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The latest volume in one of our favorite series of soul jazz tracks! This one opens the scope way past previous volumes, and features a rollicking party of tasty little groovers – most of them with a raw, uptempo, funky 45 jukebox kind of feel! Tracks are from the Chess, Fantasy, Jewel, and Brunswick catalogs – with many rare numbers like "Fever" by Sharon Cash, "Get Ready" by Ella Fitzgerald, "Ain't There Something That Money Can't Buy" by Young Holt Unlimited, "Light My Fire" by Erma Franklin, "Hush" by Woody Herman, "Another Plan For School Mix Up" by The Cals, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Karen Hernandez, "Caesar's Pad" by Googie Rene, "The Point" by Aaron (Chico) Bailey & The Family Affair Band, "I Got To See My Baby" by Lee Jones & The Unforgotten Two, and "Ain't It A Groove" by Dave Hamilton. 23 cuts in all – and very very groovy!

A sweet and long overdue second set of Mo' Jazz from the Acid Jazz label – who made us wait just about 20 years for it – and much like the early 90s collection, it's a fresh take on timeless jazzy sounds that'll stand the test of time! It puts together nice contemporary numbers by Laurent Doumont, Filthy Six, Derek and Jodi Chai, The Cavemen, Max Middleton, G's Way and others – with riffs on classic post bebop jazz, organ funk, boozy jazzy soul ballads and more – with nicely cooking instros and vocal numbers alike. Classic-schooled, fresh sounds from artists we hope to hear much more from in the future. Bring on Vol 3! Includes "Everything I Do's Gonna Be Funky" by Laurent Doumont, "Live Again" by Derek Chai feat Jodi Chai, "Pedalo" by Riley Stone-Lonergan, "Wine Cups" by Richard Bundy, "Get Down" by Filthy Six, "Booze Blues" by Nigel Price Trio, "Return Of The Prodigal Son" by The Cavemen, "Treehouse" by Sam Q's Night Patrol, "Catch Me If You Can" by G's Way and more, 12 in all.

A sweet and long overdue second set of Mo' Jazz from the Acid Jazz label – who made us wait just about 20 years for it – and much like the early 90s collection, it's a fresh take on timeless jazzy sounds that'll stand the test of time! It puts together nice contemporary numbers by Laurent Doumont, Filthy Six, Derek and Jodi Chai, The Cavemen, Max Middleton, G's Way and others – with riffs on classic post bebop jazz, organ funk, boozy jazzy soul ballads and more – with nicely cooking instros and vocal numbers alike. Classic-schooled, fresh sounds from artists we hope to hear much more from in the future. Bring on Vol 3! Includes "Everything I Do's Gonna Be Funky" by Laurent Doumont, "Live Again" by Derek Chai feat Jodi Chai, "Pedalo" by Riley Stone-Lonergan, "Wine Cups" by Richard Bundy, "Get Down" by Filthy Six, "Booze Blues" by Nigel Price Trio, "Return Of The Prodigal Son" by The Cavemen, "Treehouse" by Sam Q's Night Patrol, "Catch Me If You Can" by G's Way and more, 12 in all.

Rare and raw mod rock from The Frays! 90 Wardour Street features a bunch great mid 60s recordings from the group – with a couple of great tunes that were released by Decca as singles back in the day, but the 12-track album was never released – until now! A nice back of spare, but wallop mod rhythms & hard blues. It's got a nice, unvarnished vibe overall – with some really sharp guitar lines, walloping drums and harp-blowing! Includes "Don't Start Crying Now", "Eenie Meenie Miney Mo", "Fattening Frogs For Snakes", "Help Me", "I Wonder Who", "Keep It To Yourself", "Red's Dream", "Groovin'", "My Babe" and "Walk On".

Soulful, not surreal – a sublime set of sounds from Incognito – one of the few groups who could ever stay this great for so long! The record's overflowing with everything we love about Incognito – that warm blend of soul, jazz, and funk – trained in the best 70s elements at its core, but served up with a lean, tight quality that not only belies the group's London roots, but their potent force in contemporary soul in the 21st Century! And although other recent albums have been great, there's really something special going on here – an extra-great element that we really can't put our finger on exactly, but which had us loving this one from the very first note. Vocals are great – sung by Vanessa Haynes, Natalie Williams, Mo Brandis, and the mighty Maysa – and titles include "The Less You Know", "The Stars From Here", "This Must Be Love", "Thoughtful Fantasies", "Restless We Are", "Rivers On The Sun", and "Above The Night".

An incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter segues between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker".

A killer album from Johnny Richards – possibly the best he ever cut! The album sparkles with all the intensity he brought to Stan Kenton's Cuban Fire album – with bits of Latin, jazz, and some of the modernist scoring that Kenton, Richards, and Pete Rugolo were using at the time. However, the main thing about this album is that it swings like a mo-fo – moving past any tricks and gags to hit a strong jazz mode, with excelelnt solo work by players like Frank Socolow, Gene Quill, and trumpeter Burt Collins. Willie Rodriguez brings some nice Latin percussion to the set – and titles include "Cimarron", "Eyes", "Nipigon", and "The Ballad Of Tappan Zee".

A classic set from Horace Silver – one in which his quintet is expanded by some great guest work from trombonist JJ Johnson! Johnson's at the height of his 60s powers here – blowing with that lean, soulful style that always made any record sparkle – and although he's only on half of the tracks on the date, his presence is more than worth the heavy billing he gets on the cover! Other great members of the group include Woody Shaw on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, and rhythm from Bob Cranshaw on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – all coming together with that wonderful 60s Silver groove. The set's filled with sweetly grooving originals by Horace – a blueprint for the exotic style of soul jazz he helped to forge at the time – great writing all around, on titles that include "Mo Joe", "Nutville", "Bonita", "The African Queen", and "Pretty Eyes".

Beautiful trio work by Elmo Hope – one of his first sessions as a leader, and while still quite modern, also a record that's done with a warmer, mellower feel than some of his other work – as you might guess from the cover image and the Meditations title! The group on the set features John Ore on bass and Willie Jones on drums – and tracks include some great originals that strongly display the unique Hope conception on the keys – a sound forged here in the time before his west coast sojourn, and echoing influences of Monk and Herbie Nichols, but also a strong sense of jazz piano tradition that colors the tunes nicely. Titles include "Elmo's Fire", "Blue Mo", "Huh", "Quit It", "Lucky Strike", and "All The Things You Are".

An incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter seques between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker".

An incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter seques between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker".

A killer session that matches the talents of American drum genius Philly Joe Jones with some of the leading lights in British jazz! The set was recorded in London in 1968, at that perfect moment when the Brit jazz scene was turning towards new ideas of modernism, but hadn't yet strayed too far from the tight swing that characterized most of its playing since the postwar years. Philly leads a group that includes Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Chris Pyne on trombone, Pete King on alto, and Harold McNair on tenor and flute. King and McNair are some of our favorite players ever, rarely reissued on CD or LP – and the set gives them plenty of free reign to solo madly in a bop-heavy environment. Titles include "Gone Gone Gone", "Trailways Express", "Mo Joe", and "Ladybird".

Solid jazzy hip hop from Buffalo's Pseudo Intellectuals – the trio of Tone Atlas, DJ Cutler and Nick Zero – rocking jazzy soul beats & samples behind ample group rhymes – really ramping up the tightly thumping jazz accents in the manner of classic hip hop productions from coast to coast! Tone handles the beats, Cutler handle the cuts, and the whole group raps – and the rock it like Tribe Called Quest, early-ish Gangstarr, and the jazzier elements of the Cali scene, ala early 90s Hieroglyphics – but they have a unique perspective afforded by cloudy, blue collar Buffalo that's way nicer than you'd probably expect! Kind of in the throwback vein, but hey, we still love that stuff – and you should, too. Titles include "Resourceful Illlery", "Septemberfest", "No Money, Mo Problems", "Autumn Leaves", "Abide", "Novemberfest", "Uptown Wednesday Night", "Lullaby Of Lyndale", :The Impudent Date Rap", "Decemberfest" and more.

Mighty funk & hip hop from Buffalo's Pseudo Intellectuals and Scott Down & DJ Cutler! "No Money Mo Problems" is a rugged & raw hip hop number from Pseudo Intellectual – with a jazz funk bass groove at the heart of it, and a conversational flow from the MCs. The funky hip hop remix "Blue Collar Funk" spun by SD & DJ C is a straight funky number at the core – cut up with heavier drums and hip hop vocal bits. It's a busy, disjointed funk jam in the best sense of the word!

Digital music in a physical realm – a great little project that collects together a range of groundbreaking sounds from the online music scene – then puts them together in a well-presented compilation! The music here is all pretty darn fresh – a wicked batch of 21st Century soul, hip hop, nujazz, and more – all the sort that might have been issued on labels like Compost or Sonar Kollektiv a decade ago, but which hardly makes it on record these days! Yet thanks to the great efforts of Heavenly Sweetness, these grooves are getting some great exposure – almost like catching a great slice of Gilles Peterson's radio show. 2CD package features both volumes 1 & 2 – 29 titles that include "Drum Talking" by Mo Kolours, "Grandma" by Bobby Blunt, "Fall In Love" by Badbadnotgood, "Hold On" by KRTS, "Una Peripecia" by Buddy Sativa, "Journey Through My Mind" by Bug, "Conflict Of A Man" by Erimaj, "Kalimba Song" by Abjo, "Controlled Feelings" by Opolopo Voltage, "Where You Gone" by INT, "Journey To The Shore" by Dopegems, "Muscles" by Bonnie Banane, "Freak Out" by Natronix, "YBMJ" by Monkeyrobot, "Dealing" by Up High Collective, "Paintball" by Monster Sneaker, and "All Matter" by Modlee & Vlooper.

A pretty great little set that combines both of the rare early Elmo Hope 10" LPs for Blue Note – plus some additional material! Introducing The Elmo Hope Trio is seminal early work from Hope – and one of the 10" LP releases that was part of Blue Note's "New Faces – New Sounds" series during the early 50s. Hope's working here with Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones – and the trio go to town on numbers that include complicated bop tunes like "Carving The Rock" and "Hot Sauce", plus more melodic tunes like "Freffie" and "Mo Is On". As always, Hope proves himself to be one of the greatest pianists in jazz history – right up there with Monk, Herbie Nichols, and Bud Powell, bristling with excitement that few of his contemporaries (save those three) could match! The Elmo Hope Quintet session has Hope grooving in a very modernist approach to bop, working perfectly with a tight little quintet. Frank Foster wails on tenor, Freeman Lee soars on trumpet, and Percy Heath and Art Blakey keep the whole thing going on rhythm – while Hope plays madly on piano, adding in rich tones and colors to a set that might have otherwise been a straighter bop outing. Titles include "Chips", "Crazy", "Abdullah", and "Low Tide". The CD also adds in 2 tracks from the 40 Years Of Jazz collection in 1979 – "It's A Lovely Day Today" and "Crazy (alternate)" – plus 3 from the Art Blakey/Elmo Hope album – "So Nice", "St Elmo's Fire", and "Vaun Ex".

An incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter seques between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker".

A classic set from Horace Silver – one in which his quintet is expanded by some great guest work from trombonist JJ Johnson! Johnson's at the height of his 60s powers here – blowing with that lean, soulful style that always made any record sparkle – and although he's only on half of the tracks on the date, his presence is more than worth the heavy billing he gets on the cover! Other great members of the group include Woody Shaw on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, and rhythm from Bob Cranshaw on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – all coming together with that wonderful 60s Silver groove. The set's filled with sweetly grooving originals by Horace – a blueprint for the exotic style of soul jazz he helped to forge at the time – great writing all around, on titles that include "Mo Joe", "Nutville", "Bonita", "The African Queen", and "Pretty Eyes".

A rare alternate version of The Madison – recorded at the same time as Ray Bryant's big hit, and in a similar style that features jazzy instrumentation supported by "calls" from Al Brown! The cover's got an "everybody's doing the Madison" sort of look – but the sound here is strongly soulful, and the few non-call instrumental numbers come off with a really snapping soul jazz groove! There's no players listed on the cover, but we're willing to believe there's one or two famous jazz artists in the group. Titles include "Madison Jam", "Mo Madison", "Your Call", "Madison Party (parts 1 & 2)", and "Scotty".

The second live set we've gotten to hear from Mario Biondi, and it's the second terrific and worthy one! Yes You Live is a double set that finds Mario working in both acoustic jazz and electric jazz modes – both with a lot of soul. There's a contemporary freshness to the whole thing, as well as a genuine love of classic soulful jazzy vocal performers – traits we've always loved about Mario's studio work and sounding all the more vibrantly alive in a live setting! CD Yes includes "Nature Boy", "Serenity",, "Black Shop", "Love Dreamer", "Winter In America", "Ecstasy" and more. CD You features a middle section of tracks with Incognito, including "No Mo' Trouble", "Lowdown" and "Can't Get Enough", plus "I Know It's Over", "Bom De Doer", "I Wanna Make It" and more.

Moody mellow vocals and lots of spare sounds – a really compelling collaboration between singer Greta Aagre and keyboardist Erik Honore! Honore plays a variety of instruments on the record, but his best contribution here is "samples" – bits of sound that are usually filtered down from acoustic sources, and delivered with a slightly skittish feel – never over the top, but kind of textural – in a way that nicely offsets the warmer qualities of Greta's vocals. Most tunes are relatively atmospheric, and draw energy from contributions on trumpet, guitar, and percussion from a few different guest musicians – on titles that include "Rope", "Before Betrayal", "Year Of The Bullet", "Move To Strike", "Home", "Stateline", and "Birth Mark".

Spare sonic textures and mellow musical moments from Eivind Aarset – a great session for ECM, and maybe one of his most compelling records in years! This ECM album has a feel that's a bit warmer than some of Aarset's previous work for the Jazzland – not in a way that's commercial at all, given that the music is still pretty darn abstract – but just somehow more organic – in ways that almost feel acoustic at points, even though most of the instrumentation is electric – possibly because of these bass-heavy shapes that often move at the back and bottom of the mix. Eivind plays guitars, electronics, samples, and percussion – with help from Jan Bang on dictaphone and additional samples – on titles that icnlude "The Beauty Of Decay", "Homage To Greene", "Black Silence", "Close", "Reactive", and "The Whispering Forest".

Amazing stuff from Ahmed Abdul-Malik – one of the early 60s most enigmatic jazz talents! Malik was Thelonious Monk's bassist for a few years, but by the time of this record, he was working in a very sophisticated cross-cultural mode – pulling together many different strands of jazz and Eastern music, forging them into a very unique sound. Unlike some of Malik's other records, which featured a style that was very heavy on Middle Eastern instrumentation, this one's got a very even blend of jazz, and features excellent work by Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Calo Scott on cello, Eric Dixon on tenor, and Andrew Cyrille on drums. Malik himself plays bass and oud, and the record's got a snaking mix of jazz and exoticism that's roughly similar to Yusef Lateef's work on Savoy, or some of Sun Ra's work from the time. Titles include "Nights On Saturn", "La Ibkey", "The Hustlers", and "Oud Blues".

Vintage work from this overlooked group from the New York scene of the 80s – an all-star lineup that features Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Marion Brown on alto sax, Billy Bang on violin, Sirone and Fred Hopkins on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! The tracks are long, and there's a loose, open feel that recalls the loft jazz generation – but an overall sound that shows the new strength and focus that some of these players were really hitting at the time – that sharper vision that you'd get during the early years of Black Saint/Soul Note – yet presented here in a style that's much more spontaneous overall! Brown and Bang are especially nice – some of the sharpest corners of this sextet – and titles include a great reading of "Goodbye Porkpie Hate", plus "Joann's Green Satin Dress" and "Amanpondo".

A beautiful second record from Abiah – warmly wonderful material that's as sensitive as a singer/songwriter set, yet also has a deep sense of soul as well! Vocals and piano are wonderfully intertwined – in a mode that has the depth of jazz, yet the focus of soul music as well – often handled at a gentle pace, but with a flow that really holds us rapt throughout – with an acoustic vibe that's somewhere in a space between Bill Withers and Joan Armatrading. Abiah is an artist who previously recorded for Universal under his first name, Jeremiah – but he sounds even more wonderful here, and the shift to using his last name is definitely a good choice for this next chapter in his music. Titles include "This Time", "Goodbye", "Foolish Heart", "September", "Turn The Light On", and "Life As A Ballad".

Some of our favorite albums ever from pianist Muhal Richard Abrams – an amazing run of eight records for the Black Saint/Soul Note label – rich in fresh colors, tones, and new musical ideas! There's a sensitivity to some of these records that you don't always get with Abrams – a personal feeling that brings in a much-needed warmth to his complex compositional forms – often in collaboration with other players on the Chicago scene, but also with a wider range of avant players, especially from New York – where Abrams would have a great influence in the 80s. The lineup of musicians here is wonderful – a virtual who's-who of the jazz left at the time, at least from an American perspective – with performances from George Lewis, Roscoe Mitchell, Amina Myers, Thurman Barker, Baikida Carroll, Andrew Cyrille, Craig Harris, Stanton Davis, Marty Erlich, Dick Griffin, Cecil Bridgewater, Fred Hopkins, Dierdre Murray, and so many others. The set features 8 full albums, each in a tiny LP-styled sleeve – and titles include Siphumonesty, Mama & Daddy, Blues Forever, Rejoicing With The Light, View From Within, Hearinga Suite, Blu Blu Blu, and Think All Focus One.

The cover's a bit cheesy, but the record's a great one – stunningly spiritual jazz from saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, and a set that really lives up to his soulful fame from the 70s! The record has a similar vibe to some of Ackamoor's recordings with The Pyramids – very well-crafted work that's filled with a rich spirit and lots of freely creative energy – often moved by rhythms that are warm and flowing, and recorded with a sound that's much more 70s than you'd guess from the date of the recording. Idris plays alto sax, and other group members include Art Hirahara on electric piano, Baba Duru on percussion, Destiny Muhammad on harp, and Fred Harris on drums. Some tracks have vocals – sung beautifully, in a really Strata East sort of way – and titles include "Our Voices", "Beckoning", "Libation Song", "Island Dance", "Move Towards The Light", and "Centurian".

A great group – much better than their name! Forget the "dub" part – because there's no reggae jams, or bargain basement Kingston sounds on here. Instead, the group's a really warm and jazzy combo – a quintet of 5 Japanese musicians, all playing in a lovely, laidback fashion. The instrumentation includes flute, violin, acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – and the style is a gentle blend of bossa, jazz, and acoustic swing – really sparkling with a fresh take on all the genres, and coming together with a confidence that's really compelling. A really lovely little record – almost lost in the wash of current work – and packaged here with a bonus CD of remixes! Titles include "Ama No Hamaguri", "Sayonara No Kodoma", "Sabara", "Ham & Egg", "Musik Liebe & Daisy", and "Rensa Hannoh" – plus remixes by Daishi Hisakawa, Takeshi Habu, Gak Sato, and Paine.

Brilliant stuff – and one of the greatest P&P singles ever! Marta Acuna's "Dance Dance Dance" is one of those tracks that we never tire of – a sublime blend of Latin rhythms, warm disco vocals, and that great spacey P&P approach to production! Sweet female vocals glide in and out of the tune while a pumping bassy rhythm rolls along – gently grooving the track with a jazzy sort of flair, as moogy keyboards bring in a wonderful cosmic vibe!

One of the most amazing players to ever pick up the vibes – an artist with the sort of boundless creativity that Walt Dickerson and Bobby Hutcherson brought to the instrument in the 60s! Jason Adasiewicz has an amazing ear for both sound and music – and manages to balance the two perfectly – reaching for completely fresh sounds from the vibes, yet also with a sense of structure that's never too free – really maintaining a musical, melodic approach that keeps us rapt and attentive all the way through! Jason's music has always been great, but these recent Delmark sets are even a cut above – proof that both the label and the new Chicago scene are powerful forces in 21st Century jazz. The trio features excellent work by like-minded musicians Natt McBride on bass and Mike Reed on drums – and titles include "The Volunteer", "Pillow", "Run Fly", "Solo One", "Diesel", and "Waiting In The Attic".

Heavy dancefloor funk from ADC Band – grooving in a bass-heavy mode that almost seems like a mainstream take on P-Funk – but which also has some really great mellow soul elements on the mellower tunes! There's a great ensemble Detroit groove going on overall – and as an added bonus, soul jazz legend Marcus Belgrave plays trumpet on most of the tracks! Titles include "I Just Want To Hold You", "Stank Machine", "Midnite Creeper", "Talk That Stuff", "ADC Is Back", and "At The Party".

A totally great set by Cannonball Adderley – one of his funkiest albums ever, recorded live at Operation Breadbasket under the supervision of Jesse Jackson, and a session in which the band is cooking a lot more than on some of their other albums from the time! The set grooves hard with some tight electric piano from Joe Zawinul – amazing snakey lines that not only set the tone for the whole record, but which really make for a strong evolution from the Mercy Mercy Mercy era of the group a few years before. Cannon's alto and soprano work are beautiful – a masterpiece of soul jazz expression – as is the cornet from brother Nat – and the group's completed by bassist Walter Booker and drummer Roy McCurdy. The album's a bucketful of great jazzy sample tunes – and tracks include "Walk Tall", "Country Preacher", "Hummin", and the extended "Afro-Spanish Omlet".

An interesting early side by Cannonball that captures him before he'd really found his voice – and when the folks at Mercury still didn't really know what to do with him. The record's a tightly arranged set of tracks from Duke Ellington's musical "Jump For Joy" – with arrangements by Bill Russo, and small group playing that includes Emmett Berry, Bill Evans, Barry Gabraith, Jimmy Cobb, and a small string section. The sound's actually quite haunting – and Cannon's alto solos remind us more of some of the best "with strings" soloing heard on Verve in the early 50s than they do his later soul jazz classics on Riverside or Capitol. That's ok with us, though – because the session's still got a lot to offer in that respect, and Cannonball handles the solos wonderfully! Titles include "Bli Blip", "Just Squeeze Me", "Nothin", and "The Tune Of The Hickory Stick".

A jazzy portrait of Cannonball Adderley in his early soul jazz prime – oddly one that doesn't feature his regular quintet lineup, but which more than makes up for that lack with a batch of players that includes Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Bill Evans on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums! Given the personnel, the record's almost kind of a transition from Cannon's brief time with Miles Davis into his tighter more soul-inflected group to come – and Evans' piano provides an especially spacious sensibility here, one that marks the time spent with Miles nicely. Titles include "Nardis", "A Little Taste", "Minority", and "Blue Funk". CD features 3 bonus tracks!

One of the coolest, baddest, funkiest albums Cannonball Adderley ever recorded – a massive suite of tunes based on the signs of the Zodiac, produced to perfection by David Axelrod, and featuring some hip recitations from the mighty Rick Holmes! The double-length set is completely compelling all the way through – a darkly brooding batch of funky jazz that shows a strong Miles Davis electric influence at points, thanks to Nat Adderley's spacey trumpet lines, Mike Deasy's trippy guitar, and George Duke's excellent keyboards! Other tracks are a bit more laidback, fitting the mood of their respective signs – and overall, the whole thing slips and slides wonderfully from cut to cut – taking you through the star signs with a really righteous, soulful approach. Titles include "Cancer", "Sagittarius", "Pisces", "Aquarius", "Capricorn", "Virgo", "Taurus", "Aries", "Libra", and a special "Introduction".

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The quintet forged a sound that made them an immediate hit – and which had their tight, jagged, soul-drenched sound getting copied by everyone. The record features some amazing soul jazz standards – like Nat's original version of "Work Song", the first-ever record of Timmons' amazing "Dat Dere", Cannon's slinky "Them Dirty Blues", and the jaunty groover "Jeannine", a wonderful cut by Duke Pearson that never sounded better! The CD features alternates of "Work Song" and "Dat Dere" – for a total of 9 tracks in all!

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The quintet forged a sound that made them an immediate hit – and which had their tight, jagged, soul-drenched sound getting copied by everyone. The record features some amazing soul jazz standards – like Nat's original version of "Work Song", the first-ever record of Timmons' amazing "Dat Dere", Cannon's slinky "Them Dirty Blues", and the jaunty groover "Jeannine", a wonderful cut by Duke Pearson that never sounded better! The CD features alternates of "Work Song" and "Dat Dere" – for a total of 9 tracks in all!

A strong showcase for young Nat Adderley's talents on cornet – and an album that's got a different feel that his work with his more famous brother's combo at the same time! The style here is simple – Nat blowing with 2 different quartets – one with Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums (all from Cannonball's group) – the other with the rhythm section of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Despite's Nat's reputation as a gutbuckety soul jazz player, he actually gets in some nicely lyrical licks in this set – blowing in a soulful modern style that almost recalls the work of Carmell Jones at times! Titles include "Chloe", "Images", "Scotch & Water", and "Naturally".

Beautiful Brazilian jazz from guitarist Mario Adnet – an artist with a sound that recalls some of our favorite work from the great indie fusion explosion in Brazil during the 80s! Mario plays acoustic guitar in a lightly dancing way that's initiated by bossa, but has stronger ties to the more complicated fusion modes of the post-Hermeto Pascoal years – never too over the top, but with a sense of sophistication and rich colors that make the album incredibly captivating, even in the mellower moments! As in some of Hermeto's most fluid work, there's a blend of soaring rhythms and more angular instrumentation going on here – and Mario's guitar is joined by flutes by Teco Cardoso, electric guitar by Ricardo Silveira, piano by Marcos Nimrichter, trombones by Vittor Santos, and trumpet by Jesse Sadoc – all working in shifting lineups from track to track. Joao Donato plays piano on one title, and a few others feature lightly jazzy vocals – and tracks include "From The Heart", "Ocean Range", "Paulistiana No 1", "Danca Negra", "Northern Landscape", "Music Inside", "Baiambe", and "Salsatlantic".

Jazz versions of classics by Antonio Carlos Jobim – all done by a group arranged and directed by guitarist Mario Adnet, and featuring guest work from Joyce, Helio Delmiro, Romero Lumbambo, and others! The sound here is really fresh – not merely just a reworking of Jobim's original ideals, but a recasting of them in lightly arranged modes that often take on the shapes, colors, and textures of work by Moacir Santos – styles that are warm, but often have some sharper edges underneath, thanks to great interplay between the instruments. Bits of horns, guitar, piano, and percussion all come together with a tremendous sense of grace – and titles include "Tema Jazz", "Sue Ann", "Domingo Sincopado", "So Danco Samba", "Paulo Voo Livre", "Polo Pony", and "Bate Boca".

A great follow-up to the first Jobim Jazz set from guitarist Mario Adnet – and in many ways, an even better-conceived version of the project! The difference this time around is that Adnet's been working through the concept in a live setting for a few years – and has come up with wonderfully rich arrangements that really push beyond any simple bossa remake sort of vibe – and instead show up the rich, complicated qualities that we've always loved in the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim – especially in the 70s years of his career! Adnet mostly plays acoustic guitar, but other instrumentation is full with horns – usually flutes and saxes that are intertwined beautifully, with a dipping, soaring sort of energy – not unlike some of the best arrangements by Moacir Santos. Titles include "Takatanga", "Mojave", "Boto", "Bonita", "O Homem", "O Barbinha Branca", "Samba De Maria Luiza", and "Deus E O Diablo Na Terra Do Sol".

A great follow-up to the first Jobim Jazz set from guitarist Mario Adnet – and in many ways, an even better-conceived version of the project! The difference this time around is that Adnet's been working through the concept in a live setting for a few years – and has come up with wonderfully rich arrangements that really push beyond any simple bossa remake sort of vibe – and instead show up the rich, complicated qualities that we've always loved in the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim – especially in the 70s years of his career! Adnet mostly plays acoustic guitar, but other instrumentation is full with horns – usually flutes and saxes that are intertwined beautifully, with a dipping, soaring sort of energy – not unlike some of the best arrangements by Moacir Santos. Titles include "Takatanga", "Mojave", "Boto", "Bonita", "O Homem", "O Barbinha Branca", "Samba De Maria Luiza", and "Deus E O Diablo Na Terra Do Sol".

A lost treasure from Antiono Adolfo – keyboard player, arranger, and one of the greatest Brazilian talents of his generation! Adolfo's sound and style is contemporaneous with the best work of Marcos Valle, Edu Lobo, and others – and like them, he has an approach that mixes together jazz, MPB, baroque orchestrations, easy scoring, and a bit of funk – similar to the best work of the Blue Brazil generation on EMI/Odeon Records. The approach is one that's rarely been matched by any other artist – and it's a strong reason why Adolfo's records from this period are extremely sought after in the world of collectors. This beautiful album from 1970 has Adolfo working with the group A Brazuca – who bring some wonderful vocal harmonies to the set, mixing with strings, guitars, and some great electric piano work from Adolfo. Includes the breezy classic "Transamazonica", plus the cuts "Que Se Dane", "Atencao Atencao", "Claudia", "Panorama", "Tributo A Victor Manga", "Caminhada", "Grilopus No 1", and "Cotidiano".

Great work by one of the grooviest groups on the LA 60s scene! The Afro Blues Quintet have a blend of soul jazz and Latin styles that's similar to the best 60s work by Cal Tjader, or to records by small combos like the Quartette Tres Bien or The Latin Jazz Quintet. Lots of grooves have a nice modal swing to them – nice and jazzy, with slight touches of soulful instrumentation, all fused into a tight Latin-styled groove. Loads of great original tunes – including "Mystic Mambo", "Freaks", "Incantations", "Victims Of Chance", "Let My People Go", and "Afro Rock".

Rare funk from the Kelekye Band – material recorded after their legendary Moving World album, but never issued at the time! This amazing package is totally great – four tracks of offbeat Afro Funk, with an approach that's heavy on percussion, and topped by jazzy riffs that really complicate the sound – a vibe that goes way deeper than more common Afro modes of the time, thanks to the rich solo energy of the horns! Trumpet is especially nice, and works great with the vocals – especially when they hit a warmer 70s soul mode that almost makes the record feel like Hugh Masekela teaming up with The Blackbyrds. Titles include "Mother Africa", "Munchin Session", "Too Bad Girl", and "Jungle Funk".

A great step forward for the Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra – even better than their previous album, and a set that beautifully mixes together jazz, Latin, and African elements into one seamless groove! Percussionist Masta Conga is at the head of the group – leading the ensemble with a unique vision that's less of the overdone Afro Funk you might know from other contemporary combos – and more of a classic 60s blend of elements – especially that unique hybrid of Latin modes you'd get from west coast groups – like the Afro Latin Soultet or Afro Blues Quintet – both clear choices of inspiration, given this group's name! Yet there's also some 70s elements moving through the grooves too – thanks to great Fender Rhodes lines, and bits of other keyboards too – often used in these cool spare ways that work perfectly with the mix of funk and Latin in the rhythms, and occasional bits of strings as well. Most tracks are instrumental, although there are a bit of vocals on the set – and titles include "Requiem Pour Un Grooveur", "Petrof Sublimination", "Onze De France", "Gibbon's Dub", and "Dimension 7".

Very righteous work from percussionist Pheeroan Ak Laff – even more hard-edged than some of his other important recordings of the late 70s – and that's saying a lot! Allthough Pheeroan lent his talents to many other musicians, this is one of the few albums he cut under his own name – and it's a blazing hot batch of percussion – monstrous work on the drum kit, with other percussion instruments as well – all recorded with a spare, earthy sound that's really amazing! The feel is partly loft jazz, partly ethnographic percussion – the latter of which is augmented more when the album features a few spoken spiritual passages – and the tones that Ak Laff gets out of his percussion are amazing – surprisingly melodic moments, mixed with others of bombastic intensity. Titles include "Ayin Of Love", "Tzaddi Vau", "Michelle Del America De Sud", "Jarawa", "Freedom" and "3 In 1".

Toshiko Akioshi makes a trip back to the Japanese jazz scene in the early 60s – for this great little session that has her meeting up with "old pals" from previous years – including Sadao Watanabe on alto sax, Akira Miyazawa on tenor, and Hideo Shiraki on drums! The reunion is a really great one – just the kind of session that stands out as special in the careers of all artists involved – especially Toshiko, who seems to have hit a new level of maturity in her work! The style here is essentially hardbop, but brought together with some well-penned head arrangements that hint at the more sophisticated directions Akikoshi would take in her later years – yet still preserve all the boppish spontaneity of her youth. The set's on a par with the best on Blue Note or Impulse in the US at the time – and is key proof that at the right moments, the Japanese jazz scene of the early 60s was really something to rave about! Titles include "Quebec", "Old Pals", "Watasu No Biethovin", "So What", and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes".

A wonderful album from the team of Toshiko Akioshi and Charlie Mariano – a set that was only ever issued in Japan, and which we like a fair bit more than their better-known US album for Candid! The group here is the same as that one – with Charlie Mariano on alto sax, Toshiko Akioshi on piano, Eugene Chirico on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – but the sound is a lot more focused, and often a bit more swinging – with some especially great emphasis on Mariano's magnificent tone – nicely rough-edged at this point in his career, but still strongly inside – with none of the overindulgence of later years. Charlie cuts through the tunes brilliantly – and Toshiko's got a great mix of bop and modern tones in her piano work. And even though the first half of the set list is tunes from West Side Story, the quartet make them cook like you've never heard before – really taking off with a new sort of energy that's totally great! Titles include "Tonight", "America", "Cool", "Plaisir D'Amour", "Malaguena", and "Oleo".

A great 4-part suite that rivals any of Manny Albam's other sessions from the time – including Jazz Greats Of Our Time, or Jazz New York. The tracks here are all quite long, and done in a bluesy mode that gives the album a bit more soul than usual for Albam – making great use of solos by Art Farmer, Nick Travis, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Phil Woods, and Gene Quill to flesh out the feeling of the set.

A wonderful little session from Manny Albam – one that continues the strong tradition of larger group jazz arranging he began in the 60s, but which takes it to an even deeper level! Manny composed the entire set as kind of a "city suite" in jazz – one that paints the picture of many different shades of city life through jazzy solos and a range of deeper tones and colors from the larger ensemble. Players include Frank Wess, Phil Woods, JJ Johnson, Jerome Richardson, and Mike Manieri – all extremely well-suited to an outing like this – and titles include "The Game Of The Year", "Born On Arrival", "The View From The Inside", "El Barrio Latino", "Ground Floor Rear", and "Riverview".

One of the funkiest soundtracks we've ever heard from Alessandro Alessandroni – a set that clearly shows he'd been listening to the score for Shaft, as well as a host of 70s sound library music too! There's lots of great Italian cop/crime grooves on the set – done at an understated level that's almost better than more familiar work of the genre – often strongly focused on the core rhythms, which are lean and plenty darn funky – bad-stepping with instrumentation that's often small combo funky jazz more than it is the bigger orchestrations of American cop scores. Titles include "Cop's Blood", "Amusement", "Duke Soul Jazz", "Tema Di Susie", "Club Jazz", "Palance", "Knell", "Sbirro In Fuga", and "Luxury".

A blend of jazz funk and rawer informed grooves from Harold Alexander – and actually a step into more polished vibes thanks to some Arif Mardin arrangements and a new home at Atlantic Records! Although some of the earlier records cut by reed player Harold Alexander may have been more accurately described with the title Raw Root, this one stands up a lot better today than we remembered it! It has a pretty tight electric sound, and good Atlantic soul grooves running through it – with Alexander on flutes & saxes, Joe Boner in on keyboards, Ricard Davis on bass and Brian Beaks on drums on the bulk of it, with altered personnel on "De Black Musician" and "Lady Euphoria" (which also include vocals by Tequila). Soulful backing vocals credited to Something Different and some guitar by Junior Hanson and some spacey synth by Billy Allessi. Other tracks include "Country Soul", "Raw Root", "New York Sister", and "Street Life".

Mellow warmth from the great Monty Alexander – one of his best for MPS, and a trio set cut with Senator Eugene Wright on bass and Bobby Durham on drums! The roundness of Wright's bass makes the best cuts on the album even better – as he rolls around with a subtle sense of soul that really helps Alexander step into the 70s nicely – getting past some of the stiffness of 60s albums and even hitting a few funky notes at times! Titles include the jazzy dancer "Monticello", a classic reading of "We've Only Just Begun", and the tracks "Blue Alexander", "Love Story", and "Summer Of 42".

Obscure album by Lorez, with a mix of jazz and pop stuff, and arrangements (mostly) by pianist Ronell Bright. Bright plays in the group backing Lorez, as does the great tenor player Teddy Edwards. The legendary Paul Gayten produced, and the track list includes "Play Me The Blues", "Comet In the Sky", "Psychedelic Bag", "Nonchalantly", "Talk About Cozy", and "Endless".

Incredible early work from Lorez Alexandria – the kind of albums that instantly set her apart from other singers of the 50s, reissued here properly for the first time in years! On This Is Lorez, the singer is working with sublime small combo backings from the group of pianist King Fleming – an unusual Chicago ensemble that includes Wilber Wynn on guitar, Ronald Wilson on flute and oboe, Vernel Fournier on drums, and Audrey Jones on bongos – a musical lineup that brings in a different sort of sophistication to the record, shading tunes with moody colors on flute and oboe that perfectly support Alexandria's soulful and sensitive interpretations of the tunes. The whole thing is pure genius, and a key look at the new levels of sophistication that were bubbling everywhere on the Chicago scene during the years of Jamal and Sun Ra. Lorez Sings Pres follows in a very similar mode – with backing by a Chicago group that again includes King Fleming piano, plus Charles Stepney on vibes, Paul Serrano on trumpet, and Vernel Fournier on drums – an extremely hip lineup that makes the record far more than just the Lester Young tribute promised in the title! But despite the instrumentalists, the real star on all sides is Alexandria – who sings with dark tones and deep colors that go far beyond conventional jazz vocals – all carried off with that slightly breathy mode that was one more unique aspect of her work! CD features all tracks from both albums – a total of 22 titles that include "Snowstorm", "I'm Glad There Is You", "The Sky Is Crying", "I'm Making Believe", "Necessity", "Penthouse Serenade", "DB Blues", "This Year's Kisses", "Easy Living", "No Eyes Blues", "Jumping With Symphony Sid", and a key early reading of "Baltimore Oriole".

The word from Mose is mighty darn hip – served up here in a sweet Atlantic Records session that seems to really hone into all the mod influences his music would have in the 60s! The rootsy quality of Allison's earlier records is still firmly in place – but the group also has a tighter feel that's almost more soul jazz – thanks, in part, to work from Ben Tucker on bass – in a groove that's similar to some of his own contributions to 60s jazz. Titles include a great version of "Foolkiller" – one of Mose's greatest tracks – plus "One Of These Days", "Days Like These", "Your Red Wagon", "Look Here", "I'm Not Talking", and "New Parchman".

The only album ever from Allspice – but a hell of an incredible soul record – and one that's kept the group's name strong with collectors and rare groove fanatics for years! The album's on of the best Fantasy Records productions by Wayne Henderson and his At Home team – and like some of the others, is handled with a groove that's tight, yet plenty sophisticated too – light years from mainstream disco or common club of the late 70s, and instead informed by plenty of jazz and deeper ideas as well! The vibe is perfect – as heavenly and righteous as some of the best Roy Ayers club tracks of the time – which proves to be a perfect foil for the Allspice style of mixing male and female vocals – which again is often done in an Ayers-like mode. The sound is sublime throughout – one of those real treasures that should have been a huge record in the 70s, but was barely pressed up at all – and quickly forgotten about by the record company. Yet even after all these years, the whole thing sounds amazing – one of those albums we'd never part with at all! Titles include the groovy "Slipped Away", the funky stepper "Hungry For Your Love" – and loads of other great tunes that include "Love Fire", "Destiny", "She's A Lady", "I Don't Know", and "Give It Time".

A sweet Latin-styled set from trumpeter Herb Alpert – but one that's got a very different vibe than his faux Latin grooves of the 60s! The set here is done with key contributions from both Juan Carlos Calderon as a songwriter, and Jose Quintana as a producer – both talents who really help Herb reshape his groove in a mighty nice way! Backings are big, and somewhat smooth – as in the "Rise" era – but there's also some Latin jazz elements in the mix too, and an overall approach that isn't nearly as cluttered as you might expect for the time – with an especially strong emphasis on Herb's trumpet solos in the lead. The set was the first issued on the A&M Latin label – AyM Discos – and also features a bit of Spanish language vocals as well. Titles include "Fandango", "Route 101", "Angel", "Aria", "Sugarloaf", "Coco Loco", "Latin Medley", "California Blues", and "Push & Pull".

A spacey, soulful and funky showcase for singer Amalia – one the finds her collaborating with an impressive roster of guests including Atjazz, Portformat, Opolopo and others! Amalia blends inspirations that range from heartfelt, though trippy 70s soul and funk, to 80s electro and the more creative underground soul of the hip hop generation and beyond. What sets Making Of Amalia apart is the way that she's adapting it all so seamlessly into a vibe of her own. It doesn't hurt that she has an amazing vocal range, and the creative mind to use it as a spontaneous, unpredictable instrument above all others. Nor does it hurt that the record is filled to catchy, sexy and spacey songs that are a flat out blast to listen to! Creative and stylistically daring soul in the tradition of Chaka Khan, Betty Davis, Erykah Badu, Labelle and other free spirits! Titles include "Just Like Magic" with B Bravo & Teeko, "Get Caught" and "Cuttify It!" credited to Cutty Lark & Amalia, "Where Do I Belong" (Portformat & Amalia)", "She Want It All" (Bakura feat Amalia), "Hysteria" (Reggie B & Amalia), "Still In Love With You" (Sage Monk & Amalia) and more.

One of Gene Ammons' classics from the 60s, and a straight ahead session of soul jazz tenor and piano, with drums by Art Taylor and a bit of extra conga from Ray Barretto. Nice rolling 60's soul jazz groove, and some nice piano comping behind Jug by Patti Brown and Walter Bishop Jr. Tracks include "Travelin", "Soft Summer Breeze", "Carbow", and "Song of The Islands".

Dang! Poor Gene Ammons kept getting stuck with albums that had titles which referenced his prison time! Fortunately, the quality of this one's good enough to live past the stupid name – and the record has Gene blowing with a larger group of west coast soul jazz players, arranged by Bobby Bryant, in the style of big band funk he was using on his own work. More than a few nice moments arise – especially on the cuts "Crazy Mary", "Fru Fru", and "Jaggin".

Pretty cool early work from Jug! This original 10" LP features one of his first blowing sessions for Prestige – caught in the company of Art Farmer, Lou Donaldson, Freddie Redd, and Kenny Clarke. The album features 2 long tracks – "Woofin & Tweetin" and "Juggernaut" – both of which were later issued on 12" LPs, but which are packaged here in a cool original 10" sleeve!

A real turning point in the career of Gene Ammons – a record that almost returns Ammons to his earthier roots, and in the process helps build up a whole new sound in soul jazz for the 60s! The "Jug" nickname in the title is kind of a joking way to help Ammons stand alongside "Miles", "Trane", "Diz", and other one-name monikered stars in jazz – but even without that gimmick (which somehow lasted for years), the album's got a depth that more than gets Gene back on top, thanks to a gritty soulfulness and good sense of feeling in the grooves! Players here include Richard Wyands on piano on most numbers – plus a rare appearance by Clarence "Sleepy" Anderson on 2 numbers – one on organ, one on piano. Rhythm is by Doug Watkins on bass and JC Heard on drums – and Ray Barretto makes one of his great soul jazz appearances on drums – rolling the groove along with a nice bit of bounce throughout! Titles include "Tangerine", "Ol Man River", "Easy To Love", "Seed Shack", "Miss Lucy", and "Namely You".

Classic mellow Jug – from a time when Prestige discovered that Gene Ammons would sell equally well to the mellow jazz crowd as to the jukebox jumpers! This set brings together tracks from 3 Gene Ammons 60s albums – 2 of which were best sellers, Velvet Soul and Sock, the last of which, Night Lights, was a lesser known number cut at the end of the 60s. Tracks are with a number of different groups – a few with a larger one, and others with smaller combo that features either organ or piano. There's a total of 13 tracks in all – and titles include "Calypso Blues", "Nature Boy", "Blue Coolade", "Scam", "Cara Mia", "Night Lights", "Salome's Tune", "Velvet Soul", "Stranger In Town", and "Light N Up".

A mix of moods, colors, and feelings – handled with the full range of talents of David Amram, who's one of the few composers who could pull this one off! A number of the tracks have weird instrumentation that gives them a sound that's almost "eastern", and certainly exotic – and they're mixed here with some lightly jazzy touches, and a few mellower, more tender tunes that offset the rest of the album nicely. Titles include "Other Dreams", "Definitely Blue", "Anatolia", "Old Country Soul", "Sunny Days", "Blue Tomorrow", and "Love Is Never Out Of Style".

Nice and rarely seen trio side from under-recorded Chicago pianist Anderson. He plays here with Bill Lee and either Walter Perkins or Philly Joe Jones on drums, in a trio that made the core of the rhythm section on Frank Strozier's excellent Jazzland date, Long Night. The group is in fine form here, running through both standards and originals, and though Anderson's name isn't as well known as many other pianists, it ought to be, and he was no stranger to other Windy City jazz greats such as Johnny Griffin. Imagine a cross between Bill Evans and Elmo Hope, and you might get a picture of where he's coming from, though Anderson's voice is all his own, weaving some nice sinuous lines on a set that leans heavily on ballads here, including "You'd Be Nice To Come Home To", "My Funny Valentine" and the originals "See You Saturday" & the title track.

A pretty darn great record from Brazilian singer and guitarist Nelson Angelo – an artist we haven't heard from since his early 70s album with Joyce! Angelo clearly hasn't missed a beat in the time that's gone by – and he's working here in a compelling mode that blends small combo instrumentation with adventurous songwriting – but which also has lots of jazzy touches in the phrasing of the vocals and instruments. There's a lightly breezy feel to some of the best tracks – reminding us almost of early Ivan Lins at his best – but the album also has a more personal approach that comes through in most of Angelo's original compositions. Titles include "Lingerinho", "Caterete", "Delirios Do Mar", "Radio Universe Pedal", "Vera's Frevo", and "Trombone".

Bebel Gilberto eat your heart out – Antena explored the same electric-bossa territory you did, nearly 20 years before your first big record! The group were a short-lived French outfit who were one of the shining jewels in the crown of the lovely label Les Disques Du Crepuscule during the early 80s – and were a real breath of fresh air in the post-punk years with their light and jazzy approach to the groove. As you'll hear in this set, Antena's style borrows a lot from the bossa, but also throws in some wonderful poppish touches – including jangly guitars recorded in a similar mode to some of the other French/European indie groups of the time, and a slight darkness in production that almost gives a Martin Hannett-like undercurrent to the whole set. The group's album Camino Del Sol has been lovingly reissued with a great set of notes, as well as a series of bonus tracks from an additional ep – making for a beautiful 14 track package that will really help you rediscover this nearly-lost group! Titles include "Sissexa", "To Climb The Cliff", "Camino Del Sol", "Bye Bye Papaye", "Noelle A Hawaii", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Seaside Weekend", "Frantz", and "Ingenuous".

Bebel Gilberto eat your heart out – Antena explored the same electric-bossa territory you did, nearly 20 years before your first big record! The group were a short-lived French outfit who were one of the shining jewels in the crown of the lovely label Les Disques Du Crepuscule during the early 80s – and were a real breath of fresh air in the post-punk years with their light and jazzy approach to the groove. As you'll hear in this set, Antena's style borrows a lot from the bossa, but also throws in some wonderful poppish touches – including jangly guitars recorded in a similar mode to some of the other French/European indie groups of the time, and a slight darkness in production that almost gives a Martin Hannett-like undercurrent to the whole set. The group's album Camino Del Sol has been lovingly reissued with a great set of notes, as well as a series of bonus tracks from an additional ep – making for a beautiful 14 track package that will really help you rediscover this nearly-lost group! Titles include "Sissexa", "To Climb The Cliff", "Camino Del Sol", "Bye Bye Papaye", "Noelle A Hawaii", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Seaside Weekend", "Frantz", and "Ingenuous".

A real treat for the 2001 generation! Apollo 100 takes Bach's "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring", and gives is a jazzy electric keyboard reading – kind of a perfect bit of fluffy pop for a generation that was already digging the classical/easy experiments of the Swingle Singers and Walter Carlos. Not all the material is classically oriented, but most of the tracks have some very nice keyboard work. Titles include "Jazz Pizzicato", "Evil Midnight", and "Reach for the Sky".

First LP from Norman Connors' jazzy soul group Aquarian Dream. Norman produced, and the groove is about what you'd imagine if he got his hands on an east coast soul group, with a lot of mellow vibes, and some more uptempo grooves. Claude Bartee plays tenor and soprano, Gloria Jones sings vocals, and Jacques Burvick plays a whole battery of cool keyboards and moogs. Tracks include the classic Chicago club track "Phoenix" – plus "Look Ahead", "Once Again", and "Treat Me Like The One You Love".

One of the most creative albums ever from UK composer Neil Ardley – and that's saying a lot, given the complexity of his other work! The set's got a wonderful blend of jazz arrangements and some freer passages – scored by Ardley with some of his most sensitive, most beautiful music ever – almost as if the whole thing's an extended soundtrack for a passage in time – or at least a sonic journey that's filled with some wonderful twists and turns! There's definitely some jazz/rock elements in the music, but the main focus is jazz – and Ardley has that same strong sense of large charts and forward-moving rhythms that you'd find in the best early work of Mike Westbrook, particularly his albums for Deram. Players are a very familiar, and very top-shelf batch of British musicians – including Barbara Thompson, Dick Heckstall-Smith, and Don Rendell on reeds; Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther on trumpets; Derek Wadsworth on trombone, Frank Rocotti on vibes, and Stan Tracey on both piano and celeste. Ardley plays prepared piano, and Ivor Cutler makes a great guest appearance on one track – reciting "The Dong With A Luminous Nose" – and Norma Winstone sings on "Will You Walk A Little Faster". The title track – "A Symphony Of Amaranths" – is dedicated to Duke Ellington and Gil Evans – with a feel that more than lives up to both! LP features a bonus "outro" track too.

Groundbreaking Italian prog from Area – the Arbeit Macht Frei, Cautio Radiation Area, Crac!, Area(A)zione, Maledetti and Event '76 albums – all from the crucial early-to-mid 70s years – in a 6CD box set on Cramps! The debut Arbeit Macht Frei features a tripped out blend of lingering 60s psychedelia with jazzier prog and folkish melodies, all done as uniquely as any combo of the time. Includes "Luglio, Agosto Stettembre (Nero)", "Consapevolezza", "240 Chilometri" and more. Cautio Radiation Area is even more impressive – a mad mix of out jazz, hard jamming, and even more experimental touches that include quite a bit of noise. Titles include "Cometa Rossa", "Lobotomia", "Brujo", and "ZYG". Crac! continues on this path, with even more far out vocals and a strangely joyous take on far-reaching 70s prog. Tracks include "Magalopoli", "Nervi Scoperti", "Area 5", "Implosion" and more. Are(A)azone is the group's 4th album – a collection of alternate versions of songs from previous records plus a 15 minute hard jamming tune called "Are(A)zione", and a free jazz interpretation of "The International". Maledetti goes further with the out jazz – and features guest soprano sax work from Steve Lacy. Includes "Evaporazione", "Gerontocrazia", "Scum", "Caos (Parte Seconda)" and more. Event '76 closes with "Caos II Parte (1)", "Caos II Parte (2)" and "Event '76". Comes in a great oversized package with a nice booklet – notes in Italian.

The vibrations here are mighty heavy – a wicked bottom that gives way to some righteous female vocals – all tied together by little horn solos that show an almost equal jazz tip to the single as well as funk! The drums are especially nice – tight and heavy – and there's some great funky flute that comes in even more strongly on the flute mix on the flipside!

Interesting stuff, if not the kind of record you'd put on every day. The album's an interview with Louis Armstrong's wife Lil, and she talks at length about her famous days in the early years of jazz. Segments include "The Young Louis", "Early Life In Chicago", "Return To New Orleans", and "The End Of A Marriage" – and the whole thing's the kind of record that was perfect for the bespectacled jazzbo trad collector of the early 60s.

Billed as "some of the most important jazz recordings ever made" – and for good reason, too! The set brings together all the crucial early Louis Armstrong recordings from the 78rpm era – late 20s/early 30s sides for Okey, Parlophone, RCA, and Odeon – all presented with better sound and notes than any of the cheapo, knockoff packages you'll find on the market! This 10 CD collection is overflowing with key moments in jazz – great small group recordings by Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven groups, some orchestra performances, and many other important sides that went onto shape the sound of jazz for decades to come. A beautiful package, with a booklet that includes new essays, and great remastering of these crucial recordings!

A classic live date from Satchmo – and expanded to include the complete performances on that legendary night at Boston's Symphony Hall – for the first time ever! Recorded in November of 1947 and originally released in '51, it's never before been issued with both the first and second sets that night. There's also a number of great tunes here that were released before in edited versions, but fully presented here. It's such wonderful stuff – both as a top-shelf document of this period of American jazz – and as a brilliant example of Satcho's charming stage presence. His trumpet and solo vocals are well captured, and you can here up humming along on the instrumentals, too. The players at this point who are All Stars, indeed, include Jack Teagarden on vocals and trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Dick Cary on piano, Arvell Shaw on bass, and Sid Catlett on drums – plus some great vocals by Velma Middleton. 29 songs on 2CDs – in a hardback package with a great booklet – and featuring "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", "Stars Fell On Alabama", "Body And Soul", "Steak Face", "Back O'Town Blues", "St James Infirmary", "Mop Mop", "Jack Armstrong Blues", "That's My Desire", "C Jam Blues", "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", "Mahogany Hall Stomp" and more – many previously unreleased!

Some consider this the worst point in Louis' career – when he was singing odd pop material for Decca, and had really left his jazz roots behind. We don't think it's that bad, though – and the album's got a wonderfully playful style that shows what a great entertainer Louis could be when he was up for the challenge. Gordon Jenkins did the arrangements, and the record features Louis' version of "Blueberry Hill" – plus the tracks "Chlo-e", "Jeannine", "Spooks!", "Trees", and "It's All In The Game".

Satchmo's tribute to King Oliver with 12 titles in all including, "Snake Rag", "Jelly Roll Blues", "St James Infirmary", "Dr Jazz", and "New Orleans Stomp".

Previously unissued material from the great Harry Arnold – excellent mid 60s big band sessions, as creative as they are hard-swinging! Arnold's group here is at the top of its form – working together with a rich array of tones and colors that show the best legacies of 50s modern jazz in the large ensemble idiom – yet with a lean quality that really allows lots of voice from the soloists, too – a lineup that includes Arne Domnerus, Jan Johansson, Lars Farnlov, Bengt-Arne Wallin, and Georg Riedel! Arrangements are by Wallin, Pete Jacques, and others – but it's Arnold who clearly knows how to make the whole thing hold together this well. Titles include "It's In The Bag", "Margie", "Blues For Nathan", "Cheryl", "Tina", "Per Spelman", "You've Got It", "I Knew It I Knew It", and "King Valiant".

A contemporary set, but one that sparkles with all the best brilliance of the 70s scene in Brazil – and that includes such heady company as Marcos Valle, Azymuth, and Joao Donato! As with all those artists at the time, Lucas Arruda has a groove that's strongly based on Fender Rhodes – warm keys that are underscored with some great acoustic percussion that gives the whole thing an earthy core at the bottom, and a vibe that's quite different than any American fusion of the time! The music is completely sublime throughout – very jazzy in its inflections, but also with a more freewheeling approach – as you'd hear on classic keys from Jose Roberto Bertrami. The set's got a bit of vocals, but really focuses on the keyboards – and titles include "Physis", "Rio Afternoon", "Batuque", "Alma Nova", "Sambadi", "Carnival", and a sweet cover of "Who's That Lady".

A rare treasure from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – recorded as a supposed third album for Atlantic records in 1974, but unissued for years until the group released it on their own! The session is a live one, recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival – and features the unique addition of Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, making for the group's first session ever with the instrument! Muhal's work nicely colors in the spare spaces on the set – giving a soaring, lyrical quality to a few of the numbers – and really standing in stark contrast to the freer solo work of the other players. At times, Abrams is playing these longer lines that almost have a McCoy Tyner sort of energy – directing the set with a tremendous searching vibe – and at other times, he joins the group in their sparer exploration of sound and space – in a mode that's similar to some of their Parisian recordings. Titles include "Sun Precondition One", "Kabalaba", "Kaba Song", "Mal's Delight", and "Improvization A2".

One of the most hard-hitting albums ever cut by pianist Georges Arvanitas – an early effort that's all soul jazz all the way through! Although Arvanitas is best known as a committed modernist, especially in later years, this sweet early 60s session is a stone cooker in the best mode of Blue Note dates of the time – tight, swinging, and perfectly poised with just the right space for some excellent solos from Francois Jeanneau on tenor, Bernard Vitet on trumpet, and Arvanitas himself on piano – all grooving in a style that would make the Jazz Messengers proud, but also one that's got some key touches of postwar Parisian jazz too. Bass is by Michel Gaudry and drums are by Daniel Humair – and titles include "Oblivion", "This Here", "Poco Loco", "Bouncin With Bud", "Bohemia After Dark", and "Mister X".

Lost Latin funk from the Bay Area scene of the 70s – and an album that may well blow away better-known work by groups like Malo, Azteca, or El Chicano! The album's near-perfect right from the start – and brings in plenty of New York elements to the groove, thanks to the inclusion of a heady amount of jazz alongside the soul, Latin, and funk elements in the grooves! The legendary Teo Macero produced and arranged – and really takes a lot of care in the studio to focus the overall energy of the tremendous talents on the record – players who include Hadley Caliman on flute and tenor, Steve Marcus on soprano sax, Benny Velarde on timbales, and Francisco Aguabella on congas – plus the trio of Cesar, Mark Levine, and Merl Sanders on keyboards. Most numbers have this really full, flowing groove – jazzy, but with a strong emphasis on the rhythms – and often touched with some great work on guitar that echoes the Santana-inspired sound of the generation, yet never in a rock way at all. Linda Tillery sings vocals on a few numbers, but the main focus is definitely instrumental – and the whole album's great – with cuts that include "See Saw Affair", "Azucar", "Descarga", "The Devil & Montezuma", "Gotta Get Away", and "Bridges".

Fantastic sounds from the Australian scene of the early 80s – spare electronic work from Ash Wednesday and related projects – all a surprisingly great entry in the lost world of minimal wave! Most numbers here are stark and spare, but undeniably tuneful – the core charm we love at the point when groups like Human League or Cabaret Voltaire started getting a bit more focus, yet were still light years from being commercial. Like the music of both of those groups, the styles here lean heavily on the best analogue sounds forged in the decade before, filtered down to a basic essence, and redirected with tuneful lines and some moody vocals. Given that most of what we know from Australia at the time is guitar-heavy rock and noise, the set's a real revelation – and features 20 tracks that include "Psychotic Reaction", "A Circuit Like Me", "Bad Timing", "Sex I", and "A Living Person" by The Metronomes; "Boom Boom Baby", "Eighteen Creature", and "The Galvanized Garden Of Inner Peace" by Modern Jazz; "Useless Information" and "Radiation Injection" by Thealonian Music; and "Love By Numbers" and "Boring Instrumental" by Ash Wednesday.

Brian Auger's first album with The Oblivion Express – a harder-rocking ensemble than his initial Trinity trio, but one who also really pushed things with a really jazzy edge! Like many of Auger's contemporaries on the UK scene, Brian was making the shift from Brit beat group jazz and soul, into a style that was more progressive and harder-driving – one that blended together jazz and rock, but which still, in Auger's case, held onto many of the best soulful sounds of earlier years! Tunes are nice and long, and really hard-jamming – with plenty of soaring organ lines throughout – and titles include "Total Eclipse", "The Light", "Oblivion Express", "On the Road", and "The Sword". CD features the bonus track "Dragon Song".

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label – and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove – sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind of sound you'd expect from Westbound in the early 70s! Austin's guitar is very much in the mode of Eddie Fisher, Eddie Senay, or other kicked-back jazz funk players from his generation – an approach that's probably got a bit of Hendrix somewhere back in the mix, but which is more focused on the tighter side of the funk and soul instrumental spectrum! The album's like finding a stash of rare funky 45s – loads of great short tracks with titles that include "Sex Plot", "Crazy Legs", "You Want It, You Got It", "Side Saddle", "Nanzee", "Pea Shooter", "Do Me Right", and "Shake Your Head".

One of a few records cut by this surprisingly popular Australian group – temporary ex-pats to the US scene, featuring Errol Buddle on tenor and Bryce Rhode on piano, two of the country's greatest jazz players of the 50s and 60s. Given the sympatico between the Aussie and LA mode of the 50s – this Hollywood-recorded session fits right in with other styles of the Bethlehem catalog at the time. Tracks are short and tightly arranged – and tunes include "So Nice", "Few Get It", "That Old Feeling", "Koala", and "Lover Man".

No Mirage here – as the album's got a presence that's impossible to deny – a solid, soulful uttering from this key Chicago combo of the 70s! The group's led by reedman Ari Brown – better known for his later avant work – and they've got a wicked blend of keyboards and horns with lots of complicated touches, played out over funky rhythms that are completely mindblowing! The great Ken Chaney plays keyboards, and in addition to Brown's reeds, the set also features trumpet from Frank Gordon, trombone from Steve Galloway, and bass from Rufus Reid – plus cool percussion from Arlington Davis and Drasheer Khalid. Most cuts are instrumental, and recorded beautifully – but one number, "The Ultimate Frontier", also features vocals from Anita Jefferies. Other cuts include "Slinky", "Mirage", "Just a Little Peace", and "March On".

A masterpiece! This is one of David Axelrod's most perfectly realized albums – and it's a brilliant batch of baroque arrangements, jazzy solos, and slightly subtle funky bits! The album contains the much-sampled song "Holy Thursday", but the whole thing has a very similar feel to that track – with lots of sinister strings, rumbling drums, and archly-modern bits of instrumentation. A real killer – and with the cuts "The Smile", "A Dream", "Song Of Innocence", and "The Mental Traveller". William Blake never sounded so funky!

David Axelrod takes on Handel's Messiah – and the result is an amazingly complex set of music – very similar to his earlier albums on Capitol Records, and his Warner work with the Electric Prunes! If you love the Axe, you'll find plenty to love here – spare, dark orchestrations, often with a subtle hint of funk in the rhythms, some jazzy flourishes, and this bold sense of studio majesty that marks Axelrod as one of the most inventive producers of his time! The sound's one that gave birth to a whole generation of hip hoppers and beatheads – and the proceedings are conducted by Cannonball Adderley, with a feel that's similar to other Adderley/Axelrod high-concept sets – like Soul Of The Bible or Soul Zodiac. Titles include "Overture", "Worthy Is the Lamb", "Behold Recitative", "Comfort Ye My People", and "And The Angel Said Unto Them".

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Very righteous, and with a cool dope jazzy groove!

A great little album by Roy Ayers – one that features none of his hits, but which has great examples of both sides of Roy's talents at the time. The dancefloor side of Roy kicks in with "Love Will Bring Us Back Together", an extremely catchy groover that's very much in the mode of "Running Away", with plenty of choppy funky riffs, and a good soul base at the core. Even better, though, is the mellow spacey side of Roy – which shows up wonderfully in the cuts "Is It Too Late To Try" and "If You Love Me" – two overlooked gems that float along in a perfect blend of jazz and modern soul, with great breathy vocals and vibes, very much in the spirit of stuff on the You Send Me album.