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There's nothing little about the talents of Roy Eldridge on the trumpet – as you'll hear in this hip set of tracks from the start of the 50s – material recorded in Paris with help from some great American sidemen! Half the tracks feature Roy's trumpet in a quintet with Zoot Sims on tenor, Dick Hyman on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Ed Shaughnessy on drums – grooving in the relaxed, swing-based style that you'd expect from Eldridge's 50s work on Verve. Roy sings just a bit on the set – scatting alongside the lead vocals from Anita Love on a version of "It Don't Mean A Thing" – and singing a duet with Anita on the R&B-ish "Ain't No Flies On Me". Other tracks include "King David", "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams", and "The Man I Love". Remaining tracks are also from Paris in June of 1950 – and feature Gerry Wiggins on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – on instrumental tunes that include "Wild Driver", "Easter Parade", "If I Had You", "Nuts", and "Goliath Bounce".

An overlooked gem from Ramsey's 70s years at Columbia – a record that has him grooving over larger arrangements, sweeping along in a great blend of soul and class that makes for some really great numbers! Side one of the album features Ramsey playing keyboards on the extended "Legacy" suite – a long piece composed and conducted by James Mack, which has Ramsey running through a lot of different moods and modes – some of them nice and funky! Side two features some nice shorter tracks – all electric groovers with plenty of funky keys! Titles include "Moogin On", "Don't Look Back", "Well Well Well", and "All The Way Live".

A great great session from reedman James Spaulding – and way more than you'd guess from the title! Sure, the tunes are all Ellington numbers – but they're swung by James and a very hip group, in ways that are more open and soulful than most readings of the tunes – given a slight 70s spiritual undercurrent, as you might expect from the cover! Spaulding plays tenor flute, bass flute, piccolo, soprano, and tenor – the last two of which especially beautifully – and the group also features Cedar Walton on piano, Steve Nelson on vibes, Sam Jones on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Mtume on percussion! With a lineup like that, it's hard to miss – and the use of vibes is especially nice, and really helps shade in the tunes with some unique colors. Titles include "Lucky So & So", "I Love You Madly", "In A Sentimental Mood", "Come Sunday", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Caravan".

One of the most beautiful records we've ever heard from the legendary Phil Cohran – a previously-unissued performance from 1993, and one that's every bit as wonderful as his rare albums of the late 60s! The set was recorded at the planetarium in Chicago – and for the date, Cohran comes up with a really cosmic sound – a small combo that's heavy on string sounds from guitar, bass, and harp – layered together beautifully to create these Alice Coltrane-like undercurrents – over which the group solos with flute, trumpet, and trombone! There's less players here than on some of Cohran's older Artistic Heritage Ensemble sets, but the sound is exactly like those records – right down to some key moments in which Phil plays his amazing Frankiphone – an electrified kalimba with a tremendous tone. Titles include "White Nile", "Cohran Blues", "The Dogon", "Sahara", "Kalahari", and "Kilimanjaro".

Thelonious Monk wrote the title tune, but Miles Davis makes it almost his own here – blowing with a subtly moody magic that makes the album one of his true treasures from the early Columbia years! John Coltrane's along on tenor sax – helping Davis expand the sound the pair first forged on Prestige – and also present is the rhythm trio of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones – impeccably recorded here with a wonderful sense of space. Titles include Miles seminal take on "Round Midnight", plus "Tadd's Delight", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "A Leu Cha". The first disc also features 4 bonus tracks too – "Sweet Sue", "Little Melonae", "Budo", and "Two Bass Hit". The second disc are live recordings from '55 and '56.

A great little groover on Brunswick – with that kind of choppy club funk feel that you'll also find on some of the label's other obscure 12" singles, like the classic "You Are The One", by AMFM. The track's got a very nice groove – and the hook's enough to keep the track grooving nicely throughout!

An excellent double-length set – one of Woody Shaw's greatest albums, and a majestic batch of spiritual soul jazz numbers – recorded with an all-star lineup that includes Gary Bartz, Benny Maupin, George Cables, Ron Carter, and Lenny White. Shaw is in top form, and the set is tight, hard, and very much in the pocket – yet still also has an free-flowing introspective side to it, in the mode of some of the best work on Strata East from the same time. If you dig the early work of Gary Bartz, or some of Shaw's more soul jazz outings of the early 70s – you'll definitely dig this one – and the double-length nature of the record gives all players plenty of room to do their thing! All the tracks are long, and the set list includes "Deed For Dolphy", "Boo Ann's Grand", and "New World".

The complete recordings of a wonderful soul singer who never fully got her due – Detroit diva Carol Anderson, best known for a few tracks that broke big on the UK Northern scene – but finally presented here with the full scope of her work in one set! Carol had a great approach that was very much in keeping with changes in the Detroit sound of the 70s – vocals that often shared a sense of personal, heartfelt delivery with southern soul of the period – but a tighter, more swinging approach to instrumentation that was still keeping up the Detroit groove of earlier years. The tunes here nicely skirt a distance between Memphis and Motortown – delivered with a rich, expansive heart that should have made Carol a bigger singer than she was a the time. A few of the tracks on the set are nice dancefloor groovers – both in an older style of Northern soul, and in a late 70s/early 80s boogie-styled groove – and as usual, the folks at Grapevine have done a tremendous job with the notes! CD features every single track ever recorded by Carol – 17 titles that include "Sad Girl", "You Boy", "We've Got Enough", "You've Got It Coming", "Party People", "Holding On", "Taking My Mind Off Love", "You Want It", "Ain't Giving Up", "Tomorrow Is Not A Promise", "Come On Over Tonight", and "Master Plan".

An overlooked gem from Ramsey's 70s years at Columbia – a record that has him grooving over larger arrangements, sweeping along in a great blend of soul and class that makes for some really great numbers! Side one of the album features Ramsey playing keyboards on the extended "Legacy" suite – a long piece composed and conducted by James Mack, which has Ramsey running through a lot of different moods and modes – some of them nice and funky! Side two features some nice shorter tracks – all electric groovers with plenty of funky keys! Titles include "Moogin On", "Don't Look Back", "Well Well Well", and "All The Way Live".

An overlooked gem from bassist Larry Ridley – a set recorded many years after his debut on Strata East – but one that's done with an even deeper sound overall! The recording was done at the end of the 80s in New Jersey – but shows that the Strata spirit was still burning bright in the decade after the label had issued most of its classics – thanks to work from leaders like Ridley, who's really wonderful on the set! The performance is live, but has a well-conceived feel right from the start – a bold statement by Larry's Jazz Legacy ensemble – dedicated to older roots, but still more than willing to bring in new elements of their own. The combo features work from trumpeter Virgil Jones, trombonist Larry McClellan, tenorist Doug Miller, pianist Ed Stoute, and drummer Charlie Persip – plus bass from Ridley, and a bit of guest vocals from singer Jan Parker. Most numbers are long, and spin out with great soulful energy – and the set features tracks that include Hank Mobley's "The Vamp" and "The Breakthrough", Freddie Hubbard's "Osie Mae", Buddy Montgomery's "Bock To Bock", and Monk's "Ugly Beauty" – plus Ridley's own "Ypso Factor".

One of the most beautiful records we've ever heard from the legendary Phil Cohran – a previously-unissued performance from 1993, and one that's every bit as wonderful as his rare albums of the late 60s! The set was recorded at the planetarium in Chicago – and for the date, Cohran comes up with a really cosmic sound – a small combo that's heavy on string sounds from guitar, bass, and harp – layered together beautifully to create these Alice Coltrane-like undercurrents – over which the group solos with flute, trumpet, and trombone! There's less players here than on some of Cohran's older Artistic Heritage Ensemble sets, but the sound is exactly like those records – right down to some key moments in which Phil plays his amazing Frankiphone – an electrified kalimba with a tremendous tone. Titles include "White Nile", "Cohran Blues", "The Dogon", "Sahara", "Kalahari", and "Kilimanjaro".

Cheap Thrills, maybe – but they cut deeply and last forever! This is one of the greatest albums by Big Brother & The Holding Company – and it's also one of the most important in cementing the legacy of singer Janis Joplin. The raw manic energy of the group at their live best is somehow bottled and presented on record as perfectly as it ever could be – and even better are the delicate moments that show such an incredible depth! Titles include "Turtle Blues", "Oh Sweet Mary", "Ball & Chain", "Summertime", "Piece Of My Heart", and "I Need A Man To Love".

Cheap Thrills, maybe – but they cut deeply and last forever! This is one of the greatest albums by Big Brother & The Holding Company – and it's also one of the most important in cementing the legacy of singer Janis Joplin. The raw manic energy of the group at their live best is somehow bottled and presented on record as perfectly as it ever could be – and even better are the delicate moments that show such an incredible depth! Titles include "Turtle Blues", "Oh Sweet Mary", "Ball & Chain", "Summertime", "Piece Of My Heart", and "I Need A Man To Love".

Not experienced? Well, this album will help push you over the top – as it's done for decades of listeners from the heyday of young Jimi Hendrix all the way up to the present! The set's a classic through and through – a blueprint not just for the genius of Hendrix, but for generations of guitar heroes to come – as you might expect with a lineup that includes "Hey Joe", "Manic Depression", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Fire", "Third Stone From The Sun", "Are You Experienced", and "Purple Haze".

The Jimi Hendrix Experience at their most classic! Tripped out bluesy cosmic rock ferocity and great songs, too – firing on all cylinders here on the middle record of their ultra epic three LP series of unimpeachable greatness. Titles include "EXP", "Up From The Skies", "Spanish Castle Magic", "Castles Made Of Sand", "She's So Fine", "One Rainy Wish", "Bold As Love" and more.

A true classic by Jimi with the original Experience lineup – the third of three straight up masterpiece LPs to comeout in just over a year's time by the group! You could call the leftfield astral effects in the mix experimental if you wanted to – innovations in the studio with echo, that hallucinatory backwards sound effect and other stranger bits – but the passionate, naturally expressive playing and singing by Jimi makes it all feel just right. Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell still don't get enough credit for being at the heart of such greatness. A massive 2LP effort that include s"Voodoo Chile", "Crosstown Traffic", "Electric Ladyland", "Little Miss Strange", "Moon Turn The Tides", "Still Raining Still Dreaming" and "All Along The Watchtower".

One of the last great records by Charles Mingus – a set of extremely compelling original compositions, played by a fresh group of younger players, plus a few older masters! The record's got a fire and sense of emotion that's missing from a number of other 70s Mingus sessions – and it's one of the few later albums we'd easily rank right up there with his late 50s and early 60s classics! Orchestrations were partially arranged and conducted with help from Sy Johnson – and soloists include James Moody and Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Snookie Young and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, and Roland Hanna on piano. Titles include "The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers", "Adagio Ma Non Troppo", "The Chill of Death", and "The I Of Hurricane Sue". CD features the bonus track "Taurus In The Arena Of Life".

Classic solo Ozzy with Randy Rhoads!

A great compilation of classic Shuggie – with 10 of the best tracks from the Here Comes Shuggie Otis, Freedom Flight and Inspiration Information records – all pressed up beautifully, with heavy wax and a great cover too!

Soulful brilliance from Woody Shaw – a searing live set that matches the power of earlier classics like Moontrane and Blackstone Legacy! The album's got Woody working with a heck of a great group – Carter Jefferson on tenor and soprano sax, Onaje Allan Gumbs on piano, Clint Houston on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums – all of whom come together with just the right mix of earthy grooving and spiritual searching that puts Woody in his best light. Jefferson is especially great – as it's his soaring work on reeds that really give the album a sense of spirit – but credit should also be giving to the well-knit rhythm team, whose ability to push out in flowing lines of power really raises the energy of the performance. Titles include "Stepping Stone", "In A Capricornian Way", "Seventh Avenue", and "Theme For Maxine". CD features 3 bonus tracks, 2 unissued – "Blues For Ball", "All Things Being Equal Are Not", and "Escape Velocity".

Features two tracks from Higher – the upcoming box set – one of them previously unreleased – plus a previously unreleased instrumental medley created for the band’s appearance on the Merv Griffin show! Includes "Medley Music Lover/I Want To Take You Higher/Music Lover (live)", "Higher (mono single master)" and "TV Medley: Sing A Simple Song/Hot Fun In The Summertime/I Want To Take You Higher".

One of Bill Withers' greatest albums of the 70s – a set that has hip stepping off the acoustic sound of his Sussex records, into a warm and jazzy style that we like every bit as much as his earlier work! The album's got a wonderfully sophisticated jazzy vibe, and includes the excellent cut "Lovely Day" – a perfect midtempo track with some great electric keyboards behind Bill's raspy soulful voice, and a great hook on the chorus! Paul Riser handled a lot of the arrangements – and other titles include "Wintertime", "It Ain't Because Of Me Baby", "I Want To Spend The Night", and "Then You Smile At Me". CD features the bonus tracks "Rosie (unreleased demo)", "Lovely Night For Dancing (single version)", and "Let Me Be The One For You (inst mix)".

Tracks by Billy Paul, the Isley Brothers, MFSB & the O Jays.

Pre-Voidoids and Pre-Ramones hard rock band featuring Marc Bell, aka Marky Ramone – with their self-titled and Hard Attack records – together in a 2LP set! Dust's 1971 is a mix of pummeling, though accessible rockers and a suprising bluesy and psych folk nod here and there – particular in the slide guitar and pedal steel of Kenny Aarronson. It features a mix of those and pummeling rockers – with drums that are way faster than Marc would play after changing his persona to Marky! Titles include "Stone Woman", "Chasin' Ladies", "Love Me Hard", "From A Dry Camel" and more. The follow up Hard Attack – as the the title indicates – streamlines the approach a bit into more of a straight up hard rocking style. Titles include "Pull Away/So Many Times", "Learning To Die", "All In All", "Ivory", "I Been Thinkin", "How Many Horses", and "Suicide".

Hard blues and soul loving material from Hendrix – the excellent South Saturn Delta compilation of rarities, alternate mixes and other bits from throughout Jimi's too short life and career! It’s killer stuff that stands up today as well as any posthumous Hendrix release, really pulling together the breadth of stylistic range over the years. Includes "Look Over Yonder", "Here He Comes (Lover Man)", "South Saturn Delta", "Tax Free", "Midnight", "Drifter's Escape", "Midnight Lightning", "All Along The Watchtower", "Power Of Soul" and more.

A true classic by Jimi with the original Experience lineup – the third of three straight up masterpiece LPs to comeout in just over a year's time by the group! You could call the leftfield astral effects in the mix experimental if you wanted to – innovations in the studio with echo, that hallucinatory backwards sound effect and other stranger bits – but the passionate, naturally expressive playing and singing by Jimi makes it all feel just right. Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell still don't get enough credit for being at the heart of such greatness. A massive 2LP effort that include s"Voodoo Chile", "Crosstown Traffic", "Electric Ladyland", "Little Miss Strange", "Moon Turn The Tides", "Still Raining Still Dreaming" and "All Along The Watchtower".

A 7-inch single commemorating Willie Nelson's 80th birthday – and his faith in and use of a particularly herbal remedy! Includes the Heroes album version of "Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die" with fellow aficionado Snoop Dogg, plus longtime friend and collaborator Kris Kristifferson and Willie acolyte Jamey Johnson. It's a fun track, but the real keeper is the flipside – Willie Nelson's previously unreleased solo version. Willie's often at his best when he's recorded in sparer, lonelier settings, and that's true for this track, too.

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". Like Dave Brubeck's legendary Time Out set? Try this one – a great record that takes off from the concept of the first, but which goes in some very fresh new directions – using the same great group with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums! Dave's still working out some nutty time signatures here – but apart from the science, the thing that really makes the record cook is Desmond's alto – icy, edgey, floating, and always a treat – almost even more amazing in the space of some of these offbeat numbers. Titles include "Maori Blues", "Far More Drums", "Bluetee", "Far More Blue", and "It's A Raggy Waltz".

A key point in the development of the Miles Davis sound of the 60s – his first album to feature work from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by some equally nice work on other tracks from Victor Feldman and Frank Butler! The sound here is beautifully spare – a wonderful exploration of ideas that Miles had been putting forth on some other albums for Columbia, but crafted here with a vision that's apparent in the very first note – and which transforms both the tunes and the work of the players into a focused, near-perfect sound all the way through. Titles include "So Near So Far", "Seven Steps To Heaven", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Joshua", and "Basin Street Blues" – which even sounds great in this setting!

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

Michael, if only you'd stayed at this level! This 1979 solo album by Michael is a killer batch of soul grooves – one of best moments ever, and a crowning cap to a stellar 70s run – both as a younger solo act, and with the whole Jackson family! Quincy Jones produced, and the album's got a funky undercurrent that's really stunning – clubby, yet plenty darn soulful, with a wickedly sly groove that others would try to copy for years, but never fully match. Titles include seminal groovers like "Rock With You", "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", "Working Day And Night", "Girlfriend", "Off The Wall", "Burn This Disco Out" and more. Amazing amazing amazing work from the to-be-coronated King Of Pop! CD features some cool bonus tracks – voice-overs from Quincy Jones, plus interview bits, and demos of "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and "Workin Day & Night".

Brilliant work by Mingus – recorded right around the same time as his legendary Mingus Ah Um album for Columbia! The group features some of Mingus' best sidemen – like Booker Ervin, Jimmy Knepper, John Handy, and Roland Hanna – and the tracks have that wild mix of emotion, tight composition, and freewheeling soloing that made Mingus' late 50's output so compelling. Includes "Diane", "Song With Orange", "Gunslinging Bird", and "Far Wells, Mill Valley". Plus the CD includes the bonus track "Strollin" and unedited versions of "Slop", "Song With Orange", "Gunslinging Bird", and "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" – all of which were originallly shaved down for release on the original album, now here in their proper form for the first time!

A real standout 70s set from Nina Simone – a one-off date for CTI Records, done with a sound that's different than her earlier work for RCA, Philips, and Colpix! The groove here is often as soul-based as it is vocal jazz – thanks to arrangements from David Matthews, who brings a similar sound here to his other work with Esther Phillips in the decade – another older singer who'd hit some very hip territory at the time. The groove here is very much like Phillips' best for Kudu – smooth and soulful, but in ways that still retain all the rasp and character of the lead vocals. Titles include a sublime reading of Randy Newman's excellent "Baltimore", plus "The Family", "My Father", "Music For Lovers", "Rich Girl", and "Balm In Gilead".

Way more than just a simple collection of work by Luther Vandross – as this one definitely lives up to the "love" in the title, and spreads it around with a massive amount of work that shows the true depths of Luther's talents! In addition to some hits and favorites, the set also features rare demo material, live tracks, duets, and a full rehearsal session – plus work by Vandross with the groups Change, Charme, and Luther! The 56-song, 4CD package also comes with a 60 page booklet that includes rare photos, an essay, and more – and songs include the exclusive new single "There's Only You", plus the previously unreleased tracks "Meet Luther Vandross", "Ready For Love (demo)", "If You Can't Dance (demo)", and "There's Only You", "Anyone Who Had A Heart", and "So Amazing" from The Montserrat Sessions. Other titles include "Love The One You're With", "George Porgy", "Funky Music Is A Part Of Me", "Power Of Love/Love Power", "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye", "If This World Were Mine", "She Loves Me Back", "Searching (live)", "Always & Forever (live)", "A House Is Not A Home (live)", "Isn't There Someone", "Dance With My Father", "Take You Out", "The Closer I Get To You", "Superstar/Until You Come Back To Me (LP mix)", and lots lots more!

Classic folk & country set with tracks by Pete Seeger, Jack Elliott, Charlie Byrd, and more!

Deep and bluesy work from the all-star Ellington group of the late 50s – a beautifully recorded album that moves way past the simple cliché of its title! The set features a host of original tunes from Duke Ellington and other members of the group – and players include Jimmy Hamilton on tenor, Ray Nance on trumpet, Matthew Gee on trombone, and the wonderful Johnny Hodges on alto – playing here at the peak of his later powers. Titles include "Three J's Blues", "Smada", "C Jam Blues", "Sweet & Pungent", "Blues In Blueprint", "The Swinger's Jump", and "Blues In Orbit". CD features 8 bonus tracks too – including "Track 360", "Brown Penny", "Sweet & Pungent (alternate)", and "Pie Eye's Blues (alternate)".

The original mono mixes for "Hey Joe" and "Stone Free" from 1966 – recorded for the Jimi Hendrix Experience's debut UK single – and released here for the first time since then!

A look at the earliest solo work by Shuggie Otis – tracks cut at a time when he was stepping out of the shadows of his father Johnny, and recording for Columbia both as an emerging star on his own, and as one of the best elements of the larger Otis Show enterprise! The tracks here focus a bit more on Shuggie's bluesier side – as you might guess from the title – but there's also some nascent funk elements in the mix too, and overall most of this work is a lot more tripped-out and hip than any of the bar band blues that was hitting the college scene of the time. CD features 12 tracks in all – including "The Hawks", "Gospel Groove", "Cold Shot", "Me & My Woman", "I Can Stand To See You Die", "I Got The Walkin Blues", "Shuggie's Boogie", "12:15 Slow Goonbash Blues", "Sweet Thang", and "Bootie Cooler".

A brilliant double live album by Bill Withers – different than his studio work, and every bit as essential! The album's similar to Curtis Mayfield's double live album around the same time – in that it's got Bill in front of a very enthusiastic crowd, playing in a stripped down way that creates a wonderfully intimate feel – even more so than his studio albums, with a deeply acoustic vibe! Some of the tracks here are even more soulful than their more famous versions – and Bill opens up warmly in front of the Carnegie crowd with a hip small combo behind him. Titles include "For My Friend", "World Keeps Going Around", " "Grandma's Hands", "Use Me", "Harlem/Cold Baloney", "Better Off Dead", "Hope She'll Be Happy", and "Ain't No Sunshine".

Classic early 90s charity compilation with now hard-to-find tracks by Uncle Tupelo, Beastie Boys, American Music Club, Pavement, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Uncle Tupelo, Smashing Pumpkins, Patti Smith and more.

Trend-setting vocal work from Oscar Brown Jr – one of the hippest singers of his generation, and a vocalist who really took things to the next level in the 60s! Brown's got a sound that's partially influenced by the vocalese of Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks, and other singers of the 50s – but his groove here is also a bit more fluid and lyrical too – thanks to some great lyrics penned by Oscar, some of which went on to become classics over the years. Like his predecessors, many of the tunes chosen by Brown got their start as jazz instrumentals, but sparkle anew here with fresh lyrics that really liven them up a lot – tales of sin and soul and a lot more, often delivered with a good sense of wit. Titles include great vocal versions of "Dat Dere", "Work Song", and "Afro-Blue", plus some of his great original compositions, like "Brown Baby", "But I Was Cool", and "Rags and Old Iron". The arrangements are great, with a nice jazzy sound – and the group includes the excellent Floyd Morris on piano! CD features 5 bonus tracks that include "Straighten Up & Fly Right", "Forbidden Fruit", "World Of Grey", "Mr Kicks", and "Hazel's Hips".

Another one of the greatest mid 60s Columbia albums by Cash, with a proper CD release! Orange Blossom Special is probably the most successful of Johnny's LPs in which he balances the profound influence of Bob Dylan with his own rough hewn style for something wholly unique. Cash covers 3 of Dylan's tunes on Orange Blossom, "It Ain't Me Babe", "Mama, You've Been On My Mind", and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright". Other tracks include "You Wild Colorado", "When It's Springtime In Alaska", "Amen", and "Danny Boy". This remastered set includes 3 bonus tracks that were never issued in the US, but can (and should!) also be found on Bear Family's amazing Man In Black: 1963-1969 box set. Those include "Engine 143", "(I'm Proud) The Baby Is Mine", and another version of "Mama, You've Been On My Mind", this one featuring Mariachi horns in the tradition of "Ring Of Fire".

An incredible record – and virtually the blueprint for countless other keyboard records to come! At the height of his 70s powers, Herbie really takes off into space with this set – moving away from more commercial music, and hitting a groove that's totally righteous, totally electric, and completely mindblowing! The album's got a bit of a Headhunters vibe, but it also veers off into some very wild analogue electronics too – a mix of Fender Rhodes, clavinet, melotron, and echoplex processing – augmented by additional work on Arp from Patrick Gleeson. Other players on the set include Bennie Maupin on reeds, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and the great Buck Clarke rounds out the combo on percussion. The album only features three long tracks – "Rain Dance", "Hidden Shadows", and "Hornets" – but all of them are killers!

A tremendous little tune – heavy Hendrix at the height of his young powers – working here in a trio with Stephen Stills on bass and Buddy Miles on drums! The tune's never been released before – and both the vocals and guitar are pure Jimi – driven on strongly with great rhythms from Miles! The single also includes "Power Of Soul", recorded a few years later – and also a previously unissued track – not on the upcoming People Hell & Angels album!

The classic agit-rap-rock debut of Rage Against The Machine – with the most fiery political lyricism and imagery of any massively popular record of its time – and as great of a pairing of revolutionary rap and heavy guitars as there ever was! It's hard to imagine now, but there were very few straight up rap rock bands before Rage Against The Machine. Hard rock breaks were ample, of course, but straight up rap rock bands were pretty scarce, pre-Rage. Rage Against The Machine's pop culture revolution was as massive as the social and political revolution that their songs called for! Includes "Bombtrack", "Killing In The Name", "Take The Power Back", "Settle For Nothing", "Bullet In The Head", "Know Your Enemy", "Wake Up", "Fistful Of Steel", "Township Rebellion" and "Freedom".

Rare late 60s work from the big band of trombonist Mike Barone – a player best known for his work in the Trombones Unlimited group, but who had an even more far-reaching sound with this ensemble! The material here is quite modern at times – charts that are filled with complicated timings, unusual tones, and styles that go way past popular big band at the time – a legacy that seems to draw strongly from Stan Kenton, but which also shows some nice influences from 60s jazz soundtracks as well. The material was mostly recorded live at the legendary Donte's Jazz Club – home to Mike's band one night a week in 1968 – but the CD also features some studio material too, although recorded live in that setting as well. Players include Barone on trombone, Larry McGuire and Buddy Childers on trumpet, Bill Perkins on alto and flute, Lou Ciotti on tenor, Jack Nimitz on baritone, and Med Flory on alto sax. Most arrangements are by Barone, and titles include "Peachy", "Perk Up Jack", "Real Neal", "Somewhere Along The Way", "The Monster", "Two For The Road", "More Than You Know", and "Waltz This".

An amazing collection – every single Jorge Ben album recorded for Philips – one hell of a massive legacy in music, packaged here with a bonus CD of rare material too! The albums in the collection are the stuff of legend – amazing discs that forever changed the face of Brazilian music with Jorge's unique blend of samba and soul, plus a touch of funk as the 70s came on – and together, the music is a mindblowingly heavy batch of work that few other artists could ever match! Titles include Samba Esquema Novo, Sacudin Ben Samba, Ben E Samba Bon, Big Ben, Jorge Ben (1969), Forca Bruta, Negro E Lindo, Ben, 10 Anos Depois, A Tabua De Esmeralda, Solta O Pavao, Gil E Jorge, and Africa Brasil. Rarities disc is unique to this set, from what we can tell – and is filled with goodies too!

A long-overdue look at one of the most important groups to grace the British jazz scene of the 60s and 70s – the legendary Blue Notes, a group of South African expatriates with an undeniably huge influence on the music of their new homeland! The ensemble featured key players who went onto do some amazing work on their own, but first came together in this group – trumpeter Mongezi Feza, saxophonist Dudu Pukwana, pianist Chris McGregor, bassist Johnny Dyani, and drummer Louis Moholo – all players as dynamic together and important on their own as the members of the Art Emsemble of Chicago from the US. The set finally brings out all of the group's key albums for the Ogun label, plus some great bonus material too – a rich tapestry of work that shows the combo's evolution from African-tinged jazz of the 60s to some much more farther-reaching sounds in the 70s – all beautifully packaged, with each album presented on its own inside a larger slipcase! The set features The Blue Notes Legacy, a live date in South Africa from 1964; Blue Notes For Mongezi, a double-length set recorded after the passing of group trumpeter Mongezi Feza; Blue Notes For Johnny, a date recorded after the passing of bassist Johnny Dyani; and Blue Notes In Concert, a great live date recorded in 1977. There's a wealth of wonderful music here – and along with the bonus tracks, the set also features a great booklet of remembrances and vintage photos!

One of the greatest albums so far from mighty Chicago reedman David Boykin – and easily a set that lives up to the rich legacy of avant jazz in the Windy City! There's a depth to the record that comes through right from the very first note – a sense of history and feeling that shows just how much Boykin's developed as a player over the past decade or so – a tenorist with a done that's right up there with Archie Shepp or David Murray at their creative best – really stretching out on some wonderful solos that never fail to dim in imagination or new ideas. The group's a trio – with Alex Wing on bass and James Woodley on drums – which gives the recording an almost ESP Records sort of vibe – and Boykin's the shining star throughout, really knocking us over with his solos on the well-recorded set! Titles include "Blast Off For Love", "Walk Turn Bat Shimmy", "Try Harder", "Blue Lotus", "Star Book", and "Late Night With The David Boykin Trio Theme".

One of the greatest albums so far from mighty Chicago reedman David Boykin – and easily a set that lives up to the rich legacy of avant jazz in the Windy City! There's a depth to the record that comes through right from the very first note – a sense of history and feeling that shows just how much Boykin's developed as a player over the past decade or so – a tenorist with a done that's right up there with Archie Shepp or David Murray at their creative best – really stretching out on some wonderful solos that never fail to dim in imagination or new ideas. The group's a trio – with Alex Wing on bass and James Woodley on drums – which gives the recording an almost ESP Records sort of vibe – and Boykin's the shining star throughout, really knocking us over with his solos on the well-recorded set! Titles include "Blast Off For Love", "Walk Turn Bat Shimmy", "Try Harder", "Blue Lotus", "Star Book", and "Late Night With The David Boykin Trio Theme".

A standout solo moment from the amazing Keni Burke – an artist who's come a long way from his youthful start in the 5 Stairsteps! Keni had recorded other adult work by the time of this early 80s set, but Changes is easily his best-remembered album – a masterpiece of 80s groove, all arranged and produced by Burke – who also played a fair bit of the music on the set as well! The tunes are upbeat and grooving – often with a rhythm that goes nicely right down the middle, and never tries to be too funky or clubby. This groove is epitomized by Burke's classic "Risin' To The Top" – a tune that's been sampled heavily over the years, to great fame – and which is probably the lasting legacy of this set. But the whole album's totally great – sophisticated 80s groove at its best – with other cuts that include "Who Do You Love", "Changes", "All Night", and "Hang Tight".

A standout solo moment from the amazing Keni Burke – an artist who's come a long way from his youthful start in the 5 Stairsteps! Keni had recorded other adult work by the time of this early 80s set, but Changes is easily his best-remembered album – a masterpiece of 80s groove, all arranged and produced by Burke – who also played a fair bit of the music on the set as well! The tunes are upbeat and grooving – often with a rhythm that goes nicely right down the middle, and never tries to be too funky or clubby. This groove is epitomized by Burke's classic "Risin' To The Top" – a tune that's been sampled heavily over the years, to great fame – and which is probably the lasting legacy of this set. But the whole album's totally great – sophisticated 80s groove at its best – with other cuts that include "Who Do You Love", "Changes", "All Night", and "Hang Tight".

A key chapter in the rich long legacy of Candido on record – a set that pushes the percussion maestro strongly into the disco generation – with wonderful results that are still massively strong all these many years later! Candido had always been one of the funkiest conga players around – especially as his music moved into the 70s – but here, he really takes off with some sublime disco arrangements – full clubby grooves that are some of the best Salsoul sounds of the time, yet which still leave plenty of room for Candi's congas! The congas participate in the rhythms at every level – and often take on a nice solo spotlight too – and all tracks are nice and long, with killers that include a club remake of "Thousand Finger Man", plus "Dancin & Prancin", "Jingo", and "Rock & Shuffle". CD features a massive amount of bonus tracks – more than on the album – with gems from singles that include "Jingo (original 12" version)", "Thousand Finger Man (12" ext version)", "Jingo (Shep Pettibone mix)", "Thousand Finger Man (single)", "Jingo (single)", and "Jingo (inst)".

An amazing debut from the John Carter/Bobby Bradford New Art Jazz Ensemble – one of the most powerful voices in jazz on the west coast at the end of the 60s! In a way, the quartet's sound is a culmination of the underground changes that had been bubbling under during most of the 60s on the LA scene – new ways of conceiving jazz after Ornette and Dolphy had first set the scene on fire at the start of the decade, but styles that weren't receiving nearly the exposure as some of the better-known avant work on the Chicago, New York, or European scenes. The style here definitely owes something of a legacy to Ornette in the way it reconceives rhythm and melody – and a bit to Dolphy in its freewheeling, free-thinking work on clarinet, flute, and alto by John Carter. Bobby Bradford's bracing trumpet lines really give the album a tremendous punch – and the rest of the group features Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman (brother of George and Von!) on drums. Titles include "Seeking", "The Village Dancers", "Sticks & Stones", "In The Vineyard", "Karen On Monday", and "Song For The Unsung".

"Nubian Nut" is more of the Atomic Dog formula – kind of a popping bass groove that was the inherited legacy of P-funk that every other band was ripping off at the time, and rap-like vocals that George would probably never claim were rap! "Free Alterations" is the real charmer here – a sweet mellow soul track with a midtempo stepping groove, great harmony vocals, and a sound that's very different than any other Clinton tune we can think of!

An amazing bit of music – and an incredible document of generations of creative jazz energy as well! The legendary Phil Cohran teams up here with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a collective made up of Cohran's sons, who follow strongly in the rich legacy of his own Artistic Heritage group – yet in a very different way! Hypnotic Brass have caught the ear of many during their bright rise to fame – with a fluid, horn-heavy groove that's really amazing – echoes of Sun Ra and other Chicago creative legends – yet played almost entirely on brass instruments, which gives them an even bolder vibe. Here, working with their progenitor brings the group even more depth than before – an excellent sound that really spins things out wonderfully – percussion layered underneath the horns, solos taking jazzy flight, and an overall righteous vibe that holds things together beautifully. The album's way more than the sum of its parts – and those parts are already rich indeed – and titles include "Stateville", "Cuernavaca", "Ancestral", "Spin", "Zincali", "Apsara", and "Frankincense & Myrrh".

An amazing bit of music – and an incredible document of generations of creative jazz energy as well! The legendary Phil Cohran teams up here with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a collective made up of Cohran's sons, who follow strongly in the rich legacy of his own Artistic Heritage group – yet in a very different way! Hypnotic Brass have caught the ear of many during their bright rise to fame – with a fluid, horn-heavy groove that's really amazing – echoes of Sun Ra and other Chicago creative legends – yet played almost entirely on brass instruments, which gives them an even bolder vibe. Here, working with their progenitor brings the group even more depth than before – an excellent sound that really spins things out wonderfully – percussion layered underneath the horns, solos taking jazzy flight, and an overall righteous vibe that holds things together beautifully. The album's way more than the sum of its parts – and those parts are already rich indeed – and titles include "Stateville", "Cuernavaca", "Ancestral", "Spin", "Zincali", "Apsara", and "Frankincense & Myrrh".

A triple pack of early magic from Natalie Cole! Inseparable is Natalie's stunning debut for Capitol Records in the mid 70s – a real surprise, and a set that should have had the singer blossoming even more than she did at the time! As with some of the other Capitol soul sessions of the time, the album's done very firmly under the guidance of Charles Jackson and Marvin Yancey – a pair who give Natalie just the right sort of backing to launch her career – a sound that's full and rich, deeply sophisticated – but also still plenty soulful, almost in the mode of some of Minnie Riperton's work at the time. Given the pair's Chicago roots – and the arrangement help from Richard Evans – that comparison is no surprise, and Natalie rises to the occasion nicely. Titles are all originals too – and include "Needing You", "Joey", "I Can't Say No", "Something For Nothing", "I Love Him So Much", "You", "Your Face Stays On My Mind", and the huge hit "This Will Be". Next up is Natalie – a record that really has Natalie Cole finding her groove – not needing any help from her famous familial legacy, thank you – and instead stepping out with a tight, proud mode that really helped refine the sound of female soul in the 70s! The album's got plenty of influences from the Chicago soul scene – including songwriting and production from the team of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy – and work from key session players like Richard Evans and Gene Barge, who worked in the Curtom Studios to craft the grooves on the set! Titles include "Keep Smiling", "Mr. Melody", "Heaven Is With You", "Can We Get Together", "Touch Me", "Hard To Get Along", and "Good Morning Heartache". Unpredictable is an album that reunites Natalie Cole with the smooth soul team of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancey – the team who did such a great job with Natalie's Capitol debut, and who really continue the groove here too! The album's got a rock-solid approach through and through – a quality that has Natalie really standing out on her own as a positive young artist in soul – without any need to nod towards her father, as in later years. And Jackson and Yancey bring a nice dose of Chicago soul class to the affair – which turns out to be a perfect match for Natalie's vocals! Titles include "Be Mine Tonight", "Party Lights", "This Heart", "I've Got Love On My Mind", and "Still In Love".

A great set from Chicago's Joan Collaso – one of the hippest vocalists working today in the Windy City! There's a soulful swing to the record that grabs us right from the get-go – thanks to a killer take on "My Favorite Things" – done in an open-ended spirit that owes plenty to the John Coltrane legacy! Other tunes are quite nice too – and really pick up a great sense of rhythm that keeps things fresh – a hip sort of swing that makes the whole record feel like some lost soul jazz treasure from years back. Tunes are familiar, but they're really recast nicely – and Joan and the combo take things into mighty lively territory – on cuts that include "My Favorite Things", "Ooo Whee", "Return To Paradise", "Peel Me A Grape", "You've Changed", "Here's To Life", and "In A Sentimental Mood".

Lead by Frank Foster, these tracks are taken from the Denon releases Long Live The Chief and The Legend The Legacy.

Ronnie Cuber's an overlooked monster in jazz – a hell of a player, and has been for decades – and one of the last few cats who can really handle a baritone sax! Cuber was late in a legacy of baritonists that included Pepper Adams, Sahib Shihab, Cecil Payne, and Lars Gullin – a youngster when all those players were getting old, but more than able to swing with the lean energy that made the 50s baritone sax players as important as the giants on tenor! Here, Cuber really demonstrates that legacy strongly – picking up the giant horn and handling it with effortless ease – producing these beautifully-blown solo lines that are nice and long, and filled with imagination – in the company of a combo that features Kenny Drew Jr on piano, Ruben Rodriguez on bass, and Ben Perowsky on drums. The recent date is a great reminder that Cuber can still cook heavily – and titles include "Passion Fruit", "Coco B", "Perpetuating The Myth", "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", and "Arroz Con Pollo".

Exactly the kind of record to show why we love Japanese piano trio sessions so much – a sweet 80s date from lyrical genius Iwasaki Daisuke! The album's got a relatively understated feel at first, but really grabs us once it gets going – with a mix of complicated solo lines and subtle, soulful warmth – a gentle balance that's clearly inherited from the legacy of Bill Evans – yet pushed into richly expressive directions here of its own! Daisuke's a hell of a painter on the keys – poetic, yet never with too many flourishes – and working with a subtle sense of darkness that's echoed by the bass of Hideo Kanazawa and drums of Hideaki Sekine. Titles include "Mass Ave 5am", "Tiny Souvenir", "Never Say Goodbye", "Star Crossed Lovers", and "Surf Mail".

A great set of archival DJ Shadow instros from the early-to-mid 90s – from back when his primary means of production was the Akai MPC sampler – along with his endless arsenal of vinyl and limitless creative inspiration! This is formative, but essential material for fans of classic Shadow. It's a superior follow up to the 4 Track Era compilation, and a solid blueprint for his very best work to come! This is all previously unreleased, and it was produced from 1992 to 1996 – which is the period that beat heads and leftfield hip hop production historians outta know culminated in the release of the classic Endtroducing album. That said, this is not a set of Endtroducing leftovers – it's strong, original and legacy-building instrumental work from a crucial period – assembled by the man himself! 24 tracks on the CD. Includes "Intropy (Original Version)", "Vee In Detroit", "Alright", "Don't Try It", "Falling Up", "Aye", "Britty But Magic", "Atmospheric Disturbances", "Quickstep", "Freddi's Popcorn", "From The Old School", "Mystical With Solo", "Fast Rap Fanfare" and more.

Beautifully mature work from Brazilian piano legend Joao Donato – an album that draws on his rich legacy of musical expression from the bossa years onward, presented here with a few surprising twists and turns! The core format is piano trio – Joao on the acoustic keys, with Luiz Alves on bass and Robertinho Silva on drums – yet the sound is quite changed from the early days when Donato recorded heavily in this way, inflected with some really complicated rhythms at points, and turned towards these soulful undercurrents we especially love. Instrumentation includes a bit of guest strings on one track – plus vocals from Zeca Pagodinho, flute from Ricardo Pontes, and cavaquinho from Paulinho Soares – artists who each appear on a track in the set. Titles include "Sambolero", "E Menina", "A Ra", "Jodel", "Sambou Sambou", "Amazonas", "Quem Diz Que Sabe", "Surpresa", and "Brisa Do Mar".

Rare grooves from Evans Pyramid – a sweet set of cosmic disco from the end of the 70s – recorded with a lean, almost spiritual vibe – quite similar to some of the great tracks reissued in the Soul Cal series! There's a definite ear for the dancefloor here – lots of upbeat rhythms, touched with sweet keyboards riffs, and layered with vocals that are almost an afterthought – yet have their own sort of message at the right moment. The group's the brainchild of Andre Evans, an artist whose huge legacy of music business work includes stints with Dyke & The Blazers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and Tribe – as well as a host of key album sessions as well – but the sound is unlike any of those references, and has this great stripped-down late 70s club vibe throughout. The rare album is offered here with unreleased bonus tracks – and titles include "Rubber Band", "Never Gonna Leave You", "Dip Drop", "No I Won't", "Soul Petrol", and "Dance A Thon".

Rare grooves from Evans Pyramid – a sweet set of cosmic disco from the end of the 70s – recorded with a lean, almost spiritual vibe – quite similar to some of the great tracks reissued in the Soul Cal series! There's a definite ear for the dancefloor here – lots of upbeat rhythms, touched with sweet keyboards riffs, and layered with vocals that are almost an afterthought – yet have their own sort of message at the right moment. The group's the brainchild of Andre Evans, an artist whose huge legacy of music business work includes stints with Dyke & The Blazers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and Tribe – as well as a host of key album sessions as well – but the sound is unlike any of those references, and has this great stripped-down late 70s club vibe throughout. The rare album is offered here with unreleased bonus tracks – and titles include "Rubber Band", "Never Gonna Leave You", "Dip Drop", "No I Won't", "Soul Petrol", "I Got A Rush For You", "Dance A Thon", and "Sugar Stop".

Smoking soul from the mighty Lee Fields – and a set that really has him getting back to his roots, as well! The record's billed as a follow-up to the previous My World – but it's got a style that's much more deep soul, much more southern-tinged than that great record – a beautiful indication of Lee's rich legacy in soul music – which stretches back decades, with rare releases on small indie labels! Yet the sound here is much stronger than Fields ever got back in the day – thanks to help from The Expressions, and some sublime Truth & Soul production – a combination that really has the record feeling as if it were recorded for Atlantic at Muscle Shoals at the end of the 60s. Lee's vocals really rise to the setting, and may well be some of his best in years – and that's saying a hell of a lot, given how great he always is! A stone home run throughout – with titles that include "Faithful Man", "Wish You Were Here", "Moonlight Mile", "Walk On Thru That Door", "Still Hanging On", "You're The Kind Of Girl", and "I Still Got It".

The instrumentals for the smoking soul set by the mighty Lee Fields! The record's billed as a follow-up to the previous My World – but it's got a style that's much more deep soul, much more southern-tinged than that great record – a beautiful indication of Lee's rich legacy in soul music – which stretches back decades, with rare releases on small indie labels! Yet the sound here is much stronger than Fields ever got back in the day – thanks to help from The Expressions, and some sublime Truth & Soul production – a combination that really has the record feeling as if it were recorded for Atlantic at Muscle Shoals at the end of the 60s. A stone home run throughout – with titles that include "Faithful Man", "Wish You Were Here", "Moonlight Mile", "Walk On Thru That Door", "Still Hanging On", "You're The Kind Of Girl", and "I Still Got It".

A really raw set from reedman Charles Gayle – a 90s recording, but done with the ferocity of some of the hardest-hitting 60s sides from ESP Records! Gayle is completely unbridled – stretching out on very long tracks with tremendous free runs on tenor and bass clarinet – driven by bold energy from Michael Bisio on bass and Michael Wimberly on drums – both players who can come on strong, yet really seem to be there to let Gayle lead the way! Charles has a sharp edge and hard tone that's definitely a legacy of Albert Ayler – obviously heard on the album's "Homage To Albert Ayler" – as well as on other tracks that include "Alpha", "I Remember Dolphy", "In The Name Of The Father", and "Book Of Revelation".

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes".