A lasting tribute to Brownie! The album was released some years after Brown died, and is comprised of songs from his 1955 album Clifford Brown With Strings, plus a few tracks from other recording sessions from that year before his death. The players include Richie Powell (Bud Powell's brother who also died in the crash with Brown),piano; Max Roach on drums and Harold Land and Sonny Rollins on tenor sax. Brown's original composition "Sandu" and Richie Powell's own "Time" are included as well as "Yesterdays," "Cherokee (Indian Love Song)," "Willow Weep for Me" and an unusual version of "Take the A Train." LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning double-length collection of work from dub producer Errol Brown – a massive 42 tracks in all, each of which definitely live up to the "tip top" promised in the title! The work here is from the years 1977 and 1978 – all originally issued on the High Note or Sky Note labels, at a time when Brown's talents in the studio were able to completely transform elements from contemporary tunes, and take them into all sorts of wonderful new directions with instrumentation help from The Revolutionaries! There's plenty of echo throughout, but most tunes also have a very straightforward vibe too – lean and forward-moving, without getting too bogged down in the production – just using the right elements to make everything sound super-cool throughout. The set features 25 tracks that have never been on CD amidst the total of 42 – and tracks include "Phase One Special", "Roots Man Dub", "Dancing Dub", "Wooga Man", "King Ruler", "Ital Dub", "Dub Walla", "Chapter 15", "Know Your Friend Version", "Strictly Roots"- "Lizard Version", and "Dub In Dreamland". CD

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings – and soul music too! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – the sort of show that really set his fans on fire – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone", "Think", "Night Train", and the massive medley featuring "Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual slice of work from the James Brown Family – material from three different periods – early 60s cuts for Dade Records, early 70s material for Brownstone, and late 70s tracks for TK Records! The collection features some especially rare Dade material – tracks from artists that were working with James Brown, recording off for Henry Stone in a raw early 60s mode with James helping out in the studio – killer cuts that include "I Need Love" by The Baby, "Someone Up & Told Me" by Sonny Till, and "Do The Mashed Potatoes (parts 1 & 2)" by Nat Kendrick & The Swans. The set then features some early 70s cuts that were contemporaneous with the big burst of activity at People Records, but issued on Brownstone – tracks that include "Never Get Enough" and "I Need Help" by Bobby Byrd, "In The Land Of Milk & Honey" by Vicki Anderson, "You've Got To Change Your Mind" by Bobby Byrd, and "Nature (parts 1 & 2)" by The JBs International. The set also has some TK Records cuts – "You & Me Together" by Vicki Anderson, and "Mashed Potatoes" and "Rapp Payback" by James Brown – then also includes more rare cuts, including "Wichita Lineman" by Dee Felice Trio, "I Loves You Porgy" by James Brown & The Famous Flames, and "Win Your Love For Me" by Johnny The Man. CD

An unusual slice of work from the James Brown Family – material from three different periods – early 60s cuts for Dade Records, early 70s material for Brownstone, and late 70s tracks for TK Records! The collection features some especially rare Dade material – tracks from artists that were working with James Brown, recording off for Henry Stone in a raw early 60s mode with James helping out in the studio – killer cuts that include "I Need Love" by The Baby, "Someone Up & Told Me" by Sonny Till, and "Do The Mashed Potatoes (parts 1 & 2)" by Nat Kendrick & The Swans. The set then features some early 70s cuts that were contemporaneous with the big burst of activity at People Records, but issued on Brownstone – tracks that include "Never Get Enough" and "I Need Help" by Bobby Byrd, "In The Land Of Milk & Honey" by Vicki Anderson, "You've Got To Change Your Mind" by Bobby Byrd, and "Nature (parts 1 & 2)" by The JBs International. The set also has some TK Records cuts – "You & Me Together" by Vicki Anderson, and "Mashed Potatoes" and "Rapp Payback" by James Brown – then also includes more rare cuts, including "Wichita Lineman" by Dee Felice Trio, "I Loves You Porgy" by James Brown & The Famous Flames, and "Win Your Love For Me" by Johnny The Man. CD

Excellent mid 70s duet jazz from pianist Dave Brubeck & alto Paul Desmond! Duets 1975 is a nicely laidback work from the duo – playing here with no other accompaniment, in a spare set of material that's incredibly fragile and intimate – and all the better for that. The move is a real change from the pair's more famous sides of the late 50s and early 60s – and with no drums and bass to get in the way, they drift around warmly, working together and apart as old friends with a great deal of sympathy for each other. Titles include "Koto Song", "Blue Dove", "Stardust", "Alice In Wonderland", and "Summer Song". CD

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", and "Someday My Prince Will Come". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "Very Good Advice". CD

Exactly the kind of record that makes us love sound library records so much – and definitely the sort that sets the style apart from anything else we can think of! Both Sandro Brugnolini and Giorgio Carnini turn in some great work here – a mindblowing mix of modes over the space of ten short tracks – some tunes a cascading array of instrumentation, in a hip groove that's neither American jazz or soundtrack funk, but a special space of its own! Other tunes use an electronic approach that's years ahead of its time – as groovy as 60s analogue, but a lot darker, too – in ways that the rest of the world might not touch until the German new wave. The balance is almost even between swinging groovers and darker electronic cuts – and titles include "Grinta", "Azione CIA", "Scalo Clandestino", "Alambicco Cibernetico", "Strutture Generative", "Omicido Bianco", and "CIA Massacre". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy Bruno on guitar, Bobby Watson on alto saxophone, Craig Thomas on bass, and Vince Ector on drums. Tracks include "Move", "Anthropology", "f8" and "Groove Yard". CD

Amazing work from a young Chico Buarque – a record that seems to draw on all the best elements of 60s Brazilian pop, and forge them into a sound that's all its own! At one level, there's a post-bossa style of larger arrangements here that recalls the work of Edu Lobo – handled by Maestro Gaya in a mode that recalls some of the best bits of the time on the Elenco or Forma labels. But at another level, there's also a personal and slightly folksy style that reminds us of the initial power of Geraldo Vandre – a sound that's clearly present in Buarque's work, and which stands in a direct line to the best strengths of the emerging Tropicalia generation. The set's filled with classics that include "Carolina", "Roda Viva", "O Velho", "Ate Pensei", "Sem Fantasia", and "Desencontro" – and a few tracks feature Chico in duets with either Toquinho, Cristina, or MPB4! LP, Vinyl record album

Chico Buarque's fourth album – a mainstream Brazilian success at the time, but a record that's still as great as any of the more experimental sides from the time! Buarque has a sense of timing and charm here that are undeniable – an approach to the music that's aware of all the youthful inventions of the 60s, but which moves it to a much more sophisticated level, one that's especially touched by some of the European greats of the era. Backings range from simple samba to larger strings – and Chico's voice is incredible – with a slight rasp that would go on to influence a generation of popular Brazilian singers in years to come! Titles include "Rosa Dos Ventos", "Samba E Amor", "Pois E", "Cara A Cara", "Nao Fala De Maria", and "Gente Humilde". CD

The classic recording of Chico Buarque's opera Malandro – done with the supervision of Chico himself, who also stars on vocals along with singers that include Gal Costa, Zizi Possi, MPB4, Nara Leao, Alcione, Moreira Da Silva, and Francis Hime. Hime handled the arrangements and directed the music – and titles include "O Malandro", "Viver De Amor", "Hino De Duran", "Terezinha", "O Meu Amor", "Pedaco De Mim", and "Opera". CD

The classic recording of Chico Buarque's opera Malandro – done with the supervision of Chico himself, who also stars on vocals along with singers that include Gal Costa, Zizi Possi, MPB4, Nara Leao, Alcione, Moreira Da Silva, and Francis Hime. Hime handled the arrangements and directed the music – and titles include "O Malandro", "Viver De Amor", "Hino De Duran", "Terezinha", "O Meu Amor", "Pedaco De Mim", and "Opera". LP, Vinyl record album

An early record that really links Chico Buarque to the European scene – an audience that would keep Chico's music strong for many years, and with a reach that went far beyond some of his contemporaries! The set was recorded in Italy, but with all the charm and sparkle of his classic Brazilian recordings – and Chico sings in Italian, doing versions of some of his best early songs – all in a lively mode, inflected with samba and post-bossa grooves, and some of the best young songwriting of his youthful years. There's a slightly different vibe here than some of his other early records – but the overall sound is every bit as appealing – and titles include "La TV", "La Banda", "Juca", "Ole Ola", "Far Niente", "Maddalena E Andata Via", and "C'E Piu Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

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A bit of hard rock, a bit of freakbeat, and a plenty darn great album from Bulldog Breed – one that's got a lot more edge than you might expect from the slightly corny cover! The album's an obscure Decca release from the tail end of the 60s – and like some of the other more revolutionary Decca sides of the time, it's got a really free approach to the structure of the music – unexpected twists and turns that keep things interesting, as the album unravels through a tapestry of shorter tunes that mix sweet moments with much harder ones! Some tracks are heavy in fuzz, both on guitars and vocals – while others are far gentler, but with a really dark undercurrent. Titles include "Paper Man", "Broomstick Ride", "When The Sun Stands Still", "Friday Hill", "Reborn", "Dougal", "Austin Osmanspare", and "Top O The Pops Cock". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Halo In My Hair" and "Porticullis Gate". CD

An 80s classic from guitarist Hiram Bullock – a fusion set with a lot more smooth edges than the gritty surface of Hiram's well-played guitar on the cover! The set's quite polished, but still pretty great – never too overdone, and still based mostly around instrumentation by a core combo on most tunes. Hiram plays guitars, both electric and acoustic, as well as keyboards – and also sings a bit on about half the tracks in the set. Other players include Will Lee on bass, Kenny Kirkland and Cliff Carter on keyboards, and Charley Drayton on drums – and titles include "Funk Broadway", "Say Goodnight Gracie", "Until I Do", "Window Shoppin", "Really Wish I Could Love You", and "Mad Dog Daze". LP, Vinyl record album

Surprisingly wonderful work from Kenny! The album has Kenny's guitar set to arrangements by Gil Evans – who gives the session a modern edge that really sets it apart from other Burrell albums of the time. Kenny's freed to do his thing – wonderfully, we might add – and Gil paints these washes of sound, color, and tone with the help of hip players like Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci, Julius Watkins, Steve Lacy, Richie Kamuca, Elvin Jones, and Lee Konitz. Tracks include "Lotus Land", "Downstairs", "Moon & Sand", "Terrace Theme", "Greensleeves", and "Loie". LP, Vinyl record album

Surprisingly wonderful work from Kenny! The album has Kenny's guitar set to arrangements by Gil Evans – who gives the session a modern edge that really sets it apart from other Burrell albums of the time. Kenny's freed to do his thing – wonderfully, we might add – and Gil paints these washes of sound, color, and tone with the help of hip players like Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci, Julius Watkins, Steve Lacy, Richie Kamuca, Elvin Jones, and Lee Konitz. Tracks include "Lotus Land", "Downstairs", "Moon & Sand", "Terrace Theme", "Greensleeves", and "Loie". Plus, the CD includes 10 bonus takes of tunes on the set – and comes in a great fold-out cardboard package! CD

Kenny Burrell on guitar, Jerome Richardson on saxophone and flute, Jimmy Owen on trumpet, Sir Roland Hanna on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums – plus special guests Steve Turre on trombone and Vanessa Rubin on vocals. CD

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Important early work from Jaki Byard – one of his first records as a leader, and a wonderful set of quirky piano trio tunes! Jaki's working here with Ron Carter on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – in a format that's similar to other trio records of the time, but which is really pushed to the limit by Byard's unique conception of the keys, and his unabashed ability to play well and whimsical at the same time! And by "whimsical", we're not saying "goofy", or "silly" – but really just are referring to Jaki's clearly unabashed love of all things musical – a joyous celebration of many strands of jazz, all coming together in a sound that's all his own! (Jaki worked often with Roland Kirk – and that's a good point of comparison.) Titles include "Cinco Y Quatro", "Giant Steps", "Garnerin A Bit", "To My Wife", and "Mellow Septet". CD

It's no secret that Don Byas made some of his best recordings in Europe, not America – and this tasty little set is great support of that fact! The set features numbers that Byas cut in Paris at the end of the 40s – working with a mixture of American and Parisian players that includes Billy Taylor, Bernard Peiffer, Bill Coleman, Peanuts Holland, Tyree Glenn, and Hubert Rostaing. Tracks are short, and Byas' sound on the tenor is sublime – right up there with the best Ben Webster work of the time! Titles include "The Mohawk Special", "Body & Soul", "Ain't Misbehavin", "Rosetta", "I'm Beginning To See The Light", and "Working Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – Donald Byrd's first session with producer Larry Mizell, the man who went on to forever change the face of jazz funk! After rumbling around for a few years attempting electric styles that really didn't fit his mode, Donald wisely hooked up with Larry, and hit a groove here that would carry him for many many years. The album's a masterpiece of soul – heavy production with great keyboards, creating a nice set of grooves that let Byrd solo over the top, sounding better than he had in years! Great all the way through, and with tracks that include "Flight Time", "Sky High", "Black Byrd", "Slop Jar Blues", "Mr Thomas", and the prophetically-titled "Where Are We Going?" LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – Donald Byrd's first session with producer Larry Mizell, the man who went onto forever change the face of jazz funk! After rumbling around for a few years attempting electric styles that really didn't fit his mode, Donald wisely hooked up with Larry, and hit a groove here that would carry him for many many years. The album's a masterpiece of soul – heavy production with great keyboards, creating a nice set of grooves that let Byrd solo over the top, sounding better than he had in years! Great all the way through, and with tracks that include "Flight Time", "Sky High", "Black Byrd", "Slop Jar Blues", "Mr Thomas", and the prophetically-titled "Where Are We Going?" CD

A landmark album by Donald Byrd – the first one where he really started to click with jazz-funk producer Larry Mizell! Mizell and Byrd had worked together previously on the Black Byrd album – a soaring bit of futuristic jazz funk that took Byrd's career to a whole new level – but this album's the one where they really began to make the formula cook, blending together tight funky rhythms, spacey keyboards, soulful vocals, and some of Donald's best solo work of the 70s! The whole thing's a masterpiece, and all tracks sparkle – including "Lansana's Priestess", "Witch Hunt", and "Street Lady", one of the funkiest tracks ever on Blue Note. A haunting record with a beautiful spacey groove, and one of the best-ever albums on Blue Note! CD

A landmark album by Donald Byrd – the first one where he really started to click with jazz-funk producer Larry Mizell! Mizell and Byrd had worked together previously on the Black Byrd album – a soaring bit of futuristic jazz funk that took Byrd's career to a whole new level – but this album's the one where they really began to make the formula cook, blending together tight funky rhythms, spacey keyboards, soulful vocals, and some of Donald's best solo work of the 70s! The whole thing's a masterpiece, and all tracks sparkle – including "Lansana's Priestess", "Witch Hunt", and "Street Lady", one of the funkiest tracks ever on Blue Note. A haunting record with a beautiful spacey groove, and one of the best-ever albums on Blue Note! LP, Vinyl record album

The bands of Bobby Byrne and Kai Winding playing four tunes each in their own style – "Perdido", "That's A Plenty", "Get Happy", and "Hot & Cool Blues" – with Byrne playing with Yank Lawson, Arrtie Baker, Jack Lesberg, and more, and Winding with Howard McGhee, John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke! LP, Vinyl record album

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD

The first release of a groundbreaking performance – David Tudor's 1956 recording of "Music Of Changes" – one of John Cage's first experiments of writing based around the I Ching! The work is based heavily on chance – following charts of possibilities put together by Cage, and extrapolated dramatically by Tudor – who was, at the time, one of the few pianists who really understood Cage's impulses – and could bring them to fruition with a performance like this! CD

With Bob Cain on keyboards, vocals, and trumpet, Charlie Giambrone on bass and vocals, Skip Orlando on guitar, Danny Fravel on saxophone, Johnny Nuckles on drums, and Bill Mottley on organ. LP, Vinyl record album

Joey Calderazzo on piano – with Jerry Bergonzi on tenor sax, Branford Marsalis on soprano sax, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. CD

One of John Cale's greatest moments as a solo artist – a wonderfully dark record that also features lots of great guitar from Chris Spedding, plus electronics from Brian Eno too! There's a stark, flat tone to Cale's lyrics here – a quality that almost echoes some of Eno's albums from around the time, especially the first two – but which takes on some shapes and phrasing that are definitely in the spirit of John's larger body of work too. But man, there's some very spooky bits here – even where you wouldn't expect them – that sense of surprise that Cale could always bring to sweeter moments with the Velvet Underground, re-focused here wonderfully for his own needs. Titles include "Cable Hogue", "Engine", "Save Us", "My Maria", "I Keep A Close Watch", "Helen Of Troy", and "Sudden Death" – plus a cover of Jonathan Richman's "Pablo Picasso". CD

One of those landmark meetings of mighty talents that sounds even better on record than it does on paper – as the set somehow finds this really special space that's completely between all the best early 70s modes of both Terry Riley and John Cale! Cale was really coming into his own at the time as a solo act – creating amazing records after leaving the Velvet Underground, but also still tied to the deeper art scene from which he emerged. Riley was on the way to becoming one of the most popular of the more modern composers – thanks to a nod from The Who, and a big audience for his wonderfully trippy records on Columbia. The label allowed the pair to create this really special music here – sounds that borrow from Riley's minimalism, while also having some of the darkness of Cale's own compositions – and coming across with this jagged, almost modal sort of approach that's really great. Cale only sings on one song, and the rest of the set is instrumental – as Riley plays piano, organ, and soprano sax – and Cale joins in on bass, guitar, viola, and harpsichord. The two of them groove together in these totally cool tracks that build and build, with minimal lines repeating over and over in endlessly fascinating groove – in a way that touches on a weirdly funky mode! The cut "Ides Of March" has the potential to be dancefloor groover in the jazz dance scene, and there's lots of other great tracks like "Church of Anthrax", "The Protege", and "The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles". CD

Will Calhoun on drums, drum programming, flute, keyboards and bass, Orrin Evans on piano, Buster Williams and John Benitez on bass, Antoine Roney on soprano saxophone, Pharoah Sanders on tenor saxophone, and Wallace Roney on trumpet. CD

An obscure salsa set from Ray Camacho – an artist who always seems willing to mix up styles in his music! That's definitely the case here, as Ray mixes straighter Latin modes with a few border touches – creating a hybrid of New York and Mexican modes that's pretty unique – but which also has some occasional funk and soul currents that are probably the record's strongest suit! Ray plays trumpet, and the rest of the group includes guitar, trombone, and plenty of percussion – plus sax and piano from Manuel Palafox, who also handles arrangements. Titles include a great cover of "Low Rider", dubbed "El Pachuco", the Latin funk number "Tomas Al Timbal", and a funky take on Brass Construction's "Movin On". – plus "Me Patina El Coco", "Madrecita Linda", "Dime La Verdad", "El Pachuco", "Confesion", "Testigo Fui", and "Dulce Y Amarga". CD

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A landmark set of grooves by this excellent Detroit group – a trio who recorded for the local indie Karen, but got a much bigger boost towards fame when their record was picked up by Atlantic! The set's one of the killer 60s Motor Town sets produced by Ollie McLaughlin – and like the rest, it's got a really special edge – music that goes way past any simple 60s soul cliches, and which will make the set one of the real standouts in your collection. Arrangements are by Dale Warren, Riley Hampton, and Mike Terry – and titles include The Capitols' big hit "Cool Jerk", and also includes loads of other great tracks written by Donald Storball of the group – like "Dog & Cat", "Zig Zaggin", "The Kick", and others – plus versions of "Hello Stranger", "Love Makes The World Go Round", and "Good Lovin". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark set of grooves by this excellent Detroit group – a trio who recorded for the local indie Karen, but got a much bigger boost towards fame when their record was picked up by Atlantic! The set's one of the killer 60s Motor Town sets produced by Ollie McLaughlin – and like the rest, it's got a really special edge – music that goes way past any simple 60s soul cliches, and which will make the set one of the real standouts in your collection. Arrangements are by Dale Warren, Riley Hampton, and Mike Terry – and titles include The Capitols' big hit "Cool Jerk", and also includes loads of other great tracks written by Donald Storball of the group – like "Dog & Cat", "Zig Zaggin", "The Kick", and others – plus versions of "Hello Stranger", "Love Makes The World Go Round", and "Good Lovin". LP, Vinyl record album

An early 70s gem from Captain Beefheart – not as wild-eyed and whacked out as the late 60s glories – but still a good stretch weirder than most of the post psych, blues-steeped rock of the time! Ultimately, it's still Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, despite it being billed solely to Captain Beefheart on the cover (and his only album NOT co-billed with The Magic Band) – and we'd say it's their first album to go for a consistent mood from beginning-to-end, and we love it for that! If the Trout Mask Replica and Lick My Decals Off Baby records are the more feral early twin masterpieces – we'd say this one and Clear Spot are the wiser and more focused siblings, but no less classic! Tracks include "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby","Grow Fins", "There Ain't No Santa Clause On The Evenin' Stage", "Blabbern Smoke", "Alice In Blunderland", "The Spotlight Kid", and "Glider". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the greatest moment ever from Caravan – one of the greatest groups to emerge from the jazzy Canterbury scene in the late 60s! The album's a wonderful blend of jazz roots and more focused rock impulses – and has some subtle funky elements that's given it a wider sort of audience over the years – that special sound you'd find in a rare few Deram gems by artists like Mike Westbrook or Colosseum too. The drums are especially great – snapping out in a way that really holds things together, even when the instrumental solos really step out strongly – especially the organ, flute, and tenor – all of which retain a jazzy appeal. The vocals from Richard Sinclair are nice, too – never overdone, with almost a Robert Wyatt sort of reserve – and titles include "Golf Girl", "Love To Love You", "In The Land Of Grey & Pink", and the extended "Nine Feet Underground", which takes up all of side two. CD features bonus tracks – the unreleased "I Don't Know Its Name", "Aristocracy", "Group Girl", and "It's Likely To Have A Name Next Week" – and a new mix of "Disassociation/100% Proof". CD

Plenty of spirit, and plenty of soul – a 70s classic from organist Doug Carn, and a record that took his instrument, and jazz in general, to a whole new level for the decade! Carn's got this burning, righteous quality on his keys – a vibe that certainly owes something to Larry Young, but also takes off even further – working in a spiritual ensemble that also features his wife Jean Carn on vocals – sounding way more like a righteous jazz singer than on her later soul sides for Philly International! Other players are great, too – and include Charles Tolliver on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, George Harper on tenor and soprano sax, Buster Williams on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks include "New Moon", "Trance Dance", "My Spirit", "Blue In Green", and "Arise & Shine". CD

A brilliant live set by Betty Carter – originally issued on her own Bet-Car label in 1980, and a perfect summation of the underground soul that was bubbling through her work in the 70s! The Betty you hear here is way different than the Betty of earlier years – freer, more soulful, working in an unfettered setting that lets her take off on piano and vocals, working in a mode that's got a modal vibrant quality unmatched by most other singers! The album includes a great version of "Open The Door", a 25 minute reading of the landmark tune "Sounds", and the tracks "Tight", "Fake", "So", "My Favorite Things", "Caribbean Sun", and "I Think I Got It Now". CD

A landmark album from vocalist Betty Carter – not her first time in the recording studio, but maybe one of the first full length sets to really communicate all the genius she was bringing to the field of jazz vocals in the postwar years! The record is one of Carter's more sophisticated sessions, and it's one of the few from the old days to really capture her jazzy vocals well in a large group setting – using arrangements from Richard Wess to bring some nice modern currents to the proceedings. As always, Betty handles the material with a great deal of class, and an incredible sense of poise and emotion – and thee set list is nice, too, and includes many lesser-known tracks – like "For You", "Jazz (Ain't Nothin' But Soul)", "Don't Weep For the Lady", "My Reverie", and "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from vocalist Betty Carter – not her first time in the recording studio, but maybe one of the first full length sets to really communicate all the genius she was bringing to the field of jazz vocals in the postwar years! The record is one of Carter's more sophisticated sessions, and it's one of the few from the old days to really capture her jazzy vocals well in a large group setting – using arrangements from Richard Wess to bring some nice modern currents to the proceedings. As always, Betty handles the material with a great deal of class, and an incredible sense of poise and emotion – and thee set list is nice, too, and includes many lesser-known tracks – like "For You", "Jazz (Ain't Nothin' But Soul)", "Don't Weep For the Lady", "My Reverie", and "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire". CD

A landmark recording – one of a handful of early documents of the avant garde LA scene, featuring a nimble quartet headed up by the inventive frontline of John Carter on reeds and Bobby Bradford on trumpet, over the fluid rhythm team of Tom Williamson on bass and Chicago expatriate Bruz Freeman on drums! Carter and Bradford's energetic approach followed its own line of development, much in the way that other small cells of improvisers were developing their own take on the "new thing" in the post-Coltrane/Coleman environment of the late 60s and early 70s throughout the country. The compositions unfold in a way that implies both multi-linear improvisation and composed events, but blurs the line between the two, all the while played with a great deal of fire and few of the intellectual abstractions of other free players! Titles include "The Sunday Afternoon Jazz Blues Society", "The Eye Of The Storm", "Loneliness", and "Encounter". LP, Vinyl record album

Include the songs "Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte", "Black Orpheus", "Pavane", "Oblivion", "Reverie", "Healing In Foreign Lands", "Apres Un Reve", "Excerpt From Alexandra", and "Cinema Paradiso". CD

Michael Carvin on drums – with Marcus Strickland on saxophone, Carlton Holmes on piano, and Dezron Douglas on bass. CD

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

A sweet soul classic from the young Gene Chandler! The record is built around Gene's hit "Duke Of Earl" – and it features Gene in a ridiculous looking "Duke" costume on the cover – but the record's a great one overall, and features some excellent late-night soul material in a sweet tenor-voiced harmony style! Bill Bunky Sheppard produced the record, and it's got a sophisticated approach that offers a number of different modes for Gene to shine – heartbreaking ballads, rousing uptempo numbers, and some cool exotic tunes. Titles include "Nite Owl", "So Many Ways", "Lonely Island", "Kissin In The Kitchen", "I Wake Up Crying", "Turn On Your Love Light", and "Daddy's Home". LP, Vinyl record album

This landmark live recording by the great Chicago soul singer Gene Chandler is one of the first-ever true live sets by a soul star, and a record that rival's James Brown's Live At the Apollo for true energy and excitement. Recorded live at Chicago's Regal Theater for the long-gone Constellation Records, this set's an amazing batch of tracks performed with more emotion and soul than Gene ever had in the studio, and the crowd's a wild batch of kids who are totally over the top with enthusiasm. The classic version of "Rainbow '65" on here is enough proof of that, what with it's stretched out harmonies, mind-blowing falsetto, and crazy crowd screaming – but there's lots more on here that will prove that Gene was one of the best-ever Chicago singers, including "Song Called Soul", "Just Be True", and "What Now". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued work from Don Cherry – and a really key piece of the puzzle in the career of this legendary trumpeter! The recordings were done for Swedish Radio, with great fidelity – more than just live tracks captured in a club, and instead some really thoughtful material that marks an early pairing of Cherry's talents with the Swedish scene that he would soon call home! Don plays cornet, and the music is maybe a bit inside compared to some of his later Swedish experiments – but still pretty amazing, and a great bridge from his work with Ornette Coleman and Sonny Rollins. Players include Mogens Bollerup on tenor, Atli Bjorn on piano, Benny Nielsen on bass, and Simon Koppel on drums – and titles include the Cherry originals "Priceless", "Nigeria", and "The Ambassador From Greenland" – plus a reading of "You Took Advantage Of Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Pete Christlieb and Warne Marsh on tenor sax – accompanied by Jim Hughart on bass, and Nick Ceroli on drums! CD

Includes all the songs from the film, a 24 page illustrated book, and bonus interviews with Walt Disney and animator Ward Kimball! CD

Suzanne Ciani has cut some sweeter sets over the years, but this album's definitely not one of them – as the whole thing is an early piece from the artist's career, recorded on the Buchla synthesizer, and based on the work of Charles Baudelaire! The core piece, "Flower Of Evil", features a recitation of a Baudelaire poem right into the Buchla – which then complicates and distorts the voice, as it mixes with these wonderful waves of analogue electronics – bubbling, flowing, and stretching out to create this moody landscape that really would have made the poet proud! The other three selections on the record are even more stark and spooky – still done on the Buchla, but with a vibe that's maybe even more in the mode of some of the Pierre Henry experiments from the same time. Titles include "Glass Houses" and "Token Spokes (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime spiritual jazz from a really great contemporary group – a combo that features key players on the New Zealand scene, all working together in a set of modal jazz numbers with a very soulful vibe! Bassist Ben Turua may be the star of the set – as the tone and pacing of his instrument really guides the group on most numbers – and allows very free flights from other players, who include Cameron Allen on tenor and alto, Guy Harrison on piano and Fender Rhodes, Finn Scholes on trumpet and vibes, Julien Dyne on drums, and Jong Yun Lee on soprano, tenor, alto, and flute! There's a warm glow throughout, and a depth that's somewhere in the early 70s handling of this sort of material by labels like Impulse or Flying Dutchman – save for the fact that the tunes are all original too. Cory Champion adds some cool Buchla Modular synth on most tracks – and there's also a bit of harp on the record too – on titles that include "Spirits (part 2)", "Bliss", "Plume", "Veneer", "Kohan", and "Bones". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique combo, and one that's definitely what's promised in the title – a lineup that's heavy on trombones, given a nice kick at the bottom from guitar, bass, and drums! The players come together here in a really wonderful sound – partly extending from the postwar multi-trombone experiments of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but with occasional nods to New Orleans music, Afro Funk, and other styles that can be heavier on the horns! Female trombonist Nabou Claerhout leads the group, which features four other trombonists on most tracks – and the leadoff track also features guest work from Robin Eubanks. Titles include "Wistful", "A Duet For Three", "Hutch", "Murphy All The Way", "Slide Unit", and "A Day At The Huge Field With A Little House". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Sonny Clark on piano, Jerry Good on bass, and Al Randall on drums. CD

A long-overdue look at the amazing Clark Sisters – a fantastic gospel group, and one with a vocal depth that we'd put right up there next to any of our favorite soul acts of the time! The Clarks are maybe best known for their landmark track "You Brought The Sunshine" – a completely righteous blend of gospel, soul, and disco that crossed over very big back in the day – but the group have an endless amount of great music to offer, a great deal of which is brought together in this wonderful set! The sisters always kept a strong ear towards the secular soul styles of their day – but they also always pushed things with the sort of amazing vocal interplay that used to only be the territory of male gospel groups in earlier decades – fantastic harmonies, soaring leads, and really great group formation. And if you're not a completely huge fan of gospel, don't worry – because the message here is often a more general one of positivity, which really lifts up the spirit of the tunes in a universal way. Titles include "You Brought The Sunshine (single edit)", "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright", "He Keeps Me Company", "Patience", "I'm Going To Have Just What I Want", "Power", "Overdose Of The Holy Ghost", "My Mind Is Made Up", "Nothing To Lose All To Gain", "No Other Name", "Keep On Looking Up", and "I Found What I'm Looking For". CD

Way more than an "encore" of the legendary Clarke Boland album Golden Eight – and instead a whole different set of recordings, done way back in 1961, but unissued until now! The album's a killer through and through – every bit the same sort of gem you'd get with the early Clarke Boland albums of the pre-MPS years – extremely tight large ensemble jazz, driven with plenty of soul in the rhythm section, and swinging with some incredible solos that further deepen the sound! Right from the start, the pair were totally on the money – and work here with a lineup that's filled with key European soloists, including Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Derek Humble on alto sax, Karl Drewo on tenor, and Fats Sadi on percussion – not to mention the core crack rhythm trio of Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include the great Boland originals "A Ball For Othello", "La Campimania", "You Dig It", "Pape Satan Aleppe", and "Free Wheel" – plus a great version of "Invitation". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest albums ever from the team of Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland – a unique small combo session that's even groovier than their famous big band work! The setting is wonderful – Clarke on drums, Boland on piano, and a sextet lineup that includes Sahib Shihab on flute, Fats Sadi on vibes, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Joe Harris on percussion – all players who know each other well, and groove together as one amazing unit on the set! The tunes here are lyrical and lively, modal and moving, and still some of the freshest jazz cut on the European scene of the 60s – music that's having a huge impact these days in the club jazz underground. Shihab's flute work is sublime, especially next to Sadi's vibes – and Harris' added percussion gives a number of the cuts a bit of a Latin kick that's totally great! There's a bit of vocals on the set, and titles include "Ebony Samba", "Tin Tin Deo", "Potter's Crossing", "Wives & Lovers", "Ensadinado", "Lorraine", "Day By Day", "Love Hungry", and "Please Don't Leave". CD

One of the hippest albums ever from the team of Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland – a unique small combo session that's even groovier than their famous big band work! The setting is wonderful – Clarke on drums, Boland on piano, and a sextet lineup that includes Sahib Shihab on flute, Fats Sadi on vibes, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Joe Harris on percussion – all players who know each other well, and groove together as one amazing unit on the set! The tunes here are lyrical and lively, modal and moving, and still some of the freshest jazz cut on the European scene of the 60s – music that's having a huge impact these days in the club jazz underground. Shihab's flute work is sublime, especially next to Sadi's vibes – and Harris' added percussion gives a number of the cuts a bit of a Latin kick that's totally great! There's a bit of vocals on the set, and titles include "Ebony Samba", "Tin Tin Deo", "Potter's Crossing", "Wives & Lovers", "Ensadinado", "Lorraine", "Day By Day", "Love Hungry", and "Please Don't Leave". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent Clarke Boland Big Band LP – very much in the spirit of the group's best work of the era – one that uses the blues of the title merely as springboard for their ebullient big band groove! The album featuring a stellar array of soloists, including Tony Coe on clarinet, Sahib Shihab on flute, Ake Persson on trombone, Benny Bailey on trumpet, and others – on top of stellar work from the leaders! The tunes are wonderful throughout – tightly jazzy, played in a full on big band mode, but with plenty of breakout solos that really showcase the excellent talents in the group! Cuts include "At Ronnie's", "The Wildman", and Francy Boland's "All Blues" suite. LP, Vinyl record album

Great live material from the best years of this amazing ensemble that included some of the finest American and European players of the 60s! The band's at its best here – wailing away in a firey live setting, recorded with high quality by Europe 1 Radio in 1969. Players include Tony Coe, Johnny Griffin, Benny Bailey, Art Farmer, Sahib Shihab, and Derek Humble – plus the great rhythm team of Jimmy Woode, Francy Boland, and Kenny Clarke! Most of the tunes are classics of the band – and titles include "All Through The Night", "Now Hear My Meaning", "New Box", "Volcano", "Box 702", "Sax No End", "Sonor", "The Jamfs Are Coming", "Doing Time", and "Evanescence". CD

One of the most striking albums ever recorded by the legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band – a suite of tracks composed by leader Francy Boland, swinging with a style that stands with the best MPS work of the time! Boland's clearly taking his cue from the sophisticated later work by Duke Ellington – but he's also inspired by the groovier soundtrack styles bubbling in Europe during the 60s, as well as the other incredible genre-blurring work on MPS at the time. The tracks are all nice and long, and swing with an exotic groove that keeps very much with the Fellini title – offering plenty of space for a range of great soloists that include Tony Coe, Sahib Shihab, Benny Bailey, and Idrees Sulieman. Brilliant throughout – an under-discovered jazz classic – with a suite of 3 movements that include "Rosati At Popolo Square", "Tween Dusk & Dawn In Via Urbana", and "Villa Radieuse". CD

Great work by this legendary hard swinging band – an early 60s American album issued on Atlantic Records, in the years before the Clark Boland Band's legendary run on MPS! Despite the early date, the album's got all the core elements of the band's sound in place – soaring rhythms, sharp-edged frontlines, and some great solo work by players who include Benny Bailey, Derek Humble, Jimmy Woode, Shahib Shihab, Idrees Sulieman, and Fats Sadi – coming together in a brilliant trans-Atlantic meeting of jazz talents! Tracks include "Long Note Blues", "Speedy Reeds", "Sonor", and "Om Mani Padme Hum". CD

A rare treat from the legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band – a sublime set of Italian soundtrack numbers first recorded in 1968! The set was cut at the height of the Italian soundtrack golden age, in Italy, where the group had been working and recording heavily – making for a perfect fit of styles: the sweet and groovy compositions of talents like Nino Rota, Armando Trovajoli, Piero Piccioni, and others, handled with the fire and energy that had become the trademark of the Clarke-Boland ensemble! The set grooves very nicely – with hard-swinging versions of tracks that include "More", "Seven Golden Men", "Your Smile", "Saxology", "La Hora De La Verdad", "Canto D'Amore", and "Questi Vent Anni Miei". CD

One of the greatest records ever by this hip jazz ensemble – and one of their most unique! The record has the band grooving hard through two incredible suites of Latin music – Gary McFarland's "Latin Kaleidoscope" and Francy Boland's "Cuban Fever" – each of which takes up a side of the record, both driving the band to new solo heights with a very hip edge! Players include the usual cream of the crop of European jazz residents – like Sahib Shihab, Dusko Goykovich, Jimmy Deuchar, Phil Woods, Tony Coe, and Benny Bailey – and the tracks include "Uno Graso De Areia", "A Rosa Negra", "Olhos Negros", "Cara Bruja", and "Fiebre Cuban". Wonderful all the way through – and always a treasure! One of the shining jewels in the crown of MPS – and a Gilles P classic all the way through! CD

A large group in a small club – the legendary Clarke Boland Big Band, playing at the home turf of one of their key members – tenorist Ronnie Scott! The set features a very legendary performance by the ensemble – a crack lineup that's easily one of the best ever sported by the CBBB – perfectly mixing American rhythms, and a trans-Atlantic lineup of soloists – all tied together with just the sort of rich arrangements that make the group so great! Things groove right from the get-go – thanks to a rhythm lineup that features Kenny Clarke on drums, and Francy Boland on piano – plus bassist Ron Matthewson, sitting in for the usual Jimmy Woode. The horn players really send things off, though – tight trumpets from Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, and Dusko Goykovich; bold trombones from Ake Persson and Nat Peck; and some searing reed lines from Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Derek Humble on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Tony Coe on both tenor and clarinet. This album features the full "first set" at Scotts by the group – with titles that include "Volcano", "Griff's Groove", "Now Hear My Meanin", "Box 703 Washington DC", and "Thence We Issued Out Again to See the Stars". LP, Vinyl record album

A large group in a small club – the legendary Clarke Boland Big Band, playing at the home turf of one of their key members – tenorist Ronnie Scott! The set features a very legendary performance by the ensemble – a crack lineup that's easily one of the best ever sported by the CBBB – perfectly mixing American rhythms, and a trans-Atlantic lineup of soloists – all tied together with just the sort of rich arrangements that make the group so great! Things groove right from the get-go – thanks to a rhythm lineup that features Kenny Clarke on drums, and Francy Boland on piano – plus bassist Ron Matthewson, sitting in for the usual Jimmy Woode. The horn players really send things off, though – tight trumpets from Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, and Dusko Goykovich; bold trombones from Ake Persson and Nat Peck; and some searing reed lines from Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Derek Humble on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Tony Coe on both tenor and clarinet. This album features the full "second set" at Scotts by the group – with titles that include "Rue Chaptal", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Sax No End", and "The Girl & The Turk". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most stunning debut albums of the 70s – and a set that burst on the scene with a sound that summed up a generation, but which had never been heard this clearly before! This self-titled Clash album was different from other landmarks of the time – work by the Sex Pistols, Ramones, and others – as the group had a sense of raw power, but also a tunefulness too – a way of pushing their message into territory that others wouldn't have reached – with tunes that were as surprisingly hummable as they were politically correct! There's a bit less Jamaican influence here than in later Clash years, but that quality is still present somewhat – and over the years, this is definitely a set we can return to again and again – with no sense of apology or outdated ideals at all. Nearly every cut's a classic – and titles include "Janie Jones", "Career Opportunities", "Police & Thieves", "Garageland", "Clash City Rockers", "I Fought The Law", "White Riot", "London's Burning", "White Man In Hammersmith Palais", and "I'm So Bored With The USA". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from Otis Clay, but also one of his greatest albums ever! The record features him with some fuller arrangements than usual – in less of a bluesy mode than during the Hi years, with a smooth sound that really brings out a whole new side of his style. The set was recorded in Chicago for the Japanese market – and the arrangements are by Benjamin Wright, Bill McFarland, and Clay himself. Includes the massive groover "The Only Way Is Up", an anthemic modern dancefloor number that later yielded a bit hit for Yazz – plus the tracks "Cheatin In The Next Room", "All I Need Is You", "Special Kind Of Love", "Messin With My Mind", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", and "Check It Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful blowing from Buck Clayton and Buddy Tate – captured here in the relaxed, easy-going setting of the Swingville label! The album's got a lot more charm than some of Clayton's sides for Columbia – a bit more mellow, with the kind of after hours feel that lets players like these show their strongest suits on their instruments. Clayton plays trumpet, Tate tenor – and rhythm is from the trio of Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Mousie Alexander on drums. Titles include "High Life", "Birdland Betty", "Can't We Be Friends", and "Kansas City Nights". CD

Early 80s spiritual disco from Charlie Clemons And The Mighty Power Band – which purportedly included members of Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band – recordings Clemons made in 1980 at Warner Brothers Studios – remixed by Tom Noble! Noble adds no new instrumentation, but ratchets up the spacey disco elements of the drums heavy A-side and the more bass driven B-side. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album