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Misty's got a look on the cover that makes her look like she might have come across on the casting couch in order to get a record deal – but the album's a nice one that takes her sexy promise and backs it up with a nicely groovy late 60s blend of pop and jazz! There's a number of unusual tunes on the set that make it stand out a bit more than just a usual set of covers and standards – and backings occasionally have some nice jazzy touches, especially on the tracks arranged by Ronnell Bright. Other arrangements are by Evelyn Freeman, and titles include "A Moment More", "When Summer Dies", "Don't Mail The Letter", "Windy Curtains", "More Than The Eye Can See", and "The World's Still Round".

Two mellow jams from Mr T – back to back on a single CD! On Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Stanley Turrentine blows it sweet, mellow, and soulfully – in a wonderful post-CTI session from the 70s! The set features some swirling larger arrangements from Gene Page – done with a bit of the CTI sound lurking in the mix, but also a more complicated groove that almost takes on soundtrack-like proportions at times – a warmly-flowing groove that's lush without being soppy, and which really sets Turrentine up nicely for some sophisticated, mature solos on tenor. Stan's got some great company on the record – including Patrice Rushen on keyboards, David T Walker on guitar, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet – and although the set's laidback, it's a lot more soulful than you might think – almost like a hip mellow soul set from the time, but with tenor instead of vocals. Includes covers of the Earth Wind & Fire tunes "Reasons" and "That's The Way Of The World", plus the tracks "Touching You", "T's Dream", and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain". Use The Stairs is a near-forgotten date from 1980 – recorded at a time when Stanley Turrentine was still steeped in the fuller arrangements picked up during his CTI years – blowing beautifully as a soloist in the larger setting! The sound here is plenty darn hip – thanks to arrangements from Wade Marcus, who keeps the proceedings more in the soul side of the spectrum than the smooth jazz one. And as always, Turrentine almost sounds better here than in a small group – blowing with a "voice" that's tremendous, and which speaks volumes in a very small space. Other players include Cedar Walton on piano, Gene Bertoncini on guitars, Phil Bodner on reeds, and Grady Tate on drums – and titles include "Tomorrow", "The Lamp Is Low", "Till The Very End", "Jordu", "On A Misty Night", and "Pay The Price".

A wild collection of extraterrestrial country, pulp, pop, r&b and even some doo wop influenced tunes from the outerspace fringes of 60s & 70s Nashville & beyond – largely from the brain bananas of Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan! We knew that Jack & Misty recorded some fairly far out countryish gems as a duo – but this crazy set really opens our minds to how wild they were as writers, producers & arrangers! It truly rivals Joe Meek's productions when it comes to pulpy themes and unpredictable stylistic range – while carrying a weird, earthier rustic & rural groove. Jack & Misty sing and play often throughout, as themselves and under pseudonyms – and they recruited friends and peers as singers and players for the others. Far more than just an exercise in strangeness – the songs are good enough to stand out as more than novelties, and some of the most respected Nashville session players of the past half century can be found in the notes. You get electrified banjo, sax, and organ in the same wild tunes – any questions? The majority of songs were cut between the fertile period between 1965 and 1974 – with a few going back earlier & later – a whopping 30 tracks in all! "Strange New World" by Jacqueline Hyde & The Moonfolk, Time Machine" by Joel Mathis, "Skellykins" by Rusty Diamond, "I'm Hung Up On You" by Rusty Diamond, "Hit Me One More Time" by Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan, "Let's Have A Hayride" by Maryanne Mail, "New World" by The Jack Blanchard Group, "Monkey See, Monkey Do" by Brad Wolfe, "Dance Of The Living Dead Chickens" by Jack Blanchard and more!

Mr Personality turns his incredible set of pipes on a batch of pop standards, made up by Lloyd into his own uniquely styled numbers. He recruits Slide Hampton to handle the arrangements, played by his group with just a touch of R&B grit. Includes "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "When I Fall In love", "Trouble", "That Lucky Old Sun", 'Misty", "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You", "Tennessee Waltz", "Pistol Packin' Mama" and "Cry On".

Classic 60s soul jazz from Eddie Lockjaw Davis – more than an album's worth of materal on a single CD! First up is part of the album Misty – great work from the famous team that featured Eddie Lockjaw Davis on tenor and Shirley Scott on organ – recorded here in the mellow, open-ended setting of Prestige Records' Moodsville label – a perfect setting for the late nite stylings of the pair! There's a slight more groove to this session than some of the other Moodsville date – thanks to the presence of Ray Barretto in the group on congas –a longside the bass of George Duvivier and drums of Arthur Edgehill. CD also adds in the track "From This Moment On". Goin To The Meetin is a great one – and one of the rarest Prestige dates from Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The album features a unique group that includes Horace Parlan on piano – in place of the organ that had graced many of Davis' earlier Prestige records – with added groovy energy from Buddy Catlett on bass, Art Taylor on drums, and Willie Bobo on congas – all players who seem to give Davis an even sharper edge than before – not entirely the modern tones of his pairings with Johnny Griffin, but a bit less sleepy than in the company of a Hammond. The congas really kick things up nicely – and there's an undercurrent of fire that almost recalls some of the best Blue Note dates of this nature from the time. Titles include "Little Cougar", "Yes Yes", "Pass The Hat", "Goin To Meetin", and "Oh Babee".

The first 12" single on Soul Fire – and a real doozy! The track's an extended jazz funk number with some great guitar on the intro, and an expanded horn section that's so big, so mighty, it needed a full 12 inches of wax just to hold it. Horn work is incredible – on a par with the JBs, with all those great little twists and turns on the solos – much more than just mad funking – purely expressive soulful dyn-o-mite!

Early work from easy maestro Phil Bodner – with titles that include "Farewell Blues", "Ol Man River", "Misty", "Sposin", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "In Other Words".

The only album we've ever seen from organist Willie Bovain – a hip little player from the So-Cal scene of the 60s, playing with a clean and groovy sort of style – ala Trudy Pitts on her best Prestige recordings, or like Jimmy McGriff, on his tightest 60s sides. The album's got a really dope approach on the best cuts – kind of a kicked-back approach to soul jazz that's a precursor for 70s groove – occasionally done with a backing chorus on some of the tracks, and always with some really nice guitar that washes the grooves in warm chromatic riffs. Titles include "Patricia's Delight", "Love Walk", "Jazz Plus Soul Equals Love", "Love Anytime", and "Misty".

Rare radio work from vocalist Chris Connor – a number of performances recorded for the US military, and done as nicely as any of her classic studio albums from the 50s! Most of the tracks here are from 1959, and capture Connor at her best icy modern mode – singing with depth, but great control too – that special balance that made Chris and some of her generation really stand out from the previous era. Some tunes swing strongly, and others are more laidback and intimate – and on most numbers, the piano of Ronnie Ball leads the small combo instrumentation. Titles include "Misty", "Blow Gabriel Blow", "Senor Blues", "The Lonesome Road", "I Hear The Music Now", "Baltimore Oriole", and "Manha De Carnaval".

Classic trio work by Davis, recorded here with Shirley Scott on organ and Joe Newman joining in on trumpet! The cover's got a picture of Joe standing next to Basie, but the set's all Joe's –although it's also very much in a Basie bag. The tunes are all organ/tenor drivers – with short format and tight hooks – of the sort that would have been popular with Roulette's Birdland crowd. Titles include "Farouk", "Lock Up", "Telegraph", and "A Misty One".

Fantastic stuff from Art Farmer, and a real return to more soulful playing, after noodling around a lot with other odd projects during the mid 60s. The group's stone cold and solid – with Cedar Walton on piano, Jimmy Heath on tenor, Walter Booker on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums – and Farmer's playing is a lot more hard-hitting than on other albums from the time, but still retains his majestic sense of lyrical beauty and poise. Plus this expanded 80s issue of the set adds a second LP to the original, for twice as much material, with 12 tracks in all, including "One For Juan", "Nino's Scene", "Short Cake", "The Time & The Place","Te Shadow Of Your Smile", "Make Someone Happy", "On The Trail", "Blue Bossa", "Is That So", 'Dailey Bread", "Satin Doll" and "Misty".

The rare folksy psychedelic solo set from Tommy Flanders of the Blues Project – a fairly stripped down, acoustic guitar and misty-eyed vocals led set of tunes. Moonstone is fairly straight forward singer songwriter record in some ways, with lovelorn lyrics and laidback arrangements – but it has flashes of out there mysticism. The LA session players are impeccable, too! Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "Blue Water Blue", "Morning Misty Eyes", "Purple And Blue", "Moonstone", "By The Mailbox We Stood", "Angel Of Mercy", "Boston Girls", "Sleepin'", "She's My Love" and more.

With Eddie on tenor, reed trumpet, and the "Eddie Harris Attachment" – alongside Tete Montoliu on piano, Bo Stief on bass, and Norman Fearrington on drums. Titles include "Encirclement", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Misty Thursday", "Scandia Skies", and "Steps Up".

Rare non-MPS work from this groovy leader – a sweet Polish live date, with versions of "Spanish", "Sunflower Chant", and "Blues In My Shoes"! Gustav Brom is great too – on titles that include "Who Can I Turn To", "Prilezitestne Blues", and "Misty".

A groovy late 70s outing from the Hi Los – done at the same time that group member Gene Puerling was having a great run for MPS with his group The Singers Unlimited! The style here's a bit like the Hi Los of old, but it's also got some of the smoother, sweeter tones that Puerling developed with the Singers Unlimited – that near-perfect approach to sound, with the vocals wrapped up nicely in pure harmonic bliss! Backings are directed by Rob McConnell, and vocal arrangements are by Puerling – on titles that include "Misty", "Everything Must Change", "I Remember You", "Seems Like Old Times", and "When Sunny Gets Blue".

Great stuff from Groove – a tight, no-nonsense set of hard grooves featuring a quartet that includes Rusty Bryant, Billy Butler, and Herbie Lovelle. There's a strong bottom sound to the session – picking up from the Misty days, when Groove learned that he could take just about any track, and make it groove like a mofo! Because of this, the album's selections – "That Healin Feelin", "Irene Court", "Castle Rock", and "On a Clear Day" – all sound night and tight, as Groove would have delivered the tunes playing before one of his many well-attended audiences at the time!

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD features a huge amount of bonus tracks – including "Blue In Green", "Heard It All Before", "It's Funky", "Shopping", "The Sisters", "Think I'll Stay A While", and "Misty Dawn" – all only ever on the Sisters album, making their first appearance here on vinyl.

An excellent Chess session by Etta, with hard Chicago soul production by Monk Higgins and Ralph Bass – and the kind of searing vocals that always made Etta a treat, whether rocking or mellow! The album's got some wonderful hard soul tracks, of the style that Etta could really cut loose with when she was at her best. This album is very heavily weighted in this more storming mode – and it's tremendous! She's so much more better remembered in the pop realm for the more tender and ballady material she cut over the years, but there's a heck of a strong case to be made for grittier gems such as this album! Titles include "Happiness", "It's All Right", "842-3089 (Call My Name)", "That's All I Want From You", "Nobody Like You", "I Prefer You", "Don't Pick Me For Your Fool" and more. This great version from Kent UK is the first ever (!!!) CD release and it's expanded broadly, with 12 bonus tracks: "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", "I Got You Babe", "Misty", "I've Gone Too Far", "The Soul Of A Man", "Miss Pitiful", "Slow And Easy" and more.

Hard rock perfected! It's around Led Zeppelin IV you can easily say that the group moved up from being incredibly great to flat-out legendary. On IV, they do a bit of what the did on each of the three preceding albums, but rather than starting to repeat themselves, they get better! Amazing. Every song a classic: "Black Dog", "Stairway To Heaven", "Rock And Roll", "Misty Mountain Hop", "When The Levee Breaks", "Going To California", "Four Sticks" and "Battle Of Evermore".

An excellent obscure album of young, undiscovered and lesser-known Chicago jazz players from the early 70s – like Charles Williamson, Sonny Seals, Tyrone Taylor, and Jodie Christian – all of whom play very nicely, and lay down some hard funky big band stuff. There's 4 nice extended tracks, and the record features two great funky numbers – "Hush" and "Music For Gong Gong", plus 2 ballads "Misty" and "Lover Man". Very nice grooves, and the kind of record we love to find!

Sweet grooves from the great Bob Marley – a set cut at a time when Marley was really riding his international fame – and able to create the kind of music that reached out way more than conventional reggae! The Kingston roots of the sound are still very firmly in place – but there's also a more globally-expansive vision here too – partly the tight production on the music, partly the warm feelings that ebb and flow throughout the entire set – a vibe that's very different than American soul, and which has turned out to be surprisingly encompassing over the years. Titles include "Is This Love", "Running Away", "Kaya", "Satisfy My Soul", "Easy Skanking", "Sun Is Shining", "She's Gone", "Misty Morning", "Crisis", and "Time Will Tell" – plus this reissue adds "Smile Jamaica" as a bonus track.

A classic from Johnny Mathis' second run at Columbia! Up Up & Away is Mathis' first set back at the label after a brief hiatus – a record that shows a newly mature style that's wonderfully suited for Johnny's amazing voice! Mathis tones are every bit as perfect as before – but he's also got a maturing approach to the lyrics that's really nice – maybe a bit more pause, or thoughtfulness, which only increases the sense of feeling in the tunes. Of course, the great charts by Glenn Osser also help too – lush, but never sleepy, and showing their own sort of maturation too. Titles include "Misty Roses", "Drifting", "When I Look In Your Eyes", "I Thought Of You Last Night", "Far Above Cayuga's Waters", and "Where Are The Words".

A very groovy little record! Quire is a harmony group led by Christine Legrand – sister of Michel Legrand, and ex-member of similar groups The Swingle Singers and Les Double Six. The music on the set is very much like that of the latter – in that it's harmony vocal versions of famous jazz tunes, done in an instrument-less style that recalls the work of the Swingles. The sound is quite odd, but wonderful – handled with the dreamy delightful style we've always come to love in Christine's work. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Blue Rondo A La Turk", "Django", "Misty", "Body & Soul", and "Waltz For Debby".

Della swings it hard this live set from the 60s – with backing from John Cotter, in a style that's jazzy, bouncy, and swinging! Even the mellower tracks are done in a tightly snapping style that's every bit the best approach that Della brought to vocals – a bit of soul in the undercurrent, and a catchy upbeat mode that makes even the odder tunes come across well. Titles include "Misty", "Comes Once In A Lifetime", "His Eye Is On The Sparrow", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Someday", and "If Ever I Would Leave You".

An amazing collection of work from Jackie Ross – a singer who was arguably the greatest female soul artist in Chicago during the 60s! Jackie's got a really wonderful approach – sweet on top, but with a hard punch below – very much at the best level of some of Motown's heavyweights of the same period – but not nearly as well-known! That aspect makes this set a really fresh discovery – not just Jackie's few hits, but lots of other rare album and single material too – including a few unreleased tracks that really round out the collection wonderfully. And as you'd guess from Ace/Kent, the packaging and presentation is wonderful – not just crystal-clear quality to the recordings, but really rich notes and images that make the whole thing sparkle way more than any previous collection of Ross' work for Chess. Titles include "Everything But Love", "Selfish One", "Misty", "Wasting Time", "You Really Know How To Hurt A Girl", "Honey Dear", "My Square", "Stick To One", "Dynamite Lovin", "Take Me For A Little While", "I Dig His Style", "Trust In Me", "It's Going All The Way", "Jerk & Twine", "I've Got The Skill", and "Haste Makes Waste".

A groundbreaking set from The Silver Apples – one of those records that almost didn't get fully appreciated until many decades later! The sound here is quite unique, even for the late 60s psych rock underground – and The Apples work in a blend of spacey electronics, driving percussion, and simple, stark guitar parts – a sound that's almost to their generation what the music of Suicide was to the underground of a decade later. Most tunes pulsate with an almost organic sort of quality, and the lyrics of the songs are often quite tuneful at times – a nice contrast to some of the colder styles of the instrumentation. The album's had a huge influence on countless groups in the past decade or so – for good reasons – and titles include "Oscillations", "Lovefingers", "Velvet Cave", "Whirly-Bird", "Dust", "Misty Mountain", "Program", and "Dancing Gods".

Back to back killers from the legendary Billy Stewart – two great albums for Chess in one sweet set! First up is Unbelievable – a truly unbelievable album from Billy – maybe his standout moment of the 60s, and a record that set him apart from every other singer of his time! Stewart's famous vocals break out instantly on the huge hit "Summertime" – a leadoff number that really sets the record on fire – and sets the scene for an amazing batch of tunes that follow a similar format – familiar tracks that are completely recast in a new mode by Billy – pyrotechnic soul vocals that are as filled with feeling as they are shaped by technique! Backings are great, too – full and a bit jazzy at points – and with just the right sort of energy to keep things bouncing along all the way through. Titles include "Summertime", "A Foggy Day", "Canadian Sunset", "Time After Time", "Misty", "Moon River", "My Funny Valentine", and "That Old Black Magic". Cross My Heart is a collection of killer singles from the legendary Billy Stewart – put together by Chess after his too-early passing – but an amazing document of his completely unique talents as a soul singer! The work here is brilliant – vocals that soar and take off on the upbeat numbers, and reach deep deep levels on the mellower ones – and the set's a great one to take you past some of Billy's familiar hits, into territory of the great singles he issued with Chess in the 60s. Titles include the sublime "Cross My Heart", plus "Tell Me the Truth", "I'm In Love", "Fat Boy's Boogaloo", "Crazy 'Bout You Baby", "Why Am I Lonely", "How Nice It Is", "I'm In Love (Oh Yes I Am)", "What Have I Done" and "Why Do I Love You So".

A killer package – two full albums, plus bonus tracks too! First up is Maybe – amazing early work from the Three Degrees – tracks cut before their more famous disco years in the 70s – but already showing a whole new approach to girl group soul! At some level, the trio take off strongly from the best late 60s styles of The Supremes – taking the most righteous elements, and working them into a hip new take on female soul – often using slight undercurrents of funk, in ways that are a bit like Honeycone, but even groovier! Arrangements are by Sammy Lowe and Steve Swanson – who bring in a nice east coast bite – and titles include "Sugar On Sunday", "Rosegarden", "You're The One", "The Magic Door", "Collage", "Maybe", and "You're The Fool". Next is So Much Love – a great illustration of the way the female trio could really take off – even without the disco grooves that would later bring them fame! There's a bouncy sound to most numbers here – a bit of Northern Soul here, some 60s mod there – and the girls' vocals are even more amazing than we remember them in later years – really at the top of the girl group pack for the time. Arrangements are by Hutch Davie, Tony Camillo, and Bert DeCoteaux – and titles include "Maybe", "Trade Winds", "I Do Take You", "Who Is She (And What Is She To You)", and "Magic Mirror". 2CD set features a whopping 23 bonus tracks – including "Handle With Care", "Shades Of Green", "Requiem", "Isn't It A Pity", "Yours (long single version)", "There's So Much Love All Around Me (mono)", "Through Misty Eyes (mono)", and mono takes of many album tracks!

Massive – and more rare club singles than we might have hoped for in a single package! The set's proof that there's still plenty to dig for in the 12" scene of the late 70s and early 80s – as it features a huge amount of rare grooves we've never heard before – most of them perfectly balanced between boogie, disco, and funky soul modes – and often produced with the sort of raw touches that we'd usually find on the P&P family of labels! There's definitely an east coast vibe running strong in the set – but the collection also features nice contributions from points west, too – including a few especially nice club tracks from the Detroit scene that have been lost to the shifting sands of time for years. The notes feature some surprising details on each number – proving that compiler DJ Red Greg really knows his stuff – and about half of the cuts are presented in sensitive edits that do great things to expand the groove, while still respecting the structure of the original tune. Titles include "Love Explosion" by Donnell Pitman, "Music Madness" by Beckie Bell, "Get On Up" by Free Spirit, "Search For Tomorrow" by Chain Reaction, "Love Me For Real" by Rim & Kasa, "You Don't Want My Love" by KIC, "Fear" by Arthur King, "Right Size" by Miss Misty, "So Much To Talk About" by New Love Ltd & Interstate 95, "Crazy" by Carl Marshall & The SDs, "Booty Shaker" by Star Quad, "Rainbows" by Del Richardson, "Can You Dig It" by Lafayette Street, "Why Do I Love You" by Andy Crown, and "Feeling Freeky" by The Vandales.

One of the first albums ever recorded by soulful avant legend Byard Lancaster! Lancaster hailed from Philadelphia, and played flute and alto in a style that was clearly informed by the freer spiritual players that dominated one branch of the avant garde tree at the time, like 'Trane and Pharoah. He's joined here by a young Sonny Sharrock, whose "John's Children" they do a wonderful reading of, plus Eric Gravatt, Keno Speller and Jerome Hunter. The tunes are all still tied to a primarily swing based concept of time, and the solos never reach too far, on this side that nods towards the new thing without diving in too deeply. Includes the title track, "Last Summer", Garner's "Misty", "Mr AA", "Dogtown", the standard "Over The Rainbow" and "Satan".

One of Tadd Dameron's last true jazz sides – featuring the bop maestro composing, arranging, and conducting for a large group that includes Bill Evans, Johnny Griffin, Joe Wilder, Clark Terry, and Philly Joe Jones. There's a bit of Ellington in the album – with somber washes of mood and color, in a manner that was always one of Dameron's strongest suits – and the quality of the players, especially Evans, really adds a lot to the album. Titles include "On A Misty Night", "Just Plain Talkin", "You're A Joy", "Swift As The Wind", and "Dial B For Beauty".

The "plus one" on the set is Stanley Turrentine – who really warms up the sound nicely! Titles include "Gene's Lament", "Misty", "Uptown Sop", and "Yours Is My Heart Alone".

A key album in the career of Richard Groove Holmes – his first session ever for Prestige Records, and the one that yielded the monster crossover hit version of "Misty"! The sound here is much leaner and cleaner than Groove in his Pacific Jazz years – a tight trio approach that brings plenty focus on Holmes' soaring style on the Hammond – that way of holding a note that made his organ work instantly recognizable in the 60s, in a groove that really set the tone for plenty of spacious keyboard work to come from others who would cop his style! Players include Gene Edwards on guitar and Jimmie Smith on drums – but Groove's organ dominates the records, and clearly sets the tone for the rhythm with his amazing sense of space and timing! Titles include a 5 minute version of Groove's "Misty", plus "Groove's Groove", "Song For My Father", and "Soul Message".

With Charlie Ventura on tenor, Nabil Totah on bass, and John Bunch on piano – and cuts that include "Undecided", "Tickle Toe", "I Love You", "Misty", "Flying Home", and "Cry Me A River".

Sweet grooves from the great Bob Marley – a set cut at a time when Marley was really riding his international fame – and able to create the kind of music that reached out way more than conventional reggae! The Kingston roots of the sound are still very firmly in place – but there's also a more globally-expansive vision here too – partly the tight production on the music, partly the warm feelings that ebb and flow throughout the entire set – a vibe that's very different than American soul, and which has turned out to be surprisingly encompassing over the years. Titles include "Is This Love", "Running Away", "Kaya", "Satisfy My Soul", "Easy Skanking", "Sun Is Shining", "She's Gone", "Misty Morning", "Crisis", and "Time Will Tell". 2CD version features the bonus track "Smile Jamaica (version)" – plus 13 more tracks recorded live in Rotterdam in 1978 – "Jamming", "No Woman No Cry", "I Shot The Sheriff", "The Heathen", "Positive Vibration", and "Exodus".

A dozen classics from sassy Sarah Vaughan's Mercury years, including "Misty", "Broken Hearted Melody", "Make Yourself Comfortable", "Autumn In New York", "Moonlight In Vermont", "How Important Can It Be", "Smooth Operator", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Eternally", "Poor Butterfly" and "Close To You".

Massive – and more rare club singles than we might have hoped for in a single package! The set's proof that there's still plenty to dig for in the 12" scene of the late 70s and early 80s – as it features a huge amount of rare grooves we've never heard before – most of them perfectly balanced between boogie, disco, and funky soul modes – and often produced with the sort of raw touches that we'd usually find on the P&P family of labels! There's definitely an east coast vibe running strong in the set – but the collection also features nice contributions from points west, too – including a few especially nice club tracks from the Detroit scene that have been lost to the shifting sands of time for years. The notes feature some surprising details on each number – proving that compiler DJ Red Greg really knows his stuff – and about half of the cuts are presented in sensitive edits that do great things to expand the groove, while still respecting the structure of the original tune. Titles include "Love Explosion" by Donnell Pitman, "Music Madness" by Beckie Bell, "Get On Up" by Free Spirit, "Search For Tomorrow" by Chain Reaction, "Love Me For Real" by Rim & Kasa, "You Don't Want My Love" by KIC, "Fear" by Arthur King, "Right Size" by Miss Misty, "So Much To Talk About" by New Love Ltd & Interstate 95, "Crazy" by Carl Marshall & The SDs, "Booty Shaker" by Star Quad, "Rainbows" by Del Richardson, "Can You Dig It" by Lafayette Street, "Why Do I Love You" by Andy Crown, and "Feeling Freeky" by The Vandales.

A surprisingly great new album from Gwen McCrae – one that has her returning to hit territory of years back, and re-recording older Miami soul hits from the 70s! The sound is far better than we could have hoped for – very much in the older spirit of the TK label, thanks to production by George Perry and Henry Stone that keeps things simple, and which doesn't clutter up the tunes with too many modern flourishes. The musicians are all great too – and include Perry, Little Beaver, Latimore, and Timmy Thomas – the last two of whom also sing on the record! Gwen's not only singing her own hits here either, but tracks by other TK artists like Betty Wright, Paulette Reaves, and Bobby Caldwell – performed very nicely here in versions that are almost as great as the originals. Titles include "Jazz Freak", "What You Won't Do For Love", "Rock Your Baby", "Why Can't We Live Together", "90% Of Me Is You", "Clean Up Woman", "Honey Honey", "You Gotta Love Me", "Rockin Chair", "Misty Blue", and "Party Down".

Two American trumpeters – both of whom hit some of their best work ever in European recordings like this! The album's a perfect showcase for both Benny Bailey and Idrees Sulieman – and really rivals any of their American sessions for range of imagination, depth of soul, and unbridled expression! Benny Bailey is up first – really soaring on two different sessions with the Jazz Live Trio of pianist Klaus Koenig – one from 1970, and the other from 1983 – with Benny sounding completely mindblowing on the long original "Sanza", then reminding us how he can really transform a tune on versions of "Summertime" and "Stella By Starlight". Sulieman's an equally great pleasure here – again on one 70s recording, and another from the early 80s – both with Jazz Live Trio – on titles that include "Wee", "Misty", "I Can't Get Started", and "Now's The Time".

A sublime selection of grooves from the legendary A&M Records – and a key document of the way the label helped shape the sound of Brazilian music in the 60s! Far more than any other American imprint, A&M had a key dedication to bringing Brazilian sounds to the US – not just through work by artists like Sergio Mendes, Edu Lobo, Bossa Rio, and others – but also through the way it introduced Brazilian songs, arrangements, and instrumentation to work by other singers too! This package brings together some of the best of those moments – great music mostly from the late 60s – showing not just the presence of Brazilian music on the label, but the strong influence of bossa nova as well. Titles include "Old Devil Moon" by Bossa Rio, "Dindi" by Claudine Longet, "Fool On The Hill" by Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66, "One Note Samba" by Chris Montez, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Roger Nichols, "Fly Me To The Moon" by Chris Montez, "Day By Day" by Bossa Rio, "Misty Roses" by The Sandpipers, "The Girl From Ipanema" by Chris Montez, "Up Up & Away" by Bossa Rio, "Mas Que Nada" by Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66, and "Our Day Will Come" by Roger Nichols Trio.

Although he's mostly known for his "jazz meets classical" recordings, and to a lesser extent for his soundtrack work, Claude Bolling could also be a pretty great straight jazz pianist when he wanted to. This album has him working in a solo mode, recalling the work of piano greats that run from Horace Silver to Fats Waller to Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, and Errol Garner. Tracks are relatively short, and all done in Bolling's amazingly agile style of playing – and titles include "My Monday Date", "The Preacher", "Rosetta", "Caution Blues", "Misty", "Viper's Drag", and "Echoes Of Spring".

Beautiful ballads from the mighty Don Byas – working here in a rare Paris session with backings from arranger Jacques Denjean! Denjean really brings a great spirit to the set – subtle strings that flow nicely in the background, in a manner that's similar to some of the best Verve "with strings" sessions in the US during the 50s – never too sleepy, and always with plenty of room for Byas to do his thing in the lead! Don's tone is wonderful, and he gets some great support in the group from players who include Georges Arvanitas on piano, Ivan Jullien on trumpet, Raymond Guiot on flute, and Nat Peck on trombone. Titles include "Misty", "Autumn In New York", "April In Paris", "Laura", "My Funny Valentine", and "Don't Blame Me".

One of the few dates ever as a leader from pinaist Lee Lovett – an artist who mostly worked as an arranger, with credits that include stints with the groups of Erskine Hawkins, Cat Anderson, Tab Smith, and Lucky Millinder! Lee's music here has a much more modern feel than some of those artists, though – a laidback and soulful approach to small group material – clearly put together with the ear of someone intent on the larger picture, and not just the individual notes – yet still intimate enough to also showcase Lee's talents on piano too. Rhythm is from Al Hall on bass and Butch Ballard on drums – and many tracks feature the core trio – but a few more feature some especially nice work from Bob Brown on alto and tenor sax. Titles include "Plum Street", "ABC Hop", "Misty", "Judaline", "Angel Eyes", and "If It's The Last Thing I Do".

Amazing music – a 2LP package that features both of Barbara Mason's early albums, in heavy individual sleeves – pressed on 180 gram vinyl, with heavy tip-on jackets! Yes I'm Ready is a landmark record – not just for Barbara Mason, or for female Philly soul – but for the role of women in soul music too! The title cut is a stunner – an honest, earnest, yearning message from a youngster ready to take the next step – a bit creepy at times when you come to think of it, but also a door-opening number that really helped pave the way for more robust female sensuality in years to come. The tune's got a fragility that's wonderful – and is followed up here with a host of other great numbers that follow in a similar groove. In addition to the hits "Yes I'm Ready" and "Sad Sad Girl", other tracks include "Misty", "You Got What It Takes", "Keep Him", "Trouble Child", and "Girls Have Feelings Too". Ooh How It Hurts is sublime early work by Barbara Mason – featuring a heartbreaking set of ballads and weepies that are perfect for her young voice. The record is even stronger than before – with a number of tracks that have her hitting a much more mature approach to love, one that takes her a lot farther than usual. Barbara's vocals are bit more grown up – with a deeper soul groove than her early little girl style. Most of the tracks are penned by Barbara, too – and titles include "Oh How It Hurts", "Poor Girl In Trouble", "I Need Love", "Game Of Love", "If You Don't", and "I Don't Want To Lose You".

A Johnny Hammond 2-fer – a pair of very early albums, back to back on a single CD! First up is Talk That Talk – subtle early magic from Johnny Hammond Smith, and the kind of sweet organ jazz set that really set Smith apart from his contemporaries in the 60s! There's a slightly offbeat vibe here that's hard to peg, but which already marks Hammond as one of the more inventive players of his generation – never content to just rehash R&B modes for jazz organ, and instead really exploratory in terms of timings and phrasings – using his instrument to great effect in a hip combo that features George Tucker on bass, Art Taylor on drums, and Ray Barretto on congas – plus some excellent tenor from Oliver Nelson on three tracks! Titles include "Talk That Talk", "Bennie's Diggin", "Portrait Of Jennie", "An Affair To Remember", "The End Of A Love Affair", "Riptide", "Misty", and "Minors Allowed". Getting The Message is a vibes and organ delight – a rare early set from Johnny Hammond Smith, and a date that features a key appearance from vibist Lem Winchester! Winchester only cut a handful of dates before shuffling off this mortal coil far too soon – and he's a hell of a player, with a richly chromatic tone that works beautifully next to Smith's organ lines – a pairing that's quite different than other organ/vibes duos you might know from the time, and one that's got to be heard to be fully appreciated! There's a complexity here that we love, even when things are straight and swinging – and titles include "Lid Flippin", "Getting The Message", "Princess", and "Dementia".

Great 70s live work from Sarah Vaughan – material that easily stands alongside her best for the Pablo label at the same time, but which is far more obscure overall! The notes on the CD aren't much – and obviously help enforce the obscurity of the sessions – but we can say that all the performances are from live dates, and backing appears to be from a trio led by Bob James on acoustic piano on some tracks – and by a larger group with Hank Mobley and Dizzy Gillespie on a few more. Sarah's vocals are simple and straightforward, but have a confidence and poise that's totally great – qualities that have always almost made her a better singer live than in the studio. Titles include "Sassy's Blues", "Scat Blues", "Alfie", "Misty", "I Had A Ball", "The Theme", "Lover Man", "What Now My Love", and "Lover Come Back To Me".

Massive – and more rare club singles than we might have hoped for in a single package! The set's proof that there's still plenty to dig for in the 12" scene of the late 70s and early 80s – as it features a huge amount of rare grooves we've never heard before – most of them perfectly balanced between boogie, disco, and funky soul modes – and often produced with the sort of raw touches that we'd usually find on the P&P family of labels! There's definitely an east coast vibe running strong in the set – but the collection also features nice contributions from points west, too – including a few especially nice club tracks from the Detroit scene that have been lost to the shifting sands of time for years. The notes feature some surprising details on each number – proving that compiler DJ Red Greg really knows his stuff – and about half of the cuts are presented in sensitive edits that do great things to expand the groove, while still respecting the structure of the original tune. 12 tracks on the 2LP version: "Love Explosion" by Donnell Pitman, "Music Madness (DJ Red Greg Edit)" by Beckie Bell, "Search For Tomorrow" by Chain Reaction, "Love Me For Real (DJ Red Greg Edit)" by Rim & Kasa, "You Don't Want My Love" by KIC, "Right Size (DJ Red Greg Edit)" by Miss Misty, "Rainbows (Jazz Mix)" by Del Richardson, "Can You Dig It" by Lafayette Street, "Why Do I Love You (DJ Red Greg Edit)" by Andy Crown and more.