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Great rootsy Cajun accordion – a version of the genre that's much grittier than any of the later versions that were spread more strongly through the mainstream – and definitely light years from the touristy sounds heard in more recent years! This set offers up a host of rare small label recordings from Nathan Abshire – a player who really handles his instrument with a personal touch – almost as raw and soulful as a harmonica in the hands of a blues musician, and often supported by rhythms that are pretty darn blue as well – although also with a definite Louisiana sound! The package features material with the Pine Grove Boys and Balfa Brothers group, plus others by Nathan on his own – and the set features 25 titles that include "Pine Grove Blues", "Offshore Blues", "Shamrock", "J'Etais Au Bal", "Choupique Two Step", "Partie A Grand Basile", and "Dying In Misery".

Gentle-going genius from the later years of Satchmo's career – a session that has Louis on trumpet and vocals, backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio! Peterson's usual group with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown is expanded slightly for this outing – bringing in Louis Bellson on drums to syncopate the tunes a bit more strongly, and give them that gently swinging rhythm that always works well with Armstrong's style. The real surprise, though, is Louis' voice – which is simple, almost elegant at times – and free from some of the gimmicks of other 50s sessions, or the too-playful style of his better-known duets of the period. We really love his gentle, honest approach to the lyrics here – on tunes that include "I'll Never Be The Same", "Moon Song", "What's New", "There's No You", "You Go To My Head", "That Old Feeling", and "Let's Fall In Love". CD also features 4 bonus tracks – including "Let's Do It", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Makin Whoopee".

A beautiful package of work from trumpeter Clifford Brown – his complete Emarcy master takes for work with three key singers in the 50s – Helen Merrill, Sarah Vaughan, and Dinah Washington! Brown's trumpet has a fluid, soulful style that's easily one of the most modern of the time – which makes for a really striking accompaniment for all vocalists included – especially Washington, who really breaks out from her bluesier modes on the Clifford Brown sides – making an argument here that the trumpeter really helped take her singing to the next level! The lavish 3CD package is in a cool 7" book-style cover, with a really beautiful full color book inside – and the set features a huge amount of work with Washington (2 of the 3 CDs) – with titles that include "No More", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Lover Come Back To Me", "I'll Remember April", and some ballad medley tracks from a jam session. The last CD features work with Sarah Vaughan and Helen Merrill – titles that include "April In Paris", "He's My Guy", "Jim", "I'm Glad There Is You", "I'm Crazy", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Falling In Love With Love", and "Yesterdays".

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". This is the Verve master edition with 20-bit remastering, bonus track, new liner notes, photographs, cover art & more.

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

Classic party rockin' first school hip hop from 1980 – an elongated jam that holds up incredibly well all these years later! The Sound of Brooklyn is the full name of the track and the label – and it's features Master Jay and Michael Dee dropping straight up classic old school rhymes over an unstoppable, 8+ minute roller skating style groover! "Part 2" on the flip is the instrumental track. A perfect post disco hip hop jam!

8 instrumental loop tracks, from straight hip hop to electro/b-boy classics Tools for the serious DJ's crates.

Thelonious Monk plays the music of Duke Ellington – but as you can imagine, the sound here is quite different than usual! At a time when Ellington was working mostly in large group format for the mainstream, Monk's presentation of his standards in trio format is a wonderful way to unlock their nascent modernism – the angular tones, lines, and complex ideas that were still present in the orchestra readings of the tunes, but which would show up even more strongly in Duke's smaller group dates of the 60s. Many numbers bear the familiar Monk imprint – complicated lines on the keys and sharp changes that really reignite the numbers – and rhythm here is from Oscar Pettiford on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Mood Indigo", "It Don't Mean A Thing", "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good", and "Caravan".

A classic bit of mature mood music – one that featuers 60s instrumental pop themes, mixed with sound effects of a rainy stormy night! Titles include "Love Is Blue", "Waltz For Tricia", "Lover's Lullaby", "Visions", "Come Saturday Morning", "I Can't Get Away From You", "Monday, Monday", "4:22 AM", and others.

A brilliant date from the later years of Woody Shaw – an album that equally shows Woody's own talents, and those of his key group of younger players too! Shaw's trumpet is perfect in both modes here – the hard-blown righteous numbers Woody first gave the world from his start, and the warmer, more sensitive ballads he was crafting a bit later in his career – never too smooth or mellow, but showing a nice link to tradition in his tone. All tracks are longish, and the group features Steve Turre on trombone, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Tony Reedus on drums – all familiar players to Shaw, working tightly together on the date. As an added bonus, Bobby Hutcherson joins the group for most of the set – ringing out a strongly soulful tone on his vibes, on titles that include "Misterioso", "400 Years Ago Tomorrow", "Diane", and "Sweet Love Of Mine". The album also features a bonus interview track with Woody too!

Tracks include "Wake Up", "Shaky Trax", "Foot Work" and the remix.

Breakneck live work from Miles Davis – and proof that his famous 60s quintet wasn't only just about mellow and spacious sounds! The set was recorded at the same concert as the album My Funny Valentine – and while that one's mostly ballads, this one's mostly high tempo numbers that skip along with incredible ease – crackling with modern touches on the rhythm from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and featuring some really excellent work by George Coleman on tenor sax! Titles include "Four", "So What", "Joshua", and "Seven Steps To Heaven".

A masterpiece of early electric Dylan – featuring classics like "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Maggie's Farm", "Mr Tambourine Man", "Gates Of Eden", "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", "It's Alright Ma", and "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream". This Sundazed edition on 180 gram vinyl is the first original mono reissue in more than 3 decades!

One of the first albums to ever issue recordings made at the Newport Jazz Festival – quite a big hit, and the beginning of a real trend in jazz! The set's also some great work by Duke – free to perform in a setting that's not bound by some of the time restrictions of earlier years, which lets him offer up three long tracks with a great deal of sophistication over previous recordings. Titles include "Jeep's Blues", "Diminuendo & Crescendo In Blue", and "Newport Jazz Festival Suite".

Another Santana LP you'll probably be embarrassed to admit you own because it's such a hackneyed classic rock relic, but we won't tell on you, because it's also a great batch of Latin rock numbers with more than a shade of funk and jazz inflection underneath the pyrotechnic guitar solos. Drop cuts like "Batuka","Toussaint L'Overture", "Jungle Strut" or "Para Los Rumberos" next to tracks by War, Mandrill or Tower Of Power and you'll see what we mean. Also includes "No One To Depend On","Taboo", "Guajira" and "Everything's Coming Our Way".

A brilliant date from the later years of Woody Shaw – an album that equally shows Woody's own talents, and those of his key group of younger players too! Shaw's trumpet is perfect in both modes here – the hard-blown righteous numbers Woody first gave the world from his start, and the warmer, more sensitive ballads he was crafting a bit later in his career – never too smooth or mellow, but showing a nice link to tradition in his tone. All tracks are longish, and the group features Steve Turre on trombone, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Tony Reedus on drums – all familiar players to Shaw, working tightly together on the date. As an added bonus, Bobby Hutcherson joins the group for most of the set – ringing out a strongly soulful tone on his vibes, on titles that include "Misterioso", "400 Years Ago Tomorrow", "Diane", and "Sweet Love Of Mine". The album also features a bonus interview track with Woody too!

A sad little album that has Frank still in the throes of the emotional loss expressed on The Wee Small Hours album – working here with Gordon Jenkins arrangements that use a fair bit of strings to well up the darkness that lurks in the songs on the set. The album kicks off with the sublime "Where Are You?", one of the greatest songs of loss we could ever recommend – and then moves into some incredible readings of standards like "Where Is The One", "I'm A Fool To Want You", "I Cover the Waterfront", "Laura", and "Lonely Town" – all done in a style that's emotive, yet never overwrought, perfect sad Sinatra all the way!

A super huge hit for George – the record that took him from being a funky jazz guitarist into an R&B superstar! The album features George playing and singing over arrangements by Claus Ogerman – some of Ogerman's best of the 70s, ones that mix together his trademark pillow of sound with a slightly funky bounce. The result is incredible – and the album is filled with loads of great songs – including George's excellent version of Bobby Womack's "Breezin", the hit version of "This Masquerade", and the cuts "So This Is Love", "Six To Four", and "Affirmation".

The third album by Black Sabbath – the album that put the heavy in metal – one of the most influential rock albums of all time and a record that finds Sabbath at absolute peak perfection! This is the one that set the Sabbath style in stone, honing in the the heavy riffs, thundering drums and eerie mood perfectly. Includes the ultra classics "Sweet Leaf" and "Children Of The Grave", plus "After Forever", "Lord Of This World", "Solitude", "Into The Void" and the instrumentals "Embryo" and "Orchid".

A great collection of some of the less-collected work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings done in Europe for the Metronome and Vogue labels, plus a date for Prestige with Tadd Dameron's band! Although Brown's work for Blue Note and Pacific Jazz has been well documented and presented over the years, this set is the first to do such a good job with some of these other sides – bringing to light some impeccable work from a key point in Brownie's career! Sides feature Brown working with the Swedish All-Stars led by Quincy Jones, Gigi Gryce & Orchestra, the Gigi Gryce-Clifford Brown octet, and a Parisian quartet with Henri Renaud, Pierre Michelot, and Benny Bennett. The set features 31 tracks in all – and titles include "Scuse These Blues", "Brown Skins", "Goofin With Me", "Choose Now", "Theme Of No Repeat", "Hello", "All Weird", "Strictly Romantic", "Baby", "No Start No End", "I Can't Dream Can't I", and "Conception".

With Muggs & B Real.

Some great work that will completely redefine your ideas about calypso music – especially if they're mostly relegated to cliches about Harry Belafonte! The tracks here were all recorded by Rupert "Lord Invader" Grant in New York during the late 40s and early 50s – and done with a rough-edged quality that really lives up to the dynamic promise of the title! Most tunes are heavy on acoustic percussion underneath the vocals – used starkly and strongly to underscore the brash lyrics of the songs. CD features 17 tracks that include "Chicago Chicago", "New York Subway", "Out The Fire", "Ten Thousand To Bar Me One", "Cousin Family", "When You Hear I Die", "Labor Day", and "Brown Girl In The Ring".

24 tracks in all.

With all the returns, reunions, and comebacks of classic hip hop artists over the past few years, none have been as dope as Pete Rock's. On this track he's joined by Inspectah Deck and Kurupt. And don't be put off by the fact that Kurupt is on the record. Here, he delivers some nice verses that sound nothing like his work with the Dogg Pound (he's originally from Philadelphia, if we remember right.) And Inspectah Deck steps things up a few notches from his recent work with Wu-Tang.

Funky treasures back to back – two Watsonian albums from the late 70s on one CD! Master Funk is a great Johnny Guitar Watson side project – a set not billed directly to his name on the front, but which has all the great hallmarks of the best Watson albums from the 70s! Johnny produced, wrote songs, played, and sung on the record – but there's also an equal focus on his backing group too – which means maybe a bit lead guitar upfront, and more vocals from the whole ensemble – who work together to give the whole thing a mighty great party sound! In fact, some of the best numbers almost have a roller boogie vibe that's not unlike early hip hop – although other numbers get much bassier, and funkier overall. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Virginia's Pretty Funky", "De John's Delight", "Lady Voo Doo", "Master Funk", and "The Funk If I Know". Extra Disco Perception is hardly the disco promised in the title – and more of a club funk album overall – served up with plenty of input from the great Johnny Guitar Watson! The album's a great break from Johnny's usual groove – as he's able to retire his personality a bit, and slide in with the groove of the rest of the band – even though Watson's still at the helm – handling the writing, arrangements, and production of the record! The band handles most of the vocals, though – in a cool catchy style that works great with their tight instrumentation – and the whole thing's mighty groovy throughout. Tracks include "Pretty Brown Doll", "Rock", "Pretty Miss T", and "New York New York".

Wax Poetics goes nearly all hip hop for this issue – covering original game-changers and the best contemporary revisionists alike – with cover features on Nas, Danny Brown, Master P and his No Limit legacy, and Shabazz Palaces! Wax Poetics, tasked with following up their decade milestone issue, pulls that off brilliantly here. It's got one of the best, realest interviews with Nas we've ever read, a great look at Master P's No Limit and the Beats By The Pound production empire, a resurgent El-P, the legendary Kurtis Blow, Killer Mike, Oddisee, THEESatisfaction, Cities Aviv, modern jazz great Robert Glasper and much more!

A late 70s classic from jazzy funk master George Duke! Master Of The Game is an excellent mix of jazz, smooth soul, and Latin riffing – really a perfect blend of styles that shows not only how far George's sound had progressed throughout the 70s, it also charts the development of the California scene during the late 70s. George has musical help from Ray Obeido, Roland Bautista, and Sheila E – plus vocals by Lynn Davis, Josie James, and Napoleon Brock. The tracks have a smooth sound that works perfectly with Duke's best keyboard approaches – subduing his tenency to "rock out" a bit, but bringing forward his classic ability to hit a stone mellow groove. Titles include "I Want You For Myself", "Every Little Step I Take", "Look What You Find", "I Love You More", "Dog Man", and "Games".

A nice bit of Detroit Techno – one that really crossed over into the mainstream, hitting all the stops on the remixes here with one from Derrick May, another from Juan Atkins, another from Steve Silk Hurley and the radio version of the original from Kevin Saunderson!

They got the title right on this one – and the album's a smoking batch of tunes that captures Freddie in all his guitar-driven glory! The set features Freddie working with a tight Atlantic studio group that includes King Curtis, David Newman, James Booker, and Billy Butler – but the sound is raw, rootsy, and has a nice down-homey feel – with none of the cliches that you might expect from a release on Cotillion. Freddie sings a bit, but the best cuts are the instrumental ones, which take his older blues guitar style into a funkier Atlantic groove. King Curtis produced, and the titles include "Play It Cool", "Blue Shadows", "Hot Tomato", "Wide Open", "Sweet Thing", "Hideaway", and the excellent groover "Funky " – a massive instrumental filled with great guitar!

Formative work from Duke Ellington – an insane amount of crucial recordings from the 30s, package together here with copious notes, session information, personnel, and wonderful sound! The music shows Ellington really coming into his own – working with his Famous Orchestra of the time, and creating initial recordings of tunes that would go onto transform a generation – finding a great way to mix together the modern inflections of the whole ensemble, with important solo voices of players like Johnny Hodges on alto sax, Cootie Williams on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Juan Tizol on valve trombone, and Harry Carney on alto and baritone sax! The package brings together seminal 78rpm sides for labels that include Brunswick, Columbia, and Master – and although there are some alternate takes in the set, there's also a stunning amount of different songs recorded during these years – laid out in the package on 11 CDs features a total of 252 tracks in all. As usual, the presentation is superb – and a great reminder that these Mosaic boxes are even more essential for material from the 78rpm era than they are for the LP jazz of later years!

A late 70s classic from jazzy funk master George Duke! Master Of The Game is an excellent mix of jazz, smooth soul, and Latin riffing – really a perfect blend of styles that shows not only how far George's sound had progressed throughout the 70s, it also charts the development of the California scene during the late 70s. George has musical help from Ray Obeido, Roland Bautista, and Sheila E – plus vocals by Lynn Davis, Josie James, and Napoleon Brock. The tracks have a smooth sound that works perfectly with Duke's best keyboard approaches – subduing his tenency to "rock out" a bit, but bringing forward his classic ability to hit a stone mellow groove. Titles include "I Want You For Myself", "Every Little Step I Take", "Look What You Find", "I Love You More", "Dog Man", and "Games". This Soulmusic.com edition includes 2 bonus tracks: "I Want You For Myself (US Single Edit) and "Every Little Step I Take (US Single Edit)".

A near-forgotten gem from Coleman Hawkins excellent late 50s period – recorded for the short-lived Felsted label, and done in a beautifully relaxed way! The tracks here are long and easy-going – at times even more open than Hawkins' work for Verve, and in the style he'd explore even more deeply for Prestige on some albums recorded right after this set. Hawk is playing in a quintet with Buck Clayton on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Mickey Sheen on drums – and titles include "My One & Only Love", "Bird Of Prey Blues", "Get Set", "Ooh Wee Miss GP", "Vignette" and "You've Changed".

A key later session from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – a record that gained them global exposure through the ECM label, and which has them working in a beautifully subtle sense of sound, space, and tone! The work is less all-out challenging than some of the group's earliest recordings – but no less strong, as if anything, the AEC has mastered their musical vision so well, they're coming across here with an extremely cohesive sound. Instrumentation includes a wide range of percussion, plus the usual bass of Malachi Favors and the saxes of Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell – and tracks include "Ja", "Folkus 11", "597-59", and "Dreaming Of The Master".

A great little set from salsa legend Sammy Ayala – an original member of the 50s born Cortijo Y Su Combo orchestra of Puerto Rico – singing warmly and wonderfully on this excellent self-titled set on the Candela label! An all star roster of modern producers and players indebted to Sammy and his style contribute – include Quantic, Nicodemus, Truth & Soul combo Bronx River Parkway, Mo'Horizons and others – but this feels like the work of an old school master, as it should. Timeless stuff and a worthy effort by all! Titles include "Otra Vez", "Invitacion Al Salon", "Corazon" feat Bronx River Parkway, "El La San Sebastian" feat Mo'Horizons, "Huellas De La Ilusion" and more.

A mid 60s spy soundtrack by Luis Bacalov – and a mighty one it is! OSS-77 Operazione Fior Di Loto has sequences ranging from a heavy, dramatic sweep, to strings & keys-spun tension, loungey jazz, eerie organ, bits of bossa and beyond – in other words, a pitch perfect and full scale Euro espionage adventure soundtrack! Fine, fine work from soundtrack master Bacalov! Include the opening and closing themes, with 20 sequences on the title "Oss-77 Operazione Fior Di Loto" in between.

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". The 9th Wonder produced single "Honey" is an unlisted bonus track.

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". The 9th Wonder produced single "Honey" is an unlisted bonus track.

Minimalist drone from Masaki Batoh of Ghost – sparely beautiful and somewhat ominous soundscapes from ever-creative experimenter – and the way he created these sounds is kinda mindblowing! Brain Pulse Music is literally what Masaki Batoh has here. Essentially, he dreamed up a machine that could convert radio-transmitted brainwave/EKG data into a more audible frequency. He then found some people to make that happen! Also in the mix here are both peaceful sounding and kind of clattering bits of more traditional Japanese instrumentation – drums, gongs and bells. Dreamy, haunting stuff from a master experimentalist! Includes "Kunamo Codex 1", "Eye Tracking Test", "Kumano Codex 2", "Kumano Codex 3", "Kumano Codex 4", "Kumano Codex 5" and "Aiki No Okami".

Rhythmic early 60s global grooves from John Berberian – a master of the oud with a great group of players on these oft intense takes traditional Turkish, Armenian and Arabic songs! The melodies and rhythms are pretty impressive – the percussion is particularly heavy and groovy! The oud is out front and supported by lots of clarinet and bongo, hand percussion, guitar, bass and some vocals, too! There's a passion here that easily trumps any initial thoughts that this would be a dry reading of middle-eastern folk material – it's appealing in many of the ways that Salah Ragab's Egyptian jazz material is, without the cosmic funkiness. Players include Souren Baronian on clarinet and bongos, Jack Chalikian on canun, John Valentine on guitar and dudoog, among others. Tracks include "Siseler", "Laz", "Basha Bella", "Whyek", "Taksim", and "Nubar Nubar".

A jazz funk masterpiece, and THE record by the legendary Don Blackman – the only one issued under his own name for many many years, and a famous little set that's been sampled endlessly over the years, and for good reason! The vibe here is one that's barely been matched again – a blend of 70s fusion, bassy funk, and even tighter riffing – all put together with a greater depth and sense of soul than most other records of its type. Blackman's a GRP contemporary of Bernard Wright, Tom Browne, and Weldon Irvine – and there's bits of all their sound in the work here, but somehow Don does it even better – hitting these grooves, notes, and lines that seem to fall from the heavens – and which still stand as some of the hippest music of his generation. A record to file proudly next to your copies of Ramp and James Mason – and like those gems, the kind of record that only happens once in an artists career! Titles include "You Ain't Hip", "Yabba Dabba Do", "Heart's Desire", "Deaf Hook Up Connection", "Never Miss A Thing", and "Holding You Loving You", and "Since You Been Away So Long".

A beautifully sensitive album from Donald Byrd – quite a change from his better-known jazz funk work of the 70s and early 80s – and part of a back-to-basics move he made in part of that latter decade! The album's very much in the best straight mode of the Landmark Records label scene of the time – Byrd blowing strong and soulfully in the company of a key combo that features Kenny Garrett on alto, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums – all players who really bring a lot of fire to the record, and almost push Byrd back to his pre-electric 60s years on Blue Note. Mike Daugherty plays synth on two tracks – using the instrument in gentle, string-like ways – but overall the record is proudly acoustic at most moments. Titles include "Harlem Blues", "Fly Little Byrd", "Voyage A Deux", "Sir Master Kool Guy", and "Blue Monk".

An amazing full length collection of work from Rickey Calloway – an artist we've really only known from individual singles, but one who packs a hell of a punch in the space of this rock-solid CD! Rickey's groove is right out of the James Brown camp of the glory days – tight tight tight instrumentation, filled with lots of riffing grooves that are right on the beat – topped with Rickey's amazing vocals, which feel like they're lifted from some obscure funky 45s from back in the day! Production is nice and raw on most numbers and there's a few mellower deep soul tracks which help round out the sound wonderfully – giving the set the full scope you might normally expect to hear from Lee Fields. The packaging on this one's a bit slim, but the music's totally great – and the set features 16 killer cuts that include "Tell Me", "Lose It", "Shed A Tear", "Groove Master", "Get The Groove", "That's The Way", "Paying My Dues", "Get It Right", "A Letter", "I'm In Love", and "The Feeling".

Candido cut sooo many great Latin records over the years, spanning a wide range of styles, we have a hard time deciding which we love the best. We like to think this may be his best album from the early part of his career, specifically because it features the master conga player amidst a tight jazz lineup, who leave him plenty of room to solo and just plain get down doing his thing. Dick Hyman's on organ, Joe Puma's on guitar, and Ernie Royal's on trumpet, with George Duvivier and Charlie Persip in the rhythm section. 8 tracks in all, including "Afro Blue", "Caravan", "Softly But Blue", "Blue Lou", "Blue Prelude", "Bongo Baby", "Blue Dirge" and "Candido Cocktail".

Amazing work from John Carpenter – still a dedicated soundtrack composer long into his film career – and always a master of spare, spooky electronics! The instrumentation here is a bit evolved from some of his earliest classics – different keyboards and electronics developed during the 80s – but the overall approach is still very similar, and co-performed with Allan Howarth, who always gives Carpenter's music the right sort of careful balance! Carpenter does a lot with just a little – never making things overblown, especially in the way that some of his contemporaries might do – and titles include "Transient Hotel", "Wake Up", "Underground", "A Message", "Return To Church", and "The Siege Of Justiceville". This limited edition on orange & black vinyl comes with an exclusive 12 x 12 lithograph & a poster of the cover art.

Early 70s greatness from Don Cherry – a double album's worth of profoundly spiritual soundscapes paired with lots of weird effects – and a very laidback groove overall! Tracks are written by Cherry, Terry Riley, Pharoah Sanders, and Nana Vasconcelos – and include performances by Don on trumpet, voice, and harmonium. Lots of cool percussion elements by the group, with some tabla and other Indian instrumentation. Titles include "Elixir", "Relativity Suite (Parts 1 & 2)", "Terry's Tune", "Hope", "The Creator Has a Master Plan", and "Resa".

Early 70s greatness from Don Cherry – a double album's worth of profoundly spiritual soundscapes paired with lots of weird effects – and a very laidback groove overall! Tracks are written by Cherry, Terry Riley, Pharoah Sanders, and Nana Vasconcelos – and include performances by Don on trumpet, voice, and harmonium. Lots of cool percussion elements by the group, with some tabla and other Indian instrumentation. Titles include "Elixir", "Relativity Suite (Parts 1 & 2)", "Terry's Tune", "Hope", "The Creator Has a Master Plan", and "Resa". In a cool, trippy gatefold, too!

A classic from the undisputed master of the swing jazz jam session! Jumpin' At The Woodside has Buck Clayton recreating a Count Basie vibe, but in a much more open-ended, and long-grooving way! Most of the tracks on the record are nice and long – really opening up with a solo-heavy, jam session sort of style – and players shift from track to track, and include Woody Herman on clarinet, Coleman Hawkins on tenor, Al Cohn on tenor, Urbie Green on trombone, and Ruby Braff on trumpet. Titles include "Broadway", "Rock A Bye Basie", "Jumpin At The Woodside", and "Blue & Sentimental".

A fantastic bit of modern soul from Norman Connors – proof that he was still growing and changing as an artist, continuing to push his groove into whole new areas as the 70s progressed. The record takes the smooth jazzy sound of the earlier Buddah sides, sharpens it into a more sophisticated modern soul style, fused with a bit of a quiet storm vocal approach, to create a wonderfully mature album of silky soul tracks. Part of the strength comes from the vocalists – who include Eleanor Mills and Jean Carn – and Norman also does a bit of singing on the record, and comes across surprisingly well. Tracks include "Stella", "This Is Your Life", "Wouldn't You Like To See", "Butterfly", "Captain Connors", and a wonderful jazzy soul reworking of "The Creator Has A Master Plan".

A fantastic bit of modern soul from Norman Connors – proof that he was still growing and changing as an artist, continuing to push his groove into whole new areas as the 70s progressed. The record takes the smooth jazzy sound of the earlier Buddah sides, sharpens it into a more sophisticated modern soul style, fused with a bit of a quiet storm vocal approach, to create a wonderfully mature album of silky soul tracks. Part of the strength comes from the vocalists – who include Eleanor Mills and Jean Carn – and Norman also does a bit of singing on the record, and comes across surprisingly well. Tracks include "Stella", "This Is Your Life", "Wouldn't You Like To See", "Butterfly", "Captain Connors", and a wonderful jazzy soul reworking of "The Creator Has A Master Plan".

A masterpiece of mellow soul and jazzy grooves, with the heavenly title cut – "You Are My Starship" – which features Michael Henderson on vocals and Gary Bartz on sax! Bartz plays on a number of other cuts, too, including a remake of "The Creator Has a Master Plan", "Just Imagine", and a remake of "Betcha By Golly Wow", with Phyllis Hyman on vocals. Hyman also sings a duet with Michael Henderson on the track "We Both Need Each Other". Great stuff, and a groundbreaking LP that showed the world that Norman was going to make as big of a splash on the soul scene as he did in the jazz world!

A trio of Anthony Braxton alumni take on some of the master's amazing compositions – played here in free-flowing modes by the group of Marilyn Crispell on piano, Marc Dresser on bass, and Gerry Hemmingway on drums! The compositions are all Braxton numbered formulas – those incredibly difficult math-based modes that initially seem intimidating, but which, to the right set of eyes, can become beautiful platforms for improvisation and musical expression – as you'll hear in the riveting performances on the set! Titles include "Composition 116", "Composition 23C", "Composition 69B", "Composition 40N/40B", and "Composition 108C/110/69Q".

The creepy creepy soundtrack to Carrie – penned by Pino Donagio with a wonderful mix of the sweet and the sickly! Things start out lush, almost romantic at points – setting us up for a big fall as the darker, more horrific moments come into the mix – put together with some great atonal orchestrations that almost feel like they were lifted from Italian films of the time – getting increasingly dramatic as the story moves on! There's also a few proto-disco numbers that offer a nice respite – almost funky club numbers that were most likely used in the high school dance scene – and this CD debut of the music was remastered entirely from the master tapes, and brings together all the music in the correct film order – with bonus tracks too. Titles include the vocal numbers "Born To Have It All" and "I Never Dreamed Someone Like You Could Love Someone Like Me" – plus "Carrie Returns Home", "Carrie & Miss Collins", "The Principal's Office/The Ashtray", "The Tuxedo Shop", and "The Retribution".

A sterling set from the great Will Downing – and a record that definitely has the master at the top of his game throughout! The package features some songs from his recent trilogy of EP releases – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow – but also includes five new songs too – and together, the tunes work wonderfully to create one of the best full length efforts from Downing in years! Will's got this style that's easy-flowing, yet completely confident too – a reminder that sometimes the best approach to male soul music is one that relaxes into the groove – in ways that so many other singers in the younger generation seem to have forgotten. The backings are great too – as laidback as Downing's vocals, without any of the clunk that might have happened if Will was recording for a bigger label trying to push him into the charts. There's plenty of glow and warmth throughout – and titles include "Only One", "Send For Me", "Falling", "Stuff That I Like", "One Step Closer", "Never Find Another Love", "Sexy", and "You Were Meant Just For Me" – a duet with Avery Sunshine. Also includes a totally great long track – a "live rehearsal" of the medley "I Go Crazy/Wishing On A Star/Try".

Will Downing, the next chapter – quite possibly the greatest entry in his trilogy of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow albums – and filled with fresh grooves that really let Will take off strongly! The vocals are sublime (could we expect anything less from Downing?) – and the rhythms have a lean, crispy, 21st Century soul vibe that turns out to be a perfect fit for Will's singing – one that's handled by the mature singer without any sense of cliche, and great care to keep things from ever getting too commercial or heavy handed. A brilliant third act from the master – with cuts that include "Here I Go", "Side To Side", "Only One", and "Falling".

A landmark look at the rise of hip hop in the New York scene – filmed in the mid 80s, and featuring loads of vintage footage from the streets! The images here are alone worth the price of admission – but there's also plenty of compelling meat to the feature too – including vintage interviews with Grand Master Flash, Run DMC, Schoolly D, Mr Magic, Biz Markie, Doug E Fresh, Roxanne Shante, and CBS Crew – all done in voices that are as fresh as the music they were making at the time! The film is like finding a time machine back to the old school – and although the feature is only about 45 minutes, it packs plenty of punch.

Beautiful live recordings from Bill Evans – recorded with his late 60s trio that included the incredible Eddie Gomez on bass, plus Marty Morell on drums – a lineup that was really taking off with Bill at the time, and learning how to make some wonderful music together! The setting is the Jazzhus Monmartre in Copenhagen, in November of 1969 – and the tracks have a nice compact feel, not as drawn out as other recordings from the venue at the time – still showing Evans to be a master of economy, even when opening up and exploring new ideas. Bill's also got a bit more punch on the piano than a few years later, which mixes the soulful and lyrical sides of his talents nicely – on titles that include "How My Heart Sings", "Autumn Leaves", "Five", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Sleepin Bee", and "Stella By Starlight".

An excellent reissue of the Wild Style soundtrack that exactly reproduces the original single LP format! The album's nice and lean, with 12 great tracks – including "Wild Style Theme Rap 1" by Grandmaster Caz & Chris Stein, "Basketball Throwdown" by Cold Crush Bros & The Fantastic Four, "Stoop Rap" by Double Trouble & Rodney Cee, "Rammellzee & Shock Dell at the Amphitheatre" with Grandmixer DST, "Wild Style Subway Rap 2" by Grand Master Caz & Chris Stein, and "Cold Crush Brothers At The Dixie". Loads of older scratching and mixing, and some very nice old school freestyling!

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia".

A pair of bossa classics – back to back on a single CD! The first Jazz Samba set is one of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". Jazz Samba Encore is hardly an "encore" of the first Stan Getz Jazz Samba album – as this set's got a slightly different feel, and lots of great elements that make it really unique! This time around, Brazilian musician Luiz Bonfa is on guitar – already a skilled proponent of the bossa by the time of the record, and arguably one of the few who really got it going back home in Rio. Stan's tenor sounds wonderful – as carefully and soufully blown as on the first set, but also with some new colors and tones too. Bonfa's wife Maria Toledo sings a bit on the record – hinting at Stan's work to come with Astrud Gilberto (this album was cut right before the Getz/Gilberto collaboration) – and the record also features added work on piano and guitar from the great Antonio Carlos Jobim – more than enough proof that the album's got a pure bossa pedigree! Titles include "Menina Flor", "Ebony Samba", "Saudade Vem Correndo", "Sambalero", "Samba De Duas Notas", and "Mania De Maria".

Golden Earring's really opening up its groove here – getting past the straight jangle pop of their debut, and expanding their sound in ways that rival the changes going on with The Hollies or Hermans Hermits at the same time! A slightly soulful undercurrent emerges on a few tracks – almost a hint of the heaviness to come in the group's music, yet still mostly focused on rockish outlets here. And the instrumentation's getting a bit more complicated too – some really compelling lines that take full advantage of the great production for the record. Titles include "Another Man In Town"," Smoking Cigarettes", "In My House", "Don't Wanna Lose That Girl", "Tears & Lies", "Impeccable Girl", "Call Me", "Lionel The Master", and "There Will Be A Tomorrow". CD features 4 bonus tracks too – "Wings", "Don't Run Too Far", "What You Gonna Tell", and "Daddy Buy Me A Girl".

Sweetly grooving early 80s UK soul from David Grant – his first solo album after the breakup of Linx – and it's a nice one! There's a leaner pop soul sound at play here, one that would have sounded right at home on the US charts of the time – but it's never too poppy – and always with David's genuinely soulful voice out front. The songs are of pretty solid, with some uptempo numbers and some more ballad-y tunes – the latter of which are really nice! Includes "Rock The Midnight", "Love Will Find A Way", "Stop And Go", "Organize", "Watching You, Watching Me", Holding On", "In The Flow Of Love", "Wrap Yourself Around Me" and more. This Big Break CD edition has a healthy batch of bonus tracks and alternate versions – 9 in all: "Stop And Go (12" Master Mix)", "Love Will Find A Way (Single Version)", "Kiss Away The Blues", "Klik Trax", :Rick The Midnight (Single Version)" and more.

One of the first contemporary soundtracks on the mostly-vintage Death Waltz label – and a great record that really lives up to the same style as horror scores of yore! The music is mostly spare, but plenty dark – a definite death waltz of subtle sounds brewed together carefully – so that the initial approach is somewhat subtle, but the whole thing comes across with a really eerie edge once it gets going! Justin Greaves is best known for his work in a variety of contemporary bands – but here, he's completely different – and a master of the subtle, simple statement – on tracks that include "The Hit", "The Telling", "The Whistler", "Business Is Good", "Losing (spooky version)", and "My Enemies I Fear Not But Protect Me From My Friends".

One of the first contemporary soundtracks on the mostly-vintage Death Waltz label – and a great record that really lives up to the same style as horror scores of yore! The music is mostly spare, but plenty dark – a definite death waltz of subtle sounds brewed together carefully – so that the initial approach is somewhat subtle, but the whole thing comes across with a really eerie edge once it gets going! Justin Greaves is best known for his work in a variety of contemporary bands – but here, he's completely different – and a master of the subtle, simple statement – on tracks that include "The Hit", "The Telling", "The Whistler", "Business Is Good", "Losing (spooky version)", and "My Enemies I Fear Not But Protect Me From My Friends".

A tight quartet session that pairs the master funky guitarist with Jack McDuff, Al Harewood, and (surprisingly) Yusef Lateef, who plays tenor and flute on the record, in a style that's a lot harder than some of his own work from the time! The group grooves in a nice laidback way through 4 long tracks – "Grantstand", "My Funny Valentine", "Blues In Maude's Flat", and "Old Folks" – and the session is very open-ended, with a good live soul jazz vibe.

Romantic reggae from a master of blending lover's rock and other soulful strains of reggae with an even more profound touches of classic-styled soul! Red Light once again finds Beres working well with producer Willie Lindo – with lean, crisp vibe – but it's never too glossy! A really nice mix of genre-skirting slow jams with a reggae groove! Includes "Red Light", "It's Not Easy", "Don't Want To Lose You", "Put Your Arms Around Me", "Coming At You", "Stand By", "You Were There" and "Irie And Mellow".

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. We expected a blues & soul covers set when we first heard that this project was in the works – and while the prospect of these 2 fellows working together on the classic Americana songbook sounds like a pretty good idea to us – we're actually all the more impressed with this all originals take on classic styled craft. A bit of blues and blues rock, a bit of gospel, and a bit of southern styled folk soul – and a bunch of great songs! It's a full band set up for the most part, too, as opposed to a spare duos set – and the titles include "Don't Look Twice", "I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone", "We Can't End This Way", "You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend), "I Ride At Dawn", "Get Up!", "She Got Kick", "Blood Side Out" and "All That Matters Now".

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. We expected a blues & soul covers set when we first heard that this project was in the works – and while the prospect of these 2 fellows working together on the classic Americana songbook sounds like a pretty good idea to us – we're actually all the more impressed with this all originals take on classic styled craft. A bit of blues and blues rock, a bit of gospel, and a bit of southern styled folk soul – and a bunch of great songs! It's a full band set up for the most part, too, as opposed to a spare duos set – and the titles include "Don't Look Twice", "I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone", "We Can't End This Way", "You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend), "I Ride At Dawn", "Get Up!", "She Got Kick", "Blood Side Out" and "All That Matters Now". Deluxe edition comes with a bonus making-of DVD with additional live versions of a few of the tunes!

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. We expected a blues & soul covers set when we first heard that this project was in the works – and while the prospect of these 2 fellows working together on the classic Americana songbook sounds like a pretty good idea to us – we're actually all the more impressed with this all originals take on classic styled craft. A bit of blues and blues rock, a bit of gospel, and a bit of southern styled folk soul – and a bunch of great songs! It's a full band set up for the most part, too, as opposed to a spare duos set – and the titles include "Don't Look Twice", "I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone", "We Can't End This Way", "You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend), "I Ride At Dawn", "Get Up!", "She Got Kick", "Blood Side Out" and "All That Matters Now".

Baroquely beautiful work from the Stax soul master – one of Isaac Hayes' heaviest albums of the 70s – and a record so massive, they needed 2LPs to contain the whole thing! The record's a culmination of the rich, full style of soulful arranging that Hayes had pioneered in his early solo work at Stax – a sound that's incredibly rich, filled with added voices and instrumentation, but totally dominated by Ike in a powerful, masculine approach to soul. Some tunes are familiar – like the album's versions of "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Close To You", "Going In Circles", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Need To Belong To Someone" – but they're all completely transformed here by Hayes with a bad-rapping, personal mode that's totally great. Album also features some great "Ike's Rap" cuts too! Great reissue – super-heavy vinyl, and the original fold-out cover design!

An excellent early album from Millie Jackson – recorded in a southern soul style in New York and Muscle Shoals, but a lot hipper than most of the rest of the female soul that was coming out of the south at the time. For one thing, Millie was a bad mamma singer – rapping hard and frankly about the way things is (or were). For another, Millie's not necessarily as great in the sweet department as some of her contemporaries – so she sticks to the harder material, except for a few tear jerking ballads, and adds in a lot of humor and touches of the fierce sarcasm that would soon become her calling card in the soul business. Gary Byrd penned the leadoff cut "I Cry", and the other tracks include "Two Faced World", "Hypocrisy", "Good To The Very Last Drop", "Help Yourself", and "Now That You Got It". CD features a whopping amount of bonus tracks too – previously unissued versions of "It Hurts So Good", "Help Yourself", "Here Comes Love", "That's My Style", "Hypocrisy", and "Breakaway" – all sounding much more different than the master takes!

Ahhh . . . Great stuff! This Millie Jackson's tremendous debut album – and the work here is completely different from later records that have her more in a bitchy mode! Here, Millie's a heartbroken southern diva – right in the vein of Ann Sexton, Doris Duke, or Shirley Brown – and even though the arrangements are done north of the Mason/Dixon line (in New York by Bert DeCoteaux, and in DC by Tony Camillo), the record feels like it was lifted off the pressing plant in Muscle Shoals or Jackson! Titles include "I Ain't Giving Up", "I Miss You Baby", "Ask Me What You Want", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Just Can't Stand It", and "Strange Things". CD version features a whopping 11 bonus tracks – many of which were never issued before – and titles include the MGM numbers "My Heart Took A Licking" and "A Little Bit Of Something", plus "Ask Me What You Want (unedited master)", "Untrue Men", "I Don't Wanna Talk About It", "Strange Things (alt mix)", "My Man A Sweet Man (unedited master)", and "You're The Joy Of My Life (alt take)".

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 30 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey".

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 30 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey".

A trio of Blue Note albums from guitarist Stanley Jordan! First up is Magic Touch – a crucial album for the jazz guitar in the 80s – the debut effort of Stanley Jordan, and a set that exploded with a very fresh sound! Jordan has a really unique way of handling his instrument – playing up and down the fret board with both hands – in ways that are often so lyrically compelling and musically complicated that Blue Note had to package the album with a "warning" that there were no overdubs or production tricks on the set – as you might find from other contemporary players on labels like ECM! Instead, Stanley's got a sound that's surprisingly warm and personal – and which, in a way, is recorded with a style that echoes the legend of his initial discovery by the label, while playing in the subway. Titles include "A Child Is Born", "Fundance", "Angel", "The Lady In My Life", "Round Midnight", and "Eleanor Rigby". On Standards Vol 1, guitarist Stanley Jordan takes on a set of standards – not just older tunes from the American songbook, but also some gorovy soul and pop numbers as well! Jordan plays solo throughout – in that open, lyrical style that we loved on his debut – and titles include "Sunny", "The Sound Of Silence", "Send One Your Love", "Moon River", "Guitar Man", and "My Favorite Things". Flying Home features Stanley Jordan in a new sort of soulful setting – one that takes his guitar from the previous solo setting of initial Blue Note albums, and gives it a fuller and smoother groove overall! The production and arrangements are by Preston Glass – a master of smooth jazz in these early years, and one of the few who could still keep things deeply soulful, even while adding in some more mainstream elements – in this case just the right touches to help get Jordan's guitar across to the same 80s audience that was digging cats like Earl Klugh or Bob James. Glass plays a fair bit of keyboards in the set – and titles include "Tropical Storm", "Can't Sit Down", "The Music's Gonna Change", "Flying Home", "The Time Is Now", and "Brooklyn At Midnight".

High-minded hip hop instrumentals from the reliable Kev Brown – and the first of what we're hoping will be a steady series of Songs Without Words volumes Low Budget Records! Personal favorites of Kev's as well as some previously unreleased beats – with head nodding funky beats all the way – and plenty of unexpected and unpredicatable textures – including some jazzy guitar textures, trippy vocal samples and many more deft touches. Solid stuff from a master! Includes "1% (Out The MPC)", "Life (Remix)", Batida", Look", "Another Private Conversation", "Come Back", "Whoever Programmed Us (Remix)", "Armada Latina (Remix)" and more. 13 in all.

Remixes, collaborations and production work by soulful house legend Frankie Knuckles – a tight 2CD compilation of some his best productions of recent years – including a number of tunes with Director's Cut, legendary voices like Candi Staton, fellow club heavy Joey Negro, Groove Assassin & Kenny Bobien, Quentin Harris & Ultra Nate, Lil' Louis, Shapeshifters & C-Dock, Human Life and more! CD1 is dubbed the Classic Side and CD2 is dubbed the Soultronic Side – and both feature 75+ minutes of music the flows continuously, like great club sets. Includes "The Whistle Song (Re-Directed)", "Back Together (Directors Cut Classic Club Mix)", "Worthy (Director's Cut Classic Club Mix)", "Loving You", "Thats How Good Your Love Is (Club Mix)", "Feel It (Alek Kenji Remix)", "In It Together (Directors Cut Signature Togetherness)", "Return to Love (A Directors Cut Treatment) " I'm Movin On (A Directors Cut Master)", "Right Now (A Directors Cut Master)", "Get Over U (Rober Gaez Mustache Mix) " and more.

Great work by a great singer – the far under-recorded Irene Kral, a lovely lady who really bridges a number of different camps in the vocal jazz world! At one level, Irene's got the coolness of a Christy or Connor, but at another, she's got a more open, swinging, and soulful style – one that comes off with none of the hoke of Anita O'Day, and which is a perfect balance between class, cool, and easy going honesty. The trio of Junior Mance provides the backings, and titles include "Better Than Anything", "The Meaning Of The Blues", "Passing By", "No More", "Nobody Else But Me", "This Is Always", and "It's A Wonderful World".

Dreamy vocals, catchy tunes, bossa rhythms – it's gotta be Claudine Longet! During the late 60s, Claudine first warmed ears in America with a lovely take on the gentle sounds of the Astrud Gilberto era – a French-accented approach to mellow vocal pop, often touched with a bit of jazz or Brazilian rhythms in the arrangements, and often delivered on a pillow of sensuous sound by master arranger Nick DeCaro! Claudine got her fair share of bad press in later years, but on this set she's at the height of her early brilliance – working with a lighter-than-air approach to vocals, and a simple, almost naive style that makes even the lyrics of familiar tunes resonate with youthful freshness. CD features 25 tracks from Claudine's years at A&M Records, including some great non-LP tracks – titles that include "Hurry On Down", "Hello Hello", "White Horses", "The Look Of Love", "Small Talk", "Snow", "I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You", "Creators Of Rain", "A Man & A Woman", "Meditation", "Both Sides Now", and "Walk In The Park".

The old school rap classic from Marvelous Three & The Younger Generation – aka "Rappin All Over" – released here as a 2-part 45 version as mixed by Kenny Dope – who utilizes the original master tapes and genuine love for Brass Records original! The original funky drums and bass heavy groove, as produced by Terry Lewis, is well intact on this great 45 mix – and the early 80s party raps sound as fresh as they have in years! Great stuff by a legendary crew – one that features the Marvelous Three trio of Chief Rocker Busy Bee, DJ AJ Scratch and DJ Small.

The boldest set so far from Mikrokolektyw – and a record that really has the Polish duo coming into their own! As before, the record's got an electro-acoustic blend of trumpet, drums, and lots of electronics – used in ways that take us back to 70s experiments of this nature from the European free jazz scene – but also informed by some noisier styles that have come up from the underground in more recent decades. The record's easily one of the noisiest to come from Delmark in recent years –and titles include "Trilobite", "Crazy Idea Of Jakub S", "Little Warrior", "Sonar Toy", "Thistle Soup", and "Dream About Mind Master".

Mostly produced by Jam Master Jay, with lots of growling, yelling and shouting: includes "Bacdafucup", "Bichasniguz", "Throw Ya Gunz", "Blac Vagina Finda", "Slam" and "Shifftee" – 18 cuts in all.

A nice 10-inch single from Long Island mic master Oxygen – with tight production from Gensu Dean! Includes the original vocal & instrumental – with scratches by DJ Ragz and Kid Dyno – plus a fresh remix and remix instrumental with scratchwork by Chief One.

One of the better of the many posthumous albums that Savoy issued after Bird's death. The set combines master takes and alternates of classic Parker material for the label, and includes pivotal bop tracks like "Parker's Mood", "Constellation", "Ah-Leu-Cha", "Perhaps" and "Another Hair Do".

Lee Perry & The Upsetters – rolling them Music Bones in peak form here – stellar mid 70s Black Ark material from the master! This one totally delivers the goods: raw, gritty, funky jams cut at the Black Ark during the height of Perry's most creative period. Vin Gordon's trombone is pushed waaaay up to the front of the mix in these instrumental versions, which are basically dubs, though there's not too much in the way of echo drops and atom bomb reverb – but on this album that's just the way we like it, so we can feel every beat of the chunky rhythms! 15 tracks in all, including "Coco-Macca", "The Message", "Licky-Licky", "Quinge Up", "Raw Chaw", "Four Of A Kind", "Nah Go Run", "Mek It Soon" and "Voodoo Man".

A pair of Oscar Peterson gems – back to back on a single CD! Night Train is one of Oscar Peterson's biggest records ever – one of those albums we turn up time and time again when digging through classic jazz collections – and for good reason too, given the lasting power of the set! The album's got a rock-solid sound that's filled with soul – almost a bit more down and dirty than some of Peterson's earlier work, very much in the spirit of the group's hit performance of the title track. In a way, the album's almost Oscar's answer to some of the rising younger stars in the soul jazz scene – and is proof that the master still can do things as great as the artists he inspired. Ray Brown is on bass and Ed Thigpen is on drums – and tracks include "Bag's Groove", "Georgia On My Mind", "Easy Does It", "Band Call", and "Night Train". Jazz Soul Of Oscar Peterson is one of the first Peterson albums to ever feature "soul" in the title – added, no doubt, as a way of keeping up with Ray Bryant and other pianists making their name in the growing soul jazz field at the time! There's a groove here that's a bit harder than usual for Peterson on Verve – a heavier approach to rhythm on the keys, and a more focused trio formation – one that clearly sets a pace for albums to come in the 60s, but which must have been relatively striking to Peterson fans at this point. The trio here features Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – and tracks are longer than usual, with some really great room to stretch out! Titles include "Liza", "Con Alma", "Close Your Eyes", "Maidens Of Cadiz", and "Woody'n You".

About as close as you'll get to soul jazz with Oscar Peterson – and a very groovy set recorded with some good Latiny influences in the playing, and kind of a pop soul style in the arrangements! The core trio of Peterson on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums (a very soulful group already) is augmented by added timbales by Marshall Thompson and conga by Master Henry Gibson – great extra percussion that really makes the whole thing groove nicely! The album was recorded in Chicago, and has a sound that's very much in the best Cadet Records style of the time – filled with soulful groovers that include "Mas Que Nada", "Samba Sensitive", "Amanha", "Soulville Samba", "Samba De Orfeu", and "Call Me".

Another tasty batch of short firey Latin tracks from Tito's immediate post-RCA years! The cuts are a nice mix of mambo jazz numbers and guarachas, with a few cha chas thrown in – and they all have that tight raw sound that made Tito's Tico work so much better than most of his 50s stuff. Here's your chance to hear the master bandleader in action – especially on the cuts "Samba-Roco", "Agua-Nile", "Vaya Puente", "Timbalero", and "Chino". Tough to find on wax!