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One of the best-ever Nat Adderley albums, and a damn funky set of tracks that has a tight soulful feel! The session's got a similar feel to some of the other rare late 60s Milestone albums (like the 2 killers by Bobby Timmons!) – especially in that it's got a group that plays with the fullness of a larger ensemble, and who race in and out nicely, to support the funky solos of the leader. Of course, some of the other players are pretty darn nice in the solo department too – like Joe Henderson on tenor, Jeremy Steig on fluge, and Joe Zawinu on piano – and they also manage to keep a tight rhythmic groove throughout. Titles include "The Scavenger", "Sweet Emma", "Rise Sally Rise", and "Menlat".

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace". CD also features four bonus tracks – "Jazz Carnival (full original mix)", "Avenida Das Manguerias (SS translation by Theo Parrish)", "Jazz Carnival (Yambee rework by Ashley Beedle & Yam Who)", and "Codsall Juniors" by Mark E.

A collection that Milestone issued in 1973 that includes tracks from three of Byrd's early 60s Bossa Nova records – Latin Impressions, Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros and Once More/Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova. Byrd and his unamplified guitar are joined by Keter Betts on bass and Bill Reichenbach on drums and Latin percussion; other players are also featured. The tracks are mainly composed by the big names of Bossa Nova – Jobim, Powell, Caymmi, Lyra – but there are several Byrd originals as well such as "Socegadamente (Softly)", "Cancao De Nimar Para Carol", "Three Note Samba", and "Ela Me Deixou". Other tracks include "Samba Triste", "Desafinado", "Saudade Da Bahia", "Carnaval" and many others.

Features some great work by Joe Henderson on tenor – in a group that features Carter on bass and piccolo bass, Chick Corea on piano, and Tony Williams on drums – plus some surprisingly nice larger horn arrangements too. Titles include "GJT", "Gypsy", "Tinderbox", "A Theme In 3/4", and "Parade".

Ron Carter plays here with pianist Kenny Barron, drummer Harvey Mason, and guitarist Hugh McCracken, in a setting that is augmented by an off-kilter string section, and which has that sort of bright sound that characterized some of Carter's recordings from the time. Many of the tracks have a relaxed funky groove, and Carter's bass is very up front in the recording, with lots of tight plunked hard solo notes. Tracks include "12+12", "Woolaphant", and "One Bass Rag".

A sweet blend of west coast jazz and Brazilian rhythms – and one of our favorite records ever from trombonist Raul De Souza! The session's got a more soulful, jazzy feel than some of Raul's other dates from the 70s – not nearly as tight as his sets for Capitol, with an earthy undercurrent in the music, thanks to the production efforts of Airto, who spearheads the session. Horns are by JJ Johnson, with some slight echoes of his soul soundtrack work of the period – and other players include Ted Lo on keyboards, Richard Davis on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus a bit of guest alto sax from Cannonball Adderley on a few tunes. Titles include "Water Buffalo", "Dr Honoris Causa", "Canto De Ossahna", "Nana", "Festival", and "Chants To Burn".

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".

Post-Mizell, and less jazz fusiony than Johnny's mid 70s work, but not a bad funk album! The title cut's a nice groover that has a sort of sing-song Eddie Harris funk feel, and which features Johnny Hammond complaining about "The System", and how it's out to get him. Other cuts include "Contact Funk", "Ann", "For People Only", and "Losing You".

Fantastic electric work from the great Joe Henderson – one of his most free-wheeling sets for Milestone, and one of his best as well! The album's got a much more open, fluid groove than some of Joe's earlier electric sets – one that has Henderson working through longer tunes that almost have a Gary Bartz-ish sense of soul. Joe plays flute, soprano, tenor sax, and percussion – and also manages to do a bit of vocalizing on the record too – singing in a cool, angular mode that almost has traces of Andy Bey. Other players include Larry Willis on electric piano, echoplex, and ring modulator – plus James Ulmer and John Thomas on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Art Jenkins on percussion. There's even a slight touch of funk on a few of the tracks – but not in a way that's overdone – again in keeping with the gentler soulful mode you'd expect from Bartz. Titles include "Tress Cun Deo La", "Me Among Others", "Song for Sinners", "Bwaata", and "Turned Around".

One of Joe Henderson's greatest albums ever – a real treasure from his electric years at Milestone Records, and a set that showed he really had a lot more to offer for the scene of the 70s! The sound here is quite different than Joe's earlier work for Blue Note – a style that's sometimes soaring, sometimes mellow – but always moving forward with a tremendously fluid approach to the tenor sax. Joe's sense of phrasing and timing is impeccable – quite subtle at times, with these dark notes that hang beautifully in air on the ballads – and some sharper-edged qualities that really burst out strongly on the more upbeat tunes. The group's a great one too – and features Herbie Hancock on both acoustic and electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus additional trumpet by Mike Lawrence on 2 tracks. Titles include "Black Narcissus", "Isotope", "Afro-Centric", "Forsight & Afterthought", and "Power to The People".

Very nice Irakere album, and one that's on a par with their 2 Columbia albums from around the same time. The lineup's expanded a bit more than usual, and players include leader Chucho Valdes, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera, Oscar Valdes, and Jorge Varona. Tracks are long, with 4 originals by Valdes, including "Cha Cha Cha", "Camaguey", "La Semilla", and "Quince Minutos".

A relatively mellow vocal outing from Ithamara Koorax – a voice that was introduced to us from her appearances on some groovy Brazilian dancefloor tunes, including some of those from Dom Um Romao's albums! The style here is quite different – very laidback, and in the ballad mode you'd expect from the "love" in the title. Instrumentation is a blend of mellow Brazilian and American jazz styles – with work by Jose Roberto Bertrami, Dom Um Romao, Luiz Bonfa, and Nelson Angelo – on titles that include "I Loved You", "Love Dance", "La Puerta", "Man Alone", "Amparo", and "Someday".

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".

Mellow ballad material from Mark Murphy – as you might expect from the title – a sad-tinged session that almost hints at the style of his recent work in Verve – showing a real maturity for Murphy's music at the time! There's a bit of electricity in the instrumentation – some keyboards and guitar – but the record's got a warm, mellow tone that mostly focuses on Mark's wonderful vocals – gently making their way through a well-chosen set of tunes that includes "September Fifteenth", "Night Life", "Sack Full Of Dreams", "Crystal Silence", "Sausalito", "Para Nada", "Spring Is Where You Are", "I Never Went Away", and "When She Is Mine". Art Farmer also plays some sweet solos on three of the album's tracks!

A classic batch of Bay Area Brazilian grooves – recorded in the sweet breezy electric style of the Fantasy studios, and featuring the vocals of the lovely Flora Purim in the lead! The session's got a great mix of Brazilian and American fusion players – including Airto (of course!), Ron Carter, George Duke, Egberto Gismonti, Alphonso Johnson, Robertinho Silva, Hermeto Pascoal, and Ndugu Leon Chancler. Pascoal's reed work is a very nice treat, especially over the warm keyboards of George Duke. Purim's voice is as wonderful as ever, and the album's got lots of nice numbers, like "Ina's Song", "Andei (I Walked)", "Time's Lie", and "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly".

An overlooked Sonny Rollins set from the early 80s – one that has him recording with a fair bit of guitar, but still staying very much in his best form as an improviser! The group here features both Bobby Broom on electric guitar, and Yoshiaki Masuo on acoustic and electric – both players who get in plenty of sound during the set, but always as a follow-up to Rollins' bold tenor voice in the lead. Remaining group members include Bob Cranshaw on electric bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and although the electric strings might normally make for a smooth sort of record, Sonny's sharper sound still brings plenty of edge – even when the rhythms of a few tunes get a bit bright. Titles include "My Little Brown Book", "Reel Life", "McGhee", "Rosita's Best Friend", and "Best Wishes".

2 LP set that brings together the best moments from 4 different Clark Terry albums on Riverside – Serenade To A Bus Seat, Duke With A Difference, In Orbit, and Top and Bottom Brass. he's playing in a variety of groups here, but the overall feel is straight hard bop. Players include Thelonious Monk, Sam Jones, Art Taylor, Johnny Griffin, and Philly Joe Jones. Titles include "Cruising", "Digits", "Top N Bottom", and "Let's Cool One".

A beautifully full session from McCoy Tyner – one recorded with added horns and voices, and very much in the mode of some of Horce Silver's best 70s experiments for Blue Note! The sound is as bold, dynamic, and soulful as other Tyner albums from the time – and the added elements really help create a unique feeling – horn parts that underscore the power of Tyner's piano, and wordless vocals that rise to the skies, with a feel similar to Donald Byrd or Max Roach sessions like this – but with a bit more 70s vibe overall. Other players include Earl Klugh on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and solos are by Jon Faddis on trumpet, Alex Foster on tenor, and Charles Stephens on trombone. Titles include "For Tomorrow", "Opus", "Festival In Bahia", "Rotunda", and "Uptown".

Darkly-tinged piano work from McCoy Tyner – recorded live, in extended takes, with long-spiralling lines that soar in his best post-Coltrane approach to the piano! The album's got a depth and passion that's missing from some of Tyner's other trio sessions of the time – and features extremely strong accompaniment from Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums – both of whom are probably a good part of the passion on the set! Tyner's working with a noticeably hard left hand on the keys – driving the tunes with a bassy energy that's totally great – and titles include "Moment's Notice", "Passion Dance", "Search For Peace", "The Promise", and "Song Of The New World".

Pretty darn nice stuff from McCoy Tyner, from a period when he was opening up to the soul jazz spiritualism that was around him – a movement that was clearly directly inspired by his work with Coltrane, but which also helped to shape his playing, and return the favor of influence. The group here is a quartet, Sonny Fortune playing some excellent post-Coltrane soprano, plus a bit of flute and alto – and with rhythm by bassist Calvin Hill and drummer Alphonze Mouzon. The title tune – "Sahara" – takes up all of side 2 of the album, and side 1 features shorter tracks like "Ebony Queen", "Rebirth", and "Valley Of Life", which features McCoy on koto!

Charlie Parker classics in a variety of flavors – a great collection of material from the 50s, 60s, and 70s – all showing the huge influence of Bird's songwriting on the sound of modern jazz! The recordings here offer up a variety of formats, in a variety of different settings – piano jazz, guitar work, and hardbop horns – all pulled from the mighty vaults of Fantasy Records. Titles include "Parker's Mood" by Eddie Jefferson, "Scrapple From The Apple" by Blue Mitchell, "Yardbird Suite" by Art Pepper, "Confirmation" by Gene Ammons, "Now's The Time" by Frank Morgan, "Steeplechase" by Hampton Hawes, "Repetition" by Wes Montgomery, and "Billie's Bounce" by Johnny Griffin.

Includest tracks by Meade Lux Lewis, Charlie Spand, Wesley Wallace, Will Ezell, Henry Brown, Cow Cow Davenport, Charles Avery, Jabo Williams, Blind Leroy Garnett, and Cripple Clarence Lofton.

Tyner in two great trios – with Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums on one record – and with Eddie Gomez on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums on the other!

An excellent early Nat Adderley record that has the funky trumpet player groovin' in the company of a number of bright young players from New Orleans, including Nat Perrilliat on tenor, Ellis Marsalis (yes, that one) on piano, and James Black on drums. Sam Jones plays funky bass, and brother Cannonball joins on on alto for a nice set of groovers that includes "In The Bag", "Sister Wilson", "Low Brown", and "New Arrival". Nice stuff, and we don't really see this one that much these days.

One of the best-ever Nat Adderley albums, and a damn funky set of tracks that has a tight soulful feel! The session's got a similar feel to some of the other rare late 60s Milestone albums (like the 2 killers by Bobby Timmons!) – especially in that it's got a group that plays with the fullness of a larger ensemble, and who race in and out nicely, to support the funky solos of the leader. Of course, some of the other players are pretty darn nice in the solo department too – like Joe Henderson, Jeremy Steig, and Joe Zawinul – but they also manage to keep a tight rhythmic groove throughout. Titles include "The Scavenger", "Sweet Emma", "Rise Sally Rise", and "Menlat".

While in the post fusion years when lite jazz was beginning to take off a lot of jazz and fusion artists got a bit lost, Azymuth continued to make a number of fine recordings, some of the best of their career. Bertrami and crew continue to groove along in their tight Brazilian fusion mode, with a spacious airiness and a wonderful modern groove. We especially dig the mellow grooves of "Tropical Horizon" and "Diza", while the acoustic and vocal number "Tempo A Bessa" is also quite nice. Also includes "Bossa Nova USA", "O Pescador" and "Hobalala".

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace".

Wicked Fantasy/Milestone work from Azymuth – really burning strong here with a soulful fusion vibe, and always hitting all the right notes in their music! The sound here is still relatively spare, and sublimely reliant on the keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who plays Fender Rhodes, organ, and percussion on the set. Ivan Conti handles the main percussion, though – a great mix of tight work on the drum kit and rootsier, Airto-like elements that are totally great – and the whole thing's driven along nicely by bass and guitar from Alex Malheiros. Guests include Aleuda on percussion and vocals, Gordinho on surdo, and Doto on repinique – and titles include "Papasong", "Outubro", "Maracan", "Un Amigo", "Carta Pro Airto", and "Dear Limmertz".

We never get enough of Jose Roberto Bertrami's vocoded vocal melodies! Sparkling Brazilian fusion, from the prolific Azymuth, with laid back grooves and light melodies, but not "lite" jazz. One of their more mellow outings, at most these tracks might approach mid-tempo, with a beautiful spaciousness throughout. Eight tracks in all, including "Tu Mi Delirio", "Broken Key", "If You'd Like To Know", Marcos Valle's "Pygmalion", the title track and "Samba Da Barra".

A great mix of electric modes from Paul Bley – working here on Fender Rhodes and Arp, plus a bit of acoustic piano as well! The album's got a great reworking of the sense of space that Bley brought to his regular piano work – excellent accompaniment from Barry Altschul on percussion and Dave Holland on bass and fuzz pedal! Titles include "Ictus", "Gesture Without Plot", "Syndrome", "Dreams", and "El Cordobes".

A classic doo wop from this overlooked group!

A great step in the evolution of Ron Carter from brilliant bassist to even more brilliant leader! The album's cut at a time when Carter was really moving his instrument from the back to the front – playing piccolo bass more than usual, and plucking with a pronounced groove, even in the company of a larger array of players. There's a great deal of warmth here, but a good sense of creative experimentation too – and the record has a bit more depth than some of Carter's Kudu sides, although those are quite nice records too. Players include Kenny Barron on piano, Jay Berliner on guitar, Buster Williams on bass, Jerry Dodgion on flute, and Charles Russo on bass clarinet – and titles include "Sheila's Song", "My Ship", "Peg Leg", "Epistrophy", "Patchouli", and "Chapter XI".

One of the hippest albums we've ever heard from guitarist Jim Hall – a set of free-thinking, open-ended tracks that show him really expanding his horizons at the end of the 60s! The album's drenched in Jim's warm, chromatic tones – whether gently played on a few mellow numbers, or falling over themselves like cascading water on the more upbeat tunes. The record's got some great drums and percussion from Airto, plus piano by Benny Aronov, who also plays electric on a few tracks as well. Titles include a great version of "Vera Cruz", plus "Minotaur", "Simple Samba", "Careful", "Wehre Would I Be", and "Goodbye My Love".

Amazing stuff! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do".

Recorded after his classic work with Larry Mizell, and produced by Johnny himself, but still trying to be very much in the Mizell-sounding vein. The group includes Carol Kaye on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Ndugu on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – and while the album is as over-the-top fantastic as Johnny's Gears LP, it's still a nice batch of California funky fusion tracks. Titles include "Lonely Dreamer", "Lady Smooth", "California Lovers", and "Quiet Storm".

Some of the most ambitious electric work from Joe Henderson to date – a record that really has him stretching out from his previous small combo keyboard sets, into a space that's much fuller and even more righteous! Frequent partner George Cables is very much in force on electric piano – helping create that floating middle-level sound that really lets Henderson find some new space on tenor – as well as soprano sax and flute. Other players are a range of different musicians with a similar spirit – and include David Horowitz on synthesizer, Ralph MacDonald and Airto on percussion, Jack DeJohnette on drums and electric piano, Dave Holland on acoustic bass, Ron Carter on electric bass, and Georg Waldenius on guitar. Some of the cuts have a Brazilian tinge, others have a moody fusiony feel – really stretching out with intensity! Titles include "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Mind", "Terra Firma", "Current Events", and "Vis-a-Vis".

Not Joe's most cutting-edge album, but a sweet warm batch of tracks with a good California/Fantasy records feel! The group includes Dawilli Gonga (aka George Duke) on electric piano, Harvey Mason on drums, and Bill Summers on conga – so the group has a nice groove to them. Henderson's joined by Hadley Caliman, Oscar Brashear, George Bohannon, and Snooky Young on horns – and the tracks include "Immaculate Deception", "Black Miracle", "Gazelle", and "Solution".

An excellent electric Joe Henderson album from the 70s – one that features both live and studio material, all of which show Henderson at the height of his powers! George Cables is on electric piano throughout, and his backing of Joe Henderson is excellent – bringing out a whole new edge for the saxophone giant – one that's spacious, and searching, and much more open than before! The album features 2 tracks from the legendary 1970 Lighthouse concert with Woody Shaw on trumpet and Lenny White on drums – plus 3 more from a studio session that includes Curtis Fuller on trombone, Pete Yellen on saxes, and Stanley Clarke on bass. Titles include "Gazelle", "Mind Over Matter", "Invitation", and "A Shade Of Jade".

2 tasty gems from Johnny Lytle – one of the hippest soul jazz vibists you'll ever get a chance to hear! Both albums feature Johnny working in his famous trio with Milt Harris on organ and Peppy Hinant on drums, augmented on some tracks by Steve Cooper on bass and Ray Barretto on congas. The vibes and organ still dominate strongly – which is ok by us – and the sound is opened past Johnny's regular stepping groove into a mix of styles that shows him working in a variety of jazz-based moods and colors. Titles include a number of nice originals like "The House Of Winchester", "Moon Child", "Big John Grady", "Lela", "The Soulful One", and "The Moor Man" – plus groovy covers like "Work Song" and "A Taste Of Honey". 17 tracks in all – and very nice throughout!

Tight collection of tracks culled from Blue's Riverside LPs from the late 50's and early 60's. His hard edged trumpet is out front in all of the tracks, and the personnel includes Johnny Griffin, Wynton Kelly, Philly Joe Jones, Wilbur Ware, Cedar Walton, and Benny Golson. Nice notes on Mitchell's early days, and titles include "Minor Vamp", "Studio B", "Strollin", "Sir John", and a classic recording of "Blues March".

Two classic Riverside Monk LPs, reissued together in one nice set! Brilliant Corners was a real comeback for Monk from the late 50s, and a record that features some of his best writing for horns! The group is incredible – bringing together Clark Terry, Sonny Rollins, and Ernie Henry – in a bracing front line that takes Monk's angular piano compositions, and forges them into a horn sound that would have an undeniable influence on modern jazz for years to come! The whole thing's brilliant, and titles include "Brilliant Corners", "Ba-Lue Bolivar Blues Are", "Pannonica", and "Bemsha Swing". Five By Monk By Five is a certified classic of modern jazz, with a lively quintet that includes Thad Jones, Sam Jones, Art Taylor, and the amazing Charlie Rouse, here just beginning a very fruitful association with Monk – and really adding a lot to the session with some incredible tenor work that's as angular and modern as needed for Monk's work, yet with a soulful edge that really brings a lot to the music. The original album's got 5 long tracks – hence the title – and they're all Monk originals: "I Mean You", "Ask Me Now", "Jackie-ing" and "Straight No Chaser", plus this set includes two takes of "Played Twice".

Classic early Wes Montgomery – 2 Riverside sessions collected on one double LP, Movin' Along and Full House. Movin' Along features James Clay playing with the group, for the added bonus of a flute/tenor sound that you don't always get on Wes' guitar-heavy sessions. The record includes the nice groover "Movin' Along", plus "So Do It", "Sandu", and "Says You", which was written by Sam Jones, who plays bass on the session. Full House is another great set by Wes – recorded in a very lively live setting, with a quartet that includes Johnny Griffin, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. It's great to hear Griffin with Montgomery, and the two of them pair up nicely on the album's longer tracks – like "Full House" and "Cariba", both written by Montgomery, and the classic "Blue N Boogie" by Dizzy Gillespie.

Excellent work from Flora Purim – one of the wonderful west coast bits of Braziliana recorded in the Fantasy Records studios during the mid 70s! The record's a perfect example of the greatness that arose when Brazil's best talents had the chance to work with some of America's best jazz and fusion players – a sublime fusion of talents that resulted in a groove that would dominate the west coast scene for most of the 70s. In this case, Flora's backed by a great group that includes Hadley Caliman, Oscar Castro-Neves, Carlos Santana, Ron Carter, George Duke, Earl Klugh, and Airto – and the set includes a great choice of breezy numbers, perfect for Flora's vocals, like "Vera Cruz", "Silver Sword", "Casa Forte", "Mountain Train", and "Search For Peace".

An underrated 70s effort from Sonny Rollins, featuring him fronting a dynamite group with Stanley Cowell and Mtume at the height of their Afro-centric electric jazz period. Longtime sideman Bob Cranshaw plus David Lee round out the rhythm section, and this is one of Rollins' LPs featuring the excellent Japanese guitarist Masuo, plus Rufus Harley guests on one number, so you can guess this is one righteous affair. Rollins sounds awesome, laying extended solos over some tremendous funky vamps by the group on numbers like "The Cutting Edge" and "First Moves", and working in a more contemplative vein on "To A Wild Rose" and "A House Is Not A Home". Also includes a lengthy take on "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".

One of Sonny Rollins' real standout sessions from the 70s – a different vibe than before, but a sound that's still as striking than any of his earlier records! The record features him in a slightly more modern group – with backing by Walter Davis Jr on piano, Masuo on gutiar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, David Lee on drums, and Mtume on percussion – a great mix of acoustic and electric elements that brings up a sweet 70s sound for the record. Sonny's solo power is still tremendous – differently pitched here, but still incredibly inventive – and titles include "Pictures In The Reflection Of A Golden Horn", "Notes For Eddie", "Love Man", and "Sais", a great composition by Mtume, which is handled here by Rollins in an incredibly soulful manner!

A sweet electric set from Sonny Rollins – and maybe the closest he ever came to cutting a funk record! The set's got that mellow electric funk approach that Prestige was using often in the mid 70s – Sonny's tenor lines getting some great Bay Area studio support from George Duke on keyboards, Bennie Maupin on reeds, Raul De Souza on trombone, Bob Cranshaw on electric bass, and even Mtume on congas – players who work together to create a tight ensemble sound that moves the album nicely along! Titles include the great cut "Newkleus", a space funk jammer that has a nice Headhunters-ish kind of sound – and other tracks include "Gwaligo", "Azalea", and "Cosmet".

One of Sonny Rollins' sweetest electric sessions from the 70s – a date that features Patrice Rushen handling some keyboards, and Lee Ritenour on guitar – but Sonny blowing solid, soulful tenor all the way through! The setting is the sort that might initially turn off fans of Rollins' classic era, but it's great to hear him change things up here – picking up some rhythms that you might not normally expect, and really doing some great things with them – as on his Caribbean-inflected RCA album from the 60s. Other players include Alex Blake on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Bill Summers on congas – and there's a horn section on some numbers too. Rollins composed most of the tracks and they include "Island Lady", "Asfrantation Woogie", "Happy Feel", and "Charm Baby". Other titles includes the George Duke numbers "Love Reborn" and "The Way I Feel About You" – plus Rushen's "Shout It Out".

Gentle magic from singer Jimmy Scott – one of our favorite of his comeback recordings of recent years! The album features tracks that Jimmy Recorded over sessions done in 2000 and 2001 – working with a host of great jazz players like Eric Alexander, Joe Beck, Hank Crawford, David Newman, Grady Tate, and Cyrus Chestnut – all of whom bring a warm and mellow feel to the set, allowing Jimmy some good space to breeze around in understated brilliance. Titles include "Yesterday", "Those Who Were", "How Long Has This Been Going On", "Time On My Hands", and "If I Should Lose You".

We love Frank Strozier – and think he's one of the greatest talents in jazz – period! This long-overdue CD brings together two of Frank's early 60s sessions for the Jazzland label – both of them gems that have lain under-discovered for years. Long Night is an excellent example of the maturity and modernism that was coming out of the Chicago jazz scene as it hit the early 60s – and it features Strozier's soulful alto in the company of some of the city's best players, like pianist Chris Anderson, drummer Walter Perkins, bassist Bill Lee, and baritonist Pat Patrick, playing here away from Sun Ra's group! The title track alone is an incredibly fantastic composition, full of moodiness and incredible reed work – but the rest of the record's great, too, and features excellent originals like "The Need For Love", "The Crystal Ball", and "Pacemaker". March Of The Siamese Children continues the trend – with a sound that goes far beyond the hardbop and soul jazz in which Strozier first cut his teeth – into a mode that's angular and exploratory, yet also still warmly expressive – filled with a richness of sound that holds up fantastically year after year. Titles include "March Of The Siamese Children", "Our Waltz", "Hey Lee", "Lap", "Extension", and "Something I Dreamed Last Night".

Probably the best jazz album that Phil Upchurch ever cut! Phil plays in two settings here – one with a funky large group, arranged and conducted by Ed Bland (who did a lot of the work for Perception records in the early 70s) – the other with a quintet that includes Wynton Kelly, Richard Davis, Jimmy Cobb, and Montego Joe! To our ears, the best stuff's the large group material, because Upchurch's years of studio work seem to come to the forefront as he wails with the large arrangements – but the quartet material's also pretty darn great, as Phil rarely got a chance to play in such a tight small combo jazz setting, and Montego Joe's conga work really grooves those tunes up nicely as well! Tracks include "Feeling Blue", "Stop & Listen", "Muscle Soul", "Israel", and "Subaceous Lament".

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace".

Amazing, simply amazing! The record is one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut – done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell on piano, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Reggie Workman on bass, and Freddy Waits on drums – and the music sounds like it was lifted from one of the best albums on Strata East from the 70s. There's no funk, no vocals, no weird rhythms – just pure spiritual jazz, played to perfection, and filled with a creative vitality that most of the players had lost a few years later. Tracks include the album-side "Another Earth", plus "Dark Nebula", "UFO", and "Perihelion & Aphelion". Impossibly hard to find on vinyl, too!

An essential record from Gary Bartz – one of two albums he cut with Andy Bey, and the killer group he was calling his NTU Troup! Andy's vocals are incredible – light years ahead of anything he did with his sisters, and similar to those he laid down on his own solo album for Atlantic, and on Blue Note sides with Horace Silver – a righteous mix of jazz and soul, with a burning intensity that makes the political themes of the tracks come out strongly. The album includes one of Andy's all time classics – the original 7 minute version of "Celestial Blues", plus the fantastically grooving "Uhuru Sasa" – as well as the cuts "The Planets", and "Blue (A Folk Tale)". And Gary Bartz is pretty great too – dropping in these angular reed lines that really give the record an edge, and which sound totally great next to Bey's vocals!

A landmark set of recordings – both of Gary Bartz's Harlem Bush Music albums, back to back on one CD! After a few years as a modern-tinged soul jazz saxophonist, Bartz broke strongly into the 70s with this pair of sessions – working in a mode that brought together rhythmic percussion, funky bass, and some incredibly righteous vocals from singer Andy Bey! Bey's presence on the record really marks them as a departure for Bartz – as it's the first time that Bartz used vocals on his recordings, in a style that was neither straight jazz, nor sellout soul – but rather a progressive approach that set a whole new tenor for the voice in jazz! Gary plays both soprano and alto sax – blowing in a rhythmic mode that's a perfect match for the chunky rhythms of the tunes – and which seems to often take on the same tone as Andy Bey's unique approach to the lyrics. There's an earthy, organic, almost tribalistic quality to some of the tracks – and titles include "Rise", "People Dance", "Drinking Song", "Taifa", "Parted", "Uhuru Sasa", "Vietcong", "Celestial Blues", and "The Planets". (Note, the CD omits one tune from the albums – "Du (Rain)", from Taifa – due to space limitations.)

A later album from Joe Henderson's ultra-hip 70s period for Milestone – a sweetly electric session with the mighty Patrick Gleeson on keyboards! Gleeson is as strong of a force here as he is on other essential albums from the time – including some of Herbie Hancock's work – and the keyboardist handles E Mu Polyphonic synth, which really fits the flowing style of the music! Henderson's great, as always, on tenor – blowing the instrument with a searching quality that's a fair bit different than some of his contemporaries, a unique space that further pushed the instrument in the years after the passing of John Coltrane. The rhythm section holds its end up nicely too – bringing in some key modal moments with players who include Joachim Kuhn on piano, JF Jenny-Clark on bass, and Bill Summers on drums. Tracks are a bit more open than some of Joe's early 70s work – but still done with a hip Bay Area groove – and titles include "Black Narcissus", "Hindsight & Forethought", "Amoeba", and a studio version of "Power to the People", which Henderson had done earlier on a live set.

God, we love James Moody! He's a total genius, waiting to be fully rediscovered – and this album is a perfect place to start! The record features James playing soprano and flute over some incredible arrangements by Tom McIntosh, the hip 60s composer/arranger who worked on some of Moody's best work – and who here shifts between a slightly funky mode, and one that's got some rich tonal colors and shapes, all of which brings out the most expressive side of Moody's playing, especially on the soprano sax tunes, which have all the soulful depth of the best work of Pony Poindexter. Tracks include a funky version of Ellington's "Main Stem", plus the tracks "A Statement", "Savannah Calling", "You Got To Pay", "Gone Are The Days", and "Everyone Needs It".

Pure vocal magic – featuring the lovely Flora Purim at the height of her California powers – working in a sublime mix of jazz, fusion, and Brazilian rhythms – a sound that she virtually invented! The group on the set is one of her greatest of the time – with players that include Joe Henderson, George Duke, and Stanley Clarke – coming together with some great Brazilian percussion from husband Airto. The tracks are tight and jazzy – and include "Light As A Feather", "Dr. Jive (parts 1 & 2)", "Butterfly Dreams", "Moon Dreams", and "Dindi". This is the stuff that virtually defined the Brazilian/American groove of the 70s – and it's still light years ahead of any of Flora's many imitators!

Mongo teams up the great Latin diva La Lupe in the early 60s for a tasty set of Latin Jazz and Descargas. The band includes the great set of players Mongo was using at this time – including Marty Sheller, Pat Patrick and Bobby Capers, plus Kako sits in on percussion, though La Lupe sings on only about half of the tracks. 9 numbers in all, including "Besito Pa Ti", "Canta Bajo", "Montuneando", "Oye Este Guaganco", "Esta Mambo", "Quiet Stroll", "Que Linda Son", and "Kiniqua".

One of the albums that forever put Gary Bartz on the map – a righteous blend of jazz, funk, and spiritual elements – and one of the key early 70s sessions with his NTU Troop! The album moves way past Gary's early style, and heads into territory not charted before – filled with odd rhythms, and topped with some especially great vocals from Andy Bey – who sounds even better here than on his previous work with Horace Silver! The reeds are a sharp edge of the set, but the main focus is almost more on the rhythm work – bass from Juni Booth, drums from Harold White, and percussion from Nat Bettis – all of which really makes the album move. There's a chant-like feel to the record that keeps things highly rhythmic – and titles include "Du (Rain)", "Drinking Song", "The Warriors' Song", and the beautiful "Rise".

An essential record from Gary Bartz – one of two albums he cut with Andy Bey, and the killer group he was calling his NTU Troup! Andy's vocals are incredible – light years ahead of anything he did with his sisters, and similar to those he laid down on his own solo album for Atlantic, and on Blue Note sides with Horace Silver – a righteous mix of jazz and soul, with a burning intensity that makes the political themes of the tracks come out strongly. The album includes one of Andy's all time classics – the original 7 minute version of "Celestial Blues", plus the fantastically grooving "Uhuru Sasa" – as well as the cuts "The Planets", and "Blue (A Folk Tale)". And Gary Bartz is pretty great too – dropping in these angular reed lines that really give the record an edge, and which sound totally great next to Bey's vocals!

"Starting Time" is a great early 60s session by Jordan – who at the time of the recording, was one of a number of firey young tenor players from Chicago – all of them hard-blowing, with a nice soulful bottom that opened up a bop sound to more moods and emotions – but Jordan stood apart from most of them with an approach that was decidedly more complex and forward-thinking. As you'll hear on the album's tracks, he wasn't content enough to just blow off a riff – but had to twist things up a bit, working a tune for more shades and colors than it might yield with another player, pushing on the proceedings with an edge that's very strong. The great Wilbur Ware's on bass, and a young Cedar Walton's playing piano, and with warmth like that, Jordan and trumpeter Kenny Dorham sound great next to each other. Loads of original hard bop lines by Jordan, including "Extempore" and "Quittin' Time", plus "Mosaic" and "One Flight Down" by Cedar Walton. Even better is A Story Tale – a brilliant collaboration between Clifford Jordan and Sonny Red! Red's tone is excellent – a sharper one next to Jordan's more supple blowing – and the pair are a perfect team to lead off tunes like "Prints", "Hip Pockets", "A Story Tale", and "Defiance".

A beautifully full session from McCoy Tyner – one recorded with added horns and voices, and very much in the mode of some of Horce Silver's best 70s experiments for Blue Note! The sound is as bold, dynamic, and soulful as other Tyner albums from the time – and the added elements really help create a unique feeling – horn parts that underscore the power of Tyner's piano, and wordless vocals that rise to the skies, with a feel similar to Donald Byrd or Max Roach sessions like this – but with a bit more 70s vibe overall. Other players include Earl Klugh on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and solos are by Jon Faddis on trumpet, Alex Foster on tenor, and Charles Stephens on trombone. Titles include "For Tomorrow", "Opus", "Festival In Bahia", "Rotunda", and "Uptown".

John Handy's alto and vocals are set up in this unusual group – the Class string jazz trio, plus piano from Flip Nunez!

A sweet electric set from Sonny Rollins – and maybe the closest he ever came to cutting a funk record! The set's got that mellow electric funk approach that Prestige was using often in the mid 70s – Sonny's tenor lines getting some great Bay Area studio support from George Duke on keyboards, Bennie Maupin on reeds, Raul De Souza on trombone, Bob Cranshaw on electric bass, and even Mtume on congas – players who work together to create a tight ensemble sound that moves the album nicely along! Titles include the great cut "Newkleus", a space funk jammer that has a nice Headhunters-ish kind of sound – and other tracks include "Gwaligo", "Azalea", and "Cosmet".

Really wonderful stuff – and one of Gary Bartz's greatest albums ever! This double-length live set was recorded around the time of his NTU Troup albums for Milestone – but it's a bit more straightforward than those sides, going back towards a searching soul jazz sound, with some slight touches of electric funk. The group features Hubert Eaves on electric and acoustic keyboards, Stafford James on acoustic and electric bass, and Howard King on drums – and the wonderful bass work of James really creates some great platforms for Bartz and Eaves to stretch out on long long solos. Gary vocalizes a bit on a few tracks – almost in the style of Andy Bey on his NTU albums – and the set list includes "Uhuru Sasa", "Jujuman", "Bertha Baptist", "The Warrior's Song", "Mama's Soul", "Sifa Zote", "I've Known Rivers", "Don't Fight That Feeling", and "Peace & Love".

The timeless sounding underground classic debut of Frank-N-Dank – which is a strong first full length statement for the duo – and a significant milestone in the J Dilla production canon! It has more of a straight up, street ready rhyme style than was typical for Dilla productions at the time – with smoky, pulsing production and unpredictable beats. The rhymes are stronger than we gave 'em credit for a decade or so back – and the raw electro funky bounce provided by Dilla really opened us up to how diverse his style could be outside of the jazzy/funky/soul beats he'd laid down in the preceding couple of years! Tracks include "Rite Bites", "Street Life", "Pimp Strut", "Where The Parties At?", "All Seasons", "Take Dem Clothes Off" and more.

The timeless sounding underground classic debut of Frank-N-Dank – which is a strong first full length statement for the duo – and a significant milestone in the J Dilla production canon! It has more of a straight up, street ready rhyme style than was typical for Dilla productions at the time – with smoky, pulsing production and unpredictable beats. The rhymes are stronger than we gave 'em credit for a decade or so back – and the raw electro funky bounce provided by Dilla really opened us up to how diverse his style could be outside of the jazzy/funky/soul beats he'd laid down in the preceding couple of years! Tracks include "Rite Bites", "Street Life", "Pimp Strut", "Where The Parties At?", "All Seasons", "Take Dem Clothes Off" and more. This 2013 version features a second disc with Dilla's instrumentals.

What can we say? This is one of the greatest albums of all time – and it's made even better through the addition of a bunch of previously unissued tracks! The record's got a sound that's completely unique – as crack LA garage punk rock meets Hollywood baroque production, and the result is an amazing bit of loud guitar noise backed by strings and horns, all graced by the godlike vocals of the great Arthur Lee. Forever Changes is a milestone in rock – an incredibly bleak document about insanity, escape, and the coming revolution that never happened. Think of all the best moments of Wild In The Streets, Zabriske Point, and Invocation of My Demon Brother rolled into one – and you'll only have a tiny slice of the picture! A record that will haunt us until the day we die – filled with incredible songs like "Alone Again Or", "Old Man", "Red Telephone", and "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale".

Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even more progressive work with a group like this! The players are all youthful geniuses who would go onto shape the sound of 70s jazz tremendously – working here at a point that already shows their brilliance – Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, and even Andy Bey, who sings vocals on the title track. The overall style is very similar to Bartz's early albums on Milestone, or to some of the Music Inc records on Strata East, which feature Cowell and Tolliver. It's no surprise that Cowell contributed 3 tracks to the set – "Effi", "Equipoise", and "Abstrutions" – and the group also performs a great version of Bartz's "Libra"!

A dual milestone issue for Roctober – the 50th issue and 20th anniversary – a 140-page extraganza which both reminisces on the past 2 decades of Roctober coverage and looks to the future! Includes items on 60s, 70s & 80s Chi vocal combo The Green Berets, Lou Christie, Don Cornelius, Klaus Nomi. Tommie Wix & Them Good Biscuits, Breakfast With Boone, Nardwuar Vs Odd Future, one man's adventure as one of the little remembered New Monkees and much, much more.

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 very groovy selection of tracks from the New York scene of the 60s – mostly tunes pulled from the Prestige and Milestone labels, and a mixture of soul jazz, modal jazz, and early funky jazz! The package features 13 tracks in all – with plenty rare numbers – and titles that include "Cantaloupe Woman" by George Braith, "The Village Caller" by Johnny Lytle, "Ca'Purange (Jungle Soul)" by Gene Ammons, "Love Theme From Spartacus" by Yusef Lateef, "Brother John" by Cannonball Adderley, "Muscle Soul" by Phil Upchurch, "Eastern Blues" by Gary Bartz, and the completely fantastic "Nuther'n Like Thuther'n" by Willis Jackson – worth the price of the CD alone!

A wonderful batch of mellow, laidback balladry by Gene Ammons. Like a lot of the two-fers issued by Milestone and Prestige in the 70s when they came under the Fantasy umbrella, this set collects sides from a couple of different sessions, Nice An' Cool and The Soulful Mood Of Gene Ammons in this case. Sidemen are Richard Wyands, Doug Watkins and JC Heard, or Patti Brown, George Duvivier and Ed Shaughnessy. 16 tracks in all, including "Till There Was You", "Little Girl Blue", "Something I Dreamed Last Night", "I Remember You", "Someone To Watch Over You", "Two Different Worlds", "Skylark", "Three Little Words", 'Street Of Dreams" and "Under A Blanket Of Blue".

A landmark album from Joe Bataan – so great, that it made the entire record company change its name! The record has Joe really bursting out after his seminal Latin Soul work of the late 60s – blending Latin rhythms and American soul into a whole new style of music – one that Joe called "Salsoul", because of it's mixture of salsa and soul! The blend is fantastic, a real milestone in the NuYorican scene – and handled perfectly by Joe on every cut! There's some massive Latin funk on here, including the tracks "Latin Strut" and "Aftershower Funk", plus some straighter Latin jazz, like "Sunny Gets Blue Mambo", and a great Latin Soul cut with English vocals called "Johnny".

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!

Steven Wilson scores the cover of Prog – for a features that a deep look at his The Raven record – and this issue also has features on prog legends Caravan on their 40 years milestone, Scott Walker, John McLaughlin, Neal Morse, Pendragon, Katatonia, Touchstone, Heather Findlay, Voivod, Riverside, The Beach Boys, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, Menomena, Kosmoratik, Moon Duo and more! Also includes a free CD featuring some artist covered in this issue, and more! It includes Steven Wilson, Heather Findlay, Super Best Friends Club, KingBathmat, Lifesigns, Godsticks, Splashgirl and more.

VP reissue of this classic slice of Jamaican roots music. No collection of Lee Perry's work is complete without this chapter, which was hard to get for many years, but reissued here in it's original format, with the origial cover art. Recorded at the Black Ark in 1976, Cedric Mytton teams up with Roy Johnson on harmony vocals and Lee Perry steering the Ark with a heavyweight supporting crew, for a true milestone in Jamaican music, and a classic of universal proportions. 10 tracks, just like the original version: "Fisherman", "Congoman", "Open Up The Gate", "Children Crying", "La La Bam-Bam", "Can't Come In", "Sodom & Gomorrow", "The Wrong Thing", "ArkOf Covenant" and 'Solid Foundation".

A classic slice of Jamaican roots! No collection of Lee Perry's work is complete without this chapter, which has been hard to get in spite of being reissued in a number of different formats. This version features a slight twist on the original cover art, but is an expanded double LP set with a bonus disc of later self-produced material. On the original album, recorded at the Black Ark in 1976, Cedric Mytton teams up with Roy Johnson on harmony vocals, with Lee Perry steering the Ark with a heavyweight supporting crew, for a true milestone in Jamaican music, and a classic of universal proportions. The second LP features material from 4 different sessions, all great, with tracks from the 1979 LPs Cvongo Ashanti and Image of Africa, the 1981 LP Face The Music and a couple of tracks from 1999. 22 tracks in all, including "Fisherman", "Congoman", "Open Up The Gate", "Children Crying", "La La Bam-Bam", "Can't Come In", "Sodom & Gomorrow", "The Wrong Thing", "ArkOf Covenant", "Don't Blame On I", "Solid Foundation", "Days Chasing Days", "Youth Man", "Only Jah Know", "Music Maker", "Stay Alive (ext)", "Problems", "Face The Music", "Enemy & Spy (ext)" and "Aaron & Moses (ext)".

What can we say? This is one of the greatest albums of all time! The record's got a sound that's completely unique – as crack LA garage punk rock meets Hollywood baroque production, and the result is an amazing bit of loud guitar noise backed by strings and horns, all graced by the godlike vocals of the great Arthur Lee. Forever Changes is a milestone in rock – an incredibly bleak document about insanity, escape, and the coming revolution that never happened. Think of all the best moments of Wild In The Streets, Zabriske Point, and Invocation of My Demon Brother rolled into one – and you'll only have a tiny slice of the picture! A record that will haunt us until the day we die – filled with incredible songs like "Alone Again Or", "Old Man", "Daily Planet", "Red Telephone", and "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale".

One of the greatest moments ever from bassist Miroslav Vitous – a very cool album recorded for the trippy Vortex label! The lineup here has Miroslav working with key help from the American underground – piano from Herbie Hancock, tenor from Joe Henderson, and drums from Jack DeJohnette – plus added guitar from John McLaughlin, who seems to have the same spacey sensibilities as Vitous! Henderson really opens up too – in that fluid style of his post-Blue Note work on Milestone – and obviously Herbie's a great one for a set like this too – hitting some of the spiritual modes of his Warner work. Some tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Infinite Search", "I Will Tell Him On You", "Mountain In the Cloudes", and "Epilogue". This Japanese CD edition includes the bonus track "Cerecka".

Prime material from Cannonball and David Axelrod – and despite the biblical leanings of the title, the record is pretty darn funky! As they did for the Zodiac, Cannonball and Axelrod take a trip through a host of cultural milestones – stopping along the way to turn each one into a new pillar of soul, working with Rick Holmes, who narrates the set in the same way he did on the Zodiac albums. Brother Nat Adderley and George Duke are among the players in the album's very funky backing – and tracks include "Make Your Own Temple", "Amani", "Space Spiritual", "Eternal Walk", and "Gone". Oh for the days of the double LP concept jazz record!

A trio of modern talents, working beautifully together on a set of extended live tracks! The group features guitar from Peter Bernstein, Hammond from Larry Goldings, and drums from Bill Stewart – coming together in ways that remind us of the hipper side of 60s organ combos – those moments when Grant Green and Larry Young really opened things up with a long-flowing groove! There's still a nice undercurrent of soul in the mix, but the rhythms are relatively free and unfettered too – moving forth with energy that might be called modal by some, but which is even less constricted by a simple tag like that – more just pure, beautiful waves of sound from both the organ and guitar. Titles include "The Danger Zone", "Milestones", "Just A Thought", "Molto Molto", and "Chant".

Great set that reissues material from 2 live albums that were never properly issued in the US – Miles In Tokyo, recorded in 1964, with Sam Rivers, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams; and Miles In Berlin, recorded in 64 as well, with the same group, minus Rivers, plus Wayne Shorter on tenor. The quality is as high as you'd expect – with that Plugged Nickel groove hitting on all burners – and titles include "So What", "All Of You", "Walkin", "Milestones", and "Autumn Leaves".

One of our 50s favorites by Miles Davis – and a record that offers the same twin-sax sound as his classic Kind Of Blue – with both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley working alongside Miles in the group! Rhythm here is by the Prestige-era trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – but it's the two saxophonists who really help Davis shape the feel of the record, pushing things past the initial Coltrane/Davis groove with a really wonderful sense of space and sound! Titles include the classic "Milestones", plus "Two Bass Hit", "Dr Jeckyll", and "Sid's Ahead".

An excellent collection of Charles Earland's early 70s work for Prestige – a great set of grooves that trace his evolution from straight organ/tenor soul jazz, into the realm of more complicated arrangements that would show up heavily in his later fusion work! Players on the tunes include Lee Morgan, Houston Person, Virgil Jones, Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad, and Harvey Mason – and tracks include shorter numbers and single edits that include "Milestones", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Speedball", "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", "Leaving This Planet", "I Was Made To Love Her", and "Black Talk".

Vocalist Giacamo Gates takes on the music of Miles Davis – offering up some wonderful lyrical takes on a host of jazz classics – all with backing from a hip small combo! Lyrics for the tunes are almost as old as the instrumental compositions – created back in the day by Jon Hendricks, Eddie Jefferson, and others – and sung by Gates with a suitably old school style – a mode that really takes us back to the 50s and 60s glory days of vocalese! There's plenty of Miles in the mix – not so much in the group's trumpet from Freddie Hendrix, as in the overall phrasing and structure of the tunes. Titles include "Milestones", "All Blues", "Four", "Round Midnight", "So What", "Walkin", and "Long Came Tutu".

Sanctified, indeed – and just the kind of record to show why Slide Hampton was unlike any of his trombone-playing contemporaries! The set's got a tightness and punch that's really unique – not the compact quality of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but also not the hardbop of Curtis Fuller either – instead king of a rousing approach to jazz trombone that really makes Hampton the kind of the soul jazz approach to the instrument! Slide's working here with a cool octet that has the focus of a group half their size – a really well-chosen lineup of young, hip players that includes George Coleman on tenor sax, Hobart Dotson and Richard Williams on trumpets, Larry Ridley on bass, and additional trombone from a y oung Charles Greenlee! Titles include "El Sino", "Ow", "Milestones", and the stormin' title cut "Somethin Sanctified".

Great early work by Mark Murphy – a set that's different than the cool breeziness of his 70s work, and done with an approach that's a lot hipper than most of his 60s contemporaries! Ernie Wilkins handles the arrangements, and there's a rollicking soul jazz groove here that's a bit unusual for Murphy – but which makes for a nice change from his earlier work for Decca or Capitol. As with most of Mark's records, the tunes are very well-chosen, and go way past the obvious – a set list that includes Fran Landesman's great "Stoppin The Clock", Jon Hendricks' lyrics to Horace Silver's "Doodlin", Annie Ross' famous vocalese version of "Twisted", and hip takes on jazz standards "Green Dolphin Street", "Milestones", and "Out Of This World".

One of the late 50s Jazz Archive LPs on Riverside – in which they dig through older sides, and issue the material in LP format with nice notes. Most of the material here is from the pivotal late 20s years, milestones in the formation of the American female blues singer! Also features work by Sara Martin, Trixie Smith, Mary Johnson, and Hociel Thomas.