The mighty Mulatu Astatke has given us lots of amazing music over the years – key records both home in Ethiopia and here in the US – yet this performance may well be one of his most special, as it unites the legendary musician with a host of giants from the American scene – all in a one-off performance that finally gave Mulatu his due! The leader handles vibes at the helm of an all-star group that includes Bennie Maupin on flute and soprano sax, Azar Lawrence on tenor, and Phil Ranelin on trombone – all spiritual jazz giants of the 70s who only further expand the genius of Mulatu's music – in the company of some younger musicians who include Miguel Atwood Ferguson on violin and Brandon Coleman on electric piano and organ. The whole thing is very much in keeping with the best Mulatu classics from back in the day, but also pushes things forward wonderfully too, with a lot more jazz in the mix – on titles that include "Yekermo Sew", "The Radcliffe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", "I Faram Gami", "Yekatit", "Mulatu", and "Ebo Lala". CD

The sound of Gerry Mulligan in the early 60s – and one of the best records by his larger than usual Concert Jazz Band! Given Gerry's piano-less experiments of the 50s, it's surprising to actually have him as the pianist on this session – hitting the keys with a nice light touch, so that the larger horn section can take over most of the tunes – a beautifully-arranged ensemble who have a feel that's lighter than some of the groups of the 50s – such as the Kenton ensemble – yet one that's equally modern at times! The lineup is wonderful – with Clark Terry and Nick Travis on trumpets, Willie Dennis and Bob Brookmeyer on trombones, and Gene Quill, Gene Allen, and Eddie Caine on saxes – plus guitar from Jim Hall, bass from Bill Crow, and drums from Gus Johnson. Titles include "Big City Life", "Bridgehampton South", "My Kind Of Love", "Pretty Gypsy", "Bridgehampton Strut", and "Big City Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A magical meeting of two tremendous talents – saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla – heard here in a rare Italian recording from the 70s! The album's a really unique effort for both musicians – a bit more pensive and thoughtful than some of Piazzolla's usual work from the 70s, and much less jazz-based than Mulligan's other records – more in a soundtrack mode, and one that seems to have echoes of Gato Barbieri's score to Last Tango In Paris! Like that great record, this one mixes Argentine styles with freer, more fluid ones – updating roots with a 70s sense of sophistication, and really letting Gerry Mulligan take off in long, open-ended solos that are among some of his best work of the decade. Other instrumentation includes marimba, guitar, keyboards, and percussion from Tullio De Piscopo – plus a bit of strings as well – and titles include "20 Years Ago", "Close Your Eyes & Listen", "Deus Xango", "Aire De Buenos Aires", "Summit", and "Years Of Solitude". CD

Mylon LeFevre ended up on the more spiritual side of the spectrum in his later years – but here on this great early set, he manages to blend gospel roots with some great elements of southern rock and soul – all produced by Allen Toussaint, and handled with a surprisingly soulful groove at times! Mylon handles lead vocals and acoustic guitar – but he's backed by a very sharp combo who effortlessly blend influences from soul with rockish guitar lines – maybe more Capricorn Records than Cotillion, and given some additional soul touches from the backing vocals on the record from Merry Clayton, Clydie King, and Venetta Fields! Tracks are almost all originals by Mylon – and titles include "Who Knows", "Sweet Peace Within", "Trying To Be Free", "Pleasing Who Pleases You", "The Only Thing That's Free", and "Peace Begins Within". CD

One of Oliver Nelson's hippest albums – a bold statement of righteous energy, and a fantastic summation of all the genius he'd created during the 60s as an arranger for other people's records! The record is almost at a Duke Ellington level – a complex yet soulful suite of tracks for the post-60s years – complete with some sound effects of rioting and urban strife at the beginning, and a mix of modern, modal, and compositional styles that bursts out with pride and power that we wouldn't have heard in Nelson's music a decade before! The soloists are great – and the album features wonderful read work from John Klemmer, Frank Strozier, and Nelson himself – on great original titles that include "Self Help Is Needed", "I Hope In Time A Change Will Come", "Requiem Afterthoughts", "Lamb Of God", and "Martin Was A Man A Real Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last sessions Oliver Nelson ever recorded – a genius batch of work recorded for the Japanese East Wind label, and maybe one of his greatest albums ever! The set's a wonderful link between the sophisticated large group sounds that Nelson did for Impulse Records in the 60s, and some of the more expansive styles he was trying out on the Flying Dutchman imprint in the 70s – a batch of work that both has that sense of majesty that Nelson could command at his best, but which still retains an earthy vibe overall. The group is great – with soulful work from Bobby Bryant on trumpet, Jerome Richardson on soprano sax and flute, Buddy Collette on tenor and flute, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – and the rhythm section has some great Fender Rhodes from Mike Wofford, given more push from the electric bass of Chuck Dominico, and some open-ended drum work from Shelly Manne. Titles include a wonderful remake of Nelson's "Stolen Moments", the groover "Mission Accomplished", and the tracks "St Thomas", "Three Seconds", and "Yearnin". CD

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A gem of an album from Randy Newman – a masterpiece of understated with from the mid 70s, and one of his most fully-conceived records for Warner Brothers! The album offers up a vision of the south, past and present, through Newman's eyes – eyes that are partially clouded by the distance of the scene seen from the vantage point of smoggy LA, but which still manage to pull out various strands of life with surprising poignancy. It's easy to write this one off as some sort of slap against the face of the backward south in the 70s, but Newman actually approaches his subjects with some sort of subtle tenderness – not nearly as mean as you might think on first listen, as evidenced by the beautiful orchestrations he penned for the sessions. Titles include "Birmingham", "Marie", "Rednecks", "Louisiana 1927", "Rollin", "Back On My Feet Again", and "Wedding In Cherokee County". CD

A great pairing of funky talents old and new – 70s sound library legend Janko Nilovic on keyboards, and the totally hip Soul Surfers combo on rhythms – providing these great backdrops for some surprisingly wonderful work on organ, piano, and Rhodes from Janko! We'll confess, we didn't know what to expect – we love Janko's old records, but we're sure about recent material – but the album's a killer, and has all the sharp sense of rhythm and flair for the unusual electric bit that made the classic material so wonderful! The set was recorded in both Paris and Novgorod – and titles include "Sweet Path", "Maze Of Sounds", "It Never Ends", "Say It Softly", "Prelude", and "Wavy". LP, Vinyl record album

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Don't confuse these guys with the British group of the same name, because this Nucleus is a Canadian rock group with a very heavy sound – a heady brew of fuzz guitar and freaky organ, all recorded with a nice raw edge! The group's one of the fiercest of the late 60s psych scene on Mainstream Records – and they jam here on 6 long tracks that build, burn, and bubble over with plenty of intensity – topped with some vocals that are surprisingly poetic at points, yet never in a way that's too soft to undercut the instrumental strength of the set. Titles include "Lost & Found", "Share Your Color", "Communication", "Judgement Day", "All About Me & The Spidery Bass", and "Jenny Wake Up". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest, wildest albums ever from Nurse With Wound – and a set that's completely different than most of their other material too! The album's got a feel that really lives up to the cover – sort of a parody of 50s lounge music, filtered through the sensibility of mid 80s British industrial – which means that the sounds come from an array of different elements – including original records, old tapes, live performance, and lots of electronics and production twists – which really abstract all the elements into this mad sort of bachelor pad nightmare! There's still plenty of the noise we love in NWW, but also a surprising sense of humor – not one that goes for easy jokes, but which like Current 93 at this point, is really beginning to find its aesthetic and hone its skills. The bulk of the record features the maddening "You Walrus Hurt The One You Love" – and the rest is "Great Balls Of Fur", billed as the last performance of Murray Fontana! Great 2CD version features a whole bonus disc of rare materials recorded at the same time – including "Elderly Man River", "Chicken In Drag", "Yoko's Anniversary", "It Just Ain't So", and "Excerpt From Pricksongs". CD

A Hollywood Party, recorded in New Jersey – with a groove that's every bit as tight as any of Odyssey's best records, but with a slightly jazzier vibe as well! The set's a great example of the way the trio pushed the 70s soul game further – taking the early 70s RCA AM radio style, and moving it forward with some elements from the club generation – but all at a level that was never throwaway disco either! The record's got a really rich feel from the start – and uses some great jazzy session players to flesh out the group's vocals in a wonderful way. Arrangements are by Sandy Linzer, who co-produced with Charlie Calello – and although there's some obvious disco fullness here, the main focus is on midtempo tunes that glide along in a slightly mellow way – almost like work by Side Effect from the time. Titles include "Lucky Star", "Single Again", "I Dare Ya", "Comin Back For More", "Hey Bill", and "What Time Does The Balloon Go Up". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible pairing of talents – and a record that proves once again that the vibes of Roy Ayers are maybe one of the most powerfully soulful forces in the universe! It's no surprise that Roy's old records have formed the building blocks of key hip hop tracks over the years – and year, Ayers serves up vibes alongside fresh production from Oh No – in a set of all instrumental tracks that are overflowing with sweet vibes from the master, plus a blinding array of beats, samples, and other great production elements! Tracks are short and to the point, yet still deliver plenty – and titles include "Another Two 4", "Ice Cold Coolers", "Penthouse Elevators", "Intended Mayhem", "Short Tempers", "Dead Ringers", "Unbeautiful", "Leeches" and "Problems & Solvers". CD

An incredible pairing of talents – and a record that proves once again that the vibes of Roy Ayers are maybe one of the most powerfully soulful forces in the universe! It's no surprise that Roy's old records have formed the building blocks of key hip hop tracks over the years – and year, Ayers serves up vibes alongside fresh production from Oh No – in a set of all instrumental tracks that are overflowing with sweet vibes from the master, plus a blinding array of beats, samples, and other great production elements! Tracks are short and to the point, yet still deliver plenty – and titles include "Another Two 4", "Ice Cold Coolers", "Penthouse Elevators", "Intended Mayhem", "Short Tempers", "Dead Ringers", "Unbeautiful", "Leeches" and "Problems & Solvers". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Savoy Records 78s from Johnny Otis – with work from his whole large group of performers – including Little Esther, The Robins, Jimmy Rushing, Mel Walker, Preacher Lee Graves, and Redd Lyte! LP, Vinyl record album

The very first album from Pacific Gas & Electric – the hard-wailing west coast group who later recorded more famously for Columbia Records, but who are completely on fire here! The set was done for the Bright Orange subsidiary of Kent Records – that LA imprint who did such a great job with blues, soul, and R&B in the 50s and 60s – and who really let the group here stay close to their blues inspirations, while also letting their freak flag fly with some very cool Cali elements too! As with so many of the other groups of their time who maybe started out in blues, PG&E are quickly moving into territory that's all their own – taking off with psychedelic elements and strongly soulful touches – served up with some great lead guitar work from Glenn Schwartz, some heavy fuzz bass by Brent Block, and raw vocals from Charlie Allen. Tracks include a great remake of the Bobby Blue Bland Tune "Cry Cry Cry" – plus"Wade In The Water", "The Motor City Is Burning", "The Hunger", "Long Handled Shovel", "Jelly Jelly", "Stormy Times", and "Live Love". CD

Beautiful work from The Paris Sisters – one of the coolest, grooviest girl groups of the 60s – and one who've got a sound that's really a cut above most of their contemporaries! There's something strangely sinister about this trio – not just the sweet sounds you might expect, but also this undercurrent of darkness that often seems emphasized in the hip production they receive – work on these cuts by 60s studio giants like Phil Spector, Jack Nitzsche, Nik Venet, and Terry Melcher – who move these gals past simple Brill Building pop, into territory that's often a lot spookier. The package is the first to really offer up the full spectrum of the trio's genius – and features five never-issued tracks, plus work the girls did for Reprise, MGM, Columbia, Mercury, and Capitol Records – all with the usual top-shelf Ace Records presentation and notes. Titles include "Stand Naked Clown", "You", "Baby That's Me", "Lonely Girl", "When I'm Alone With You", "See That Boy", "Greener Days", "He Knows I Love Him Too Much", "My Good Friend", "Be My Boy", "Play It One More Time", "I Came A Long Way To Nowhere", "Long After Tonight Is Over", "Dream Lover", and even a "Diet Rite Commercial". CD

You'll be hard pressed to find a better collection of Charlie Parker's classic work! Not only does the set include all of the legendary Dial Records sides – which have been compiled elsewhere, but not as beautifully as here – but it also contains all of Bird's great recordings for Savoy, excellent tracks from the classic years, often poorly packaged over the years, but here part of a really wonderful set! This thing's got to be seen to be believed – as it's got a spiral notebook containing 8 CDs, with a slipcase for a big book that features loads of photos, notes on the session, and voluminous liner notes commissioned for the package. Plus, in addition to master and alternate takes of all the Dial and Savoy recordings, you'll also get sides recorded with Dizzy Gillespie for the Guild, Bel-Tone, and Comet labels! Wonderful stuff, and a great gift – for yourself! CD

A legendary live performance, and one that's often billed as a high moment in the history of bebop – a special concert-only group that brings together five key bop heavyweights – Charlie Parker on alto, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max Roach on drums – all coming together in a unique one-off performance! The set was recorded up in Canada, and represents one of the first widely-circulated live recordings of a straight bop set – different than some of the mix of styles you'd get on a JATP record, with long tracks that really show the nonstop creative energy that shifts between the players. The original vinyl release broke the concert out into two records – and this is the quintet material, with titles that include "Perdido", "Salt Peanuts", "All The Things You Are", "Wee", and "Hot House". CD

Fantastic solo sounds from guitarist Jeff Parker – a set of recordings that were all done live, with no overdubs at all – but which really show a complex approach to his overall sound! Parker's almost in some of the more abstract territory here as on some of his Chicago Underground Duo recordings – but he's also maybe a bit more tuneful, while also more introspective – showing us a personal, human side of his music that's extremely moving – and which really comes as quite a surprise, compared to some of his other records. Some numbers almost have a Jim Hall-like fragility, while other points are more creatively textural – and the whole thing is really wonderful, and represents a whole new step for Parker – a musician who's already been blowing our mind for about 20 years. Titles include "Super Rich Kids", "Slight Freedom", "Mainz", and a beautiful take on "Lush Life". LP, Vinyl record album

The Mothership goes under water – as George Clinton and crew groove away nicely on this water-themed set of tracks designed to raise Atlantis from the deep! The overall sound is perhaps not as totally perfect as some of the earlier records, but the P-Funk machine is still in full effect – cranking away nice and hard on tracks like "Liquid Sunshine", "Motor Booty Affair", "Deep", "Rumpofsteelskin", and "(Your'e A Fish And I'm A) Water Sign". Plus, the album more than makes up for a lack of standout tracks with a nicely-united theme – almost a "concept album" of the funky type! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best soul records to come out on the Paula label in the early 70s – one with a number of beautifully soulful moments – and a few surprisingly funky ones, too! Although Bobby Patterson did a lot of work for other singers, this is one of the few albums he actually cut under his own name – and it's a lasting testament to his talents as both a singer and writer. It's got a nice mix of southern soul ballads and more uptempo tracks, and loads of original compositions by Bobby! Includes "This Whole Funky World is a Ghetto", "If You Took A Survey", How Do You Spell Love", "Make Sure You Can Handle It", "I Just Loved You Because I Wanted To", "Right On Jody", "Quiet! Do Not Disturb", and "I Get My Groove From You". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully rich session from bassist Gary Peacock – one that draws equal energy from his three associates on the date – all of whom did some great ECM Records work on their own! Peacock composed the tunes, and his spacious notes on bass provide the core setting – but the album really sparkles with sharp-edged tenor and soprano sax lines from Jan Garbarek, some moody trumpet tones from Tomasz Stanko, and unbridled work on drums from Jack DeJohnette, who almost seems much more free of structure than Peacock on bass. Titles include "Allegory", "Paradigm", "Moor", "Legends", "Voice From The Past", and "Ode For Tomten". LP, Vinyl record album

A return to folksier forms for Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine – working here in territory that's very different than some of the baroque light arrangements used on previous records. Rapp's emerging as a more confident singer/songwriter – recording in an almost Dylan-like setting, but with more of the irony of Leonard Cohen, and as always, working in a timeless idiom that's still beginning to be understood more than 30 years after its inception. Beautiful work throughout – as earthy as it is majestic – and with titles that include "My Father", "The Man", "Once Upon A Time", "City Of Gold", "Nancy", and "Wedding". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure – finally brought back to light! The album features previously unissued material by the team of Art Pepper and Warne Marsh – tracks recorded back in 1956 for Contemporary records, but only issued many years later as part of the Complete Contemporary project for Pepper's work. Why these dates never made it to wax is a real mystery to us – because the pairing of Pepper's alto and Marsh's tenor is perhaps even greater than the more famous team of Marsh & Konitz – and the sound here is completely wonderful – fluid, modern, and exceptionally poised – yet never without soul! CD includes a few master and original takes of some numbers – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "Tickle Toe", "Warnin", "Stompin At The Savoy", "What's New", "Avalon", and "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me". CD

Art's blowing with a quiet intensity here – not as far out as you might expect from the title, but with that crisp genius that still graced all of his records from the time! The album features a quartet with Dolo Coker on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – working in a format that gives Art center stage, blowing with a slightly raspy tone that still always sends chills up our spine! There's a maturity here that we really like – that later Contemporary mode that has Pepper breaking things down a bit more than usual, and showing a bit more humanity in his horn. Titles include "Too Close For Comfort", "Gone With The Wind", "Long Ago & Far Away", and "I Love You". CD also features the bonus track "Five Points". CD

One of the moogiest records of all time – a legendary LP of "electronic pop music of the future" – sourced and claimed as an influence by everyone from Stereolab to the Beastie Boys! The legendary team of Gershon Kingsley and Jean-Jaques Perry are working here in early tape experiments that chop up quirky analogue electronics – and uses them to produce moogy songbits and space sounds, all with a really groovy beat! There's a simple magic here that has made the album hold up for years, and stand apart from a legion of later imitators with a clear, simple, and effective style that makes the best of all the bleeps and blonks in the set! Titles include "Unidentified Flying Object", "Spooks in Space", "Barnyard In Orbit", "Swan's Splashdown", and "Girl From Venus". A loving musical space party! CD

2 sides of sweet electric grooving from Houston Person – records that feature his soulful tenor set in larger arrangements than on his earlier small combo Prestige sessions, in a mode that's a bit like some of the larger jazz sets coming out on CTI and Kudu at the time! Like Stanley Turrentine, who also made a similar shift during this period, Houston turns out to be an extremely strong soloist in this sort of setting – hitting new notes on the laidback ballads, and playing with a richly expressive style that somehow seems even more possible than before, since the core rhythms and melodies are handled by the other players in the ensemble, and Houston's main job is just to blow freely on his solos. There's a few funky numbers on the set, but the mellow tracks are actually pretty darn great too – thanks to work by players that include Bernard Purdie, Joe Beck, Ron Carter, Ernie Hayes, and Grady Tate. Titles include "Sweet Buns & Barbeque", "Put It Where You Want It", "Groove Thang", "Down Here On The Ground", "Let's Call This", "The Pimp", "A Song For You", and "This Masquerade". CD

Houston Person really sounds great in this later date for Muse Records – definitely the older lion in the title, surrounded by a younger pride of players who really make the record swing! The set's got a rock-solid rhythm section with Benny Green on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Winard Harper on drums – that kind of in the pocket combo that was often the driving force of a Person-produced Muse Records session like this. Philip Harper's also in the frontline on trumpet, sparkling nicely next to the tenor – and the tunes have a relatively laidback feel, and a rich sound that hardly shows the date of the record at all. Titles include "Dig", "Dear Heart", "Sweet Love", "Like Someone In Love", and "Captain Hook". CD

A pair of late 70s albums from Esther Phillips – '77's You've Come A Long Way, Baby and '78's All About Esther Phillips – together in a single set! The cover of You've Come A Long Way, Baby which has Phillips standing in front of a limo, might be a bit "on the nose" – but the album itself has some really nice tracks, thanks in part to production and arrangements by Pee Wee Ellis, who always managed to get the best out of Esther during the 70s! The groove's got a lot top shelf clubby soul and easygoing funky swagger – and Esther sounds great out front! Tracks include "Into The Mystic", "Love Addict", "If I Loved You", "In A Soft & Subtle Way", "My Prayer", and "Somewhere Along The Line". This version includes "My Prayer (Previously Unreleased Extended Mix)". All About Esther Phillips is a sweet 70s Wayne Henderson-produced set – quite a different groove for Esther! It's got elements of the lightly funky soul of some of the immediately preceding records, but this one has some elements in the arrangements that bring a more gentle touch – particularly the chimes & strings. Groovy stuff! Titles include "The Man Ain't Ready", "Native New Yorker", "SOS", "Pie In The Sky", "If I Fall In Love By Morning" and more. CD

Pink Floyd rose out of the same London scene that gave the world a huge amount of psychedelic records in the late 60s – but with a set like this, they're clearly head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – already working with a boundless sense of imagination and impeccable instrumentation, on a record that's full of delight and surprise at every single twist and turn! The group still sport Syd Barrett vocals and lyrics here, but are also really opening up their guitar spaceship too – soaring to the heavens on the tremendous "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" – and sending the whole thing home with the cuts "Let There Be More Light", "Corporal Clegg", "Jugband Blues", "See Saw", and "A Saucerful Of Secrets". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of Columbia Records sets from Jean-Luc Ponty – served up here in a single package! First up is Gift Of Time – a set that really shows him embracing keyboards much more than at the start of his career – even though he also still turns in plenty of great jazzy sounds on violin! Ponty often seems to be mixing both – using the keyboards to augment inflections in the violin – at a level that makes you feel like he's not using the older stringed instrument at all during some sections, even though it's there in the mix. The set's got a vibe that very much fits with its cover – somewhat lean, with guitar from Pat Thomi, bass from Baron Browne, and percussion and drums from Rayford Griffin. Titles include "Faith In You", "New Resolutions", "No More Doubts", "Metamorphosis", and "Introspective Perceptions". Storytelling is a set that has Jean-Luc Ponty really staying on top of his fusion game – part of that ever-evolving run of records that took the European musician from early straight jazz violin records in the 60s, to the height of American jazz crowds in the 70s and 80s! Here, Ponty continues his exploration of various keyboard modes, while also folding in warm work on electric violin – a blend that's surprisingly seductive, and augmented along the way with guest work from Grover Washington on soprano sax, and Patrice Rushen on additional keyboards. The core group also has guitar from Jamie Glaser, and piano and more keyboards from Wally Minko – on titles that include "Tender Memories", "In The Fast Lane", "After The Storm", "The Amazon Forest", "A Journey's End", and "Pastoral Harmony". Tchokola is a very different record than usual for Jean-Luc Ponty – as you maybe can tell from the global-styled image on the cover! This time around, Ponty's bringing in some key elements from African music – plenty of live, acoustic percussion, which makes for a really great blend with the warmer keyboard and electric violin styles he's normally known for! The percussion was recorded at an analog level, which helps it retain its warmth – a great mix of balafon, tama, sabar, bongos, and other instruments – plus some nice use of kora too. There's also some vocals on the record – sung by Angelique Kidjo and Myriam Betty – and titles include "Yeke Yeke", "Rhum N Zouc", "Cono", "Bottle Bop", "Tchokola", "Sakka Sakka", and "Mouna Bowa". CD

A definite real thing from the mighty David Porter – one of his killer solo albums for Stax Records, after splitting his partnership with Isaac Hayes at the end of the 60s – and a record that really matches some of Ike's classic solo sets for sheer ambition and power! Porter's approach is a bit more earthy – almost some deeper soul currents in the music, set alongside fuller arrangements that bring in some gentle funk currents at the bottom, and a complicated instrumental approach that still stays plenty soulful, while stunning us with a level of complexity. Like Hayes, Porter talks a bit along with his vocals – and Ike helps out on one track, but clearly lets David give the album most of his own flavor. Titles include a long version of "Hang On Sloopy", one that goes on for over 11 minutes, and with a soul sound that's very different than the original – and other tracks include "I Don't Wanna Cry", "Ooo Wee Girl", "Thirty Days", "Grocery Man", and "Too Real To Live A Lie". CD features three rare, originally unissued bonus tracks too – "Come Get From Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Gotta Get Over The Hump", and "Somebody's Trying To Ride Piggy Back". CD

2 Capitol Records gems from Louis Prima & Keely Smith – on a single CD, and with bonus tracks too! Hey Boy Hey Girl is a groovy little soundtrack recording – done for a rare film that starred Louis Prima and Keely Smith, working very much at the height of their 50s Capitol powers! The sound of the album's every bit as great as some of the better-known studio sets by the pair – and like those sets, the record's a mix of the duo's great duet numbers and some excellent solo tracks too – numbers that either have Louis in the lead, or Keely hitting a few warmer, mellower notes. Backings are by Sam Butera & The Witnesses – and titles include "Hey Boy Hey Girl", "Banana Split For My Baby", "Fever", "You Are My Love", "Oh Marie", "Lazy River", and "Nitey-Nite". Swinging Pretty is a classic album by Keely Smith – Louis Prima's one-time wife and classic singing partner, working here on her own! Arrangements are by Nelson Riddle – showcasing Keely as a great singer in her own right, able to work in that sophisticated jazz-based style that you'd find with the best Capitol singers, like Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, or Nat King Cole. Titles include "It's Magic", "Indian Love Call", "Someone To Watch Over Me", "Stormy Weather", and "There Will Never Be Another You". Bonus tracks include "A Foggy Day", "Nothings Too Good For My Baby", "The Lip", and "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Louis & Keely – plus "It's Magic", "Don't Let A Memory", and "Don't Take Your Love From Me" by Keely Smith. CD

Prince in a grand groove – really hitting a new level of funk with a razor-sharp edge – and even blowing away some of his work on previous records! The record's a soundtrack for a film – Under The Cherry Moon – and although that movie never had the success of Purple Rain, we actually think it left behind an even stronger musical legacy – one that has Prince finding even more of a funky voice than before, with so many wonderfully freaky twists and turns! The music never got the showcase it might have deserved, because of the failure of the film – but it's one of our favorite Prince albums ever, and includes the massively funky "Kiss", the closest Prince ever got to James Brown, The whole album's got some great sweeping, pop psyche orchestral arrangements by Clare Fischer – and titles include "Christopher Tracey's Parade", "I Wonder U", "Under The Cherry Moon", "Girls & Boys", and "Anotherloverholenyohead". CD

A really fantastic album from Prince – recorded in 2010, and unreleased at the time – but clearly one of the greatest things he gave us in the final decade of his life! This isn't uncooked demo material, or under-thought studio tracks – and instead, the whole thing is a fully-formed record with a message that really comes through in the title – more political Prince than usual, with an eye for our nation that rivals Sign O The Times! It may be that back when Prince recorded the set, the time wasn't right for the message – but these tracks definitely hit home now – and are often delivered in this sinister slow funk mode that really fits the lyrics – almost as if Prince were trying to give the world his version of a righteous 70s album on Curtom Records. Titles include "Running Game", "Born 2 Die", "Welcome 2 America", "Check The Record", "Hot Summer", "Stand Up & B Strong", "Same Page Different Book", and "One Day We Will All B Free". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic of spiritual jazz! The album is one of the few rare pairings of Sonny Simmons and Prince Lasha from the 60s – and it's arguably the greatest album they ever cut! The set was recorded for the Contemporary label in LA, but it's far far different than the cool jazz that was the label's stock in trade during most of the 50s – done instead with a pulsating spiritual feel that really takes off as the album progresses! The lineup features the twin-reed frontline of Lasha on flute and Simmons on alto, plus an amazing rhythm section that includes 2 bass players (Gary Peacock and Mark Procter), who really give the tunes a pulsating feel overall – plus drums by Gene Stone. Titles include the famous groover "Congo Call", plus the tracks "AY", "Lost Generation", "Red's Mood", and "Green & Gold". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest moments ever from Psychic TV – and a really stunning surprise after the breakup of Throbbing Gristle! Genesis P Orridge and Peter Cristopherson go in a completely different direction here – a mode that still holds onto some of the noise lessons learned in TG, but which also shows this incredible love of both more complicated pop modes from the 60s, and some of the farther reaches of minimalism as well! The album sports these tremendous ballads with eerie vocals by Genesis – including "The Orchids" and "White Nights" – which are both eerie recastings of an older mode of UK pop love songs – and there's other tracks that maybe echo a bit of Meredith Monk, or some of the underground experimentalists on the Lovely Records scene – including bits that have weird phone rings, dog barks, and other great touches. A spare and subtle use of noise and darker sounds wends its way throughout – but never with the heavier handed touches of later years – and titles include "Hymn 23", "The Orchids", "Botanica", "Iron", "Glove", "Always Is Always", "White Nights", "Finale", "Eleusis", "Medmenham", "Ancient Lights", "Proof On", "Eden 1 Eden 2 Eden 3", "Clouds Without Water", "Black Moon", "Silver And Gold", "In The Nursery", and "Circle". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible debut from Public Image Limited – one of the most striking records of its generation, and a huge surprise – given that the Sex Pistols had broken up just a few months before! The record is the key transition of Johnny Rotten into John Lydon – and the whole thing is light years ahead of the Pistols in terms of boundless creativity and originality – different from Lydon's own earlier revolutionary punk act and different from pretty much everything else on the late 70s landscape – even darker than punk, if you can imagine that! The dissonant, driving post punk guitars and sneering vocals are recognizable, sure – but the dubby textures and more angular touches are so far outside the box and so hugely influential that it's hard to fathom myriad underground rock acts existing without it. Of course, part of the credit also goes to the amazing band that John Lydon assembled to put the whole thing together – a quartet that includes incredible guitar from Keith Levene, and heady bass from Jah Wobble – both key parts of the sound. Titles include "Theme", "Religion", "Religion II", "Annalisa", "Public Image", "Low Life", "Attack" and "Fodderstompf". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music from Sun Ra & The Arkestra – sounds recorded during the same marathon session that gave the world the records Other Planes Of There, When Sun Comes Out, and When Angels Speak Of Love – but titles that are much more obscure overall! The initial release of the material featured very misleading notes, but the true details of the session are even more impressive – as Ra plays a variety of unusual instruments alongside piano – including the piano strings, space organ, and clavioline – alongside some sublime straight horn work from John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto and oboe, Pat Patrick on baritone, Danny Davis on alto and clarinet, Walter Miller on trumpet, Robert Cummings on bass clarinet, and Ali Hasaan on trombone! The lineup here has that raw power the Arkestra first unleashed after their initial move to New York – almost a sense of new freedom in the new environment – even at a time when they weren't clicking on a financial level, but still continued to push forward with new ideas in music! Some passages have this great approach that links the cosmic ideas of the Arkestra with older traditions of jazz soloing – while others reflect the growing concern of the group with new textures and sounds – making for some very impressive elements on both the horns and percussion. The group is completed by Ronnie Boykins on bass, Art Jenkins on space voice and percussion, and Tommy Hunter on drums, percussion, and some mighty nice reverb – and titles include "Biosphere Blues", "Intergalactic Research", "Earth Primitive Earth", "New Planet", and "Continuation To Jupiter Festival". Beautiful 2CD reissue features sublime sounds from the original tapes, remastered – plus a full bonus CD of unreleased tracks that include "Blue York", "Conversation Of The Universe", "Red Planet Mars", "Cosmic Rays/Next Stop Mars", "The Myth", "Meteor Shower", "Infinity", "The Beginning Of", and "Endlessness". CD

An incredible package – one that brings together four rare publications by Sun Ra – printed words that are every bit as groundbreaking as his music – and which together represent the farther-flung corners of his vast cultural enterprise! The set represents each of the texts in the manner in which it was originally presented – save for the yellowing paper of the originals – so that two are small pamphlets, one is a slightly larger booklet, and the last is a huge stapled publication – each with a size, feel, and presentation that's like their originals! First up are the pamphlets that came with two early Ra records – Jazz By Sun Ra and Jazz In Silhouette – the first a booklet of liner notes with some poems, the second much more poetic, and originally done as a mimeograph that quickly deteriorated. Next is the famous Immeasurable Equation – a book of poetry from the mid 60s, which also features some writings by Ra on both his career and politics. Last is the huge Immeasurable Equation Vol 2 – a much larger book of poetry from 1972, presented on full sheets of paper stapled together with a textured cover of artwork. All four are impossibly hard to find – and in the format here, it's as if you had the originals in your hands, but in mint condition! Book

Key Sun Ra albums for ESP records – the Heliocentrics World trifecta – in a 3CD set! The work here is a bit more intense than usual – almost cerebral at times, with very contemplative passages on percussion and reeds, offset by strong piano lines from Ra – all in a mode that marks a sharp break from earlier Saturn albums. Volume One finds the group working in an interstellar formation that holds up strongly with the Saturn sides – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto, Teddy Nance on trombone, Chris Capers on trumpet, Danny Davis on flute and alto, and Ra on piano, bass marimba, and some especially nice electronic celeste! Things get quite out at points – freer almost than other Arkestra sides of the time – and titles include "Outer Nothingness", "Other Worlds", "Nebulae", "Dancing In the Sun", "The Cosmos", and "Of Heavenly Things". Volume Two has a freer feel than the first volume, and a bit more avant-oriented work overall. Ra and the group play a lot of percussion – and Ra himself is on tuned bongos, piano, and clavioline, which has a very nice spooky sound! The reed work on the album is by Robert Cummings, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, and Marshall Allen – with bass by Ronnie Boykin and percussion by Roger Blank. Tracks include "Cosmic Chaos", "House of Beauty", and "The Sun Myth". Volume Three features tracks recorded during the sessions for Volume Two, but it was lost to the sands of time for nearly 40 years! Like that previous album, this one features a smaller version of the Arkestra than usual – an octet that has Ra working with core hornmen Pat Patrick, John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Walter Miller, and Robert Cummings – supported by a rhythm section that includes Ronnie Boykins on bass and Roger Blank on percussion. Apart from a lot of added percussion by various members of the group, the instrumentation overall is relatively straightforward – even if Ra's compositions are not. The set kicks off with the 17 minute "Intercosmosis" – a relatively free, stretched-out tune – then is followed by shorter numbers that travel along darker, more introspective pathways. These titles include "World Worlds", "Interplanetary Travelers", "Mythology Metamorphosis", and "Heliocentric Worlds". CD

One of Lou's classics for Philly International – a warm mix of smooth soul and adult vocals, handled with some great arrangements by Dexter Wansel and Thom Bell. There's less standout singles on this set than previous Philly records, but Lou's class and quality makes nearly every track come out wonderfully – a masterpiece of soulful understatement and grace. Titles include "We Keep Getting Closer To Being Further Apart", "Time Will Take Care Of Everything", "What's The Matter With The World", "Bark Bite", and "Lover's Holiday". LP, Vinyl record album

Record Culture is even cooler than ever – as this issue comes with a bonus book as well! But first, the magazine – this issue has the same great format as the others – a book-style package, filled with beautiful full color photos of record collectors, vinyl culture, and other cool bits from around the world – all put together to show that the love of records knows no boundaries, and is still more vibrant now than it was back in the 20th Century! There's a great article in this issue on Twilite Tone – a Chicago hero from way back, given plenty of space for his career and love of vinyl – and the issue also has features on Gerd Janson, June Jones, Eug, Vanessa Worm, Sebastien Dellier, and Bradley Zero – again, based on their interest and use of records. And lastly, there's a very interesting feature – postcards sent to the Time & Space radio show at WNYU! 211 pages, full color, and more like a softcover book. Then, you also get the very cool book – Second Generation – a collection of Chicago house music flyers from the years 1991 to 200 – dozens of pages of ads for gigs and shows, all in full color, pulled from the archives of Mark Farina and Alicia Prior. Magazine

An amazing moment for singer Dianne Reeves – the first in a long line of excellent records for the Blue Note label – and a wonderfully tight blend of jazz and soul, put together at a level that instantly pushed Reeves into the territory of previous giants like Phyllis Hyman and Marlena Shaw! Like both of those singers, Dianne's got roots in jazz, but also pushes towards more of an R&B vibe at times – but never in a way that's commercially aimed at the charts, especially in comparison to some of her contemporaries. There's a really rich feel to the whole album – thanks to help from George Duke, who produced and played keyboards – alongside other musicians like Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Ndugu Chancler on drums. Titles include "Chan's Song (Never Said)", "I'm OK", "Sky Islands", "Harvest Time", "Yesterdays", and "Better Days". CD

One of the few albums ever issued under the name of Emil Richards – an important percussionist on the LA scene, and one who played on countless jazz albums and other sessions over the years! This set has Richards working almost exclusively on vibes – as a rare outing for the mostly-rock Del-Fi label, done in a mode that seems to challenge the Latin jazz styles that Cal Tjader was developing at the time on Fantasy Records! And as a bit of a surprise, Emil's working with a similar group to Cal's – one that includes Francisco Aquabella on congas, Cuco Martinez on timbales, and Marcelino Valdez on other percussion instruments – alongside a core trio that features Richards' vibes with Al McKibbon's bass and Paul Moer's piano. The tunes are filled with lots of great modal moments – and titles include "Little Niles", "Green Dolphin Street", "Friday The 13th", "Oh Very Well", "Half & Half", and "Yazz Per Favore". CD

Few people did soulful fusion better than Lee Ritenour back in the early 80s – and the guitarist always seemed to find a way to really link together all the different sounds of the electric genre – from heavy jamming to soulful grooving to a rock-like appreciation for a good hook! Harvey Mason provides some great heavy drums, and also helped Lee produce – which gives the record a sharp, soulful focus that's like some of Harvey's own great records of the time – an undercurrent of funk that more than helps keep the Ritenour vocals moving along! Titles include "Mr Briefcase", "Countdown", "Good Question", "Dreamwalk", "Is It You", and "Just Tell Me Pretty Lies". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer batch of hardbop tracks – no-nonsense, straight-ahead, and with all the fire of Roach's work with Clifford Brown! The set was recorded a few years after the untimely death of the Brown/Roach group – and although the album's got "Charlie Parker" in the title, there's a lot more going on here than just a bop revival mode. Players include Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley, and George Coleman – and the album's got that Prestige Records feel from the late 50s, similar to some of Mobley's own work for that label at the time. Titles include "Yardbird Suite", "Confirmation", "Koko", "Billie's Bounce", and "Au Privave". CD also features 4 bonus cuts – "Anthropology", "Tune Up", "This Time The Dream's On Me", and "Raoul". CD

Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even more progressive work with a group like this! The players are all youthful geniuses who would go onto shape the sound of 70s jazz tremendously – working here at a point that already shows their brilliance – Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, and even Andy Bey, who sings vocals on the title track. The overall style is very similar to Bartz's early albums on Milestone, or to some of the Music Inc records on Strata East, which feature Cowell and Tolliver. It's no surprise that Cowell contributed 3 tracks to the set – "Effi", "Equipoise", and "Abstrutions" – and the group also performs a great version of Bartz's "Libra"! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Max's many great records from the late 50's, most of which tend to get overlooked in favor of his more experimental sessions. The group here includes Ray Bryant, Stanley Turrentine, Julian Priester, and Turrentine's great brother Tommy – and they're joined by Abbey Lincoln on vocals on a number of tracks. The set is mostly standards, and titles include "Never Let Me Go", "Namely You", "Speak Low", and "Wild Is The Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool double-sized issue of Roctober – long-overdue, as we haven't heard from them in a bit – but well worth the wait, as the range of features and mix of material continues to be stunning – a great reminder that, decades back, this magazine was exploring this territory long before newer publications like Maggot Brain and some of its contemporaries! There's way too much to mention in great detail – but we can tell you you'll find interviews with Mavis Staples, Mike Love, Air Supply, Wanda Jackson, Sarah Dash, and Prince – and that's just in the first few pages. Other features include articles on Yoko Ono, Muzak, Kid Stuff Records, Mick Clintrock, obscure Weird Al songs, rare Maison Soul singles, the secret Sex History Of The Cabbage Patch Kids, Roky Erikson, Question Mark, and a host of reviews, obits, and lots lots more! Magazine

One of the coolest records ever cut by Ze Rodrix, as you might guess from the image on the cover – very different than some of his more staid recordings on the Brazilian scene, and instead a very dynamic soundtrack that's full of funky moments! Ze's clearly got the bug of the American and European scenes of the period, but he's not aping Italian cop/crime or US blacksploitation – as his use of funky elements comes across in all these different ways, with plenty of mad rhythms, unusual arrangements, offbeat production, and even a strange sense of pacing that makes the whole record a treasure trove of surprise delights! There's some especially great use of keyboards, but that's just the tip of the iceberg – and titles include "Motoqueiros", "Esconderijo", "Rhumba", "Tema De Amor", "Esquadrao Da Morte", and "Chorinho Pro Tio". CD

One of the coolest records ever cut by Ze Rodrix, as you might guess from the image on the cover – very different than some of his more staid recordings on the Brazilian scene, and instead a very dynamic soundtrack that's full of funky moments! Ze's clearly got the bug of the American and European scenes of the period, but he's not aping Italian cop/crime or US blacksploitation – as his use of funky elements comes across in all these different ways, with plenty of mad rhythms, unusual arrangements, offbeat production, and even a strange sense of pacing that makes the whole record a treasure trove of surprise delights! There's some especially great use of keyboards, but that's just the tip of the iceberg – and titles include "Motoqueiros", "Esconderijo", "Rhumba", "Tema De Amor", "Esquadrao Da Morte", and "Chorinho Pro Tio". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sonny Rollins' real standout sessions from the 70s – a different vibe than before, but a sound that's still as striking than any of his earlier records! The record features him in a slightly more modern group – with backing by Walter Davis Jr on piano, Masuo on gutiar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, David Lee on drums, and Mtume on percussion – a great mix of acoustic and electric elements that brings up a sweet 70s sound for the record. Sonny's solo power is still tremendous – differently pitched here, but still incredibly inventive – and titles include "Pictures In The Reflection Of A Golden Horn", "Notes For Eddie", "Love Man", and "Sais", a great composition by Mtume, which is handled here by Rollins in an incredibly soulful manner! CD

A tremendous little album from Sonny Rollins – one of his most sharp-edged sessions of the mid 60s, and a bold departure from some of his previous work for RCA! The album has a crackling sense of energy that more than lives up to the exclamation point in the title – a starker quality than some of Sonny's earlier records, and one that brings out some sharper tones in his horn, even on the mellower numbers. The rhythm support is loose, but somewhat soulful and spontaneous – and features Ray Bryant on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums – an unusual pairing for Sonny, but that's what makes them so great. In a way, the album's almost Rollins' equivalent of John Coltrane's earlier Ballads album for Impulse – in that it includes familiar tunes, but remade into completely new numbers by the sound of the leader. Titles include "Green Dolphin Street", "Everything Happens To Me", "Three Little Words", and "Hold Em Joe". CD

An excellent overview of the early Wallace Roney work for Muse Records – brilliant sessions that helped Roney redefine the sound of the trumpet for a whole new generation! Roney's sound was one of the boldest, brightest on the label – and on records like this he really shines – working with an array of like-minded young lions who include Ravi Coltrane, Donald Brown, Antoine Roney, Christian McBride, and Cindy Blackman – on titles that include "Blue In Green", "Obsession", "Daahoud", "Lost", "For Duke", "Donna Lee", and "Love For Sale". CD

The title's no lie, as Wallace Roney serves up a set of jazz standards – yet in keeping with his other great work on Muse Records, the album's also got a heck of a lot going on as well! The album's hardly the kind of "trumpeter hits the classics" album you might expect – as throughout the session, things open up nicely – starting with sparkling notes on trumpet, but pushing into some of the bolder territory Roney was known for at the time, eventually ending on a number composed by the group. Players include Gary Thomas on tenor, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Charnett Moffett on bass, and Cindy Blackman on drums – and titles include "Loose", "When Your Lover Has Gone", "Con Alma", "Giant Steps", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "Don't Blame Me". CD

Very obscure later work from Jackie Ross – recorded in her years after Chess Records, with a sound that's a lot more mature than before! The style here is a bit like Marlena Shaw in the late 70s – a sophisticated blend of soul, jazz, and a little bit of club – served up with arrangements from Ben Wright and Jimmy Van Leer, the latter of whom produced the record. Jackie works surprisingly well in this setting – with a style that makes us wonder what would have happened had she got a chance at larger exposure at the time – particularly through a label like Philly International, whose sound of the time is clearly an influence here. Titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Only Time Has Changed", "The World Needs More People Like You", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Can This Be Love", "The People Some People Choose To Love", and "Betcha By Golly Wow". LP, Vinyl record album

Very obscure later work from Jackie Ross – recorded in her years after Chess Records, with a sound that's a lot more mature than before! The style here is a bit like Marlena Shaw in the late 70s – a sophisticated blend of soul, jazz, and a little bit of club – served up with arrangements from Ben Wright and Jimmy Van Leer, the latter of whom produced the record. Jackie works surprisingly well in this setting – with a style that makes us wonder what would have happened had she got a chance at larger exposure at the time – particularly through a label like Philly International, whose sound of the time is clearly an influence here. Titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Only Time Has Changed", "The World Needs More People Like You", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Can This Be Love", "The People Some People Choose To Love", and "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD

A brilliant little comeback album for Roxy Music – their first album in 4 years after Siren, and a well-done departure that takes off from older records without losing any of their greatness! In a way, the set's almost the group's Lodger – a similar effort to Bowie's record from the same time that reflects a move away from heavier styles of earlier years, but never loses the edge of the group's best work. Manifesto also reflects some of the lessons learned by Bryan Ferry on his solo records – a bit leaner and cleaner presentation of the songs – but the album itself is also strongly a group production effort, and certainly feels that way in its use of Phil Manzenera's great guitars and Andy Mackay's horn arrangements. Titles include "Ain't That So", "Stronger Through The Years", "Trash", "Manifesto", "Angel Eyes", "Spin Me Round", "Cry Cry Cry", and "My Little Girl". CD

A brilliant little comeback album for Roxy Music – their first album in 4 years after Siren, and a well-done departure that takes off from older records without losing any of their greatness! In a way, the set's almost the group's Lodger – a similar effort to Bowie's record from the same time that reflects a move away from heavier styles of earlier years, but never loses the edge of the group's best work. Manifesto also reflects some of the lessons learned by Bryan Ferry on his solo records – a bit leaner and cleaner presentation of the songs – but the album itself is also strongly a group production effort, and certainly feels that way in its use of Phil Manzenera's great guitars and Andy Mackay's horn arrangements. Titles include "Ain't That So", "Stranger Through The Years", "Trash", "Manifesto", "Angel Eyes", "Spin Me Round", "Cry Cry Cry", and "My Little Girl". CD

Stunning work from the great second chapter of Patrice Rushen – the time when the lady moved over to Elektra Records and really opened up her groove! Rushen had already been making great music for most of the 70s – playing fantastic keyboards as a real up-and-coming star on the funky fusion scene of the west coast – but at Elektra, she also turned into a surprisingly strong singer – and mixed her voice with her keyboards in a really wonderful sound! This is mainstream soul of the hippest level – as the core of the cuts are almost always rooted in jazzy fusion, which also means that the vocals give way to sweet keyboard solos too – beautifully balanced in a way that show off all of the sweetest charms of the great Patrice Rushen – these qualities that really set her apart from most of her generation. This package is filled with really well-chosen cuts, and also includes some great single mixes and other versions too – titles that include "When I Found You", "Forget Me Nots (12" mix)", "Music Of The Earth", "Haven't You Heard (12" mix)", "Let's Sing A Song Of Love", "Feels So Real (12" mix)", "Settle For My Love", "Remind Me", "All We Need", "Never Gonna Give You Up (long version)", "Look up (long version)", "Number One (12" version)", "Where There Is Love", and "To Each His Own". LP, Vinyl record album

Vocalist Jimmy Rushing first came to fame working with Count Basie in the 30s, but it wasn't until the 50s that he really got the chance to step out on his own and cut a number of great sessions in the studio! This set features one of Jimmy's finest moments of the 50s – material recorded for Vanguard Records in 1954 and 1955, respectively, and featuring Rushing in the company of great small group trad players like Buddy Tate, Pat Jenkins, Emmett Berry, Lawrence Brown, and Freddie Green. The format is laidback and simple on both records – a style that clearly hearkens back to the Kansas City swing of the 30s, but which is delivered here with a more stripped-down approach that lets us focus even more on Rushing's earthy vocal presentation. Titles include the original tracks "Good Morning Blues", "Take Me Back Baby", "Sent For You Yesterday", and "Goin To Chicago" – plus versions of "How Long", "See See Rider", "Evenin". CD

A fantastic album by Pharoah Sanders – one of his later albums for Impulse, but one of his best! The record has Pharoah grooving in a strongly modal style – working up long passages of rhythm, piano, and percussion that really build on the promise delivered in earlier tunes on records like Jewels Of Thought and Tauhid – that strong sense of flow that was possibly Sanders' greatest contribution to the world of spiritual jazz – over and above his own work on tenor sax! The tunes never go too far out, and have a really joyous feel that we totally love – opening Pharoah up with that bright spirit that makes some of his 70s work so great, really pushing him past the darkness of the immediate post-Coltrane years. Other players include Joe Bonner on piano, Calvin Hill on bass, Michael White on violin, and Michael Carvin on drums – and titles include the tremendous track "Greeting To Saud", plus "Elevation", "Spiritual Blessing", "Ore Se Re", and "The Gathering". CD

Quite possibly the best-remembered album from Pharoah Sanders' legendary run at Impulse Records – a set that crossed over big, and sold to countless folks who might not have bought a jazz album this hip otherwise! The record was Sanders' first in the wake of Coltrane's passing – and it's a beautiful extended suite of tracks that flows with a sense of grace, power, and majesty that's simply breathtaking – a new level of expression in spiritual jazz – and virtually the blueprint for an entire generation to come! The album features the classic track "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – spanning a tremendous amount of space and time – and featuring Leon Thomas' classic vocals on the lyrics! Thomas also returns on the cut "Colors", which is a bit more outside, and quite free overall – and other players on the date include Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, James Spaulding on flute, Julius Watkins on French horn, Ron Carter and Richard Davis on bass, and Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums. CD

Quite possibly the best-remembered album from Pharoah Sanders' legendary run at Impulse Records – a set that crossed over big, and sold to countless folks who might not have bought a jazz album this hip otherwise! The record was Sanders' first in the wake of Coltrane's passing – and it's a beautiful extended suite of tracks that flows with a sense of grace, power, and majesty that's simply breathtaking – a new level of expression in spiritual jazz – and virtually the blueprint for an entire generation to come! The album features the classic track "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – spanning a tremendous amount of space and time – and featuring Leon Thomas' classic vocals on the lyrics! Thomas also returns on the cut "Colors", which is a bit more outside, and quite free overall – and other players on the date include Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, James Spaulding on flute, Julius Watkins on French horn, Ron Carter and Richard Davis on bass, and Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

An ultra-hip set of soul jazz from 70s Detroit – recorded back in the day by saxophonist Sam Sanders, but never issued at the time! The album's got this wonderfully warm, open sort of vibe – a quality that's kind of like an indie take on the CTI mode of the time, but much more relaxed – and nicely directed towards soul as well, given the vocals that grace some of the album's best moments! Some tunes are right on the money, with an undercurrent of funk – but other moments get a bit wilder and more righteous, in the style you'd expect from the legendary Strata Records imprint! Core instrumentation is by a combo that features Sanders on alto, plus lots of great keyboards, and guitar, baritone, and percussion. Vocals are by Jamil and Kenneth Harris – plus an unnamed female singer too – and titles include "Inner City Player", "Face At My Window", "Loser", "Funked Up", "Love's Gain", and "Summer Mist". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic classic from Savoy Brown – one of those records that shows just why these guys were so great during their short early run! The approach is maybe familiar blues rock, but the sound is also very special – with a great sense of fusion of all the elements, so that vocals, guitar, and rhythms all seem tightly tied together – still with the kind of bravado you might expect, and plenty of strong guitar from Kim Simmonds – but also given this focus that's really wonderful, especially when heavy piano lines come into the mix to almost give things a Mose Allison vibe, and added horns open up some currents of soul. A strong cut above the competition – with titles that include "Master Hare", "Needle & Spoon", "A Hard Way To Go", "That Same Feelin", "A Little More Wine", "I'm Crying", "Is That So", and "Stay While The Night Is Young". CD

Great later work from Jimmy Scott – sides recorded for Milestone Records near the end of his life – at a time when Jimmy's music was finally getting its due, and reaching wide exposure to a whole new audience! The sound is pretty laidback and mellow on most numbers – and Scott gets some great accompaniment from a host of musicians who include Eric Alexander on tenor, Hank Crawford on alto, Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, and Joe Beck on guitar – on titles that include "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Smile", "Moonglow", "Without A Song", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", and "Strange Fruit". CD

One of our favorite records ever on the legendary Nimbus label – a special home to spiritual jazz on the west coast at the end of the 70s – and crucial for giving us some really unique talents like this! Adele Sebastian may have only ever cut this one album as a leader, but she's a hell of a flute player with a very deep, spiritual vibe – these sublime lines that soar and stretch out over modal rhythms – played by a totally hip group that includes Rickey Kelley on vibes, Roberto Miranda on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums and a bit of gembreh – a string instrument that brings a nicely exotic vibe to the record. The group's rounded out by Bobby West on piano and Daoude Woods on percussion – and the songs have this open flow that's wonderful – never too far out, but always searching – as the group soar through a version of McCoy Tyner's "Man From Tanganyika", plus the tracks "Desert Fairy Princess", "Belize", "Prayer For The People", and "Day Dreamer". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most ambitious albums on CTI – a very large project in which Don Sebesky seems to work with just about everyone else who recorded for the label! The Giant Box title is apt – as the record originally came packaged in a cardboard box – room enough to hold the 2 records that comprised it, all the long tunes on the set, and the huge array of cast who helped out on the project. Players include Sebesky on organ, piano, and electric piano – plus Baws, Joe Farrell, Paul Desmond, and many others. There's some sweet vocal backgrounds on the set – by Jackie & Roy, Lani Groves, and Tasha Thomas – and titles include "Vocalise", "Semi Tough", "Firebird/Birds Of Fire", "Free As A Bird", and "Song To A Seagul". Great stuff – with bits of funk, jazz, and ambitious arrangements – all filtered into the cool CTI sound! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic record from The Seeds, and one that definitely earns its title – as it points the way towards a psychedelic future that would have made the group giants on the international scene, had they continued in this direction! The sound is very different than the garage punk of their previous two albums – a lot more complex, yet still never overdone – a real testament to the genius of Sky Saxon and the rest of the group as they opened up their minds, and allowed all sorts of new ideas to spring forth! And if you like the earlier records, you'll still find plenty to love here, as the whole thing still has a mighty sinister edge – as you'll hear on the cuts "Travel With Your Mind", "Flower Lady & Her Assistant", "Fallin'", "Six Dreams", "Two Fingers Pointing On You", "Now A Man", "Painted Doll", "Out Of The Question", and "Where Is The Entrance Way To Play". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a fantastic tradition – the first-ever recording of the SF Jazz Collective, a kickoff to a series that would give us amazing records for years to come! This time around, the group work through a series of Ornette Coleman tunes, re-arranged by Gil Goldstein for the octet – which features an all-star lineup that includes Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Joshua Redman on tenor, Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Miguel Zenon on alto, Josh Roseman on trombone, Renee Rosnes on piano, Robert Hurst on bass, and Brian Blade on drums – all strong leaders on their own, but doing a remarkable job here of putting aside egos and working together as a whole! Coleman tunes include "Una Muy Bonita", "Lonely Woman", "School Work", "Happy House", and "When Will The Blues Leave" – and originals include "Of This Day's Journey", "Wages", "March Madness", and "Rise & Fall". CD

Amazing soul from Chess Records – and an album that almost feels like some lost small-label soul set, or a batch of rare funky 45s! Shades Of Brown are an ultra-hip male group from Chicago – a quartet of singers with the range and depth of The Temptations or Dells at their best, supported by a small combo of very lively instrumentalists who bring a really funky edge to their music – that sort of self-contained sound than you might find more in the hinterlands of the 60s soul scene than at Chess. But there's also plenty of key Chess touches too – including production by Dells maestro Bobby Miller, who also penned all the tunes for the record, giving the group some wonderful material to work with. Richard Evans handled most of the arrangements, but Charles Stepney also did a few too – and titles include "Man's Worst Enemy", "Girl I'm Coming Home", "Falling In Love Too Hard", "Lite Y'All Up", "Lie #2", "Little Girl", "Ho-Hum World", "He Didn't Leave Me A Name", "Garbage Man", and "The Soil I Tilled For You" – which has an amazing break! CD

A sublime little set all the way through – an early 60s date from the west coast scene – and one that was almost as important to that side of the country as the Verve bossa records were to New York! Bud Shank's in the lead on alto sax – no flute at all this time around – blowing sharp and soulfully, in a way that's even more deft than most of his other albums! But the equal star here is the young Clare Fischer – who plays piano in the group, and also contributed a host of original tunes to the set – fresh numbers that are way different than the usual "bossa-ized" standards, or American remakes of Brazilian classics. Ralph Pena is a key member of the group on bass – and Larry Bunker plays some vibes as well. Titles include "Joao", "Pensativa", "Samba Guapo", "Samba Da Borboleta", and "Que Mais?". CD

The complete recordings of a key stretch in the career of European rocker Ricky Shayne – a singer who was born in Cairo, lived in Paris, then made a whole host of important 60s records on the Italian scene! Much of the work here resonates very strongly with English beat group material of the time, but has a slightly different vibe – as when Spanish or South American groups were taking on the same territory – in part because Ricky uses Italian vocals on most numbers, but also because the production styles are different, and do all sorts of key things to the guitars and organ lines that back up the vocals. The set also features some surprising German recordings from 1968 and 1969 too – a total of 30 tracks in all, with the usual very strong Bear Family packaging and detailed notes. Titles include "Mean Woman Blues", "We Say Yeah", "Uno Dei Mods", "When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart", "Apron Strings", "Come Moby Dick", "Hello Josephine", "In Chicago", "Le Catene", "Number One", and "Cosa Pensi Di Me". CD

One of the most perfectly-realized early Archie Shepp albums on Impulse Records – a set that brilliantly brings together all the different influences that inspired his sense of creation, but with a lean energy that takes everything far from its roots – and puts the music firmly in the best "new thing" territory of the mid 60s! The players shift around a bit from track to track – that sense of creative combination that really marked this moment in avant jazz expression – and about half the record features Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, in a lineup that also includes Henry Grimes and Barre Phillips on bass, and David Izenzon, Rashied Ali, and Joe Chambers on drums and percussion! Shepp contributed some of his most haunting compositions to the set – including "On This Night", "The Mac Man", and "The Pickaninny" – and the whole thing's amazing enough to make you an Archie Shepp convert for life! CD

An overlooked gem in the career of tenorist Archie Shepp – one of those fantastically soulful European recordings that sometimes get missed, given that Shepp was recording so much and in so many ways overseas during these later years! The style here is a wonderful distillation of the modes he was exploring in his post-Impulse years – a small group rendition of the spiritual ideas of that earlier moment, but refined with more of a focus on Shepp's tremendous tone on tenor – even more maturely expressive here than before, at a level that makes us really love this period more and more as the years go on! The group features Horace Parlan on piano, Clifford Jarvis on drums, and Harry Emmery on bass – the last of whom does a wonderful job of filling the space left empty by Wilbur Little, with round tones that echo the soulfulness of Archie's tenor, and really live up to the tribute promised in the title. Tunes include a really wonderful reading of "Steam" – plus "Arrival", "Manhattan", and "Reflexions". CD

A very late session from trumpet legend Chet Baker – recording here in the very unusual company of tenorist Archie Shepp – a player that few could have imagined working together a few years before! By the time of the date, Shepp had become more of a traditionalist, but still with an ear for the modern edge that graced his earlier work – and while Chet had gotten more modern in his music, the direction was very different than Archie's – in part because of some of the physical changes Baker had gone through. At some level, the session's maybe more one in the mode of Shepp in Europe during the 80s, with Baker along for a guest – as the rhythm section is more suited to Shepp too – with work from Horace Parlan on piano, Herman Wright on bass, and Clifford Jarvis on drums. Both Archie and Chet sing a bit, and titles include "My Ideal", "When Lights Are Low", "Confirmation", "Dedication To Bessie Smith's Blues", "My Foolish Heart", and "How Deep Is The Ocean". CD