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A title and cover that beautifully illustrate the sharp-edged power of the Thelonious Monk quartet on Columbia – and a wonderful place to start if you're just digging Thelonious' music! The record is similar to the best of Monk's Columbia sides – in that it revisits older tunes and themes from previous years, but in a way that's often much better than the original recordings – thanks to some incredible energy between group members Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Ore on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums! Rouse's sharp horn is easily a real bnous here – as it dances beautifully with Monk's piano lines and creates a magical sense of juxtaposition and fluidity, but is still nicely earthy and soulful as well! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Think Of One", "Eronel", "Hackensack", "Rhythm-a-Ning", and "Crepuscule With Nellie". This CD bonus tracks on the the original album: "Coming On The Hudson","Tea For Two" and "Eronel".

One of our favorite Thelonious Monk albums ever – a bare bones, no nonsense session that's filled with great work from tenorist Charlie Rouse! The record's filled with everything that's great about the Monk/Rouse team in these years – an incredible interplay between sax and piano, served up over the sorts of angular tunes that Monk had been putting forth for years, but somehow at a level that's even more perfect, more "Monkish" than before! Other members of the group are Butch Warren on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and titles include "Lulu's Back In Town", "Memories Of You", "Brake's Sake", "Stuffy Turkey", and "Shuffle Boil".

One of our favorite Thelonious Monk albums ever – a bare bones, no nonsense session that's filled with great work from tenorist Charlie Rouse! The record's filled with everything that's great about the Monk/Rouse team in these years – an incredible interplay between sax and piano, served up over the sorts of angular tunes that Monk had been putting forth for years, but somehow at a level that's even more perfect, more "Monkish" than before! Other members of the group are Butch Warren on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and titles include "Lulu's Back In Town", "Memories Of You", "Brake's Sake", "Stuffy Turkey", and "Shuffle Boil". CD features 3 bonus tracks – previously unreleased takes of "Shuffle Boil", "Epistrophy", and "Nice Work If You Can Get It".

A wonderfully moody vocal outing from Joe Mooney – a lesser-remembered singer from the 50s, but one of our favorite talents from that generation! Joe's got a style of singing that's in the more fragile mode of male vocalizing – similar to Matt Dennis, but a bit more boozy overall – with a late nite feel that possibly comes through more perfectly on this record than any of his other albums! Joe plays organ along with his vocals here – usually in a laidback and mellow mode, just floating along eerily, with guitar, bass, and drums giving slight additional support. The songs are all familiar ones, but sung with a really great style that almost makes us feel like Joe's telling us the lyrics of the tunes from a neighboring barstool – and titles include "Nina Never Knew", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "That's All", "The Kid's A Dreamer", "Nowhere", "My One & Only Love", and "Have You Met Miss Jones".

Nothing too slow and easy about this 50s set from Jaye P Morgan – as the album's got a gentle groove on most of the numbers – just the right amount of jazzy swing to open up Jaye's vocals just right! Ray Ellis handles the backings – and during this best stretch in his career, he's got a really great way of making things sound lean and groovy – which gives the music a nice sort of bounce, and plenty of jazz-based flourishes that really help Morgan step out at her best – with qualities that really make this album stand out from some of her other recordings of the time! Titles include "Should I", "I Never Knew", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Another Martini Another Call", "Did I Remember", and "Just For Two".

A killer soundtrack from Ennio Morricone – just the sort of work for which he's remembered so strongly today! Some of the best non-western Morricone elements are in place here – spacious scorings, wordless vocals, and odd twists and turns on instruments that are often hard to determine! Darker sounds jangle together with lighter ones beautifully – and a few cuts feature great vocals from I Cantori Moderni, sometimes quite spooky, sometimes a bit more mod. The title track has a great romping rhythm and echoey fuzz guitar – titles include "Escalation", "Dies Irae Psichedelico", "Collage No 1", "Funerale Nero", "Matrimonio", and "Secondo Rito". CD features new stereo remastering, and a total of 17 tracks in all – much better than the previous version!

Sublime bossa tunes by the legendary Ennio Morricone – packaged in a hardcover book with beautiful color images from the films! The set was put together by the folks at Cinedelic Records, and goes for only the best of the best of the groovy side of Morricone's genius – those gently floating tunes that stand out as some of his best-remembered soundtrack work of the 60s and 70s – many of which have had a lasting effect upon current scenes in Italy, Japan, and elsewhere! And even though the music is great, the book is almost more amazing – done as a hardcover with a few pages on each film – showing a vintage poster for the movie, a scene or two, and other rare images – plus a dates and information for the films and soundtrack records! The whole thing's totally great, and a must-have for any Morricone collection – with a total of 16 tracks on the CD that include "Al Convento", "Walzer Bossa Nova", "Belinda May", "Alla Serenita", "Una Voce Allo Specchio", "Can Can Delle Filly", "Argomenti", "Un Salotto Borghese", "Matto Caldo Soldi Morto Girotondo", "Sestriere", and "Scherzo Un Po Triste".

Mellow ballad material from Mark Murphy – as you might expect from the title – a sad-tinged session that almost hints at the style of his recent work in Verve – showing a real maturity for Murphy's music at the time! There's a bit of electricity in the instrumentation – some keyboards and guitar – but the record's got a warm, mellow tone that mostly focuses on Mark's wonderful vocals – gently making their way through a well-chosen set of tunes that includes "September Fifteenth", "Night Life", "Sack Full Of Dreams", "Crystal Silence", "Sausalito", "Para Nada", "Spring Is Where You Are", "I Never Went Away", and "When She Is Mine". Art Farmer also plays some sweet solos on three of the album's tracks!

One of the more electric projects we've heard from reedman David Murray in recent years – a collaboration with bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, who's still got the same righteous sound he had back in the 80s! The bass shades in the songs right from the start – as does the guitar of Mingus Murray too – but Murray's rock-solid and extremely soulful once he opens up, with tenor lines that are especially wonderful, plus a bit of bass clarinet – all heard here in a style that really takes us back to some of Tacuma's better moments of a few decades before. Other group members include Paul Urbanek on "recomposing keyboards" and Ranzell Merrit on drums – and titles include "How Sensitive", "Rendezvous", "Hotel Le Prince", "Theme On A Dream", "Bring It On", and "Yes We Can".

A memorable set from Mushroom – captured live at San Francisco's Tip Top Inn in March of 2000! The set promised to channel the creative spirit of leftfield Brit jazz figures of the 70s, such Keith Tippett, Chris McGregor and Ian Carr – and dare we say so, they pretty much nail it! Recorded by drummer Pat Thomas, the group features Jeff Palmer on bass, Marc Capelle on trumpet, Carroll Ashby on trombone, Davie Mihaly on percussion, Jon Sanders on keys and Erik Pearson on guitar and sax. The titles are a trip, too: "No Anagrams Found by Recursive Algorithm", "I've Never Understood The Importance Of Club DJs, They Seem Like The Lowest Link In The Chain, Like A Fluffer On A Porn Site", "Loft Hawk", "Blues For An Airplane" and more. 9 in all, and the set runs north of an hour long.

A great collection of work by Fats Navarro – his complete Blue Note recordings, and a masterful collection of trumpet-based bop! There's are a total of 26 songs on this 2 LP set and several groups that Navarro played with are represented – The Tadd Dameron Sextet & Septet, The McGhee/Navarro Boptet and Bud Powell's Modernists. Other members of these groups included Charlie Rouse, Wardell Gray, Kenny Clarke, Milt Jackson and many more. Titles include "Our Delight", "The Chase", "Dameronia", "Lady Bird", "Double Talk", "The Skunk", "Dance Of The Infidels", and "Wail".

2 long-overdue classics from New Birth – back to back on a single CD! Ain't No Big Thing captures the group near the beginning of their career – when they were sort of a funky soul army, featuring the instrumental talents of The Nite-Liters, the vocal strength of a number of excellent members, and the raw production skills of the great Harvey Fuqua! This album's one of their best-ever – and it features a great mix of soul and funk, with some sweet cuts, and other nice harder numbers, all done in the warm spirit of the group when they were in their prime. Includes "Honeybee", "Oh What a Feeling", "How Good It Feels", plus groovy covers, like "I Want to Make It With You" and "Never Can Say Goodbye". Coming Together is an excellent early album by New Birth – with a good straight ahead soul style, and some nice arrangements by Vernon Bullock, Harvey Fuqua, and Bert De Coteaux. The tracks are a mix of originals and covers, and the band is great throughout – grooving hard in a souful way that makes the record glisten with an honest intensity that's missing from some of the group's later work. With "African Cry", "Don't Knock My Love", "All the Way", "Two Kinds of People", "Yesterday I Heard The Rain", and "I Don't Want To Do Wrong". A tough one to find, and the album that will make you love the band!

A classic album by this righteous soul collective – and one that shows them taking a strong step away from their work at RCA with Harvey Fuqua. This one has the group (ever-enormous as always!) absorbing some of the other elements of modern soul that were floating around at the time – and they make a nice mark for themselves on the album's mix of ballad tracks and uptempo numbers. Titles include "Blind Man", "Blind Baby", "Dream Merchant", "Forever", "I Remember Well", and "Granddaddy"

Take it from us, a record with "chicken" in the title is always worth checking out – because it usually means a nicely strutting groove! That's definitely the case with "Chicken Grabber" – a cool cut with mambo percussion, vamping sax, and some great chicken calls in the middle! And "Chicken Rock" is mighty nice too – with a really nasty bassline and snapping drums, called on a member of the group to set the scene for a sweet tenor solo in the middle!

Norvo may have cut some sleepy recordings in his day, but his early sides are usually all pretty great – especially this material, recorded with Tal Farlow on guitar and Charles Mingus on bass! The drum-less combination of vibes, guitar, and bass makes for an almost-exotic approach – one that rings out with some new moods and tones on tracks that are old standards – in a manner that really helps us understand why folks from the old days think Norvo's so great! Titles include "Godchild", "September Song", "Swedish Pastry", "I'll Remember April", "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me", "Cheek To Cheek", "This Can't Be Love", "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and "Move".

Easily one of the greatest albums recorded by Olatunji in the 60s – a set that's even more hard-driving than his classic records for Columbia, with an incredibly percussive groove all the way through! The group features an assortment of percussionists all driving along with Olatunji – plus some excellent sax work from Sun Ra Arkestra members Pat Patrick and Marshall Allen, whose contributions really help flesh out the sound. Most tracks also feature chanted vocals, and all tunes are relatively long as well. Titles include "Aiye Mi Re", "Dakun", "Me Nu Di Aye", "Ljoye", "Eyanu", and "Mojuba".

Oliver Cheatham sounds wonderful here – in that best bouncy style that made him a big favorite on the dancefloors in the early 80s – a groove that's still pretty darn great all these years later! The set features key songwriting help from Al Hudson and Kevin McCord, both of whom help enforce the One Way style of grooving here – nicely punched-up club tracks filled with plenty of hooks, mixed with the odd mellower number to show that the album's a solid soul effort all the way through – and not just some dance tracks cooked up in the studio! Cheatham's vocals are great – better than we remember – and titles include "Everybody Wants To Be The Boss", "I Want Your Love I Need Your Love", "Boogie Stomp", "Don't Take Your Love Away", and "I Gave Myself To You".

One of the best-remembered groups from the Detroit scene of the early 70s – thanks to the massive title track on this album, and a whole host of other wonderful cuts as well! The group features the great Steve Marcus on vocals – an artist who'd cut some key Northern soul singles for smaller labels in the 60s – but who really bursts out of the box here with great presentation from the Holland Dozier Holland empire! The record features some great songs by General Johnson and Greg Perry – and Perry also handled some of the production work for the record – really pushing the group with the sort of full, rich sound the Chairmen Of The Board brought to their own work. Titles include "Somebody's Been Sleeping", "Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup)", "One Man's Leftovers", "Love is Sweeter", "Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number", and "Back Track". CD features five bonus tracks – "90 Days Freeze", "Somebody's Been Sleeping (UK single edit)", "If I Could See The Light In The Window (version 1)", "Driveway", and "Somebody's Been Sleeping (US single)".

Quite possibly the last truly sublime album ever recorded by Os Mutantes – a set that's a bit more rock-oriented then their first few, but still pretty revolutionary overall! The group have expanded to a quintet at this point, but haven't yet falling into the guitar-heavy groove of later years – and Rogerio Duprat is working with the group on arrangements, although Mutantes member Arnaldo Baptista is handling production chores himself. Odd styles still slide into the mix as the tunes roll on – creating that great sense of surprise that makes their best work so great, and keeping things fresh even when a bit more straight ahead! Titles include a reprise of "Baby", one of the group's early classics – plus "Portugal De Navio", "Virginia", "Tecnicolor", "El Justicero", "Lady, Lady", "Sarava", "It's Very Nice Pra Xuxu", and "Top Top".

A classic album of bluesy funk – one that features the guitar of Johnny Otis' young son Shuggie, in a slightly tighter setting than he'd been getting on some of Johnny's own LPs! Shuggie here is still very much under the guidance of his dad – working in a mode that really emphasizes the fuzzier side of his guitar, in a style that was clearly an attempt to hook Shuggie up with the Hendrix audience. Not that that's a problem, though – as the record also features some stone funky playing too, as well as organ work by Leon Haywood, sax by Preston Love, and some other great studio work by members of The Crusaders! Tracks include "Hurricane", "Shuggie's Boogie", "Bootie Cooler", "Funky Thithee" and "The Hawks".

Patti Page is working here to class up her image from the country waltz sound of her biggest hit – and is going instead for a waltzing mode that's more traditional, and which brings out the duskier side of her vocal talents! Don't get us wrong, there's not a lot of Strauss in the mix – it's just that the arrangements of tunes all have a lightly dancing, gently waltzing quality – one that still preserves the syncopated rhythms of Patti's bigger singles, yet which takes them out of the country pop side of the spectrum, and showcase Page as a singer with a deeper range. Backings are by Vic Schoen, and titles include "What'll I Do", "Memories", "Till We Meet Again", "Remember", "Now Is The Hour", "Wondering", and "You Will Find Your Love In Paris".

Great work from this solo member of the Paris Sisters – stepping out here in two obscure late 60s albums, plus some rare bonus tracks too! First up is the album Priscilla Sings Herself – tracks that show Priscilla as a surprisingly great songwriter on her own – working in music that goes way deeper than her pop of a few years before, with moody moments and deeper strains that echo some of the hipper singer/songwriter material at the time. Don Peake handles the arrangements, often with gentle orchestrations that work well with Paris' style of singing – on tracks that include "I'm Home", "Stone Is Very Very Cold", "He Owns The World", "My Window", and "Wandering". Next is the rare Priscilla Sings Billie – an unusual take on the music of Billie Holiday, done with a relatively sweet feel overall! Paris is definitely trying for Holiday's tone at times – but her sound is always a bit warmer and airier – almost as if Claudine Longet were doing a tribute to Billie, with a spacious late 60s feel that's almost A&M at times! Backings are by Sid Feller and Don Peake, and players on the date include Jimmy Rowles on piano, Jim Crutcher on bass, John Guerin on drums, and Peake on guitar – plus a bit of added strings. Titles include "In My Solitude", "Girls Were Made To Take Care Of Boys", "Just Friends", "I Love You Porgy", and "My Man". CD is completed by four rare bonus tracks – including "Some Little Lovin Lie", "Twelve Twenty Nine", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix".

The second go 'round for this Kenny Clarke tribute group, but with Woody Shaw & Nat Adderley up front, along with Joe Henderson & Nathan Davis. The set's also got Idris Muhammad on the traps, and it's easy to forget what a great jazz drummer Idris can be, when you get so used to hear him delivering the funk message – but he does Klook proud here. Mostly originals by the group members, done in the boppish mode of Clarke's classic years, but which also feature many of the soul jazz inflections of the players involved, the six song set includes the title tune, plus "Work Song", "The Man From Potter's Crossing", "Locksley" & "Jamaican Hot Nights".

Oh Baby is right – as the album's one of the best John Patton albums for Blue Note – a perfect mix of funky organ and burning hardbop! The tracks hare are all originals penned for the album – mostly by Patton, but also by other group members – the kind of fresh grooves that made John's organ work for Blue Note really stand out from the rest of the 60s Hammond generation – very creative stuff, with occasional modern touches, and a rhythmic conception that's not only unusual, but which also really lets the soloists stretch out on their grooves! Players include Harold Vick on tenor, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Ben Dixon on drums, and Grant Green on guitar – and the album's about as sharp as you can get for a Blue Note organ session. Titles include "Fat Judy", "Each Time", "One To Twelve", and "Night Flight".

Killer early work from Freda Payne – an early album recorded for MGM many years before her later hit "Band Of Gold" – and a set with a great mix of soul and jazz modes, all arranged by the mighty Benny Golson! The record's got a really classy feel – one that has a lot more poise than some of Freda's later soul, and shows elements of the jazz she'd bring more to the forefront on Impulse Records. Yet Golson's backings also still keep plenty of soul in the mix too – using full arrangements to almost give Payne an uptown soul sound, with a heavy groove on some of the album's most memorable numbers. Titles include "San Juan", "I Don't Love You Anymore", "Too Late", "You Never Should Have Loved Me", "Feeling Good", "It's Here For You", "If You Loved Me", and "Sad Sad September".

A fantastic session that's also one of Houston Person's rarest! The set is a bit more complicated than some of his earlier work – moving away from the hard and funky organ lineup, into a more lyrically swinging quintet mode, with Cedar Walton on piano, Alan Dawson on vibes, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Frankie Jones on drums. The presence of Walton really opens up the set, as his majestic soul jazz approach during this time gives the whole album a stridently sophisticated groove – hammered down by Dawson's highly rhythmic approach to playing the vibes (he was mostly a drummer, remember?) Houston's in fine form sax-wise, blowing relaxed and meaningful solos in the mode that he used on the Blue Odyssey album – or kind of in a mode like Sonny Criss on his late 60s Prestige sides. Titles include "More", "Girl Talk", "Close Quarters", and "Chocomotive".

The second album by this sublime 70s soul harmony group – and a real treasure trove of under-discovered soul numbers all the way through! Most tracks are written by group member Bobby Poindexter – making for a fresh, unified batch of tunes – handled by the quartet in a style that's even more mature than their previous work – really hitting some heights that should have made them huge! Yet despite that lack of fame to score again with the same big hit as "Thin Line" from their debut – or maybe because of it – the record's a great fresh discovery – the kind of treasure you'll love if you dig east coast group soul as much as we do – especially work along the Philly/New Jersey side of the spectrum. Titles include "Peace In The Valley Of Love", "Bad Bold & Beautiful Girl", "Love Goes Good When Things Go Bad", "What Is The Definition Of Love", and "Trying Girls Out".

The second album by this sublime 70s soul harmony group – and a real treasure trove of under-discovered soul numbers all the way through! Most tracks are written by group member Bobby Poindexter – making for a fresh, unified batch of tunes – handled by the quartet in a style that's even more mature than their previous work – really hitting some heights that should have made them huge! Yet despite that lack of fame to score again with the same big hit as "Thin Line" from their debut – or maybe because of it – the record's a great fresh discovery – the kind of treasure you'll love if you dig east coast group soul as much as we do – especially work along the Philly/New Jersey side of the spectrum. Titles include "Peace In The Valley Of Love", "Bad Bold & Beautiful Girl", "Love Goes Good When Things Go Bad", "What Is The Definition Of Love", and "Trying Girls Out".

If you ever needed proof of Oscar Peterson's genius on the piano, this CD may well be it – as it captures Peterson in a set of different early live performances at Carnegie hall – all of them mindblowing! The tunes here are a bit longer and looser than some of Oscar's studio work for the time – and display a majestic command of the keyboard that rings out from the very first note – never too overdone or showy, but jaw-droppingly incredible in its sense of timing, and trademark mix of poise and invention in the same deft stroke. Accompaniment on 4 of the tracks is only by Ray Brown on bass – and the rest feature either Barney Kessel or Herb Ellis joining in on guitar to complete the classic sound of the 50s Peterson Trio. Tracks were recorded at JATP performances in September of 1949, 1950, 1952, and 1953 – and the CD features 15 titles that include "Gai", "Padovane", "Fine & Dandy", "Carnegie Blues", "Cheek To Cheek", "Tenderly", "Lollobrigida", "Pompton Turnpike", and "Love For Sale".

Pettiford's second album of big band tracks for ABC during the 50s – a more open-ended set than the previous one, with modernist touches that really make the set sparkle nicely. Part of these are due to Gigi Gryce, who plays alto on the record, and probably had a bit of a hand in arrangements. Other players include Art Farmer, Jerome Richardson, and Al Grey – and tracks include "I Remember Clifford", "Little Niles", "Now See How You Are", and "Seabreeze".

The first-ever issue of music from a really weird John Phillips side-project of the 70s – a space-themed musical produced by Andy Warhol and directed by Paul Morrisey – with performances by Phillips, Dennh Doherty, and members of Warhol's Factory! Despite a loopy story, the tunes have a fair bit of homegrown charm – at least on the core material here, which is performed by Phillips himself, using just a bit of acoustic guitar, and coming across with a folksy feel that's mighty nice, especially given the date of the recording – almost a childlike simplicity in the themes, which is a nice change from the other Phillips modes of the time. Some other selections feature numbers recorded live at the play – and the set also features some additional studio tracks sung by Genevieve Waite, plus some other out-takes and rehearsal material. 38 tracks in all – with titles that include "Oh Andy My Assistant", "Mission Control", "My Name Is Can", "Star Stepping Stranger/Convent", "Penthouse Of Your Mind", "Starburst", "Handcuffs", "Close Your Eyes", "Love Is Coming Back", and "The Last Of The Unnatural Acts".

A great New York group – and one that features the heavy frontline talents of Joe Magnarelli on trumpet, Jerry Weldon on tenor, and Peter Bernstein on guitar – plus razor-sharp rhythms from Spike Wilner on piano, Neal Miner on bass, and Joe Strasser on drums! As you'd guess from the players involved, there's a great sort of swing to the lineup – a rock-solid, soulfully-grooving approach to the music that gets going right from the start – and really takes off with the album's extended tracks, which offer up plenty of room for solo explorations. The album easily matches some of the best albums on Criss Cross by some of the group members – and features titles that include "Contemplations", "Bilbao", "Righty O", "A Foolish Lament", and "Simple As That".

Joyous grooves indeed – the second album by this legendary 70s jazzy soul outfit – and a landmark album in the Fantasy Records Bay Area funk mode! The record will forever be remembered for the cut "Joyous" – a monster groover with a killer hook, strong funky playing, and a searing tenor solo that wails for about a minute before the vocals even come in! Wayne Henderson produced the record – and it's very much in the mode of work that he was doing for other groups at Fantasy, but also sounds a bit like later jazz funk groups, such as Breakwater or Smoke – tight, but never uptight – funky, but never with the kind of grit you'd find in the indie underground. The vocals are a bit in the Average White Band mode, and the instrumental playing is top-shelf all the way – a monster mix that's possibly carried off better here than on any other album by the group! The album includes 2 instrumentals, "Selim" and "Sassafras Girl", as well as the vocal tracks "Tune In", "Let Me Be The One", and "Can't Turn You Loose".

Joyous grooves indeed – the second album by this legendary 70s jazzy soul outfit – and a landmark album in the Fantasy Records Bay Area funk mode! The record will forever be remembered for the cut "Joyous" – a monster groover with a killer hook, strong funky playing, and a searing tenor solo that wails for about a minute before the vocals even come in! Wayne Henderson produced the record – and it's very much in the mode of work that he was doing for other groups at Fantasy, but also sounds a bit like later jazz funk groups, such as Breakwater or Smoke – tight, but never uptight – funky, but never with the kind of grit you'd find in the indie underground. The vocals are a bit in the Average White Band mode, and the instrumental playing is top-shelf all the way – a monster mix that's possibly carried off better here than on any other album by the group! The album includes 2 instrumentals, "Selim" and "Sassafras Girl", as well as the vocal tracks "Tune In", "Let Me Be The One", and "Can't Turn You Loose".

Incredibly messed-up funk – a 70s instrumental classic that's delighted our ears for years! The set's got a cosmic sound that mixes together conventional guitar-based funky with some weird electronic touches at times – going for a fuzzed-out moogy quality that really deepens the groove – and which goes even further on those tunes that push the basslines all the way into the red! The group's headed by McKinley Jackson, and features some ex-members of Parliament – all coming together in a full, rich sound that almost has traces of soundtrack sophistication at times – yet which manages to come across with the burning energy of a funky 45! The album includes the classics "Funky Toes" and "Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic" – plus the group's legendary take on "Free Your Mind", a sample classic from years back! Great stuff if you dig a fuzzy Westbound sort of funk groove – and other tracks include "Church", "The World We Live In", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Speak On It", and "Politician's Theme". Features bonus tracks "Love Machine (parts 1 & 2)".

What a weird group! Port Authority were all members of the US Navy – and the Navy evidently supported them big, because they released this album themselves! The group's got a funky sound that mixes up soul and rock – mostly soul on the instrumentation, with some occasional bad white boy vocals. The best cuts, though, are instrumental – and they mix up hard vamping on guitar and keyboards with some firey horn solos that have a bit of a jazzy feel. The album includes the sought-after breakbeat on "Port Authority Bus Blues" – plus the tracks "UFO", "Funkophobia", "The Letter", and "Hangin".

Very dark work from The Pretty Things – an even more complicated, heavier-sounding album than SF Sorrow! The album's hardly got the lightness you might guess from its Parachute title – and instead, really shows the band moving into darker corners – both musically and lyrically, as they work in a heady brew of sophisticated guitar lines and adult song themes. And although former leader Dick Taylor's left the group, the other members are still holding down the fort nicely – hardly missing a beat here as they step onto a new level in their incredible stretch of growth. Titles include "The Good Mr. Square", "The Letter", "Rain", "Cries From The Midnight Circus", "Sickle Clowns", "Miss Fay Regrets", and "Grass".

A second set of Time-like groovers from Process & The Doo Rags – a near-lost mid 80s harmony group, produced and arranged by Rick James, with a sound that's clearly going for the Morris Day groove! The overall sound is actually quite nice, though – hardly the weak copycat sound that you might think, and with more than enough catchy bits to make these guys sparkle, especially when their harmonies really get a chance to shine through the mix. Titles include "Satisfy My Love", "Forever", "Call Me Up", "Sexy Dancer", "I Promise To Remember", and "Stage Lights".

A full three albums by the legendary Pyramids – all packaged together in one complete set, with a bonus video too! The Pyramids recorded three key records during the 70s – each of them an underground classic, all served up in a wonderful bit of spiritual soul jazz with a really cosmic feel! The group are heavy on percussion and reeds – blending congas and assorted other percussion instruments with soprano sax, alto, and flute – all in a captivating sound that builds up nicely over the course of the album's two long tracks! The music is very organic – never too forced, nor never too far out – and there's a majestic quality to the whole thing, one that really lives up to the group's name and image on the cover. And although the ensemble hail from Ohio – hardly a spot you'd peg for spiritual jazz in the 70s – they're a key link between the early 70s avant movements in Chicago and St Louis, some of the hip grooves in Detroit's Tribe Records scene, and the growing loft jazz movement in New York. The reeds are especially nice – alto sax from Idris Ackamoor and flute from Margo Ackamoor – and all other group members play percussion, and vocalize too – singing along with some of the tunes in chanting, chorus formation, which adds an even further element of soul to the mix. Includes the full albums Lalibela, King Of Kings, and Birth Speed Merging – with bonus video content of The Pyramids Live On KQED in 1975.

Tight funky soul from Quazar! This relatively overlooked group is one of the lesser-remembered P-Funk-linked acts of the late 70s – which is a shame, as it's a great little side project from the team of Glenn Goins and Jerome Brailey. It's got a with a bass and drums-heavy party groove all the way! The style here is almost even tighter than that of Parliament or Funkadelic at the time – with tunes that are shorter and more focused, pointing the way towards the changes that mainstream funk would take later into the 80s. Most of the tunes are stormers – with killer group chanted backing vocals! Titles include "Funk With A Big Foot", "Funk With A Capital G", "Funk N Roll", "Your Lovin Is Easy", "Shades of Quaze", "Workin' On The Buildin'" and "Love Me Baby". 9 tracks on the original album – and this Big Break CD edition has 3 bonus tracks: "Funk N Roll (Single Version)", "Savin My Love For A Rainy Day (Single Version)" and Funk With A Big Foot (Single Version)".

A very groovy little record! Quire is a harmony group led by Christine Legrand – sister of Michel Legrand, and ex-member of similar groups The Swingle Singers and Les Double Six. The music on the set is very much like that of the latter – in that it's harmony vocal versions of famous jazz tunes, done in an instrument-less style that recalls the work of the Swingles. The sound is quite odd, but wonderful – handled with the dreamy delightful style we've always come to love in Christine's work. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Blue Rondo A La Turk", "Django", "Misty", "Body & Soul", and "Waltz For Debby".

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".

The Roger Corman-Phil Spector year of the mighty Ramones! End Of The Century is a huge departure from the 1-2-3-4 burst and roar of the first 4 Ramones albums – a big ol' Phil Spector production – recorded concurrently with the filming of late 70s hottie PJ Soles dancing around in her underwear with a shy and shell-shocked Joey in Rock And Roll High School! Lord knows that End Of The Century was the end of the Ramones as we knew and loved them on LP (they remained great live until the very end), but it holds up very well and the big sound brings a smile. Plus it's got "Chinese Rock", worth the price alone. Other tracks include "Do You Remember Rock'N'Roll Radio?", "I'm Affected", "Danny Says", "The Return Of Jack & Judy", "Let's Go", "Baby, I Love You", "I Can't Make It On Time", "This Ain't Havana", "Rock N Roll High School", "All The Way" and "High Risk Insurance".

The first album by a great singer that you probably never heard of – but who made some very nice records in her day! Sue's got a sad and slightly dreamy style that's in keeping with the hipper side of Capitol Records in the 50s – and she's working here with arrangements by Nelson Riddle that really help pave the way for a strong debut release. There's nothing fancy about the record – just straight vocals with a lightly swinging tone, and a set of strong tracks that include "When Your Lover Has Gone", "Moon Song", "If You Were There", "My Silent Love", "It's Easy To Remember", and "I'll See You In My Dreams".

A cool combat-themed country rock record by The Red Rippers – largely the work of songwriter and Vietnam veteran Lt. Edwin Bankston – and a pretty riveting obscurity from the early 80s private press vaults! The sounds range from breezy, Creedence-styled backdrops and 70s outlaw country inspired grooves, to more of a fuzzed out, slightly harder-edged feel – but it's the lyricism that really pushes Red Rippers into a different realm. It's full of war-wizened songs about forgotten soldiers, bloody jungle battles and other prideful and mournful tales from this veteran's point of view! The difference between the catchy, if quite raw tunefulness and the frank lyricism gives it a really dichotomous, intriguing feel! Includes "I Roll", "Soldier Of Fortune", "Firefight", "Who Remembers", "Vietnam Blues", "The Dark And Bloody Road", "She's Been Down", "Body Bag".

Some of the last recordings ever made by Otis Redding – produced by Steve Cropper in mid 1967, but not issued by Atlantic until after Otis' tragic early death! The style of the tracks is very much in keeping with Redding's classic Stax work – and it seems that even more of the tunes on the set are original numbers, showing Otis' growing songwriting skills at the time, and making us wonder even more what might have happened if he'd stayed with us a bit longer. Titles include the single "The Happy Song", plus "Thousand Miles Away", "I've Got Dreams To Remember", "You Made A Man Out Of Me", "Think About It", "A Waste Of Time", "Champagne & Wine", "A Fool For You", and the killer funky number "Hard To Handle"!

The lovely Dianne Reeves pays tribute to jazz legend Sarah Vaughn, in a set that's one of her straightest jazz outings to date! The album features arrangements by Billy Childs, who plays on the album, along with Mulgrew Miller, Clark Terry, Reginald Veal, and Steve Wilson. Tracks include the sweet original "I Remember Sarah", plus "A Chamada", "Key Largo", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Speak Low", "Obsession", and "Fascinating Rhythm".

The magnificent return of The Relatives – the group's first new recording since the 70s – hot on the heels of their rediscovery on the Don't Let Me Fail compilation! The lineup features some younger members alongside leader Reverend Gean West – but the sound here is very much in the spirit of the early recordings – with a strong emphasis on vocal harmonies, served up in the righteous blend of soul and gospel roots that made the group so great in the first place! Other instrumentation is mostly funky, and pretty darn respectful – some sharp-edged guitar and tight drums that often sit out and let the vocals take center stage. Titles include "Revelations", "We Need Love", "Say It Loud", "Trouble In My Way", "Things Are Changing", and "Bad Trip".

A batch of long, extremely inventive tracks from the quintet of reedman Tim Ries – a group that features just the right sort of heavyweight talents to make the whole thing work! The lineup features Chris Potter on tenor, alongside Ries' tenor and soprano sax – plus John Patitucci on bass, Kalman Olah on piano, and Billy Drummond on drums – players that have some wonderful interplay together – enough to really open up some new spaces for themselves, but manage to keep things swinging as well. Titles include the Ries originals "New View", "The Last Kabbalist Of Lisbon", and "A Summer To Remember" – plus a great jazz reworking of "Death & The Maiden".

A frenetic stormer from the group of pianist Marc Riordan – a tight combo who work here with a great old school approach to modern jazz! There's a strong sense of unity to the group – a really well-conceived vision built around Riordan's wonderful piano lines – angular, well-stated, and with this mix of unusual notes that really recalls Herbie Nichols or Elmo Hope! Marc's got a way of playing that's incredibly inventive, yet somehow always "right" too – notes that shouldn't work together so way, especially as each new one is introduced – but which resonate together beautifully in a cohesively soulful sound. Other group members are equally strong – and include Peter Hanson on alto, Daniel Thatcher on bass, and Tim Daisy on drums – on titles that include "Little Dog", "Funometer", "Lesson Learned", "Binoculars", and "I'll Text You" – plus a version of Monk's "A Merrier Christmas".

An amazing reunion of a legendary group – the 70s free jazz trio of Sam Rivers on reeds, Dave Holland on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums! Rivers had already carved out a strong name for himself with earlier work – but his meeting with Holland and Altschul really helped the reedman take off – and together, the three musicians made some of the most creatively unbridled work of Sam's career! And yet the players hadn't worked together for over 25 years – until the time of this special recording, done as part of a Sam River marathon at Columbia University – an amazing moment in jazz that has all three members of the group picking up beautifully, and improvising together in a long session of music that's simply mindblowing! The album's easily one of the best we've heard from Rivers in his later years – and has all the sort of soulful undercurrents that take us back to the 70s loft jazz years of the original group – sounding way more like some lost tapes from the old days than the reunion captured within. Genius – and a great treasure from the late Rivers!

Vital late work from the amazing Sam Rivers – masterful, energetic jazz orchestra pieces recorded live and in the studio with players culled from Orlando and the Central Florida areas around Rivers' adopted home – a treasure that finds Sam sounding as spry and fiercely creative in his 80s has he was half a lifetime ago! Trilogy features 3 unreleased sets – 2 live and one with studio recordings – and it's remarkably vibrant throughout. Sam started dabbling with orchestra jazz in the 70s, bring muscularity and dissonance to big band music in a wholly unique way, and he's been doing it as brilliantly as ever in recent years. 14 horns bring complex, but melodic sweep to the sound, with a 2 piece rhythm. We've been blown away by most of Sam's late period efforts and this exceptional 3CD set from Mosaic is as great as any of it. Players include Jeff Rupert, Chris Charles, David Pate and others on saxes, Tom Parmenter, Brian Scanlon and more trumpet players, Keith Oshiro and David Sheffield on trombone, Doug Mathews on bass and Rion Smith on drums. The first disc (Offering) was recorded at the Plaza Theater in Orlando in November of '08. Includes "Spice", "Ganymede", "Crux", "Aura", "Perkin" and "Pulsar". Disc two (Progeny) was recorded at Sonic Cauldron Studios in Casselberry, FL earlier in '08, and it includes "Robyn", "Cindy", "Monique", "Traci", Iisha", "Destiny" and more. Disc Three (Edge) is a return to the Plaza Theatre in April of '09, and it includes "Ridge", "Brink", "Precipice", "Verge", "Visions", "Point" and more.

Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even more progressive work with a group like this! The players are all youthful geniuses who would go onto shape the sound of 70s jazz tremendously – working here at a point that already shows their brilliance – Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, and even Andy Bey, who sings vocals on the title track. The overall style is very similar to Bartz's early albums on Milestone, or to some of the Music Inc records on Strata East, which feature Cowell and Tolliver. It's no surprise that Cowell contributed 3 tracks to the set – "Effi", "Equipoise", and "Abstrutions" – and the group also performs a great version of Bartz's "Libra"!

One of the few small group sessions from vocalist Betty Roche – a singer who was known for her work with Duke Ellington, but who sounds even better in this setting! Betty's got a style that's warmly raspy – a bit more edge than some of the cooler vocalists on the Bethlehem label at the time, but still backed with a group that's slightly modern – in keeping with other dates on the label. The combo features Eddie Costa on vibes, Donn Trenner on piano, Conte Candoli on trumpet, Whitey Mitchell on bass, and Davey Williams on drums – all grooving gently with Betty on a set of tracks that includes "Take The A Train", "Something To Live For", "All My Life", "All Too Soon", "You Don't Love Me Any More", "Go Away Blues", and "September In The Rain". Japanese CD features 3 bonus alternate takes.

A dual milestone issue for Roctober – the 50th issue and 20th anniversary – a 140-page extraganza which both reminisces on the past 2 decades of Roctober coverage and looks to the future! Includes items on 60s, 70s & 80s Chi vocal combo The Green Berets, Lou Christie, Don Cornelius, Klaus Nomi. Tommie Wix & Them Good Biscuits, Breakfast With Boone, Nardwuar Vs Odd Future, one man's adventure as one of the little remembered New Monkees and much, much more.

A lengthy discussion with Chris James of the stellar seventies sweet soul act The Natural Four, Nardwuar vs Queens of the Stone Age, interviews with the last living brother of The Maddox Brothers and Rose, Mark Ridlen of 70s/80s Texas punk/psych band Lithium Xmas (also a member of Rapid Fire, the evil band from Ron Howard's "Cotton Candy"), New Orleans musical eccentric Quintron on his return to his ravaged city, Brazilian guitar legend Toquino, and Beach Boys' biographer Domenic Priore. Also, the scrapbook of Black punk legend Neon Leon, a Clancy Eccles tribute, hundreds of novelty celebrity records profiled, and a history of Diabolik. Plus, lots of great comix, including Freaky Bear by Plastic Crimewave, an incredible recreation of R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" starring Batman by K. Thor Jensen, and lost comics and 70s rock writing by Funkadelic's Pedro Bell.

Bubblegum kings Kasenetz-Katz interviewed. Edie Adams, widow of Ernie Kovacs and 50s pop diva and cigar girl tells tales of the Nairobi trio and more. The Cramps meet Ratso. Tremendous David Allan Coe interview, that involves prison, Branson and illegal porno. Includes gigantic listeners guide (over 50 Coe albums reviewed). Carl Perkins remembered. 10 seconds with Moe Tucker and Annabella (Bow Wow Wow) lwin. Black metal classical soundtrack composer Mortiis, a man who performs in full satanic elf makeup, lays his heart and soul out for Roctober's readers. The Make*Up interviewed. Plus Skip Spence, the Spice Girls, and tons of comics.

New wave opera space elf Klaus Nomi (Bowie collaborator), remembered by friends and fans. The story of Sylvester ("Mighty Real", "Do Ya Wanna Funk"), with listeners guide, bibliography and amazing fotos. Esquerita centerfold. Chicago r&b eccentric Bo Dudley interviewed. Mayo "Red Crayola" Thompson talks at length. Shonen Knife interviewed. Acid jazz legends Pharaohs tell it like it is. Sammy Davis Jr. Chili mix reviewed by Mark Robinson. Plus: Eazy E, Fountains of Wayne, eight shining Shebrews, Ricky Wilson, Queen, Peter Allen, Liberace.

The story of Kiddie-A-Go-Go, pre-pubescent American Bandstand, Velvet Crush. Garage legends the Monks get it together. Gary Glitter. The history of midget rock and roll featuring interviews with Kenny "R2D2 " Baker, blues dwarf Kid Dynamite, plus coverage of Pee Wee Marquette (Birdland doorman), Louis Dejesus (P-Funk member, dwarf porno star, Billy Barty, Johnny Puleo, more) Plus: Garageshock, Wildgirl Gogorama, Rollins & Roky, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sugarloaf, bonus hall of greatness poster.

The Rolling Stones doing their thing on the Some Girls tour – live at Fort Worth's Will Rogers Memorial Centre in the summer of 1978! Now remembered as a classic, Some Girls was a bit of divisive record for both Stones die-hards and rock fans in general, circa '78 – with some trendy pop and disco touches, as well as more of a gleaming production aesthetic. The live show was something else, though – it was on this date, anyway – which is a manic, swaggery blast! It's got a bunch of Some Girls material, as well as some other classic Stones songs – including "Let It Rock", "All Down The Line",, "Honky Tonk Women", "Star Star", "When The Whip Comes Down", "Respectable", "Love In Vain", "Tumbling Dice", "Beast Of Burden", "Miss You", "Shattered", "Happy", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Brown Sugar", "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and more. This 2LP version also includes the full-length concert DVD!

An overlooked Sonny Rollins set from the early 80s – one that has him recording with a fair bit of guitar, but still staying very much in his best form as an improviser! The group here features both Bobby Broom on electric guitar, and Yoshiaki Masuo on acoustic and electric – both players who get in plenty of sound during the set, but always as a follow-up to Rollins' bold tenor voice in the lead. Remaining group members include Bob Cranshaw on electric bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and although the electric strings might normally make for a smooth sort of record, Sonny's sharper sound still brings plenty of edge – even when the rhythms of a few tunes get a bit bright. Titles include "My Little Brown Book", "Reel Life", "McGhee", "Rosita's Best Friend", and "Best Wishes".

The surprisingly hard-to-find Philles album by The Ronettes – and an appropriately-titled one – as this pop soul masterpiece is fabulous, to say the least! To say a bit more, this incredible record, with Ronnie Spector shining brightly out front (she's the Veronica they're featuring, if you didn't know that already) is as fine of a showcase for the Wall Of Sound as any album in the canon. Best remembered for their timeless hit singles, there's no overstating how great this album is as a whole. It indeed features several of those huge hit singles – and it includes "Walking In The Rain", "Do I Love You?", "(The Best Part Of) Breaking Up", "I Wonder", "What'd I Say", "How Does It Feel", "Be My Baby", "You Baby" "When I Saw You" and "Chapel Of Love".

The Delmark debut as a leader from drummer Frank Rosaly – and a very unique little record! Rosaly's a player we've really dug on other folks' records, and his vision here at the helm is pretty darn great – a real change from some of the modes used by his avant Chicago contemporaries – almost more poetic at points, although filled with sharp edges throughout! The record was composed for use in a documentary about Chicago scrap recyclers working the alley of the city – and Rosaly brings a really human, personal sort of feel to his music – even though the overall approach is still based on improvisation between group members too. The lineup features James Falzone on clarinet, Jason Stein on bass clarinet, Jason Roebke on bass and cracklebox, Keefe Jackson on tenor and bass clarinet, and Jason Adasiewicz on vibes – which adds some particularly great tones to the metallic narrative. Rosaly also plays a bit of percussion, piano, and electronics – and titles include "Adrian", "Bedbugs", "Driven", "Yards", "Wet Feet Splashing", "The Dark", and "Tragically Positive".

Tremendous work from Biff Rose – a near-lost singer-songwriter from the late 60s, barely remembered as the author of "Fill Your Heart" from David Bowie's Hunky Dory album – but an incredible talent that we'd rank right up there with Van Dyke Parks or early Randy Newman for sheer American brilliance! As in the work of Parks, there's a quality here that's completely unique – informed by the freedoms of the folk generation, but tuned with older-styled arrangements that while full, still manage to convey a sense of person and presence – as in some of the best early recordings of Leonard Cohen. And like Cohen, Rose has a really poetically-styled approach to his lyrics – far beyond the sardonic eye of folkies, or the indulgence of hippies – and infused with a sense of hope that crackles out of the tunes along with his own crackly vocals. Vocally, we'd almost link Rose to Bob Dorough for a sheer "oh what the hell I'm just gonna sing this" approach – and like Dorough, there's no silliness at all – but real sincerity where we'd never expect it, in a way that leaves us breathless. Children Of Light features spare arrangements and a bit of moog from Van Dyke Parks and Nick Woods! Tracks include "Ain't No Great Day", "Just Like A Man", "American Waltz", "Son In Moon", "Color Blind Blues", "Children Of Light", and "To Baby".

Tremendous work from Biff Rose – a near-lost singer-songwriter from the late 60s, barely remembered as the author of "Fill Your Heart" from David Bowie's Hunky Dory album – but an incredible talent that we'd rank right up there with Van Dyke Parks or early Randy Newman for sheer American brilliance! As in the work of Parks, there's a quality here that's completely unique – informed by the freedoms of the folk generation, but tuned with older-styled arrangements that while full, still manage to convey a sense of person and presence – as in some of the best early recordings of Leonard Cohen. And like Cohen, Rose has a really poetically-styled approach to his lyrics – far beyond the sardonic eye of folkies, or the indulgence of hippies – and infused with a sense of hope that crackles out of the tunes along with his own crackly vocals. Vocally, we'd almost link Rose to Bob Dorough for a sheer "oh what the hell I'm just gonna sing this" approach – and like Dorough, there's no silliness at all – but real sincerity where we'd never expect it, in a way that leaves us breathless. The set features arrangements by Rose, Arthur Wright, Kirby Johnson, and Nick Woods – on titles that include "Mama's Boy", "Angel Tension", "Molly", "The Stars", "It's Happening", "Buzz The Fuzz", and "The Man".

Another standout set from Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars – the kind of group who should have been a gimmicky way to promote his nightclub, but who actually managed to cut some of the best LA records of the time! The lineup here features Rumsey on bass, Bud Shank on alto, Bob Cooper on tenor, Conte Candoli on trumpet, Claude Williamson on piano, Stan Levey on drums, and either Frank Rosolino or Stu Williamson on trombone – depending on the track – and as before, there's a great focus on the solo talents of each member, so that even in this larger group setting, each number features a strong contribution by a particular player. Arrangements are great, and titles include "Who's Sleepy", "Isn't It Romantic", "Mad At The World", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Sad Sack", and "Dickie's Dream".

Patrice Rushen in a crisp 80s soul mode! Watch Out finds Patrice really cutting down the keyboards in favor of stronger vocals right out front – breaking all the rules, as the title of the second song tells it – and it works really well! Most of the arrangements, synth and drum programming are by Patrice herself, and she has a more sure-footed control of the era's R&B style than we remembered! The title track is fantastic, with a tight synth funk undercurrent and hooky, insistent vocals from Patrice – facets that carry throughout the album – plus strong ballads in "Somewhere" and "Till She's Out Of Your Mind". Patrice's only album for Arista – and it's a nice one! Other tracks include "All My Love", "Anything Can Happen", "Burnin", "Breakin All The Rules" and "Come Back To Me". This FTG CD edition includes 4 bonus tracks: "Anything Can Happen (East Coast Dub Mix)", "Come Back To Me (Extended Mix)", "Come Back To Me (Acapella Mix)" and "Watch Out (Extended Mix)".

Although not nearly as well-remembered as Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl is really our favorite comedian from the late 50s. He's got this incredible delivery style that is both immediately arresting and surprisingly heartfelt – and instead of doing short canned "bits", he just sort of rambles on at length about news, politics, and other groovy subjects. This album captures him before a very hip crowd at San Francisco's legendary Hungry I, and it's probably as good a glimpse into post-war American neuroses as you'll ever get!

Soulful samba from the great Sergio Sampaio – stepping out here on one of his better-remembered records from the 70s! The album's got a really unique approach – in that it's not always all-out rhythm and energy – but occasionally hits these mellower moments that are really nice – laidback and feeling, yet still in the same spirit of the rest of the music too – and hardly ballads or love songs at all, just these thoughtful passages that really expand the sound of the album way past the obvious! Instrumentation changes to fit the mood of the tunes, which also adds to the depth – and titles include "Ate Outro Dia", "A Luz E A Semente", "O Filho Do Ovo", "Velho Bode", and "Que Loucura". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "O Teto Da Minha Casa", "Ninguem Vive Por Mim", and "Historia De Boemio".

A great live Santana set, recorded in Japan in '73 and never released on vinyl in the US! The band here is at their peak, and this set features a nice large lineup that includes Tom Coster, Richard Kermode, Doug Rauch, Armando Peraza, Jose Chepito Areas and Michael Shreve, plus Leon Thomas on vocals! Some tracks show the clear influence of Miles' electric jazz recordings from the same period, while others have a hardcore Latin percussion base, and as you can imagine there's no shortage of full on guitar pyrotechnics and jamming on all the band members' parts. Most of the group's tracks that have entered classic status are here, but the moments that shine the brightest are the lesser known numbers and extended passages where the group really gets into the groove! Includes "A 1 Funk", "Gypsy Queen", "Oye Como Va", "Yours Is The Light", "Batuka", "Xibaba", 'Waiting", "Free Angela", "Samba De Sausalito", "Mantra", "Kyoto", "Incident At Neshabur" and "Toussaint L'Overture".

A pair of classics from Sea Level – back to back on a single CD! First up is Cats On The Coast – sweet smooth grooves from Sea Level – a killer crossover 70s group, one with roots in the Allman Brothers, but a sound that's much more wide-reaching overall! This sublime album is an AOR classic – a set that graced countless collections back in the day, thanks to a warm blend of rock and soul elements – all tied up in the kind of tight production you might guess from the cover! There's still some southern roots present in the music – especially on a few of the Allman-like guitar licks – but the overall approach is more cool and compressed, with a sweet 70s Cali sort of vibe, and some nice jazz undercurrents too. Titles include "Midnight Pass", "Cats On The Coast", "Song For Amy", "Had To Fall", "That's Your Secret", and "It Hurts To Want It So Bad". On The Edge is the great second album from Sea Level – one of those records that loads of folks dug, back in the day – and not just the cats who remembered these guys for their work with The Allman Brothers! The set's got a tight blend of jazz, soul, and some crossover elements – almost rootsier mode of music melded with a Steely Dan/Crusaders sort of vibe – so that the fusion styles come together and really help the whole thing soar! Vocals often still echo the early years of the players, but the overall presentation has a much more LA vibe – despite the fact that the album was recorded at Capricorn Studios in Macon. Titles include "Electron Cold", "On The Wing", "A Lotta Colada", "Living In A Dream", and "King Grand".

A key album in the legendary 80s run of Shalamar – and a set that gets a tremendous amount out of a very stripped-down sound! The sound of Shalamar builds from a bit of bass, some snapping drums, waves of keyboards, and especially great vocals – warm and sweet, but never too commercial – despite the hit status of an album like this. If anything, the group have a style that's a bit more relaxed and personal than some of their contemporaries on the Solar Records scene at the time – one that matches the friendly title, and unassuming cover image of the set. Titles include "A Night To Remember", "Playing To Win", "Friends", "On Top Of The World", "Help Me", "There It Is", "I Can Make You Feel Good", and "I Don't Wanna Be The Last To Know". 2CD version is overflowing with goodness – 15 more bonus tracks that include "Talk To Me", "Good Feelings", "Sweeter As The Days Go By" – all originally left off the Friends album – plus "There It Is (12" M+M inst mix)", "A Night To Remember (12" M+M mix)", "Megamix – A Night To Remember", "Friends (single)", "Night To Remember (12" M+M inst)", and "I Can Make You Feel Good (single)".

The amazing return of the Shaolin Temple Defenders – a group who've really deepened their sound since we last heard from them! On previous albums, the Defenders were a razor-sharp funk combo – a French ensemble who'd really studied the funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – and definitely knew how to get that sound right! This time around, they've also picked up a deep soul vibe as well – bringing vocals into the mix even more strongly than before – sung by Brother Lion with this raspy style that feels like some of the best southern soul at the start of the 70s. The funky currents of the group are still firmly in place – sometimes with a heavy 70s twist, sometimes with a more laidback vibe that lets the vocals take center stage – and titles include "Blue Shades", "Do You Remember", "Spirit Of The South", "Temple Of Soul", "Super Nacho Funk", "Let Your Love Shine On Me", "It's So Easy", "Our Love Will Live Forever", and a cover of "Kung Fu Fighting". CD also features two bonus tracks – "Night & Day" and "At The Drive-In".

The amazing return of the Shaolin Temple Defenders – a group who've really deepened their sound since we last heard from them! On previous albums, the Defenders were a razor-sharp funk combo – a French ensemble who'd really studied the funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – and definitely knew how to get that sound right! This time around, they've also picked up a deep soul vibe as well – bringing vocals into the mix even more strongly than before – sung by Brother Lion with this raspy style that feels like some of the best southern soul at the start of the 70s. The funky currents of the group are still firmly in place – sometimes with a heavy 70s twist, sometimes with a more laidback vibe that lets the vocals take center stage – and titles include "Blue Shades", "Do You Remember", "Spirit Of The South", "Temple Of Soul", "Super Nacho Funk", "Let Your Love Shine On Me", "It's So Easy", "Our Love Will Live Forever", and a cover of "Kung Fu Fighting".

Includes the tracks "September Song", "Carioca", "Frenesi", and "Special Delivery Stomp".

A seminal live set from tenorist Archie Shepp – and some of his freest, least-structured material ever! Shepp's still a righteous force here on his horn, but there also seems to be equal emphasis on the contributions of all members of the group – woven together in a really rich tapestry of sound, but with less of the structuring righteous concepts of some of Archie's other work – especially his sides for Impulse. Shepp had really been experiencing some new freedoms on the French scene of the late 60s – even more so than in the US avant outfield – and you can definitely hear him taking flight here, with a like-minded group of players that includes Clifford Thornton on trombone and shenai, Alan Shorter on flugelhorn, Joseph Dujean on guitar, Beb Guerin on bass, and Claud Delcloo on drums. This first part of the live set features one long track – "The Early Bird" – a slow building number that goes increasingly outside as it progresses, featuring some very over the top solo work from Shepp, who also plays a bit of piano on the set! Piano returns on "Huru" – another long track that has Shepp laying down these beautiful blocky passages that are surprisingly personal amidst the freer energy of the group. Great package – with heavy book-styled cover, new notes, and lots of photos!

A really classic-styled set – as you might guess from the Art Blakey homage image on the front cover – a cracker of a session that features some great players from the contemporary Italian scene! There's a bold hardbop vibe to the whole thing – a mode that hangs right up there in the best Blue Note modern mode of the late 50s – no surprise, given the set list, which includes compositions by Sonny Clark, Art Pepper, Eric Dolphy, and Frank Rosolino! Things swing straight overall, but there's a really nice edge to the record – thanks to the work of horn players Danilo Pala on alto and Andy Gravish on trumpet – both musicians we've never really heard before, but who come together beautifully – especially Gravish, whose edgey alto would definitely make Dolphy proud. Other group members include Luca Mannutza on piano, Nicola Muresu on bass, and leader Vittorio Sicbaldi on drums – and titles include "Melody For C", "Candy", "Arrivin Soon", "Bijou The Poodle", "Sorino", "Sad Eyes", and "Blue Daniel".

Spare genius from the legendary Labi Siffre – a record without categorization, and one that sits beautifully between soul, folk, and singer-songwriter styles of the early 70s! The record balances perfectly between simple tunes that just feature voice and guitar, and more complicated ones that use subtle strings, electric keys, and other orchestrations behind Labi's vocals – never too much, but just enough to give the tunes a hipper, sometimes slightly more grooving feel – in a mode that's somewhere in the territory of Terry Callier from the time, but very much its own sound altogether! This one's incredibly hard to peg – but well worth seeking out, and a tremendous bit of work from an artist who's unfortunately mostly remember these days for just a few famous break tracks – and not his sublime sense of songwriting! Titles include "Love Oh Love Oh Love", "Crying Laughing Loving Lying", "My Song", "Hotel Room Song", "Blue Lady", "Gimme Some More", and "It Must Be Love". CD features 6 bonus tracks that include "You Make It Easy", "For The Lovin", "Oh Me Oh My Mr City Goodbye", "You'll Let Me Know", and "Pristine Verses".

From what we can remember, Bunny's been singing since the late 60s. Still, perhaps he forgot about his career for labels like Philly International, which might explain the title of this album. The tracks here follow on that earlier work, but they do have more of the uptempo disco sound that graced the Gold Mind label. Instant Funk backs Bunny up on the set, and titles include "Let's Get Freaky Now", "Simple Things You Do", "Cry My Eyes Out", and "I'm Funkin You Tonight".

A classic set from Horace Silver – one in which his quintet is expanded by some great guest work from trombonist JJ Johnson! Johnson's at the height of his 60s powers here – blowing with that lean, soulful style that always made any record sparkle – and although he's only on half of the tracks on the date, his presence is more than worth the heavy billing he gets on the cover! Other great members of the group include Woody Shaw on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, and rhythm from Bob Cranshaw on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – all coming together with that wonderful 60s Silver groove. The set's filled with sweetly grooving originals by Horace – a blueprint for the exotic style of soul jazz he helped to forge at the time – great writing all around, on titles that include "Mo Joe", "Nutville", "Bonita", "The African Queen", and "Pretty Eyes".

An incredible record – the kind of album that only Blue Note could put out, and an instant classic that will sound wonderful forever! The album's truly one of the great ones – one of those Blue Notes that still makes you stop and pause when you hear it, even though you've heard it a million times in Starbucks and places like that. Horace Silver is working here at the height of his powers – lyrical, free, yet also damn soulful, in a style that makes for some of the most evocative jazz-based grooves cut to wax at the time. Carmell Jones is in the group, and plays some of his best trumpet ever – and Joe Henderson really drives the whole session home with some incredible tenor work. Other group members include Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – and titles include the instantly famous "Song For My Father", plus "Que Pasa", "The Kicker", and "Calcutta Cutie".

An incredible record – the kind of album that only Blue Note could put out, and an instant classic that will sound wonderful forever! The album's truly one of the great ones – one of those Blue Notes that still makes you stop and pause when you hear it, even though you've heard it a million times in Starbucks and places like that. Horace Silver is working here at the height of his powers – lyrical, free, yet also damn soulful, in a style that makes for some of the most evocative jazz-based grooves cut to wax at the time. Carmell Jones is in the group, and plays some of his best trumpet ever – and Joe Henderson really drives the whole session home with some incredible tenor work. Other group members include Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – and titles include the instantly famous "Song For My Father", plus "Que Pasa", "The Kicker", and "Calcutta Cutie".

One of Horace Silver's greatest records ever – and the album that always makes us remember how many of his tunes are now etched in the memory of modern jazz! The album's got a slightly exotic bent that you might guess from the title – a furthering of the sound that Silver first started on his own after breaking with Art Blakey – a hint of more cosmic modes to come in soul jazz, yet still served up here with more of the punch you might expect from 60s Blue Note. The group is great – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Junior Cook on tenor – both super-tight at the start of the tunes, then breaking off into deeply personal territory on their solos. Rhythm is from Gene Taylor on bass and John Harris on drums – the latter a lesser-known compatriot of Silver, but one with a nicely loose sensibility that really adds a lot to the record. The writing is great – and titles include "Sayanara Blues", "Tokyo Blues", "Ah So", "Cherry Blossom", and "Too Much Sake".

The very last performance at the legendary Keystone Korner in San Francisco – a well-blown session from Zoot Sims' overlooked years on Pablo Records! Like other Pablo dates, this one's got a very easygoing groove – a relaxed format that allows Sims to really stretch out on his horn – tenor on most numbers, but some surprisingly great soprano sax as well – a subtle delight that shows up at key points during the Pablo years. Rhythm is by the trio of Frank Collett on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – and titles include "Dream Dancing", "Changes", "I'll Remember April", "Tonight I Shall Sleep", and "If You Could See Me Now".

Sly Stone's definitely back on the right track here – returning to the heights of his earlier powers in this late 70s comeback album for Warner Brothers! The record's got a lot of touches of the old Sly funky sound, but it's done in a slightly tighter style too – a bit more polish than before, yet still never slick – just nicely focused, and proof that Stone still had his groove together at the time! There's some really great songwriting on the record – and a nice undercurrent of gentler soul, too – and titles include the sublime "The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh Makes You Cry)" – plus "Remember Who You Are", "Shine It On", "If It's Not Addin Up", "Who's To Say", "Sheer Energy", and "It Takes All Kinds".

A wealth of unreleased tracks recorded by Jimmy Smith for Blue Note in the late 50s – most of them short, with a feel that's like his 45rpm work for the label! The sound here is prime early Smith – that totally cooking Hammond sound he had back in the day – mostly set up here in a trio with Kenny Burrell on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums – with guest tenor on a track each by Stanley Turrentine and the obscure Percy France! The tenors are quite welcome when they appear, but the trio material is plenty smoking too – and titles include "Since I Fell For You", "Apostrophe", "Ruby", "September Song", and "Little Blue Girl". CD features bonus alternates of "Since I Fell For You" and "Motorin Along".

The second great session from two of Verve's biggest jazz stars of the 60s – organist Jimmy Smith and guitarist Wes Montgomery – an unlikely pair, to be sure, but one who work great together on the set! The real change here is in Wes' playing – as it's shifted from the mellower style used over larger backings on most of his Verve sets, back to the rootsier soul jazz tone of his earliest recordings from his days on the Indianapolis scene. Jimmy and Wes are working with a core combo that includes Grady Tate on drums and Ray Barretto on conga – making for a lean organ/guitar groove that's only got percussion to kick it along. Titles include "Call Me", "OGD", "King Of The Road", "Mellow Mood", and "Maybe September" – plus a great version of "Milestones" that features some hard swinging larger backings from Oliver Nelson!

The second great session from two of Verve's biggest jazz stars of the 60s – organist Jimmy Smith and guitarist Wes Montgomery – an unlikely pair, to be sure, but one who work great together on the set! The real change here is in Wes' playing – as it's shifted from the mellower style used over larger backings on most of his Verve sets, back to the rootsier soul jazz tone of his earliest recordings from his days on the Indianapolis scene. Jimmy and Wes are working with a core combo that includes Grady Tate on drums and Ray Barretto on conga – making for a lean organ/guitar groove that's only got percussion to kick it along. Titles include "Call Me", "OGD", "King Of The Road", "Mellow Mood", and "Maybe September" – plus a great version of "Milestones" that features some hard swinging larger backings from Oliver Nelson!

Modern funky Latin Soul from Spanglish Fly! "Think" is a cover of the old school R&B staple best remembered for the killer James Brown version from the early 60s – masterfully remodeled here as a fresh live Latin Soul with vocals by Erica Ramos and a great mix of Latin percussion and horns. "Let My People Bugalu" on the flip is just as great, a lively boogaloo from the NYC combo.

Amazing sounds from Heiner Stadler – an artist who's not just remembered for his own work on piano, but for his great talent for choosing excellent players to work with! In fact, this album may well be best known for the musicians working with Heiner more than for his own talents – a well-chosen batch of sharp-edged, yet soulful early 70s musicians – including both Joe Farrell and Tyrone Washington on tenor, Reggie Workman and Barre Phillips on bass, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Dee Dee Bridgewater on vocals, Manfred Schoof on cornet, Wolfgang Dauner on piano, and Lenny White and Joe Chambers on drums! With players like that, it's hard to miss – and Heiner makes music that's got some of the free, open exchange of the new thing generation, mixed with the spiritual undercurrents of the loft jazz period – really letting the key soloists express themselves strongly. CD features 8 tracks from both volumes of the albums – "No Exercise", "Three Problems", "Heidi", "Bea's Flat", "Love In The Middle Of The Air", "UCS", and "All Tones".

Some of the richest sounds we've heard from trumpeter Tomasz Stanko in years – played by his New York Quartet on a double-length record that really shines with some wonderful colors! Some tunes have the moody, atmospheric quality of other Stanko records on ECM – but others are a bit more straighforward and swinging – and balance things out nicely, in ways that really make us appreciate all the extra room in the 2CD set. Group members include David Virelles on piano, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Gerald Cleaver on drums – and titles include "Assassins", "Dernier Cri", "Mikrokosmos", "Song For H", "April Story", and "Faces".

The second chapter of Steeleye Span on Chrysalis Records – and a set that still has the group hewing strongly to the acoustic roots of their early years! At a time when many of their contemporaries were tempted to go for more commercial, more mainstream modes, Steeleye Span only seemed to get more traditional – really holding onto the Celtic folk roots that made them so great in the first place – with amazing lead vocals from the legendary Maddy Prior, and strong vocal support from other group members Tim Hart, Bob Johnson, Rick Kemp, and Peter Knight – who all seem to have really learned how to harmonize together over the years. The set features one live album and four studio sets – the full records Rocket Cottage, Storm Force Ten, Live At Last, Sails Of Silver, and Tempted & Tried – a whopping 47 tracks in all!

The great lost folk rock album from Jim Sullivan – who himself, literally went lost several years later – a set that's beautiful, yet just loose and ragged enough! It's a bit of a hybrid of folk and country rock, particularly in the acoustic guitars and laidback, warm vocals by Sullivan – but it's also got some Cali warmth – sweet strings and some horns and flute, pairing up with the looser, back porch style at the core quite wonderfully. Some great players from the LA studio scene played on the sessions – including members of the iconic Wrecking Crew – and it sounds like it! UFO came out on the small Monnie label, made hardly a dent, and after another record for the Playboy label, Sullivan disappeared, never to be heard from again in 1975 – lending a bit of a spooky air to the album, but the backstory truly not relevant to the quality – it's excellent, with or without the lore! Includes "Jerome", "Plain As Your Eyes Can See", "Roll Back The Time", "Whistle Stop", "Highways", "UFO", "So Natural", "Johnny" and "Sandman".

Ahh, the dancefloor soul perfection of the beautiful Donna Summer – and classic late 70s production by Giorgio Morodor and Pete Bellotte – songs that are played often, even to this day, but will never be played out! Was this the one that coined the phrase "shipped gold, returned platinum?" We can't remember, but whatever the case, it's one of those sets that used to be ubiquitous, but which now we can hardly ever find in good shape! Includes shorter mixes of "Love To Love You Baby" and "I Feel Love" – plus the hits for the album "On The Radio" and "Enough Is Enough". Other cuts include "Last Dance", "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls", and a shortened version of "MacArthur Park".