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A pair of classics from John Hartford – with bonus tracks too! First up is Aereo Plain – a groundbreaking album from the young John Hartford – not really folk, not really country – but a unique hybrid of both, and done with a good ear for unique sounds as well! Hartford's a really unique artist, especially at this key point in his career – and he's working here with producer David Bromberg, who himself was also helping to reinvent acoustic music at the time. The Warner Brothers placement of the record is key – as Hartford's got this sense of the past, mixed with the irony of the present – one which strongly echoes some of the hip rock contemporaries on the label, particularly the up and coming brand of post-Sunset LA talents. Titles include "Turn Your Radio On", "Up On The Hill Where They Do The Boogie", "First Girl I Loved", "With A Vamp In The Middle", and "Tear Down The Grand Ole Opry". Next is Morning Bugle – a record that's even rootsier than John's first for Warner – with just a bit of bass backing from Dave Holland, and excellent guitar from Norman Blake next to Hartford's own banjo. As before, the lyrics have this really unusual bent – steeped in images of the past, but with the sensibilities of the present – particularly the left-leaning politics of the early 70s time in which the album was recorded. Titles include "Streetcar", "My Rag", "Old Joe Clark", "On The Road", "Howard Hughes Blues", and "Got No Place To Go". 2CD set features 8 bonus tracks too – including "Airport Floor", "Back Up & Push", "Flower Power Died", and "Weave & Way".

One of the greatest Art Blakey Blue Note sessions of all time – and perhaps one of the greatest to realize the genius of the Jazz Messengers lineup that included Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano! The trio of young talents are at the height of their early soulful powers here – working with Blakey and bassist Jymie Merritt in a set of tunes that are overflowing with expressive solos, unusual timings, and the Blakey genius for mixing bold statements with personally introspective moments. Nearly every track on the record's a classic – and titles include an early version of Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere", plus Wayne Shorter's beautiful tunes "Lester Left Town", "Chess Players", and "Sakeena's Vision".

Smart rhymes by Trek Life & guests with solid Mello Music Group production by Duke Westlake. Includes "What's Real" feat Yu, "We Good" with Oddisee, Belvi and Funklogik, "Just The Music", "Eat More Chocolate", "Be Together", "Driving While Black", "Hello" feat GMK, "Name Game", "Street Casualty", "Happy Everyday" feat Richard Wright and Seanwyze, "Hometown Foreigner" and more.

A treasure trove of twelve inch singles from Solar Records – the west coast powerhouse for uptempo soul! Most of the numbers here date from the early 80s years when Solar were totally on top of their game – really dominating mainstream soul of the time in the same way Philly International did a decade before. The 2CD set features 12" mixes for all tracks – which mean that most are longer than the LP versions – and most grooves here are in a bumping, stepping, or boogie-oriented mode – post-disco with plenty of great west coast R&B touches. Titles include "Midas Touch" and "Scientific Love" by Midnight Star, "Show Me Where You're Coming From" and "Dance With You" by Carrie Lucas, "Call Me" by Bill Wolfer, "There It Is" and "Night To Remember (US ext mix)" by Shalamar, "No Pain No Gain" and "Rock Steady" by The Whispers, "I Don't Wanna Be A Freak" and "Love In The Fast Lane" by Dynasty, "It's All The Way Live" and "One Minute After Midnight" by Lakeside, "Classy Lady" by Leroy Hutson, "Romeo Where's Juliet" and "Winners & Loser" by Collage, "Street Beat" by The Deele, and "Come Back Lover" by The Sylvers.

Smashing early work from Jimmy Smith – a killer set from 1957 that has him going head to head with some of Blue Note's finest players! The album marks one of the first time Jimmy played with such greats – and one of the first time they played with an organist – and the lineup includes work by Donald Byrd, Lou Donaldson, Hank Mobley, and Art Blakey. Tracks are long, with plenty of room for solos – and titles on this first volume include "Funk's Oats", "How Hight The Moon", and "Falling In Love With Love".