... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great version of moogy pop from the moog pop era of the late 60s – served up with a slightly sexy vibe, as you might guess from the title and the cover! The set's got a great electronic take on the Serge Gainsbourg classic "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus", plus versions of "Stella By Starlight", "Goin Out Of My Head", "The Look Of Love", "Like A Lover", and "This Guy's In Love With You". A nice groove, and slightly funky in a very groovy way! LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Masayuki "Jojo" Takayanagi takes things back to basics with his Second Concept here – playing in a style that's straighter and more swinging than some of his avant work of the 70s – yet at a level that's equally compelling too! Given that he went outside a heck of a lot on previous records, Takayanagi definitely has a touch here that's informed by the farther reaches of the electric guitar in jazz – yet he applies his inventive tones and phrasings to a more conventional setting with help from Kenji Kohsei on piano, Nobuyoshi Ino on bass, and Yasuhiro Yamazaki on drums – in a mode that almost recalls some of the more inventive mix of tones and rhythms from the Lee Konitz generation of the 50s, yet served up in a more contemporary mode overall. No surprise, the set features versions of Konitz-school classics like "Palo Alto", "Lennie's Pennies", and "317 East 32nd" – plus original material that includes "Froggy Day", "These Things", and "My New Flame". CD features four bonus alternate takes too! CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An absolute treasure trove of rare soul singles from Pied Piper Productions – a mid 60s Detroit soul operation that features Funk Brothers Jack Ashford, Joe Hunter, and Mike Terry – laying down sounds that rival the best Motown groovers of the period! The work is amazing throughout – soul cuts heavily focused on the groove and amazing lead vocals – recorded in ways that are similar to the best of Detroit at the time, but with some rawer aspects too – which makes for a massive package of Northern Soul gems! The package features both solo singers and great groups too – artists who include Lorraine Chandler, The Hesitations, September Jones, The Cavaliers, Willie Kendrick, Nancy Wilcox, and – heard here on rare singles and LP tracks that were originally released on labels like Karate, Kapp, Ruby and Giant – plus a number of recently unearthed titles that are seeing release for the first time ever! The set features 24 tracks in all, and the usual superb Kent notes and packaging – with titles that include "I Can't Hold On" by Lorraine Chandler, "Stuttering Sam" by September Jones, "Gambler's Blues" by Nancy Wilcox, "This Heart Is Lonely" by Rose Batiste, "Just Can't Leave You" by Tony Hesher, "Could It Be" by Micki Farrow, "I Fell In Love (Can't Help It)" by Freddy Butler, "He'll Be Leaving You" by The Pied Piper Players, "If Only You Knew" by Mike & Ray, "Time Changes Things" by Willie Kendrick, and "Lonely Too Long" by The Sandpipers. CD

A mighty great little record – a mixture of jazz and soul from the heavy talents of Hilton Felton – and a record that not only features some of his own great work on organ and keyboards, but some great contributions from other members of the DC scene of the 70s! In addition to help from The Blackbyrds in the core combo, and guest tenor from Andrew White, the set also features vocals from a young Angela Winbush on one track – singing backup on some others! But the core charm of the record comes from the grooves – the kind of upbeat, righteous sounds that we've always loved in Felton's keyboards – almost an extension of the Prestige Records jazz funk groove from the start of the 70s, with echoes of records by Funk Inc, Melvin Sparks, and Leon Spencer – but given a particularly hip east coast indie sort of spin! Titles include "Family & Friends", "Spreading Fever", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Family Reunion", "Clay's Way", and "The Power Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A holy grail of funky music – and a rare gem from the DC scene of the 70s! Keyboardist Hilton Felton cut this wicked killer for his own tiny label – Hilton's Concept – and it's a very unique blend of jazz and funk modes, done with help from members of The Blackbyrds and Three Pieces! Felton plays Fender Rhodes, vibes, organ, and even some percussion on the record – grooving in this stretched-out, easygoing way that's unlike anyone else we can think of – often with fuller backings that might be at home on a soundtrack, but which have a much more open flow overall. Most tracks are nice and long, with plenty of sweet electric solo space – and titles include the classic "Bee Bop Boogie", a 9 minute groover with a monster break on the intro – plus "The Light Of Mankind", "Man For All Reasons", "Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need", "Love's Losers", and "Blues For a Weary Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A holy grail of funky music – and a rare gem from the DC scene of the 70s! Keyboardist Hilton Felton cut this wicked killer for his own tiny label – Hilton's Concept – and it's a very unique blend of jazz and funk modes, done with help from members of The Blackbyrds and Three Pieces! Felton plays Fender Rhodes, vibes, organ, and even some percussion on the record – grooving in this stretched-out, easygoing way that's unlike anyone else we can think of – often with fuller backings that might be at home on a soundtrack, but which have a much more open flow overall. Most tracks are nice and long, with plenty of sweet electric solo space – and titles include the classic "Bee Bop Boogie", a 9 minute groover with a monster break on the intro – plus "The Light Of Mankind", "Man For All Reasons", "Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need", "Love's Losers", and "Blues For a Weary Man". CD

A rare gem from keyboardist Hilton Felton – and one of the few albums issued on his own Hilton's Concept label! The set's got a super-sweet stripped-down feel – Hilton on organ and electric piano, backed by drums, bass, percussion, and some slight guitar – in a lineup that shifts slightly from track to track, but always keeps things lean and groovy! The album's got some killer funky numbers – like the chunky "Here Comes David", which has a nice rattling groove, and the extended mellow soul cut "Dream Come True", which blends keys and guitar with a bit of vocals, making for a nice tripped out soul style! Other tracks include "Your Analysis", "Music Shall Never Die", and "Maybe You'll Come Back To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem from keyboardist Hilton Felton – and one of the few albums issued on his own Hilton's Concept label! The set's got a super-sweet stripped-down feel – Hilton on organ and electric piano, backed by drums, bass, percussion, and some slight guitar – in a lineup that shifts slightly from track to track, but always keeps things lean and groovy! The album's got some killer funky numbers – like the chunky "Here Comes David", which has a nice rattling groove, and the extended mellow soul cut "Dream Come True", which blends keys and guitar with a bit of vocals, making for a nice tripped out soul style! Other tracks include "Your Analysis", "Music Shall Never Die", and "Maybe You'll Come Back To Me". CD

Spilt compilation, the first disc with Lins solo, the second joined by a variety of artists. CD

A mighty great little record – a mixture of jazz and soul from the heavy talents of Hilton Felton – and a record that not only features some of his own great work on organ and keyboards, but some great contributions from other members of the DC scene of the 70s! In addition to help from The Blackbyrds in the core combo, and guest tenor from Andrew White, the set also features vocals from a young Angela Winbush on one track – singing backup on some others! But the core charm of the record comes from the grooves – the kind of upbeat, righteous sounds that we've always loved in Felton's keyboards – almost an extension of the Prestige Records jazz funk groove from the start of the 70s, with echoes of records by Funk Inc, Melvin Sparks, and Leon Spencer – but given a particularly hip east coast indie sort of spin! Titles include "Family & Friends", "Spreading Fever", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Family Reunion", "Clay's Way", and "The Power Of Love". CD

A holy grail of funky music – and a rare gem from the DC scene of the 70s! Keyboardist Hilton Felton cut this wicked killer for his own tiny label – Hilton's Concept – and it's a very unique blend of jazz and funk modes, done with help from members of The Blackbyrds and Three Pieces! Felton plays Fender Rhodes, vibes, organ, and even some percussion on the record – grooving in this stretched-out, easygoing way that's unlike anyone else we can think of – often with fuller backings that might be at home on a soundtrack, but which have a much more open flow overall. Most tracks are nice and long, with plenty of sweet electric solo space – and titles include the classic "Bee Bop Boogie", a 9 minute groover with a monster break on the intro – plus "The Light Of Mankind", "Man For All Reasons", "Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need", "Love's Losers", and "Blues For a Weary Man". CD

Two funky nuggets from the great Hilton Felton! "Power Of Love" has this nice conga line under a funky bassbit – topped with wicked keyboard work from Hilton, and these great female vocals that really give the song a soaring, righteous vibe! "Spreading Fever" is a cut that's one of Hilton's strongest legacies – an unusual jazzy groove with wicked keys, more congas, and this nicely angular vibe! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great lost chapter in the Cannonball/David Axelrod story! The record features Cannon's classic quintet performing some longer, more serious works with orchestral backing – and the sound is vaguely similar to some of Axelrod's "high concept" work for Capitol. The record features a recording of Axelrod's "Tensity" and William Fischer's "Experience In E", both conducted by Fischer, a hip modern soul-oriented arranger, with a sound that's not dissimilar to Axelrod. The last piece on the album is a nice long one by Lalo Schifrin, "Dialogues For Jazz Quintet & Orchestra", which is also conducted by him as well. LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely expanded version of the great Ghibli Jazz concept – delivered here in a live setting that's maybe got even more brilliance than the studio albums! There's a dynamic sense of presentation right from the start, partly the sense of the concert space in the mix, partly the energy from the crowd – and if anything, these tunes are more groovers than the previous studio albums – and topped with really great vocals from Yuriko Kuwahara. Titles include "Tonari No Totoro", "Kaze No Toorimichi", "Mononokehime", "Itsumo Nandodemo", "Jinsei No Merry Go Round", and "Umi No Mieru Machi". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from Ted Nugent – working here as the searing lead guitarist of the mighty Amboy Dukes! The Nuge doesn't sing on the set, but his guitar is definitely in the spotlight on most numbers – ripping out with a rawness that beats his later superstar work, and which is free to freak out nicely in this set of psyche-heavy sounds from the Mainstream label at the height of their late 60s greatness. Side one features a number of shorter Nugent-penned tunes, and side two is a slightly more complicated offering – a bit of a concept piece, with tracks that form a story over the side of the record. Titles include "Flight Of The Byrd", "Mississippi Murderer", "Dr Slingshot", "Scottish Tea", "I'll Prove I'm Right", "Conclusion", "Why Is A Carrot More Orange Than An Orange", and "Ivory Castles". LP, Vinyl record album

A great back-to-basics solo album from the legendary David Axelrod – cut in the mid 70s for Fantasy Records, after higher-concept projects like The Auction and Messiah! This set gets right to the core – and focuses on the funk currents that were always part of Axelrod's larger arrangements, but which sometimes never got pulled to the forefront as strongly – and the approach is almost like some of the funky jazz albums that were issued by Fantasy/Prestige Records at the time – especially those that Axelrod produced for Cannonball Adderley. The whole thing has that great Axelrod sense of composition, with lots of space, and lots of spare cold bits that are nice nice nice for sample cuts – and titles include the classic track "Everything Counts", plus "Get Up Off Your Knees", "My Family", and "Mucho Chupar". LP, Vinyl record album

A weird little record from John Barry – the soundtrack to a 1963 television special recorded by Elizabeth Taylor at the height of her early popularity, and featuring Taylor reciting a variety of poems and speeches over music by Barry! There's a relatively high concept feel to the album – as Barry's backings are fairly string-laden and serious, penned to match the mood of Taylor's presentation of material written by William Wordsworth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Pitt, Winston Churchill, and Queen Victoria. And although Taylor speaks on about half the record, the best tracks here are actually the instrumental ones – which have more of the depth of Barry's serious soundtrack work from the time, and manage to have their own sense of presence apart from the star quality of Liz on the set. Arrangements are by Johnnie Spence, and titles include "Elizabeth", "London Theme Jazz Waltz", "Queen Elizabeth At Tilbury", "Queen Victoria", "English Garden", "The Fire Of London", "Lovers & Browning", and "London At Dawn". CD

A weird little record from John Barry – the soundtrack to a 1963 television special recorded by Elizabeth Taylor at the height of her early popularity, and featuring Taylor reciting a variety of poems and speeches over music by Barry! There's a relatively high concept feel to the album – as Barry's backings are fairly string-laden and serious, penned to match the mood of Taylor's presentation of material written by William Wordsworth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Pitt, Winston Churchill, and Queen Victoria. And although Taylor speaks on about half the record, the best tracks here are actually the instrumental ones – which have more of the depth of Barry's serious soundtrack work from the time, and manage to have their own sense of presence apart from the star quality of Liz on the set. Arrangements are by Johnnie Spence, and titles include "Elizabeth", "London Theme Jazz Waltz", "Queen Elizabeth At Tilbury", "Queen Victoria", "English Garden", "The Fire Of London", "Lovers & Browning", and "London At Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the moodiest sessions on CTI from the early days – and a landmark album that took George Benson from the funky jazz scene into the upper reaches of 70s jazz. The record was put together by Don Sebesky, and it's a lot more high concept than some of George's earlier work – and proof that he was a totally great player who just needed a push in the right direction to find his own vibe. Other players include Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Airto – and titles include "California Dreaming", "El Mar", "White Rabbit", and "Little Train". This CTI Records 40th Anniversary edition was remastered using the original analog tapes. CD

Hard to get work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings originally done in Europe for the Vogue label! Brown's working here with Gigi Gryce in front of a Parisian quartet that features Henri Renaud, Pierre Michelot, and Benny Bennett. There's 12 tracks in all, including 2 takes each of "All The Things You Are", "Salute To The Bandbox", "Blue Concept" and "Minority", plus "Goofin With Me", "Strictly Romantic", "Baby" and "I Cover The Waterfront". CD

A very unusual high-concept project from Dave Brubeck – with the man himself on piano, in a setting that features the Cinncinnatti Symphony conducted by Erich Kunzel, with voices too! LP, Vinyl record album

Like Dave Brubeck's legendary Time Out set? Try this one – a great record that takes off from the concept of the first, but which goes in some very fresh new directions – using the same great group with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums! Dave's still working out some nutty time signatures here – but apart from the science, the thing that really makes the record cook is Desmond's alto – icy, edgey, floating, and always a treat – almost even more amazing in the space of some of these offbeat numbers. Titles include "Maori Blues", "Far More Drums", "Bluetee", "Far More Blue", and "It's A Raggy Waltz". CD features 2 bonus tracks "Slow & Easy" and "It's A Raggy Waltz (live at Carnegie Hall)". CD

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Modern art, but of the sonic variety – served up here by composer Daniela Casa on a rare sound library album, but with a free-thinking quality that rivals the best of the avant garde at the time! Unlike some more staid, academic record, there's no overarching concept here – no detailed notes that you need to read to "get" the music. Instead, Casa creates these short, dark little passages of sound – sometimes very abstract, occasionally tuneful – with elements that move between free jazz, atonal piano and woodwinds, offbeat strings, and even a bit of Fender Rhodes! The whole thing's a great reminder of just how much genius was bubbling up in Italy during the 70s – so much so that a record like this, which would have been worthy of release by Columbia or Deutsche Grammophon in bigger scenes, was only pressed up in small quantities by the Flipper music label. Titles include "Concetto Informale", "Dimensione Umana", "Prima Maniera", "Ricerca Della Materia", "Visione Surreale", and "Ricerca Cromatica". LP, Vinyl record album

The genius of Joe Chambers knows no bounds – and record after record, his recent stretch has really continued to blow our mind! Chambers was always a hell of a talent back in the day – even at his start as a 60s Blue Note sideman – but in the past decade or so, he's really found his voice – and shows a talent for larger-concept projects that's really amazing – such as this project with his Moving Pictures Orchestra! The group's a largeish jazz ensemble with some top-shelf players – and they work together on Chambers arrangements that definitely have a cinematic feel – but there's also a richer jazz-based approach too – one that almost reminds us of classic charts from Gil Evans or Ralph Burns. Players include Craig Handy on tenor and soprano sax, David Weiss and Frank Greene on trumpets, Conrad Herwig and Steve Davis on trombones, Xavier Davis on piano, Steve Berrios on percussion, Dwayne Burno on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums and vibes. Titles include the "Moving Pictures Suite", plus "Lonesome Lover", "Power To The People", "Theme From M Squad", and "Mendacity" – which features vocals from Nicole Guiland. CD

Beautifully high concept work from Alice Coltrane – the kind of record you'd use to announce the arrival of a new king – or lord, for that matter! The record features Coltrane at the head of a large group of string players – creating a full, rich sound that serves as the backdrop for the core group of musicians – a trio that features Alice on piano, organ, and harp, plus Charlie Haden on bass and Ben Riley on drums and percussion. The tracks are long, and at times very dark – extremely powerful in their sound, and with a sense of hope, life, and majesty that's extremely inspiring! Titles include "Sri Rama Ohnedaruth", "The Firebird", "Lord of Lords", and "Going Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

A great high-concept composition from Duke Ellington – one that rivals the earlier brilliance of his Liberian Suite! Like that one, vocals are a key part of this long-form work – a special performance done for the Century Of Negro Progress Exposition in Chicago in 1963 – with an all-star cast that includes Jimmy Jones both at the piano and conductor's stand; Joya Sherrill on vocals with the Irving Bunton Singers, Jimmy Grissom, Jimmy McPhail, and Lil Greenwood; Billy Strayhorn on celeste, Juan Amalbert on conga, and other familiar Ellingtonians in the larger group! The tunes have a mix of gospel and folk roots, turned towards more modern Ellington compositional modes – and almost all numbers feature vocals, including one with narration by Ellington himself. Titles include "Will You Be There", "Come Sunday", "David Danced", "Montage", "My Mother My Father", "My People", "The Blues Ain't", and "What Color Is Virtue". CD

A really heady record from the Venezuelan scene of the 70s – a record that mixes hard rock energy with prog-styled instrumentation, all at a level that creates some really dynamic sounds overall! These guys take off right from the start – and although the record's a concept album, the approach here is maybe a bit more open overall, and liberates the set from some of the traps that an Anglo group like this might fall into – or maybe it's just us and our weak understanding of Spanish, which allows us to take the tunes as they come! Titles include "Kazmor El Prisionero", "Mi Cancion", "Inocetnes Perdidos", "Prisa", "Advenimiento/Trayectoria", and "El Asuente". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Art Farmer's pivotal mid 50s sides – recorded in the company of altoist Gigi Gryce, a great player and a budding young arranger who helped Farmer really formulate the best side of his sound! The tracks are lyrically modern – but still have a nice dose of soul in them – a wonderful blend that really sets the stage for the move that Art was making away from earlier trumpeters in jazz – into that hip territory that was neither too cool, nor too overblown – and which would almost be known as "Farmer-like" in years to come! The album features Gryce and Farmer in 2 different groups – one with Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – the other with Freddie Redd on piano, Addison Farmer on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Social Call", "Capri", "Deltitnu", "Stupendous Lee", and "Blue Concept". CD

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more inviting – and to his credit, Flying Lotus keeps things as innovative as ever, while still giving this one just a bit more immediately appealing atmosphere. There's nearly always a compelling beat, whether it's abstract boom bap or bubbly and synthy, with heavy bass and thick waves of sound floating over. An incredible roster of guests contribute, too – including string-arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson, vocalists Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington and Radiohead's Thom Yorke, keyboardist Dorian Concept, and others – but there's little doubt that this is purely the Flying Lotus show. Greatness! Titles include "All In", "Sultan's Request", "See Thru To U" with Erykah Badu, "DMT Song" with Thundercat, "The Nightcaller", "Only If You Wanna", "Electric Candyman" with Thom Yorke, "Hunger" with Niki Randa, "Phantasm" with Laura Darlington, "Dream To Me" and more. CD