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Almost an underground groove supergroup – given that the set features work from Earl Zinger (Rob Gallagher of Galliano) at the helm, production from 2 Banks Of 4, vocals from Valerie Etienne, and funky rhythms from Shawn Lee! The combination of talents come together here in a very new way – with a style that's much grittier and earlier than before, although still pretty darn groovy overall – almost putting a raspy old school touch on a scene that's definitely matured on its own, and may well be old enough to lay claim to the rootsy sound of this set! Rob's songwriting has definitely matured, and at some of the best moments, there's almost a British Tom Waits-y kind of quality to the set. Titles include "Below Sea Level", "Burial Blues", "Whip Of The Wind", "Laxfield Blasphemy", "Velvets Eleven", "Margaret Catchpole", and "Foggy Dew".

In case you've been thinking "they don't make 'em like that anymore", think again – because Jill Barber delivers a sweet set of vocal numbers that take us back to the best crossover years of the late 50s and early 60s! The style is jazz overall, but Barber works in a tightly syncopated style of singing that also has a keen ear for pop as well – a blend that's a bit like styles used by 60s singers like Connie Francis or Brenda Lee – particularly the latter, as there's sometimes a slight, very slight, twang in the vocals. But even better – something those 60s singers never gave us – all tunes here are originals by Jill, many co-written with Les Cooper, who does a beautiful job handling production and overall orchestrations with just the right vibe for the tunes. US release features more tracks than the original Canadian release – and titles include "Be My Man", "Never Quit Loving You", "Chances", "Tell Me", "Old Flame", "A Wish Under My Pillow", "If It Weren't For Loving You", and "All My Dreams".

Amazing stuff! This is a totally cool bit of early electronics from the late 60s – and the music is dark and spooky, with lots of weird wild harsh electronics (if you know Dissevelt's other albums, you'll know what we mean!) The whole thing sounds sort of like a mad robot playing a crazy space organ on a merry go round while dropping acid – and that description only gets at half the record! It's a great one if you like spooky 60s electronics, and titles include "Moon Maid", "Sonik Re-Entry", "Twilight Ozone", "Orbit Aurora", and "The Ray Makers". Very cool! Omni Records always fleshes out their releases with loads great bonus material – and they once again go to great lengths on this one! It features the rare stereo version of the album with outtakes, alternates, mono versions more previously unreleased raritites. 20 tracks in all!

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

A standout classic from one of the all-time overlooked greats – the sublime Mystic Merlin, a group who cut a handful of killers in the early 80s! The group's biggest claim to fame is a young Freddie Jackson on vocals – but they're honestly much more an ensemble act than a backup for a lead star – and have this wonderfully-crafted blend of soul, jazz, and funk that never lets up – a really sophisticated groove, yet one that still knows how to be straight ahead and funky too! This classic set is wonderful all the way through – far from cliche, and head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – with a wonderful array of grooves that includes the killer cut "Mr Magician", plus "Your Love", "Rock The World", "Full Moon", "Back To Zero", "Mindreader", and "Love Is What You Need". CD features a bonus single version of "Mr Magician".

Nickodemus logically follows up his warm and breezy Sun People album with the more cosmically-lit follow up Moon People – once again bringing a wealth of global influences and instrumentation to his unique style of spacey dancefloor soul! He's joined by the legendary Afrika Bambaata and other great vocal guests – including Sammy Ayala, Kissey Asplund and Kathrin DeBoer of Belleruche – which elevates the creative mix of beats and eclectic instrumentation quite nicely! That said, the instrumental backdrops are quite hypnotic on their own – cosmic soul beats and atmosherics flavored by flutes, Eastern string accents, horns, steel drums and much more – depending on the needs of the particular track. Includes "Under The Volcano" with Navegante, "Moon People" feat The Real Live Show, "Nights Of Balaur", "Alkebulan" feat Afrika Bambaata, "Peaceful Island Earth" feat Kathrin DeBoer, "The Nuyorican Express" feat Candela Allstars, "Mirage" with Kissey Asplund, "Conmigo (Hallex Remix)" feat Sammy Ayala, "Vino People" and more.

Nickodemus logically follows up his warm and breezy Sun People album with the more cosmically-lit follow up Moon People – once again bringing a wealth of global influences and instrumentation to his unique style of spacey dancefloor soul! He's joined by the legendary Afrika Bambaata and other great vocal guests – including Sammy Ayala, Kissey Asplund and Kathrin DeBoer of Belleruche – which elevates the creative mix of beats and eclectic instrumentation quite nicely! That said, the instrumental backdrops are quite hypnotic on their own – cosmic soul beats and atmosherics flavored by flutes, Eastern string accents, horns, steel drums and much more – depending on the needs of the particular track. Includes "Under The Volcano" with Navegante, "Moon People" feat The Real Live Show, "Nights Of Balaur", "Alkebulan" feat Afrika Bambaata, "Peaceful Island Earth" feat Kathrin DeBoer, "The Nuyorican Express" feat Candela Allstars, "Mirage" with Kissey Asplund, "Conmigo (Hallex Remix)" feat Sammy Ayala, "Vino People" and more.

A really rich new chapter in the music of Otto – an artist we've loved right from the start, but one who's blowing us away all over again with this sweet set! There's a fullness here we've never heard from Otto – not a sound that's slick, just an approach that's more thought out and fully-composed – with some classic elements on the backings that take us back to 60s sounds from Beatles to Motown at times – yet served up in ways that all still retain the freshness of Otto's earlier work. Other sounds are a bit more contemporary, yet still have this feeling of timelessness that really stands out – something we might never have said about Ottos' music before. The electronics are kept to a minimum, and tunes are straightforward and less abstract – in a way we never expected, and which shows Otto to really be a great songwriter after all these years. The set was done with heavy collaborations from producer Pupillo, who co-wrote most tracks – and also features assistance from Kassin and Catatau too. Titles include "The Moon 1111", "Dia Claro", "Ela Flava", "O Que Dira O Mundo", "DP", "Hideus", "Miss Apple E Ze Pilantra", and "Selvagens Olhos Nego".

The first-ever issue of music from a really weird John Phillips side-project of the 70s – a space-themed musical produced by Andy Warhol and directed by Paul Morrisey – with performances by Phillips, Dennh Doherty, and members of Warhol's Factory! Despite a loopy story, the tunes have a fair bit of homegrown charm – at least on the core material here, which is performed by Phillips himself, using just a bit of acoustic guitar, and coming across with a folksy feel that's mighty nice, especially given the date of the recording – almost a childlike simplicity in the themes, which is a nice change from the other Phillips modes of the time. Some other selections feature numbers recorded live at the play – and the set also features some additional studio tracks sung by Genevieve Waite, plus some other out-takes and rehearsal material. 38 tracks in all – with titles that include "Oh Andy My Assistant", "Mission Control", "My Name Is Can", "Star Stepping Stranger/Convent", "Penthouse Of Your Mind", "Starburst", "Handcuffs", "Close Your Eyes", "Love Is Coming Back", and "The Last Of The Unnatural Acts".

Titles include "On The Run", "Money", "Us & Them", "Any Colour You Like", "Brain Damage", "The Great Gig In The Sky", and "Time".

Prince in near-peak form in the mid 80 – creatively, anyway! Parade is a brilliant stand-alone album, tough it doubles as a soundtrack to a film that flopped – standing today as one of our favorite Prince albums from the 80s! Includes the massively funky "Kiss", the closest Prince ever got to James Brown – and the whole album's got some great orchestral arrangements by Clare Fischer. Titles include "Christopher Tracey's Parade", "I Wonder U", "Under The Cherry Moon", "Girls & Boys", and "Anotherloverholenyohead".

Kind of an amazing collaboration – a core group that features Tony Allen, Damon Albarn, and Flea – with guest appearances by Erykah Badu, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Fatoumata Diawara, M.anifest, Cheick Tidiane Seck, and Thundercat! The sound of the set is surprisingly wonderful – hardly a cloying collection of common elements in the trio's music – and instead a rich new territory that's almost a 21st Century re-invention of older Afro Funk modes! Allen's drumming is razor-sharp, and gives the record an acoustic energy that's really excellent – and Flea's basswork is astounding too – rough, rootsy, and really dynamic – in ways that have us unexpectedly complimenting him for his talents. Titles include "Lol", "Night Watch", "Forward Sweep", "Extinguished", "Rotary Connection", "Worries", "There", "Check Out", "Benko", and "The Unfadable".

A beautiful album of sexy soul, recorded with a smooth modern sound that's very different than Sharon's earlier albums. Jerry Peters and Sharon did the arrangements, and the tracks have a nice sound that's got a little bit of a jazz, which takes Sharon's vocals into a whole range – and lets her emerge as a sophistisoul diva along the lines of Marlena Shaw. Tracks include "Changin", "Just You and Me", "Full Moon", "Guess I'm Gonna Have to Say Goodbye", and "Nothing Else Means More To Me Than Our Love".

A really special record from a really special group – one of two sublime 70s gems from Azteca – a wicked blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and soul – all put together by a young Coke Escovedo! Coke's ostensibly the leader of the group, but there's also a richly collaborative feel going on – a style that brings together jazz players like Tom Harrell on trumpet, Mel Martin on saxes, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, and Flip Nunez on organ – and Latin players like Victor Pantoja on congas, Coke Escovedo on timbales, and Pete Escovedo on added percussion. In fact, the set's a key early example of the strength of the Escovedo family – and like their best later efforts, the set really stretches out and pushes the boundaries of conventional genres. There's also some great guest work from Lenny White on drums, Mike Nock on keyboards, and Neal Schon on guitars – and vocals are by a range of singers who really keep things fresh. Titles include "Red Onions", "Mazatlan", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Mexicana, Mexicana", and "Love Is A Stranger". CD also features a bonus single mix of "Whatcha Gonna Do".

A wonderful, bossa-inflected jazzy soul surprise from UK-bred/Atlanta-based diva Julie Dexter and ATL-fellow Khari Simmons of Jiva – an effervescent batch of tunes that meld the best modern soul styles of both artists with a mutual affection for bossa rhythms! The duo pulls off the blend with what feels like an effortless grace – Julie's vocals are light, soulful and often quite jazzy in way which expands nicely on her previous work – with a backdrop of bass, Rhodes and B3, Moog, occasional horns and percussion. Nice! Tracks include "Moon Bossa", a sweet cover of Everything But The Girl's "My Baby Don't Love Me", "Salt Sea", "Venusian", "The Dove", "Salt Sea", "Venusian", "The Dove", "Sea And Sky", "Promises", "Wave" feat Kenny Latimore and more, plus 3 bonus remixes: "Venusian (Aquariana rmx)", "The Dove (Jiva remix)" and "Fooled By A Smile (Incognito remix)", plus "Moon Bossa (piano outro)".

LA psychedelia from the beginning of the 70s – kind of a stranger and heavier take on the kind of terrain staked out by The Doors – and with a singer named Jim, to boot! Singer Jim Beach rolls from a mysterious and brooding vocal style to a meaner growl – with a pair of guitarists bringing both searing and soaring leads with a moodier rhythmic undertow. The tunes are long and spacious with slow building heaviness in both the playing and in the mood. We're digging it! Titles include "San-Divided", "Come Out Of Her", "Eye Of The Hurricane", "Sons Come To Birth" and "This Bird (Sky High)".

New Edition show they're no Johnnies-come-lately on the harmony soul scene – and pay tribute to a host of older groups from the 50s and 70s – singing a mix of hits and soul classics in a laidback late nite mode that brings a real focus on their vocals. Given their age, there's a sound here that's still a bit kiddie at times – but that works well on the tunes that have a more youthful approach in the originals. Backings still have a relatively 80s sound to them, and production was handled by Freddie Perren. Titles include "Duke Of Earl", "Hey There Lonely Girl", "A Thousand Miles Away", "What's Your Name", "Tears On My Pillow", "Blue Moon", and "Bring Back The Memories", an original tune written for the set.

The most ambitious recording to date from Osunlade – a bold step forward that raises him from the dancefloor into much headier territory! The work is a flurry of percussion, strings, keyboards, and countless other instruments – all layered together beautifully in a rich tapestry of sound and soul that still retains the best rhythmic elements of Osunlade's earlier singles, but also pushes the music into near-symphonic proportions. Consider the record to be the delivery of the promise always made by Osunlade's excellent singles for Yoruba – the first "big picture" record we've really heard from him, and proof that he's way more than just another dancefloor musician! Wonderful all the way through – with tracks that include "Oia In Winter", "Circles", "Aquarian Moon", "Thira", "The Day We Met For Coffee", "Flow", "Two Phish", "Fingerblood", "Music For The Gods", and "Inspiration".

Bobby's first two albums on one CD – like a dream come true to our ears! Both records are incredible stuff – with Bobby hitting hard on every level! The vocals are incredible – fresh, and raw, and with that warm little rasp that made him stand out so strongly from other singers of the late 60s. The arrangements are superb, with a mix of small-combo organ/guitar southern grooving, and just the right touches of larger orchestrations to push the whole thing over the top. The songwriting is superb – with some of Bobby's best early tracks, like "What Is This", "It's Gonna Rain", "I'm Gonna Forget About You", "Don't Look Back", "More Than I Can Stand", "I'm In Love", and "Baby! You Oughta Think it Over". Even the non-original tracks are wonderful – like the track "Fly Me to the Moon", which Bobby manages to completely make his own!

A really special record from a really special group – one of two sublime 70s gems from Azteca – a wicked blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and soul – all put together by a young Coke Escovedo! Coke's ostensibly the leader of the group, but there's also a richly collaborative feel going on – a style that brings together jazz players like Tom Harrell on trumpet, Mel Martin on saxes, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, and Flip Nunez on organ – and Latin players like Victor Pantoja on congas, Coke Escovedo on timbales, and Pete Escovedo on added percussion. In fact, the set's a key early example of the strength of the Escovedo family – and like their best later efforts, the set really stretches out and pushes the boundaries of conventional genres. There's also some great guest work from Lenny White on drums, Mike Nock on keyboards, and Neal Schon on guitars – and vocals are by a range of singers who really keep things fresh. Titles include "Red Onions", "Mazatlan", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Mexicana, Mexicana", and "Love Is A Stranger".

A seminal live set from tenorist Archie Shepp – and some of his freest, least-structured material ever! Shepp's still a righteous force here on his horn, but there also seems to be equal emphasis on the contributions of all members of the group – woven together in a really rich tapestry of sound, but with less of the structuring righteous concepts of some of Archie's other work – especially his sides for Impulse. Shepp had really been experiencing some new freedoms on the French scene of the late 60s – even more so than in the US avant outfield – and you can definitely hear him taking flight here, with a like-minded group of players that includes Clifford Thornton on trombone and shenai, Alan Shorter on flugelhorn, Joseph Dujean on guitar, Beb Guerin on bass, and Claud Delcloo on drums. This first part of the live set features one long track – "The Early Bird" – a slow building number that goes increasingly outside as it progresses, featuring some very over the top solo work from Shepp, who also plays a bit of piano on the set! Piano returns on "Huru" – another long track that has Shepp laying down these beautiful blocky passages that are surprisingly personal amidst the freer energy of the group. Great package – with heavy book-styled cover, new notes, and lots of photos!

Continuing genius from keyboardist James Taylor – exactly the kind of set that supports all the faith we've had in his music over the years! James steps out here in a vibe that's very different than before, yet every bit as great – still keyboard-heavy, with plenty of Hammond – yet also skewed towards a soundtrack sort of vibe – and not the usual funk or soul we've come to expect from Taylor! There's a sweeping sound to the music that's really sublime – like some lost late 60s blend of jazz instrumentation, voices, and strings – often served up with a majesty we've never heard in Taylor's music before, yet still coming across with a heck of a lot of depth and soul! James plays celeste, Fender Rhodes, vibes, and even some tubular bells – and titles include "Closer To You", "Tick Tock", "Fuzzburn", "Nightwalk", "Closer To The Moon", "Pathetique", and "Dark August".

Grover Washington Jr's first few albums for Columbia – Strawberry Moon, Then & Now and Time Out Of Mind – together in a 2CD set! Strawberry Moon has a number of laidback groovers, with some solid Washington originals such as the title track and some sweet covers. BB King plays and sings on "Caught A Touch Of Your Love", with Jean Carne guesting on "The Look Of Love". Grover's sax is soulful and sweet throughout, and the titles include "Strawberry Moon", "Summer Nights", "Keep In Touch", and "Maddie's Blues". Then And Now is a nice one that has Grover working in a straighter jazz mode for the most part, taking a break from the soul and R&B groover –- the most timeless of the 3 albums compiled here! Players include Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Grady Tate and Darryl Washington. Titles include "Just Enough", "French Connections", "Stolen Moments", "Stella By Starlight" and more. Time Out Of Mind's title track is a cover of the Steely Dan classic, circa Gaucho – and this album finds Grover embracing the 80s a lot more than his previous album for Columbia. A mix of moods, with some electric funky flourishes and fusiony keys and synths. Titles include "Jamaica", "Sacred Kind Of Love", "Fly Away", the title track and more. This trio of albums represents a wide stylistic range covered by Grover in just a 3 year period!

Two slices of work from Dutch vocalist Ann Burton – one of the hippest jazz singers on the European scene of the 60s and 70s, although not as well known over here as some of her other overseas contemporaries! The first half of the CD features vintage live work from 1962 - material that has Burton's vocals with the Flamingo Combo – a group with piano, guitar, bass, and bongos – all of which make for a spare sound that's a nice change from the usual piano trio mode, leaving lots of room for Ann's vocals. Titles include "Bag's Groove", "Close Your Eyes", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "Let's Get Away From It All". The second half of the CD is of more recent vintage, but equally great – studio sides from 1988, recorded with the Rob Agerbeek trio. Agerbeek's group is really wonderful here – quite unusual in their mix of piano, bass, and vibes – which is sometimes augmented with trumpet from Ack Van Rooyen – and often using rhythmic approaches that really open up the tunes nicely, taking them far past simple renditions of familiar standards. Titles include "Afterthoughts", "Again", "Nice & Easy", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", and "I Won't Dance".

A great look at the Decca years of Peggy Lee – a time when the singer was working away from Capitol Records – where she'd initially begun in the 40s, and would return to great fame in the 60s! Peggy's sides at Decca are often quite unique – rooted in the older style of jazz vocals of her early years, yet often open to great experimentation in the rhythms, phrasing, production, and instrumentation! While never totally over the top, there's a sense of creativity to these tracks that's quite marked – a willingness to go beyond simple pop, and really try something new at times. The CD features 27 titles at all, all of the albums Black Coffee and Songs In An Intimate Style, plus other singles as well – including a number of tracks never available on CD! Titles include "Johnny Guitar", "Summer Vacation", "How Strange", "Be Anything", "River River", "Moon Flowers", "Who's Gonna Pay The Check", "This Is A Very Special Day", "That's What A Woman Is For", "Sisters", "Lover", "Let Me Go Lover", "Where Can I Go Without You", and "Ring Those Christmas Bells".

One of the best-kept secrets of the hardbop era! This amazing group – formed in Chicago in the late 50's by ex-Memphis players Walter Perkins on drums, Harold Mabern on piano, and Frank Strozier on alto – has always been one of the best groups ever to sum up the meaning of the phrase "hard bop" – as they play with tight bop lines, but mix in longer, more relaxed playing, and some very soulful phrasing. Strozier especially is amazing, and Mabern's piano lines are as warmly lyrical and richly complicated as on his later work on Prestige – and the group also features the great Willie Thomas on trumpet and Bob Cranshaw on bass. The team of Cranshaw and Perkins is amazing – MJT, Modern Jazz Two, who really make the album cook – freely grooving with incredible rhythms, which makes Strozier sound almost better than on any other sessions from the time. Titles include "Branching Out", "Lil' Abner", "Raggity Man", and "To Sheila".

The only album ever cut by Norma Jenkins – a New Jersey singer with a surprisingly great ear for a deep soul groove! Norma's got a sound that's richer than most of her east coast contemporaries – a really robust approach that's almost more like some of the best southern soul singers of the period, and captured beautifully here, in ways that make us wonder why she never recorded more albums after this. The set's put together by producer George Kerr, right in the middle of a rich run of work for other artists in the 70s – and arrangements are by Bert Keyes and Andrew Smith – balancing equally between midtempo groovers, and some mellow tracks that are especially great. Titles include "Reachin' Out In Darkness", "Love Jones", "I Did It For Real", "Can You Imagine That", "I Fooled You", "It's All Over Now", and "You've Been Here Since Then". CD features loads of bonus tracks – including some early demos that Jenkins recorded with Kerr in earlier years. Bonus cuts include "I Can Wait My Turn" and "A Good Love Gone Bad", both duets with Troy Keyes – plus "A Lover's Stand", "This Is Our Day", "What's Next", and "The Airplane Song, all cut with The Dolls – and the tracks "Go Home To Your Wife", "Love Jones (single long version)", "Puzzle Man", and "One Girl Too Many".

A beautiful later set from Lorez Alexandria – produced by Houston Person, and put together with a sensitivity that really stands out! Although Lorez always sparkles on tunes that swing, she really rises to the occasion even more here on the ballads – really gentle tunes that are taken in a laidback, personal sort of way – sometimes stretching out to the 10 minute mark, and presented by Lorez in a way that's open, unhurried, and a far cry from the usual quick take on an evergreen standard. The group features the great Gildo Mahones on piano – plus Herman Riley on tenor, Grant Geissman on guitar, Andy Simpkins on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums. Mahones handled the arrangements – always a plus – and titles include "I Should Care", "Love Walked In", "I'll Never Stop Loving You", "No Moon At All", "All My Life", "For All We Know", and "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning".

An all-instrumental set from Mose Allison – one that drops out his familiar jazz vocals, and really brings a nice focus to his energy on the keys of the piano! Given that Mose really got his start as a sideman in other combos during the 50s, the selection's no surprise – and if you've only heard Allison's better-known numbers with singing, you'll really be floored here at his skills as an instrumentalist – particularly in the way he manages to play the piano with deep-down roots, yet also hit some stunningly modern tones as well! Accompaniment is by Addison Farmer on bass, plus either Ronnie Free or Nick Stabulas on drums – and titles include "Dinner On The Ground", "Crepuscular Air", "Mule", "Creek Bank", "Town", "Devil In The Cane Field", "The Minstrels", "Moon & Cypress", "Carnival", and "Mojo Woman".

Breezy bossa nova – Hollywood 60s style! The album's one of the best cut for Capitol by guitarist Laurindo Almeida – and has a sweet groovy little style that features Laurindo's lovely guitar work over some lightly dancing small combo backings that include flute, harmonica, organ, percussion, and even a bit of whistling on a few tracks! The vibe's very much in the best Verve/Impulse takes on the bossa – done with a clear California influence, which keeps things cool and breezy – and which also pushes Almeida past his sometimes-staid style on guitar. Two cuts also feature some great vocals by Irene Kral – and titles include "Twilight In Rio", "Old Guitaron", "Sarah's Samba", "Izabella", "Winter Moon", "Girl From Ipanema", and "Choro For People In Love".

The only compilation of 60s female soul trio The Apollas we've ever seen – beautiful tunes with sweet and soulful vocals, big emotions and excellent arrangements – fantastic stuff from the trio, earlier material recorded as The Lovejoys and solo numbers by singer Leola Jiles! We'd love to say we've been fortunate enough to have heard more than a handful of the great Loma and Warner 45s, but that isn't the case – so this compilation from Kent as rewarding for us as just about anything they've put together in recent years – which is really saying something! A number of the tracks are should-be anthems that really allow the girls to sing big – backed by brass and tight arrangements to suit. That said, they're diverse talents, and there's some sweeter girl group styled tunes here that come across just as strongly. Glorious! Titles include "You're Absolutely Right", "Who Would Want Me Now", "Jive Cat", "See The Silver Moon", "Pretty Red Balloons", "I'm Under The Influence Of Love", "Baby I'll Come", "My Soul Concerto" and more from The Apollas proper, plus "He Ain't No Angel" and "Wait 'Round The Corner" by The Lovejoys, "I've Got So Used To Loving You" and "Why I Was Born" by Leola Jiles and more. 25 tracks in all.

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too!

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

2 rare slices of exotica by Les Baxter – back to back on one CD! The first half of the set features material from the album Ports Of Pleasure – a dreamy exploration of south sea ideals that's got a more lightly drifting quality than some of Baxter's more percussive exotica albums, and which is awash in dreamy soundscapes penned by Les himself! The orchestrations are large and bold throughout – mixing strings and woodwinds almost in a soundtrack-y mode – but always with the light sense of interplay that makes Baxter's work so great. Titles include "Monkey Dance Of Bali", "Pearls Of Ceylon", "Tahiti A Summer Night At Sea", "Hong Kong Cable Car", "Tramp Steamer To Singapore", "Harem Silks From Bombay", and "Sidewalk Cafes Of Saigon". The Sacred Idol is a real standout set from the end of Les Baxter's run at Capitol Records – originally scored for a film that was never released, but a great set of tracks that more than stands strongly on its own! The theme here is a Mexican/Latin American one – explored by Baxter with his trademark blend of larger orchestrations and lighter exotica touches – often swirling around in an extremely evocative mode that makes us wish the film had been issued to the public, and at a few key moments even hinting at the funkier modes that would follow on some of Les' later work for other labels. Titles include "Aqueducts", "Gardens Of The Moon", "Pyramid Of The Sun", "Temple Of Gold", and "Procession Of The Princes".

One of the rarest albums by Les Baxter – and one of the best! The record features an excellent batch of "space exotica" tracks, set amidst some very lively arrangements, all packaged in one of the greatest album covers of the 50s! Les' writing and leading are as excellent as always, and the record has a beautiful sound that never gets as soppy as some of the other 50s space-age albums. Titles include "A Distant Star", "Moonscape", "Mr. Robot", "The Commuter", and "The Other Side Of The Moon". This CD edition includes a heck of a lot of great bonus material – a selection of mid 50s singles by Baxter, both a-sides and b-sides – some a bit more pop and less exotica oriented, but still plenty off beat and and nicely odd, and some sweeter numbers, too. Includes the 12 tracks from the original album, and 18 bonus tracks, including "Cornflakes", "Toy Tigers", "Sinner Man", "Blue Echo", "Cherchez La Femme", "Molodia Loca", "Please Mr Sun" and much more.

Sweet and dreamy early work from The Beach Boys – an album that has their mellow harmonies taking shape wonderfully – as heard famously on the title track! That sublime gem begins the great little set– a record that has a few hits and some even better obscure numbers – the kind of special treasures that make digging through these early albums so great, as we try to piece together the earliest expressions of the Wilson family brilliance. Vocals are great throughout, and titles include "Surfer Moon", "South Bay Surfer", "Surfer Girl", "Catch A Wave", "The Rocking Surfer", "In My Room", "Hawaii", "Surfer's Rule", "Your Summer Dream", and "Little Deuce Coupe". Includes the complete album in both the mono and stereo versions.

Rare work from the San Francisco scene of the 50s – issued here on the Crown label, who usually just focused on the sounds of LA! As usual with Crown, the notes are a bit vague – but we can say that the set features some sparkling material that really matches the Fantasy Records 50s best of all players – although with a vibe that's slightly more rough around the edges – but we mean that in a good way! The set begins with a long take on Brubeck's haunting "At A Perfume Counter" – almost more of a showcase for the alto of Paul Desmond, which takes some turns and twists that are simply breathtaking – and which will have you raising your love of his talents another notch – if that's possible at all. Next is Desmond as a leader in the haunting "Purple Moon" – a number with a bottom bassy intensity that's a perfect foil for Paul's raspy alto in the lead. Last up is Cal Tjader on "Jazz Latino" – a number that's got a cool blend of vibes, piano, and guitar!

27 tunes pulled from Jerry's years at Vee Jay Records – including some hits and lesser known numbers, all done in his fantastic Iceman style. Titles include "Thanks To You", "Find Another Girl", "Make It Easy On Yourself", "Need To Belong", "Just For You", "Give It Up", "Give Me Your Love", "I've Been Trying", "It's Too Late", "You Can Run", "I'm The One", "Good Times", "I Stand Accused", "For Your Precious Love", "Believe In Me", and "Moon River".

Two rare albums from one of the greatest modern pianists ever! Jaki Byard With Strings is a wonderful album – and nothing like any other "with strings" album you've ever heard! Sure, the set does have some stringed instruments in the group – but it's a small combo session with bass, violin, guitar, and cello, not a large overly-orchestral affair. Byard's mad vision uses these strings wonderfully to carve out some oddly arranged tunes that mix together soul jazz grooving and a haunting spiritual approach to jazz that points at later work on labels like Strata East. Includes a sublime remake of "Music To Watch Girls By", "Falling Rains Of Life", "Cat's Cradle Conference Rag", and a long version of "How High The Moon". Solo Piano is an obscure set from 1969, featuring Byard's lonely musings on the keyboard on shorter tracks that reference a huge history of traditions. Titles include "Seasons", "Spanish Tinge 2", "Hollis Stomp", "Top Of The Gate Rag", and "Ray's Blues".

An undisputed 70s soul jazz classic – and arguably the best album that Doug Carn ever cut for the Black Jazz label! The set is a masterpiece of spiritual jazz – with Carn on keyboards setting up the groove, and wife Jean singing some incredible vocals – very different than her later soul work as a solo act, and with a vibe that's like Dee Dee Bridgewater at her soulful 70s best. Jean does a killer job with the album's classic vocal version of Bobby Hutcherson's "Little B's Poem" – done here with sweet lyrics that really open the song up a lot, and make it into an anthem of love and joy that we'd be hard pressed to match with any other tune! And all other tracks are great too – with titles that include "Moon Child", "Passion Dance", and a great version of Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes".

Phase 4 ventures into nautically themed territory, and then casts the limelight on theater tunes on this two-fer reissue from Frank Chacksfield. The orchestra lays out smooth, string and brass laden arrangements of popular numbers with water themes, then reprises famous show tunes with a similar approach. 33 numbers in all, including "Ebb Tide", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "Stranger On The Shore", "Moon River", "Limelight", "In The Still Of The Night", "Smile", "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and "Here I Am".

A pair of great ones from this overlooked soul group from Illinois! Modern Heart is wonderful work from Champaign – a really self-contained group, and one who really rise above the rest of the early 80s soul scene! The album's got a tightness that's hard to beat – yet a sound that's never too slick or commercial either – kind of that best balance you'd find more in late 70s mainstream soul work, save for the fact that any upbeat numbers here have more of an 80s groove style than a disco one. The mellow tracks balance things out nicely, and show a deeper songwriting sound from the group than we might have expected – further testament to the strength of the album, along with the group's own arrangements and production. Titles include "Cool Running", "Party Line", "Try Again", "Let Your Body Rock", "Get It Again", "Love Games", and "Walkin". Woman In Flames is sweet, tight, and right on the money – a stellar bit of soul from Champaign – one of those great 80s groups who never seemed to get their due, but managed to make some really wonderful music right from the start! The album's got a slightly heavier production tip than before – arrangements from James Newton Howard that link Champaign a bit more to the sound of their mid 80s contemporaries – especially some of the other groups on Columbia. Yet there's also a healthy core to the album that comes from the group's own contributions – their continued strong sense of songwriting and performance, which makes their overall sound a lot less reliant on outside help than other groups of the period. Titles include "This Time", "Off & On Love", "Be Mine Tonight", "Mardi Gras", "Capture The Moon", "Woman In Flames", and "Intimate Strangers".

One of our all-time favorites from vocalist June Christy – part of an excellent 50s run for Capitol Records in collaboration with arranger Pete Rugolo – a talent who transformed the sound Christy cut with the Kenton band into a whole new range for jazz vocals! The setting is rich and sophisticated, yet never sleepy, either – and has a sense of edge and darkness that really sets June apart from just about all her contemporaries – even some of the jazz singers with similar roots! The whole thing's great, and even the familiar tunes are really transformed by the treatment – as you'll hear on titles that include "Saturday's Children", "I Wished On The Moon", "The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else", "Nobody's Heart", "I Remember You", and "Night Time Was My Mother".

A pair of mellow soul and jazzy groove masterpieces by Norman Connors – You Are My Starship form '76 and Romantic Journey from '77 in a single set! The former opens with the heavenly title cut – which features Michael Henderson on vocals and Gary Bartz on sax. Bartz plays on a number of other cuts, too, including a remake of "The Creator Has a Master Plan", "Just Imagine", and a remake of "Betcha By Golly Wow", with Phyllis Hyman on vocals. Hyman also sings a duet with Michael Henderson on the track "We Both Need Each Other". Great stuff, and a groundbreaking LP that showed the world that Norman was going to make as big of a splash on the soul scene as he did in the jazz world! Romanic Journey is another mellow jazzy soul treasure The record is a beautiful blend of styles, and features vocals by Eleanore Mills and Phillip Mitchell – plus playing by Gary Bartz and Pharoah Sanders. Connors still has some of his jazz influences firmly in place, as you'll hear on the album's remake of Pharoah Sanders' "Thembi", taken in a mellow stepping tone, as well as a reading of Gato Barbieri's "Last Tango In Paris". Other tracks are more smooth soul oriented, and titles include "Destination Moon", "For You Everything", and "You Are Everything". 14 tracks in all.

Incredible work from Nicola Conte – Schema records maestro making his Blue Note debut with this set – and giving the label one of their best new albums of the 21st Century! The record's quite different than Nicola's programmed dancefloor work for Schema – and is much more of an organic jazz-based session – with instrumentation by a wide arrangement of hip European jazzers (including Till Bronner and Rosario Giuliani!), plus sweet vocals from a variety of different singers! The groove is still very much in the Conte/Schema spirit – often in a loping modal approach to jazz, with a strong inspiration from the best European scenes of the late 60s and early 70s. The sound is wonderful – with players from the larger lineup playing in differing groups from track to track – showcasing instrumentation that includes vibes, flute, trombone, tenor, alto, and even a bit of guitar from Nicola himself. Vocalists include Bembe Segue, Lucia Minetti, Cristina Zavalloni, and Till Bronner – and titles include "Sea & Sand", "Nefertiti", "Wanin Moon", "A Time For Spring", "Kind Of Sunshine", "Aphrodite's Dream", "The Dharma Bums", "All Gone", "Le Depart", "The In Between", and "Several Shades Of Dawn". Imagine the best work of Schema or Compost done in an all-organic, all-natural mode – and you've got the beautiful sound of this set! This 2010 Schema special edition features the original album remastered, plus a bonus CD featuring the previously vinyl only "Bohemian's Dilemma" and "Waltz Of The Sirens", an alternate version of "Nefertiti", an extended version of "Kind Of Sunshine" and other great tracks – including the previously unreleased "Danubian", "Teardrop Painted Blue" and "Quiet Stars". An hour of bonus material in all!

2 lesser-known sides of Blossom Dearie – both recorded in Paris in the 50s! The first 8 tracks on the set are from a rare 10" session recorded in 1955 – one that features Blossom only at the piano, not singing, but swinging in a solid trio format. Tracks on that session include "The Boy Next Door", "Down In The Depths Of The 90th Floor", "April In Paris", and "Blue Moon". The other 4 tracks on the set are from a 45rpm ep by Blossom's famous vocal group, The Blue Stars. The ensemble featured vocalese performances by young singers that included Christine Legrand, Jeanine De Waleyne, and Fats Sadi – and was the virtual blueprint for later jazz vocal groups, like Les Double Six or The Swingle Singers. Titles from that group include "Toute Ma Joie", "Embrasse Moi Bien", and "Toute Ma Joie".

One of the more unusual albums we've ever heard from Japanese vocalist Chiemi Eri – a set done in collaboration with the famous Delta Rhythm Boys quintet from the US – pictured here on the cover in unusual Japanese outfits! Backings are by the large group of Nobuo Hara, who really knows how to make the proceedings swing – and the set begins with Chiemi alone, first in a medley of tunes that includes "A Guy Is A Guy" and "C'Est Si Bon", then on a haunting version of "Sanosa" – a Japanese geisha song with a really soulful quality. Then, the Delta Rhythm Boys come in – and do this really cool job of harmonizing along with Chiemi's vocals – on titles that include "Marina", "Soran Bushi", and "It's Only A Paper Moon" – before Eri then cuts them loose, to sing on their own on tracks that include "Mack The Knife", "Historia De Un Amor", and "Alright OK You Win" – all surprisingly swinging, thanks to Hara!

Sweet 70s grooving from Brazilian singer Eva – a bit of soul, a bit of easy, all styled together nicely by orchestrations from the magical maestro Gaya! Gaya's work here is similar to his best backings for other artists in the Blue Brazil generation – a mix of American pop, post-bossa instrumentation, and in this case, some very slight electric touches – kind of hipping up the tunes a bit with some nice keyboards! The album's got a really nice version of "Moon River" that skips along at a nice pace – plus some great originals that offer a strong update to the sound of other Brazilian pop/post-bossa singers, like Doris Monteiro or Claudette Soares. Titles include "O Homem Do Tempo", "Vinte Leguas", "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro", "Olha Eu Aqui Oh Oh Oh", "Talisma", and Sonho Lindo".

Everything But The Girl – smack dab in the middle of a great run during the 80s! The style here moves a bit more towards conventional pop – but there's a depth that still lives up to the group's initial genius – songwriting that's gently expressive, but never overdone – and backings that still steer clear of most of the clunkiest moments that were often holding back other groups at the time. The rich background of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt is what really makes the whole thing sparkle – that care for a song that they had right from their solo starts – still very much intact here – on titles that include "Love Is Here Where I Live", "These Early Days", "I Always Was Your Girl", "Goodbye Sunday", "Shadow On A Harvest Moon", "Lonesome For A Place I Know", and "Apron Strings". 2CD version features tracks from singles that include – "Home From Home", "I Don't Want To Talk About It", "Another Day Another Dollar", "No Place Like Home", and "Dyed In The Grain" – plus demos of 8 more tracks from the album – and a bonus outtake of "Apron Strings (alt film version)".

Hi Note, indeed! Gerardo Frisina's latest is awe-inspiring – a completely seamless blend of Italian and Latin jazz, bossa rhythms and percussion, and some of the most tasteful and naturally blended electronic elements you could ever expect to hear on an album so steeped in a genuine affinity for live jazz instrumentation! If memory serves, earlier Frisina recordings relied a bit more on the production side of the coin, but this one's so strong on great instrumentation we're rendered pretty close to speechless. Lots of great horn arrangements, rolling bass lines and piano, sublime vibes and driving drums and percussion. Totally sweet throughout – this is way up there with the best dancefloor jazz Schema's ever released! 12 tracks: "Inviolatin", "Joyas", "Bluesanova", "Intenso", "Beyond The Moon", "Saeta '03", "Cubana", "Ombroso", "Zambele", "Sophisticated Samba" and more.

Mighty keyboards from Francesco Gazzara – easily one of our favorite Irma Records artists from years back – still sounding pretty darn great here in a nicely mature setting! The album's got a bit of the bossa promised in the title, but also has a wider-ranging groove too – echoes of older keyboard modes, mixed with bits of jazz funk at times – all handled by Gazzara on a range of Fender Rhodes, Hammond, Korg, and other keys – with core bass and drums, and additional help from Lily Latuheru on vocals and Dario Cecchini on flute and saxes! Most tracks are instrumentals, but Lily's soulful tones definitely make the vocal tracks sound great too – and titles include "New Frontier", "Blow Your Mind", "Ivory Skyscrapers", "Bahia Moon", "Berimbau", "Black Jack", and "Song For My Father".

Some of the most hard-edged work cut by Stan Getz in the early years – a great reminder that he could really open up with the best of the bop world – and not just lay back and get mellow with an electric guitar! The setting has Stan working with some key west coast talents – including Wardell Gray on tenor, Sonny Criss and Willie Smith on alto, Charlie Shavers and Howard McGhee on trumpets, and Red Norvo on vibes – all players who stretch out with Stan on some longer open-ended tracks that really echo the west coast jam session mode of the time! Titles include "Hot House", "How High The Moon", "I Got Rhythm", and "Groovin High".

One of the best of the Stan Getz bossa nova sessions – and a record that features the great Laurindo Almeida on guitar – playing with more virtuosity than either Charlie Byrd or Joao Gilberto did on their collaborations with Getz! The record's got a driving rhythm section, with lots of long tracks, and nice laid-back solos by both Getz and Almeida – who's getting in some of his few jazz licks of the 60s here, working in a groove similar to that of his earlier sides with Bud Shank, but which sounds almost even better in the languid company of Getz. Cuts include "Outra Vez", "Winter Moon", "Maracatu-Too", and "Samba Da Sahra". Very nice!

Classic early European material by Dizzy Gillespie – recorded in Paris in the early 50s, and featuring backing by players that include Don Byas, Wade Legge, Jean-Jacques Tilche, and Bill Clark. The groove runs from straight bop to swing, with touches of Cubop in the mix, thanks to conga work by Humberto Canto Morales. There's a total of 21 tracks in all – and this is the best-ever compilation of the material we've ever seen, especially as much of it was issued on smaller eps, and always gets cast over different sets when it comes out. Titles include "Cognac Blues", "Sabla Y Blu", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "Blue Moon", "Mama's Blues", "Taking A Chance On Love", and "Moon Nocturne".

A pair of great Jerry Goldsmith soundtracks – back to back on a single CD! Shock Treatment is a soundtrack that's as great as you might guess from the title – penned for a psycho-thriller, and done with a slight bit of "shock" in the music – not really electricity, but these odd tones that have a cool spacey feel at the best moments – similar to some of the ways that Goldsmith could work real magic with acoustic instrumentation on some of his sci fi scores. Even the more standard passages are pretty great – tense, and a real cut above the usual of the time. CD features bonus tracks added to the soundtrack – with titles that include "Broken Glass", "Home Work", "Night Scene", "Nelson's Seduction", "Another Treatment", "Hot Money", and "Nelson's Escape". Fate Is The Hunter has a decidedly different feel – kind of cool and gentle, almost watery at times – with an undercurrent of jazz that almost reminds us of some of Johnny Mandel's best soundtracks of the time! Titles include "Forest Scene", "Night Scene", "Moon Fish", "The Room", and "Fate Is The Hunter".

One of the greatest moog albums ever – all original sounds and tunes from the legendary Bruce Haack! Haack had spent most of the 60s doing small label kiddie records on his own, but this late 60s gem on Columbia is probably his best known work – a masterpiece of short and groovy little songs that are heavy on analogue electronics and special effects! There's a really fuzzy feel to most of the work here – heavy echo and reverb that give the album a very dark feel, even when the songs are a bit light and playful. Haack's lyrics are great too – quite conceptual, with a spiritual undercurrent that's surprisingly great – and which adds a further layer of meaning to the set! The whole thing's a bit like the Silver Apples, but more experimental – and there's a love of sound, shape, and texture that Haack never matched again on later albums. A key predecessor to Suicide, Stereolab, and countless others – with titles that include "Electric To Me Turn", "Cherubic Hymn", "Program Me", "War", "Incantation", "Angel Child", "Super Nova", "Requiem", "Song Of The Death Machine", and "National Anthem To The Moon". CD features the previously unreleased "Electric To Me Turn (alternate version)", and a Canadian radio interview interspersed with songs!

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

Conrad Herwig really has a way of making other players cook – a special sort of something that comes through in both his rich vision for the music, and his strong inspiration as a soloist too! This album's key testament to that quality in Herwig's music – as it has all players sounding really a cut above – and soaring with Conrad's trombone in a marvelous batch of original tunes with a really fresh feel! The rhythm section grooves right from the start – often with some modal energy at its core, giving the record the feel of some lost European jazz set from the 70s at points – yet definitely holding onto its own spirit amidst all of Herwig's original compositions. Piano from Orrin Evans is a key part of the album's success – but the set also features great work from Ralph Bowen on tenor, Kenny Davis on bass, Donald Edwards on drums, and Herwig himself on trombone. Titles include "Traceless Moon", "The Sun Within", "Morning Shade", "Thorn Witness", "Free Action Reaction", and "The Voice Through The Door".

A great and rare solo guitar record by Lena Hughes – issued here by Tompkins Square – a label that's put out some of the best fingerstyle guitar folk releases in recent memory – in both the contemporary and archival realms! Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar is an archival release in their Long Gone Sound Series – and it's one of best yet! Lena, born in 1904, was rural Missourian amateur guitarist and mainstay at Ozarks area folk festivals. This record is her one-and-only known album – and though she's also remembered as a fine fiddler and banjo player, it finds her focusing on flat top guitar in the tradition of 19th century parlor music. Warm and wonderful stuff – as inviting as anything we've heard on Tompkins Square. Includes "Pearly Dew", "Under The Double Eagle", "Letter Edged In Black", "Blue Heaven", "Galloway Bay", "You Are The Only Star Of My Blue Heaven", "Spanish Fan-Dango", "Kentucky Moon Waltz", "Silver Treads Among The Gold", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and"Cedar Brook Waltz".

Some of the coolest work we've ever heard from Chicago flautist Nicole Mitchell – a really wonderful record that shows the full spectrum of her talents! The set's recorded with a trio that includes Hamid Drake on percussion and Harrison Bankhead on bass and cello – both players who can swing things inside one minute, then go freely outside the next! This approach is really important to the album's vibe – as some of the best tracks actually have a tight rhythmic pulse you might not find on other sessions from Mitchell – almost a bit funky at points, with a righteous groove – alongside other tracks that have a more open-ended, improvisatory feel. Bankhead's bass is especially nice – round and soulful throughout – and Mitchell plays flute, alto flute, and piccolo on the record. Titles include "Sho Ya Right", "Beloved's Reflection", "Affirmation Of The One", "Anaya With The Moon", "Wheatgrass", and "Song For Ma'at".

Weldon Irvine meets Strata East – and the result is one of the keyboardist's funkiest albums ever! The set's more jazz-based than the soul/funk outings Weldon cut for RCA and his own label – with great focus on Weldon's lines on clavinet and Fender Rhodes – supported by sweet guitar lines and lots of heavy percussion – often a mix of drums and congas, which really sounds great. Pianist Virginia Joe Jones joins the group on a few cuts – but the main star here is definitely Weldon, who sparkles wonderfully on some spiritual keyboard solos. Titles include "Pleasure Pain & Me", "Marjorie Moon", "Down Home", "Fat Mouth", "Turkish Bath", and "Gemini Mood".

A sweet larger group session from vibist Milt Jackson – proof that he was really trying to stretch his wings, and get into new things during the 60s! The set's got Milt working with some great help from Tadd Dameron and Ernie Wilkins on larger group arrangements – nicely swinging charts that have a nice touch of modern, but lots of straightforward grooving too! Milt's the primary soloist, buoyed by an orchestra built around a rhythm section of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and either Connie Cay or Philly Joe on drums – plus loads of great horn players like Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Melba Liston, James Moody and Jimmy Heath among others. Titles include renditions of "Old Devil Moon", "'Round Midnight", "The Dream Is You", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Echoes", "If You Could See Me Now", "Star Eyes", "Namesake", "If I Should Lose You", and "Later Than You Think". CD features 2 bonus tracks!

A tremendous second step for Chicago soul legend Walter Jackson – packaged here with a huge amount of bonus tracks as well! The core album is a sublime mix of new tunes and re-imagined standards – and a set that takes Walter Jackson into even more sophisticated soul territory than before! The record is proof that the up and coming soul artists of the 60s had a key place alongside the more established mainstream acts on the other side of the fence – as Walter's working here with arranger Riley Hampton to re-cast a number of familiar tunes in his cool Iceman soul mode – changing the themes, rhythms, and inflections of the tracks for a more contemporary soul market – and also interspersing them with a few great new songs of his own! The approach is amazing – far better than even Jerry Butler or Chuck Jackson's work in a similar idiom – and the album features the sublime hit "Welcome Home", plus the Van McCoy tunes "Suddenly I'm All Alone", "Still At The Mercy Of Your Love", and "The Magic's Gone" – alongside versions of "Moon River", "Let It Be Me", "Imagination", and "My Funny Valentine". Added to the original album are 7 more rare tracks pulled from singles – some of the true gems in Jackson's 60s career for Okeh – with titles that include "Deep In The Heart Of Harlem", "Cold Cold Winter", "That's When I Come To You", "Special Love", "One Heart Lonely", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", and "The Folks Who Live On The Hill".

A killer of an album from Jamiroquai – the first time we really sat up and took notice, and said "hey, these guys are onto something good!" The record's pretty darn great all the way through – a warm batch of tunes that starts with a classic 70s mode that's part Stevie Wonder, part Steely Dan – and which runs through some of the more modern London percussion/production techniques to freshen things up! Titles include "Mr Moon", "Kids", "Manifest Destiny", "Light Years", "Stillness In Time", "Morning Glory", and "Space Cowboy". 2CD version features loads of bonus tracks too – including "Space Clav", "Stillness In Time (edit)", "Space Cowboy (David Morales mix)", "Light Years (4 to da floor mix)", "Space Cowboy (demo)", and liver versions of "Scam", "Journey To Arnhemland", "We Getting Down", and "Light Years".

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

One of the greatest 60s recordings from the Wyton Kelly Trio – thanks to some wonderful guest work from guitarist Wes Montgomery! Montgomery's working here in a gusty, rootsy style that recalls his best soul jazz sides from the earlier years – and which have a feel that's quite different than his later, more largely-arranged work for Verve. The Kelly Trio is in perfect form – with Wynton's heavy left hand leading the group on the piano, and superb rhythm backing from the team of Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. Tracks are longish, with some nice solos – and include the 13 minute original "No Blues", plus "If You Could See Me Now", "Unit 7", "Four On Six" and "What's New". CD features 6 bonus tracks too – including "Willow Weep For Me", "Portrait Of Jenny", "Misty", "Impressions", and "Oh You Crazy Moon". The bonus tracks make for an album that's almost twice as long as the original!

A standout classic from Fern Kinney – and a set that not only marked a big moment of evolution for southern soul, but also for the Mississippi scene as well! The set was recorded at the Malaco studios in Jackson, but has a vibe that's much closer to some of the TK Records material from Miami – that maturation of southern soul during the disco era – as warmer, more modern touches came into play with rootsier styles of vocals! Mike Lewis handled the string arrangements – giving the record the same disco vibe as some of his other work of the time, including Anita Ward's big debut – and Fern's vocals have this higher range than usual for a southern singer – almost more innately tuned towards clubby rhythms. Titles include a big hit remake of King Floyd's "Groove Me" – really marking the change from the original version – plus "Baby Let Me Kiss You", "Pillow Talk", "Sun Moon Rain", "Angel On The Ground", and "Under Fire". CD features bonus tracks "Let's Keep It Right There", "I Want You Back", "Movie Show", "Baby Let Me Kiss You (single)", "Sweet Life", "Tonight's The Night", and "Groove Me (single)".

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

A classic collaboration between Peggy Lee and Nelson Riddle – and a record that really set the tone for Lee's famous Capitol sides of the 60s! The groove here is very upbeat – as you might guess from the title – with a bouncing, almost syncopated approach that's definitely Riddle's, but which also hints at some of Lee's more soul-based backings of the 60s from Jack Marshall – those slinky-stepping groovers that would really put her back in front of American ears. Many tunes are older numbers, but they're updated nicely by Riddle's playful backings – and cuts include "Jump For Joy", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "Old Devil Moon", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "Just In Time", "Music Music Music", "Four Or Five Times", and "Ain't We Got Fun".

A wonderful collaboration between vocalist Tom Lellis and guitarist Toninho Horta – a set that's easily one of the best that Lellis has ever recorded! We've always been big fans of Tom's work, and even though he's never fully gotten his due, he's a singer who's been working for decades – with a rich-toned, openly fluid style that's a lot like Mark Murphy at his best – but guided nicely by Lellis with some deeply personal expressions of his own. Horta's guitar really opens up his music a lot – and Toninho sings a bit on the record too – usually just a bit of backing vocals, but in the lead on a few numbers, with that sweetly cracking style he first brought to records in the 70s. The album's a real treasure from the Adventure Music label, and a set that really brings together some of the best aspects of the label's work. Titles include "Maybe September", "Dreamwalking", "Summertime", "I Love You", "Let's Face The Music & Dance", and "Fly Me To The Moon".

Arthur Lyman in 1966 – heard here on two albums from that year, packaged together on a single CD! Lyman 66 has Arthur still working strongly in the vibes/percussion blend of his start – moving into tunes that are familiar 60s pop numbers, but still done here in a smaller combo instrumental mode – and not the "added orchestrations" style of other exotica players of the time. Vibes are often the dominant instrument, played with a nice sense of tone and color – and titles include "Kon Tiki", "Jungle Cat", "Waimea Cowboy", "Fiddler On The Roof", "Only Yesterday", "Mary Poppins Medley", and "Taste Of Honey". The Shadow Of Your Smile is almost jazzy at times – exotically so, but still with a jazz-based sense of sound, tone, and timing – one that shows that Arthur Lyman's really grown since his days in the Martin Denny combo, and certainly earns all the recording time in the studio given to him during the 60s! Percussion, piano, guitar, and even a bit of electric bass come into play nicely here – and the tunes change up rhythms a bit more than usual, with even a dose of Latin in the mix. Titles include "I'll Remember You", "Moon Over Naples", "Marobi", "Yesterday", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Hang On Sloopy".

Mad funk from the great Galt MacDermot – a wonderful selection of obscure tunes from some of his best funky soundtracks! Galt's work on Hair has been sampled heavily by a variety of hip hop producers over the years – but even better is his work for less famous soundtracks, a good variety of which are sampled here in a wonderfully-done set that focuses on the truly funky tracks that Galt wrote for these films – and which gets past the sometimes-off tracks that can occasionally get in the way of his lesser soundtracks. The package is a total jam throughout – filled with tunes that have weird rhythms, moody keyboards, and the kind of offbeat approach to funk that's always made his work so great. There's only a few tracks from previously reissued soundtracks like Woman Is Sweeter and Cotton Comes To Harlem – plus lots lots more from weirder films that include American Express, Nucleus, Fortune & Men's Eyes, Moon Over The Alley, and Rhinoceros! In true Galt MacDermot funky fashion, there's lots of great drum work on the set from Bernard Purdie – and titles include "Golden Apples", "Coffin Ed", "Dead End", "Fragments II", "Tango", "Ed & Digger", "Duffer", "Bedroom", "Queenie's Theme", "Fortune & Men's Eyes", "Rhinoceros Theme", and "Never Die Desire Not".

One of the grooviest albums of the late 60s – a lost vocal treasure from the team of Dave MacKay & Vicky Hamilton! The pair were sort of like a hip version of Jackie & Roy – usually singing together on their tracks, with a mixed male/female vocal approach that sounds totally great – and which really fits the breezy mood of the tunes on the set! Dave himself plays Fender Rhodes and piano on the album – along with an odd little combo that includes flute and tenor played by Ira Schulman, percussion by Francisco Aguabella, and guest sitar by Bill Plummer. The whole thing's got an amazing feel that's equal parts groovy jazz and sunshine pop – and tunes include a great reading of Tom Scott's "Blues For Hari", Flip Nunez's classic "See You Later", and the original tracks "Jacques The Junkman", "Samba For Vicky", "Now", and "Moon Rider".

One of the most electric albums we've heard from Rob Mazurek in years – no surprise, given that the set's billed to an Electro Acoustic version of his Exploding Star group! The music here was done in collaboration with videomaker Marianne Kim – whose video is included with the package as a separate DVD, and also features some work from visual work from Mazurek as well. But our main focus here is the music, which is great – all the earthy, exploratory tones that Rob's been unleashing in recent years – clearly inspired by some of the best Miles or Don Cherry moments of the 70s, but very different too – as handled by this range of key contemporary players from Chicago. Rob speaks a bit on a few tracks, and the set also features work from Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flute, Matt Bauder on electronics, Guilherme Granado on sampler, Carrie Biolo on percussion, Jeff Kowalkowski on keyboards, and John Herndon on drums. Titles include "We Are All One With The Moon & Planets", "Only", "The Shifting Sequence", "Indra's Net", and "Seven Blues".

Imagine if the Ventures were actually aliens – and you've only got part of the picture on this one! Mad studio genius Joe Meek composed and conceived this incredible 60s session of strange space-age instrumentals – one that mixes instrumental surf-flavored guitars with crazy sound effects and production techniques, for an out-of-this-world batch of tracks that's like nothing else we can think of (except for a few modern retro poseur types!) Tracks include "Glob Waterfall", "I Hear A New World", "Orbit Around The Moon", "March Of The Dribcots", and "Valley Of The Saroos". Insanely weird and wild – we promise! Plus, this "enhanced edition" features "A Day In The Life Monologue – Joe Meek 1962" – as well as a bonus interview that plays on your computer!

Sweet fusion from the end of the 70s – two great Harvest Records albums, packaged together in a single set! Another Sleeper is a killer from keyboardist Max Middleton and guitarist Robert Ahwai – a set that has a tight funky feel on most numbers – very much in the most soulful American styles of the time, with some of the impeccable placement that you'd also find on Japanese soul fusion classics from the 70s! Ahwai's guitar is nice and compressed – never overdone, and a perfect accompaniment for Middletone's keyboards as they slide alongside some nicely tight grooves. Titles include "Snake Hips", "Plane Sailing", "Pacific Mist", "Soliloquy", "Hi Jinx", and "Dance By The Light Of The Moon". Cape Wrath is an album of similar vintage – again with great arrangements by Max Middleton, whose keyboards slide in nicely alongside the lead solos of Dick Morrissey on saxes and Jim Mullen on lead guitar! Rhythms have a nice soulful groove – lots of inspiration from the best America R&B fusion sides of the time – with less of the progressive elements you might have expected in Morrissey a few years before. There's a great CTI/Kudu vibe throughout – and titles include "Cape Wrath", "Bristol Boogie", "Song For Carla", "Soul Eyes", "Night Song", and a cover of Bill Withers' "Lovely Day".

We give up! Just when we thought the gravy train had stopped running, the last train to skaville pulls into the station with 16 jaunty numbers fusing ska and rocksteady with a healthy dose of Jamaican soul at the hands of Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Brothers under the guidance of Coxsone Dodd! After the Skatalites busted up in the mid 60s, Dodd set about assembling a new house band, bringing Mittoo and a number of the original members of the Skatalites, including Lloyd Brevett and Roland Alphonso, together with some of the new, younger talent, and the fine folks at Soul Jazz have assembled a mighty, mighty set of their finest moments. But as Coxsone says in the liner notes, let's "Cut the chatter and spin the platter"! Includes "James Bond", "Voodoo Moon", "Chicken & Booze", "Hpney Pot", "Mr Flint", "Dr Ring Ding", "Got My Boogaloo", "Home Made", "Sufferer's Choice" and "Hot & Cold".

One of those great overlooked dates from Gerry Mulligan's sometimes-ignored stretch of the mid 70s – a time when he was really trying out some excellent new musical experiments! This cooking set features his baritone in a group that really cooks nicely – and in ways that are quite different than you'd ever expect from the Mulligan of the 50s – and maybe even the Gerry of the 60s too! There's a bit of electricity in the group – thanks to Fender Rhodes from Tom Fay and guitar from Mike Santiago – and that element is a surprisingly wonderful complement to Gerry's baritone – which only seems to have a deeper sense of soul in comparison. Dave Samuels adds in some excellent vibes – and the other players include George Duvivier on bass and Bobby Rosengarden on drums – on titles that include "Strayhorn 2", "Idol Gossip", "Taurus Moon", "Waltzing Mathilda", and "Walk On Water". Also features a bonus "Jazzspeak" track – a 16 minute interview!

A heavy slab of jam band funk! Mushroom are a heavy jamming funk outfit with a classic groove – working hard with horns and Fender Rhodes to craft up solid slabs of groove, circa early 70s Atlantic Records vintage. This 5 track ep has about as much music as you'd find on a regular album – and it's awash with great remixes, like the Bundy K Brown remix of "American's Own The Moon", and the Quintus Kannegiesser remix of "Let's Have Sex", both of which are considerably more modern sounding than some of the other tracks on the set, like the group's cover of "Compared To What" or the original "Foxy Music".

A killer full-length set from Fabio Nobile – an artist who's been making hip singles for a number of years, but who really sparkles in the space of an extended album! Fabio's groove is always warm and jazzy – a bit like some of the best moments from Italian contemporaries on Schema Records, but also touched with a wider range of influences too – Brazilian jazz, 70s fusion, and sunny vocal modes that really make the music shine! Instrumentation is often a mix of programmed rhythms and acoustic jazz elements – again, very much in a Schema mode – and there's a range of great vocalists on the record, wonderful singers who include Agata Leanza, Lorraine Bowen, Rosella Key, Lehan Gyn, and Tanya Michelle – each of whom has their own special touch for the tunes. Great stuff throughout – lively, positive, and a real delight – with titles that include "Day What A Day", "Zozoi", "Fly To The Moon", "Love Is Gone", "San Diego", "Always Love", "Didn't You Know", "D'Improvviso", "O Samba", "Back With You", and "Toto Mi Amor". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Always Love (Sunaga T Experience rmx)" and "Didn't You Know (Gerardo Frisina main mix)".

Two unusual vocal sessions from Anita O'Day – each with a different jazz star in tow! Anita O'Day & The Three Sounds brings together a great singer and a great trio – a unique Verve outing that has vocalist Anita O'Day joining forces with the Three Sounds combo of pianist Gene Harris! The Three Sounds were always happy to serve as a rhythm combo on dates like this – and they really bring a lot of their own flavor to the record – standing out on a few instrumental selections that highlight their own brief relationship with Verve – but mostly backing Anita with a groove that's tight and always soulful! O'Day's vocals are as confident as Harris' work on the keys – making for a very nice match – and titles include "Fly Me To The Moon", "All Too Soon", "My Ship", and "Whisper Not", which also features a guest solo by Roy Eldridge. Time For Two is a great little meeting of two of the better talents on Verve Records in the early 60s – one that pairs the warm vocals of Anita O'Day with the cool vibes of Cal Tjader – in a sweet little session that's actually one of O'Day's best from the time! The feel here is lively, and slightly Latinesque – as Cal's smal combo features Johnny Rae on drums, and Lonnie Hewitt on piano – both players who are well-tuned towards a more rhythmic approach. Includes a great version of "An Occasional Man", plus the tracks "Mr. Sandman", "I Believe In You", "Peel Me A Grape", and a nice take of "Thanks For The Memory".

Just a few of the songs here are from the 60s, and many of the rest are written by Gaetano Partipilo himself – and mixed with a few Brazilian numbers as well – all to round out a wonderfully rich sounding album that really lives up to the best Schema tradition! Instrumentation is mostly live jazz – played by Gaetano on alto sax, as well as Nicola Conte on guitar, Pietro Lusso on Fender Rhodes, Pasquale Bardaro on vibes, and Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet – but maybe best of all are the vocals, which shift a bit over the course of the record, and include raspy soul lines from MR Natural, and warmer female vocals from Alice Ricciardi, Heidi Vogel, and Rosalia De Souza. Half the tracks are instrumentals, and the mix of modes really makes the album great – never settled too far into one comfortable corner, and really taking the listener on a great journey overall! Titles include "Essa Mulher", "Se Voce Pensa", "Beyond The Days", "Jive Samba", "Right Now", "13 Death March", "Wall & Water", "Atras Da Porta", "The Sticks", "Moon Flower", and "Ocean Dance".

A wicked fusion set from saxophonist Michael Paulo – noteworthy not just for the efforts of the leader, but for the album's sweet keyboards from Herbie Hancock too! The style's relatively stripped-down – electric, but never too polished, nor too jamming – often with the kind of gentle groove we love in the best late 70s Japanese fusion sessions. Paulo plays alto, tenor, soprano sax, and flute – and Herbie Hancock plays piano and prophet, alongside additional keyboards from Kimo Cornwell, guitar from Ray Obiedo and Ron Yuen, and drums from Alvin Fejarang. Titles include "Mr Spock's Revenge", "My Favorite Cousins", "Merry Go Round", "Eclipse Of The Full Moon", and "Rainbow Island".

Striking modern work from jazz singer Lucy Reed – no surprise, though, given that arrangements here are by the likes of Gil Evans, George Russell, and Eddie Higgins! Reed's got a beautiful sense of tone – a clarity that comes through right away, but which is never miscast in these modern settings as it might be in a more commercial jazz date – which could pitch Lucy right into some too-sentimental fare. Instead, the tunes usually have a moody sort of glow – all the sadness of more familiar jazz singers of the time, but given a colder steel edge that we really love. Titles include "Love For Sale", "A Trout No Doubt", "Born To Blow The Blues", "This Is New", "No Moon At All", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Lucky To Be Me", and "There He Goes".

A tremendous set from bassist Nat Reeves – a player who doesn't always record as a leader, but one whose talents have graced countless great groups over the years! The album's got a tight, elegant sort of sound – rooted strongly in Nat's soulful basslines, which step out front all the time – a bit like Ray Brown in his best small combo work – yet still leave plenty of space for sparkling trumpet lines from Joshua Bruneau, warm-rolling piano lines from Rich Germanson, and drums from Jonathan Barber. The strength of the bass gives the album a soulful depth right from the start – which the other instruments only improve on – and titles include "Fungii Mama", "Moon River", "So Tired", "Little Waltaz", "Brick's Blues", and "Laverne Walk".

Wonderful stuff – a rare one from the early 60s that has master reedman Jerome Richardson running through hip versions of hip tracks from hip (and not-so-hip) movies! Includes nice long versions of "Delilah" and "No Problem" (from Les Liasons Dangereuses), plus "Never On Sunday", "Tonight", and "Moon River". Sound's snoozy, but it's not – mostly because the arrangements are sparkling and kind of modern, and because the band is excellent, and plays with unrestrained fire and imagination – not in the usual way you'd expect from a "jazz player meets movies" sort of session! Richardson is on tenor, baritone, and flute – and the group's a quintet with Les Spann on guitar and flute, Richard Wyands on piano, Henry Grimes on bass, and Grady Tate on drums.

We always love the bass work of Jason Roebke, but the setting here is especially soulful – a beautiful batch of duets with saxophonist Tobias Delius, whose work on tenor really seems to unlock a new sort of depth in Jason's performance! Tobias plays clarinet on a few numbers, but its his tenor that we really love – and when paired with Roebke's bass, the whole album has a feel that's like some lost loft jazz album from the 70s – with tones so rich and deep they still resonate strongly for many years later! And we definitely think this is the sort of record that will stand strong over the years – not just an improvisational moment, but a batch of music that has a long life all of its own. Titles include "Which Goose", "Cuttlefish", "On The Moon", "G Bug", and "Convolvulaceae".

One of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever! The set is a legendary batch of trio tracks that feature Sonny working in a format that is incredibly free for the time, and which show him as more of a modernist than a bopper – although his solos are still pretty darn fantastic from a bop perspective – stretching out in free, piano-less space – really cutting some amazing edges, and blown in tones we might never have expected from Rollins a few years before. The group is beautifully open ended – with Wilbur Ware on bass and Elvin Jones on drums, and both of them in their best mode of the late 50s. Titles include "Softly As In A Morning Sunset", "Sonny Moon For Two", and "Striver's Row". Great stuff, and one of the best sides that Blue Note ever cut!

One of Sonny's brilliant west coast sessions for Contemporary – records that shouldn't sparkle as much as they do, but which actually stand with his best work of the 50s! Sonny's blowing in front of a session of "leaders" that includes Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, and Victor Feldman, who plays vibes on one track. Sonny's the real leader here, though – as his bold, proud tenor tone really takes front seat, carving lines that never get tired, bringing a sparkle into tunes like "You", "How High The Moon", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Song Is You", and "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". Heck, even with songs like those, the album should be weak – but there's an undeniable magic that really makes it great! CD features 3 bonus tracks!