An unusual moment in the career of Tom Waits – a set that features some tracks done for a stage production, and which almost seem to unlock a Brechtian side in the singer's approach – especially given the jagged rhythms and dark currents that seem to inflect to many of the tunes! At a number of points, Waits sings in a style that's even more gruff than some of his standard albums – and mixed with the instrumentation on the set, there's almost a between the wars sort of vibe to the whole thing – a very nice change from the vibe of so many previous albums. At some level, the set might also mark an elevation to some of the more "serious" modes that Nick Cave was also hitting around the same time – a onetime underground hero realizing the power of himself in the larger world of art and culture. Titles include "Everything Goes To Hell", "Another Man's Vine", "Knife Cause", "The Part You Throw Away", "A Good Man Is Hard To Find", "Starving In The Belly Of A Whale", and "Misery Is The River Of The World". CD

A different slice of music from Steve Young than you might know from his classic Seven Bridges Road – but a set that's equally great in its own sort of way! The album's from a time when Young was really stepping out of the shadows a bit – maybe feeling himself more as a singer, but also still a hell of a songwriter too – and while the album's got some country touches around the edges, there's also a more straightforward approach to the presentation of the music. Yet, since the whole thing was produced by Rounder Records, there's nothing slick or commercial at all – none of the too-polished modes that might have happened had Steve cut these songs with a major label – which means that the record really gets to the heart and clarity of the man's genius. Titles include "No Expectations", "The Contender", "To Satisfy You", "Top Of The World", "River & The Swan", "They Call It Love", and "Wild World". CD

The deepest of the deep from the American scene at the start of the 70s – groups so hip they weren't quite soul, weren't quite rock – and instead kind of a funky hybrid of both! After opening our ears to countless underground sounds from around the globe, the Now Again label turn back to some of the territory of its roots – the hinterland of groups who labored mostly in obscurity, but left behind a few funky 45s that have become the stuff of legend – and which show us that there was a much bigger psychedelic funk underground out there besides groups like Funkadelic or the early Ohio Players! As always with the label, the history is really given its due, thanks to very detailed notes – alongside titles that include "Down By The River" by Purple Snow, "There's A Wrinkle In Our Time" by 1984, "Function Underground" by We The People, "Corruption Is The Thing" by Creations Unlimited, "Jimi's Guitar Raps With The Bass" by Jimi Macon, "I'm A Man" by Cisneros & Garza Group, "Just Got To Be Free" by Black Conspirators, "BL Movement" by Blaclites, and "The Siesta Is Over" by The Revolution. CD

The deepest of the deep from the American scene at the start of the 70s – groups so hip they weren't quite soul, weren't quite rock – and instead kind of a funky hybrid of both! After opening our ears to countless underground sounds from around the globe, the Now Again label turn back to some of the territory of its roots – the hinterland of groups who labored mostly in obscurity, but left behind a few funky 45s that have become the stuff of legend – and which show us that there was a much bigger psychedelic funk underground out there besides groups like Funkadelic or the early Ohio Players! As always with the label, the history is really given its due, thanks to very detailed notes – alongside titles that include "Down By The River" by Purple Snow, "There's A Wrinkle In Our Time" by 1984, "Function Underground" by We The People, "Corruption Is The Thng" by Creations Unlimited, "Jimi's Guitar Raps With The Bass" by Jimi Macon, "I'm A Man" by Cisneros & Garza Group, "Just Got To Be Free" by Black Conspirators, "BL Movement" by Blaclites, and "The Siesta Is Over" by The Revolution. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album featuring music from The Sound Of Jazz – the legendary 1957 TV show that brought together some of the greatest talents then working in jazz! Unusual for TV, the show really seemed to capture the players at their best – and recorded some tremendous live performances that were among the most moving ever filmed by the artists involved. Highlights include "The Train & The River" played by the Jimmy Giuffre Trio, "Fine & Mellow" sung by Billie Holiday, "Rosetta" and "Wild Man Blues" by the Red Allen All-Stars, "Blues" by Jimmy Giuffre & Pee Wee Russell, "I Left My Baby" by Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing, "Dickie's Dream" by Count Basie, and "Nervous", a solo piano number by Mal Waldron. CD

A wonderful collection of obscure solo acoustic guitar tunes from the mid 60s up to the dawn of the 80s – beautiful work from a slew of players we've never heard of – but we'd put right up there with Fahey and Basho in the way they reach from the back porch to the cosmos with just their fingers and some strings! One thing we love about this set, and the Numero Group releases to date, is how deep they dig and what beauty they unearth, somehow with impeccable sound quality. Some tunes are starkly beautiful, some chime on fairly intently, some do both those things and more – and it's very heartening and instantly appealing stuff – wordless tunes that carry a lot of sensitivity and emotion! The 40 page booklet features detailed notes and bio material for each track, plus an introduction by Numero's Rob Sevier and essays by Dan Lambert and Jim Ohlschmidt. Titles include "Beginning" by Dana Westover", "Raga In D" by Ted Lucas, "Sailor's Dream" by Scotte Witte, "Flight" by George Cromarty, "Diagonal" by Richard Crandell, "Baha Dream Songs" by Daniel Hecht, "Delta Freeze" by Jim Ohlschmidt, "No More School" by Stephen Cohen, "Strawberry Man" by Mark Lang, "Warm River" by Bread Chequer, "One Forty Eight" by Swayne Canna and more. CD

Includes the songs "Someday Sweetheart", "Sister Kate", "The River's Takin Care Of Me", "Aint'cha Got Music", "Stringin' Along On A Shoe String", "Shadows On The Swanee", "The Day You Came Along", "Jamaica Shout", "Heartbreak Blues", "Hush My Mouth (If I Ain't Goin' South)", "You're Gonna Lose Your Gal", "Dark Clouds", "My Galveston Gal", "Happy Feet", "I'm Rhythm Crazy Now", "Ol' Man River", "Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day", "Ain't Cha Glad", and "I've Got To Sing A Torch Song". CD

A surprisingly nice little album from Brubeck – one that's mostly comprised of old-fashioned type tunes, but which all take on a hip new light in the hands of his classic quartet! As usual, Paul Desmond's one of the main assets of the set – working with Brubeck to forge a slightly off-beat and swinging approach that brings plenty of nice moments to tunes like "Gone With The Wind", "Ol Man River", "Shortnin Bread", "Camptown Races", and "The Lonesome Road". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty darn big collection of work from the 4 Tops – one that spans both their Motown and ABC years, and which also throws in some surprising bits that we wouldn't have expected! The set's got a few previously unreleased mixes, but overall, all the material has been out before – just never in such a comprehensive or well-done package! There's a total of 48 tracks on the set, and titles include "Seven Lonely Nights", "Ain't No Woman", "Sweet Understanding Love", "A Simple Game (UK single mix)", "River Deep Mountain High (stereo single)" with the Supremes & Four Tops, "MacArthur Park (part 2)", "Just Seven Numbers", "Yesterday's Dreams", "If I Were A Carpenter", "Walk Away Renee (alternate mix)", "Something About You", "Nature Planned It", "HELP", "Catfish", "When She Was My Girl", "Are You Man Enough", "7 Rooms Of Gloom", "Standing In The Shadows Of Love", "Indestructible (7 inch extended)", "In These Changing Times", and "I'll Turn To Stone". CD

A rootsy blues 2-fer – with two rare Prestige Blues sessions on a single CD! First up is Blues & Folk – a set with a very appropriate title, given the earthy feel of the music – mostly just guitar from Brownie McGhee and harmonica from Sonny Terry – plus vocals by both! There's a really laidback, back-to-the-delta sort of sound here – all acoustic, and a real change from the electric blues that was coming out in the mainstream at the time. Titles include "Gone Gal", "Red River Blues", "Sonny's Squall", "Tryin To Win", "Too Nicey Mama", and "Meet Me Down The Bottom". Next is Blues All Around My Head – very stripped down material from the team of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – recorded during the pair's big revival with the folk blues crowds of the 60s! The sound is all acoustic – mostly just vocals, guitar, and harmonica – played with a timeless quality on titles that include "Muddy Water", "My Plan", "Trying To Destroy Me", "Jealous Man", "Understand Me", and "Blues Of Happiness". CD

Man! This one's a stunning 70s set from the great Cal Tjader – a set that features Charlie Byrd on guitar, and some especially great electric piano lines from Mike Wolff – which makes for a cool electric/acoustic combination that really sends the album home nicely! The record's light years away from Byrd's Brazilian work of the 60s, or any of his mellower dates from later years – and Tjader really seems to have picked up a freer sense of rhythm from the Airto/Flora generation, which is no surprise, given their prominence on his local Bay Area scene. Other players include John Heard on bass, Joe Byrd on electric bass, and percussion from Mike Stephans, Dick Berk, and Mayuto Correa – all players who help change out the bottom grooves nicely from track to track. Titles include Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus", Airto's "Tambo In 7/4" and "San Francisco River", Jobim's "Tereza My Love", Wolff's "Sad Eyes", and a version of "My Cherie Amour". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful collection of obscure solo acoustic guitar tunes from the mid 60s up to the dawn of the 80s – beautiful work from a slew of players we've never heard of – but we'd put right up there with Fahey and Basho in the way they reach from the back porch to the cosmos with just their fingers and some strings! One thing we love about this set, and the Numero Group releases to date, is how deep they dig and what beauty they unearth, somehow with impeccable sound quality. Some tunes are starkly beautiful, some chime on fairly intently, some do both those things and more – and it's very heartening and instantly appealing stuff – wordless tunes that carry a lot of sensitivity and emotion! The 40 page booklet features detailed notes and bio material for each track, plus an introduction by Numero's Rob Sevier and essays by Dan Lambert and Jim Ohlschmidt. Titles include "Beginning" by Dana Westover", "Raga In D" by Ted Lucas, "Sailor's Dream" by Scotte Witte, "Flight" by George Cromarty, "Diagonal" by Richard Crandell, "Baha Dream Songs" by Daniel Hecht, "Delta Freeze" by Jim Ohlschmidt, "No More School" by Stephen Cohen, "Strawberry Man" by Mark Lang, "Warm River" by Bread Chequer, "One Forty Eight" by Swayne Canna and more. CD

A real turning point in the career of Gene Ammons – a record that almost returns Ammons to his earthier roots, and in the process helps build up a whole new sound in soul jazz for the 60s! The "Jug" nickname in the title is kind of a joking way to help Ammons stand alongside "Miles", "Trane", "Diz", and other one-name monikered stars in jazz – but even without that gimmick (which somehow lasted for years), the album's got a depth that more than gets Gene back on top, thanks to a gritty soulfulness and good sense of feeling in the grooves! Players here include Richard Wyands on piano on most numbers – plus a rare appearance by Clarence "Sleepy" Anderson on 2 numbers – one on organ, one on piano. Rhythm is by Doug Watkins on bass and JC Heard on drums – and Ray Barretto makes one of his great soul jazz appearances on drums – rolling the groove along with a nice bit of bounce throughout! Titles include "Tangerine", "Ol Man River", "Easy To Love", "Seed Shack", "Miss Lucy", and "Namely You". CD

A real turning point in the career of Gene Ammons – a record that almost returns Ammons to his earthier roots, and in the process helps build up a whole new sound in soul jazz for the 60s! The "Jug" nickname in the title is kind of a joking way to help Ammons stand alongside "Miles", "Trane", "Diz", and other one-name monikered stars in jazz – but even without that gimmick (which somehow lasted for years), the album's got a depth that more than gets Gene back on top, thanks to a gritty soulfulness and good sense of feeling in the grooves! Players here include Richard Wyands on piano on most numbers – plus a rare appearance by Clarence "Sleepy" Anderson on 2 numbers – one on organ, one on piano. Rhythm is by Doug Watkins on bass and JC Heard on drums – and Ray Barretto makes one of his great soul jazz appearances on drums – rolling the groove along with a nice bit of bounce throughout! Titles include "Tangerine", "Ol Man River", "Easy To Love", "Seed Shack", "Miss Lucy", and "Namely You". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic comeback moment for the great Andy Bey – a singer who did incredible work in the 60s and 70s – then disappeared from the recording scene for awhile! The set's a compelling batch of jazz vocal tracks that show Andy reinventing himself for a whole new generation of jazz listeners. The backing's by a nice small group that includes Gary Bartz on alto, with whom Andy recorded extensively in the 70s – and other players include Geri Allen on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. The album includes a haunting reworking of Nick Drake's amazing song "River Man", plus a version of Dori Caymmi's "Like A Lover", Monk's "Straight No Chaser", and the moody "Dark Shadows", which was a page from Earl Coleman's songbook. CD

A great 2-fer – with 2 different classics from Dave Brubeck! First up is Gone With The Wind – a surprisingly nice little album from Brubeck – one that's mostly comprised of old-fashioned type tunes, but which all take on a hip new light in the hands of his classic quartet! As usual, Paul Desmond's one of the main assets of the set – working with Brubeck to forge a slightly off-beat and swinging approach that brings plenty of nice moments to tunes like "Gone With The Wind", "Ol Man River", "Shortnin Bread", "Camptown Races", and "The Lonesome Road". Time Out is easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone", "Mad Monk", "Billie's Bounce", "I Surrender Dear", "Red Cross","Dynamo A", "Summertime", "Stardust", "Old Man River", "Night And Day", "The Man I Love", "Georgia On My Mind", "Easy To Love", "Over The Rainbow", "Where Or When", "En Ce Temps-La", "Somebody Loves Me", "Riviera Blues (Blues A la Don)", "Laura", and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". CD

Not the Broadway record that you might guess from the title, but a great showboat for the hipper talents of trumpeter Kenny Dorham! The album is made up of tunes from the famous show, but the presentation here is quite strongly hardbop – blown by Kenny with the same mix of sweet and modern you might hear on his Blue Note records, but a bit looser too – almost with the rougher edges of a Prestige date. Other players include Jimmy Heath on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Garrison on piano, and Art Taylor on drums – one hell of a great group – and although the titles are familiar – "Can't Help Lovin Dat Man", "Ol Man River", "Why Do I Love You", and "Nobody Else But Me" – they're recast by Kenny as thoughtful little showpieces, rich with imagination, and played as if they were his own compositions. CD

The greatest moment ever from the legendary Bobbi Humphrey – a funky, soulful flute player who had more than her share of great moments over the years! This set may well be the summation of all the genius that Humphrey had to offer – a collaboration with genius producer Larry Mizell, at a level that matches is Blue Note classics with Donald Byrd, or the Music Is My Sanctuary album with Gary Bartz – a groundbreaking blend of jazz instrumentation and studio technique! The sound is never smooth, nor commercial – and instead, Bobbie's flute and vocals soar out majestically on these long tracks with building keyboard lines, subtle chorus parts, and touches of bass that really transform the rhythms past conventional soul fusion of the period. Every track is a winner – purely fantastic stuff – and classics include "Chicago Damn", "Jasper Country Man", and the genius "Harlem River Drive". CD

A landmark album in 50s vocal jazz – spare, moody, and evocative tunes from Julie London – sung in a stripped-down setting that few other singers would dare at the time! The sound of the set is as sexy as the cover – intimate, personal, and breathily sung in a mode that comes across with a brashly adult presentation of the material. Backing only features Barney Kessel on guitar and Ray Leatherwood on bass – leaving Julie plenty of room to take over the record with her vocals – a real masterpiece of understatement, given the setting! Titles include her famous version of "Cry Me A River" – virtually THE version of the tune – plus "I Should Care", "Say It Isn't So", "Gone With The Wind", "Laura", and "Can't Help Loving That Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from one of the original kings of the dancehall, nicknamed for his sweet vocal style! While "River Jordan" and "Hard Time Pressure" were big singles in a singles-driven genre, this set's solid all the way through, with great backing harmonies from Don Carlos & Lacksley Castell among others, supporting Minott's groovy lead, that wouldn't be out of place on a Windy city soul side from the 70s. The rhythms are laid out by a crack young band including Gladdy, Bingy Bunny, Steelie & Horsemouth Wallace at Channel One, under Minott's crisp production, with half of the finishing touches laid on by Barnabas at Channel One and the other half by Jammy at Tubby's. 10 tracks of prime early 80s reggae representing the best of a key transitional period fro Jamaican music, including "Mankind", "Jail House", "I'm Gonna Hold On", "Opressors Oppression", "Two Time Loser", "Black Roots", "Clean Runnings" and "Mr Babylon Man". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from Joni Mitchell – and maybe one of the most go-to records in her legendary catalog! The record set a new high mark for singer/songwriter material in the 70s – and there's an intimate, upfront quality here that's even more striking than Mitchell's early work – personal storytelling, with a slightly poetic vibe, set to spare acoustic backing that really makes the presence of the lyrics stand out even more. Well worth all the praise and attention the album's gotten for decades – with titles that include "All I Want", "My Old Man", "Little Green", "Carey", "Blue", "California", "This Flight Tonight", "River", "A Case Of You", and "The Last Time I Saw Richard". CD

A real breakthrough for Lou Rawls – a set that again paired him with arranger Onzy Matthews, and which even more deeply explored the unique space between jazz, soul, and the blues that became Rawls' prime territory back in the 60s! Matthews' backings are hip and jazzy throughout – filled with bold horn touches from players that include Lou Blackburn, Curtis Amy, Sonny Criss, and even Horace Tapscott – who's playing trombone here instead of his more familiar piano. Ray Crawford's guitar underscores a good number of the tracks here with that clean, lean, single-note style of his – but Lou is the clear star throughout with his deeply-voiced lyrics of older familiar tunes. Titles include his landmark reworking of "Tobacco Road", plus "Summertime", "Stormy Weather", "Rocking Chair", "Ol Man River", "St Louis Blues", and "Sentimental Journey". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little collection of Jimmy's tight tight tight Hammond sides cut for Verve during the 60s – with backings by Oliver Nelson and Lalo Schifrin, plus a few other sides in smaller combo format. Tracks include "Walk On The Wild Side", "Ol Man River", "The Cat", "Got My Mojo Workin", "High Heel Sneakers", "Hobo Flats", and "Organ Grinder's Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent! You're probably familiar with the Aquarius Dub set, an early, early dub LP, featuring some great rockers from Herman Chin Loy and Augustus Pablo – this groovy set from Pressure Sounds collects many of the vocal, dee jay and instrumental tracks that those rhythms laid the base for! 2 dozen bouncing numbers from the Scorpio and Aquarius imprints, with Chin Loy's rippling offbeat approach to production and top flight chats, scats and voicing from some of Kingston's finest, including Augustus Pablo & Herman "Aquarius Rock" and "Iggy Iggy", 2 versions of Alton Ellis' "Alton's Official Daughter", The Aquarians "Funky Aquarius", Sounds Unlimited "Roadrunner" and "Middle East Skank", Archie McKay "Pick Up The Pieces", Leroy Parker "Groove With It", Beres Hammond "No More War" plus its version by Herman, Dennis Alcapone "Return Of Sabata", James Eastwood "Darkest Night", Charlie Boy "Funky Strip", The Teacher "Soul Vibration", Dennis Brown "Song My Mother Used To Sing", Herman "Aquarius Dub", "River Nile Version", "Sabata" and "I Man" and Augustus Pablo "The Red Sea", "Snowball & Pudding", "Song Of The East" and "East Of The River Nile". LP, Vinyl record album

A great take on the sound of Hollywood – one that comes from a host of classic instrumental albums of the 50s and 60s – most of which feature new versions of famous soundtrack themes! Many of the cuts here are decidedly leaner, and almost hipper, than the originals – and the compositions run from the best crime/thriller years of the 50s – up to the coolest late 60s styles, including some of the more European-influenced ones. 18 tracks in all – including "Your Zowie Face" by Nelson Riddle, "Moon River" by Henry Jerome, "Barbarella" by Ferrante & Teicher, "Beat Girl" by John Barry, "Theme From The Apartment" by Tito Rodriguez, "Cool" by Martin Denny, "You Gotta Taste All The Fruit" by Leroy Holmes, "A Man & A Woman/Live For Life" by Billy May, "Experiment In Terrory" by Al Caiola, and "Watch What Happens" by Denny McLain. CD

Pre-ESP Records work from the legendary Albert Ayler – and a really special set that definitely shows his strong ties to a previous legacy of African-American music! Ayler always clamed blues and other roots in his sound, but didn't always show them as clearly – given his free-thinking, forward-moving approach – yet this set has Albert really reworking an older influence, by taking older songs from gospel and secular sources, and using them as a completely compelling springboard for his new ideas on tenor and soprano sax! The album's the sort that David Murray might have cut in the mid 80s – but conceived by Ayler two decades before – and sadly unissued for years after its recording, possibly because it's a very sensitive, soulful set that's different than the frenetic power of later albums on ESP. A real treasure throughout – with work from Call Cobbs Jr on piano, Henry Grimes on bass, and Sonny Murray on drums – on titles that include "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "Deep River", "Goin Home", "Ol Man River", "Down By The Riverside", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD

Pre-ESP Records work from the legendary Albert Ayler – and a really special set that definitely shows his strong ties to a previous legacy of African-American music! Ayler always clamed blues and other roots in his sound, but didn't always show them as clearly – given his free-thinking, forward-moving approach – yet this set has Albert really reworking an older influence, by taking older songs from gospel and secular sources, and using them as a completely compelling springboard for his new ideas on tenor and soprano sax! The album's the sort that David Murray might have cut in the mid 80s – but conceived by Ayler two decades before – and sadly unissued for years after its recording, possibly because it's a very sensitive, soulful set that's different than the frenetic power of later albums on ESP. A real treasure throughout – with work from Call Cobbs Jr on piano, Henry Grimes on bass, and Sonny Murray on drums – on titles that include "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "Deep River", "Goin Home", "Ol Man River", "Down By The Riverside", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Cry! Cry! Cry!", "Hey Porter", "Folsom Prison Blues", "I Walk The Line", "Get Rhythm", "Big River", "Guess Things Happen That Way", "Ring Of Fire", "Jackson", "A Boy Named Sue (Live)", "Sunday Morning Coming Down", "Man In Black", "One Piece At A Time", "Highwayman", "The Wanderer", "Delia's Gone", "Rusty Cage", "I've Been Everywhere", "Give My Love To Rose", "The Man Comes Around (Early Take)", and "Hurt". CD

The album that catapulted Dire Straits into the bigger mainstream – thanks in part to some heavy play on MTV, and the group's inventive use of the video format! Titles include "Brothers In Arms", "Walk Of Life", "The Man's Too Strong", "One World", "So Far Away", "Your Latest Trick", "Why Worry", "Ride Across The River", and "Money For Nothing". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that catapulted Dire Straits into the bigger mainstream – thanks in part to some heavy play on MTV, and the group's inventive use of the video format! Titles include "Brothers In Arms", "Walk Of Life", "The Man's Too Strong", "One World", "So Far Away", "Your Latest Trick", "Why Worry", "Ride Across The River", and "Money For Nothing". CD

Godlike work from the legendary Nick Drake – and exactly the kind of record that's made him a continuing legend over the years! The style is completely its own – not really folk or rock, but not really jazz either – yet served up with plenty of jazzy phrasing that's helped keep Drake's music fresher than most as the decades move on – and which makes each song here a really rich discovery – even if, like us, you've heard the album hundreds of times in the past! The production is wonderful – with slight underscorings of strings that help unlock dark corners of the songs – and tracks include the classic "River Man" – easily one of Nick's best songs ever – plus "Fruit Tree", "Day Is Done", "Three Hours", "Saturday Sun", and "Time Has Told Me". A record we'd never part with – ever! CD

A sweet UK compilation of some of Nick's best work – and covering the stylistic breadth of it – from the somewhat underappreciated studio band backed gems, to the stripped down and rawly intimate songcraft that cemented his incredible legacy. With the exception of a couple tracks from the posthumous Made To Love Magic collection, Treasury draws pretty equally from each of this iconic Island LPs – so nearly every track is purely classic – so the biggest and only flaw here is that it has 15 incredible tracks, rather than all of them! "River Man", "Cello Song", "Poor Boy", "Hazey Jane II", "Magic", "Place To Be", "From The Morning", "Fruit Tree", "Road", and "Way To Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the tracks "Day Dream", " Good Queen Bess (take 1 & 2)", "That's The Blues", "Old Man", "Junior Hop", "Squaty Roo", " Passion Flower", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Going Out The Back Way", " Never No Lament (Don't Get Around Much Anymore)", "Blue Goose", "In A Mellowtone", "Warm Valley", "After All", "The Giddybug Gallop", "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)", "Clementine", "Moon Mist", "Sentimental Lady", "Come Sunday", " Mood To Be Woo'd", and "Rockaby River (Hop, Skip, Jump)". CD

The greatest moment ever from the legendary Bobbi Humphrey – a funky, soulful flute player who had more than her share of great moments over the years! This set may well be the summation of all the genius that Humphrey had to offer – a collaboration with genius producer Larry Mizell, at a level that matches his Blue Note classics with Donald Byrd, or the Music Is My Sanctuary album with Gary Bartz – a groundbreaking blend of jazz instrumentation and studio technique! The sound is never smooth, nor commercial – and instead, Bobbie's flute and vocals soar out majestically on these long tracks with building keyboard lines, subtle chorus parts, and touches of bass that really transform the rhythms past conventional soul fusion of the period. Every track is a winner – purely fantastic stuff – and classics include "Chicago Damn", "Jasper Country Man", and the genius "Harlem River Drive". LP, Vinyl record album

The greatest moment ever from the legendary Bobbi Humphrey – a funky, soulful flute player who had more than her share of great moments over the years! This set may well be the summation of all the genius that Humphrey had to offer – a collaboration with genius producer Larry Mizell, at a level that matches is Blue Note classics with Donald Byrd, or the Music Is My Sanctuary album with Gary Bartz – a groundbreaking blend of jazz instrumentation and studio technique! The sound is never smooth, nor commercial – and instead, Bobbie's flute and vocals soar out majestically on these long tracks with building keyboard lines, subtle chorus parts, and touches of bass that really transform the rhythms past conventional soul fusion of the period. Every track is a winner – purely fantastic stuff – and classics include "Chicago Damn", "Jasper Country Man", and the genius "Harlem River Drive". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Stanley Jordan takes on a set of standards – not just older tunes from the American songbook, but also some gorovy soul and pop numbers as well! Jordan plays solo throughout – in that open, lyrical style that we loved on his debut – and titles include "Sunny", "The Sound Of Silence", "Send One Your Love", "Moon River", "Guitar Man", and "My Favorite Things". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from Joni Mitchell – and maybe one of the most go-to records in her legendary catalog! The record set a new high mark for singer/songwriter material in the 70s – and there's an intimate, upfront quality here that's even more striking than Mitchell's early work – personal storytelling, with a slightly poetic vibe, set to spare acoustic backing that really makes the presence of the lyrics stand out even more. Well worth all the praise and attention the album's gotten for decades – with titles that include "All I Want", "My Old Man", "Little Green", "Carey", "Blue", "California", "This Flight Tonight", "River", "A Case Of You", and "The Last Time I Saw Richard". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of early 70s easy listening gems – back to back on an SACD! First up is Tony & Strings – on which the sweet guitar of Tony Mottola mixes with some well-arranged strings – all given the lean presentation of Enoch Light in the 70s, which makes for music that's a great change from the way such sounds would have been handled a decade before! Titles include "It's Going To Take Some Time", "Nature Boy", "The Candy Man", "Song Sung Blue", "Street Of Dreams", "Theme From The Godfather", and the originals "Marcello's Mazurka" and "Bossa La La La". Close To You is a sweet set that's billed as "guitar for lovers", and which has the lean sound of Tony Mottola updated nicely with some Project 3 touches for the 70s! The record's got an unusual mix of tracks – some 70s, some older, and even a Christmas tune too – and Bucky Pizzarelli and Dick Hyman make guest appearances too! Tites include "Wave", "Didn't We", "Close To You", "Moon River/What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Yesterday When I Was Young", "We've Only Just Begun", and "The Christmas Song". CD

Beautifully sweet and folksy work from Linda Perhacs – a singer with a heavenly voice, and a wonderful songwriting talent to match! The record's nicely free from the cliches of some of Linda's contemporaries – as it's got a gently flowing quality that never forces things too much – and which instead seems to have Perhac's ethereal vocals initiating most of the focuse of the tunes, with light guitars, flute, and other instrumentation just shimmering slightly in the background. The structure and subject matter of the tunes is really fresh – no overdone Time Hardin or Fred Neil covers here – and the production has Linda's vocals echo out very slightly, almost overdubbed with a bit of echo, but in a way that only increases their presence in the mix – and which isn't that too-slick mode that was sometimes being used by folkies trying to move into the adult contemporary generation. There's a nice sense of darkness that comes not only from the lyrics, but also from some of the tones on the tunes. Titles include "Parallelograms", "Call Of The River", "Dolphin", "Paper Mountain Man", "Chimacum Rain", and "Moons & Cattails". CD features a number of bonus tracks – including demo versions of tunes on the album! CD

The one and only album by The Silkie – the title track being the classic and hugely catchy cover of the Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" – really one of the sweeter, more lovely and hard-to-shake catchy folk pop records of the era! The simple and raw acoustic guitar backdrop works very well with the male and female harmonies, really somehow feeling far more lovely and affecting than so many similar groups of the era. Lots of Dylan songs, including "The Times They Are A Changin'", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Girl From The North Country", "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" and more, plus "Close The Door Gently", "Blood Red River" and more. CD includes 4 bonus tracks: "Leave Me To Cry", "Keys To My Soul", "Born To Be With You" and "I'm So Sorry". CD

Tracks include "Walk On The Wild Side", "The Cat", "Blues In The Night", " James & Wes", "Ol' Man River", and "Got My Mojo Workin". CD

A real turning point in the career of David Sylvian – and his first album to feature moody soundscape-type tracks! The double-length album has Sylvian really exploring sound and space in ways never imagined on his earlier work with Japan – stretching out from the album's first few vocal numbers, and eventually nodding into a realm of darkness that's completely sublime! The vocal tunes – like "River Man", "Gone To Earth", "Taking The Veil", and "Laughter And Forgetting" – are as captivating as any of the tracks on Brilliant Trees, but even better in that they're more laidback and personal. They're followed by beautiful instrumental tunes – "The Healing Place", "Answered Prayers", "The Wooden Cross", and "Where the Railroad Meets The Sea" – done in the same shamanistic/mystic mode of some of Sylvian's later more experimental work, but with more of a tuneful song-like structure. CD

A surprisingly sweet solo effort from Beach Boy Dennis Wilson – a record of surprising depth and darkness, and arguably stronger than most of the albums at the time from the larger group! Dennis produced the album himself, with some executive help from James William Guerico – whose guidance here seems key, given the overall quality of the set. There's some echoes of Beach Boys' styles in the music, but the sound is much more personal as well – Wilson's ragged vocals in the lead on all numbers, sometimes upfront and fragile, sometimes given a bit more umph through the use of processing – at that level that the whole group would often experience in the studio during the 70s. The album's as much of a showcase for Dennis' writing skills as it is for his vocals – and songs are co-written with co-producer Gregg Jakobson, as well as Carl Wilson, Mike Love, and Karen Lamm-Wilson. Titles include "River Song", "Friday Night", "Thoughts Of You", "Dreamer", "Time", "You And I", and "What's Wrong". This limited version of the expanded Legacy edition is really amazing – with a huge booklet of notes and photos, as well as essays on Dennis' music – plus session bonus tracks that include "Mexico", "Holy Man", "Only With You", and "Tug Of Love". Also features a full bonus CD with the sessions for the unreleased Bambu album – with tracks that include "School Girl", "It's Not Too Late", "Under The Moonlight", "Are You Real", "He's A Bum", "Cocktails", "I Love You", "Constant Companion", and "Time For Bed". CD

A surprisingly sweet solo effort from Beach Boy Dennis Wilson – a record of surprising depth and darkness, and arguably stronger than most of the albums at the time from the larger group! Dennis produced the album himself, with some executive help from James William Guerico – whose guidance here seems key, given the overall quality of the set. There's some echoes of Beach Boys' styles in the music, but the sound is much more personal as well – Wilson's ragged vocals in the lead on all numbers, sometimes upfront and fragile, sometimes given a bit more umph through the use of processing – at that level that the whole group would often experience in the studio during the 70s. The album's as much of a showcase for Dennis' writing skills as it is for his vocals – and songs are co-written with co-producer Gregg Jakobson, as well as Carl Wilson, Mike Love, and Karen Lamm-Wilson. Titles include "River Song", "Friday Night", "Thoughts Of You", "Dreamer", "Time", "You And I", and "What's Wrong". This expanded Legacy edition is really amazing – with a 24-page booklet with notes and photos – plus session bonus tracks that include "Mexico", "Holy Man", "Only With You", and "Tug Of Love". Also features a full bonus CD with the sessions for the unreleased Bambu album – with tracks that include "School Girl", "It's Not Too Late", "Under The Moonlight", "Are You Real", "He's A Bum", "Cocktails", "I Love You", "Constant Companion", and "Time For Bed". CD

An excellent recording from the Neil Young archives – solo and acoustic at LA's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from February 1971 – focused, forthright and in near perfect voice!. Neil alternates between guitar and piano on this one, with some harmonica, and with clear forethought in getting these great songs over in a big sounding way despite being all alone on stage. Includes "On The Way Home", "Tell Me Why", "Old Man", "Love In Mind", "I Am A Child", "The Needle And The Damage Done", "See The Sky About To Rain", "Journey Through The Past", "Down By The River and more. Includes "On The Way Home", "Tell Me Why", "Old Man", Cowgirl In The Sand", "Sugar Mountain", "Ohio", "Don't Let It Bring You Down", "Sugar Mountain", "I Am A Child", "A Main Needs A Maid", "Heart Of Hold", "Dance Dance Dance" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

More funky breaks than Evel Knevel after the Snake River Canyon jump! The groove hounds at BGP records were set loose on the Ace catalog – which includes holdings from Atlantic, Stax, Volt, Westbound, and other funky classic labels – and they managed to come up with a killer batch of funky cuts, even though this is their 3rd dip into the crates! If anything, perhaps they dipped even deeper this time – especially as some of the once-trusted sources for breaks, like the famous Ultimate Breaks & Beats series, are now disappearing from the market. Titles include "Soul Pad" by The Coasters, "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Nappy Dugout" by Funkadelic, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by The Mad Lads, "The Rose" by 50 Foot Hose, "Holy Ghost" by The Bar Kays, "No Strings Attached" by The Mad Lads, "After Laughter Comes Tears" by Wendy Rene, "River's Invitation" by Freddie Robinson, "This House Is Smokin" by BT Express, "Music Man (parts 1 & 2)" by Pleasure Web, and "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter. CD

A great overview of classic soul music – done in the best style of this Cairo Records series from Mississippi – which means a fantastic choice of cuts, and a beautiful booklet of notes and photos to accompany the music! The set is almost worth the price of the book alone – full color, and filled with scans of rare albums and singles, discographical information, and other details on the music – all in support of a 36 track set that mixes familiar names with much more obscure artists – in order to present a really wide range of classic soul. Titles include "I Pledge" by Lonnie & Lloyd, "My Baby Waited Too Long" by Mamie Perry, "I Found You" by James Hamm, "I've Been Pushed Around" by Blue River & The Maroons, "Please Don't Desert Me Baby" by Gloria Walker, "Helping Hand" by Little Genie Brooks, "Where Is Love" by Eldridge Holmes, "I Still Love You" by Jean Stanback, "Should I Take You Home" by Aztlan, "Don't Make Me What You Don't Want Me To Be" by Nick Allen, "Sippin A Cup Of Coffee" by The Ordells, "Let Me Be The Man" by The Fabulous Vents, "I'm Too Far Gone To Turn Around" by Irene Reid, "I Can't Stop" by Kenny Wells, and "I Wonder If I Had Your Love" by Leroy Smith. LP, Vinyl record album

A real turning point in the career of Gene Ammons – a record that almost returns Ammons to his earthier roots, and in the process helps build up a whole new sound in soul jazz for the 60s! The "Jug" nickname in the title is kind of a joking way to help Ammons stand alongside "Miles", "Trane", "Diz", and other one-name monikered stars in jazz – but even without that gimmick (which somehow lasted for years), the album's got a depth that more than gets Gene back on top, thanks to a gritty soulfulness and good sense of feeling in the grooves! Players here include Richard Wyands on piano on most numbers – plus a rare appearance by Clarence "Sleepy" Anderson on 2 numbers – one on organ, one on piano. Rhythm is by Doug Watkins on bass and JC Heard on drums – and Ray Barretto makes one of his great soul jazz appearances on drums – rolling the groove along with a nice bit of bounce throughout! Titles include "Tangerine", "Ol Man River", "Easy To Love", "Seed Shack", "Miss Lucy", and "Namely You". LP, Vinyl record album

This is a live recording from Duke Kahanamoku's in Honolulu. Songs include "Rain", "Hilo March", "Hawaiian Wedding Song", "Volga Boatmen", "Black Orchid", "Pretty Maui Girl", "Cock-Eyed Mayor Of Kaunakakai", "Lei Aloha Lei Makamae", "On The Beach At Waikiki", and "Ol' Man River". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the Broadway record that you might guess from the title, but a great showboat for the hipper talents of trumpeter Kenny Dorham! The album is made up of tunes from the famous show, but the presentation here is quite strongly hardbop – blown by Kenny with the same mix of sweet and modern you might hear on his Blue Note records, but a bit looser too – almost with the rougher edges of a Prestige date. Other players include Jimmy Heath on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Garrison on piano, and Art Taylor on drums – one hell of a great group – and although the titles are familiar – "Can't Help Lovin Dat Man", "Ol Man River", "Why Do I Love You", and "Nobody Else But Me" – they're recast by Kenny as thoughtful little showpieces, rich with imagination, and played as if they were his own compositions. CD

A classic album featuring music from The Sound Of Jazz – the legendary 1957 TV show that brought together some of the greatest talents then working in jazz! Unusual for TV, the show really seemed to capture the players at their best – and recorded some tremendous live performances that were among the most moving ever filmed by the artists involved. Highlights include "The Train & The River" played by the Jimmy Giuffre Trio, "Fine & Mellow" sung by Billie Holiday, "Rosetta" and "Wild Man Blues" by the Red Allen All-Stars, "Blues" by Jimmy Giuffre & Pee Wee Russell, "I Left My Baby" by Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing, "Dickie's Dream" by Count Basie, and "Nervous", a solo piano number by Mal Waldron. CD

A pair of wonderful albums from the great John Fahey – back to back on a single CD! First up is Rivers & Religion – a really unique album by John Fahey – issued during a short stretch of initial mainstream approval, and a brief time of recording for Warner Brothers! Some of the album's quite different than the spare, solo Fahey you might know – and mixes his legendary guitar work with more elaborate elements than usual – additional instrumentation that includes bass, banjo, clarinet, piano, trombone, and fiddle – but all used at a level that really supports John's presence, not occludes it. Other tracks return to spare acoustic steel string guitar – creating an evocative balance that's mighty nice. Titles include "Funeral Song For Mississippi John Hurt", "Texas & Pacific Blues", "Dixie Pig Bar B Q Blues", "Lord Have Mercy Song", and "Deep River". After The Ball is a set with a disco ball on the cover, but a record that fits right in with the best early 20th century aesthetic in the work of John Fahey – particularly his way of reiimagining older musical traditions! There's a bit of added instrumentation on the record – two tracks that have some slight trad jazz flourishes – but overall, the album's mostly a solo effort with loads of wonderful guitar work from John – still as creative and as complicated as in his best recordings for Takoma! Other added instrumentation sometimes expands the sound with mandolin or banjo, but again in very sensitive ways – and titles include "Bucktown Stomp", "Om Shanthi Norris", "Beverly", and "Horses". CD

A nice set that brings together Hawk Flies High plus earlier material from 78s! The core record is a key album in the reintroduction of Coleman Hawkins in the late 50s – recorded in a style that still bears a lot of traces of earlier years, but at a time when Hawk was being claimed as a key influence by a variety of younger modernists! The set's got a sense of freedom that's really surprising – especially on the longer numbers, which unfold with some playful instrumental twists that seem to come especially from trumpeter Idrees Sulieman and trombonist JJ Johnson – both of whom are great on the record. Other players include Hank Jones on piano, Barry Galbraith on guitar, and Oscar Pettiford on bass – and titles include "Juicy Fruit", "Think Deep", "Blue Lights", "Sanctity", and "Chant". Other material is from 40s 78s – very nicely presented! LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of later gems from this legendary South African pianist! Mindif is a great set that features Abdullah Ibrahim's soundtrack music for the 1988 Clair Denis film Chocolat – some of his best group recordings of the 80s! The feel here is a bit more African-styled than usual – even for Ibrahim – with strong use of reeds to inflect the tunes with the right degree of color and tone for their use in the film. The ensemble on the record features Ricky Ford on tenor and soprano, Craig Handy on flute and tenor, Benny Powell on trombone, David Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the tracks have a languid groove that recalls some of Dollar Brand's best South African recordings with Kippie Moketsie. Titles include "Earth Bird", "African Market", "Pule", "Star Dance", and "Serenity". African River is one of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". Yarona is a beautifully sensitive set from Abdullah Ibrahim – recorded live at the Village Vanguard, and with an open, lyrical sound that almost seems to recall some of Bill Evans' magical moments in the venue! Ibrahim's quite a different player, of course – but there's an open, exploratory quality to his music that's a bit unusual here – maybe not as rhythmically based as it is balanced between sound and silence – given very respectful company in the bass of Marcus McLaurine and drums of George Johnson. Titles include "Cherry/Mannenberg", "Duke 88", "African River", "Stardance", "Tuang Guru", "Tintinyana", and "African Marketplace". CD

A wonderful collection of later work from this legendary Japanese pianist – a set that's named after his famous Watarase album from years back, but which includes some unusual live recordings and material that we haven't seen elsewhere! Some of the tracks here really break the standard piano trio format of some of Fumio Itabashi's other albums, but still glow in that boldly spiritual, soulful style he brought to his work from the 70s onwards – and the set features a duet with alto player Kazutoki Umezo, a quintet title with tenorist Tetsuro Kawashima and trumpeter Shinpei Ruike, a live trio track, and the last a never-heard 1981 solo demo performance of the tune! LP, Vinyl record album