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JR's cut some records that have a rootsier feel – but this one features smooth modern arrangements and production by Phil Medley and Buddy Scott. The set begins with an uptempo clubby remake of "Taste of Honey", and also features a nicely grooving take on "Stella By Starlight". Other tracks include "Million To One", "Live Love & Play", "Love & Conversation", and "The Coming Of Your Love".

A soul record we'd put up there with some of our favorite ones that the city of Chicago produced in the early 70s – and it's literally a soul record – a beautiful gospel set by Pastor TL Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir, of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, on the city's south side! There's genuine spirit and passion in this record to make it an exceptional gospel record, but it's the deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that makes this one of the true, uh, holy grails of Chicago soul. The album was cut at the affordable Sound Market Studio, but behind the soaring, spirited lead and chorus vocal arrangements are players supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with legendary players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch in on the recordings. Raw drums, grooving organ, and incredible bass lines lay the foundation, but it's the voices that really shine on this completely wonderful, totally essential set! Includes "Like A Ship", "Wonderful", "It's Me O Lord", "Ever Since", "Nobody Knows", "Joyful Noice", "Medley...Dr. Watts Hymn & The Disciples Prayer" and "Blessed Quietness".

A soul record we'd put up there with some of our favorite ones that the city of Chicago produced in the early 70s – and it's literally a soul record – a beautiful gospel set by Pastor TL Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir, of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, on the city's south side! There's genuine spirit and passion in this record to make it an exceptional gospel record, but it's the deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that makes this one of the true, uh, holy grails of Chicago soul. The album was cut at the affordable Sound Market Studio, but behind the soaring, spirited lead and chorus vocal arrangements are players supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with legendary players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch in on the recordings. Raw drums, grooving organ, and incredible bass lines lay the foundation, but it's the voices that really shine on this completely wonderful, totally essential set! Includes "Like A Ship", "Wonderful", "It's Me O Lord", "Ever Since", "Nobody Knows", "Joyful Noice", "Medley...Dr. Watts Hymn & The Disciples Prayer" and "Blessed Quietness".

A brilliant anniversary release for the ever cosmic Build An Ark collective – featuring improvisations, remixes, solo pieces and collaborations – all previously unreleased and a pretty great little encapsulation of the group's freely soaring spirit! This is the rare group whose greatest charms derive from their limitless adventures, always pulling us into the groove, wherever it happens to be floating. There's airy solo piano by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and hypnotic solo Rhodes by Nate Morgan bookending the album, and in between we get Dimlite and DNTEL remixes, group improvisation, folk psych vocals, classic styled soul jazz with Dwight Trible and Phil Ranelin and more. Includes "Love (Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Solo Piano)", "Medley 1" (Dimlite Remix/Build An Ark Improvisation)", "Peace And Love! (Trevor's Mood)", "Medley 2 (Love Theme)", "Love, Swwet Like Sugar Cane (DNTEL Remix)", "Mother (Nate Morgan Solo Rhodes)", "The Yes Song (Build An Ark Featuring Mia Doi Todd)" and more. 11 tracks in all.

One of the hippest albums that Rahsaan Roland Kirk ever recorded – a perfect realization of his "black classical music" ethos, and a pan-generational jazz album that's all held together by one unique musical vision! Side one features the extended suite "The Seeker", which mixes together bop, avant garde, and New Orleans styles – and side two features more of the same in an extended medley of tracks, plus the titles "Baby Let Me Shake Your Tree" and "Sweet Fire". The album's got a few cool passages that feature recitations by Rahsaan – stating his musical philosophy, and tracing the development of the styles of work – and other players include Leroy Jenkins on violin, Dick Griffin on trombone, Ron Burton on piano, and Sonelius Smith on celeste!

One of the hippest albums that Rahsaan Roland Kirk ever recorded – a perfect realization of his "black classical music" ethos, and a pan-generational jazz album that's all held together by one unique musical vision! Side one features the extended suite "The Seeker", which mixes together bop, avant garde, and New Orleans styles – and side two features more of the same in an extended medley of tracks, plus the titles "Baby Let Me Shake Your Tree" and "Sweet Fire". The album's got a few cool passages that feature recitations by Rahsaan – stating his musical philosophy, and tracing the development of the styles of work – and other players include Leroy Jenkins on violin, Dick Griffin on trombone, Ron Burton on piano, and Sonelius Smith on celeste!

A great Memphis sound from the second greatest instrumental group on Stax next to Booker T & The MGs – heard here on a massive record that really pushes The Mar-Keys to the next level! On previous records, the combo always had a sound that was a bit brighter than Booker and his group – still soul, but not nearly as sharp. Yet this time around, they really dig deep – and have a way of smoking out plenty of the best soulful elements associated with the Stax Records sound – that great way with a heavy-stepping groove, instrumentation that's tight yet never slick, and solo moments that burst out and really give the tunes a hell of a lot of personality! The rhythm jumps out of the grooves on numbers like "Honey Pot", "Grab This Thing" and "Philly Dog", and the album winds up with a James Brown medley that's pretty darn swingin too.

A Pablo Records release, but one that features material originally done during the classic Verve Records years of Norman Granz – a previously unreleased live performance by the Jazz At The Philharmonic crew! This time around, the combo's a small one – a really all-star lineup with Lester Young and Flip Phillips on tenor, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Max Roach on drums – all given lots of room to really open up, on the kind of long tracks that allow for plenty of solo voicing – exactly what we've come to expect from the JATP at their best! Titles include "Dre's Blues", "How High The Moon", "Undecided", and a long "Ballad Medley".

One of the hippest albums that Rahsaan Roland Kirk ever recorded – a perfect realization of his "black classical music" ethos, and a pan-generational jazz album that's all held together by one unique musical vision! Side one features the extended suite "The Seeker", which mixes together bop, avant garde, and New Orleans styles – and side two features more of the same in an extended medley of tracks, plus the titles "Baby Let Me Shake Your Tree" and "Sweet Fire". The album's got a few cool passages that feature recitations by Rahsaan – stating his musical philosophy, and tracing the development of the styles of work – and other players include Leroy Jenkins on violin, Dick Griffin on trombone, Ron Burton on piano, and Sonelius Smith on celeste!

Great late Philly – played by a group that features plenty of talents from the legendary Sigma Studios scene of the 70s! As you'd guess from the title, most of the cuts here are remakes of earlier Philly cuts – mostly Gamble & Huff favorites from back in the day – but redone here in a session from the start of the 80s, so most of the classic elements are still very firmly intact! Plus, the players are all the right choice to make the record come off just right – a lineup that includes Norman Harris on guitar, Lenny Pakula on organ, Vince Montana on vibes, Ronnie Baker on bass, Earl Young on drums, and Larry Washington on congas – about as great a Philly rhythm section as you could hope for! Vocals are by a well-chosen group too – David Simmons, Ron Tyson, and Joe Freeman – who might be best known for his work with The Ethics and Love Committee. There's a very strong Gamble & Huff vibe running through the set – and titles include "Philly Medley (parts 1 & 2)", "Bad Luck", "I Don't Love You Anymore", "Backstabbers", "Love Train", "The Love I Lost", and "TSOP Medley".

A pair of late disco classics from Ultimate – back to back in a single set! First up is the group's self-titled debut from 1979 – Euro disco, but recorded in Philly – which makes for a wonderful criss-crossing of modes throughout! As with other disco sets of the style from the time – especially work on Casablanca Records – the set's got a number of really long, stretched-out tunes – almost mini musical symphonies built for the dancefloor, which unfold with sharp rhythms changes, sweet chorus vocals, and razor sharp studio instrumentation! The best of these is the leadoff number which takes up all of side one – the massive "Love Is The Ultimate/Touch Me Baby/Dancing In The Night" medley – which is then followed by slightly shorter groovers with equally great flavors – "Ritmo De Brazil", "Take Me To Chinatown", and "Music In My Heart". CD also features two bonus tracks – different mixes of the "Love Is The Ultimate" medley. Next is the Ultimate album from 1980 – a set that's got a stronger vocal approach than their previous effort – thanks to work by a trio of lovelies from the Philly scene, recorded here with a sound that's a bit different than some of their Casablanca contemporaries! The record's not nearly as polished as some of the rest – arranged by Michael Forte with a style that's certainly clubby, but with some hook-heavy modes that are a bit song-based too – almost crossover soul at the best moments, which is quite unexpected. Vocals are by Riti Saunders, Barbara Hernandez, and Deborah McGriff – and titles include "This Time I'm In Love", "Get To The Top", "Feel So Fine", "Now & Forever", and "Secret Agent Man".

Clubby takes on classic themes – mostly famous film numbers from the 70s, with a few other great cuts mixed in for good measure! The package is definitely heavy on the disco promised in the title – and features some killer cuts that really take off from the original tunes – stretching out the melody over longer readings that rely on heavy rhythms, sweet strings, and lots of other great elements to forge the groove! Meco are the clear stars of the package – as they virtually invented the genre – and the set features their versions of "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band", "The Empire Strikes Back Medley", "Love Theme From The Black Hole", "Love Theme From Star Trek", and "Theme From Close Encounters". But the set also features "Theme From King Kong" and "Theme From Superman" by Love Unlimited Orchestra, "Moonshine" by Philharmonic 2000, "Three Days Of The Condor" and "Lipstick" by Rhythm Heritage, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Galactic Light Orchestra, "Bolero" by Lalo Schifrin, and "Battlestar Galactica Medley" by Giorgio Moroder.