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A lost groover from this obscure soul jazz guitarist – recorded with some pretty interesting backing, and a firey guitar style that makes us wish he'd recorded more! The record sports two main groups backing up Forriest's guitar – one with Ernie Hayes on organ, Bernard Purdie on drums, Willie Rodriguez on conga, and Albert Winston on bass; the other with Grachan Moncur on trombone, Frank Haynes on tenor, Charles Davis on baritone, and Leo Morris on drums. Sonny's guitar work is right out front – very complicated and bluesy, mostly single-note plucked, in the manner of Grant Green, but with a lot more inflection on the strings. Titles include "Minor Blast", "My Soul Is Happy", "Mashin It", "Steppin", "Miss Dee McC", and "Bitter With The Sweet".

One of the greatest gifts of the Soul Note label was the way that it could take sessions with avant-oriented players, and make them turn out straighter jazz material – but with a really nice edge! This session's a perfect example of that legacy – as it features David Murray at the head of a great group that includes Butch Morris on cornet, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, Henry Threadgill on alto and flute, Craig Harris on trombone, Curtis Clark on piano, Wilber Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – all players who can usually improvise pretty freely, but who here work in a straighter, swinging mode that's totally great! There's still plenty of sharp edges in the record – odd twists and turns that really keep things offbeat, even though straight – and titles are extended Murray compositions that include "Sing Song", "Flowers For Albert", and "Murray's Steps".

Incredible work from one of the most overlooked players of the British scene of the 60s – trumpeter Ian Hamer, best known for his studio sessions and large group apperances – heard here in an assortment of breathtaking small group recordings! The tunes on the 2CD set are from 5 different recordings between the years 1966 and 1974 – and feature Hamer working with players that include saxophonists Dick Morrissey, Tubby Hayes, and Alan Skidmore, plus pianists Harry South and Alan Branscombe, the latter of whom plays some electric keys on the set as well! Things start off in tight formation – almost a post-Tempo kind of British jazz groove, with strong ensemble passages that break out into some well spirited solo work – especially that of Morrissey, who's on these earliest sides. Then, things get more modern and progressive – as Hayes joins Hamer for three dates – on tracks that open up with the same exploratory and modern quality as Hayes' best work for Fontana in his later years. On the later dates, there's slight hints of some of the modes being explored in the Landsdowne scene – not that the music is actually progressive jazz, but that it grooves along with some more soul-based rhythms, and a sometimes freer sense of improvisation. And although the cover makes the music look to be of 50s Brit jazz vintage, there's an increasingly open sound here as the set moves on – offering a much needed look at a player that we never knew went this far! The set's got some great notes – and features 21 titles that include "Freakin Out", "Corpus", "Tobago", "Hamer-Philia", "This Is For Albert", "Daffodils Are Yellow", "Greenwell's Glory", "Mini Minor", "Acropolis", "Sienna Red", and "Conversations At Dawn".