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One of the grooviest records ever -- a sublime blend of African percussion, soulful orchestrations, and Dorothy Ashby's amazing electric harp! By the time of this landmark album, Dorothy had been knocking around the jazz world for a number of years, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard Evans at Cadet Records that her sound really began to cook -- breaking down genres and expectations in the trademark style of the best late 60s sides from the Chicago underground. The record's got a bit of funk, a bit of jazz, and a heck of a lot of soul -- and the setting works perfectly for Dorothy's harp, giving it a lot more room to work around than some of her smaller jazz combo albums. The album includes two great originals -- "Soul Vibrations" and "Afro-Harping" -- both of which have a nice funky edge, and a groovy soulful bounce -- and other tunes include "Lonely Girl", "Life Has Its Trials", "Look Of Love", "Come Live With Me", and a great version of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower".

Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby -- a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam -- one of the forces guiding Dorothy's more spiritual sound at the end of the 60s, clearly opened up in a way that's not unlike the direction of Alice Coltrane's work, but a lot more focused and a lot more funky! Ashby not only plays her usual jazz harp, but also koto as well, and even sings a bit too -- and the larger group directed by Evans features work by Stu Katz on vibes and kalimba, Lenny Druss on flutes, and Cash McCall on guitar -- all in a groove that's really a precursor to the Earth Wind & Fire generation of the Chicago scene! Titles include the amazing break "The Moving Finger" -- worth the price of the album alone -- plus "Dust", "Joyful Grass & Grape", "Heaven & Hell", "Wax & Wane", "Shadow Shapes", "For Some When Young", "Myself When Young", and "Drink".

One of the grooviest records ever -- a sublime blend of African percussion, soulful orchestrations, and Dorothy Ashby's amazing electric harp! By the time of this landmark album, Dorothy had been knocking around the jazz world for a number of years, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard Evans at Cadet Records that her sound really began to cook -- breaking down genres and expectations in the trademark style of the best late 60s sides from the Chicago underground. The record's got a bit of funk, a bit of jazz, and a heck of a lot of soul -- and the setting works perfectly for Dorothy's harp, giving it a lot more room to work around than some of her smaller jazz combo albums. The album includes two great originals -- "Soul Vibrations" and "Afro-Harping" -- both of which have a nice funky edge, and a groovy soulful bounce -- and other tunes include "Lonely Girl", "Life Has Its Trials", "Look Of Love", "Come Live With Me", and a great version of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower".

One of the grooviest Dorothy Ashby albums of the 60s -- a set that has her already-great jazz work on harp backed by Chicago soul arrangements from Richard Evans -- all in a blend that's somewhere in the territory of the Soulful Strings, but even groovier! And as an added bonus, Odell Brown even plays a bit of Fender Rhodes on the record -- which sounds especially great! Both Ashby and Evans are at the height of their powers here -- mixing together bits of jazz, soul, and trippier elements in a sublime late 60s Cadet Records blend -- one that's carried off perfectly on the original tunes "Truth Spoken Here", "Tornado", "Cause I Need It", and "Just Had To Tell Somebody" -- but which also sounds great on some of the album's cool covers too! Other titles include Brazilian numbers "Reza" and "Canto De Ossanha" -- both of which are transformed in Dorothy's hands -- plus "This Girl's In Love", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", and "Windmills of Your Mind"!

Great stuff by the grooviest artist ever to play a harp! Dorothy Ashby had a unique soul jazz harp sound, and although the instrument she used is probably more thought of in terms of bedtime lullabies, she actually makes it swing nicely, and with a soulful sound that draws back to traditions of African stringed instruments. Ashby was part of the same scene as Yusef Lateef, and like Lateef, she managed to use odd instrumentation in new contexts, to get a very unique jazz sound. This set's got harp and flute in the lead, and features the tracks "Pawky", "Charmaine", "Jollity", and "Back Talk". Also reissued with the original cover art!

Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby -- a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam -- one of the forces guiding Dorothy's more spiritual sound at the end of the 60s, clearly opened up in a way that's not unlike the direction of Alice Coltrane's work, but a lot more focused and a lot more funky! Ashby not only plays her usual jazz harp, but also koto as well, and even sings a bit too -- and the larger group directed by Evans features work by Stu Katz on vibes and kalimba, Lenny Druss on flutes, and Cash McCall on guitar -- all in a groove that's really a precursor to the Earth Wind & Fire generation of the Chicago scene! Titles include the amazing break "The Moving Finger" -- worth the price of the album alone -- plus "Dust", "Joyful Grass & Grape", "Heaven & Hell", "Wax & Wane", "Shadow Shapes", "For Some When Young", "Myself When Young", and "Drink".

A wonderful full length debut from Bei Bei on Ubiquity -- collaborating with the kaleidoscopic hip hop funk instrumental stylist Shawn Lee -- and they make a great team! Bei Bei plays the guhzheg -- a traditional Asian string instrument that often spins harp-like sounds -- in unison with the sounds of Shawn Lee, we get a timeless mix of astral and soul jazz atmosphere with a boundary free funk backdrop. Overall it bridges the breakbeat funk and Asian sounds that influenced everything from classic Wu Tang to modern underground funk instrumentalists of all kinds, and the more spiritual jazz sounds of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby. It includes a couple of excellent numbers with Georgia Anne Muldrow on vocals, "Make Me Stronger" and "Willingness" -- and the whole set is strong, one of the best hip hop era takes on eastern string inspired jazz funk we've heard in a long time! Other tracks include "Into The Wind", "Hot Thursday", "East",, "Little Sunshine", "Bei's Bossa", "Whisky Waltz", "The Tiger", "The Master Room", "The Ambush" and "The Blue Grotto".

A wonderful full length debut from Bei Bei on Ubiquity -- collaborating with the kaleidoscopic hip hop funk instrumental stylist Shawn Lee -- and they make a great team! Bei Bei plays the guhzheg -- a traditional Asian string instrument that often spins harp-like sounds -- in unison with the sounds of Shawn Lee, we get a timeless mix of astral and soul jazz atmosphere with a boundary free funk backdrop. Overall it bridges the breakbeat funk and Asian sounds that influenced everything from classic Wu Tang to modern underground funk instrumentalists of all kinds, and the more spiritual jazz sounds of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby. It includes a couple of excellent numbers with Georgia Anne Muldrow on vocals, "Make Me Stronger" and "Willingness" -- and the whole set is strong, one of the best hip hop era takes on eastern string inspired jazz funk we've heard in a long time! Other tracks include "Into The Wind", "Hot Thursday", "East",, "Little Sunshine", "Bei's Bossa", "Whisky Waltz", "The Tiger", "The Master Room", "The Ambush" and "The Blue Grotto".

A very cool album of spacey soul jazz tracks! For years, we passed this one up because of a silly title and cover -- but it's actually a fantastic album, with a feel that's kind of an extension of the Cadet studio sound of the late 60s. Dorothy Ashby plays harp on the album, and the group's led by percussionist Bobbye Hall. Andy Belling plays some pleasing keyboards, and he handled all of the arrangements in a very nice way. Tracks have a mellow easy groove that spreads out with a heck of a lot of soul. Tracks include "Voyeur", "Angel", "Oh", "Copula", and "Token Two".

A bundle of soul from Freddie Hubbard -- one that has him blowing beautifully over full arrangements from Bert DeCoteux -- the 70s super-soul maestro who really brings a new sound to Hubbard's music! The style's a bit smoother than other Freddie albums of the time, but still really great -- a wonderful plenty of his well-timed, well-punctuated work on trumpet with warm grooves supplied by Bert -- filled with instrumentation that includes David T Walker on guitar, Ernie Watts on sax and flute, Azar Lawrence on tenor, David Garfield on keyboards, and even Dorothy Ashby on flute. Titles include "Portrait Of Jenny", "Rainy Day Song", "Bundle Of Joy", "From Now On", "From Behind", and "Rahsaan".

Tremendous work from the legendary Prince Lasha -- a rare UK-only date from 1966 -- and one that has the reedman working away from more familiar contemporaries like Sonny Simmons and Eric Dolphy! The approach on this session is very unique -- as Lasha includes harp with the instrumentation, played by David Snell in a style that's right up there with Dorothy Ashby's best jazz work. Pianist Stan Tracey is also on board -- playing beautiful notes that have a sharp modern edge, while still falling on the inside of the spectrum -- and Lasha himself is especially great -- blowing plastic alto sax and wooden flute, both of which have a slightly offbeat sound -- but one that's surprisingly warm, which makes the album one of his most sensitive and soulful sessions ever! The tunes are a mix of standards and originals -- and there's a wonderful sense of balance here -- sounds that are sometimes more inside than other records from Lasha, but which have a really Dolphy-like sense of expression -- right at home amidst a wider history of jazz, yet also reaching for new ideas at the same time. Pure genius throughout, and a record that was never made available to audiences in the US. Titles include "Nuttin Out Jones", "Impressions Of Eric Dolphy", "Out Of Nowhere", "Just Friends", "Body & Soul", and "Everything Happens To Me".

Smooth soulful jazz from Harvey Mason -- one of his strong 70s winners for the Arista album, and a record that really brings a new level of class to his sound! There's less of the grit in the grooves than you might expect from the down-home reference of the title -- and in a way, the record's a similar shift to well-produced R&B as Michael Henderson or Norman Connor's work from the same time -- a soaring, fluid groove that's still supported by solid jazz instrumentation, but which also has a nice dose of soul in the mix! Players here are a real all-star lineup -- with talents that include Dorothy Ashby, George Benson, Ronnie Foster, Bob James, and Phil Upchurch -- and most cuts have vocals, by The Waters and others. But possibly best of all is the production -- which is by Harvey, and really wonderful -- sophisticated and smooth, but never slick -- a really careful balance that really puts him right up there with Norman Connors or Roy Ayers! Titles include "Pack Up Your Bags", "Till You Take My Love", "Funk In A Mason Jar", "What's Going On", "Set It Free", "Space Cadets" and "Freedom Either Way".

A great counterpart to the Sampling Dictionary -- one that offers up most of the same material, but in reverse! Like that volume, this one offers up a huge list of tracks that have been sampled by hip hop songs -- over 17,000 listings of different samples from the past few decades, presented in one of the most exhaustive lists we've ever seen! But unlike the other volume, this one lists the selections by the original artists -- so that you can look up, say "Dorothy Ashby" or "Chakachas", and see who's sampled their music! The whole thing's indispensable -- not just if you're a producer, but also if you're any sort of fan of funky music -- looking for one more reason why your rare records are great! 252 pages, softcover, and very well done.

Really haunting work from Leo Smith -- a key 70s session that features some of his sharpest trumpet work on record, plus some unusual instrumentation that really makes the album stand out! Half the tracks feature some wonderful vibes from Bobby Naughton -- spare and dark-sounding, very much a great companion to Smith's spacious trumpet and flugelhorn lines -- in a group that also features Dwight Anderson on wooden flute, tenor, and clarinet, Pheeroan AkLaff on drums, and Wes Brown on bass and a bit more wooden flute! The other two tracks on the session feature Smith's trumpet with a trio of harp players -- Irene, Carol, and Ruth Emmanuel -- all very interesting players on their instrument, using the strings in these carefully chromatic ways that are really wonderful -- quite different than any sort of Dorothy Ashby vibe, but with a similar sense of spiritual energy. Titles include "Images", "The Burning Of Stones", "Spirit Catcher", and "The Burning Of Stones (first version)".

A great album of jazzy club tracks -- put together by John Usry Jr, who'd done some work with other 70s club acts like Three Degrees, Love Committee, and First Choice. Most of the tracks on the record feature female backing vocals -- in the style of work by those other groups -- but the real standout aspect is a jazzy harp, played in a manner that makes us think of Dorothy Ashby going disco. The best cut on the album is the 8 minute "Nightfall", which has some great trumpet work by Guido Basso -- and other nice moments include the mellow "Touching", and the cuts "I Got Your Love" and "Love Me", which both have some nice guitar. Recorded in Canada, and very typical of that baroque Canadian approach to disco.

Psychedelic jazz and funky grooves -- a perfect way of summing up the genius of late 60s Chess Records -- a place where all things righteous bumped together in the studio! The work from this time is easily some of the greatest funk and soul ever recorded -- done in a heady Chicago scene that had players stepping out of their usual formats, and working with each other in a rich array of new styles and ideas! Even older players get remade somewhat during these years -- and the Chess talent for crossing musical boundaries meant that familiar jazz and blues players were often presented with the same level of hipness as younger funk and soul artists! There's a really incredible sound here that filters through all the tracks -- a blend of heavy rhythms, baroque arrangements, and some deeply personal vocals and instrumental performances that make the work stand out from most other American recordings of the time. And yes, we're from Chicago, so we're certainly biased -- but hearing this set, we're sure you'll gladly come over to our side of the fence! Titles include "Crosstown Traffic" by Phil Upchurch, "Can't Get Next To You" by Woody Herman, "Woman Of The Ghetto" by Marlena Shaw, "Afro Harping" by Dorothy Ashby, "Listen Here" by Soulful Strings, "Tom Cat" by Muddy Waters, "Bad Trip" by Bo Diddley, "Third Stone From The Sun" by John Klemmer, "Everlasting Love" by Solomon Burke, "Tight Money" by Reuben Wilson, "Les Fleur" by Ramsey Lewis, "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun" by Rotary Connection, and "I Wish It Would Rain" by Soulful Strings.

Psychedelic Jazz galore -- a wonderful look at the hip blend of funky grooves and tripped-out production that emerged at the end of the 60s! The sounds here are every bit as amazing now as they were a few decades back -- a genre-busting blend of electric instrumentation, chunky rhythms, and weird techniques -- all mixing up elements from soul, funk, rock, Latin, and other sources into a really unique sort of groove! The work here is both from the US and overseas -- pulled from Universal-owned labels like MPS, Chess, and Philips -- and the package does a great job of mixing key examples of the genre with some other under-reissued gems. 16 tracks in all -- including "The Squire" by Mike Nock, "The Fuzz" by Roy Ayers, "Burning Spear" by Jimmy Smith, "Summertime" by Gabor Szabo, "Zoom" by Volker Kriegel, "Uwiii" by Wolfgang Dauner, "The Moving Finger" by Dorothy Ashby, "Big Family" by Free Orbit, "Love Me" by Johnny Teupen, "Ganges Delta" by Okko, "Misty Purple" by Kuhn Brothers & The Mad Rockers, "Guru-Vin" by Don Sebesky, and "Season Of The Witch" by Julie Driscoll & Brian Auger.

A cool little single -- one with a sound that's as fresh-sounding as its format! "Make Me Stronger" is the key track here, presented in three versions -- a great number with vocals from Georgia Anne Muldrow, set to a groove that features beats from Shawn Lee, and work from Bei Bei on guzheng -- an Eastern stringed instrument with a really unique sound! There's a trippier feel here than usual in Lee's music -- echoed even more strongly on "East" -- a wicked groove that feels like some lost Dorothy Ashby track from the Cadet Concept years!

Spirit, swing, and a whole lot more -- a mighty collection of music all hand-picked by the legendary Nicola Conte! There's a deeply soulful groove to the whole thing -- and a touch of the exotic as well -- and the package really reminds us a lot of the great Gilles Peterson Universal collections that were out a few years back -- full of deep tones and rich colors, and proof that when you've got the right guy at the helm, a collection of older jazz tracks can be way more than just the sum of its parts! In addition to Universal label work -- originally issued on Decca, Emarcy, and other labels -- the package features some Fantasy/Prestige tracks too -- including some great gems we might have missed otherwise. Almost 75 minutes of music -- with titles that include "Taboo" by Dorothy Ashby, "New Delhi" by James Clay, "Big P" by New Jazz Orchestra, "Juan-Les-Pins" by Staffan Abeleen, "Subo" by Klaus Weiss, "Spanish Castles" by George Gruntz, "Modette" by Roy Haynes, "My Favorite Things" by Sound Of Feeling, "Jungle Fantasy" by Yusef Lateef, "Feeling Good" by Pat Bowie, "The Hooter" by Ernie Wilkins, "Afro Blue" by Abbey Lincoln, "Bogota" by Ahmad Jamal, and "Baltimore Oriole" by Lorez Alexandria.

Spiritual grooves galore -- a massive helping of cuts from the 60s and 70s -- not the over-compiled classics that show up too often on other sets, but a well-matched selection of numbers that resonate strongly with a really righteous vibe! There's some real gems here from the Prestige and Impulse Records catalogs -- and few overseas tracks too -- packaged together in a sublime set that runs for almost 80 minutes in length, more than enough great music to warrant the import price tag for the collection. Titles include "The Blessing Song" by Michael White, "Unexpected Days" by Stanley Clarke, "Come Live With Me" by Dorothy Ashby, "Quiet Dawn" by Archie Shepp, "Les Fleur" by Ramsey Lewis, "Peace Piece" by Bill Evans, "Book Jackie Boom Chick" by Paul Gonsalves, "Congo Call" by Prince Lasha, "I've Known Rivers" by Gary Bartz, "Love Is Everywhere" by Pharoah Sanders, "Love Song No 2" by Mike Westbrook, "First Born" by Michael Garrick, and "Waltz #2" by Elliott Smith -- which fits surprisingly well in the set!