All Categories — LPs  

One of the best records ever cut by funky sax man Joe Farrell! The album's got a stripped down, choppy groove – virtually the blueprint for later 70s funk of this type, and played perfectly by Farrell and a very hip quartet lineup! Players include Joe on soprano and tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – playing with a very angular sense of rhythm that really dives the record! The record's got a tight combo sound that's far more energetic than most CTI jazz from the time – and titles include the great cut "Great Gorge", which has a tight modal sample groove, plus "Times Lie", "Bass Folk Song", and "Moon Germs".

One of the first, and most famous, of Norman Granz's landmark JATP sessions – featuring an extended reading of "How High The Moon" that was a bit of jazz history itself! The session was recorded at Syria Mosque Auditorium in Pittsburgh – and featured players that include Buck Clayton, Flip Phillips, Trummy Young, Coleman Hawikins, Kenny Kersey, and Willie Smith. Titles include the extended version of "How High The Moon", and "Bellboy Blues" – as well as 2 titles from another JATP session, "Lady Be Good" and "After You've Gone" – featuring Howard McGhee, Charlie Parker, and Willie Smith.

Another one of the post-Europe Dave Pike recordings, with a sound that's a bit straighter than usual, but still with his usual great take on jazzy vibes playing. The title track's a nice breezy groover, and the LP also includes two more originals, one with a Latiny feel called "Set the Stage", the other with the usual Pike goofiness, called "Jumpy the Snail".

Warm mellow soul from David Sanborn – a surprisingly nice early album, recorded without all the schmaltz of his later work! The style is still quite full and professional, but there's also somehow a more earnest feel to the work – as Sanborn plays with a core group that includes Victor Lewis, Jumma Santos, and Hiram Bullock – blowing alto, but also singing a bit as well! Guest vocalists on the set include Hamish Stuart of Average White Band, plus Lani Groves and Kat McCord – and the whole thing's got an easygoing LA studio sort of groove. Titles include "Promise Me The Moon", "Stranger's Arms", "We Fool Ourselves", "Morning Salsa" and "Legend Of The Cheops".

A great little record – one that's filled with extended jamming from a German combo on electric piano, saxes, guitars, and plenty of percussion! The style is in the best jazz rock mode of the early 70s – often served up with vocals, but usually with an equal focus on the instrumental stylings of the group – which are tight, almost funky, and filled with modal lines and spiraling grooves! At times, the guitars dominate a bit more – pushing the record more towards familiar prog modes – but overall the sound is filled with creative little touches, made even better by inventive production from Conny Plank! Titles include "Morning Sun", "Love Me", "Big City", "Yellow Sunshine", and "Rooms Behind Your Mind".

Incredible stuff – and an album that has 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", "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!

An incredible record – the kind of album that no fan of funky jazz should be without! This album is far and away one of the greatest ever cut by Brother Jack McDuff – and it's a baroquely complicated batch of funky jazz cuts that's still light years ahead of any other record! The tracks are much longer than you'll find on Jack's other work – and the group plays these lines that are laidback and trippy, yet which still have a tremendous amount of funk in them. Guitar sets the tone, spacing out over the drums of the great Joe Dukes; electric bass rumbles at all the low, dark spots; flute and tenor sax cut some sharp edges in the void; and the organ of Brother Jack comes in over the top, and soars with cosmic lines of sound! The album includes the monster cut "Oblighetto", sampled by Tribe Called Quest years back – plus other amazing groovers, like "Flat Backin", "Moon Rappin", and "Loose Foot".

A wonderful album from the great Gary McFarland – and completely sublime all the way through! The record's part jazz, part easy, and all McFarland, with a cool compressed breezy vibe that's just about impossible to describe accurately. Gary's vibes are wonderfully set in a small combo with reeds by Jerome Richardson, bass by Richard Davis, organ by Warren Bernhardt, and guitar by Sam Brown. The group play haunting, almost-invisible versions of 60s pop tunes, like "God Only Knows", "Here, There & Everywhere", and "O Morro" – plus a jaunty McFarland original called "Flea Market".

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

A nice little album – featuring some of the sides that Gene Ammons cut "off contract" for Chess/Argo during the early 60s, and ones that feature him paired with Sonny Stitt, his longtime partner in legendary tenor battles from the 50s. The two horns aren't really locked in combat here, but they do complement each other nicely on the album's mellow groovers and ballad tracks. Titles include "Cha Bootie", "Tenor Eleven", "The Last Mile", and "Full Moon".

A key album in the career of Louis Armstrong – one that helped him forge the fourth or fifth great comeback in his career! As you'd guess by the title, the album's built around Louis' hit version of "Hello Dolly" – sung in a mode that at one level stretches back to his roots in trad jazz, but at another kind of peps the whole thing up with a mod 60s/20s retro sort of swing – more syncopated than before, with a choppy little groove that pushed Louis right back onto the charts. Backing is by a small group that includes Billy Kyle on piano, Arvell Shaw on bass, and Joe Darensbourg on clarinet – and the album's filled with other great numbers that include "A Kiss To Build A Dream On", "Moon River", "You Are Woman I Am Man", "Blueberry Hill", and "Be My Life's Companion".

Swedish leader Harry Arnold tackles the music of Richard Rodgers – taking the tunes into some sweet jazzy big band directions, without as many of the showy flourishes you might expect from the "Broadway" title! Of course, many of the tunes here are older Rodgers material – making them already familiar jazz standards even before Arnold gets his hands on them – but the approach here is nice and lively, with some of the soaring tou ches of Arnold's other work. Players aren't listed, unfortunately – and titles include "This Can't Be Love", "Blue Moon", "Where Or When", "Falling In Love With Love", and "Have You Met Miss Jones".

Way before Sinatra first grabbed the "Chairman Of The Board" title for his own musical persona, Basie laid great claim to the tag with this tight little album for Roulette! The album's got the 50s Basie band working at the height of their powers – with original compositions written and arranged by Frank Foster, Ernie Wilkins, Thad Jones, and Frank Wess – all of whom play in the bad, along with other all-stars like Freddie Green, Billy Mitchell, and Al Grey. The sound is tight, soulful, and searing Basie all the way through – with tunes that include "Segue In C", "Blues In Hoss' Flat", "Who Me?", "The Deacon", "Half Moon Street", "Mutt & Jeff", "TV Time", "Speaking Of Sounds", and "HRH".

A heck of a rare slice of Donald Byrd's career – a rare "with strings" session, recorded in 1957, but never issued until this brief 1982 LP on Discovery! The set also marks a rare early large set of arrangements by Clare Fischer – who backs up Byrd's shimmering trumpet lines with some great strings on the album – making for a moody session that's also got some nice modernist touches underneath. Given Byrd's Parisian recordings, and his work for a variety of labels at the time (this one was supposedly done for Warner Brothers), it's interesting to hear his more open style before it was clamped into the tighter Blue Note groove of the 60s. Titles include "Varmeland", "Lazy Afternoon", "Moon Mist", "I'm A Fool To Want You", "Dearly Beloved", and "September Afternoon".

A great one from June – on a par with the Something Cool album, and featuring arrangements by the great Pete Rugolo! Like that one, this one's a pretty dark effort – filled with some great boozed-up late night vocals. Titles 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".

Titles include "Quadrant 4", "Moon Germs", "Stratus", "Do What Cha Wanna", "Panhandler", "Pleasant Pheasant", and "Red Baron".

Full throttle fusion from Billy Cobham, the kind of stuff we once winced at because of the really over the top moments of heavy, heavy jamming, but that we find ourselves more sympathetic to these days, probably for the more sublime moments that poke through the onslaught here and there, including some nice spacey tracks. The Brecker brothers are up front, and the group has the tight electric approach you'd guess, with some easier grooves sliding in between the full on moments, and even a bit of funk, too. Includes "Solarization", "Lunarputians", "Total Eclipse", "Bandits", "Moon Germs","The Moon Ain't Made Of Green Cheese", "Sea Of tranquility" and "Last Frontier"

A landmark LP of guitar-based funk! Dennis Coffey had been playing, arranging, and producing all over the Detroit soul scene by the time this album came out – so it wasn't like he really needed a hit to get paid or anything – but the record forever marked him as a guitar player to be reckoned with, and it was a perfect showcase for Coffey's fuzzed-out funky style, instantly recognizable and still extremely popular today! The album contains the monster breakbeat cut "Scorpio" – kind of a seminal text of hip hop – plus plenty of other groovers like "Getting It On", "Garden Of The Moon", "Big City Funk", and "Sad Angel".

The second album recorded by underground Chicago tenor wailer Cozy Eggleston – recorded nearly 15 years after his first one, the massive Grand Slam, and with a similar approach, but one that's been softened by the styles of the times. The great Karl Johnson is still on organ, but he also plays a bit of synthesizer, which comes off sounding pretty tinny at times – and like the first album, this one's filled with short tracks that are jamming soul jazz numbers with a good groove. Titles include "Wham", "Joker's Wild", "Sweet Merri Dee", "Moon Ray", and "New Grand Slam".

One of the nicest albums that Ferrante & Teicher cut for United Artists! The record has bits of prepared piano over exotic backings – perhaps not as crazy as some of their albums for Westminster, but still with some good off-beat touches that make the album one of the few that's really worth seeking out by them. Plus, the Exotica arrangements give the piano pair a different sound than usual – a bit less staid, with a pretty nice batch pad groove. Titles include "Taboo", "Shangri La", "Moon Of Manakoora", "Negligee", "Jungle Drums", and "Adventures In Paradise".

A cool 60s Capitol psych album – with organ from Tony Scott and flute from Paris Sheppard – and nice long tracks that include "I Just Thought Of The Moon", "The House Of Saturn", and "The Happening".

A classic vocal set from Ella – filled with standards from the Rodgers & Hart songbook – including "Isn't It Romantic", "My Romance", "Spring Is Here", "Thou Swell", "Bewitched", "Blue Moon", "A Ship Without A Sail", "I Could Write A Book", and "Where Or When".

Arrangements by Buddy Bregman – on titles that include "Give It Back To The Indians", "Ten Cents A Dance", "There's A Small Hotel", "I Could Write A Book", "Bewitched", "My Romance", "Blue Moon", and "Lover".

John, aka Johnny Frigo, who's best known to our set for the rare dynamite jazz dance sides he recorded later on, and to the jazz world at large for his work as a bassist, leads a small group on this rare, early full length for Mercury as as a leader on his first instrument – the violin! It's a pretty sweet set, and really not at all the token late 50s swing set you'd expect from the title, and owes as much or more to the bop scene at the time. Frigo's lead violin gives the tunes kind of a cinematic sweep – and he's accompanied by Dick Marx on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Norm Jeffries on drums and others. Tracks include "What A Difference A Day Made", "Polka Dots And Moon Beams", "Blue Orchids", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Is Love Good To Me" and more.

Magical early work from Erroll Garner – a 10" LP featuring sides done for Savoy Records, all in that wonderfully evocative, wonderfully fluid Garner style! There's a bit less rhythmic force here than on some of Erroll's more famous work in the 50s, and most tunes have a very gentle, late nite sort of feel. Titles include "Moon Glow", "Confessin", "I Want A Little Girl", "She's Funny That Way", and "Stormy Weather".

A really crazy LP of Zodiac pondering, with cool electronic music by Mort Garson – the guy behind "The Wozzard of Id"! There's some cool spoken bits about the featured "sign" on the LP – then these cool little musical interludes, which are very much in Garson's best modes. An exhaustive series, with 12 LPs in all, and loads of nice bits throughout – also comes with your own moon chart, dramatic narration, and lots of cool sounds!

A really crazy LP of Zodiac pondering, with cool electronic music by Mort Garson – the guy behind "The Wozzard of Id"! There's some cool spoken bits about the featured "sign" on the LP – then these cool little musical interludes, which are very much in Garson's best modes. An exhaustive series, with 12 LPs in all, and loads of nice bits throughout – also comes with your own moon chart, dramatic narration, and lots of cool sounds!

A really crazy LP of Zodiac pondering, with cool electronic music by Mort Garson – the guy behind "The Wozzard of Id"! There's some cool spoken bits about the featured "sign" on the LP – then these cool little musical interludes, which are very much in Garson's best modes. An exhaustive series, with 12 LPs in all, and loads of nice bits throughout – also comes with your own moon chart, dramatic narration, and lots of cool sounds!

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!

Despite the innocence of the title and cover image, the grooves here are pretty darn mature – really hard-jamming fusion tracks served up with Jerry Goodman on electric guitars and violin, and Jan Hammer on a wealth of groovy keyboards! Hammer's still a bit restrained at this point – not nearly a schlocky as in later years, and with a good ear for unusual sounds from the Moog, Oberheim, and electric piano – all used nicely here with plenty of cool effects. Goodman himself sings a bit on the record, but not much – and the whole thing has a fusion feel that's very much like other releases at the time on the Nemperor label. Titles include "Steppings Tones", "Night", "Full Moon Boogie", "No Fear", "I Remember Me", "Country & Eastern Music", "Topeka", and "Earth (Still Our Only Home)".

A variety of groups, some with Dex on tenor. Other players include Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Cedar Walton and Herbie Hancock on piano, and Billy Higgins and Tony Williams on drums. Titles include "Berangere's Nightmare 2", "Tivoli", "Society Red", "Round Midnight", "It's Only A Paper Moon", and "Call Sheet Blues".

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orpheus". However, Guaraldi also managed to pen his own amazing track – "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – a lyrical romping piano instrumental that went onto become a huge charting instrumental hit during the 60s. The track's been heard a million times over the years, but it's still pretty darn great – and it's surrounded in a nice set with other tunes that have the same feel – including "O Nosso Amour", "Alma-Ville", "Since I Fell For You", and "Moon River".

An overlooked gem from the sublime Artists House series of the 70s – a rare chance to hear Jim Hall in a really stripped-down setting! The record features spare duets between Hall's guitar and the acoustic bass of Red Mitchell – both players who worked together on the LA scene of the 50s, but who've matured tremendously here, and really know how to take advantage of a setting like this. Hall's well-pointed notes are always a treat in this sort of format, but Mitchell's also especially nice – playing with warmly-rounded tones that are really great. Titles include "Big Blues", "Waltz New", "Fly Me To The Moon", "Blue Dove", and "Osaka Express".

A strong little set of post bop tracks from saxophonist Lenny Hambro – one of two rare albums he cut for Columbia during the 50s, and a tight session with Wade Legge on piano, Dick Garcia on guitar, and Clyde Lombardi and Mel Zelnick on rhythm. The tracks are short, and Hambro's sax work is angular and a bit boppish – almost in the mode of Herb Geller's work from the time, but not as fluid. Titles include the Legge originals "Slave Girl", "Message In Minor", "Moon Slippers", and "Hoof Beats" – plus Hambro's "Thanatopsis" and "The Lonely One".

A true classic by Jimi with the original Experience lineup – the third of three straight up masterpiece LPs to comeout in just over a year's time by the group! You could call the leftfield astral effects in the mix experimental if you had to – innovations in the studio with echo, that hallucinatory backwards sound effect and other stranger bits – but the passionate, naturally expressive playing and singing by Jimi makes it all fell just right, and the Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell still don't get enough credit for being at the heart of such greatness. A massive 2LP effort that include s"Voodoo Chile", "Crosstown Traffic", "Electric Ladyland", "Little Miss Strange", "Moon Turn The Tides", "Still Raining Still Dreaming" and "All Along The Watchtower".

A true classic by Jimi with the original Experience lineup – the third of three straight up masterpiece LPs to comeout in just over a year's time by the group! You could call the leftfield astral effects in the mix experimental if you wanted to – innovations in the studio with echo, that hallucinatory backwards sound effect and other stranger bits – but the passionate, naturally expressive playing and singing by Jimi makes it all feel just right. Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell still don't get enough credit for being at the heart of such greatness. A massive 2LP effort that include s"Voodoo Chile", "Crosstown Traffic", "Electric Ladyland", "Little Miss Strange", "Moon Turn The Tides", "Still Raining Still Dreaming" and "All Along The Watchtower".

Classic Verve material. Billie sings in a warm relaxed setting, with great small combo backing, and piano by Mal Waldron. The record is one of the best we could recommend on the label – and it includes lots of nice tracks like "Everything Happens To Me", "I Wished On The Moon", and "Say It Isn't So".

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".

One of our favorite Atlantic albums by the great Yusef Lateef – an incredible session that has him dipping back into his earlier exotic roots, yet still hitting the sweeter soulful groove of some of his other Atlantic sides! The sound is tremendous – wonderfully righteous, at a level that really set the tone for more ambitious soul jazz projects of the 70s – and carried off to perfection by a hip group of players that include Roy Brooks, Sonny Red, Blue Mitchell, and Hugh Lawson. All tracks are original, and titles include "Sun Dog", "Moon Cup", "Othelia", "Like It Is", and the groovy "Juba Juba".

Possibly the only Liberace album you'll ever see at Dusty Groove – mostly because it's plenty darn groovy! As you might guess from the date and the title, the record presents a hipper Liberace than on earlier sets – a late 60s approach to his earlier piano stylings, with tunes that are more contemporary, and backings from arranger Emory Gordy, done in a style that moves towards the cooler side of easy listening at the time. Liberace plays all the acoustic piano lines in the set, but the arrangements are what really make it work – coming off with some cooler sounds that update the more flowery piano stylings nicely. Titles include a great remake of Johnny Harris' "Footprints On The Moon", plus "Traces", "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", "Parks & Recreation", "A Brand New Me", "Mixed Emotions", and "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye".

An under-discovered vocalist from the 50s – the great Nancy Malcomb, a singer we'd rank right up there with Chris Connor's best at the time! Nancy's got a very jazzy approach to her work – no surprise, as she plays piano as well as she sings – with support here from a great small combo that includes Al Viola on guitar, Jim Anton on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums! The style is nicely laidback – considerably more so than other vocal albums on RCA for the time – with a relaxed, intimate approach that recalls some of the advances that Connor made for female singers in jazz right around the same time, delivered by Nancy with similarly great inflections on the vocals. Titles include "Make The Man Love Me", "Old Devil Moon", "Nobody's Heart", "Can't We Be Friends", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Anything Goes", and "Mountain Greenery".

A surprisingly nice little record by Henry Mancini – one that's quite different than other albums of Hawaiian tunes! The record is much more a soundtrack than anything else – slightly exotic soundscapes arranged by Hank, and featuring the Baldwin harpsichord on many tunes. That instrument's not really one we'd associate with Hawaii, which is why we dig the record so much – and it gives the whole thing a really spooky feel, especially as odd instruments and voices drift into the mix. Titles include "Quiet Village", "The Moon Of Manakoora", "Pearly Shells", "Driftwood & Dreams", "Tiny Bubbles", and "Beyond The Reef".

Sounds for the 60s indeed – and a great set of jazzy instrumentals that step out with a lean Capitol groove! Onzy's on piano and at the head of the group – and the record features some nice solo work by Curtis Amy and Clifford Scott, both of whom bring a surprising dose of soul to a set that might have some lighter edges otherwise. The tunes are a nice batch of covers, plus originals – all played with that sweet Capitol bounce of the mid 60s. Titles include "Ray On Blues", "Mexicali Brass", "White Gardenia", "Ballad For Orchestra", and a really great take on "Moon River".

Trombonist McGarity is joined by Doc Severinsen on trumpet, Bob Wilber on clarinet, tenor sax & baritone clarinet, Dick Cary on piano, alto horn & trumpet, George Barnes on guitar, Jack Lesberg on bass and Don Marino on drums. The album has a nice batch of subdued New Orleans-type brass playing and every single title has "blue" in the title but the songs don't make you sad. Tracks include "Blue Moon", "Blue Prelude", "Blue Champagne", "Blue Turning Grey Over You", "Born To Be Blue", "I Get The Blues When It Rains", and "Under A Blanket Of Blue".

Great early work from Carmen McRae – small combo, jazzy, and a nicely different set than some of her other work of the 50s! Backings are by two groups – one headed by accordionist Mat Mathews, the other by saxophonist Tony Scott – both quartets, and both of them working with a nicely lean sense of swing that seems to bring the same out of Carmen! The album's not as dark or moody as you might expect from these years – and that's a great thing to us, because it illuminates another side of Carmen's talents that don't always get as much exposure. Titles include "Easy To Love", "If I'm Lucky", "Tip Toe Gently", "Old Devil Moon", "Misery", and "Too Much In Love To Care".

Mike's come a long way from his early soul days with Dennis Coffey – working here to lay down a set of spacious disco tunes with a dreamy finish – really stretching out with the same sort of glide you'd find in the best Philly club at the time! The record's actually quite strong on the disco side of the spectrum – well-crafted work with a sound that's full and rich, but never cliched – definitely Theodore's moment to shine in the 70s, taking the torch from his old partner Coffey, who had his time in the sun a few years before! Titles include "Cosmic Wind", "The Bull", "Moon Trek", "Brazilian Lullaby", and "Belly Boogie".

Very different than Idris' earlier work as a heavy backbeat thumper with Lou Donaldson – but great stuff nonetheless! David Matthews arranged the tracks, and he's given them a slick but soulful sound, with lots of spacey fusion elements, and a nice funky soul vibe that's a bit similar to some of Larry Mizell's work. Idris is at the core on percussion, and other players include Jeremy Steig, Wilbur Bascomb, Hiram Bullock, Eric Gale, and Randy Brecker. Some tracks have vocals, and some are instrumentals. Titles include "Cambay Bolongo", "Tasty Cakes", "Crab Apple", "Moon Hymn", and "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This".

A great batch of harmony vocal tracks – nearly all of them with an upbeat, kind of silly approach – similar to The Coasters at their best! The Olympics owed a lot to the late 50s Atco recordings The Coasters did with Lieber & Stoller – and they had a similar tight-lipped approach, with lots of vocal tricks, and a set of song themes that runs through the dregs of pop culture of the time – titles like "The Slop", "Little Pedro", and "Private Eye". Other tracks include "Baby Hully Gully (parts 1 & 2)", "Dance By The Light Of The Moon", and "Big Boy Pete". The Marathons were actually The Vibrations – recording under another name, to showcase their more novelty type numbers – again like The Coasters, and also a bit like The Cadillacs. Titles by them include "Oink Jones", "Chicken Spaceman", "Tight Sweater", "Peanut Butter", and "Talkin Trash".

The 101 Strings organization matches up with a groovy percussion ensemble, for a sound that's like some of the good RCA percussion bachelor pad LPs from the 50's. Tracks include "Voodoo Moon", "Ski Run", "Dizzy Fingers", "Roller Coaster", and "Bats In The Belfry". We think you get the picture!

Brilliant work from Sun Ra – and one of his rarest LPs! This double LP set was recorded with only a quartet – John Gilmore on tenor, Michael Ray on trumpet, Luqman Ali on drums, and Ra on keyboards. The album's got a number of tracks that are relatively straight – at least for Ra – and which are played with a wonderful edge that makes them instantly compelling, sounding almost like obscure indie soul jazz sides from the east coast underground of the mid 70s. The feel on most numbers is very different than Ra's usual work, and the record sparkles with a genius that makes us wish someone would get the Horo catalog reissued sometime soon! Includes the sublime vocal tune "When There Is No Sun", plus the original tracks "The Horo", "Moon People", "Rome At Twilight", and "Friend & Friendship" – plus a very nice cover of "My Favorite Things"!

Tremendous work from Biff Rose – a near-lost singer-songwriter from the late 60s, barely remembered as the author of "Fill Your Heart" from David Bowie's Hunky Dory album – but an incredible talent that we'd rank right up there with Van Dyke Parks or early Randy Newman for sheer American brilliance! As in the work of Parks, there's a quality here that's completely unique – informed by the freedoms of the folk generation, but tuned with older-styled arrangements that while full, still manage to convey a sense of person and presence – as in some of the best early recordings of Leonard Cohen. And like Cohen, Rose has a really poetically-styled approach to his lyrics – far beyond the sardonic eye of folkies, or the indulgence of hippies – and infused with a sense of hope that crackles out of the tunes along with his own crackly vocals. Vocally, we'd almost link Rose to Bob Dorough for a sheer "oh what the hell I'm just gonna sing this" approach – and like Dorough, there's no silliness at all – but real sincerity where we'd never expect it, in a way that leaves us breathless. Children Of Light features spare arrangements and a bit of moog from Van Dyke Parks and Nick Woods! Tracks include "Ain't No Great Day", "Just Like A Man", "American Waltz", "Son In Moon", "Color Blind Blues", "Children Of Light", and "To Baby".

An obscure one from Annie Ross – recording here as a solo act back in England after leaving her famous group with Dave Lambert and John Hendricks! The style here is a bit like some of the solo work that Ross cut in the US at the end of the 50s – particularly her sides for Pacific Jazz – not as vocalese and solo-oriented as the sort of recordings that first got her noticed, but still a lot more dynamic than most straighter jazz singers of the time! Arrangements are pretty groovy overall – nicely jazzy, and penned by Johnnie Spence – also produced by John Barry, who really helps keep the right sort of "punch" in the set. Titles include "Fly Me To The Moon", "Nature Boy", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "Like Someone In Love", "A Handful Of Songs", and "All Of You".

A soulful set of swinging jazz vocals – and one of a handful of rare albums cut by singer Joan Shaw in the 60s! The set's got some great backings from the Herman Foster Trio – who give the whole thing a Chess/Argo sort of vibe – with plenty of soul jazz undercurrents beneath the vocals. Titles include the sweet cut "Where Did 20 Go" – plus "Moon River", "I'll Walk A Little Faster", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "My Mood Is You".

One of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! Frank's backed here by the orchestra of Count Basie, with some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. The move seems to be an unintentional way of covering for Frank's slightly failing pipes – but it also picks up on a seminal beat change in 60s pop, the same sort of gentle snapping groove that you'd find in the best work by Bacharach, a shift that really infuses Frank's vocals with a whole new sound, one that shows that he's ready to keep on growing and growing after being stuck in a Nelson Riddle rut. All tracks are superb – hip 60s pop and showtunes, like "I Believe In You", "Fly Me To the Moon", "More", "The Good Life", "Wives & Lovers", and "I Wanna Be Around".

A classic from Stitt – cut during the underground days of the early 60s, when both he and Gene Ammons seemed to be recording for just about every jazz label around, and when they both seemed to be doing an awful lot of work in Chicago. This album was done in a flurry that Jug and Stitt cut for Argo during 1961 – and it's a Stitt-only session, recorded at the super-hip DJ Lounge, owned by Chicago spinner McKie Fitzhugh down at the intersection of 63rd and Cottage Grove. The group's an organ combo, with Eddie Buster on the Hammon, Joe Shelton on drums, and John Board joining in for a bit more tenor. (Interesting to note is the fact that Board made a number of classic soul session appearances later on in the decade – but this is one of his few jazz recordings.) The set's very hard-grooving – with longish tracks that let Stitt and Board go head to head in the same style he was used to with Ammons. Titles include "McKies", "Jay Tee", "Free Chicken", and "Blue Moon".

A landmark album from The Trammps – and a record that broke the group firmly out of the Philly ghetto, yet still carried all the best touches of the Sigma scene! Sure, the title track was a super-huge hit – thanks to a plug in Saturday Night Fever – but the record itself is Philly club soaring high, with key arrangements and production from the team of Norman Harris, Ronald Baker, and Earl Young – all of whom provide tremendously mighty grooves to soar the multi-voiced sound of the group well over the top of the clubs! Titles include an 11 minute version of "Disco Inferno", plus "Starvin", "Don't Burn No Bridges", "You Touch My Hot Line", and "I Feel Like I've Been Livin (On The Dark Side Of The Moon)".

One of the greatest records ever recorded by vocalist Lorez Alexandria – and a perfect summation of her rich talents as a singer! Backing is by a small Chicago trio that includes John Young on piano, Vernel Fournier on drums, and George Eskridge on bass – but the arrangements of the tracks, and Lorez's unique interpretations drive the tunes into territory that's surprisingly advanced for the 1962 date of the session. You'll recognize most of the tunes – but as the old adage goes, it's not the song, but the singer – and you'll hear Lorez crafting a rich tapestry of sound and emotion from titles like "No Moon At All", "I Was A Fool", "Detour Ahead", "Travlin Light", and "I Want To Talk About You". The album's a gem – right up there with her best work ever!

An early full-length album issued under Miles Davis' name – one that brings together some earlier 10" and single recordings for Prestige! The feel here is quite similar to Davis' work of the time for Blue Note – done with tracks that are short and tight, and very boppish – less of the glistening Davis style of later years, but still quite strongly voiced nonetheless. Players include Horace Silver on piano on most tracks, plus a bit of keys from John Lewis – and one track even features Charles Mingus on piano! Other players on the sessions include Art Blakey, Max Roach, or Kenny Clarke on drums – plus Percy Heath on bass, and a bit of alto from Davey Schildkraut. Titles include "I'll Remember April", "Old Devil Moon", "Tune Up", "Miles Ahead", "Four", and "Smooch".

From bop to swing – and everything in between! The album's an 80s reissue of a classic performance by Charlie Ventura – recorded in Pasadena in 1949, with his septet that included Benny Green on trombone, Boots Mussuli on alto, and vocalese bits by Jackie & Roy! Ventura was a key link in two jazz traditions of the late 40s, and with help from Green and Mussuli, he really cuts things up on the set. Jackie & Roy sing on "East Of Suez", "Euphoria", and "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" – and other tunes include "If I Had You", "Fine & Dandy", and "How High The Moon".

A wonderful record from guitarist Laurindo Almeida – way way better than the title might make you think, and quite different from his albums for Capitol! The album is subtitled "electronic excursions", and while it's not exactly electronic, it does feature Almeida soloing over some nicely groovy backings that drift along in a very spacious way. There's a bit of keyboards in the mix somewhere, lots of strings, and some airy grooves that make the album dance in a magical way that most of Almeida's work does not. Arrangements are by Larry Cansler, Pete King, and Lex De Azevedo (David Axelrod?) – and titles include "The Lamp Is Low", "Till The End Of Time", "Full Moon & Empty Arms", "Moon Love", and "When I Write My Song".

A fantastic LP of beautiful modal tracks, played by one of the most underrated reed players ever, during the most fruitful time of his career. At this point, Amy's moved away from his bluesy Texas roots, and has discovered a freer Coltrane-esque sound that works beautifully with his spiritual, strident compositions. Although the record was pushed by Verve with the funkier track "Mustang" (also recorded by Donald Byrd), the record really sounds more like a Nathan Davis record, with a mix of tenor and soprano sax that is extremely spiritual. Tracks include "Mustang" (2 versions), "Shaker Heights", "Enojo", and "Old Devil Moon".

Benson's going for a smoother approach than on earlier CTI albums, but the sound here is still pretty darn nice! Joe Farrell's playing mostly flute and soprano sax – a lot sweeter sounding than on some of his angular funk classics from a few years back, but in a way that flows nicely with Benson's guitar – tied together here by the arrangements of David Matthews, who's at the prime of his smooth funk jazz scoring. Titles include "Old Devil Moon", "Camel Hump", "Flute Song", and "Beyond The Ozone".

Surprisingly wonderful work from Kenny! The album has Kenny's guitar set to arrangements by Gil Evans – who gives the session a modern edge that really sets it apart from other Burrell albums of the time. Kenny's freed to do his thing – wonderfully, we might add – and Gil paints these washes of sound, color, and tone with the help of hip players like Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci, Julius Watkins, Steve Lacy, Richie Kamuca, Elvin Jones, and Lee Konitz. Tracks include "Lotus Land", "Downstairs", "Moon & Sand", "Terrace Theme", "Greensleeves", and "Loie".

A much better record than we want to admit, with Natalie moving towards jazzy numbers and standards, for a blockbuster Grammy winning effort. Her voice stands up well to the mainstream polish, and even the creepy "duet" with her father is enjoyable. 22 tracks in all, including "The Very Thought Of You", "Paper Moon", "Mona Lisa", 'This Can't Be Love", "Lush Life", "That Sunday That Summer", "Avalon", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "Nature Boy", "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup", "Thous Swell" and "Unforgettable".

Do not buy this expecting hissy, atonal blip hop – El-Producto is the marquee name here, but this is decisively a late model avant garde jazz record – and a pretty sweet one at that! As with many of the better records in the Blue Series, Matthew Shipp's piano rolls through the center most of the time, loosely keeping the groove going so the crack group can improvise around the edges. Blessedly, the group is more than happy to keep an underlying melodicism at the core – it's always a little ragged, but never too self consciously out. The usual Thirsty Ear subjects are in the mix – Guillermo Brown on drums, Roy Campbell, William Parker on bass, and Steve Swell on trombone. "Produced, arranged, composed and mixed" by El-P – which seems like a pretty heavy workload, but we think he fleshed ideas out with the group at the stage of conception, and let the boys do what they do, largely improvising the results. And you really can feel El-P's intellectual presence in spots, particular the sudden shifts in drum patterns, which kind of mirror the producer's penchant for drivingly broken beats. Regardless of whoever is most responsible, it's a very nice record. It's interesting without trying too damn hard to be weird, and melodic without being too cloying. Tracks include "Please Stay (Yesterday), the epic "Sunrise Over Bklyn", "Get Your Hand Off My Shoulder, Pig", "Get Modal", "Intrigue In The House Of India", "Something Is Wrong", "When The Moon Was Blue" and more.

Some of the best material Slim Gaillard ever recorded! Although he's best known for his Verve work, and for his early 40s sessions in LA – these 1959 recordings for Dot have Slim hitting a groove that's far tighter than usual, with a better jazz influence, and a much freer approach to singing than his usual stock style. There's a wonderful version of "How High The Moon" that's got crazy guitar, and wild lyrics from Slim about life on the moon. Other nice cuts include "Sukiyaka Cha Cha", "Chicken Rhythm", "Slim's Cee", "Lady Be Good", and "Thunderbird". If you've ever wondered why people think Slim is so great, check this one out – and you'll flip!

A stone classic from Richie Havens – and we don't just mean that because of the title and cover! The record's got Richie really taking his music to the next level – moving past straighter folk lines, and hitting a more sophisticated sound that's not too far from territory Terry Callier was exploring at Cadet at the time! There's strings mixed in with the acoustic guitar and percussion on most numbers – used a bit less majestically than Callier's work with Charles Stepney, but still in ways that push Havens' music nicely past straighter folk modes. Richie's vocals are still beautifully warm and raspy – filled with life and honest energy – and although most tracks on the record are originals, the album also features a nice cover of "I Started A Joke". Other tracks include "Minstrel From Gaul", "Open Our Eyes", "Ring Around The Moon", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", "Prayer", and "There's A Hole In The Future".

A cheesy cover, but a rock-solid record – kind of a later version of the Five Stairsteps, heard here in groove that's much more grown up! The album's got a feel that really shows the evolution of the Burke family – way past their kiddie soul roots, and even some of their offshoot projects of the 70s – into a style that's pretty complex at times, and which really shows a mature approach to rhythms. The vibe is hard to describe accurately – because while there are some clubby elements, the overall sound is deeper and more complicated too – showing some of the quirkier elements of the Island Records contemporaries alongside which the group were placed for this debut. The feel is quite different than the second album from the group – which is much more straight ahead – and titles include "9 Times Out Of Ten", "Full Moon", "All Night Thing", "Rent Strike", and "Love Can't Come/Love Has Come".

Classic work from vibist Milt Jackson – opening up his bag a lot for the 70s, in a way that makes for some wonderfully casual grooves! The album's not as moodily funky as some of Jackson's other CTI records, but it is a nice batch of laidback tunes played with a distinctly soulful edge – handled by a group that features Cedar Walton on piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Ron Carter bass, Steve Gadd drums – and some guest trumpet from Freddie Hubbard on the track "SKJ". Other titles include "Opus De Funk", "Detour Ahead", and "Old Devil Moon".

One of Ahmad Jamal's best early albums for Argo – a brilliant set of live recordings, done at the Spotlite Club in Washington DC in 1958 – and with a fluid vibe that's simply incredible – one of the best true statements of Jamal's genius from the early years! The trio is incredible on the set – opening up even more than on other classics from the time – and really letting the bass work of Israel Crosby and the mellow drums of Vernell Fournier get equal time with Jamal's incredible lines on piano – as the stretch out and do things that jazz pianists would hardly have been able to conceive a few years before. The whole thing's fantastic – and the double-length set is really unusual for the time, but a great way to encompass all the wonderful energy of the performance. Titles include "Aki & Ukthay", "Our Delight", "Tater Pie", "Seleritus", "This Can't Be Love", "Ole Devil Moon", "Ivy", and "Let's Fall In Love".

An excellent album from brother Yusef, and one that's got the haunting mix of hardbop and exotic instrumentation that made these early records so great. Yusef plays argol and flute, in addition to straight tenor, and he's backed by a Detroit group that includes Bernard McKinney on euphonium , Terry Pollard on piano, William Austin on bass, and Frank Gant on drums. The set has a great rendition of Lateef's own "Valse Bouk", plus the tracks "Moon Tree", "Half Breed", and "Stella By Starlight". Long tracks, a nice moody feel, and a cool cover, to boot!

Broadway is the beat, but the sound has plenty of Parisian touches, too – thanks to arrangements from the mighty Michel Legrand! Legrand's in a mode here that's somewhere between his earliest soundtracks, and the European-themed records he cut for Columbia in the late 50s – styles that are a bit more warm and sentimental than in later years, with evocative elements designed to coax the Broadway-based listener out on a voyage across the Atlantic! Strings are relatively full, and sometimes used with great dynamic energy – and titles include "Bewitched", "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York", "Old Devil Moon", "With A Little Bit Of Luck", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Yesterdays".

A killer live set from Ramsey Lewis and his classic early 60s trio – a record that's not nearly as well known as The In Crowd, but every bit as great! Drummer Red Holt and bassist Eldee Young really get in some great elements here – working with Ramsey's piano in a groove that's far more than the standard trio mode of the time – and much more in a triangulated exchange of energy that's filled with life and joy throughout! Side one begins with a 12 minute "West Side Story Medley" – one that starts slow, but really builds with excitement as the tune rolls on – and other tunes include a version of "My Babe", with some funky cello work by Eldee Young; a soul-stepping take on "Something You Got"; Ramsey's original "The Caves"; and versions of "People", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "The Shelter Of Your Arms".

An enduring Mancini classic! And although it's probably best remembered for the sleepy theme "Moon River", the score's actually got some pretty fantastic groovy numbers with a very different feel. These include the lovely "Sally's Tomato", one of our fave melodies ever from Mancini, and a very catchy number. Other nice ones include "Moon River Cha Cha", "Latin Golightly", and "The Big Blow Out".

A great little soundtrack – as spooky as the show itself! The record's a mix of original tunes, plus a few standards, all performed in a manner that takes styles from the darker side of TV orchestration, and adds in some cool instrumental bits, eerie voices, echoey production, and even a bit of what we think are early electronics! The instrumentation's great – with lots of weird percussion instruments, and crazy things like tuned logs, Ondioline, bazzimba, Martinot, and more! Tracks include "Moon is Low", "Lost Weekend Theme", "The Unknown", "Forbidden Planet", and the "Twilight Zone Theme".

Late work from Wes – recorded in the sublime CTI format that was really breaking down boundaries at the end of his career! Don Sebesky scored these great backings for the set – jazzy and easily swinging, featuring players like Herbie Hancock, Hank Jones, Grady Tate, Ray Barretto, Stan Webb, and strings – and Wes solos over the top in an incredibly laidback, warmly chromatic style. Titles include "I'll Be Back", "Road Song", "Yesterday", "Serene", "Green Leaves Of Summer", and "Fly Me To The Moon".

Prince in a grand groove – actually a better record overall than Around The World In A Day, and one of our favorite Prince albums! Sure, it was the soundtrack to a film that flopped – and that might be the reason this one can get slighted in discussion of his better albums. This one deserved better – and it includes the massively funky "Kiss", the closest Prince ever got to James Brown – but the whole album's got some great sweeping, pop psyche orchestral arrangements by Clare Fischer. Titles include "Christopher Tracey's Parade", "I Wonder U", "Under The Cherry Moon", "Girls & Boys", and "Anotherloverholenyohead".

Quicksilver Messenger Service shortened their name for their second LP of 5 tracks, mostly recorded live at Fillmore East. The band includes Greg Elmore, Gary Duncan, John Cipollina, and David Frieberg. Songs include the 25-minute "Who Do You Love Suite", "Mona", "Calvary", "Maiden Of The Cancer Moon", and "Happy Trails".

A surprisingly great little album – and a lost exotica relic of the late 50s! Crown was sort of a knock-off label that didn't always produce the best stuff, but this LP is one of their gems! Milt Raskin lays down ten tunes of prime exotica, with a feel that is like some of Les Baxter's best stuff, but that is also augmented by a lot of exotic instrumentation from Raskin's personal collection. Titles include "Koko Head", "Moon Festival", "Kapu", "Lehua", and "Mileka".

An ambitious set of funky jazz tunes from Lalo – cut in the proto-disco style of some of his later CTI work, but also done with some interesting instrumental flourishes from track to track. The album's got a "gypsy" spirit in the compositions – sometimes touched with a bit of acoustic guitar – but overall, the main groove is electric, laid down by lots of keyboard grooves from Lalo and Mike Melvoin. A few tracks are a bit hokey, but overall, the album's as strong as most of Lalo's other work from the time – and tracks include "Fortune Tellers", "Ring Around The Moon", "Prophecy Of Love", and "Pampas".

A masterpiece of baroque fusion, and one of the most legendary sessions on the CTI label. Don Sebesky brilliantly arranges a complex set of jazzy grooves with a feel that's a bit larger than other titles on the label, and which also has a spooky scary soundtrack-y feel at its best moments. Titles include "Moon Dreams", "Footprints Of The Giant", "Lucky Seven", and "Skyliner".

The George Shearing Quintet – with added orchestrations – all in a blend that's got that pillow-soft sound that Shearing did so well back in the 50s! Arrangements are by George and Billy May – the latter of whom is especially subtle here, bringing things in with the best ballad mode he'd use behind Sinatra – yet tailored nicely for Shearing's use of vibes, guitar, and added Latin percussion. And as with some of George's best records, even when things are gentle, they still know how to swing – thanks to a sense of space and timing that's always a treat. Titles include "Moon Song", "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", "If I Should Lose You", "Black Satin", and "Starlight Souvenirs".

Early work from Jimmy Smith – raw Hammond grooves from some of the first few years of the organ's use in jazz! Jimmy's working here in trio formation – shifting between bop and ballad modes with a trio that includes Eddie McFadden on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums (Art Blakey makes an appearance on the kit on one track too!) The sound is chunky, unbridled, and a lot more dangerous than Smith in his later Blue Note recordings – a mode that really shows the raw power of the Hammond at its best! The album features some stunning versions of "All The Things You Are", "Blue Moon", "The Fight", and "Somebody Loves Me" – plus the original tune "The Fight".

An early one from Waits – his second album – and a great one! Like the rest of his first few records, this is a kind of like a street-savvy, hipster cabaret affair, with less of the eccentricity that would reveal itself later in his career. Still a great record though, rendered with a Bukowski-esque salt of the earth palette. Includes "Fumblin' With The Blues", "Please Call Me, Baby", "Diamonds On My Windshield", "New Coat Of Paint", "The Heart Of Saturday Night", "Drunk On The Moon", "Shiver Me Timbers", "San Diego Serenade", "Semi Suite", "Depot, Depot", and "The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone's Pizza House)".

8 tracks from the New Jersey Drive Soundtrack including a couple not available elsewhere. Tracks include OC & Organized Konfusion "You Won't Go Far", Mad Lion "Own Destiny", Jeru "Invasion", Black Moon & Smiff-N-Wessun "Headz Ain't Ready", Biz Markie "Nobody Beats the Biz", Naughty By Nature "Connections", E. Bros "Funky Piano", Funkmaster Flex & Big Kap "Flip Squad's in the House."

Tracks include "Wonderful World, Beautiful People", "Viet Nam", "Time Will Tell", "I'm Gonna Use What I Got To Get What I Need", "Sitting In Limbo", "Many Rivers To Cross", "Wild World", "Come Into My Life", and "My Ancestors" by Jimmy Cliff; "Pied Piper", "Save Me", "One Woman", and "Cousin Of Mine" by Bob & Marcia; "Black & White", "Moon River", and "I've Been Trying" by Greyhound; "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Unchained Melody", "You'll Never Walk Alone", and "Here Today, Gone Tommorrow" by Blue Haze; "Liquidator" by The Harry J All Stars; and "La La Always Stay" by Glen & Dave.

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".

June's got rhythm, sure, but the real thing that makes her great is her dark and moody sense of melody! This album's one of June's late 50s efforts done with husband/arranger Bob Cooper – not as arch modern as some of her work with Pete Rugolo, but still in a style that's definitely inspired by that classic work. Backing is by a small group of LA jazzers – including Shelly Manne, Russ Freeman, Laurindo Almeida, Frank Rosolino, and Cooper – and titles include "My One & Only Love", "Blue Moon", "I Can Make You Love Me", "When Lights Are Low", and "Gypsy In My Soul".

A key early appearance on record by Sonny Rollins – recorded here with Miles Davis and Jackie McLean in the landmark Dig session! The album's the stuff that 50s bop dreams are made of – a session that has up-and-coming modernists working in the new freedom of the long playing record, in a way that allows them to break past the shorter, more urgent sound of the 78rpm single! Rollins is young, but a surprisingly strong voice on the set – and Jackie McLean's alto is incredibly sharp at this point, with strong hints of the genius to come later in the decade. The rest of the lineup includes Walter Bishop on piano, Tommy Potter on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – and tracks include Miles' classic version of "It's Only A Paper Moon", plus "Denial", "Out Of The Blue", "Dig", and "Bluing".

One of Astrud Gilberto's greatest albums – and quite possibly our personal favorite! The record features beautifully understated arrangements by Joao Donato, Don Sebesky, and Claus Ogerman – and the instrumentation is a haunting mix of bossa rhythms with darker orchestrations that bring out an emotional side of Astrud that you don't always get on other LPs. The track list is excellent, and includes some of her best tracks for Verve, like "Non Stop To Brazil", "Fly Me To The Moon", "O Ganso", and "Aruanda". Not to be passed up, and one that we never tire of listening to!

A mid 1960s record from the great South African singer Miriam Makeba. Hugh Masekela is responsible for most of the arrangements and leads an impressive groups of musicians for these twelve tracks. The players include Kenny Burrel, Jimmy Cleveland, Moriss Goldberg, Ronnie Fink, Jonas Gwangwa, William Salter and Seldon Powell to name a few. The tracks include Jorge Ben's "Chove-Chuva", "Woza", "Cameroon", "Same Moon", Kilimanjaro", "Wind Song", Salter's "Let's Pretend", and Makeba's own "Maduna".

A great little album from Jimmy – even if it doesn't look it from the cover! Most of the tunes are standards, too – which doesn't make you think the record will be a slammer – but the quality of the playing is excellent, and Jimmy's got a 2-guitar combo with Eric Gale and Everett Barksdale on the electric strings, plus Milt Hinton on bass, and Grady Tate on drums. The real star is Jimmy himself, though – as he gives his work on Hammond a tight short punch that's not exactly funky, but which is getting ready to groove like his work from a few years later. Includes the vocal number "The Comback", written by Larry Frazier – plus "The Way You Look Tonight", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Tequila", "Watermelon Man", and "Blue Moon".

A real solid groover, and one that we passed up for many years, mistakenly, because the cover looks kind of boring! On the inside, though, the record's filled with lots of nice tasty tracks, and it's got a sinister bubbling under funky feel that's just great. Includes the monster cut "Charlotte", which has sort of a rolling, bassy intro that would make a great sample – plus the cuts "Up There, Down Here", "Thing To Come By", and "Down Home On The Moon".

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!

Beautifully moody work from singer Milli Vernon – a rare Storyville session from the mid 50s, cut with a relaxed, late nite feel – and backing from a small combo that includes Ruby Braff on trumpet, Jimmy Raney on guitar, and Dave McKenna on piano! The sound is very much in keeping with some of the better-known Storyville sessions of the period – done at a level that was quite similar to being in a small club in the wee hours, hearing a jazz singer open up in a relatively unfettered setting. Vernon's got a style that's somewhat mature and adult, but never too stodgy – and titles include "Moon Ray", "My Ship", "Spring Is Here", "Weep For The Boy", "This Year's Kisses", and "I Don't Know What Kind Of Blues I've Got".

One of Tony Bennett's greatest jazz sessions – a sublime mid 50s outing that features small combo backing from guitarist Chuck Wayne! The setting is extremely spare for the time – a real contrast from the higher drama of some of Tony's 50s chart hits, and the kind of a record that really lets him open up with the warmer vocal tones that could sometimes be lost on the pop numbers. Wayne's guitar is great too, really chromatic and moody, bringing out the darker colors in the tunes nicely. Other players include Dave Schildkraut on alto and Al Cohn on tenor – and titles include "Darn That Dream", "My Reverie", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "My Heart Tells Me", "Old Devil Moon", and "Love Letters".

Excellent stuff – and a rare US issue of Live Ankara, an album that Cherry cut for Sonet during the mid 70s. The set is a super-hip concert performance recorded at the US Embassy in Turkey, featuring a band of eastern-flavored players that includes Okay Temiz on percussion, Selcuk Sun on bass, and Irfan Sumer on tenor. Tracks are shorter and a bit tighter than some of Cherry's other work from the early 70s – but they also have a strong amount of world influences, and the record is perhaps one of his greatest achievements at cross-breeding musical cultures. Tunes include "Gandalf's Travels", "St John & The Dragon", "Water Boy", "Kara Deniz", "Man On The Moon", and "Two Flutes".

A cool European set from Lee Konitz – quite different than some of his other material recorded overseas at the time, with a swinging, upbeat feel that's totally great! The group's a nonet – a large ensemble that features Lee on alto and soprano sax, with Ronnie Cuber on baritone, Kimmy Kneper on trombone, Red Rodney on trumpet, and Sam Burtis on bass trombone. The arrangements for the horns are really wonderful – kind of echoing an older west coast mode, but with lots of the new modernisms that Konitz picked up during the late 60s and 70s – forged into some beautiful tunes that sparkle with fresh changes, great solos, and a compelling dynamic energy. Rhythm is from Ben Aronov on electric and acoustic piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include "Moon Dreams", "April", "Who You", "Without A Song", "Times Lie", and "Matrix".