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Blue-eyed soul from Boz Scaggs, with a decidedly Philly influenced sound to the production, which we'd hazard a guess comes more from the Hall & Oates side of town than the Sigma Sound axis. Still, this is a solid album with the irresistible hit "Lowdown", still a favorite around these parts. Also includes "Lido Shuffle", "Harbor Lights", "Jump Street" and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do". CD

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Musical themes from classic Bogart flicks, including Treasure Of Sierra Madre, Key Largo, The Big Sleep, Sabrina, and To Have And Have Not, plus an extended suite from Casablanca – performed by Charles Gerhardt and The National Philharmonic Orchestra CD

The incredible second album from saxophonist Frank Strozier – recorded for Vee Jay records after his initial debut, but for some reason never issued at the time! Strozier was really hitting on all burners at this point – fusing the Memphis soul of his roots with the soulful hardbop he was crafting in Chicago with Harold Mabern and the MJT+3 – a sound that he replicates nicely here, in an intimate quartet setting with Bill Lee on bass, Vernel Fournier on drums, and Billy Wallace on piano. The tunes are moody and soulful – a masterpiece in understatement, and proof that Strozier was one of the most inventive non-Charlie Parker inspired altoists of his time! The CD adds a huge amount of alternate takes to the original sessions – making for a total of 15 numbers in all, with titles that include "Day In Day Out", "Stairway To The Stars", "Cloudy & Cool", "She", "Chris", and "No More". CD

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With Makoto Ozone on piano. CD

Music from Vikki Carr, Tania Libertad, Laureano Brizuela, Angeles Ochoa, Emmanuel, Manoella Torres, Mauro Calderon, Yuri, Pedro Fernandez, Maria Conchita Alonso, Mijares, and Dulce. CD

Artists include Almeda Riddle, Neil Morris, Ollie Gilbert, Bookmiller Shannon, Absie Morrison, Charlie Everidge. 25 tracks total! CD

Tracks include "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "I Shall Not Be Moved", "Jesus On The Mainline", "Down By The Riverside", "Amazing Grace", and "Please Let Me Stay A Little Longer". CD

Titles include "Try", "Maybe", "To Love Somebody", "Little Girl Blue", and "One Good Man" – plus the 3 bonus tracks "Dear Landlord", "Summertime" and "Piece Of My Heart". CD

Guitarist Tisziji Munoz leads a sextet that includes Pharoah Sanders and Ravi Coltrane on saxophone, Rahied Ali on drums, Don Pate on bass, and Paul Shaffer on piano. CD

A bit of a change from previous Ozone albums – a set that still has plenty of bass at the bottom, but also a fair bit of keyboards as well – stretching out nicely over the top, almost with a bit of an electro pop feel at points! The keys really make for a catchy sort of edge – not just the usual bassy soul from Rick James-era Motown, but a slightly more complicated vibe that's really trying for something new at times. The set also features a few mellower ballads that are surprisingly great – sensitive moments we wouldn't have guessed from the group – and titles include "You Don't Want My Love", "I Can't Wait", "Glasses", "Strutt My Thang", and "Don't Leave Me Now". CD

Features 25 tracks over 2 discs. CD

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Blue-eyed soul from Boz Scaggs, with a decidedly Philly influenced sound to the production, which we'd hazard a guess comes more from the Hall & Oates side of town than the Sigma Sound axis. Still, this is a solid album with the irresistible hit "Lowdown", still a favorite around these parts. Also includes "Lido Shuffle", "Harbor Lights", "Jump Street" and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do". CD

Alexander's second outing for the Milestone label (hence the title), and a wonderful album of soulful tenor tracks that has him working in a quintet with Harold Mabern on piano and Jim Rotondi on trumpet. Mabern and Alexander have, by this time, forged quite a sympathetic relationship – and, dare we say it, their pairing here reminds us a lot of the warmly soulful styles forged by Mabern and Frank Strozier in years past. The set's sparkling with original tunes that include "The Man From Hyde Park", "Luna Naranja", and "The Second Milestone" – plus Mabern's classic "John Neely Beautiful People", and great versions of "Estate" and "Matchmaker Matchmaker". CD

This tenor giant gets better and better with each new album! Eric Alexander is one of our favorite new jazz artists of the past decade – still a relatively young player, but with a sound that's incredible, steeped in years of tradition, yet freely creative in his own unique way. His tenor solos on this set stand up to some of our favorite older work by players like Clifford Jordan or Sonny Rollins, and if anything, the backing may be some of the best he's ever received on record. Alexander's playing here with longtime friend and musical partner Harold Mabern – who's as sympathetic to Alexander's sound as he once was to that of Frank Strozier – and the other players in the group include trumpeter Nicholas Payton, John Webber, and Joe Farnsworth. Titles include "Andre's Turn", "After The Rain", "This Girl's In Love With You", "A House Is Not A Home", and "Summit Meeting". CD

Louis Armstrong on trumpet & vocal with Yank Lawson on trumpet, Jack Teagarden & Trummy Young on trombone, Barney Bigard & Edmond Hall on clarinet, George Dorsey & Hilton Jefferson on alto saxophone, Bud Freeman, Seldon Powell & Lucky Thompson on tenor saxophone, Dave McRae on baritone saxophone, bass clarinet & bass saxophone, Dick Cary, Earl Hines & Billy Kyle on piano, Everett Barksdal & George Barnes on guitar, Squire Gersh & Arvell Shaw on bass, Sid Catlett, Cozy Cole, Barrett Deems & Kenny John on drums & Velma Middleton on vocals. CD

Sidney Bechet on sopranino saxophone, Andre Reweliotty on clarinet, Jean-Louis Durand and Vic Dickenson on trombone, Buck Clayton, Guy Longnon, and Roland Hug on trumpet, George Wein and Yannick Singery on piano, Arvell Shaw and Georges "Zozo" d'Halluin on bass, Kansas Fields, Marcel Blanche, and Poumi Arnaud on drums. CD

A nice little blend of Brazilian and club-styled grooves – done by this Bah Samba offshoot with a similar feel to Bah Samba's own work! There's a wonderful London-meets-Rio vibe running through the whole set – a love of real Brazilian music that gets past the mis-steps of so many other attempts in recent years – but which has that great London ability to expand upon the original with a whole new feel. There's nice bits of older funk and club sliding in and out of the mix – coming into play with Brazilian elements and instrumentation in a way that's almost like some of the recent work on Far Out. Titles include "O Ronco Da Cuica", "Elephant Man", "U Got Me Spinnin", "I'm Missing You", "Omeriah", "And It's Beautiful", "Mozza", and a cover of Roy Ayers' "Running Away". CD

A stunner of a record from the mighty Jorge Ben – and a record that catapulted the Brazilian singer to international fame at the time! Ben had already been making magic for almost a decade down in Brazil – and his compositions and grooves left an undeniable impact on the scene in the post-bossa years – but this album has Jorge really emerging as the global soul star he was destined to be – from his powerful stare on the cover, right down to the grit in the grooves! The sound here is a refinement of the samba soul mode that Ben had been brewing up from the late 60s onward – a skittish mix of older samba elements, American soul, and some slight fuller production that really comes into its own here – mixing all the acoustic elements at the core with just a slight electric flourish, but never losing its edge in the process – all to provide Jorge with a sublime backdrop for his really amazing vocals. The set's a monument in funky Brazilian soul – and it includes the huge hit "Taj Mahal", which still sounds great, even after all these years – plus loads of other gems that include "O Circo Chegou", "Domingo 23", "Fio Maravilha", "Paz E Arroz", "Morre O Burro Fico O Homem", and "Que Nega E Essa". A gem all the way through – and a record we'd never part with! CD

A dozen hits. CD

A great example of the cool, classy swing that Benny Carter hit in the 1960s – a groove that was more regularly brought to backings for standout singers of the time, but which also works beautifully here in an instrumental mode! Carter's alto sax is at the top of the charts, but the album's almost more of an ensemble effort overall – with great reed work from Bud Shank on alto, Teddy Edwards and Bill Perkins on tenor, Bill Hood on baritone sax, Don Abney on piano, Barney Kessell and Mundell Lowe on guitar – all coming together as kind of a mini-large ensemble – never that big in the number of players, but grooving with a great sense of poise, class, and soul. There's a number of originals written by Carter, including "Doozy", "Prohibido", "Come On Back", "Rock Bottom", "We Were In Love", and "Titmouse" CD

A key later album from alto saxophonist Benny Carter – one that has him at the helm of a largeish group, but playing with a nicely focused sort of groove! In addition to Benny's alto, the record also features tenor sax from Charlie Rouse and Coleman Hawkins, plus one more alto from Phil Woods – supported by rhythm from John Collins on guitar, Dick Katz on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. The tunes are traditional, but have some sharper-edged modern ideas on some of the solos – and there's a nicely echoey feel to the production, which further adds to the quality of the record. The album's a bit like a Swingville session for Prestige, but has a bit more going on – and titles include "Doozy", "Blue Star", "Midnight Sun Will Never Set", and "Crazy Rhythm". CD also features a full bonus album – the record Additions To Further Definitions! CD

Lynn Cassiers on voice and electronics, Bo Van de Werf on bartone sax, Erick Vermeulen on piano, Jozef Dumoulin on fender rhodes and keyboard, Manolo Cabras on double bass and Marek on drums. CD

The scene is clean, and Ronnie Cuber is plenty swinging – really coming into his own here as a leader, after years of important work as a sideman for others! Cuber blows beautifully on a host of horns – tenor, alto, baritone, and flute – in a groove that wraps together his years of experience in both Latin and soul jazz bands – held together here by a lineup that includes Joey DeFrancesco on organ, Milton Cardona on percussion, and Geoff Keezer on keyboards. Titles include "Song For Pharoah", "Arroz Con Pollo", "Mezambo", "Fajardo", and "Tete's Bag". CD

Kenny Drew Jr on piano, Christine Gommere, Richard Locker, and Tomas Ulrich on cello, Ron Lawrence on viola, Hanne-Berit Hahnemann, Laura Seaton, Lenny Rivlin, Mark Feldman, Mary Rowell, Nancy McAlhany, Paul Peabody, and Yuri Vodovoz on violin, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

Duke Ellington on piano, Johnny Hodges and Rick Henderson on alto saxophone, Russell Procope on alto saxophone and clarinet, Paul Gonsalves on tenor saxophone, Jimmy Hamilton on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, and Quentin Jackson on trombone, Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, Shorty Baker, and Willie Cook on trumpet, Ray Nance on trumpet, violin, and cello, Harry Carney on clarinet and bass clarinet, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums, with Jimmy Grissom and Ozzie Bailey on vocals. CD

Duke Ellington on piano, Johnny Hodges and Rick Henderson on alto saxophone, Russell Procope on alto saxophone and clarinet, Paul Gonsalves on tenor saxophone, Jimmy Hamilton on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, and Quentin Jackson on trombone, Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, Shorty Baker, and Willie Cook on trumpet, Ray Nance on trumpet, violin, and cello, Harry Carney on clarinet and bass clarinet, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums, with Jimmy Grissom and Ozzie Bailey on vocals. CD

A fantastic set by Booker Ervin, and one of his most overlooked sessions! Ervin's hard biting tenor is met by a warm thoughtful group that includes the great Horace Parlan on piano, plus Frank Strozier on alto, and Walter Perkins on drums. Perkins is wonderful, and he lyrically dances about the kit and brings a whole new shade of color to this session. The writing is fantastic, and the tracks include "Mooche Mooche", "No Land's Man", and "Mour". Great great great stuff – and this CD includes the original cover art, plus 2 bonus tracks that were 45 takes of the best tracks. Simply brilliant! CD

Four incredible albums from the young Georgie Fame – plus a bonus CD of rare material, bonus tracks on all CDs, and 18 previously unreleased tracks – all in a box set with a 48 page book, 5 postcards, and a poster too! First up is Rhythm & Blues At The Flamingo – blistering early work from a young Georgie Fame – a set that definitely lives up to the Rhythm & Blues in the title! The set was recorded live at London's hip Flamingo club – and Georgie and The Blue Flames are very much in command of the crowd – burning with the intensity of a American small organ combo, especially the early 60s variety that often played equal parts soul jazz and R&B! Georgie's on the Hammond, and also sings with a rough-edged style that's plenty soulful, and incredibly appealing – a mode that oozes charisma, but never sounds fake or forced. Titles include "Do The Dog", "Eso Beso", "Work Song", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Shop Around", "Humpty Dumpty", and "You Can't Sit Down". Fame At Last is a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and R&B – all filtered through a mod sort of London freshness, as early proof that the city could always take some great things from our own musical roots, and feed it back to us with a whole new flavor! Georgie's no copycat here, though – and the sound is instantly Fame-like – a style that's really not the sort that any Americans were doing at the time, and certainly never this well. Hard-burning Hammond colors most of the tunes here – played with a tightly vamping quality – but it's Georgie's charmingly crackling vocals that really win us over! Titles include "Gimme That Wine", "Pink Champagne", "Monkeying Around", "Green Onions", "Let The Sunshine In", "Get On The Right Track Baby", "I'm In The Mood For Love", and "I Love The Life I Live". Sweet Things is a definite sweet thing from Georgie Fame – a record that has him filling in his sound even more than before, with tremendously soulful results! The backings here are bigger than before – a bit tooled in an American soul mode, but still with that beautifully raspy Georgie Fame touch – lots of jazzy inflections on the vocals, and a way of handling a tune, even a familiar one, and really working it on his own level. Hammond still fills in most of the tunes, but other instrumentation includes some nice African percussion from Speedy Acquaye, saxes from Pete Coe, and some nice bold drums from John Mitchell. These come out to the forefront on the classic funky tune "Music Talk" – and still sound great on other numbers that include "The World Is Round", "Last Night", "Dr Kitch", "My Girl", "Ride Your Pony", and "Sweet Thing". Sound Venture is one of the jazziest early albums from Georgie Fame – a set that has him singing with the big band of Harry South, at a level that's a lot more complicated than some of his other work with The Blue Flames! The style here still has that mod 60s London feel, but it also has some deeper inflections as well – modes borrowed a bit from Jon Hendricks or Mose Allison, yet served up with even greater complexity – at a level that really points towards the tremendous growth Fame would unleash over the next few years. Members of the group include Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, Dick Morrisey, Kenny Wheeler, and many other key Brit jazz figures of the time – and titles include "Three Blind Mice", "Dawn Yawn", "Feed Me", "Lovey Dovey", "Lil Darlin", "Lil Pony", "I Am Missing You", and "Many Happy Returns". CD5 is Bend A Little – a package with 20 unusual titles – demos, rare tracks, and outtakes – including unreleased tracks, IBC recordings, and even two German tracks too! Plus, each individual CD comes with bonus tracks – 40 bonus tracks, in addition to the 20 more titles on the Bend A Little set – a huge amount of material! CD

With saxophonist/keyboardist Eric Hargett, saxophonist Jerry Espinoza, bassist James Suter, and guitarist Tommy Howard joined by Michelle Gaibay Carey. CD

Larry Goldings on piano, bells, vibraphone, and organ, Harry Allen on tenor saxophone, Doug Weiss and Neal Miner on bass, and Andy Watson on drums with the Metropole Orkest arranged and conducted by Vince Mondoza. CD

A really strong debut from Anthony Hamilton – easily the strongest album we've ever heard on the usually much more commercial So So Def label! Anthony seriously vibrates the rich depth of southern soul on every cut here, as filtered through late-model natural hip hop beats and vibes. He's definitely influenced by Erykah Badu's sound and Voodoo-era D'Angelo (which HAS to be the most influential serious soul album of the last decade or so), but the groove is a lot sweeter and less tortured than D's. It's really warm and inviting all the way through – crisp beats, tight keys, bass and percussion, and light guitar accent Anthony's lilting and layered vocals very nicely. All of the elements are just familiar enough to let you cozy up to the material right off the bat, but Hamilton's his own man here – nothing's directly bitten, just nicely approximated. Tracks include "Mama Knew Love", "Cornbread, Fish and Collared Greens", "Since I Seen't You", "Charlene", "I'm A Mess", "Comin' From Where I'm From", "Lucille", "Float", "My First Love" and more. A nice record from the not-so-dirty south! CD

The album's hardly an overview of Jay Hoggard's career – and instead, it's a nicely focused little session that sparkles with fresh warmth and imagination! Jay's vibes get some great accompaniment from Geri Allen's piano on the date – and both players show a similar style of keeping one ear towards the outside, but mostly playing inside – mixing piano and vibes up nicely with a warmly chromatic feel. Rhythm is from Ed Rozie on bass and Freddie Waits on drums – and titles include "Blues Bags", "Aguacate", "Overview", "Put On A Happy Face", and "Convergence". CD

An obscure bit of boozy sad songs – proof that Holliday had a lot more to offer than just an extremely strong showing on Broadway. She's working here with arrangements by Glen Osser that sort of take off from the spirit of "The Party's Over" – sad and dreamy, but also with a bit of hope. Titles include "Lonely Town", "How About Me", "Trouble is A Man", "Am I Blue", "Confession", and "An Occasional Man". CD

A sweet late 70s set from Freddie Hubbard – a slight move away from some of his highly-electric sides of the CTI years, yet one that still has some of the most soulful qualities of that work! Freddie's trumpet has a nicely spacious quality throughout – one that's flowing, and almost glowing at time – cascading along with qualities you might be more likely to hear from Art Farmer on some of the gentler numbers, yet really bursting out with that old Hubbard dynamism on the rest. Other players include Joe Henderson on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, Kenny Barron on piano and keyboards, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and George Benson also guests on guitar on one number too. A good number of the titles are originals, and tracks include "Super Blue", "To Her Ladyship", "Take It To The Ozone", "The Gospel Truth", and "Theme For Kareem". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

A nicely focused little collection on the great Ferlin Husky – one that brings together some of his more upbeat tunes from the early generation of rock and roll – although the music is still pretty darn country overall! Or rather, hillbilly – said in the most respectful way of the time – as the cuts often have some bumping basslines that are clearly borrowed a bit from rockabilly, and have that wonderfully full Capitol Records production style of the late 50s – which can illuminate even a casual moment in a tune, and make Ferlin's wit and personality really come through in the vocals! The CD's one of the best collections we've ever seen to focus on this side of Husky's great, and overlooked talent – and titles include "I Feel Better All Over", "Slow Down Brother", "Cross Eyed Gal From The Ozarks", "Detour", "Prize Possession", "Black Sheep", "Eli The Camel", "Excuse Me Stranger", "Wang Dang Doo", "I Will", and "Muki Ruki". CD

Really lovely piano work from Masaru Imada – a player who's a bit gentler than some of his Japanese contemporaries of the early 70s, but who also works with this wonderfully lyrical tone! Imada does a great job of balancing a sense of flow with a punctuated approach to the keys – never overdone, and often with this spacious sensibility – but more pointed than a Bill Evans style as well. The first half of the album is solo material, and the second features a trio – bass is by Isoo Fukui and drums are by Mashiko Ozu – both players who step into Imada's world in a way that's subtle, but extremely effective. Titles include "Poppy", "Sea Weeds", "Ascent", "Left Alone", and "When Sunny Gets Blue". CD

Really wonderful work from Jazzhole – a record that goes far beyond some of the simpler modes bubbling around the Neo Soul underground these days! Lead vocalist Marlon Saunders will be familiar to Dusty Groove customers for his other great solo work – but here his sound is somewhat different – a bit more introspective and sophisticated, with a warm rasp in his voice that sounds beautiful alongside the flowing keyboards and jazzy phrasing of the backings. The style is one that's really all its own – certainly inspired a bit by the classics, but hardly a simple copy of them – and Jazzhole prove once again that they're a great little combo who don't need to hit you over the head to hook you into their soul! Titles include "Poet's Walk", "All The Ways", "Jonesing", "One More Time", "Do It Right", "Timeless", and "It Would Have Been Enough" – plus a surprisingly great cover of Boz Scaggs' "Lowdown". CD

Johnson in duets with Gary Burton, Makoto Ozone, Toots Thielemans, and Lucy Crane. CD

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Brilliant work from one of our favorite Brazilian artists ever – a singer who only seems to get better with age, and who's working here with some beautiful help from Dori Caymmi! Caymmi plays guitar and sings on a good portion of the album with Joyce – helping to flesh out the overall sound and give it a bit more depth – taking Joyce's already-wonderful mix of breezy vocals, bossa rhythms, and light guitar, and inflecting it with a strong sense of history and tradition. With Dori on board, Joyce is actually freed from playing guitar on most of the record – a feature that seems to bring even more force to her vocals – and as usual, husband Tutty Moreno is in the group, providing some lightly dancing rhythms on the drum kit! Titles include "Mercador De Siri", "Rio Bahia", "Jogo De Cintura", "Saudade Da Bahia", "Demoro", "Pra Que Chorar", "Joaozinho Boa Pinta", and "Flor Da Bahia". CD

Rare alternate trakes recorded for Vee Jay and not issued at the time! The collection pulls from two different sessions and features Kelly on piano, Booker Little on tenor, Frank Stozier on alto, Paul Chambers or Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Titles include "Joe's Avenue", "Char's Blues", "Autumn Leaves", and "Someday My Prince Will Come". CD

David Kikoski on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. CD

Beautiful early work from John Klemmer – one of the most under-rated talents of his generation, and a great player who frequently gets overlooked because of his later, smoother work. This album is Klemmer's first – recorded with a soulful Chicago tenor sound, touched with some of the freedoms of the late 60s Cadet Records scene. The approach is a bit like Eddie Harris at his best – with Klemmer rolling out soulful, stretched out notes over backing by a Harris-inspired rhythm section that includes Melvin Jackson on bass, Wilbur Cambell on drums, and Jodie Christian on piano. The groove is very solid, very in the pocket – and Klemmer blows in a tradition that includes Frank Strozier and Eric Alexander – 2 other players who've made a strong contribution to the Chicago scene. Titles include "My Blues", "Will N Jug", "Passion Food", "Stand In the Sun", and "Later With Them Woes". CD

Trumpeter Josh Lawrence has a nicely compressed approach to his trumpet – a sound that's sometimes got the more focused vibe of an early Miles Davis, along with all the sense of sparkle that might imply – yet with a delivery that's got a lot more space between the notes, and which really catches the best sort of energy from his hip bandmates on the date! Willie Morris III provides some sharper lines on tenor, and the rhythm work is wonderfully warm and fluid – with Art Hirihara on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and either Rudy Royston or Jason Tiemann on drums. Lawrence contributed some great original material to the record – "Left Hanging", "Cantus Firmus", "North Winds", and "Black Keys" – and Morris contributed the cuts "Grit" and "Hole In The Wall". CD

A mid 70s west coast bop side, from a few players who had faded a bit from their prime, but are still playing with a lot of energy and freshness. The treat for us is Frank Strozier on alto and flute, joined by Conte Condoli on trumpet up front, while Monty Budwig and Mike Wofford round out the rhythm section. 8 tracks in all, including "Perk Up", "I Married An Angel", "Seer", "Bleep" and "Bird Of Paradise". CD

Angular and modern work from guitarist Pat Martino – working here in a field of dark tones and colors that recalls some of his best moments of the 70s! The album's got Pat playing with a quintet that includes Joe Lovano, Gonzalo Rubacalba, Christian McBride, and Lewis Nash – and the tracks effortlessly bend around complicated rhythms while still managing a nice degree of swing. Titles include "Africa", "Dozen Down", "Think Tank", "The Phineas Trane", "Earthlings", "Before You Ask", and "Quatessence". CD

Wild electric work from Les McCann – an album of free, open sounds that's quite a change from his styles of the 60s – and from most of his other work of the 70s too! Side one features an extended 26 minute track titled "The Lovers" – a slow-building number that has Les on sublime Fender Rhodes, as things build slowly with this really spiritual current that comes from the addition of Yusef Lateef on reeds, Cornell Dupree and David Spinozza on guitar, Corky Hale on harp, and both Bernard Purdie and Alphonse Mouzon on drums! The track is loose, but builds into some great funky moments – almost a keyboard version of electric Miles Davis at the time, but a lot more soulful. And side two continues the heavy keyboard vibe – with a killer remake of Les' classic "Beaux J Poo Poo" and a similar "Poo Pye McGoochie", both with the kind of choppy funky grooves Les laid down with Eddie Harris a few years prior! CD features a long bonus track – a live version of "Compared To What", which originally appeared on the Doldinger Jubilee album from 1975. CD

The Mekons follow up to Fear & Whiskey, another incredible moment in what might by their best ever period – and most certainly a favorite of ours for the addition of the great Sally Timms to the band! We can't speak for the crowds overseas, but at this point in the Mekons touring career, we'd wager that as many 25 out of every 40 people at their live shows in the US were rock critics with literary ambitions. We mean that as a compliment to both the band and the critics. There's a poetic, boozy passion to the lyrics and the musical craft is a little more straight forward here than the preceding effort, and a maybe a little more formative of the alt country sound they'd come be credited for inspiring. It's their second straight up classic album in a row, with titles including "Hello Cruel World", "Ugly Band", "Big Zombie", The Letter", "Dream Dream Dream", "Slightly South Of The Border", "King Arthur", and "Oblivion". CD

A great lost bit of funk – and a pretty mysterious record, too! The record came out hot on the heels of Manu Dibango's big original version of "Soul Makossa" – and while it's got a groove that definitely leans towards Afro Funk, it's also got plenty of Caribbean touches too – a wicked blend of funk and island styles that's almost like The Beginning Of The End at some of the best moments – but with a touch of New York underground as well! We've never been entirely sure if the group wasn't just a Winley Records studio project – maybe The Rimshots under another name – but whatever the case, the record's a damn funky classic – filled with lots of original-sounding grooves that make the whole thing well worth tracking down. Titles include a version of "Soul Makossa", with a groove that's harder than the original – plus "Skin N Soul", "Good Groove", "Mozambique", "Finger In It", "Dance Girl", and the extended "Bahamas Melody". CD

Fantastic – and one of Mingus' greatest albums ever! This one ranks right up with The Clown and Pithecantropus Erectus for sheer raw power and emotion – and Mingus' writing here is incredibly tight, giving soloists like Charlie Mariano, Jaki Byard, Richard Williams, and Jerome Richardson a real workout. The set's an extended suite of tracks with sort of a semi-ballet form. Don't let this fool you into thinking that the work's some sort of semi-classical snoozer, though – as Mingus uses the structure to hit some brilliant raw emotion, and the "dance" part of the piece gives the work a tight rhythmic form, pushing the soloists into raw urgent grooves, of a nature that never show up on Mingus' other work from the time. Titles include "Trio & Group Dancers", "Solo Dancer", "Group & Solo Dance", and "Duet Solo Dancers". CD

Fantastic – and one of Mingus' greatest albums ever! This one ranks right up with The Clown and Pithecantropus Erectus for sheer raw power and emotion – and Mingus' writing here is incredibly tight, giving soloists like Charlie Mariano, Jaki Byard, Richard Williams, and Jerome Richardson a real workout. The set's an extended suite of tracks with sort of a semi-ballet form. Don't let this fool you into thinking that the work's some sort of semi-classical snoozer, though – as Mingus uses the structure to hit some brilliant raw emotion, and the "dance" part of the piece gives the work a tight rhythmic form, pushing the soloists into raw urgent grooves, of a nature that never show up on Mingus' other work from the time. Titles include "Trio & Group Dancers", "Solo Dancer", "Group & Solo Dance", and "Duet Solo Dancers". Quite hard to find on the original vinyl, too – which is why we're extra-excited to have it on CD! CD

A sharp blend of edgey guitar, offbeat vocals, and lots of other electronic elements – but still served up with plenty of warmth, thanks to the unique approach of Thiago Nassif! Nassif works here with contributions from Vinicius Cantuaria and Arto Lindsay – and in a way, his music is in a similar territory to both of those artists – but as unique as any of their recordings over the years too! Nassif clearly understands the deeper corners of Brazilian music, and has an ear for more experimental modes – but also finds a way to make music with a very personal statement, as he weaves together electric drums with real percussion, guitar loops and keyboards, and even some "Venom synth" of his own. Titles include "Pele De Leopardo", "Voz Unica Foto Sem Calcinha", "Plastico", "Trepa Trepa", "Feral Fox", and "Transparente". CD

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Wonderful work by a group who really know how to make their mark – coming across with a sound that's very much their own, with a quality that hits you from the very first note! As with previous records, a big part of the sound here depends on the vibes of Behn Gillece – already a really great player on his own records, and a core part of the color and tone of this quintet – a tight lineup that also features Patrick Cornelius on alto, Ryan Keberle on trombone, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums! There's a way in which the vibes are used that's very different than on other records of this nature – maybe the initial paintbrush on the palette, with a stroke that resonates throughout the canvas and touches all other players – bringing them together wonderfully on tunes that include "Slope Of The Blues", "Dinner Is Served", "We Will Know", "Sisters Of Mine", "We Dare", "After KW", and "Waiting For Takeoff". CD

Nice collection of rootsy New Orleans music with a dozen tacks in all, including Professor Longhair "Go To The Mardi Gras" and "Big Chief (parts 1 & 2)", Al Johnson "Carnival Time", the Hawketts "Mardio Gras Mambo", the Wild Magnolias "Handa Wanda (parts 1 & 2)", "New Suit" and "(Big Chief Like Plenty Of) Fire Water", Stop, Inc "Second Line (parts 1 & 2) and Earl King "Street Paradise". CD

All girl singers should be this lucky! Gale Robbins is a pretty nice vocalist, although nothing fancy – but on this set, she's lucky enough to have some great backings from Eddie Cano – whose orchestra picks up the pace with plenty of musical flourishes, and the occasional light Latin touches! The tunes are sung by Gale in a style that's a bit torchy and a bit boozy – as much from the chest as from the heart, if you know what we mean – and Cano's backings really make the set a late 50s standout from RCA. Titles include "Best Of All", "Golden Earrings", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "Here I Go". CD

Donald Rubenstein's great soundtrack to George A.Romero's underrated, original riff on vampirism – and the score is a distinctive work, too! Kind of like the film, Donald Rubenstein's score both recalls and subverts genre expectations, with stripped down and eerie piano and string pieces, but also strange bits of percussion and woozy, dreamlike passages. It's impressive work, and probably pretty influential to some of the stranger, but still compositionally accomplished soundtracks to come later on down the road! Includes "The Calling (Main Title)", "Martin At The Butcher Shop", "Christina Leaves", "Back To Me", "Crawling Sequence", "Fly By Night", "Exorcism/Classical Funk", "Stake, Well Done!", and more. CD

A later recording from Pharoah, when he was working with Bill Laswell in the mid and late 90s. Laswell's on production, and the lineup features some of his international and funk-based crew like Foday Muso Sosa, Bernie Worrell and Aiyb Deng, plus older collaborators like Michael White, and some of the then young newer scene liek Charnett Moffett. The vibe is definitely of the times, with some heavier elements and hip hop influenced beats, but a few classic spiritual grooves too. 6 numbers in all, including "Our Roots (Began In Afrca)", "Nozipho", "Tomoki", "Ocean Song", "Kumba" and "Country Mile". CD

A fantastic record – one of Shaw's real landmarks of the 70s, and a lasting testament of soul jazz genius! The record features Shaw working with a group that includes a number of like-minded players – Frank Strozier, Ronnie Matthews, and Stafford James – all of whom fit together perfectly with Shaw to craft some strident tunes with the same sort of modal groove and soulful spiritualism as his work on the Moontrane record. Titles include "Sashianova", which has a great modal groove, "Jean Marie", and "Tomorrow's Destiny" – but the whole album is great together, and we never tire of listening to it! CD

Key early work from trumpeter Jack Sheldon – a set that captures his talents at their most basic and most stripped-down – very much in the spirit of the best LA jazz coming out on the Pacific Jazz label at the time! If the cover makes the set look a bit like a Chet Baker album, that's because there's a bit of the Baker approach here – one that's simple and focused, with a strongly melodic style that comes through beautifully on Sheldon's shimmering horn. But there's also a bit more of an edge, too – thanks to bold piano work from Walter Norris, and the addition of Zoot Sims on a number of tracks – and unlike Baker (or Sheldon on later records), there's no vocals here at all – just a strong instrumental groove. Titles include "Beach-Wise", "Groovus Mentus", "Dozo", "Jack Departs", and "Palermo Walk". CD

Key early work from trumpeter Jack Sheldon – a set that captures his talents at their most basic and most stripped-down – very much in the spirit of the best LA jazz coming out on the Pacific Jazz label at the time! If the cover makes the set look a bit like a Chet Baker album, that's because there's a bit of the Baker approach here – one that's simple and focused, with a strongly melodic style that comes through beautifully on Sheldon's shimmering horn. But there's also a bit more of an edge, too – thanks to bold piano work from Walter Norris, and the addition of Zoot Sims on a number of tracks – and unlike Baker (or Sheldon on later records), there's no vocals here at all – just a strong instrumental groove. Titles include "Beach-Wise", "Groovus Mentus", "Dozo", "Jack Departs", and "Palermo Walk" – plus three bonus tracks! CD

One of Jimmy's most classic albums for Blue Note – and a key example of why his solo skills on the organ surpassed most of his contemporaries! The record's got a stripped-down trio group of Jimmy, guitarist Quentin Warren, and drummer Donald Bailey – working through mostly familiar numbers, but taking them to places previously unheard of! The best example of this is the album's amazing version of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" – a classic groover that takes the old snoozer and pumps it up with a snapping rhythm, then features Jimmy really working the whole thing over with an incredible solo! A similar format's applied to numbers that include "Mack the Knife", "Night in Tunisia", "What's New", and "Makin Whoopee" – and the album soars with an easy groove that's every bit of Jimmy at his best! CD features 2 bonus tracks too! CD

A surprisingly great batch of modern salsa tracks – recorded with a really classic feel! The group's led by pianist/arranger Oscar Hernandez – and it features work by a number of older salsa legends, including Jimmy Sabater, Ruben Rodriguez, and Bobby Allende. Tight all the way through – with the feel of a mid 70s side on Fania Records – and with tracks that include "Tambori", "Obsesion", "Mam Guela", "La Banda", and "Pa Gozar". CD

A dozen hits. CD

Recorded live at Dietrich Keuning Haus Dortmund November 11th 2005. CD

Trombone Shorty continues to charismatically do away with genre definitions of all kinds as well as defying convential expectations New Orleans brass band jazz, soul or jazzy soul – he's been doing that for years and it's still his way on For True! Trombone Shorty is also B-3 Shorty, Drums Shorty, Piano Shorty, Bass Shorty , Singer Shorty and Percussion Shorty – the fella does it all in some cases – with some accompaniment on guitar, bass, drums, percussion and sax. Some famous admirers join, too, including Rebirth Brass Band, Warren Haynes (on a song co-written by Shorty & Lamont Dozier) and others. Includes "Buckjump", "Encore", "For True", "Do To Me", "The Craziest Thing", "Dumaine St", "Mrs. Orleans", "Nervis", "Roses", "Big 12", "There There Was You" and "Lagniappe" (Pts 1 & 2). CD

Early punk rock work from Ultravox – a record that's a lot sharper-edged than some of the group's later, more electronic pop! The guitars are very much upfront in the mix here – and although some tracks show a nascent love of synth, it's often mixed in with noisier, more driving sounds that are very much the best spirit of the British underground, circa 1977! And while it might be a stretch to call this a strictly punk rock record, it does stand very nicely next to some of the best mainstream punk releases from the same generation – and in a way, the stylistic complications of the set almost make it more appealing over the years – a bit of a label-less effort that still sounds plenty unique! Titles include "Rockwork", "The Frozen Ones", "Fear In The Western World", "The Man Who Dies Every Day", "Distant Smile", and "Hiroshima Mon Amour". CD features 6 bonus tracks too – including "Young Savage", "Hiroshima Mon Amour (alt version)", "Quirks", "The Man Who Dies Every Day (live)", and "Young Savage (live)". CD

Nice overstuffed "best of" compilation that features work by Veloso that spans from his early Tropicalia years to the stuff he did as a pseudo-new wave artist in the early 80s. 7 cuts alone are from the pivotal year of 1968 – including "Shy Moon", "Lua De Sao Jorge", "Superbacana", and "Soy Loco Por Ti America" – and others are from the mid and late 70s, like "Beleza Pura", "Trilhos Urbanos", "Odara", "O Leaozinho", and "Qualquer Coisa". Not all of this material is available on the other CDs we carry, and the set itself is a great way to begin to get into the work of Veloso, who we feel is one of the greatest musical artists of the late 20th century! CD

An incredible album – and a real surprise in the catalog of Harold Vick, one of those players who just gets hipper the more you listen to him! Harold's working here with a really great group that includes Bobby Hutcherson, Blue Mitchell, Montego Joe, Walter Booker, and Mickey Roker – all of whom perform the extended "Carribean Suite", a long Latin-tinged piece written by Kenny Graham – the famous 50s British leader who's work with Afro-Cuban jazz was as important to the London scene as the work of Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo was to that of New York! The album's filled with fire and some very unusual twists – and titles include "Letitia", "Dance Of The Zombies", "Haitian Ritual", "Beguine", "Mango Walk", "Bongo Chant", and "Wha Hupp'n". CD

A great little 15 track CD that compiles some of Lester Young's small combo work for Savoy – featuring backing by players that include Count Basie, Freddie Green, Shadow Wilson, Cozy Cole, Roy Haynes, and Junior Mance. Titles include "June Bug", "Blue Lester", "Blues N Bells", "Basie English", "Jump Lester Jump", and "Ding Dong" – and the album comes with a great cover image! CD