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

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

Beautifully free alto work from Byron Allen – a player who really shines brightly on this rare session for ESP Records – one of the few ever cut under his own name! Allen's got a style that's right up there with the 60s best from Ornette Coleman or Marion Brown – able to move with a fluidity that's breathless, even amidst rhythms that are very loose and open – as the trio here works in a style that almost echoes some of the harmelodic modes of Coleman, but which eventually pushes farther towards the freedoms of other artists on ESP! The set has some wonderful bass from Maceo Gilchrist, whose round, rolling tones really make the album sparkle – as do the punctuated drums of Ted Robinson. Titles include "Today's Blues Tomorrow", "Time Is Past", "Three Steps In The Right Direction", and "Decision For The Cole-Man".

Way more than just an album with Gene Ammons as a leader – and instead, a set that truly earns the "all stars" listed on the cover – thanks to a great array of supporting players, and a very loose, open-ended jam session style that lets everyone get in plenty of solo space! Ammons' tenor is tremendous, but he's also a great collaborator here, too – working with Idrees Suliman on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone, Mal Waldron on piano, Art Taylor on drums, Doug Watkins on bass, and Ray Barretto on conga – in a mode that's maybe slightly tighter than some of the blowing sessions Prestige was doing at the time, but which still has that key longform creative energy that made the hardbop generation so great. Titles include "Blue Gene", "Scamperin", "Blue Greens n Beans", and "Hip Tip" – and all tracks are long, with plenty of focus on solos!

Further genius from James Brown at the start of the 70s – a record that's starting to show some of the more open-ended grooves he'd explore with the JBs on their own albums – longer, stretched-out tracks that are way more than simple funk and soul! There's a sense of freewheeling energy here that's totally great – dynamic, powerful calls from James at the top of most tunes – and incredibly sharp work on horns and rhythm from the band – cutting grooves and turning lines like no other combo in the business, all with a great mix of deep soul and hard funk! The album features the 7 minute killer version of "Let a Man Come In & Do The Popcorn", plus "World (parts 1 & 2)", "It's A New Day (parts 1 & 2)", "Give It Up or Turn It Loose", "If I Ruled The World", "The Man In The Glass (part 1)", and "I'm Not Demanding (part 1)". A treasure trove of funk and soul!

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes".

One of the most obscure 60s jazz sessions on ESP – a really free outing from pianist Lowell Davidson, working here in a trio that includes Gary Peacock on bass and Milford Graves on drums! Davidson's approach to the keys is quite far out, especially for the time – very much in the mode of Cecil Taylor, but possibly even more open-ended than Taylor's work up to this point. He doesn't get lost in the open spaces, though, thanks in no small part to the intuitiveness of his players. Really wonderful stuff that's loose, angular and engrossing all the way! Tracks are all longish originals – and titles include "L", "Ad Hoc", "Strong Tears", "Stately 1", and "Dunce".

A great early demonstration of the bold talents as a leader from trumpeter Maynard Ferguson – heard here in a loose, open-ended performance that's more of a jam session than anything else! The style's almost similar to the Clifford Brown jam dates for Emarcy from the same time – two long tracks that are driven by well-crafted rhythms – and which really soar with open solo work from Ferguson on trumpet, Bud Shank on alto, Bob Cooper on tenor, and Bob Gordon on baritone. The work is nicely boppish and a fair bit more open than most of the players were getting at the time – and Maynard himself is often back a far bit to let everyone get in some good solo space! Each track lasts a side – and titles include "Night Letter" and "Somebody Loves Me".

Two rare ones from the 60s London jazz scene – back to back on a single CD! First up is a tremendous little record – a rare meeting between Ellington tenorist Paul Gonsalves and Brit reed genius Tubby Hayes – a set that's cut very much in the best spirit of some of Hayes' free-thinking classics on Fontana Records! The grooves are open, and beautifully-executed – and both sax players sound sublime – Gonsalves with that raspy tone that you'll know from Ellington dates, but cut loose much more here – and Hayes with that powerful sense of depth that's always made him one of our favorite saxophonists! The rest of the group is quite nice too – and players include Stan Tracey on piano, Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, and Keith Christie on trombone. Titles include "Tupa", "Amber Mood", "Pedro's Walk", "Baby Blue", "Mini Minor", and "Souraya". Johnny Scott takes over the CD on the second half – turning in an EMI Studio 2 classic with London Swings – a date that's done with largeish charts, but a great sense of rhythm throughout! The players in clude Ian Hamer and Ray Davies on trumpets, Ronnie Ross and Duncan Lamont on saxes, John Marson on harp, Don Lusher on trombone, and Alan Branscombe on piano – and the tunes offer up a cascading mix of large charts and individual instrumental voices, occasionally filled in by a bit of strings. Titles include "London By Night", "Greek Street Soho", "Let's All Go Down To The Strand", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Knocked Em In The Old Kent Road".

One of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a quartet that also includes Elvin Jones on drums – who provides a loose, fluid approach to rhythm that really sets the tone for the date – a flowing vibe that folds together the organ, guitar, and vibes beautifully – with an incomparable floating vibe that's pure magic! All tracks are long and very open – and titles include "Street Of Dreams", "Somewhere In The Night", and "Lazy Afternoon".

Three different slices of work from Julius Hemphill all served up over the course of five albums for the Black Saint/Soul Note label! The first two records in the package – Raw Materials & Residuals and Flat-Out Jump Suite – both have Hemphill coming off the New York loft jazz years – working on the first record in open improvisatory format with cellist Abdul Wadud and percussionist Don Moye – and on the second set with Olu Dara on trumpet, Wadud on cello, and Warren Smith on percussion. Both records have a very loose, open feel that's mighty nice – and darn soulful at times! Next are two early 90s albums – Fat Man & The Hard Blues and Five Chord Stud – both done with a sextet of reed players, with no other instrumentation at all – in a style that's a lot like the World Sax Quartet, but even more complicated. Reedmen include James Carter and Andrew White on tenor, Marty Ehrlich and Carl Grubbs on soprano and alto sax, Tim Berne on alto, and Fred Ho on baritone. Chile New York is the last album, and quite possibly the most intimate – beautiful duets that feature Warren Smith on percussion, plus Julius Hemphill on alto, tenor, flute, and even a bit of voice! The music is wonderfully evocative – and although released in the late 90s, was actually recorded in 1980 – with a loose, loft jazz sort of feel throughout.

The title's a great way to sum up the unique mood of this session from drummer Daniel Humair – a really wonderful blend of his own percussion with saxes, accordion, and bass – a mix of sounds that's definitely got plenty of French jazz touches! The sweet moments are those warm passages where the accordion and sax swell together beautifully – in sounds that are seductive, but still pretty sharp-edged – even more so on the sour elements, which really have the group pushing themselves – letting loose in a frenzy that's usually driven by Humair's drums. Yet on many passages, he also reminds us what a sensitive percussionist he can be – really well-skilled at softer sounds that open up the lower sonic ranges of the set. Titles include "7A3", "Care 4", "Ground Zero", "Unicorn In Captivity", "Oppression", "Debsh", and "Ground One".

A late 80s session from pianist Fumio Itabashi – but one that's arguably even more open and expressive than any of his work from the 70s! The album's a trio date, but it's often got a very loose feel – so that the percussion and bass are used in ways that go way beyond rhythm – sometimes as subtle sonic elements, sometimes as melodic impulses – but always changing up in really nice ways – yet all without ever going too outside, or sounding too unstructured. This balance is beautiful – and a key illustration of why we've always liked Itabashi's music so much! Titles include "Prelude", "Blues For Mobs", "Little Benny", "Gospel 69", and "Cry Me A River".

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny".

Richly creative work from Nu Band – a hip ensemble that features Roy Campbell on trumpets and flute, Mark Whitecage on alto and clarinet, Joe Fonda on bass, and Lou Grassi on drums and percussion! There's a flowing, open feel here that's very much like some of Campbell's best albums recorded under his own name – a strong continuation of the 70s loft jazz spirit – sometimes handled with a loose, open, improvisatory quality – but one that still hangs together with a really coherent sense of soul. Other numbers have a rhythmic intensity that really fits the title – and the live setting makes for some great extended performances, too. Titles include "Camel Caravan", "Seventh Heaven", "Parallel Realities", and "Little Piece".

A crazy album of funky tracks from Lalo Schifrin – very different than most of his other jazz and bossa work! This set's got some very tripped out styles that mix together funky backings, jazzy riffing, and even some nice electronics – a sweet little groove that's even more wild and hip than even the best of Schifrin's soundtrack work from the 60s! Some tunes certainly show the deft talent for arranging woodwinds and rhythms that first caught the ears of so many listeners on famous soundtracks – but in the setting of this record, away from any directorial needs, Lalo's also free to explore some groovier music ideas – and he really lets loose tremendously as the set rolls on! The titles alone should tell you the feel of the record – with names like "Secret Code", "Dissolving", "Vaccinated Mushrooms", "Wheat Germ Landscapes", and "How To Open at Will The Most Beautiful Window".

A work of incredible brilliance – a lost treasure from the late 80s that's been one of our favorite records for years! The album's quite different than most other work by David Sylvian – not nearly as open-ended and loose as his more experimental, soundscape-like projects – nor as sweet and romantic as some of his earlier solo work, or his albums with Japan. Instead, there's an acoustic, organic quality to the record – really focusing on Sylvian's amazing vocals, set amidst light instrumentation that swells and dips like the sun on rises in the land on a late afternoon hike in the autumn. There's a subtle poetry to the whole album, delivered in a style that is somehow free from pretension, or any of the cloying qualities a work like this should have. Tremendous stuff – one of those rare records that's never been duplicated again! Titles include "September", "The Boy With The Gun", "Maria", "Orpheus", "When Poets Dreamed Of Angels", and "Let The Happiness In".

A sweet little trio set – one that's virtually unknown, given the limited pressing run of the original album – but which stands as one of the best recorded in Germany at the time! The group here have a cohesive focus that's mighty nice – an ability to let loose with open, flowing ideas – yet still retain a sense of swing – in ways that remind us a lot of the best French piano trios, but with a special quality that really makes this album unique! There's a sense of depth in the colors that we really love – a thoughtful sense of less-is-more – yet never delivered with the overdone cliches that sort of reference usually implies – again, because of the subtle swing that's going on. Klaus Treuheit plays piano, but the trio's very equally balanced with efforts from Christian Lachotta on bass and Hans-Gunter Brodmann on drums – on cuts that include "Blues Blue", "Lydia's Lament", "Herbstlaub", "Sidran", and "Winterlied".

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD features an alternate take of "Body & Soul", plus the track "26-2".

A well-titled set from Art Blakey – considering the hard-driving sound of the group! The album's one of the best from that unusual year of 1957 – almost a "lost" year for Art, when he was working away from Blue Note with a very different lineup of the Jazz Messengers than on his famous sessions for that label! The players here are all great – and include Johnny Griffin on tenor, Bill Hardman on trumpet, Junior Mance on piano, and Spanky DeBrest on bass – all working with a style that's a bit loose and open, allowing plenty of space for solos! Griffin's horn has all the sharp edges you'd expect, and Hardman's great too – and Blakey himself seems to sit back a bit more than usual in his chair, letting the soloists lead the tracks, instead of kicking things into gear from the drums. Titles include "Deo X", "Sweet Sakeena", "Late Spring", "Krafty", and "For Miles & Miles".

A great early demonstration of the bold talents as a leader from trumpeter Maynard Ferguson – heard here in a loose, open-ended performance that's more of a jam session than anything else! The style's almost similar to the Clifford Brown jam dates for Emarcy from the same time – two long tracks that are driven by well-crafted rhythms – and which really soar with open solo work from Ferguson on trumpet, Bud Shank on alto, Bob Cooper on tenor, and Bob Gordon on baritone. The work is nicely boppish and a fair bit more open than most of the players were getting at the time – and Maynard himself is often back a far bit to let everyone get in some good solo space! Each track lasts a side – and titles include "Night Letter" and "Somebody Loves Me".

Pepper Adams never fails to blow us away in a small group setting – and here, on a killer quartet date from the early 80s, he really wins us over all over again! The album's one of those great ones from Adams – in which he's really let loose to open up and blow some extended, imaginative solos – the kind of open-ended baritone sax romps that few (if any) other players could do this well! The rhythm section kicks with just the right sort of energy for the tunes – Jimmy Rowles on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include "Trentino", "Urban Dreams", "Three Little Words", "Dexter Rides Again", and "Time Is On My Hands".

A very groovy set from Gary Burton – almost funky at points, and a great step forward for his unusual approach to the vibes! The group's definitely a new quartet, with a very fresh feel – and include Michael Goodrick on guitar, Abraham Laboriel on bass, and Harry Blazer on drums – on cuts that include "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly", "Coral", "Tying Up Loose Ends", "Olhos De Gato", and "Mallet Man".

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD features an alternate take of "Body & Soul", plus the track "26-2".

A crazy album of funky tracks from Lalo Schifrin – very different than most of his other jazz and bossa work! This set's got some very tripped out styles that mix together funky backings, jazzy riffing, and even some nice electronics – a sweet little groove that's even more wild and hip than even the best of Schifrin's soundtrack work from the 60s! Some tunes certainly show the deft talent for arranging woodwinds and rhythms that first caught the ears of so many listeners on famous soundtracks – but in the setting of this record, away from any directorial needs, Lalo's also free to explore some groovier music ideas – and he really lets loose tremendously as the set rolls on! The titles alone should tell you the feel of the record – with names like "Secret Code", "Dissolving", "Vaccinated Mushrooms", "Wheat Germ Landscapes", and "How To Open at Will The Most Beautiful Window". CD also features four groovy bonus tracks by Schifrin – "Another Side Of Harry", "Blues A Go Go", "Lucille", and "Self Destruct".

2 trumpets, 2 tenors, and a heck of a lot of open-ended blowing session magic! The format for this one's incredibly loose – as might be guessed by the "leaderless" nature of the record – but the session's a great example of the Prestige blowing session mode at its best – as it brings together unlikely groupmates, and really lets them feel each other out in the studio. On tenor, John Coltrane's deeper sound is matched with lightness of Bobby Jaspar's tone – and on trumpet, blowing session regular Webster Lewis and Idrees Sulieman show their talents at working strongly in a less-fettered format. The rest of the group includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, Mal Waldron on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and the album's 4 tracks are all nice and long – and include "Interplay", "Anatomy", "Light Blue", & "Soul Eyes".

A tremendous double-length set by this hip group of legendary players – a quartet lineup that features trumpeter Roy Campbell, reedman Daniel Carter, bassist William Parker, and drummer Hamid Drake – all working together in sounds that definitely reach some other dimensions in music! The format is very loose and open-ended – perfect for the loft jazz-styled improvisations from the combo – working here in a very friendly, supportive setting in front of a Parisian audience – who clearly inspire the musicians to new heights. Some tracks are quite long, but stand as bold statements throughout – and others are a bit shorter, and nicely compact. Titles include "Other Dimensional Space Travelers Hip Bop", "Blues Configuration", "Slam Me Down", "Blues For Baghdad", "Desert Dance", "Suite For Miles Davis", and "James Brown Ascension".

Great trio sounds from tenorist Stephen Riley – working here in a loose setting that features the bass of Neal Caine and drums of Billy Hart! The title of the set is certainly apt, as Hart's spacious approach to the drums really structures the music here – often leaving some wide open spaces for Riley to step in and blow with a sweet raspy sort of tone – a style that's got a nice edge on the harder numbers, and a really compelling sort of warmth on the gentler ones! The track selection really keeps things interesting too – and titles include "Black Narcissus", "Mr Sandman", "Just You Just Me", "Isotope", "Lonnie's Lament", "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", and "Ba Lue Bolivar Ba Lues Are".

A stunning early set as a leader from Elvin Jones – both a tremendous demonstration of the free energy he let loose after the passing of John Coltrane, and a set that's also still got some key Coltrane-esque elements! As with other Jones albums to follow, Elvin's got some key reedmen on hand – George Coleman on tenor, and Frank Foster on tenor, alto, and bass clarinet – both given plenty of room to run around with long solos on the open space of the record – yet without ever blowing off their heads as much as some of the younger players who'd work with Jones. There's no piano at all on the set – just the rock-slid bass of Wilbur Little, and additional congas from Candido next to Elvin's drums. The tracks have a haunting quality that mixes modal grooving with spare moments, and titles include "Simone", "5/4 Thing", "Shinjitu", and a nice version of "Yesterdays".

A freewheeling trio set from reedman Sam Rivers – the kind of hard-burning, open-ended record he does so well! Rivers' energy here is amazing – a fire that hasn't dimmed since the start of the 70s, when he first started letting loose like this – and throughout the course of the album's space, Sam plays tenor, soprano sax, flute, and piano – in a trio with Doug Mathews on bass and bass clarinet, and Anthony Cole on drums, tenor, and piano. Given that both players move between rhythm instruments and horns, they've really got the right sort of dexterity to match Sam's efforts – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Commemoration", "Observance", "Dedication", "Effusion", "Appreciation", and "Currents".

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny".

Blistering sounds from Ballister – quite possibly the fiercest album so far from this key Chicago group – and that's saying a lot, given the intensity of their previous work! The trio really seem to know each other intimately by this point – so that they can really let loose, and explore a great range of sounds from the saxes of Dave Rempis, drums of Paal Nilssen-Love, and the cello, guitar, and electronics of Fred Lonberg-Holm! The album's an especially great illustration of the way that Fred's really opened up his energy level in recent years – and become a much more organic player, with a confidence in his sounds we never would have expected a decade ago. Rempis is masterful on alto, tenor, and baritone – blowing with a boldness that puts him firmly in line with a range of Chicago improvisers – and Paal's visiting drum work really pushes the whole thing forward strongly. Titles include "Cockloft", "Smolder", and "Phantom Box System".

The title's terrible, but the album's a great one – a really classic-styled jam session, of the sort that the Prestige label hardly ever recorded! The session features 4 tenor giants of slightly older vintage – Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Coleman Hawkins, Arnett Cobb, and Buddy Tate – all coming together in some loosely-structured arrangements that offer the same sympathetic blowing space that you might get from an all-star tenor date on Verve. Rhythm is by a trio with Shirley Scott on organ, George Duvivier on bass, and Art Edgehill on drums – and titles include "Very Saxy", "Fourmost", "Foot Pattin", and "Light & Lovely".

Kieran Hebden's third album as Four Tet – an unpredictable, completely hypnotic batch of abstract beatcraft that sounded like it was built to last when it first appeared in the early 00s – and sure enough, it's sounds as fresh as ever a decade+ later! What makes Four Tet at his best so irresistible is the way to rolls from loosely connective beats and hazy atmosphere on one track to heavy sensory overload and back again, fully hypnotizing either way, and all the while holding together in a way that feels of like a single piece. There's a lot of different sounds coming in and out, and not a single audible bit of it is dispensable. Near perfection from one of the more creative laptop instrumentals of his generation. Titles include "Hands", "She Moves She", "First Thing", "My Angel Rocks Back And Forth", "Spirit Fingers", "Unspoken", "Chia", "As Serious As Your Life", "Aney They All Look Broken Hearted" and "Slow Jam". 10th Anniversary edition includes a bonus CD featuring a full live performance from Copenhagen, 2004.

Two albums that really show why we love Benny Golson so much! Turning Point is an incredible, and oft-overlooked album from the great Benny Golson – and one of the few early albums that really point the way to his huge run of work for decades to come! The style here is a bit looser, and more open than some of Golson's previous albums – less of a focus on arrangements, and more on the spontaneous interplay between his tenor and the crack rhythm section – which features Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – a dream lineup who really make the record sparkle. But the real star of the show is Golson – who's hitting this raspy, soulful tone he never had before – much freer of soul jazz formalities, and with a modern edge that's wonderful – as you'll hear on titles that include "Alone Together", "Turning Point", "Stella By Starlight", and "Dear Kathy". On Free, things aren't as tightly structured as on some of Benny's more arranged albums of the period – and he opens up wonderfully in a small group setting – playing in a beautifully confident tone, but with a slightly raspy edge – cutting, changing, and swinging perfectly in lines that are masterfully crafted, yet full of raw emotion. The group's a thoughtful quartet, and includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and tracks that inlcude "Sock Cha", "Shades Of Stein", "Just By Myself", and "Just In Time".

A great rare discovery from Dexter Gordon – a previously-unissued live set, recorded in Montreal in the late 70s – at a time when Dex was really hitting some new heights in his playing! Although the album coincides with a time when Gordon had returned to these shores, and was getting his act together on the New York scene, it's also got some of the looser, more open modes of his previous European live recordings – the stretched-out, constantly creative solos that always made all the long tracks from Dexter so great on those records. But almost even more uniquely, the album also preserves some of Gordon's spoken parts at the start of the tunes – that wry wit that always made him a compelling presence on the stage. The group also features George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums – and although the titles are familiar, they're all transformed in the hands of Dex – as you'll hear on "Lover Man", "You've Changed", "Old Folks", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "LTD".

Paris was always a great city for Lionel Hampton – but it seemed like in the mid 50s, it was also a place where he cut some of his best work, too! The French New Sound pair of albums are both classics in Hamp's book – records that take off from the looser, longer-form style that he'd been hitting with his Verve recordings of the early 50s – yet which also retain some of the tighter, fuller elements of his famous large ensembles. Players on the records are great – a lineup that includes travelling American jazz greats like Benny Bailey and Nat Adderley on trumpets, and a young David Amram on French Horn – plus crack Parisian players who include Sacha Distel on guitar, Rene Urtreger on piano, and Guy Pederson on bass. The tracks are simple jamming numbers – long and open-ended, in the mode of some of Hamp's very popular live work at the time, and the vibes are right out front – hard-edged, with that soulful sound that Hamp pioneered on the instrument – and the other players are given very ample room to solo. Titles include "Voice Of The North", "A La French", and "Zebu".

One of the loosest, most open albums from Ronald Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society – and a set that's a great antidote to some of the later records for bigger labels! Jackson's still got a very inspiring sound at this point – a polyrhythmic groove that's virtually the blueprint for the post-loft scene in New York – driven onward here by performances from key contemporaries who include Billy Bang on violin, Byard Lancaster on soprano sax and alto, Charles Brackeen on tenor and soprano, Vernon Reid and Bern Nix on guitars, Melvin Gibbs on bass, and Erasto Vasconcelos on percussion. Tracks are all tightly structured, but well up with free sounds from the musicians – and titles include "Sortie", "Nightwhistlers", "Eastern Voices/Western Dreams", "Shaman", "Dancers Of Joy", "Arising", and "Orange Birthday".

A rare slice of work by Roland Kirk from his early years – a great live set recorded in Europe in the mid 60's – done in a looser mode than his studio sessions from the time! Kirk's playing his usual array of incredible horns – tenor, stritch, flute, nose flute, and manzello – with an international group that features Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pederson on bass, and J.C. Moses on drums. In the setting, there's more of a hardbop feel to the material than on some of Kirk's studio sets – but given Roland's penchant for unusual phrasing, twin-reed blowing, and general free-thinking overall, the sound is pretty unique overall! Titles include "Mingus-Griff Song", "The Monkey Thing", and "On the Corner of King and Scott Streets".

Charles Lloyd in the Soviet Union – blowing beautifully on an open-ended set that must have really loosened things up in Red Square! The album features Lloyd at his freewheeling 60s best – working in his group with Keith Jarrett on piano, Ron McClure on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – on some of those great long, very open numbers they do so well! Lloyd plays both tenor and flute – both with strongly spiritual tones that work great with the modal touches of the rhythm section – and titles include "Days & Nights Waiting", "Sweet Georgia Bright", "Love Song To A Baby", and "Tribal Dance".

Freewheeling work from Japanese drummer George Otsuka – leading a trio here with pianist Hideo Ichikawa, a really great player who works with some of the soul jazz touches of American players of the 60s, but who also opens up with a more loosely expressive mode that points the way towards Japanese trio sessions of years to come! The album's got a nice balance of straight ahead and more exploratory modes – a bit like that of Steve Kuhn during the same stretch – but with a great sound that's definitely the group's own! The whole thing's great – very enigmatic and compelling – and titles include a 14 minute reading of "Green Dolphin Street", plus "Blues By Five", "Lament", and "Hot Cha".

Killer trio work from pianist Bobby Timmons – a set that opens up with a lot more fire and freedom than some of his earlier dates for Riverside! When Timmons made the shift to Prestige, something really clicked in his playing – a new sense of energy, rhythm, and space that's all heard perfectly here! The album's a great little cooker that goes beyond some of the cliches that Bobby was hitting in his earlier days – cliches that weren't really a problem, given his strength as a player and musical vision – but which were a bit more apparent as everyone else was grabbing his bag. Here, he opens up into whole new territory – working with bassist Sam Jones and drummer Ray Lucas – really riding some great waves of sound on tracks that include "Little Barefoot Soul", "Cut Me Loose Charlie", "Walkin Wadin Sittin Ridin", "Ain't Thinkin Bout It", and "Little One".

Soul Jazz takes an open-eyed and open-minded look at swampy, funky, freewheeling southern rock – southern-by-nature or southern-by-inspiration grooves from the end of the 60s and well into the 70s! What we love most about the set, besides that it features one great song after another, is the Soul Jazz perspective. They don't simply put together Delta Swamp Rock from a purist's standpoint regionally, or as a sound – it's loosely-defined, which you could complain about if you want, but we love all of this stuff so it works for us! There's early phase southern rock, blue-eyed soul, soulful country and homey, swaggering pop. Tracks include "The Seasons" by Lynryd Skynryd, "Smokies" by Barefoot Jerry", "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go To Town With You" by Bobbie Gentrie, "Stone Fox Chase" by Area Code 615, "Be What You Want To" by Link Wray", "I'll Be Long Gone" by Boz Scaggs, "God Rest His Soul" by Duane And Gregg Allman"Out In The Woods" by Leon Russell, "Polk Salad Annie" by Tony Joe White, "Come To Me Tonight" by Barefoot Jerry, "I Won't Be Hangin' Round" by Linda Rondstadt, "Big D" by Waylon Jennings, "Mississippi Delta" by Bobbie Gentry", "If I Were A Carpenter" by Johnny Cash" and more. 25 tracks on 2CDs.

A killer batch of boogaloo material – but not from the usual sources! Although boogaloo is a genre normally associated with the New York scene at the end of the 60s, the music here all hails from Peru and represents a great new sound – music inspired by the Nuyorican originals, but which often take things into whole new directions! The Peruvian approach to boogaloo is a bit looser than the New York one – a bit more open and free, and often heavily touched by jazz music as well, resulting in a sound that's also got plenty of hard-jamming descarga elements too! Given the racial makeup of the Peruvian scene, there's a bit less soul influence going on too – lyrics are more often in Spanish, and less inspired by the Harlem sound – but the overall rhythms still share plenty with the Latin soul styles of New York, and provide a great foil for some of the jazzy instrumentation. This package is a massive discovery in music – one that goes way beyond some of the few Peruvian Latin titles from the time that have been reissued – and it's overflowing with amazing work that's totally new to our ears! 2LP set features a whopping 26 tracks that include "Vives Boogaloo" by Charlie Palomares, "Baby Boogaloo" by Nilo Espinosa, "Hilton's Descarga" by Los Hilton's, "El Pito" by Alfredo Linares, "Guayaba" by La Sonora De Lucho Macedo, "Que Rico Sabor" by Al Valdes, "Ensueno" by Mario Allison Y Su Combo, "You Traigo Boogaloo" by Alfredo Linares, "Juan Jose" by Nico Estrada, "Do The Boogaloo" by Nilo Espinosa, "Guajira" by Al Valdes, "El Diablo" by S Montez Y Sus Guantanameros, and "Clap Your Hands" by Tito Chicoma.

Massive mixes from the legendary John Morales – one of the key talents for really opening up the sound of New York dancefloors at the end of the 70s! The mixes here were all cut by John back in the day – all for special play in the clubs, and never commercially issued at the time – which makes the package one hell of a musical discovery – like finding your way back onto an underground dancefloor in the waning years of disco – when a handful of mixers like Morales were still finding some rich new energy in the scene! Most tracks are quite long, and have all their best elements expanded out by John – but in ways that really avoid some of the later "look at me" styles that mixers would use in the next generation. This 2CD set features all instrumental mixes by Morales – a great complement to the vocal version package – with titles that include instrumental versions of "Only You" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Is It All Over My Face" by Loose Joints, "Was That All It Was" by Jean Carn, "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own" by Sandy Barber, "Ride On The Rhythm" by Mahogany, "First Time Around" by Skyy, "Do it To The Music" by Raw Silk, "Hit & Run" by Loleatta Holloway, "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" by The Jones Girls, "I Want You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Can't Have My Love" by Hamilton Affair, and "I Want Your Lovin" by Curtis Hairston.

A pivotal album in the development of the use of the Hammond organ in jazz – and Charles Earland's first exposure to a large audience! Durign the 60s, Charles was bumping around the Philly scene quite a bit – and recorded some small group indie sides that first gave a glimpse of his unique sound on the organ. But with this record, Earland really broke out wide – and hit a huge audience that made him one of the most in-demand players of the early 70s! The Earland touch is summed up perfectly here – a really fluid approach to the keys that shakes loose the clunkier styles of older Hammond players, and goes for a tightened-up groove that puts equal emphasis on rhythm and melodic improvisation – in a way that's always made Charles' records some of the best jazz dancers to come out of Prestige. Earland has an amazing way of completely transforming a tune – taking a familiar melody, but riffing on it extensively – slowly expanding it through almost modal progressions – until the tune opens up into a long extended jazzy groove! Proof of this is the album's sublime 11 minute version of "More Today Than Yesterday" – a solid stepper that never gets old – and other tunes include "Black Talk", "The Mighty Burner", "Here Comes Charlie", and "Aquarius". Oh, and players include Virgil Jones, Houston Person, Melvin Sparks, and Idris Muhammed – an all-star lineup, but tightly guided by Charles as if they were his own working group!

An incredible double-length set from Soul Jazz – a collection of Latin tunes that's easily as important as their groundbreaking NuYorica collection from a decade before! Like that one, most of the work here is from the 70s – and showcases a time in New York Latin when the music was really opening up to new changes – not just the Latin Soul modes picked up in the previous decades, but also new elements of jazz, funk, disco, and even some more traditional styles from Cuba and Puerto Rico. The grooves aren't just standard Latin, but often have some very surprising bits in the mix – funky instrumental riffing, soulful vocals, and more – all often in a mode that's perfect for the dancefloor! 2CD set features 23 tracks in all – with titles that include "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Louie Ramirez, "Tighten Up" by Al Escobar, "Snidely Whiplash" by The Alexander Review, "Joe Cuba's Madness" by Joe Cuba, "Control" by Ismael Quinones, "Abidjan" by Ray Barretto, "Porcupine" by Nature Zone, "Soul Makossa" by Johnny Zamot, "No Nos Pararan" by La Charanga 76, "Sorongo" by Cortijo, "Mala Calunga" by Johnny Sedes, "Angustia Maternal" by Willie Colon, "Mai Kinshasa" by Jose Mangual, "Shoot The Pump" by J Walter Negro & The Loose Jointz, "Mi Mambo Conga" by Eddie Palmieri, "Om Marrero" by Seguida, "Alex Mambo" by Machito, "Dancin & Prancin" by Candido, "El Bollinski En D7" by Charlie Santiago & Eddie Montalvo, "Doug's Room" by Mauricio Smith, and "I Had A Friend" by The Family Affair.

John Carpenter's and Alan Howarth's creepy synth soundtrack to Carpenter's ominous Prince Of Darkness – and one of the coolest, most underrated of all of his classic soundtracks! This was a weird period for Carpenter's work as a director – having leaped from the gonzo, big budget action-fantasy-comedy Big Trouble In Little China to this one – a low budget, creepy-as-hell flick about cylinders of liquefied Satanic evil! The music is vintage Carpenter – sinister, minimalist synth bass and it's dark, dark, dark – in a foreboding, funky way! Includes "Team Assembly", "Darkness Begins", "A Message From The Future", "Hell Breaks Loose", "Mirror Image", "The Devil Awakens", "Opening Titles" and "Through The Mirror".

Important 70s work from Don Cherry – one of the first albums to bring his overseas experiments to a larger US audience! The set builds nicely off of styles that Don forged earlier in France and Scandinavia – a freer style of music than his work with Ornette Coleman, and a richly organic groove that builds up strongly from the bottom, often with elements of world music settled in alongside the jazz – but there's also some funkier moments here too, a bit like the Brown Rice album, but looser overall! The groups on most numbers are relatively large and spiritual – almost like Alice Coltrane at times, but a bit more electric and funky at others – and players include Collin Walcott on sitar, Michael Brecker on saxes, Cliff Carter on keyboards, Lenny White and Tony Williams on drums, Lois Colin on harp, and Raphael Cruz on percussion. Cherry himself plays conch shells, bells, and flute in addition to his usual trumpet – and he even sings a bit on a few numbers, in a soulful, scatting sort of groove. Narada Michael Walden produced, and the whole set's got a very righteous feel – with tracks that include "Universal Mother", "Buddah's Blues", "Eagle Eye", "Mahakali", "Karmapa Chenno", "Surrender Rose", and "Journey Of Milarepa".

Kieran Hebden's third album as Four Tet – an unpredictable, completely hypnotic batch of abstract beatcraft that sounded like it was built to last when it first appeared in the early 00s – and sure enough, it's sounds as fresh as ever a decade+ later! What makes Four Tet at his best so irresistible is the way to rolls from loosely connective beats and hazy atmosphere on one track to heavy sensory overload and back again, fully hypnotizing either way, and all the while holding together in a way that feels of like a single piece. There's a lot of different sounds coming in and out, and not a single audible bit of it is dispensable. Near perfection from one of the more creative laptop instrumentals of his generation. Titles include "Hands", "She Moves She", "First Thing", "My Angel Rocks Back And Forth", "Spirit Fingers", "Unspoken", "Chia", "As Serious As Your Life", "Aney They All Look Broken Hearted" and "Slow Jam". 10th Anniversary edition includes a bonus CD featuring a full live performance from Copenhagen, 2004.

Massive work from Aretha Franklin's ultra-hip sister – singer Carolyn Franklin, a soul artist that we'd gladly trade for Aretha any time! Carolyn got her start in deep soul modes that were somewhat similar to Aretha's work on Atlantic – but she also worked with production that was a bit looser, freer, and more open to righteous influences than some of her sister's hit-bound sessions – and over the course of 4 albums for RCA she recorded some tremendously hip and funky tunes! This package is one of the first times that Carolyn's material has ever officially made it into the reissue years – and it brings together some of the best cuts from her RCA albums, including work arranged by Horace Ott, Wade Marcus, Bert De Coteaux, and other soul legends. There's a good deal of funk in the mix here – heavy bottoms on the tunes that really make them snap alongside the righteous vocals – and the package is easily one of the hardest-hitting sets of female soul you could ever hope to buy! 22 tracks in all – including "If You Want Me", "There I Go", "Ain't That Groovy", "Boxer", "Reality", "Chain Reaction", "Don't Wake Me Up In The Morning Michael", "Not On The Outside", "Boy I Love You", "You Are Everything", "Shattered Pride", "I Can't Help My Feeling So Blue", "As Long As You Are There", and "You Can Have My Soul".

A later set from Shirley Scott, but one that's recorded with an old school lineup that includes Art Harper on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – plus some guest tenor work from the mighty Buck Hill! The tunes are a lot more open and fluid than Scott's sound on Prestige in the 60s – with a bit of the vibe she picked up during her 70s years, as she really started to loosen up from before. And although the tunes are mostly familiar numbers, this approach really changes them up – moving them farther from the standard ballad mode of earlier Scott albums. Shirley plays piano on one track – "Yours Is My Heart Alone" – and all others feature organ, on titles that include "Skylark", "Triste", "More Than You Know", "Blues For Groove", and "Have You Met Miss Jones".

Two MPS gems from this unusual 70s ensemble – back to back on the same CD! Chasin The Bird features classic bop modes, updated strongly for the 70s – and played by a hip group of older players who really know how to cook! Supersax is led by Med Flory on alto, who also did the arrangements – and works here with great reed help from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, Joe Lopes on alto, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – plus soaring sounds from Conte Candoli and Blue Mitchell on trumpets, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Lou Levy on piano – all of whom really help the reed players find their groove! Charts are large, as is the ensemble, but there's a nice sense of individual personalities too – even when all the saxophonists are taking a solo together at once. Titles include "Shaw Nuff", "Drifting On A Reed", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Now's The Time", and "The Song Is You". Dynamite is a looser, more free-swinging album than usual for Supersax – one that still has the group working with some key contributions from west coast jazz luminaries, but in a vibe that's almost more small combo than larger ensemble! The tracks here include a fair bit of Bud Powell and Charlie Parker numbers, but the arrangements are mighty fresh – open, and swinging with some hipper 70s touches, thanks to rhythms from a trio that features Lou Levy on piano, Fred Atwood on bass, and John Dentz on drums – players that are never locked into a strict bop mode. As with other Supersax albums, there's a brace of reed players working together at the front – Lanny Morgan on alto, Jack Nimitz on baritone, and both Jay Migliori and Don Menza on tenors – coming together as one voice on the solos, and getting some key help from Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone. Titles include "The Fruit", "Bambu", "Blues For Alice", "Tempus Fugit", "Parker's Mood", and a surprising, but great take on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave".

A killer batch of boogaloo material – but not from the usual sources! Although boogaloo is a genre normally associated with the New York scene at the end of the 60s, the music here all hails from Peru and represents a great new sound – music inspired by the Nuyorican originals, but which often take things into whole new directions! The Peruvian approach to boogaloo is a bit looser than the New York one – a bit more open and free, and often heavily touched by jazz music as well, resulting in a sound that's also got plenty of hard-jamming descarga elements too! Given the racial makeup of the Peruvian scene, there's a bit less soul influence going on too – lyrics are more often in Spanish, and less inspired by the Harlem sound – but the overall rhythms still share plenty with the Latin soul styles of New York, and provide a great foil for some of the jazzy instrumentation. This package is a massive discovery in music – one that goes way beyond some of the few Peruvian Latin titles from the time that have been reissued – and it's overflowing with amazing work that's totally new to our ears! Titles include "Vives Boogaloo" by Charlie Palomares, "Baby Boogaloo" by Nilo Espinosa, "Hilton's Descarga" by Los Hilton's, "El Pito" by Alfredo Linares, "Guayaba" by La Sonora De Lucho Macedo, "Que Rico Sabor" by Al Valdes, "Ensueno" by Mario Allison Y Su Combo, "Yo Traigo Boogaloo" by Alfredo Linares, "Juan Jose" by Nico Estrada, "Do The Boogaloo" by Nilo Espinosa, "Guajira" by Al Valdes, "El Diablo" by S Montez Y Sus Guantanameros, and "Clap Your Hands" by Tito Chicoma.

Three groundbreaking albums from reedman Jan Garbarek – packaged in a single set! First up is Sart – a great example of the way that ECM helped to bring the voice of the Scandinavian jazz underground to the world at large – as the album's a key showcase for the talents of budding young modernists Jan Garbarek, Bobo Stenson, Terje Rypdal, and Arild Andersen! The record's got a really unusual quality that's quite different from the more jamming fusion or freer jazz of the mid European scene – a sense that plays with space between the notes as much as it does the sounds of the individual instruments, and which seems perfectly cast for the newer style of jazz recording pioneered by ECM. Garbarek plays tenor, bass, and flute on the record; Stenson is on electric and acoustic piano; Rypdal on guitar, Andersen on acoustic (but amplified?) bass, and Jon Christensen is on drums. Titles include "IRR", "Song Of Space", "Close Enough For Jazz", "Sart", and "Fountain Of Tears". Witchi Tai To is warm and wonderful sounds from Garbarek – and a record that brings together so many strands at once! There's of course the obvious atmospherics you might expect from a 70s set on ECM – but there's also some sharply modern moments too – that harder sound that the label was endorsing while helping to shape the world of European jazz on both sides of the fence. And there's even some surprisingly soulful moments, too – not just from Jan's work on tenor and soprano sax, but also from the piano of Bobo Stenson – which rings out wonderfully amidst subtle bass from Palle Danielsson and drums from Jon Christensen. Titles include a great version of Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", plus "Hasta Siempre", "AIR", and "Desireless". Dansere is one of the highlights of saxophonist Jan Garbarek at ECM – and a set that has him working with the well-matched lineup of Bobo Stenson on piano, Palle Danielsson on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums! The shape of the songs is a bit looser than before, but Garbarek and Stenson turn out to be perfect in the setting – opening up, stretching out, and breaking down convention – yet also never losing themselves in self-indulgence either. Titles include "Dansere", "Lokk", "Fris", "Til Vennene", and "Skrik & Hyl".

A stone classic on Verve! Back in the 60s, Wes Montgomery must have been California Dreamin – because by the time of this LP, he'd come a long way from his Indiana roots – and had used the best part of the hip west coast scene to add a lot to his style – fuller rhythms and tighter production that never dampened his sound, and instead really let him open up into a whole new range of sounds! As with some of his other albums on Verve, Montgomery plays warmly chromatic riffs over dark jazzy backings by Don Sebesky – and although tracks are short, Wes gets a lot into his solos on the set – a masterful approach that was almost better in a tighter setting than a looser one! Titles include "Sun Down", "Without You", "Sunny", "Green Peppers", "Mr Walker", and "Winds Of Barcelona".

A great little 2LP set – and a near-definitive release of recordings made by Gerry Mulligan and Lee Konitz, along with players like Zoot Sims, Allan Eager, and Al Cohn during the early 50s in LA. Some of the sides are studio sets, others are recorded live, and all seem to have a freeness that's rare for both of the players at the time. The sets are a bit loose, but in a good way, one that has the normally controlled Mulligan and Konitz opening up more in a jam session mode, especially on the longer tracks. Titles include "Disc Jockey Jump", "Crazy Day", "Sextet I", "Revelation", "Four & One More", "Turnstile", and "All The Things You Are". Great notes, too!

The second album from Ghanaian funk singer, composer and arranger Rob – issued for the first time ever outside of Ghana, thanks to the deep diggers at Soundway! Rob sings in English throughout – and there's a slinky, slow-cooking, kinda strange groove on most of the numbers – a mix of funk with lots of offbeat, oddball touches – of the sort that some folks these days might dub Afro Psych – but which was just pretty darn experimental back in the day! Rhythms are heavy on guitar, bass, and drums – and plenty of offbeat percussion – all topped with some great heavy horns too. The memorable title track is one of the most unique Afro Funk songs you could ever hope to hear – , with dexterous opening horn blasts, clattering bell-like percussion, and undeniably carnal English vocals – and the rest of the album's pretty darn amazing too! Other titles include "Loose Up Yourself" "Not The End", "I've Got To See You Again Lord", "He Shall Live In You", "But You", "Bargain" and "Back On You".

The other great Hal Singer album from his years on the French scene – and a record that we'd say is even better than his legendary Paris Soul Food set! Although Singer is often most associated with an older style of swing-based jazz, he's working here in a loose, free mode that's got plenty of 70s soulful touches – often funky at the best moments, but even more importantly openly rhythmic – with a progressively soulful style that's really outta site! The group features Art Taylor on drums, plus an assortment of European players led by Siegried Kessler – who plays some great piano and flute on the album, and also handled the arrangements. The album features Singer's wonderful tune "Malcolm X" – the kind of a track that we'd rank right up there with some of the most righteous soul jazz groovers of the time. Other highlights include the modal "Pour Stephanie", the jagged "Blues For Hal", and the groovy "It's My Thing". CD also includes the bonus track "Lina".

Soul Jazz takes an open-eyed and open-minded look at swampy, funky, freewheeling southern rock – southern-by-nature or southern-by-inspiration grooves from the end of the 60s and well into the 70s! What we love most about the set, besides that it features one great song after another, is the Soul Jazz perspective. They don't simply put together Delta Swamp Rock from a purist's standpoint regionally, or as a sound – it's loosely-defined, which you could complain about if you want, but we love all of this stuff so it works for us! There's early phase southern rock, blue-eyed soul, soulful country and homey, swaggering pop. Volume 1 of the vinyl has 13 tracks on 2LPs: "The Seasons" by Lynryd Skynryd, "Smokies" by Barefoot Jerry", "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go To Town With You" by Bobbie Gentrie, "Stone Fox Chase" by Area Code 615, "Be What You Want To" by Link Wray", "I'll Be Long Gone" by Boz Scaggs, "God Rest His Soul" by Duane And Gregg Allman and more.

Wow! Here's some never before released early 70s recordings by strange folk legend Michael Hurley – playing with a group of Franklin Co., VT players in the early-to-mid 70s! The group was dubbed The Fatboys at first and went on to go by Sheriff Mocus & The Deranged Cowboys a bit later in the decade – and this set features early versions of songs that'd appear on later Hurley records – and it's really strong stuff! It's kind of in a loose, ramshackle country rock vibe that serves the material really well – without obscuring the patented Hurley uniqueness. A heck of a release on Mississippi – and real eye-opener to a Hurley era we just weren't previously hipped to! Includes "Automatic Slim & The Fatboys", "Drivin' Wheel", "Ghost Woman Blues", "Long Legs", "Long John", "Watchin' The Show", "The Portland Water", "Singing Waterfall" and more.

A brilliant little compilation – despite the title – one that showcases some of the best work from the legendary Jackson scene of the 70s! As the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scenes were beginning to slow down after years of great soul records in the 60s, Jackson, Mississippi picked up the slack – thanks to the mighty might Malaco Studios! And while the Malaco name later became more associated with the label of the same name – and put out some great blues and soul albums in the 80s – back in the early years, the studio was more of an overall crossroads for many different styles of southern soul, and opened its gates to loads of excellent talent that wasn't getting recorded elsewhere. The depth of the set will really surprise you, as there's some tracks that have a straighter southern soul, but others with styles that are a bit more modern, sophisticated, and at times, even sound a bit like work coming out from east coast indie labels of the period. The set's got 21 tracks in all – filled with sublime work that represents some of the best of the indie scene of the south at the time, most of which you've probably never heard before, plus a few more modern numbers that are equally great! Titles include "Don't Matter To Me" by Billy Cee, "Calling For Your Love" by The Enticers, "All The Way In Love With You" by Ray Crumley, "Standing In The Wings Of A Heartache" by Ted Taylor, "I'm Gonna Love You More" by Richard Caiton, "Foot Loose & Fancy Free" by Carolyn Hudson, "Last Minute Plans" by Chuck Brooks, "Get Some Understanding" by Patrick Green, "When We Touch" by Floyd Taylor, "Kiss & Tell" by Stan Mosley, and "What Do We Have To Lose" by Sam Dees.

A great one from Grant Green – a subtly modern album hiding under a title stolen from a Beatles' song – and one of the mid 60s gems he cut with organist Larry Young! The group features the trio of Young, Green, and Elvin Jones – a dancing combination that pushes the organ/guitar groove to unheard of heights – plus the addition of tenorist Hank Mobley, who's opening up his own bag considerably by this point. The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love".

A leap in creativity and ambition from Jane Weaver – kind of a concept album covering "seven chapters of cosmic aquatic folklore" – the loose storyline might be strange and mysterious, but the slow building mood and evolving instrumentation of the music, plus the enigmatic beauty of Jane's voice are compellingly wonderful! Jane is a very talented instrumentalist – she sings and plays guitars, organs, synths and vibes throughout – and she's recruited an adventurous and impressive roster of guests. The incredible Susan Christie recites a poem in the opening suite – and other guests include Esyllt Glyn Jones on harp, Wendy Flower of Wendy & Bonnie (!!!), violinist Lis Murphy (who records Balkanese folk songs under the name Behar), noisemaker Andy Votel and others. Includes the 3 part opening suite "Europium Alluminate/A Circle And A Star/The Fallen By Watch Bird" plus "Turning In Circles", "Jud A Llefrith", "Whistpers Of Winter, "My Soul Was Lost, My Soul Was Lost, And No One Saved Me", "Noctilumina" and "Silver Chord".