor" – a swirling bit of strings, beats, and female voices – one of those tunes that forever went onto change the face of dance music in the 70s! Cerrone really set up a whole new blueprint for club here – stretching things out plenty, and layering in subtle time and chord shifts that expose the proggish influences that filtered into French club as the 70s wore on! The title track's got some nice keyboards by the great Alan Hawkshaw – who sounds even better on the album's cool disco version of "Black Is Black" and the tight snare-beat original, "Midnite Lady".

A mostly instrumental Exhibit from the mighty K Def – and a top shelf slice of timelessly inventive, head nodding hip hop production! Great stuff with prominent beats that pull you right in, but there's a lot more going on in the mix – sinister bass lines, moody keys, bits of guitar and more. It kicks off a pair of strong tracks with guest MCs – "Exhibit 2A" featuring Seven Shawn of World Renown and "The Fundamentals" with Blu & Quartermaine – and the instrumentals include "Improvs From The Brain", "Mind Boggled", "Get Your Mustard", "Relay The Piece", "Lost My Thought Part 1", "Stay Thinking About Music", "Chord Tester", "Rock It", "Lost My Thought Part 2" and more. 17 tracks in all.

One of the few albums ever from percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett – a player with a decades-long legacy of performances with jazz legends Max Roach and Sun Ra, as well as Detroit electro genius Carl Craig! The album's got a wonderful sound that links together these 2 sides of Catlett's career – righteous acoustic jazz at the core, but augmented with bits of electronics, some of which are played by Carl Craig on synth and "space programming"! Arkestra member Marshall Allen is also in the group – playing alto and flute – and other instrumentation features twin trumpets from John Douglass and Dwight Adams, keyboards from Craig Taborn, and lots of percussion from Francisco himself. The sound is outside at some points, but always swings back to a warmly spiritual vibe – and Catlett's compositions are as ambitious as the performances on the set. Titles include "Baba Lu Aye", "Suny", "La Luu Banche Barasuayo", "Space Chord Progression", "Voodoo Papa Legba Mapotelo", "Saints At Congo Square", "Pa'Los Mayores", and a Carl Craig/Craig Taborn mix of "Baba Lu Aye".

The great city of Boston lost Babe Ruth in 1920, and it was pretty much all downhill until the Modern Lovers showed up at the end of the 60s. The two chord proto-punk, pomposity-busting brilliance of Jonathan Richman and his organ-heavy (courtesy of pre-Talking Head Jerry Harrison) Modern Lovers sounds better and better every time we hear it! This is the classic first album – with "Roadrunner", "Hospital", "She Cracked", "Modern World" and the rest, the one that they recorded around 1970 and which languished as a heavily bootlegged cult classic until it's first official release in the mid 70s!

A seminal Albert Ayler session from the 60s – recorded at the legendary Judson Hall with an incredible sound! There's a bold, righteous feel to this record that possibly even tops other Ayler classics for ESP – and the spacious setting makes the notes echo, rebound, and come back together with searing intensity throughout. The group features Ayler on tenor, brother Don on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto, Sunny Murray on drums, and both Henry Grimes and Gary Peacock on basses – using a unique two-bass approach that only further emphasizes the unique qualities of the record. Call Cobbs plays a bit of harpsichord too – and tracks include "Sprits Rejoice", "Holy Family", "Angels", and "Prophet".

A Syd Barrett treasure trove – and an essential compilation of unreleased work that's a much-needed companion to Barrett's classic albums for EMI! The material here is all from the years 1968 to 1970 – tracks recorded before, during, and around the sessions that later became The Madcap Laughs and Barrett – but which often also show a wider-ranging side of Syd's talents, especially on the few demo recordings – which offer an even more personal glimpse of the artist trying to find his way. Instrumentation is a bit more acoustic than on Barrett's full albums, but even the acoustic guitar is played with these dark tones that have the same sinister quality as the chords he brought to Pink Floyd – maybe even more striking here without any fuzz, as they resonate alongside Syd's offbeat lyrics. Titles include "Rats", "Golden Hair", "Opel", "Clowns & Jugglers", "Birdie Hop", "Let's Spilt", and "Swan Lee". Features a number of bonus alternate takes – added to the original core lineup of 14 tracks from the 1988 release of Opel.

A really cool little album – recorded by Detroit vibist Jack Brokensha at the end of the 60s, working with a combo called the Baroqe-Adelics, whose instrumentation includes electric harpsichord and fuzzy guitar! The album's the kind of small label jazz side we treasure – and includes a mix of funky and groovy numbers with some straighter tracks that demonstrate Brokensha's vibes in a more conventional jazz context. Includes the great original groovers "Boogaloo", "Opus Barokus", "Twistrist", and "Priscilla" – plus versions of "My Favorite Things", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "Tast Of Honey".

Easily one of our favorite albums by Tim Buckley – and a record that really opens up with some key jazzy touches! Buckley's still got his roots in folk here, and his vocals are yet to hit the extremes of Starsailor or Lorca – but there's also a new sense of inflection to the way he puts over the lyrics, shaded in by use of vibes, kalimba, harmonium, and harpsichord – the latter two of which are played on the session by Don Randi! Tracks are relatively short, but high in concept – and include the protest song "No Man Can Find The War", plus "Hallucinations", "Phantasmagoria In Two", "Carnival Song", "Pleasant Street", "Morning Glory", and "Goodbye & Hello".

An exceptional early release from the tragic Tim Buckley – done with a really unique sound that mixes late 60s folk rock with some subtly jazzy overtones! The record features beautiful string arrangements from the legendary Jack Nitzsche, and some beautiful work on piano, harpsichord, and celeste by Van Dyke Parks! But Buckley's the main star of the set – crooning beautifully with his sad-tinged voice, on wonderful tracks that include "Wings", "Aren't You the Girl", "She Is", and "Understand Your Man".

An unusual horror soundtrack from the great Roy Budd – one scored a few years after his better-known work in the UK, but done with a similarly top-shelf style! As you might guess from the title, the film's got a sense of humor – and Roy's music definitely echoes that as well – showing a bit of the sense of tension he perfected in earlier action films, mixed with surprisingly great dramatic passages that really flesh out the sound! A few playful passages with horns are offset by some wonderful numbers that seem to feature electric harpsichord – and titles include "Nancy Speaks", "The Vamp Show", "Invitation To A Blood Convention", "Mama Sends Vamps To Work", and "Bath Of Blood".

Tripped-out spacey guitar by Billy Butler – two tracks lifted from his Via Galactica album, and produced by Galt MacDermot, who handled the whole project with a slightly stoner edge! "400 Girls" has this nice slow-stepping groove – really hanging in space and moving slowly in a really great way – as Billy slowly plucks out a sweet melody that builds as the tune rolls on! "Up" is a bit more uptempo, but kind of a weird wah wah bluesy number too – with these chords by Butler that are unlike most of his other records at the time!

An overstuffed package that feature 2 albums from Italian guitarist Franco Cerri! First up is Metti Una Sera Cerri, from 1973 – an unusual album that has Cerri working with larger backings, in a style that's almost a bit like soundtrack work of the time! Franco's guitar lines are clean and clear – right up front in the mix, over a range of strings, plus bits of organ, harpsichord, and flutes too – all directed by the great Nando De Luca, with a feel that's warm and sweet, but never too mellow! The guitar glides nicely over the top – making for a really light sort of groove, and a change from Cerri's straighter work of previous years – on titles that include "Miss Iva", "Bostrizione", "Toilette", "Lady Stinta", "Penelope Jane", and "Vado E Tornio". CD also features the album Merci Beaucoup – recorded more recently, in 2003 – some tracks with piano trio backing, others with Cerri's Guitar Ensemble, a more guitar-based group. Titles include "Domino", "Yardbird Suite", "Just A Gigolo", "Merci Beaucoup", and "Out Of Nowhere".

An assortment of early 50s recordings by The Chordettes – easily one of the most heavenly groups ever to record in pop music! The quartet first had their roots in barbershop harmony, but soon stepped into much more sophisticated territory with these recordings for Cadence Records – sides that are perhaps best remembered for the hit "Mr Sandman", but which are pretty darn interesting throughout! The style's a bit sweeter and a bit less modern than work by The Four Freshmen or The Hi-Los from the 50s, but it's also no less compelling – and The Chordettes were one of the few female groups of the time to sing in such a way, making them a real standout. Tracks here sometimes feature additional instrumentation, usually on rhythm – but often the recordings are nearly acapella, and base all the song structures simply on the amazing vocals by the lovely ladies in the group! CD features 16 titles in all – including "Mr Sandman", "We Three", "San", "Oh Baby Mine", "For Me & My Girl", "Down Among The Sweltering Palms", "Hummingbird", "Lovely Lips", and "A Good Man Is Hard To Find".

2 rare soundtracks by French composer Eric Demarsan – 1978's Attention Les Enfants Regardent and 1983's L'Indiscretion – back-to-back! Attention Les Enfants Regardent kicks off with an ethereal choir overture, and from there rolls out some laidback, but moody tracks that steadily build tension as the soundtrack plays out. Nice use of harpsichord at the beginning and heavier use strings as it goes. Sweet! Titles include "Les Enfants Du Soleil", "Le Serment", "Strip-Tease", "La Mort De L'Ogre", "Le Diner", "Supermarche", "La Recontre" and more. "L'Indiscretion" has some similar attributes, but also cool, pared down fusiony touches – with echoey electric guitar, sultry sax, synth and some rumbling drums and bass grooves in particular. It's also got a nicely alliterative tracklist – including "Indiscretion", "Elimination", "Impulsion", "Premonition", "Interrogation", "Liberation", "Fascination" and more.

A strange little film from the late 60s – a brit comedy starring Deborah Kerr and David Niven, in kind of a tender and silly comedy about the early years of birth control. About half the soundtrack's kind of orchestral and romantic (surprisingly), but the other half is nice and groovy – with a strong jazz approach handled by a number of British players, like baritone saxophonist Ronnie Ross, organist Roger Coulam, and tenor player Danny Moss. The Mike Sammes Singers sing "Too Soon To Tell", and they're probably also the wordless vocal chorus on the nice jaunty number "The Pill", a groovy little tune that also has some electric harpischord! Other groovy tracks include "Walk With Grace", "For Geraldine", "The Hired Help", "Indoor Outdoor Girl", and "The Morning After".

Prepare yourself to discover a funky jazz genius! We don't know much about Bernard except that he was French – but this CD's a stunner, and is filled with the kind of funky little gems that we always try to find on European jazz and studio library albums. There's lots of late 60s mod touches – like organ, electric piano, and even a bit of electric harpsichord – and the record kind of sounds like funky French backings for a pop record from the same time. Titles include "Le Pain, Le Vin", "De Temps En Temps", "Autoscopie", "Cha Tatch Ka", "Monsieur Detour", "Bave A Roi", and "Meut's Boogie".

They certainly got the title right on this one – as Feldman moves from his usual staid jazz mode, to come up with a very groovy LP! In the course of the album, Vic gets his hands on conga, sand blocks, vibes, drums, organ, electric piano, tympani, tambourine, jawbone, novachord, and a lot more – creating some great little tunes with a heavily percussive groove to them. The set's a great mix of jazz and mod – with a sound that would make Verve weep! Titles include "Voce E Eu", "Do The Jake", "Geronimo", "Sunshine Superman", "In The Mood", "Have A Heart", and "This Door Swings Both Ways".

Not as completely wonderful as Hal's more electric work – but not a bad album either. Galper always has a way with the piano (acoustic here) that lends itself to warm, blocky chords – perfect for our post hip hop-influenced ears, not as complicated as other jazz pianists, but filled with just the right amount of space and soul. The set was recorded live, with horns by the Brecker Brothers and drums by Bob Moses. Tracks include "Blue & Green", "Now Hear This", "Speak With A Single Voice", and "Waiting For Chet".

A fantastic lost psych album – with a moody spacey sound augmented by lots of organ, harpsichord, and electric piano! The best cuts are short and echoey – with kind of a trippy pop feel that sounds like post-Brit invasion lyricism, mixed with LA stoner freedom, and a good dash of Love-esque soul. Titles include Tim Hardin's great "You Upset the Grace of Living", "Hang Onto A Dream", and "Never Too Far" – plus a very cool version of "Nature Boy", and the tracks "Tiffany Rings", "I Watch The Moon", and "Me About You".

A wicked album that's one of Stan Getz's best from the 70s! The record features Stan reunited with Chick Corea, whose warm lyricism was the lynchpin in Getz's landmark Sweet Rain – the stunning session from 1968 that is perhaps our favorite-ever Getz album. Corea plays electric piano here, but with none of the indulgence that he was lapsing into at the time. His blocky chords stake out a stark new territory, into which Getz solos beautifully, into a range yet untapped at that time in his career. Tony Williams augments the group on drums, giving the whole thing a sense of freedom, but also a nice tight swing. Tracks include "La Fiesta", "Five Hundred Miles High", "Times Lie", and "Day Waves".

An excellent soundtrack to this early 70s thriller that starred George C Scott! Jerry Goldsmith has come up with some strong action themes that are very much in a Lalo Schifrin mode – mixing guitar, electric harpsichord, and strings with a harder-edged groove so that there's a lot of space in the overall blend of elements – allowing each one to step out nicely, identified on its own! Even the mellower tracks are great – with an airy feel that recalls some of Michel Legrand's best action scores at the end of the 60s – with colors that flow out and really give the record a sense of soul! Steve Lawrence sings "The Last Run" in a mode that recalls Matt Munro's performances on other thriller soundtracks – and other titles include "Claudie's Stockings", "The Trap", "Border Crossing", "Rickard Escapes", and "Double Cross".

A powerful set of free jazz that definitely lives up to its title – a hell-bent session of unbridled energy from this west coast quartet! Vinny Golia contributes some wonderful tenor, soprano sax, sopranino, and bass clarinet to the record – these deft, deep tones that really give the album a heck of a lot of soul – especially on some of the sparer moments, which have the spiritual feel of a 70s loft jazz session. Lisa Mezzacappa's basslines are often a key complement to Golia's reedwork – and the set also features some equally nice alto sax lines from Marco Eneidi, who definitely has the right feel for the record. Vijay Anderson completes the group on drums – and titles include "Lop-Sided Heels & Frayed Shoes", "Meteorites", "Inessential Melancholies", "Pendulum", "Deformities & Dischords", and "Everything Imaginable Can Be Dreamed".

A pair of 60s gems – together on a single CD! First up is the original Jazz Goes Baroque from George Gruntz – one of the best blends of jazz and classical music we can think of! Sure, the tunes are from Corelli, Handel, Pachelbel, and other baroque composers – but they're taken to hip jazzy territory here in the hands of pianist George Gruntz – who plays some mighty cool electric harpsichord on the set! The sound's more like a 60s soundtrack swing than any staid sort of longhair classics – thanks in part to great work from Klaus Doldinger on soprano sax, and Emil Mangelsdorff on flute – plus swinging rhythms from the team of Peter Trunk on bass and Klaus Weiss on drums. The horns bring in a sense of depth and soul to the record that's missing from other dates of this nature – especially trio sets, like those of Jacques Loussier – and titles include "Corrente", "Pavana", "Gavotte En Rondeau", "Le Croc En Jambe", and "Musette En Rondeau". Jazz Goes Baroque Vol 2 is a wonderful follow-up to George Gruntz's first album of baroque jazz grooves from the 60s – one that focuses on melodies from Italian composers – recast here by Gruntz with some very swinging styles! The roots may be classical, but the end result is pretty darn groovy all the way through – in a space between mod 60s soundtracks and some of the more lyrical jazz on the European scene – with some especially great reed work from Leo Wright, Sahib Shihab, and Raymond Guiot! George Gruntz plays this extra-cool electric harpsichord – which further enforces a 60s vibe – and rhythms are from Peter Trunk on bass and Daniel Humair on drums. Tracks include "Sarabande", "Aria", "Lamento D'Arianna", "Allegro", and "Danza Danza Faniculla".

Very groovy stuff! This is the music that was used in the 60s Peanuts cartoons – made famous during the same stretch through its use in goofy Dolly Madison commercials! The album's way better than any of the Peanuts stuff that was on Fantasy, as Vince plays electric harpsichord on a number of cuts, and gets some electric guitar backing by Eddie Duran – for a very groovy sound! Tracks include the classic "Linus & Lucy", plus "Red Baron", "Peppermint Patty", "Great Pumpkin Waltz", and "Rain Rain Go Away".

A spare and dramatic score for this film that starred Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, and Omar Sharif – penned by Maurice Jarre with some slight Spanish touches, to fit the setting of the narrative! Light guitar is used on many numbers – but with a very high-register sort of sound that almost feels like harpsichord at moments – and other tracks feature an isolated flute snaking along the tunes slowly, carving out some nice moods and colors with a fair bit of subtlety. Orchestrations are relatively subdued throughout – and for the time, the music is wonderfully understated – especially for Jarre! Titles include "Manuel In San Martin", "Paco Leaving Spain", "Spanish Street", "Manuel Studies Map", and "Father Francisco In Hospital".

An incredibly pure moment of genius from Jobim! Features one of the best versions of "Aqua De Marco" ever, done up in these haunting blue chords, backed by great baroque orchestrations, which descend and trail off, then come sweeping back in. The whole album's just as great, with amazing orchestrations and arrangements by Claus Ogerman, and a very deep concept behind Jobim's normally simple compositons. With the tracks "Nuvens Douradas", "Tempo Do Mar", "Ana Luiza", and "Cronica Da Casa Assassinada" – and a haunting English language version of "Aqua De Marco".

Two electric killers from Ramsey Lewis – back to back in a single package! Funky Serenity is sweet electric funk from Ramsey – one of his best from the 70s, and a set with Lewis on Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and other keyboards, grooving away in an open-ended 70s mode that still retains all the heavy soul of his classic work for Chess. Morris Jennings adds in some very nice percussion with his drum work, and Cleveland Eaton's on funky bass, giving the set a strong bottom groove. Features the sublime sample cut "My Love For You", a great version of "Knights In White Satin" that's done with a weird spacey groove, plus the tracks "Kufany Mapenzi (Making Love)", "Serene Funk", "What It Is!", and "Dreams". Salongo is a tremendous little record, and one of the funky 70s sets that Ramsey Lewis recorded with Earth Wind & Fire! Well, not Earth Wind & Fire entirely – but the Kalimba Productions team of Maurice White and Charles Stepney that gave the group its sound – plus a nice sprinkling of other players that were often associated with sessions by the group! Ramsey's own combo here includes Steve Cobb on drums and vocals, and Derf Reklaw on reeds and vocals as well – and the overall sound has bits of African and Brazilian influences, worked into a soulful fusion groove that sounds a lot like the instrumental backings EWF were using at the time. Titles include "Brazilica", "Slick", "Rubato", "Salongo", and "Seventh Fold".

A surprisingly nice little record by Henry Mancini – one that's quite different than other albums of Hawaiian tunes! The record is much more a soundtrack than anything else – slightly exotic soundscapes arranged by Hank, and featuring the Baldwin harpsichord on many tunes. That instrument's not really one we'd associate with Hawaii, which is why we dig the record so much – and it gives the whole thing a really spooky feel, especially as odd instruments and voices drift into the mix. Titles include "Quiet Village", "The Moon Of Manakoora", "Pearly Shells", "Driftwood & Dreams", "Tiny Bubbles", and "Beyond The Reef".

Wonderfully groovy! This is the first-ever album by the legendary Marc 4 studio group – a funky Italian combo that featured Armando Trovajoli on keyboards, plus backing by guitar, drums, and bass. The keyboards vary from funky organ to jangly electric harpsichord to sharp-edged piano – and the group's sound is often augmented by some extra horn work. Things are nicely funk and nicely groovy throughout – and although you may have a few tracks by Marc 4 on other comps, this is a great complete release of their work, with plenty of tracks that we've never heard before. Titles include "Silouette", "Jockey", "To Pedal", "Trafalgar Square", "Soho", "Love Theme", "Mato Grosso", "Lua Linda", and "Gare". CD features 3 bonus tracks too – new versions of "Alex" and "Mato Grosso", and the track "Just Simple".

The first album ever by Steve Marcus – a key player trying to mix rock and jazz at the end of the 60s! Marcus plays some really wild sax on the set – a bit of soprano and tenor, mixed with guitar and electric keys in a wonderfully fuzzy sound! The approach has lots of funk in the mix – thanks to drums from Bob Moses – and the whole set's got that really nice trippy psychedelic jazz feel that was used a lot on titles (like this one) done for Herbie Mann's hip Vortex records label! Years ahead of its time, with a sound that's only being appreciated fully today – and featuring some great jazz versions of psyche rock classics – like "Mellow Yellow", "Eight Miles High", "Rain", and "Tomorrow Never Knows" – all taken to electric jamming versions that work off of a modal groove and a Coltrane-esque approach to soloing! Also features a nice version of Gary Burton's "Half A Heart", which is one of the funkiest tunes on the record, and done with some cool electric Harpsichord!

Two groovy sets from Paul Mauriat – both recorded in the magic year of 1966! More Mauriat really has Paul opening up with some hipper 60s sounds than usual – taking on a whole bunch of American pop tunes of the time, and retuning a French orchestral approach towards leaner, meaner modes – almost a soulful strings sort of vibe at times – although at others, definitely scored by Mauriat with the kind of French soundtrack styles we love in his music – especially in his great use of electric harpsichord on many of the tunes! Titles include "Bang Bang", "Black Is Black", "Sunny", "Guantanamera", "Lara's Theme", and "Reach Out I'll Be There". Prestige De Paris returns Mauriat to the songs of his homeland – classic French tunes from the more romantic previous generation – often done here with full strings and a relatively florid approach that's a bit different than some or Paul's worldwide hits. Titles include "Sous Le Ponts De Paris", "La Mer", "Moulin Rouge", "Les Feuilles Mortes", "La Seine", and "Fascination".

Very groovy stuff – with Joanne Grauer on organ, Victor Feldman on percussion, Plas Johnson on saxes, and Mayorga on piano and harpsichord!

Includes "The Any Several Sundays", "Touch The Water", "Peerless", "Won't Make You (Sleepy)", and "Peerless II".

One of the groovier albums the Modern Jazz Quartet ever recorded – as you might expect, given the cover and title! In addition to the group's usual cool sound from Milt Jackson's vibes, the set also features John Lewis playing a bit of harpsichord in addition to his usual piano – and the group's also augmented on a few tracks with some great horns from Snookie Young and Joe Newman on trumpets, Garnett Brown on trombone, Jim Buffington on French horn, and Don Butterfield on tuba – a change that really gives the record a nicely different flavor from other MJQ albums. John Lewis composed all of the tracks – and titles include "Walkin Stomp", "Dancing", "Plastic Dreams", "Variations On A Christmas Theme", "Travlin", "Piazza Novona", and "England's Carol".

James Moody's definitely feelin it here – stepping back into a straighter hardbop mode after some funkier sets of the early 70s – really sounding great on tenor, alto, and flute – and working with a very hip quartet for the date! Kenny Barron's in the group on both electric and acoustic piano (plus a bit of harpsichord) – and given his previous work with Moody in Dizzy Gillespie's group, the players already have a well-established repoire that shows clearly on the record – at at times, Barron nicely sets the scene with some of his moodier 70s playing, which really suits James' flute work well. Bass is by Larry Ridley and drums are by Freddie Waits – two more key players in this very hip quartet – and titles include "Anthropolgy", "Dreams", "Autumn Leaves", 'Wave", "Morning Glory", and "Kriss Kross".

A lost spiritual soul jazz classic – recorded in the early 80s, but with the feel of 70s independent work on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz! Pianist Nate Morgan's got a widely expansive vision – working here in a style that incorporates lots of blocky chords and modal grooves, set in context with a tight group that includes alto sax solos by Dadisi Komolafe. All tracks are originals, and the album's got a sweeping majestic feel that would have made it an enduring classic, had it been issued a decade earlier! Titles include "He Left Us A Song", "Journey Into Nigritia", "Morning Prayer", "Mother", and "Study in CT".

A lost treasure from the legendary Ennio Morricone – a soundtrack written for a crime film starring Charles Bronson & Telly Savalas, and handled with all the spare subtlety of his best work! Bruno Nicolai's directing the orchestra on this one – and isolated instruments include electric harpsichord and woodwinds that drift along nicely in the tunes – mixed with some harder arrangements on a few of the album's more driving cuts. Morricone strikes a great balance here – occasionally hitting sweet notes, but then often falling into these dark depths that perfectly fit the bleak world of the film. Tracks include the lovely slow groover "Riassunto", plus the tracks "Rito Finale", "Svolta Definitiva", "Dolcemente Acre", "Norme Con Ironie", "Citta Violenta", and "Mille Volte Un Grido". CD a whopping 21 tracks in all!

A wonderful package – a set that brings together two rare funk albums by Newban, an early version of Atlantic Starr – plus bonus tracks too! The first Newban record is one of the sweetest ensemble funk albums of the 70s – and a record that's gone on to become a classic, despite the fact that most people know little about the group! Newban have a sound that's almost a jazzier take on the Earth Wind & Fire groove of the time – a style that's warm and fluid, and which really gets past the cliches of other larger funk acts – and manages to find a space in sound that's all its own! There's lots of odd phrasings and chords on the set – creating these very blue passages even when the group's grooving in an uptempo mode – almost like the sense of sadness that creeps out from Stevie Wonder's work during his best early 70s years. The sound is totally unique, and uniquely wonderful – and the album includes the classic "Father Time", plus the cuts "Magic Lady", "Mellow Days, Easy Nights", "Fatback Sally", and "Hungry Grin". Newban 2 is every bit as great as the first album – if not better – with some excellent excellent lost material that's the kind of stuff that still keeps you diggin' for the hard ones. Includes the track "Greenburgh", with a tight funky intro and a smooth sweet soul groove, plus lots of other great cuts like "Free Your Mind", "Easin' Through", "Find a Place to Live", and "Rhythm & Rhyme". This deluxe package also features three rare bonus tracks – "Oh Wow", "Miracle Holiday", and "Bells" – tracks recorded before the first two albums!

One of the greatest soundtracks we've ever heard from Bruno Nicolai – a wonderful array of lightly groovy tunes that's as fantastic as any of the Mondo Morricone work from the same time! The main theme of the film has a catchy La Donna Invisible sort of feel – building on waves of sound with piano over orchestrations, skipping along to an altered bossa beat – showing up in a number of different variants throughout the score. Other tracks are darker and moodier, but really vary things up to fit the moods of the scene – using Morricone-styled bits of harpsichord, violin, or strings to come up with some incredible sounds. The CD reissue features 26 titles in all – many of which are restored from the shortened versions in the movie, in a way that presents a huge amount of music never heard before!

A strange, yet worthy leftfield album by the Pretty Things – one that features unknown French singer and wealthy Pretty Things fan Phillip Debarge – who essentially commissioned the group to write and produced this grooving little record! The Pretty Things and Debarge recorded the set at Nova Studios – one of the earliest London facilities with the state of the art multi-tracking, circa '69 – but there's still a nicely rugged and raucous underbelly to the production that's just tripped out enough with mellotron, harpsichord and harmonies. The album never saw light of day before the good people at Ugly Things saw it through all these decades later – and it's a surprising treasure from the seminal years of the group! Includes "Hello, How Do You Do?", "You Might Even Say", "Peace", "Eagle's Son", "It'll Never Be Me", and "All Gone Now".

One of the best-remembered Sun Ra albums from the 70s – a really cool little session that features Ra playing the unusual "rocksichord" all the way through! The instrument's a very weird one – kind of like a messed-up electric piano, with lots of cool broken notes and a weird fuzzed-out tone – one that almost feels like a guitar's being fitted into a keyboard, with almost psychedelic results! Ra's use of the rocksichord gives the album a really eerie, outer spacey sound – one that mixes strongly with more familiar jazz lines from John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto and flute, Danny Thompson on baritone, and Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet. Titles include "The Mystery Of Two", "Interstellar Low Ways", "Cosmos", "Moonship Journey", "Neo-Project #2", and "Jazz From An Unknown Planet".

One of the best-remembered Sun Ra albums from the 70s – a really cool little session that features Ra playing the unusual "rocksichord" all the way through! The instrument's a very weird one – kind of like a messed-up electric piano, with lots of cool broken notes and a weird fuzzed-out tone – one that almost feels like a guitar's being fitted into a keyboard, with almost psychedelic results! Ra's use of the rocksichord gives the album a really eerie, outer spacey sound – one that mixes strongly with more familiar jazz lines from John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto and flute, Danny Thompson on baritone, and Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet. Titles include "The Mystery Of Two", "Interstellar Low Ways", "Cosmos", "Moonship Journey", "Neo-Project #2", and "Jazz From An Unknown Planet".

Like the Beatles? Like jazz? Then here's a record for you! Don Randi plays tunes from Revolver – our personal favorite Beatles album – and he makes them swing with a hip 60s LA groove, often changing the rhythmic style of the songs to create a whole new groovy sound. Don plays piano, organ, and electric harpsichord – and the arrangements, inspired by (but not credited to) Jack Nitzsche, are sublime – as groovy as groovy can be for this sort of record! Titles include "She Said She Said", "Good Day Sunshine", "Love You To", "For No One", "I Want To Tell You", "Tomorrow Never Knows", and a surprisingly funky version of "Taxman"!

Drag strip rockers to more vocals based surf and otherwise pop numbers by The Rip Chords! Hey Little Cobra has a wealth of numbers, with the vocals kind of floating over the arrangements and a surreal way – be they duo harmonies or more layered Beach Boys & 4 Seasons style – with seedy & pulpy rockers and sweeter numbers. Includes "Hey Little Cobra","409", Shut Down", "Drag City" and many more.

Great 60s grooves from Carlo Savina – two playful comedic scores from the 60s, both filled with whimsical instrumental touches! Veneri Al Sole is excellent right from the start – with a Piero Piccioni-like blend of jazz, Latin rhythms, and some mod 60s instrumentation – especially on organ, electric harpsichord, and vibes, which both ring out on some of the album's best tracks – in ways that have sonic properties that go way beyond their familiar use! The record's a great example of the way that 60s Italian composers were really changing things around – and that spirit follows strongly on Veneri In Collegio – a set of tracks that's almost more vivid overall – especially in the way it uses wider woodwind passages to flesh out the sound. CD features 26 tracks in all – with great remastering!

Two amazing albums from sound library maestro Patrice Sciortino – experimental, but also pretty darn groovy too! Percuplusions features tunes that often mix odd rhythms and weird keyboard parts – sometimes electric harpsichord, sometimes an instrument that may well be prepared piano – used in a way that's every bit as rhythmic as the percussion! There's a core rootsy feel to the music that's almost like some of Moondog's 50s recordings – although the overall approach has more of a French avant style as well – like some of the late 60s records coming out on Philips, issued here on the Limelight electronic series. Titles include "Isogones", "Natcos", "Wood Wood", "Cryptile", "Ronces", and "Matic". Next is Gynorhymies 1 – a record that sounds like it's got sort of a dirty title, but which was actually composed for dance excercises – although exercises of a very offbeat nature! The music is a nice blend of acoustic percussion and some electric touches – the latter of which are usually used sparely, mostly on keyboard, and folded into the percussion – so that the music is very rhythmic throughout! The CD features all the short tracks from the original album – plus some bonus tracks as well – 44 titles in all, and almost 80 minutes of very unusual sounds!

Sublime early work from Robert Wyatt and crew – a psychedelic accented jazz rock classic that never gets old – and a visionary set that inspired a generation! The heavily fuzzy guitar sound is transcendent on Volume Two – with sudden jazzy changes, augmented by horns, and all done with a sly sense of humour for which the group doesn't get enough credit. The set's broken up into two different "concept" halves – and side one is "Rivmic Melodies" – and includes "Pataphysical Introduction", "A Concise British Alphabet", "Dada Was Here", and "Out Of Tunes". Side two is "Esther's Nose Job" – with the parts "Pig", "Fire Engine Passing With Bells Clanging", "Orange Skin Food", and "A Door Opens & Closes". Wyatt's on vocals and drums; Hugh Hopper is on bass, guitar, and alto; and Mike Ratledge plays some great Lowry and Hammond organ, plus a bit of harpsichord and flute!

A beautiful, and oft-overlooked, album of modal jazz tracks performed by Chicago jazz musician Ira Sullivan – who normally plays trumpet and tenor, but who also shows here his amazing talent on soprano sax! The album's quite different than most of Sullivan's straighter material, and some tracks have a great modal feel too – very hip and groovy, with some electric harpsichord on a few cuts too! Titles include the great original "Ninevah", a sublime version of "Norwegian Wood", and other titles that include "Horizons", "Oh Gee", and "Adah".

A wicked wicked set of tracks from Japan – one that blends together jazzy riffing and Brazilian rhythms, all played with a surprisingly soulful bent! Suzuki's on bass and piccolo bass, and Yamamoto plays not only electric piano but also a bit of electric harpsichord – which adds a cool feel to the album, and one that's almost like some lost European soundtrack. Rhythms are mostly in a breezy sort of style that mixes samba with bossa jazz – and Donald Bailey is in the group on drums, providing some very nice bottom to the set. The whole thing's great, with a really unique style – one that's so great it even transforms older numbers like "Night & Day", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Greensleeves", and "La Vie En Rose". Also features an especially great take on Michel Colombier's "Overture"!

A beautiful little overview of the work that Cal Tjader recorded for the Skye Records label at the end of the 60s – some of his grooviest work ever, and all done with a unique blend of styles that Cal barely ever captured again! The rhythms are often inspired by bossa nova, but usually end up coming across a bit funkier – supported by strong electric bass work, and topped off not just by Cal's sweet solos on vibes, but often by electric piano, organ, or harpsichord! Gary McFarland produced all the tracks, and the tunes have a sweetly spacious quality that's like the best of his own work of the time – but even groovier! Titles include "Amazon", "Here", "Eye Of The Devil", "Fried Bananas", "My Little Red Book", "Walk On By", "The Tra La La Song", "Spooky", and "Get Out Of My Way".

2 totally great Cal Tjader electric albums – both recorded originally for the Skye label, and back to back on one CD! Cal Tjader Plugs In is a beautifully plugged-in, turned-on session from Cal Tjader – one that features the funky vibist alongside some sweet Fender Rhodes! The session was recorded live, but it's got a flowing, modal quality that rivals Tjader's best work in the studio for Verve and Fantasy at the end of the 60s – a soaring, spacious sound that comes from the interplay between Cal's ringing vibes and the Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano work of Al Zulaica – an excellent player we only know from a few of Tjader's albums. Armando Peraza provides some tight conga work on the set – and titles include "Spooky", "Tra La La Song", "Morning Mist", "Alonzo", "Nica's Dream", and "Get Out of My Way" – a great instrumental take on the Latin soul hit from Joe Torres! Solar Heat is even better – a record that features Joao Donato on organ and Gary McFarland on vibes! The record is a brilliant extension of Cal's styles at Verve – a bit of Latin, a bit of jazz, with some easily grooving numbers that have just the right dose of funk! Donato's organ sounds especially great, and there's also some added electric piano and electric harpsichord on the record, which expands the electricity even more! Loads of great numbers – including "Mambo Sangria", "Fried Bananas", "Solar Heat", "Ode to Billy Joe", and Donato's great "Amazonas".

Perfect Bob James electric arrangements make this LP by Stan one of his best for CTI! The record's got a laidback dope 70s approach to funky jazz – with loads of nice modal chords, sliced through by some deep soul solos from Stan. Players include Idris Muhammad, Bob James, Harold Mabern, and Eric Gale – and the record features a great remake of Marvin Gaye's "Don't Mess With Mister T", plus "Too Blue", "Two For T", and "I Could Never Repay Your Love". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Harlem Dawn", "Mississippi City Strut", and "Don't Mess With Mister T" in an alternate take.

The Ventures were furiously productive in the early 60s – delivering gem after gem – and this is among the best! Telstar is somewhere near the ninth record by the group, offering a dizzying mix of covers of some of the most popular songs of the day. The guitar still leads as the main sound on these tracks but they do expand the instrumentation to include organ, trumpet, mandolins and harpsichord as well. They sing a little on some of the tracks but they mainly stay in the instrumental realm. Greatness! Tracks include "Telstar", "The Lonely Bull", "Mexico", "Calcutta", "Apache", "Never On A Sunday", "Tequila", "Green Onions", "Let There Be Drums", and "Red River Rock".

Very hip stuff from Gerald Wilson – about as tight and hard as you can get for 60s big band work! The players on the set aren't listed clearly, but we can be sure that they're some of Gerald's usual contemporaries – the best of the mid 60s LA soul jazz and avant bop scene, all working together to craft some incredibly groovy tunes with a high degree of soul. The album has lots of nice instrumental touches, from electric harpsichord to vibes to guitar, all woven through the mostly original tunes that make up the set. Tracks include "M Capetillo", "Del Olivar", "Little Bit Of Soul", "Do I Love You", and "Mini Waltz".

Way more than just a sweet beat – because everything about these grooves is great – a rich array of jazzy tracks from Polish reedman Jan Ptasyn Wroblewski, cut in a style that rivals the best European jazz sides of the late 60s – but also done with an occasional soundtrack vibe as well! The core combo is backed with some fuller orchestrations – but always in a way that just augments the sharp instrumentation from Jan and the other players – a lineup that also features some great piano, organ, and harpsichord – alongside bass, drums, and percussion! At times, there's a Verve 60s groovy feel to some of the backings – but the sharpness of the musical ideas really keeps things interesting – and Jan's one hell of a soulful player when he wants to be. Titles include "Jesien", "Bitwa O Grzede", "Dziewcynha Tanczaca", "Sweet Beat", "300 Kilometrow Przed Nami", and "Nie Pozaluje Pan". CD also features 14 more bonus tracks added to the original album – loads more vintage gems from the Polish Radio vaults, including "Trawa", "Tata Lata", "Tylko Spokoj", "Tango Nieforme", and "Stopniowanie".

One of John Zorn's best-known "game" pieces – served up here in both a studio and live performance! Zorn doesn't play anything on the recordings, but acts as the "prompter" – a conductor of sorts, encouraging improvisations from a variety of players that include Jim Staley on trombone, Bill Frisell on electric guitar, Elliott Sharp on doubleneck guitar, Arto Lindsay on guitar, Wayne Horvitz on piano, Anthony Coleman on organ and harpsichord, Christian Marclay on turntables, Zeena Parkins on harp, and Bobby Previte on percussion. The lineup is amazing – really a "who's who" of the New York art music scene in the mid 80s – and there's a nice use of turntables and tapes on both performances – making for sonic interplay that goes way beyond the usual Zorn recording!

Fuzzed-out groovy 60s tunes – very mod, hip, and out of this world! These tasty little gems are pulled from obscure Italian soundtracks – very nicely collected in this fab package, with an ear-popping sound that includes great work on organ, guitars, electric harpsichord, and other instrumentation just right for coming up with a Blow Up party mood! Titles include "Discoteque Party" by Piero Umiliani, "Franco Nero Shake (new edit)" by Fred Bongusto, "Catherine Spaak Shake (new edit)" by Armando Trovajoli, "Easy Dreamer" by Piero Piccioni, "I Baronetti" by Alessandro Alessandroni, "Gaby Shake" by Nico Fidenco, and "Black Sheep Shake" by Luis Bacalov.

A mad selection of soulful reggae from Jazzie B! Trojan taps the man behind some of the finest 80s soul to select a set that's guaranteed to ram the dance in the same way that Soul II Soul ruled dancefloors and radio with their bumping modern grooves. Jazzie B hits hits some familiar chords with some of his selections, but there's quite a few tracks even we didn't have on disc and the set plays wonderfully from start to finish, aptly living up to all the title promises! 18 number in all, including "Screw Face" and "Point Blank" by I Roy, "Slave Master" by Gregory Isaacs, "Jump Up" by Admiral Bailey, "Ready Done" by Nitty Gritty, "Natty Dread A Wah She Want" by Tapper Zukie & Horace Andy, "Shine Eye Girl" by Barrington Levy & Jah Thomas, "Getting Cozy (ext mix)" by the In Crowd, "Warrior" by Junior Delgado, "Ain't That Loving You" by ALton Ellis and "Point Of View" by Matumbi.

Raw tunes from the late 50s and early 60s – a smoking collection of rare rockers, raunchy R&B, and some early soul numbers too – all served up in a totally sweet 10" vinyl package! The set's from the same folks who gave us the excellent Beat From Badsville series – and like those great collections, this one's got a vibe that takes us back to some of the Stompin sets from earlier years, and which also makes us feel like we've discovered some hipster jukebox from many decades back – stocked with vintage wax with a mighty nice edge! Titles on this volume include "Old Man Mose" by Rod Willis, "The Devil Sat Down & Cried" by Savannah Churchill & The Striders, "Action" by Lance Fortune, "St James Infirmary" by Otto Bash, "Shadrack" by Golden Gate Quartet, "Cross Over The Bridge" by The Chords, and "Snake Dance Boogie" by Roy Hogsed.

Troubadour folk from the 70s and into the early 80s – collected from rare privately issued records – the third set in the Wayfaring Strangers series from Numero! Lonesome Heroes is the male companion set to the equally excellent Ladies Of The Canyon compilation – and it features a haunting mix of spare, kind of eerily melodic vocal & guitar tunes, almost all of them by singer/songwriters who have remained largely unknown to this day. The melodies and chords are mostly on the tender, delicate side, and the voices range from gruff storytelling to sweeter singing. It really stands on its own really well in the Wayfaring Strangers series, too – the guitar playing is in service of the songs here, unlike the accomplished pickers & strummers on the Guitar Soli set, and the tunes aren't as airy as the Ladies From The Canyon material. Wonderful stuff, beatifully packages with great notes on the songs and artists, which should could go without saying, since this comes from the Numero Group! Titles include "Before" by Jim Schoenfeld, "It's So Profound" by Jim Ransom, "As I Walk" by Richard Smyrnios, "No Love Lost" by Tucker Zimmerman, "Hummingbird" by Kieran White, "The Tailor" by Jack Hardy, "Little Children" by George Cromarty, "Deep Night" by Tony Trosley, "Good Morning" by Tim Ward, "I Am The Moonlight" by John Villemonte, "O'Light" by Robb Kunkel and more. 17 tracks in all.

A slightly headier sound than before from Chad & Jeremy – music that's still in a great mix of Brit Invasion and Sunshine Pop, but which also shows a somewhat deeper sensibility too – a desire to reach past the simpler pop modes that first got the pair going here in the US! Chad Stuart's listed as the music director for the album – and we're not sure if he's the one responsible for the sound, but there's definitely some great elements going on – bits of flute, harpsichord, flugelhorn, and more – all wrapped up beautifully with some great production that hangs the whole album in a warmly harmonic pillow of sound. Titles include "Ain't It Nice", "Distant Shores", "Morning", "Homeward Bound", "You Are She", and "Don't Make Me Do It". CD features a whopping 13 bonus tracks – including "Last Night", "Teenage Failure", "Anytime", "Sticks & Stones", "Love Is Strange", and "If You Need Somebody".

A sweet little pairing of the keyboards of Sergio Mendes and the early arranging styles of Dave Grusin – and a set that's quite different than some of Sergio's vocal albums with Brasil 66! The style here is all instrumental – and Mendes plays both piano and electric piano, plus a bit of harpsichord too – working with a hip LA group that features Grusin on organ, Tom Scott on flute and soprano sax, and John Pisano on guitar – plus a bit of Brazilian percussion from Joao Donato and Moacir Santos! The result is a heavenly 60s groove – some slight larger backings, plus great work from the jazzy group at the core – and titles include a stunning version of "Ponteio" – plus other Brazilian groovers like "A Banda", "Veleiro", and "Tempo Feliz". There's also a few tracks of US material like "I Say a Little Prayer" and "Comin' Home Baby", done with a nice bossa groove!

Like the Beatles? Like jazz? Then here's a record for you! Don Randi plays tunes from Revolver – our personal favorite Beatles album – and he makes them swing with a hip 60s LA groove, often changing the rhythmic style of the songs to create a whole new groovy sound. Don plays piano, organ, and electric harpsichord – and the arrangements, inspired by (but not credited to) Jack Nitzsche, are sublime – as groovy as groovy can be for this sort of record! Titles include "She Said She Said", "Good Day Sunshine", "Love You To", "For No One", "I Want To Tell You", "Tomorrow Never Knows", and a surprisingly funky version of "Taxman"!

A beautiful, and oft-overlooked, album of modal jazz tracks performed by Chicago jazz musician Ira Sullivan – who normally plays trumpet and tenor, but who also shows here his amazing talent on soprano sax! The album's quite different than most of Sullivan's straighter material, and some tracks have a great modal feel too – very hip and groovy, with some electric harpsichord on a few cuts too! Titles include the great original "Ninevah", a sublime version of "Norwegian Wood", and other titles that include "Horizons", "Oh Gee", and "Adah".

A wonderful package – a set that brings together two rare funk albums by Newban, an early version of Atlantic Starr – plus bonus tracks too! The first Newban record is one of the sweetest ensemble funk albums of the 70s – and a record that's gone on to become a classic, despite the fact that most people know little about the group! Newban have a sound that's almost a jazzier take on the Earth Wind & Fire groove of the time – a style that's warm and fluid, and which really gets past the cliches of other larger funk acts – and manages to find a space in sound that's all its own! There's lots of odd phrasings and chords on the set – creating these very blue passages even when the group's grooving in an uptempo mode – almost like the sense of sadness that creeps out from Stevie Wonder's work during his best early 70s years. The sound is totally unique, and uniquely wonderful – and the album includes the classic "Father Time", plus the cuts "Magic Lady", "Mellow Days, Easy Nights", "Fatback Sally", and "Hungry Grin". Newban 2 is every bit as great as the first album – if not better – with some excellent excellent lost material that's the kind of stuff that still keeps you diggin' for the hard ones. Includes the track "Greenburgh", with a tight funky intro and a smooth sweet soul groove, plus lots of other great cuts like "Free Your Mind", "Easin' Through", "Find a Place to Live", and "Rhythm & Rhyme". This deluxe package also features three rare bonus tracks – "Oh Wow", "Miracle Holiday", and "Bells" – tracks recorded before the first two albums!

An amazing little record from Joe Byrd – an artist with roots in serious music, but who's serving things up here with a wild hippie aesthetic that makes the whole thing come across more like a "happening" than the usual sort of studio album – but in ways that also echo an earlier generation of Americanist composition too. The process of the record mimics some of Byrd's famous work in New York – and has a very collaborative feel overall, with elements of electronics, acoustics, and vocals coming together beautifully! There's some great tabla, harpsichord, moog, and organ on the record – plus more serious woodwinds and brass – and vocals from Victoria Bond, Susan De Lange, Christie Thompson, and Ernie Anderson – plus Joe himself. Titles include "Kalyani", "Moonsong Pelog", "You Can't Ever Come Down", "Gospel Music", "Nightmare Train", "Leisure World", and "The Elephant At The Door".

A really cool little tune – a northern soul killer at the heart, and served up with soaring vocals from Candy & The Kisses – a group who seem to have almost the full power of a choir, given the richness of the arrangement here! "Bok To Bach" is spelled weirdly here, and has an equally quirky sound too – electric harpsichord strutting away over a "Bend Me Shape Me" sort of groove – soul instrumental, but with a catchy pop twist, too!

Beautiful work from the legendary late 60s run of British pianist Michael Garrick – and a fascinating session that shows the full depth of his talents! A few of the tracks on the set are in a septet mode – with Garrick leading a group that includes Ian Carr on trumpet, Joe Harriott on alto, Don Rendell on soprano sax, and Tony Coe on tenor – all shading in some beautiful tones on the straight numbers "Good Times" and "Webster's Mood" – and really going to town on the modal number "Ursula", a rolling groover that's simply fantastic! 2 other tracks – "Jazz For Five" and "Jazz Nativity" – have the group joined by poet John Smith, who's recitation beautifully matches the horn work of Coe and Harriott. Remaining tracks are even more unusual – and feature Garrick in trio formation on either celeste or harpsichord – really hitting beautiful notes that have a slightly exotic feel, on titles that include "What Are Little Girls", "Spiders", "Black Marigolds", and "Carolling".

Beautiful work from the legendary late 60s run of British pianist Michael Garrick – and two of his best records of the mid 60s to early 70s! A few of the numbers on Black Marigolds are in a septet mode – with Garrick leading a group that includes Ian Carr on trumpet, Joe Harriott on alto, Don Rendell on soprano sax, and Tony Coe on tenor – all shading in some beautiful tones on the straight numbers "Good Times" and "Webster's Mood" – and really going to town on the modal number "Ursula", a rolling groover that's simply fantastic! 2 other tracks – "Jazz For Five" and "A Jazz Nativity" – have the group joined by poet John Smith, who's recitation beautifully matches the horn work of Coe and Harriott. Remaining tracks are even more unusual – and feature Garrick in trio formation on either celeste or harpsichord – really hitting beautiful notes that have a slightly exotic feel, on titles that include "What Are Little Girls", "Spiders", "Black Marigolds", and "Carolling". The Heart Is A Lotus is one of the key recordings by the team of Garrick and Norma Winstone! Winstone's vocals here rank right up there with those of Karin Krog or Monica Zetterlund – creating a whole new style for the voice in jazz, as they dance along with the freely searching work of Garrick's sextet on the record. There's a sense of lyrical poetry to the album that's really beautiful – but rhythm is also a key aspect of the session – and most tunes dance along in a flurry of bass and drum interplay, hitting that warm modal groove! Titles include "The Heart Is A Lotus", "Torrent", "Temple Dancer", "Blues On Blues", "Voices", and "Beautiful Thing".

A brilliant little record from the legendary team of Michael Garrick and Norma Winstone – easily one of their most striking albums ever, and hardly the "blues" set you might guess from the title! Winstone's vocals are very firmly woven into the group's sound here – and most tunes have some sort of lyrics, not just wordless jazz voice – so there's almost an extra level of meaning and intensity to the songs, one that further expands the modally-influenced grooves laid down by Garrick and the other instrumentalists! The rest of the group includes Trevor Tomkins on drums, Henry Lowther on trumpet, Art Themen on soprano and tenor, and Don Rendell on tenor – and Garrick himself plays harpsichord as well as his usual piano – all with a flowing, soaring grace that's amazing. Titles include "Fire Opal", "Home Stretch Blues", "Sweet & Low", "Epiphany", "Wishbone", "Blue Poppies", and "Limbo Child".

Rare 1967 BBC Sessions from Hendrix! Includes a cover of Dylan's "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?" from the BBC Radio's Rhythm And Blues on October 17, 1967 – plus a newly unearthed take on Hendrix's own "Burning Of The Midnight Lamp" as performed on Top Of The Pops on August 24, 1967. The epic backdrop of Mitch Mitchell's drums and Noel Redding's bass are so underappreciated these days, though there's no overlooking how incredible Jimi is out front. Hendrix plays a bit of harpsichord here, too!

Exactly the kind of a record to show why Skip James was really a cut above most of his contemporaries – a bluesman who works here with a sense of darkness and foreboding that really sets a chill to most of his tunes! There's less of the usual short-term sadness and smaller complaints of other records of this vintage – and instead, James creates this overwhelming sense of melancholy that comes through not just in the lyrics of the tunes, nor his mournful way of singing – but also in the eerie chords he chooses for his work on guitar. The package features a great number of songs played with cross-note tuning – and titles include "How Long Buck", "Devil Got My Woman", "Hard Luck Child", "Drunken Spree", "Be Ready When He Comes", "Yola My Blues Away", "What Am I To Do Blues", and "Illinois Blues".

A stone classic on the Black Jazz label – and one of the most unique guitar albums ever! We're not sure what the title meant originally – but over the past few decades, it's come to stand for some heavy heavy guitar work from the legendary Calvin Keys – a record that's really stood the test of the time, continually rediscovered by new generations of diggers! Keys has a very unique touch here – a mix of open chords and tighter lines – beautifully wrapping up a history of soul jazz guitar that stretches back to the early 60s – then propelling things forward with loads of righteous 70s spiritual jazz energy. The set also features loads of sweet keyboards – played by Larry Nash, and mixed with flute and "hose-a-phone" from Owen Marshall – set to grooves from Lawrence Evans on bass and Bob Braye on drums. A stone classic from the Black Jazz label – and titles include "Gee Gee", "BK.", "BE", and "Shawn-Neeq".

Rarely has a compilation on an artist ever been done so well! This materful set compiles all of the rare recordings made by The Left Banke for Mercury during the late 60's – and it puts all 26 tracks together with a great set of notes that details the rocky history of the group. If you don't know The Left Banke, their unique style of "baroque rock" is a wonderful mix of groovy organ, electric harpsichord, and swirling strings – all set as instrumentation for some of the tightest, grooviest little songs you'll ever hear. Nearly every track on here is a toe-tapping hummer, and even if you know their big hits like "Walk Away Renee" and "Pretty Ballerina", you'll still find lots of other goodies like "Desiree", "Ivy Ivy", "Barterers & Their Wives", and "I Haven't Got The Nerve". Great stuff, and a CD that we're never without on a road trip!

Sweet electric funk from Ramsey Lewis! The album's one of his best from the 70s – and it's got Ramsey on Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and other keyboards, grooving away in an open-ended 70s mode that still retains all the heavy soul of his classic work for Chess. Morris Jennings adds in some very nice percussion with his drum work, and Cleveland Eaton's on funky bass, giving the set a strong bottom groove. Features the sublime sample cut "My Love For You", a great version of "Knights In White Satin" that's done with a weird spacey groove, plus the tracks "Kufany Mapenzi (Making Love)", "Serene Funk", "What It Is!", and "Dreams".

Mindblowing! This is when Wes Montgomery really starts to get interesting to us – when he's working with a top-line arranger like Don Sebesky, crafting some incredibly compelling chords over lightly jazzy arrangements and soaring strings, in a whole new mode of expression that would go onto transform a generation of guitar players! And sure, this album sold a gazillion copies – but we'll be honest in saying that we think it's loads more complex and mature than some of Wes' straight jazz sides from earlier years – light years away from the small combo dates of the early years, both in conception and sound. Titles include "Day In The Life", "Watch What Happens", "California Nights", "Windy", "Trust In Me", and "The Joker".

No, not the New Wave of French cinema and not the new wave of post punk pop errata in the late 70s and early 80s – this New Wave is a pretty great, yet poorly remembered LA soft rock group 'circa '67 – with laidback vocals and warmly soaring arrangements by the great Gene Page! The vocals are soft and harmony laden, with groovy 60s west coast songs lushed up with vibes, harpsichords, oboes, strings and lightly layered psych flourishes!

A wonderfully gripping score from Andre Previn – one of his best early dramatic soundtracks! The work's got a style that really befits the dark image on the cover – muted strings that rumble in the background, as other bits of instrumentation – horns, harpsichord, and violin – emerge from the almost watery backdrop of sound. There's a tensness here that's really great – and the sharp-edged harpsichord almost recalls later Italian use of the instrument, especially by Morricone. Titles include "The Morgue", "Edie's Theme", "This Was His Room", "Hidden Jewelry", "The Police Is Waiting", "Figueroa", and "The Dog Attacks".

Amazing work from Sun Ra – record that really features a great range of sounds and styles, and a heck of a lot of soul as well! Ra plays some especially nice rocksichord on the set – that freaky, fuzzy keyboard that comes off sounding like a guitar, even though it's played with keys – and there's some spiritual undercurrents to the set that are different than some of Ra's other albums with the instrument – some deeply feeling rhythms and soulful, spiritual expressions that really belie the Space Is The Place generation in which the album was cut. A few recitations imbue the record with a bold sense of poetry, which seems to be carried through strongly in the instrumentation too – especially on John Gilmore's tenor lines, which almost have a Shepp-like quality at points. Other players include Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto, Ahk Tal Ebah on trumpet, Clifford Jarvis on drums, and Sly on electric guitar – and titles include "Song No 1", "There Is Change In The Air", "Antique Blacks", "Would I For All That Were", "Ridiculous I & The Cosmos Me", and "This Song Is Dedicated To Nature's God".

One of the best-remembered Sun Ra albums from the 70s – a really cool little session that features Ra playing the unusual "rocksichord" all the way through! The instrument's a very weird one – kind of like a messed-up electric piano, with lots of cool broken notes and a weird fuzzed-out tone – one that almost feels like a guitar's being fitted into a keyboard, with almost psychedelic results! Ra's use of the rocksichord gives the album a really eerie, outer spacey sound – one that mixes strongly with more familiar jazz lines from John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto and flute, Danny Thompson on baritone, and Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet. Titles include "The Mystery Of Two", "Interstellar Low Ways", "Cosmos", "Moonship Journey", "Neo-Project #2", and "Jazz From An Unknown Planet".

2CDs worth of previously unissued material! Both records – Cymbals and Crystal Spears – were originally due to be released on Impulse during the same stretch that the label was repackaging older Saturn albums, but were never issued because of all the messed up relations that quickly terminated what should have been a much longer deal. (Some of this is nicely outlined in the good set of notes that go with the set.) Cymbals features 3 tracks that did appear on a Saturn album called Deep Purple, plus 2 titles that were never issued before – and the set features Ra on organ Rocksichord, vibes, and organ – playing very out and raucously with a group that includes Danny Davis, John Gilmore, and Akh Tal Ebah. Crystal Spears is a lot more introspective, and takes us back to earlier years of the Arkestra. Ra's on organ, marimba, mini moog, and vibes – and the rest of the group's playing a variety of horns and percussion. Tracks include "Crystal Spears", "Sunrise In The Western Sky", "The Embassy Of The Living God", "Thoughts Under A Dark Blue Light", and "The Mystery Of Two".

An unbelievably fantastic album, and perhaps the greatest one that Dom Um Romao ever did! Dom recorded this one in America with a blend of Brazilian and New York musicians – creating an incredible sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! We'd place this record next to the best electric work by David Axelrod, the dopest funk on CTI, and a rare few other jazz funk albums from the 70s – and the whole thing's completely sublime all the way through! Includes the spare spacey groover "Dom's Tune", the lively dancer "Cinnamon Flower", the jazzy "Family Talk", a great version of "Ponteio", and a take on Sivuca's "Adeus Maria Fulo" with Joao Donato on electric harpsichord! Loads of samples, and players include Joe Beck, Dom Salvador, Sivuca, Mauricio Smith, Portinho, Richard Kimball, and Lloyd McNeill.

God, we love this record – and we're not ashamed to admit it! Sure, it sold a gazillion copies – and sure, for some folks it showed the true demise of the Crusaders ensemble. But for us, it's a masterpiece of smooth fusion, and a landmark album of easy jazz that spawned countless imitators that could never hope to match Sample's simple and elegant use of funky riffing and lyrical chords – coming in with just the right dash of darkness when the record's in danger of sounding too light. Most of the rest of the Crusaders had a hand in the record, and the set's got the smooth west coast sound you'd expect from the title. Tracks include "Carmel", "Cannery Row", "Sunrise", and "More Beautiful Each Day".

The Marquis De Sade never sounded so sweet! For some strange reason, Schifrin decided to pay a musical hommage to De Sade with this one – but fortunately, he's not punishing himself with the subject matter at all, and is sticking to his jazzy bossa guns. The arrangements have a tight Verve mid 60s groove to them – with breakout solos on piano and flute, slightly baroque scoring that mixes strings, harpsichord, and some straighter jazz playing, and a good focus on strong rhythm playing throught. A breezy treat that would make any of us drop a paddle and kick back for a cocktail – if we had the chance! Titles include "Bossa Antique", "The Wig", "Old Laces", "Beneath A Weeping Willow Shade", "Renaissance", and "Troubadour".