Maybe the greatest record so far from Tinariwen – and a set that definitely has them really honing their amazing guitar-based skills, yet all without sounding commercial or crossover at all! The album's got a fullness that we've never heard before from the group – kind of a righteous power that really pushes their sounds and social agenda forward very strongly – at a level that really descends regional boundaries, and really lives up to the globe-trotting spirit of the group in recent years. The sound is wonderful – completely evocative right from the start, yet still very much focused on the core energy of the group, without any attempts to ever overproduce anything at all. Titles include "Emajer", "Koud Edhaz Emin", Tahalamot", "Sendad Eghlalan", "Toumast Tincha", and "Timadrit In Sahara". CD

Trio Mocoto first rose to fame as the funky band behind Jorge Ben on his early 70s classics – the combo that gave him such a soulful sound – and here on their own, they sound pretty darn great – with a style that follows the same evolution as Jorge's own sound at the time! The core elements are still a mix of funk, samba, and soul – but there's also a slightly warmer sound to the production – one that really ties the whole thing together, and maybe gives the group even more force than before! Riffing guitars snap alongside the lively percussion – and the trio trade voices in a mighty nice way – sometimes with a bit of backup from other singers too. Titles include "Nao Adianta", "Toda Tarde", "Rosa", "Onde Anda Voce", "O Meu Violao", and "Xuxu Melao". CD

Where it's at with Stanley Turrentine – circa 1962 – a time when the tenorist was really hitting on all burners, and turning out some tremendous work for Blue Note! The album's got Stan working with a special guest – a rare Blue Note appearance from pianist Les McCann, who's also at the height of his early career here – and really brings great energy to a quartet that also includes Herbie Lewis on bass and Otis Finch on drums. Les' piano has a nice bite – and really makes for a great groove alongside Stan's round, warm, raspy tone – a righteous sort of energy that drives the record strongly, in ways that are different than some of Turrentine's other sessions of the time. The whole thing's a cooker – and titles include "Pia", "Smile, Stacey", "Dorene Don't Cry I", and "Light Blue". CD also features a bonus take on "Light Blue". CD

Pivotal work from Waldron – stepping out of the blowing session mode, emerging as one of the 60s most striking moderinists. Like a lot of Waldron's records from the time, this set shows an amazing desire for new forms and modern ideas, and the mix of players – Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Ron Carter, Joe Benjamin, and Charlie Persip – pulls the material in a number of different ways. Carter plays bowed cello, as he did on Dolphy's Out There session, and he gives the set a dark moody feel. Ervin's in his best modernist mode, and he ably trades lines with Dolphy and keeps the whole thing moving nicely. Waldron's writing and arranging is superb, and the tracks feature a lot of weird time structures and unusual modal patterns. Includes the tracks "Status Seeking", "Warm Canto", "Warp and Woof", and "Fire Waltz". CD

One of Sadao Watanbe's excellent late 60s bossa albums – beautifully rich, but mellow readings of bossa nova numbers – in a way that takes music that had already been introduced to Japan a few years earlier, and gives it even wider exposure with Sadao's wonderfully soulful, jazz-based approach! Sadao plays both flute and alto sax – and backing is from a small combo that mixes in Brazilian-styled guitar and percussion next to the piano from Masabumi Kikuchi and drums from Masahiko Togashi – who you'll know from other Japanese jazz of the time! Watanabe's reeds have a raspy, off-kilter quality that's almost more human than many Brazilian jazz efforts of the time – and titles include "O Grande Amor", "Felicidade", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Agua De Beber", "White Wave", "From Russia With Love" and "So Danca Samba". CD

Weather Report at the height of their 70s fame – captured live in a double-length set, very much the practice for jazz superstars of the time! The format is familiar – but the liveness gives the album a slightly different feel than their studio sets – a sound that echoes out strongly along with thunderous applause from the crowds, who are themselves clearly situated in some very large arenas. And while the studio Weather Report albums are easily documents of the group's power themselves, it's something extra to hear the crowd going nuts for them here – cheering on Jaco Pastorius during a frenetic bass solo, roaring with approval at a Joe Zawinul keyboard bit, or clapping with enthusiasm after Wayne Shorter finishes a snakey solo. Tracks are all longish, and titles include "Scarlet Woman", "Black Market", "Birdland", "Thanks For The Memory", "8:30", "Brown Street", "In A Silent Way", and "Slang". CD

The initial uttering from the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – a group with a heady sound that definitely lives up to their name! There's less "pop art" going on here than just trippy psych – served up at a level that makes the group one of the best bigger label examples of the style at the time – and definitely a lot more edgey than some of their labelmates on Warner. Jimmy Bowen produced, but really keeps all the edges intact – and titles include the completely insane "Help I'm A Rock" (actually about a rock calling for help!) – plus "Shifting Sands", "1906", "Transparent Day", "Here's Where You Belong", and "If You Want This Love". CD features bonus single mixes of "Help, I'm A Rock" and "Transparent Day". CD

A record we'd never part with – and easily our favorite album ever from The Who! Quadrophenia represents the group at its peak from all perspectives – songwriting, performance, and even studio presence – as the album's got a sonic sensibility that few other albums of the time can match! The set's a concept record – a story, like Tommy – yet it remains incredibly lean, without any overcluttered rock opera feel – so much so that most tunes stand mightily on their own, but also have a dense sense of texture when taken together as part of the double-length album. And we'll also say that the record's one of the few extended sets we always end up breezing through from start to finish – almost surprised by the time it comes to a close – and often hitting repeat to hear the whole thing over again! Titles include "I Am The Sea", "The Real Me", "Cut My Hair", "The Punk & The Godfather", "Sea & Sand", "5:15", "Bell Boy", "Love Rein O'Er Me", and "Is It In My Head". CD

An album of mixed vocal and instrumental cuts, some with Nancy in the lead, backed by Shearing's combo, others with Shearing's group alone. The vocal tracks are quite nice jazz ones – and include "On Green Dolphin Street", "Born To Be Blue", "All Night Long", and "Let's Live Again". Shearing's backing is pretty nice, and gives Nancy's style a really moody feel that's different than her pop work! This CD contains 8 extra tracks, including "Evansville", "My Gentleman Friend", "Silk", "Stablemates", and "Whisper Not". CD

The team of Phil Woods & Gene Quill hit Prestige Records – and get a bit more space to blow than on other sessions of the time! The album's definitely got a quality that lives up to the "with prestige" in the title – a classy, careful sort of sound that's very much the height of alto work for the time – a style that's modern, yet never too much so – and informed by bop, but never in the shadow of Charlie Parker or Sonny Stitt. Rhythm is strong – by George Syran on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – but it's mostly there just to give the players the right impetus to blow nicely together. Titles include "Lazy Like", "Nothing But Soul", "A Night At St Nicks", and "Black Cherry Fritters". CD

Make ours Swedish Style too! This set's one of the best early albums by Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund – one of our favorite singers ever, and one of those rare European lovelies who could sing in English with the best of American vocalists, but who could also pick up on the changes in European jazz at the time, and take her work past the usual standards of vocal jazz. This nicely swinging set features Monica's voice over backings by the Bill McGuffie Quartet, a tight little ensemble that includes a conga, which gives the tracks a nice rolling groove – always a plus, considering how much Monica loves to swing! Titles include "Left Alone", "Blue Prelude", "He's My Guy", "Detour Ahead", "You've Changed", and "The Second Time Around". CD

Music from The Funky Lowlives, Lacarno & Burns, Sepia, Mark De Clive Lowe, MB, Minimal Boy, Streetlife Originals, Loungechic Productions, Ben Mitchell, Sepia, Columba Carina, and more. CD

Music from Tweedy, Coldplay, The Hives, Cat Power, The Flaming Lips, Gnarls Barkley, Vampire Weekend, Wilco, Leighton Meester, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney & Wings, The Black Keys, and more. CD

Includes music Butterscotch Tuna, Wet, Wad, Pocket Fisherman, the Horsies, Joan of Arkensas, Eleanor Plunge, Orange Mothers, and Pancakes With Cheese. CD

Hardly the gospel of your father's generation – and hardly even the gospel of previous Numero releases either – as the set's a wonderfully offbeat batch of tracks that definitely lives up to the "apocryphal" in the title! Production sounds and musical styles go way past the mainstream – and lots of these numbers feel like secular soul from the definite left end of the spectrum in the 70s – especially the mellower cuts, which have a trippy quality that comes from weird instrumentation and unusual studio work – often matched by vocal presentation that's anything but spiritual, and which feels more like Darondo overall! These tunes are a real discovery – a deeper level of unusual gospel recordings than even the funk and or soul sides featured on other compilations – all pulled from the hinterland of self-released albums and singles from back in the day. As usual, Numero's done as great of job with the notes and packaging as they have with the music – really telling the full tale of this unusual stream of music – in a smoking set that features "That's All I Need" by Sensational Saints, "A Message Especially From God" by Robert Vanderbilt & The Foundation Of Souls, "Come Holy Spirit" by God's Band, "Faith" by Soul Superiors, "Can't Run This Race Alone" by Flying Eagles Gospel Singers, "Searching For The Truth" by Dwain Vinyard, "Get Involved" by Jonah Thompson, and "I Hear You Calling" by Francis Reneau & The Mission Singers. CD

Music from New York Dolls, The Red Button, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Dave Davies, The Fuzztones, Catfight!, The Flaming Sideburns, The Breakers, The Hives, The Model Rockets, and more. CD

The Brazilia here is very "virtual" – in that it drops in for a visit to touch each track with a slight Brazilian influence, but mostly leaves things to stay in a relatively modern and electronic groove. The set's similar to titles like Break N Bossa or Gluchlich III – and it features work from some of the same artists. Titles include "La Jardin Secret" by Jazzanova, "Luna Di Miele (VM is mix)" by Piero Umiliani, "Chips & Samba" by Miguel Migs, "Rain 4 Rent" by Rain 4 Rent, "Prince Charles' Latest Affair" by Mo Horizons, "Sao Paolo" by J Davis, "Noite Sossegada De Varaeo" by Caspian, "Bengele" by Friends From Rio, "Cosmic Gypsy" by United Future Organization, "Cosinha II" by Dom Um Romao, and "Nota Bossa" by Funky Low Lives. 18 tracks in all. CD