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A sweet little single from Menahan Street Band! "Lights Out" has this slow funk brilliance that's almost lifted off a rare 70s soundtrack – beats that are hard, but mellow too – topped by these snakey horns that really bring in a blue sort of feel to the music – almost an Ethiopian feel, but funkier! "Keep Coming Back" is awash in Hammond lines right from the start – swing-stepping like a cool 60s instrumental, complete with some wangly guitar – all again in a slow mode that's really a nice change from the usual!

Early genius from Jackie McLean – arguably his best pre-Blue Note album, and a sinister batch of hardbop tracks recorded with a great group that includes Donald Byrd on trumpet and Elmo Hope on piano! The tracks are long, with a bit of the "blowing session" feel of other Prestige albums from the time – but they're also a lot tighter, and McLean really steps to the forefront on his solos, blowing with a sharp-edged sound that's really amazing – and which hints strongly at the even more adventurous turns he'd take later in the 60s. Tracks include "Up", "Lorraine", "Inding", and "Kerplunk". Great stuff all the way through!

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 weird little record from Bill Cosby – a set that's not as all-out funky as some of his other vocal albums, but still pretty nice overall! The style here is more bluesy than soul-based, but production is still by Fred Smith, of 103rd Street Rhythm Band fame – and the album has a sense of grit that's a lot stronger than you might guess. Many of the tunes are covers from an older R&B era, and Cosby takes them with an approach that's a bit tongue-in-cheek at times – kind of garbling the lyrics and muddying up the sound, even though we know he can sing a bit more clearly from other records! There's certainly a few tracks that have a nice gritty soul sound, and titles include the great "Little Ole Man" which is basically Bill doing a skit over the "Uptight" rhythm – plus "Bright Lights Big City", "Big Boss Man", "Hush Hush", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Mojo Workout", "Doncha Know", and "Place In The Sun".

A cool step sideways for the great Don Covay – a set that still holds onto all the soul of his earlier work for Atlantic – but one that also has Don hitting a rootsier, bluesier mode too! The combo's definitely a blues group at their core, but apart from some harmonica and a bit more twang in the guitar, they come across more like a rough soul combo behind Covay's lead – a quality that comes through especially strong on some of the points where the drums step out a bit more than usual. Our hat's off to Don for making this move – as the record really shows a whole new side of his vocal talents, and has a deeper vibe than he'd go for in his later crossover soul of the 70s. Titles include "Homemade Love", "Steady Roller", "Four Women", "Mad Dog Blues", and "Shut Your Mouth".

A hip little look at Lee Dorsey's best music of the late 60s and 1970s – and a set that features some really great surprises! The core of the collection is some of Lee's funky work recorded with Allen Toussaint on production, and the Meters helping out in the backing – the kind of gritty New Orleans grooves that forever made Lee one of the leading lights of the Crescent City scene. Later tracks are a bit more polished, but pretty great too – numbers that show an evolution of the original Dorsey groove, often still in the hands of Toussaint. CD features 16 tracks in all – including the great "Radio Commercials", which features 2 numbers recorded for Coke – plus "My Babe", "What Am I Living For", "Sneakin Sally Through The Alley", "Night People", "Behind The 8 Ball", "Great Googa Mooga", "Ya Ya", "You Better Tell Her", "Lonleyology", "Yes We Can", and live versions of "Ride Your Pony", "Lottie Mo", and "Working In The Coal Mine".

A trio of amazing albums – all of which really live up to the legend of Kim Fowley! First up is the well-titled Outrageous – one of the wildest albums ever from LA scenester Fowley – done in a very weird, very messed-up style that sort of sounds like The Stooges meet The Modern Lovers meet Alice Cooper! Fowley's fantastic on vocals – which are sort of of screeched and screamed, with revolutionary Riot On Sunset Strip-type lyrics, fused with a bit of Jim Morrison stoner spiritualism – a lot more compelling than you'd expect, and really mindblowing all the way through! The album's a perfect illustration of the genius that made Kim legendary, even when he wasn't having much of an impact on the mainstream – and titles include the incredible "Animal Man", plus "Hide & Seek", "Chinese Water Torture", "Bubble Gum", "Inner Space Discovery", and "Caught In The Middle". Next is Born To Be Wild – mindblowing organ work from the mighty Kim Fowley – a rare instrumental set that has Kim carving out amazing sounds on the organ that really match is vocal force on other records of the time! The set's a bit more soulful than usual for Fowley – a record that almost pushes a soul instrumental sound more strongly than Kim's usual Sunset Strip sleaze – although there is a nice fuzzy undercurrent to the record at times too! The set burns like some lost Tower Records soundtrack – and titles include "Born To Be Wild", "Soul Limbo", "Space Odyssey", "I Can't Stop Dancing", "Savage In The Sun", "Fresno1963", and "Pictures of Matchstick Men". Good Clean Fun is filled with awesome work from madman Kim Fowley – an album that offers hard rockers, some nice groovers, and even some trippier tracks that feature spoken or performed bits! The record's got a really wonderful approach that's a look at the lost genius of the LA scene of the late 60s – emphasized by an appearance on the record by Rodney Bingeheimer, the mayor of Sunset Strip, plus work by Motorcycle John and the Frog Prince! If you've ever heard about Fowley, but never found the record to truly convey his insanity on record, this is the one to check out – as it's as brilliant as it is insane! Titles include "Energy", "Baby Rocked Her Dolly", "Motorcycle", "One Man Band", "Good Clean Fun", "Search For A Teenage Woman", "I'm Not Young Anymore", "Lights The Blind & Lame Can See", and "Kangaroo".

Vivian's in the green room, and more than ready to step out on the stage – sounding tighter, smoother, and more confident than ever – easily one of the strongest leading lights in contemporary soul today! The set's got a nice sort of crackle right from the start – a crispness that we didn't always hear on the last few releases – almost as if she's going back to basics, yet still hanging onto all the poise and class she's developed over the years. Guests include Algebra Bessett, Freeway, and Brian Culbertson – and titles include "Anything Out There", "Free As A Bird", "X", "Forever", "I'm Not Prepared", "Heaven", "Still Here", and "Light The Universe".

One of the coolest projects we've heard from Bongolian in years – a great collaboration with vocalist Fay Hallam, who really helps his grooves find a great sense of focus! Unlike other efforts of this nature – the usual "soul diva with funk group" outing – Fay and Bongolian have gone for a sweet approach that's somewhere in the best mod modes of the 60s, but which also have some nice early 80s touches too – almost the kind of mod revival energy you'd find filtered through the London scene in the years after punk – but put together with the kind of deeper contemporary sound we'd expect from Bongolian – a real respect for the right recording styles for Hammond organ, bongo beats, and other key instrumental touches. Fay is great, too – with a vocal approach that almost has a Swing Out Sister kind of ear for really classic inflections, but without ever sounding like a copycat style at all – a rare balance that really makes the music sparkle! Titles include "Shallow Moon", "Lost In Sound", "Freefall", "Dancing", "Lights Are Coming Down", "Get Off The Bus", "I Can't Cry", and "Gathering".

A key album in the reintroduction of Coleman Hawkins in the late 50s – recorded in a style that still bears a lot of traces of earlier years, but at a time when Hawk was being claimed as a key influence by a variety of younger modernists! The set's got a sense of freedom that's really surprising – especially on the longer numbers, which unfold with some playful instrumental twists that seem to come especially from trumpeter Idrees Sulieman and trombonist JJ Johnson – both of whom are great on the record. Other players include Hank Jones on piano, Barry Galbraith on guitar, and Oscar Pettiford on bass – and titles include "Juicy Fruit", "Think Deep", "Blue Lights", "Sanctity", and "Chant".

A nice little one-sided flexi single from producer Hazel – a avant hip hop instrumental with a hypnotic sound! It's got a thick beat clapping underneath some echoey keys, sampled vocal atmosphere and a layer of electric guitar the floats in and out – courtesy Slakah The Beat Child.

The first record we've heard from this Japanese collective in many years – and a set that definitely marks a real maturation in their music! The album was inspired by the tragic events of the 2011 nuclear catastrophe in Japan – and shows a decidedly deeper side of J's Bee's music – one that has a lot more jazz than before, and a strong ear for earthy soundscapes – almost an ECM-like quality that's mixed with a few of their more conventional groove! These guys aren't aiming for the dancefloor this time around – and instead, the whole album is woven together as a rich tapestry – with strong thought for the way the sounds and songs emerge, letting all the messages resonate strongly. The set features some especially great sax solos and Fender Rhodes – plus soulful vocals from Yuko Kawasaki – on titles that include "Lights", "Strange Supper", "Blind In The Rye", "Chuck It All", "Laika Blanca Music", "Angel Puke", and "Under The Sun".

The earliest work we've ever heard from keyboardist Webster Lewis – and a set that's quite different than his late 70s groovers for Columbia Records! The music here is equal parts jazz, soul, and funk – spun out of over a set of long tracks recorded in Oslo at the start of the 70s – and done in a very righteous mode overall! Even at this early age, Lewis is a tremendous talent on the keys – hitting the Hammond and electric piano with a groove that's somewhere in between Doug Carn or Charles Earland at the time – and always with a free-flowing, very exploratory sound that's wonderfully recorded throughout – and which almost makes the record feel like an American classic on the Black Jazz label! The drums on the set are by Jimmy Hopps – who brings in some funky beats at just the right moments – and other musicians include Bobby Greene on alto and Stan Strickland on tenor – plus Judd Watkins on vocals, who sings on some of the best songs with a deep-voiced quality that's really great! This double-length reissue really expands past the previous version on Counterpoint – and the 2CD set features 15 tracks that include "Do You Believe", "Saturday Night Opening", "Dear Sister", "Qvote Unqvote", "Mr Knots", "Space Rock", "Silent Lights", "Up On The Roof", "Club 7 Latin", "For Arne", "Twelve Gates To The City", and "Intermezzo".

A comprehensive look at some great recordings from Little Walter – sides recorded for Chess Records from 1953 to 1963 – offering up a decade's worth of evolution in his style! But even at the start, Walter was better than most of his generation – a heck of a great harmonica player with a lean, clean sound that roared out with a nice sort of edge, and could almost be called a precursor to funk. His vocals are great too – bluesy, but with some slight gospel inflections too – a bit wider vocal range than some other bluesmen of the 50s, and almost a precursor to soul to come in the 60s. The album was done after Walter's untimely early death, and features some great notes on his career – plus titles that include "It Ain't Right", "Rocker", "Confessin The Blues", "I Got To Go", "Crazy Mixed Up World", "Temperature", "Crazy Legs", "Lights Out", "One More Chance With You", and "Rock Bottom".

Sublime stuff! When Teddy left Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, he was making one of the best moves of his career – as you'll hear on these amazing tracks, totally perfect bits of modern soul that moved the career of Teddy up about a zillion notches, and which also had a profound effect on the overall development of male soul vocals. 10 tracks in all – including "Turn Off The Lights", "Close the Door", "I Don't Love You Anymore", "The Whole Town's Laughing At Me", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", and the amazing "Come Go With Me".

A great return to basics for Pieces Of A Dream – a set that's tightly jazzy, yet still filled with plenty of soul! The style's a great illustration of the smooth jazz roots the group first offered the world – a style that was really coming into its own at the time of this release, but which still sounded better in the hands of Pieces Of A Dream than just about anyone else! Eva Cassidy sings a bit on the record, but there's plenty of instrumentals – many with some very nicely focused tenor lines from Ron Kerber – just joining the group for this release, but already helping them get a new voice. Titles include "Magens Bay", "After Dark", "We're All Alone", "Bassik Instinct", "Lights Out", "Let's Get Smooth", "Club Jazz (Quiet Storm mix)", and "Have A Little Faith".

Two albums from guitarist Terje Rypdal – packaged together in a single set! The first 2CDs comprise the landmark Odyssey album – a great setting for the spacey tones of Terje Rypdal's guitar – a double-length set for ECM that lets Terje stretch out in very spacious splendor! The album features a fair bit of very long tracks, plus a few shorter ones – and Rypdal's working here on string ensemble and soprano sax, plus his usual guitar – with a quintet that includes trombone, organ, bass, and drums. As with many ECM albums of the time, the actual roles of the instruments shift up nicely from traditional modes – especially on the longer, more exploratory tracks. Titles include "Midnite", "Darkness Falls", "Adagio", "Better Off Without You", "Fare Well", and "Over Birkerot". The third CD is maybe even more unique – titled Unfinished Highballs, and featuring previously unreleased live material – recorded in 1976 by Swedish Radio – and featuring a group with Terje on guitars and Brynjulf Blix on keyboards – working with larger backings conducted by Rypdal and George Riedel! There's a sense of power here that you don't always here on other Terje albums of the time – and the punch of the sound hardly feels "unfinished" at all. Titles include "Dawn", "The Golden Eye", "Bright Lights Big City", "Talking Back", and "Dine & Dance To The Music Of The Waves".

Pure genius from Horace Tapscott – a record that really lights a new fire under his talents – and takes us back to some of the most expressive, most righteous jazz from the LA scene of the 70s! The quartet here features key LA player John Carter on clarinet – an instrument that he'd embraced heavily during the decade in which this set was recorded, but managed to use with a sense of boldness and fire brought to earlier work on saxes – a sound that's quite different than just about any other player on the instrument! Carter's a perfect match for Tapscott's long-woven lines on piano – heard to great effect on the album's reworking of his classic "Dark Tree" – but cast out perfectly on all the other tunes too – thanks in part to tremendous rhythm work from Cecil McBee on bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums! The set's brilliant all the way through – one of the greatest things Hat Art ever recorded – and a record to rival any of the great indie underground sets of the 70s. Titles include "One For Lately", "The Dark Tree", "Sketches Of Drunken Mary", "Lino's Pad", "Sandy & Niles", "A Dress For Renee", and "Nyja's Theme".

Titles include "September In The Rain", "Mixed Emotions", "Harbor Lights", "What A Difference A Day Makes", and "Time Out For Tears".

Excellent sounds from Charlie Wilson – aka "Uncle Charlie", the former lead singer of The Gap Band! Wilson's great here, and really finds a comfortable space that works well right from the start – never trying to be too young or too contemporary, and instead stretching out in these warm, wonderful lines that are an even deeper take on the best styles from his earlier years – especially on some of the midtempo groovers, which really make the album shine! There's some occasional electric touches on the vocals – not really processing, or auto tuning, but a vibe that recalls the funky power of the Gap Band on some of their old school jams – and Wilson really shows why he's still one of the best male soul singers of his generation – working here with a solid approach that few others could match. Titles include "A Million Ways To Love You", "Turn Off The Lights", "Our Anniversary", "My Love Is All I Have", "Whisper", "Say", and "I Still Have You".

Quite possibly the greatest Larry Young album of the post-Blue Note years – and a massive bit of funk that totally redefines his sound! Larry's working here with his hip group Fuel – an ensemble that features Laura Logan on lead vocals, giving the tunes a real focus through her lyrics – and letting them pack a bit more punch too, since her voice sounds a lot like Betty Davis at the time! Larry's keyboards are forceful, but never too over the top – and he's notched things down a bit to focus on the overall groove of the set – still keeping things adventurous on the keys, but also working in a mode that's much more heavily jazz funk! The album's one of THE essential electric jazz sets of the 70s – and features the classic break cut "Turn Out the Lights" – plus other great tracks that include "Floating", "Fuel for the Fire", "I Ching", "H+J=B (Hustle + Jam = Bread)" and "New York Electric Street Music".

Quite possibly the greatest Larry Young album of the post-Blue Note years – and a massive bit of funk that totally redefines his sound! Larry's working here with his hip group Fuel – an ensemble that features Laura Logan on lead vocals, giving the tunes a real focus through her lyrics – and letting them pack a bit more punch too, since her voice sounds a lot like Betty Davis at the time! Larry's keyboards are forceful, but never too over the top – and he's notched things down a bit to focus on the overall groove of the set – still keeping things adventurous on the keys, but also working in a mode that's much more heavily jazz funk! The album's one of THE essential electric jazz sets of the 70s – and features the classic break cut "Turn Out the Lights" – plus other great tracks that include "Floating", "Fuel for the Fire", "I Ching", "H+J=B (Hustle + Jam = Bread)" and "New York Electric Street Music".

An amazing document of the wide wide reach of Earth Wind & Fire at the end of the 70s – that joyous, righteous spirit that not only flowed through their own music, but seemed to touch most of the soul and jazz world as well! The set's a much-needed look at the way that energy from EWF flowed out to so many other folks too – as the group's tunes were frequently covered, its members frequently worked with other artists, and Maurice White frequently lent his production talents to others in the studio! The package is overflowing with greatness from the great ones – a killers set of tracks that include "Got To Find My Way" by Pockets, "Tequila Mockingbird" by Dee Dee Bridgewater, "Let's Get Together" by Paulinho DaCosta, "City Lights" by Valerie Carter, "Ancient Source" by Caldera, "Answer To My Prayer" by Alton McClain & Destiny, "Let Love Groove Me" by Syliva St James, "The Boy I Left Behind" by Deniece Williams, "Glow Love" by Mighty Clouds Of Joy, "And I Do" by Abraham Laboriel, "I Waited" by Blue Magic, "Dream Come True" by Stargard, and "Theme For Relana" by Gene Harris.

One of Bobby Hutcherson's most important albums ever – and an essential piece of "new thing" jazz that ranks up there with such key Blue note sessions of the genre as Tony Williams' album Life Time, Dolphy's Out To Lunch, and Jackie McLean's One Step Beyond! Hutcherson's sound on the vibes is amazing – metallic, yet melodic – in a sublime blend of the modern and the soulful, all wrapped up in tones and colors that few other players have ever managed to get from the instrument! All the other players on the session really rise to the occasion too – and the album features tremendous work from Sam Rivers, Freddie Hubbard, Andrew Hill, and Joe Chambers. Titles include "Ghetto Lights", "Catta", "Les Noirs Marchent" and "Idle While".

Live material from a Village Gate performance that included the leading lights of the East Village free scene in the 60s – John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Grachan Moncur, and Archie Shepp! The set's a great counterpart to some of the full artist releases on Impulse at the time – and features key material that's not out there elsewhere! A really standout track is from a unique group that never got much recording time – one featuring Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, James Spaulding on alto, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – on a killer version of Monk's "Brilliant Corners". Other titles include an Alber Ayler-led version of "Holy Ghost", a Grachan Moncur reading of "Blue Free" with Hutcherson on vibes, a Coltrane quartet take of "Nature Boy", and Archie Shepp doing "Hambone" in a group with Marion Brown on alto and Virgil Jones on trumpet.

Pure genius from Russ Garcia – one of our favorite arrangers of the 50s, and one of the few who could be modern, swinging, and surprisingly soulful at the same time! The set features Garcia's Wigville Band – a mid 50s ensemble that featured the leading lights of the west coast scene, arranged in a style that had plenty of the tight counterpoint of the time, but which also broke out in these amazingly expressive solos. Charlie Mariano, Bill Holman, and Jimmy Giuffre all get some key moments in on these sides – blowing beautifully in a very small amount of space, but packing some tremendous meaning into their well-crafted solos. Tunes include "Smogville", "The Lonely One", "Rock Road", "Wigville", "Butter Duck", "Then The Lid Blew Off", and "Love Row".

One of Bobby Hutcherson's most important albums ever – and an essential piece of "new thing" jazz that ranks up there with such key Blue note sessions of the genre as Tony Williams' album Life Time, Dolphy's Out To Lunch, and Jackie McLean's One Step Beyond! Hutcherson's sound on the vibes is amazing – metallic, yet melodic – in a sublime blend of the modern and the soulful, all wrapped up in tones and colors that few other players have ever managed to get from the instrument! All the other players on the session really rise to the occasion too – and the album features tremendous work from Sam Rivers, Freddie Hubbard, Andrew Hill, and Joe Chambers. Titles include "Ghetto Lights", "Catta", and "Idle While". CD also features the bonus track "Jasper" – not on the original LP!

A great return to basics for Pieces Of A Dream – a set that's tightly jazzy, yet still filled with plenty of soul! The style's a great illustration of the smooth jazz roots the group first offered the world – a style that was really coming into its own at the time of this release, but which still sounded better in the hands of Pieces Of A Dream than just about anyone else! Eva Cassidy sings a bit on the record, but there's plenty of instrumentals – many with some very nicely focused tenor lines from Ron Kerber – just joining the group for this release, but already helping them get a new voice. Titles include "Magens Bay", "After Dark", "We're All Alone", "Bassik Instinct", "Lights Out", "Let's Get Smooth", and "Have A Little Faith".

An all star hip hop project on Stones Throw – music by the core Quakers trio of Invada Records partners Katalyst & 7Stu7, plus a cat billed as Fuzzface (actually Geoff Barrow of Portishead) – featuring a sick lineup of guests including Guilty Simpson, Jonwayne, Aloe Blacc, Buff1, Diverse, Botty Brown, Phat Kat, Frank Nitty, MED, Prince Po, Finale and more! The Quakers set out with the simple goal of of making the kind of hip hop record they'd want to listen to, trends be damned . . .and it's damn good! Heavy beats and sinister bass lines are a common thread, but this a celebration of depth and diversity in the leftfield hip hop idiom – 41 fairly brief tracks that flow impeccably well and with standout rhymes from an impossibly strong roster of guests. Includes "Big Cat" with Synato Watts, "The Lo", "Sidewinder" with Buff1, "Dark City Lights" with Frank Nitty, "War Drums" feat Phat Kat & Guilty Simpson, "Rock My Soul" feat Prince Po, "Rock My Soul" feat Prince Po, "Sign Language" feat Aloe Blacc, "Oh Goodness" feat Finale and much more.

Blue-eyed soul from Boz Scaggs, with a decidedly Philly influenced sound to the production, which we'd hazard a guess comes more from the Hall & Oates side of town than the Sigma Sound axis. Still, this is a solid album with the irresistible hit "Lowdown", still a favorite around these parts. Also includes "Lido Shuffle", "Harbor Lights", "Jump Street" and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do".

Not the group's most famous work, but a really strong batch of Philly soul tracks – with production and arrangements by Ron Baker and Norman Harris, in a blinding Sigma Sound mode that shows that the Philly Groove could still be kicking it large in the late 70s. Our favorite track, though, is the mellowest – "Seasons For Girls", which is a beautiful smooth mellow stepper, one that runs for 8 minutes long, with some excellent harmony vocals. Other tracks, though, include "Love Per Hour", "The Night The Lights Went Out", "People Of The World, Rise", and "Living The Life".

She's back, with another dose of ear candy for those of you who didn't get enough first time around. Timbaland's absent in the producer's seat, but the ghost of his sound is there as Missy Elliott lends a hand on most tracks, with a spare, heavily hip hop influenced vibe. We're not going to pretend this is any kind of groundbreaking stuff, but you can bet this will be the soundtrack to someone's summer out there. Includes "Turn Da Lights Off", "Iceberg", "Could It Be", "Cab Ride", "Things I Don't Mean", "My Man"Sports, Sex & Food", "Small Change", "Two Of Us", "I'm Done" and "We Don't Need No Water".

Beautiful solo work by pianist Jaki Byard – recorded in Paris in 1971, for the Swing Collector offshoot of the Futura label! The setting really gives Byard a chance to open up and stretch out – playing some numbers in the more traditional style that would show up on some of his 60s sessions – but in a way that also has clear modernist overtones, in that linking of traditions that was always a key factor to Byard's American recordings. Titles include "A Tribute To Jimmy Slide", "When Lights Are Low", "Willow Weep For Me", "Isle To Isle", "Dedicated To Bob Vatel Of The Ten Gallons", and "Going Home Blues". CD features one previously unissued title too – a 12 minute medley of "Mind & Soul", "Goin Out Of My Head", "Sunday", and "Besame Mucho".

A sweet overview of work from the second stretch of the career of Gilberto Gil – and a set that's worth it alone for two of the five albums in the package! The set begins with Refazenda and Refavela – both fantastically funky albums that have Gilberto Gil hitting a soulful style that's very different than before – a mode that's more Jorge Ben than any of Gil's previous work – yet still with some of the sharper, more creative edges that always made him one of the leading lights of 70s MPB! Realce manages to capture a lot of the warmth and imagination of Gil's earlier work. The production's a little smooth in parts, but Gil's beautiful voice and guitar playing are still right out front, especially in some of the more stripped-down tracks. Raca Humana is pretty compelling stuff – almost a new wave album of sorts, recorded with lots of tight guitar work by producer Liminha, and plenty of catchy tunes that sparkle like some lost gems from early 80s radio. And Kayangandaya is a real surprise – an album of reggae tracks, mostly by Bob Marley, recorded in Kingston at the Tuff Gong Studios, with help from the Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt, Sly & Robbie, and others. The record's actually pretty nice – a good blend of the dub-heavy sounds of Jamaica, with some of the rougher soul stylings that Gil was crafting in earlier years – a combination that shouldn't work, but which does nicely.

An amazing record from Kyoto Jazz Massive – and about time, too! The Japanese collective has been bubbling under for years – doing some of the most groundbreaking production, remix, and single work of the current Japanese scene – and this album is really their first true full-length, a massive set of tracks with a soulful approach we never knew they had! The whole thing's amazing from the word "go" (which actually isn't the first word on the album!) – and the first few tracks are especially strong, all soulful numbers with vocals by guest singers that include Vanessa Freeman, Victor Davies, and Maiya James. After that burst, the album takes off instrumentally – stretching for the sky in a jazz-infused blend of beats and keyboards, occasional other instrumentation creeping into the mix at just the right moments. Titles include "The Dawn Introduction", "The Brightness Of These Days", "Mind Expansions", "Stargazer", "Eclipse", "Between The Lights", "Substream", "Shine", "ME Outroduction", and "Behind The Shadow".

One of Lee Morgan's most sparkling sessions from the early years – a record that already shows a sense of depth and imagination that would take Lee way beyond simple hardbop solo work! There's a sensitivity here that owes something of a debt to Clifford Brown, yet which is much more modernist overall – touched, no doubt, by a set list that features tunes by Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson, and played in a spirit that's similar to the blend of soul jazz and modernism that both of those players were carving out at the time. Morgan's bandmates for the record include George Coleman on tenor and alto, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all in tight formation, but with a sense of relaxed and easy flow that's rare, even in a Blue Note of this vintage! Titles include "You're Mine You", "Just By Myself", "Kin Folks", "City Lights", and "Tempo De Waltz".

The Sonics and at their driving, fuzzed out mid 60s best! "You've Got Your Head On Backwards" is a total killer – with a garage blues core, complete with harmonica – but the mean edge to the guitar sound, especially when the track hits full speed, is totally incendiary! "Love Lights" is an uncommonly sweet tune for the Sonics on the flip.

Hypnotic organ funk from Lyman Woodard – an old bandmate of Dennis Coffey, and one of the shining lights of the 70s Detroit scene! This is amazing, amazing stuff – Woodard's electric piano, organ and occasional mellotron and Norma Bell's alto saxophone lend a cosmic funk aspect throughout, very much like Death Wish-era Herbie Hancock – with a laidback, tripped-out groove that's really mindblowing! Ron English accents the thing perfectly with his languid guitar and bass groove, while Leonard King and Lorenzo Brown's drumming and percussion can keep the groove adrift, or tear it up in a funky maelstrom depending on the mission of the cut. It's totally essential Strata jazz funk – and a record we've rarely seen in the original pressing. Tracks include "Saturday Night Special (plus an alternate take), "Joy Road", "Belle Isle Daze", "Creative Musicians", "Cheeba", "On Your Mind", "Allen Barnes" and "Help Me Get Away".

Sweet 70s grooves from Percy Faith – a snoozer of an arranger in the 60s, but a talent who picked up a lot for us in the 70s! Both albums feature some strong tracks in which Percy mixes strings and easy instrumentation with electric bass and some nice drum work by Hal Blaine or Earl Palmer – creating tunes that at once have a glossy sweep, but also a nice little bounce that actually makes for some nicely funky moments that sparkle with a soundtrack feel. Some tunes are easy – but there's some really nice ones on here, like Percy's cover of Freddie Hubbard's "First Light", or versions of "Pata Pata", "Enter The Dragon", "Corazon", "Crunchy Granola Suite", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Sing", "Kodachrome", "Pillow Talk", and "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia", all of which come off with the feel of some of the better tunes on the MPS Snowflakes compilation!

The great bandleader Sid Ramin lays down some goofy orchestrations as a background for John Klein's even goofier showcase of bells. According to the notes, he's got 1,453 of them, and they ring out lound and clear on things like "Jalousie", "Harbor Lights", and "In the Still of the Night". We're not sure if it's really the "sound America loves best", but it's still pretty goofy.

Titles include "When I Get To The Border", "We Sing Hallelujah", "The Great Valerio", "Down Where The Drunkards Roll", and "The Little Beggar Girl".

A beautifully packaged reissue of this rare set from 1964 – an early example of the genius of Albert Ayler, recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out – especially when playing overseas – but recorded with the clarity of some of his studio albums for ESP – that sharp-edged sound that really highlights the groundbreaking style of his playing! The rest of the group here is equally great – and the quartet features Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – the latter of whom is almost completely freed up from rhythm at some points. Titles include "Angels", "CAC", "Infant Happiness", and "No Name". Also includes a bonus fold-out poster with a painting of Ayler!

Pretty mellow stuff from George Benson, but with some nice moments! Don Sebesky handled the arrangements for this set of larger backings – but Benson's guitar is right out front, hitting some super-dope lines at the best moments, stretching out from the warm Fender Rhodes or horn heavy backings. Highlights include "No Sooner Said Than Done", which has some very weird processing on the guitar; "Full Compass", which has some nice hard drums; and "Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams", a mellow moody track. CD also features 3 bonus tracks – the previously unreleased "From Now On", and new mixes of "Serbian Blue" and "Take The A Train".

The life of Billie Holliday! Billie is one of the most fascinating singers in American musical history, both for her beautiful, amazing voice and for the life she led. Even the story behind this book about her life is fascinating! In the 70s, Billie Holliday was interviewed extensively for an intended biography by Linda Keuel, but she passed away in 1978 before her book about Billie could come out. Author Jula Blackburn mined the audio recordings of those interviews for this one – a biography that highlights Billie's strength and encourage. Paperback, 354 pages

Light mellow Verve-y instrumental orchestral stuff, featuring Don Costa's versions of contemporary pop stuff, like "Heroes & Villains", "All You Need Is Love", "Ode To Billie Jo". and "Valley of the Dolls". Not totally jazzy, but a nice package of soft groovy grooves, in a cool gatefold cover (with notes), and a great subdued easy feel throughout.

The album's hardly breakthrough for pianist Eldar Djangirov, given his success in recent years – but it is another bold step forward, served up in his richly flowing approach to the keys! Eldar's trio rolls out here with tight energy from the start – gathering force as they move forward, with a wonderful tangle of piano, bass, and drums – all effortlessly pulsing, dipping, and turning – even while Djangirov flows ahead on some wonderful free flights of his own! The approach is everything that's made Eldar such a strong new voice on the piano – and the group also features guest appearances from Chris Potter on tenor and Joe Locke on vibes – each on a different track. Titles include "Blink", "No Moon At All", "What'll I Do", "In Pursuit", "Morning Bell", "Point Of View Redux", and "Breakthrough".

One of Barry Gray's greatest moments – the ultra groovy soundtrack for Space 1999, the short-lived but well-remembered mainstream sci-fi show from the 70s! The title theme has a nice bit of a dancefloor bounce to it – pre-guessing the disco-copy mode that other space soundtracks were facing in the 70s by turning out its own original hit – and other tunes in the set follow a sometimes similar mode that makes the record far funkier than you'd guess for a soundtrack of this type! Some tracks are certainly more straightforward and dramatic, but there's plenty here in that funky Brit Easy mode of the mid 70s – lots of compressed instrumentation and some slight electronic touches – and often rhythms that are a lot harder than you'd expect! Highlights include "Breakaway", "Death's Other Dominion", "Black Sun", and a reprise of the theme.

A key album in the reintroduction of Coleman Hawkins in the late 50s – recorded in a style that still bears a lot of traces of earlier years, but at a time when Hawk was being claimed as a key influence by a variety of younger modernists! The set's got a sense of freedom that's really surprising – especially on the longer numbers, which unfold with some playful instrumental twists that seem to come especially from trumpeter Idrees Sulieman and trombonist JJ Johnson – both of whom are great on the record. Other players include Hank Jones on piano, Barry Galbraith on guitar, and Oscar Pettiford on bass – and titles include "Juicy Fruit", "Think Deep", "Blue Lights", "Sanctity", and "Chant".

Funky funky Groove Holmes – one of his tightest albums ever! The set's a monumental batch of organ jazz groovers – recorded with some larger backings from Manny Albam, and a super-dope, super-funk sort of 70s feel that's really outta site! The tracks are lean and very rhythmically oriented – all instruments grooving very strictly on the beat, except for Groove's wailing Hammond – which takes off over the top in some fierce musical flights! Bernard Purdie chops up some wicked drums on the set, and titles include "Red Onion", "Meditation", "Good Vibrations", "Chu Chu", and the solid groover "You've Got it Bad".

Seminal 70s southern soul from Millie Jackson – a record that's head and shoulders above most of what she recorded in later years! Before she got all naughty and raunchy, Millie Jackson was one of the best female soul singers to come out of the south – and this album's a work of understated brilliance that brings a new level of emotion and feeling to the music. The whole thing's conceived as a bit of a concept album – one in which Millie's a bit fragile at the start, due to unfulfilled love – then regains her confidence by confronting those around her, and eventually steps forth boldly as a proud, new woman. Jackson put together the record with producer Brad Shapiro – and the overall style is Muscle Shoals, but with a more sophisticated twist – thanks to inventive use of strings alongside the more standard soul rhythms. Highlights include a great remake of "If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right" (complete with a nice bit of spoken dialogue!) – plus "I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You", "It's Easy Going", "I'm Tired Of Hiding", "Summer (The First Time)", and the great "It's All Over But The Shouting". CD also features 4 bonus tracks – including alternate "live vocal" versions of "I'm Tired Of Hiding", "I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You", and "Feel Like Making Love" – and an instrumental called "A House For Sale" by The Muscle Shoals Swampers!

A brilliant album from the overlooked reedman Rudolph Johnson – his second session for the Black Jazz label, and even better than the first! There's a soaring, searching quality to the record that Johnson never had before – a way of handling his tenor with a tone that Coltrane would have envied, and which sparkles with some of Rudolph's most soulful 70s contemporaries – like Sonny Fortune or Andrew White! The tunes are almost all originals, and have this depth of vision that really holds us rapt throughout – a way of digging in and continuing to find new meaning throughout the course of Johnson's solos – with superb rhythm backing from the trio of Kirk Lightsey on piano, Kent Brinkley on bass, and Doug Sides on drums. Lightsey is wonderful too – maybe his best performance on record – and titles include the sublime numbers "The Highest Pleasure", "The Traveler", "Time and Space", and "The Water Bearer".

One of the grooviest albums ever recorded by guitarist Barney Kessel – a sweet reworking of Henry Mancini's fabulous music for Breakfast At Tiffanys! The set's got a warm feel and more than a bit of bossa nova inspiration – similar to some of the other Kessel and Shorty Rogers projects for Reprise at the time – and the group features some wicked reed work from Bud Shank and Paul Horn, both of whom add some great color to the set – and make it way more than just another trio date from Kessel! The whole thing's wonderful – filled with favorites from the Mancini songbook – titles that include "Something For Cat", "Sally's Tomato", "Mr Yunioshi", "The Big Blowout", "Hub Caps & Tail Lights", "Breakfast At Tiffany's", "Latin Golightly", "Loose Caboose", and "Moon River Cha Cha".

Sublime solo work from Steve Lacy – a perfect demonstration of the great leap forward he took on the soprano sax in the early 70s – documented beautifully on overseas recordings like this! The core of the set features material recorded in Avignon in 1972 – with Lacy using his instrument in wonderfully expressive ways – not just "free" or "out", but really melodic and lyrical at points too – a side that doesn't always show up in some of his more aggressive solo performances, but which really comes through on tracks like "Cloudy", "The Stations", "Josephine", "Original New Duck", and "Weal". CD features four more previously unissued tracks from these same sessions, then more great solo work from 1974 in Berlin – again never issued before – a whopping 9 bonus tracks in all, with titles that include "The Owl", "The Dumps", "The New Moon", "Dome", and "Holding".

A great little set of Latin jazz – and one of the strongest albums ever from flute man Hubert Laws! At the time of this recording, Laws was playing with Mongo Santamaria's group – and for this second solo outing, he borrows a lot of grooves from Mongo's bag – and also hits a few tasty lines of his own – mixing in even more of those great soul jazz inflections that always made his solos on the Santamaria records for Columbia some of the real highlights of the time. The groove is wonderful throughout – and other players include Chick Corea on piano, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Garnett Brown on trombone, Benny Powell on tenor, and Bobby Thomas on drums. There's some killer tight Latin numbers with a groovy 60s feel – like "Bloodshot", "Let Her Go", "Baila Cinderella", and "No You'd Better Not" – plus some other tasty jazz numbers like "Mean Lene" and "Strange Girl".

A great little set of Latin jazz – and one of the strongest albums ever from flute man Hubert Laws! At the time of this recording, Laws was playing with Mongo Santamaria's group – and for this second solo outing, he borrows a lot of grooves from Mongo's bag – and also hits a few tasty lines of his own – mixing in even more of those great soul jazz inflections that always made his solos on the Santamaria records for Columbia some of the real highlights of the time. The groove is wonderful throughout – and other players include Chick Corea on piano, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Garnett Brown on trombone, Benny Powell on tenor, and Bobby Thomas on drums. There's some killer tight Latin numbers with a groovy 60s feel – like "Bloodshot", "Let Her Go", "Baila Cinderella", and "No You'd Better Not" – plus some other tasty jazz numbers like "Mean Lene" and "Strange Girl".

A wonderful record by Bobby Lyle – and a genius blend of jazz, soul, and lots of other righteous sounds! Lyle started out as a keyboardist, but this album really has him taking off as a vocalist too – working in a sweet Roy Ayers-styled groove – one that blends mellow rhythms with warmly jazzy inflections – with roots in fusion, yet a tighter soul finish overall! Lyle's still got a few keyboard flights – of the sort heard on The Genie – but with Wayne Henderson at the production helm, things are a bit tighter overall – given a really wonderful focus that makes Bobby sound better than ever. Titles include the great funky number "Groove (Ain't No Doubt About It)", the warm stepper "Good Inside", and cool keyboard grooves like "Star Traveler", "Missing Your Love", and "Inner Space".

Two lost smokers from vibes legend Johnny Lytle – back to back on a single CD! The Soulful Rebel is lost early 70s set from Lytle – totally funky, but in a way that's very different than his famous 60s work! The album's got a sweet electric groove that comes not only from Johnny's vibes, but also from the sweet Hammond and Fender Rhodes of Billy Nunn, and the smoking guitar of David Spinozza – who really wails away here, and brings in a cutting edge to the tunes that's a lot sharper than some of his later work! Lytle's vibes are wonderful throughout – filled with that sense of space, soul, and timing that's always made him one of the grooviest players ever on the instrument – and this time around, he seems to have an even greater ear for unusual tones – in a way that makes the album sparkle strongly throughout! The rhythms are smoking, too – with Ron Carter on electric bass, Jozell Carter on funky drums, and Ray Barretto on congas – cooking things up righteously on the album's funky tunes. Highlights include the stone smoker "Gunky", a great remake of "The New Village Caller", and a reworking of "Lela" – plus the extended "Soulful Rebel Suite" – mighty nice! People & Love is one of Johnny Lytle's most righteous albums ever – a soaring, spacious set that's almost to Lytle's career what Gears was to Johnny Hammond's! Of course, Lytle's groove here is different – no Mizell production, and a mellower feel overall – but the unbridled space of 70s Milestone is definitely a key influence here – and Johnny stretches out here like never before! The players are all pretty hip – and include Daahoud Hadi (aka Butch Cornell) on electric piano and organ, Marvin Cabell on flute and tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Betty Glamann on harp, and Jozell Carter on drums – all perfect mates here for Johnny's spiritual exploration of sound with his vibes – in ways that are almost more amazing than work from Bobby Hutcherson or Roy Ayers at the time! Titles include an amazing original called "Libra", plus "Tawhid", "Where Is The Love", "Family", and a version of "People Make the World Go Round".

Weird and wild work from producer/performer Jean-Pierre Massiera – the force behind Les Maledictus Sound, and an even crazier talent on his own! The tracks on this first volume are completely over the top – a psychotic, psychedelic blend of fuzzy guitars, rough percussion, spare electronics, and occasional funky touches – sometimes topped with some even weirder vocals that further trip out the sound, and push things into territory that almost makes the Cherrystones compilations sound mainstream. Massiera clearly has plenty of skills in the studio – as the production here is as imaginative as the vocals and instrumentation – and work on the set is by a variety of artists, with titles that include "Bizarre" by Les Chats, "Space Woman" by Herman's Rocket, "Space Inferno" by Venus Gang, "Engins Bizarres Et Gens Etranges" by Basile, "La Turbie Piranhienne" by Piranhas, "Psychose" by Les Monegasques, "Jingle Jungle" by Starlights, and "Dali Court" and "Plus Jamais Ca" by Jean-Pierre himself!

Mulgrew Miller in a really fresh setting – working here as a key soloist in a European big band – one that seems especially tuned to the lyrical beauty of Miller's music! All tunes are originals by Mulgrew, re-arranged by various group members – turned into these full-on flights that really take off from the start – giving us an even broader imagining of the soulful visions that Miller's always had in his work. Mulgrew gets to solo plenty – and other key players include Michael Bladt and Claus Waitlow on tenor, Soren Bo Addemos on guitar, Rasmus Bogelund on trumpet, and Niels Lyhne Lokkegaard on alto – all of whom solo in the set. Titles include "Thinking Out Loud", "Return Trip", "Samba D'Blue", "Hand In Hand", "Grew's Tune", and "When You Get There".

Monk's alone in San Francisco – playing solo piano throughout, with that thoughtful, introspective approach to his work that we really love! Most of the tunes here are Monk originals or standards that Thelonious has played before at least a few times on record – but the solo setting almost has him pulling the tunes apart slowly – contemplating their components, then stepping through them with new inspiration as he puts them back together. Titles include "Blue Monk", "Pannonica", "Remember", "Reflections", "Bluehawk", "Everything Happens To Me",a nd "Round Lights". CD features 1 bonus track.

Two reed giants get some great vocal help here – singer Ozay, who works here with some really great inflections on an unusual choice of tunes! The record's less a heavy workout from Murray or Freeman – and in fact, the players split the record – so that neither is together on one track. Yet they also both really help give the record some shape – adding some depth alongside Ozay's great vocals – which are sometimes wordless, in a really cool way. Other players include Kirk Lightsey and DD Jackson on piano, Calvin Jones on bass, Billy Bang on violin, and Pheeroan Aklaff on drums – a very hip lineup that lives up to its promise. And titles include "Ancient Dancer", "Antiquated Love", "Instanblue", "En Guzel Deniz", "Peaceful Heart/Gentle Spirit", and "Intuitively".

A tremendous bit of psychedelic pop from sunny California at the end of the 60s – one of those records that has a heck of a lot more going on than most of the bigger sets at the time! Sunlight work in territory that's not unfamiliar – harmony vocals, guitar-based grooves, and slightly hippieish lyrics – but they've got a way of putting together the tunes that's really a cut above – a compelling style that somehow makes all the best elements really resonate strongly, with a perfection that delights more and more with each new track on the album! There's kind of a timeless quality to the record that almost makes it feel like something recorded many years later – but the overall production and instrumentation are very 60s-based, with a really great sound throughout. CD features the full album plus bonus tracks – and titles include "David", "Light Without Heat", "Hammond Eggs", "Sometimes A Woman", "Second Thoughts", "Seven Times Infinity", and "The Fun Machine".

A pair of very different albums from John Tchicai – both hard to find, and brought together here on a nicely priced package! Strange Brothers is overlooked brilliance from reedman John Tchicai – a late 70s session recorded for the FMP label, and easily one of the most soulful sets on the imprint at the time! The album's a tremendous showcase not only for Tchicai's work on soprano, alto, and bamboo flute – but also for the hard-edged tenor of Simon Spang-Hanssen – a player we don't know well, but who really unfurls with a nice sense of force on the set – pushing John even more than usual! Rhythms are great too – very bold, but focused enough to provide a strong pulse on the record – almost a modal groove at times – thanks to work from Peter Danstrup on bass and Ole Romer on drums. Titles include "KW", "I En Kaelder", "Darktown Highlights", "Mao", "Increasing Cosmopo", and "Cloak N Dagger". Put Up The Fight is one of the most electric records we've ever heard from reedman John Tchicai – not on his own instrument, but in the use of guitar and keyboards in the set – sometimes in modes that are nicely rhythmic, other times quite abstract! Tchicai's tenor, soprano sax, and bass clarinet are definitely the main focus of the record – but the settings change nicely throughout, thanks to work from Bent Clausen on vibes, guitar, and keyboards; Peter Danstrup on electric bass and keyboards; and Ole Romer on drums, percussion, and more guitar! At some moments, there's almost a New York 80s avant vibe to the record – but at other times, things have the more soulful feel of Tchicai's older work. Titles include "Put Up The Fight", "Adieu Tristesse", "Mai Mai", "Yoke Them Johnny", "Colomentality", and "Barbe Better".

A classic set of psychedelic soul from this fantastic 60s group! The record is one of the groundbreaking albums the Temps cut with producer Norman Whitfield – and it's a landmark session that perfectly showcases what Whitfield's full-on, guitar-heavy, bassy-bottom style could do for the group! A few mellow cuts hearken back to earlier days – but there's some excellent moments that really let the new sound shine – soaring out with trippier touches that are totally great! Highlights include the storming cut "I Can't Get Next To You", a trippy remake of "Hey Jude", the original "Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down", and the haunting "Message From A Black Man" – one of the most righteous moments ever in late 60s Motown!

Ed Townsend, the great soul composer and producer responsible for many big hits over the years, put together this album with some younger generation family members and an outside ringer. The result is a great album of modern group soul with a cool mellow soul vibe that's similar to some of the other great soul records on Chocolate City. Our favorite cut's the great midtempo cut "True Love", but other highlights include "It's You", "You Can", and "Wondering".

A masterpiece of smooth jazzy funk – and super-hip session headed up by the young keyboardist Bernard Wright! Wright's working here with an insider crowd of jazz funk players that includes Bobby Broom, Dave Grusin, Marcus Miller, and Don Blackman, whose funky style is very similar to Wright's. The record sort of picks up the groove where some of the Fantasy Records sessions of the 70s left off – mixing together jazz and soul into a captivating blend that's made even better by Dave Grusin's tight production. Includes Don Blackman's sample classic "Haboglabotribin", a nice version of Weldon Irvine's "Music Is The Key", and the cuts"Just Chillin' Out", "Master Rocker", and "Bread Sandwiches". Great all the way through, though – and a record that still delights us year after year!

The title definitely gets it right – as the set's filled with post-Motown gems from Detroit – a wealth of wonderful sounds from the Hot Wax/Invictus labels – almost all of it produced by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team! The music here represents the next evolution of Detroit soul in the years after the initial wave of Motown – music that still carries a lot of the spirit of before, and some of the style (given that HDH were working for the company) – but which also pushes things forward with a prouder, more righteous sound as well! The CD features a heady 23 tracks in all – with titles that include "Trapped In A Love" by Barrino Brothers, "Something New About You" by Silent Majority, "Let's Change The Subject" by Satisfaction Unlimited, "Tighten Him Up" by Eloise Laws, "Nothing Sweeter Than Love" by 100 Proof, "Only Time Will Tell" by General Johnson, "Deeper & Deeper" by Freda Payne, "Just As Long" by The 8th Day, "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Honey Cone, "Two Can Be As Lonely As One" by Danny Woods, and "Bright City Lights" by Satisfaction Unlimited.

Goldmine's second great volume of rare Detroit soul, featuring extremely hard to find tracks like "Yes I Love You Baby" by The Dynamics, "We Still Have Time" by The Metros, "Candle" by Doni Burdick, "Looking For A Woman" by Brooks Bros, "Go Down" by Highlights, "Arabia" by Royal Playboys (vocal version), "Soul Food" by Johnny Rogers, and "We Go To Pieces" by Forest Hairston. Lots lots more, with 22 cuts in all!

Raw mod and gritty funk rock grooves from team Le Beat Bespoke – the fourth set in the series – bubblegum garage, fuzzed out pop, funky percussion and wailing organs – this just might be the best in the series to date! Compiler Rob Bailey out does himself here, once again digging deep for obscure mod singles, groovy slabs of garage rock, with a few left turns such as a heavy Latin gem and a more psych-steeped number or two – propulsive, exciting numbers regardless of genre affections and fiery dancefloor ready rock tunes all the way! 20 tailor made cuts on the CD – a brief notes on each tune, all of which are exciting and groovy as can be! Titles include "Voodoo Medicine Man" by Jerry & Jeff, "False Alarm Love" by Peaceful Coalition, "Eg Veit Ao Pu Kemar" by Trubrat, "Feelin" by Joy Unlimited, "No Thank You Mr Pusher" by Big Tom, "King Of Siam" by East Of Eden", "Comin On Down" by The Twilights and more.

Twin pianos from Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones – with no other instrumentation – played in some great ways that provide an equal balance of rhythmic pulse and lyrical melody! The set's got a sweet stereo split – so that Tommy's in the right channel, and Hank is in the left – and the pair do a great job of bringing new life to a host of bop classics, yet in an all-piano style that has the music billowing out in these great waves of sound! Titles include "Robbins Nest", "Confirmation", "Jordu", "Our Delight", and "Lady Bird".

Trumpety magic from Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – a record that's known not only for its classic cover of a model dipped in whipped cream, but also for it's tremendously groovy groove! The Tijuana sound is very firmly in place by the time of this set – Mexican-inspired, but compressed down into a sweet little LA groove in that magical A&M way – never too over the top, done in a way that takes a previously-hokey brassy sound, and smoothes it out for the Now Sound generation! Titles include the hit single "Whipped Cream", plus "Taste Of Honey", "Green Peppers", "Bittersweet Samba", "Lemon Tree", "Ladyfingers", and "Butterball".

Titles include "Rags & Bones", "Acadian Driftwood", "Hobo Jungle", "Ophelia", and "It Makes No Difference".

One of the coolest albums we've ever heard from trumpeter Stephane Belmondo – a mighty tribute to the great Donny Hathaway – based around a mix of Hathaway's famous tunes and Belmondo's original tracks – and featuring a bit of guest work on vocals from Gregory Porter and Sandra Nkake! The instrumentation is the main focus here, though – and in addition to some great solos and leads from Belmondo, the set also features Fender Rhodes from Jacky Terrasson, and acoustic piano from Kirk Lightsey – plus some strings that help flesh out the sound with that special majesty that Donny brought to his music! Titles include great remakes of "Flying Easy" and "Someday We'll All Be Free" – plus "Turn Around Go Deep", "For All We Know", "You Were Meant For Me", "Ever After", and "Thought Of Spirit".

One of the last records that Booker Ervin ever recorded, and one of the best! There's a depth of tone and conception here that goes far beyond even Ervin's already-great albums for Prestige – a mix of modernism and soulful expression that really points the way towards jazz expression in the 70s – although sadly, Booker was to leave the planet before getting a chance to stretch out in that era. All 6 tracks on the album are originals – and they sparkle with the imagination found on some of the most top-shelf Blue Notes of the time – work by Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, or Wayne Shorter – played by a group that includes the amazing Richard Williams on trumpet (almost worth the price of the record alone), Bobby Few on piano, Lenny McBrowne on drums, and the little-known Cevera Jefferies on bass. Loads of dark edges, searing solos, and plenty of free flights into the sky – on titles that include "The In Between", "Tyra", "The Muse", "Mour", "Sweet Pea", and "Largo".

A huge batch of work from the great JJ Johnson – material that includes 14 tracks recorded for Savoy as singles in the late 40s – plus the full Jay & Kai 10" album from 1954! The singles were all recorded in 1946, 1947, and 1949 – and they already mark Johnson as one of the most inventive trombonists of his generation – a player working with none of the hoke of earlier eras, and with a clean, modern sound that's almost like that of a bop trumpet at times. Players on these dates include Cecil Payne or Leo Parker on baritone sax, Bud Powell or Hank Jones on piano, Sonny Rollins on tenor, and Max Roach on drums – and titles include "Coppin The Bop", "Jay Jay", "Mad Bebop", "Jay Bird", "Boneology", "Down Vernon's Alley", "Riffette", "Yesterdays", "Audobon", "Don't Blame Me", and "Goof Square". The remaining 8 tracks on the CD are from a 1954 10" album – titled Jay & Kai, with a lineup that's a bit different than the full Savoy album of that name. The core group here is quite unusual – as it features Johnson and Kai Winding as twin-trombone co-leaders, plus Charles Mingus on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – with either Billy Bauer on guitar on 4 tracks, and Wally Cirillo on piano on 4 others. The use of guitar without piano is especially inventive, and really highlights the modern inflections of the two trombonists – and titles include "Blues For Trombones", "Lament", "The Major", "Reflections", "Coop", and "Blues In Twos".

One of the leading lights of the ECM Records scene in the early 80s – bassist Marc Johnson, working here with his successful Bass Desires group! The lineup features some wonderful interplay on stringed instruments – Johnson's bass, and guitars from both John Scofield and Bill Frisell, the later of whom also plays a bit of guitar synthesizer, in very ECM-shaped lines. Drums are from Peter Erskine, who's well-heard when the moment allows – and titles include "Samurai Hee Haw", "Mojo Highway", "Thanks Again", "Bass Desires", and "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair".

Sweet, funky, and outtasite – one of Ramsey Lewis' greatest albums of the 60s – cut under the supervision of Chicago soul maestro Charles Stepney! The album's an amazing mix of jazz, funk, and the more baroque and spacey elements – that were running through the Chicago soul and jazz scene of the time – all coming together under the guidance of Lewis and Stepney, with a sound that points the way towards countless 70s recordings to come! Highlights include a bit of kalimba from drummer Maurice White, some great guitar from Phil Upchurch, and plenty of tasty electric keys from Ramsey himself – really laying back in a righteous kind of groove – hitting new heights on tunes that include "Bold and Black", "If You've Got it, Flaunt It", "Do What You Wanna", "Cecile", "Wanderin Rose", and "Opus #5".

Monk's alone in San Francisco – playing solo piano throughout, with that thoughtful, introspective approach to his work that we really love! Most of the tunes here are Monk originals or standards that Thelonious has played before at least a few times on record – but the solo setting almost has him pulling the tunes apart slowly – contemplating their components, then stepping through them with new inspiration as he puts them back together. Titles include "Blue Monk", "Pannonica", "Remember", "Reflections", "Bluehawk", "Everything Happens To Me",a nd "Round Lights".

Brilliant work – the last LP ever cut by Lee Morgan, a mindblowing session that always leaves us wondering how massive he would have become if he hadn't been tragically murdered shortly after it was recorded! The album's got lots of extended compositions, free flowing numbers played by a larger band than usual – one that features stellar playing by Billy Harper and Harold Mabern – both of whom are in their prime at this point. Harper is especially fantastic, and although not a leader on the album, soon became well known through his brilliant performance – and the fantastic original compositions "Capra Black" and "Croquet Ballet", both of which are highlights of the set. Other tracks include "In What Direction Are You Heading", "Angela", and "Inner Passions Out".

Mindblowing work from Minnie Riperton – her first solo album, cut at the end of the 60s, after a number of years of work with the group Rotary Connection. The album builds off the now famous sound of Rotary Connection – but takes it to the next level, with arch-baroque production by the great Charles Stepney – who couches Minnie's fantastic vocals in a suite of shimmering soulful tracks that mix strings, horns, jazzy piano, and slight touches of bouncing rhythms. The overall sound is impossible to describe – sort of a cross between Burt Bacharach on A&M, Scott Walker's 3rd album, and the sound of Marvin Gaye's What's Goin' On. The album's pure genius all the way through – one of the highlights of the Chicago scene of the 60s – and proof that Riperton, Stepney, and crew were shooting for the outer limits of soul music! Titles include "Les Fleur", "Only When I'm Dreaming", "Rainy Day In Centerville", "Memory Band", "Expecting", "Whenever Wherever", and "Oh, By The Way".

Unlike too many hip hop groups that break up, only to have each individual MC release a lot of weak material, Sadat X stays on track with production by Showbiz and Diamond D. If you ever thought that Brand Nubian was all about Grand Puba, Sadat's verses on these two overlooked cuts will remind you how crucial Sadat was/is to the Brand Nubian sound.

A late date for Woody Shaw, but a great one too – a bit more straightforward than some of his more righteous albums of the 70s, but still proof that Shaw is easily one of the greatest trumpeters of his generation! The album's got a laidback sort of feel, and features a fair bit of familiar standards – but Woody and the group do plenty to transform them, especially on the solo spots. Shaw's leading a quintet here – with Steve Turre on trombone, Kirk Lightsey on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Carl Allen on drums – and titles include "Steve's Blues", "Dat Dere", "Imagination", "If I Were A Bell", "You & The Night & The Music", and "Stormy Weather".

A great title for this Wayne Shorter set – given the free flights and soaring lines served up throughout! There's no need for a net, since Wayne's hardly likely to touch the ground – really loose and free right from the start of the album – less driven by the rhythms than pulling them along with his own boundless energy on tenor and soprano sax! But the rhythm players are plenty great, too – and definitely add to the sound of the set – with Danilo Perez on piano, John Patitucci on bass, and Brian Blade on drums – all players with just the right sort of boundless drive to match Shorter's imagination. The whole thing's great, less dark and obtuse than some of Wayne's other work of the past decade or so – and titles include "Orbits", "SS Golden Mean", "Plaza Real", "Flying Down To Rio", and the extended "Pegasus", which features a guest wind quintet!

A great title for this Wayne Shorter set – given the free flights and soaring lines served up throughout! There's no need for a net, since Wayne's hardly likely to touch the ground – really loose and free right from the start of the album – less driven by the rhythms than pulling them along with his own boundless energy on tenor and soprano sax! But the rhythm players are plenty great, too – and definitely add to the sound of the set – with Danilo Perez on piano, John Patitucci on bass, and Brian Blade on drums – all players with just the right sort of boundless drive to match Shorter's imagination. The whole thing's great, less dark and obtuse than some of Wayne's other work of the past decade or so – and titles include "Orbits", "SS Golden Mean", "Plaza Real", "Flying Down To Rio", and the extended "Pegasus", which features a guest wind quintet!

A Hammond organ double-header – two Verve classics from Jimmy Smith, back to back on a single CD! First up is Bashin – one of Jimmy Smith's biggest albums of the 60s – and a classic Verve pairing of his lean Hammond organ solos with the fuller, hard-swinging arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is working here at the height of his powers – backing Smith with a large group, but in a way that only seems to free him up to solo even more – pushing the tunes with an undeniable power from the all-star band, as Jimmy takes off on flights of soulful fancy over the top! Side two features some more stripped-down solo work – in the manner of Jimmy's later Blue Note sides – and the set includes the hit single "Walk On The Wild Side", plus the tracks "Bashin", "Step Right Up", and "Beggar For The Blues". Hobo Flats is another mighty pairing of Jimmy Smith and Oliver Nelson – one that has the heavy Hammond of Smith set up in some sparkling jazz backdrops from Nelson! The sound here has some bluesy undercurrents, as you might guess from the title – but Oliver's charts keep things hip throughout, and ensure that the record stays far from any 60s cliches in the music – and always keeps one ear out for the sharper edges that always makes Nelson's arrangements a great match for Smith. The horns are full at times, but Jimmy's organ bursts right out over the top – gliding along a great groove with a really inherent sense of rhythm. Titles include a shimmering bossa take on "Meditation", plus "Hobo Flats", "Walk Right In", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "The Preacher".

Sweet 70s work from Sonny Stitt – quite different than his bop years, but with a smooth funky finish that puts it in the same territory as CTI or Kudu Records in the 70s! Sonny's getting full backing here – arrangements by Don Sebesky, who crafts some elegant and slinky sounds for the album's gently grooving tracks – and although the set's not a hard-edged funk effort, it's got the same mix of soul and jazz that you'd find in some of Stanley Turrentine's work of the time. Sonny Plays both alto and tenor, and Roland Hanna handles the electric piano. Highlights include the bouncy "Blue Monsoon", a nice mellow version of "The World Is A Ghetto", and the tracks "Got To Be There", "Fifty Per Cent", and "Ben".

Cool Connoisseur Series reissue that brings together both of the 10" LPs that were recorded by Julius Watkins for Blue Note in the early 50's. This material is a key part of the label's history, but it's also the kind of stuff that they've ignored for years. It's a real treat to have it out again – because the sessions include stellar performances by Frank Foster, Kenny Clarke, Hank Mobley, Duke Jordan, and little known guitarist Perry Lopez, who complements Watkins' playing nicely on both LPs. The tracks include "Leete", "Linda Delia", "Perpetuation", and "Garden Delights" – and the music is an excellent mix of hard bop and modernist ideas, with a spooky sound that is unlike anything else we can think of.

A Guido Crepax cover, and a batch of amazing soundtrack grooves – all wrapped up wonderfully as the 9th installment in the all-great Easy Tempo series! The sound here is superb – a blend of jazzy, bossa, and slightly funky numbers – all played with plenty of soul, and served up with a sound that easily shows why Italy was one of the hippest music scenes in the world at the end of the 60s. Instrumentation includes snakey sax, slinky keyboards, rumbling percussion, and more – all arranged with plenty of amazing twists and turns that go far beyond any expectations you might have from American cinema of the time! Highlights include a live version of Piero Piccioni's "Colpo Rovente"; work by the swinging vocal group I Cantori Moderni on both "La Ragazza Dalla Dalla Pelle Di Luna" by Piero Umiliani and "L'Uomo Dagli Occhi Di Ghiaccio" by Pepo De Luca & I Marc 4; a Gak Sato edit of "Death Dies" by Goblin; an extended take on "Dancing For You" by Armando Trovajoli; and the sweet cut "Hard Times" by Piero Umiliani. 20 tracks in all – and wonderful throughout!

Cinematic soul rooted in the rawer organ, drums and horns vibes that resonated deeply in records from north to south in the 70s – done with a lean, tight and head nodding groove no doubt informed by Aloe Blacc's own roots in hip hop – on his best album yet and one of best raw soul styled albums ever to come from our friends at Stones Throw! Good Things is a giant leap ahead of Shine Through, Aloe's previous full length on the label. We loved that record for its gritty, unique approach to funky soul, but, Good Things reaches for the heights of Aloe's heroes from Donny Hathaway to Marvin Gaye – and comes closer than we could have imagined! It's produced by the Truth & Soul team, with a timeless funk & soul vibe comparable to their work with the great Lee Fields. We have a feeling we'll still be listening to this album 10-15-20 years from now. Essential! Titles include the underground breakout "I Need A Dollar", an incredible cover of The Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" (we must have dropped the needle on that 50 times in the first couple days we had it), "Green Lights", "Miss Fortune", "Good Things", "Loving You Is Killing Me", "Mama Hold My Hand", "Hey Brother" and more.

A totally wild little record – and one of the most unique jazz collections we've ever heard – or seen! The original package of the record is a 5LP presentation of music that brings together four of the most important French piano talents of the postwar years – Georges Arvanitas, Michel Graillier, Maurice Vander, and Rene Urtreger – interlocking together to provide a "puzzle" of sound that really encompasses all that's great about the French jazz scene! Each player gets one full record to themselves, then on the fifth album, they come together on one recording – working with larger arrangements by Ivan Julien, and a sound that's really mindblowing. Individual highlights include Georges Arvanitas playing a bit of organ on his record, Rene Urtreger getting a bit of guitar help from Marius Lorenzini on his, and Maurice Vander playing both electric and acoustic, with vibes from Bernard Lubat. The whole thing's great – and a treasure from the amazing Saravah label! Amazing package, too – with the 5-fold design of the original, housing three full CDs!

Pretty mellow stuff from George Benson, but with some nice moments! Don Sebesky handled the arrangements for this set of larger backings – but Benson's guitar is right out front, hitting some super-dope lines at the best moments, stretching out from the warm Fender Rhodes or horn heavy backings. Highlights include "No Sooner Said Than Done", which has some very weird processing on the guitar; "Full Compass", which has some nice hard drums; and "Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams", a mellow moody track.

A pair of great albums from Overton Berry – 1972's TOBE and 1970's Live At The Doubletree Inn – 2LPs in a double vinyl set from Light In The Attic! TOBE is an amazing little groover from the combo of pianist Overton Berry – and one of THE 70s funk classics from the Pacific Northwest! The record's really just a simple trio outing, but other elements drift into the mix as the record grooves on – including vibes, guitar, and even a bit of vocals on a few tracks! The core sound is a bit like that of the Monty Alexander group at their MPS funkiest – but the bottom here is a lot heavier, and the production really maximizes the sound of the bass on the record – taking full advantage of both the acoustic and electric uses of the instrument! Highlights include a gritty take on Nat Adderley's "Black Bottom", a famous drum break in a take on "Jesus Christ Superstar", a loping rendition of "Compared To What", and a great laidback version of Roland Haynes' cut "Eglise" – one we like almost as much as his original on the Black Jazz label! The other LP is The Overton Berry Trio At Seattle's Doubletree Inn – The funky piano trio's captured live at the start of the decade. Berry's got a nice groovy style on the piano here, andthe drummer and bassist play with a nice round sound that keeps the whole thing cooking nicely. This set's a mix of covers and originals by Berry, and includes the cuts "Oden", "Guacamolian Shuffle", "Aquarius", "Waterboy", "MB Blues", "Feeling Good", and "Hey Jude".

A beautiful album that more than lives up to its evocative title – an early session from John Coltrane, filled with long tracks that slide along brilliantly! As with many other classic Prestige albums from Trane, backing is by the trio of Red Garland piano, Paul Chambers bass, and Art Taylor drums – all holding back nicely when Coltrane opens up on his solos, but also coloring the tunes with soulful lyricism in a masterful understatement. The sound is about as classic as you can get during these early years in The Great One's career – and titles include "Traneing In", "Slow Dance", "Soft Lights & Sweet Music", and "Bass Blues".

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more.

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more.

Easily one of the greatest new funk records of the 21st Century – and a set that goes way beyond some of the cliches that are currently gripping others in the deep funk underground! El Michels Affair have a cool, easygoing style to their music – one that's as much 70s jazz as it is 60s funk – and which makes for tunes that have a looser structure overall, which allows much more room for instrumental interplay, and the kind of sweet surprises that make the album so great! These guys have a real penchant for an unusual rhythm and interesting instrumental flair – and they borrow as much from 70s soundtracks and Latin albums as they do from the funky 45 era that clearly gave them their start. Totally fresh all the way through, and a record that delights us a lot more than we might have expected! Titles include "Detroit Twice", "El Pueblo Unido", "Behind The Blue Curtains", "Ocho Rios", "Hung Up On My Baby", "This Song's For You", and "Slide Show".