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A deep deep deep collection of work from Arthur Conley – one that really shows the true spectrum of his mighty soul talents – and which goes way past his few overplayed hits of the 60s! The focus here is on slow-burners and mellow groovers – tunes that really bring out the depth of Conley's southern soul vocals – a richness that's right up there with his one-time mentor Otis Redding, recorded brilliantly at the legendary Fame studios! The label-spanning collection brings together material for the Atlantic, Fame, Jotis, Ru-Jac, and Capricorn labels – and has the usual top-shelf Ace Records presentation of detailed notes with vintage photos and label scans as well. Titles include "Let's Go Steady", "God Bless", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "There's A Place For Us", "Take Me", "Where You Lead Me", "Stop Knocking", "I Want Your Love", "Otis Sleep On", "Put Our Love Together", "Let Nothing Separate", and "Walking On Eggs".

A tremendous step forward for the young Muhal Richard Abrams – a set that still shows his early roots in the AACM, but which also blossoms with some of his more serious compositional efforts to come! There's a sensitivity here that really stands out – even among Abrams' contemporaries – a striving for a wider range of expression – some as bold as before, some much more deeply personal and intimate. The tracks feature a shifting array of players – working alongside Abrams piano, and building up the sound in a number of different ways. Players include Wallace McMillan on flute and sax, Edwin Daugherty on sax, Richard Brown on sax, Emanuel Cranshaw on vibes, Rufus Reid on bass, and Steve McCall and Wilbur Campbell on drums. Ella Jackson provides vocals on "How Are You?" – and other titles include "Ballad For New Souls", "Things To Come From Those Now Gone", "In Retrospect", "Ballad For Old Souls", "1 & 4 Plus 2 & 7", and "March Of The Transients".

A classic live date from Satchmo – and expanded to include the complete performances on that legendary night at Boston's Symphony Hall – for the first time ever! Recorded in November of 1947 and originally released in '51, it's never before been issued with both the first and second sets that night. There's also a number of great tunes here that were released before in edited versions, but fully presented here. It's such wonderful stuff – both as a top-shelf document of this period of American jazz – and as a brilliant example of Satcho's charming stage presence. His trumpet and solo vocals are well captured, and you can here up humming along on the instrumentals, too. The players at this point who are All Stars, indeed, include Jack Teagarden on vocals and trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Dick Cary on piano, Arvell Shaw on bass, and Sid Catlett on drums – plus some great vocals by Velma Middleton. 29 songs on 2CDs – in a hardback package with a great booklet – and featuring "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", "Stars Fell On Alabama", "Body And Soul", "Steak Face", "Back O'Town Blues", "St James Infirmary", "Mop Mop", "Jack Armstrong Blues", "That's My Desire", "C Jam Blues", "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", "Mahogany Hall Stomp" and more – many previously unreleased!

Previously unissued material from the great Harry Arnold – excellent mid 60s big band sessions, as creative as they are hard-swinging! Arnold's group here is at the top of its form – working together with a rich array of tones and colors that show the best legacies of 50s modern jazz in the large ensemble idiom – yet with a lean quality that really allows lots of voice from the soloists, too – a lineup that includes Arne Domnerus, Jan Johansson, Lars Farnlov, Bengt-Arne Wallin, and Georg Riedel! Arrangements are by Wallin, Pete Jacques, and others – but it's Arnold who clearly knows how to make the whole thing hold together this well. Titles include "It's In The Bag", "Margie", "Blues For Nathan", "Cheryl", "Tina", "Per Spelman", "You've Got It", "I Knew It I Knew It", and "King Valiant".

An incredible package – and one that features three of the most important records ever cut by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago! All three albums were recorded at the Saravah Studios in the summer of 1969 – during a time when the Art Ensemble of Chicago were making big waves on the Parisian scene (including their work in the film Les Stances A Sophie) – and finding a way to refine their new Chicago sound in the world away from the Windy City! These were the albums that really put the Art Ensemble on the map – letting them find new freedoms, and reach new heights in expression – in a mode that even surpassed previous recordings by individual members back home. The lineup is very heavy on reeds – with a variety played by Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman – and features bold trumpet from Lester Bowie, warm basslines from Malachi Favors, and a range of percussion and other instruments by all members of the group! The set comes in a nice book-like cover, with a booklet inside – and titles include "Reese & The Smooth Ones (parts 1 & 2)", "Rock Out", "Brain For The Seine", "Dexterity", "Jackson In Your House", "The Waltz", and "Song For Charles".

A far-reaching early gem from Roy Ayers – a set that's much more jazz-based than his later work, and a record that has him touching base with the Blue Note and Strata East sides of the jazz spectrum! The lineup here is incredibly hip – a mix of players that includes a young Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Harold Land and Joe Henderson on tenor, Jack Wilson on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass – not to mention Roy himself on some mighty great vibes! There's a surprising spiritual undercurrent to the music – pointing the way towards jazz to come in the 70s – and titles include "Glow Flower", "Ayerloom", "Virgo Vibes", and "In The Limelight" – plus an early take on Charles Tolliver's "The Ringer".

The complete recordings from Albert Ayler's 1966 ESP set at Slugs Nightclub – located in his home turf of the East Village, a very fervent setting for avant jazz at the time! The material has a feel that's a lot like Ayler's studio recordings for ESP, but the tracks are longer overall, and feature a bit more interplay between the group members at times – individual solo space that's occasionally a bit more pronounced, running back into some tighter energies from the rest of the group. Ayler's blowing with a lineup that includes his brother Donald Ayler on trumpet, Lewis Worrell on bass, Michel Sampson on violin, and a very young Ronald Shannon Jackson on drums and percussion. This expanded version features better sound and more tracks than previous versions – plus a great cover image too! Titles include "Truth Is Marching On", "Bells", "Ghosts", "Initiation", and "Our Prayer".

Lost funk rock from Ballinjack – the rare self-titled set for Columbia that's arguably best remembered for being so massively sampled – but the group that deserves a more widely-credited legacy! The sound is a bit like Mandrill on the best cuts, with the band going hard on the funky drums with some great brassy movements, flute and guitars. Lots of deftly jazzy movements, too – standout flute and guitar moments throughout. Tracks include the famously sampled "Found a Child" and "Never Let 'Em Say" (believe us, you've heard these samples plenty, and it's cool to hear them in their original context. . .great stuff and little wonder they were so strongly utilized by hip hop production heavies), plus "Super Highway", Festival", "Telephone", "Ballin' The Jack", "Street People", "Carnival", and "Hold On".

Overlooked later work from trumpeter Harry Beckett – material that really sparkles with a lot of warmth and imagination, and which is pulled together from a collection of different sessions in the late 80s and early 90s! The package features Beckett in a number of settings – including a beautiful duet with pianist Chris McGregor on the title track "Maxine", another duet with pianist Django Bates on "Les Jardins Du Casino", a 24 minute tune titled "Cozy N Rozy" played with a quintet that features McGregor on piano and Courtney Pine on tenor, a sweet take on Jacques Brel's "Amsterdam" in a trio with Joachim Kuhn on piano and JF Jenny Clarke on bass, and two group numbers with Annie Whitehead on trombone and John Burgess on flute and sax – on the tunes "Falling In Love With Love" and "Bessie's Blues".

Seminal Chicago sounds from cornetist Josh Berman – and a record that's not just a key example of his talents, but of the whole energy of the Windy City scene as well! There's a nice gag in the "His Gang" on the cover of the record – but it's also somewhat well put, too – as Berman's definitely got ears for the old-time sounds such a name might imply – yet always has ways of making those older modes come out with freshly modern energy! The balance is amazing – and really shows Josh's ear for trad jazz, mixed with his contemporary avant expressions – a pan-historical jazz mode that's hardly ever been handled this well – except maybe by Jaki Byard at a few moments. At some level, the instrumentation reads like an old trad band – cornet, clarinet, trombone, bass clarinet – but the sounds here are definitely 21st Century – played by a great "gang" that includes Guillermo Gregorio on clarinet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jason Stein on bass clarinet, Keefe Jackson on tenor, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Josh Abrams on bass, and Frank Rosaly on drums. Berman's arrangements are wonderful – very offbeat, but swinging too – and titles include "Sugar", "Mobile & Blues", "Liza", "Cloudy", "One Train May Hide Another", and "Jada".

Tried-and-true underground hip hop mixed with more experimental beathead touches from Blu – with collaborations and production by Exile, Shafiq Husayn, Flying Lotus, Dibia$e, Daedalus and more – plus appearances by U-God, J*Davey, Co$$, Pac-Div and more. Titles include "Doin Nothing" with U-God, "Everything OK" feat Ms Jack Davey, "Everybody Nose" feat Sa-Ra & Nola Darling, "Hours", "Annie Hall" feat Chop, Cherry Pop & Tiombe Lockhart, "Tags" feat Exile, "Spring Summer Winter Fall" feat Jimetta Rose, "Down To Earth" feat Donel Smokes, Definite & Double Oh, "Keep Pushinn", "Doin Something" feat Pac Div, U-N-I, J*Davey, Tiron & Ayomari and more.

A legendary album of Memphis soul – and a full length set that helped redefine the sound of instrumental music in the 60s! The record's a monumental follow-up to Booker T & The MGs' huge hit single "Green Onions" – an extremely seductive organ-based instrumental that the band cooked up while just messing around in the studio – and it's filled with other organ-heavy grooves played by this tight Memphis quartet – a group who were just starting out at this point, but already had a sound that's unlike anyone else! The work of Booker T is especially nice – Hammond with a bit more punch than other combos of this nature – backed by some wicked guitar from Steve Cropper, bass from Lewis Steinberg, and drums from Al Jackson. The set features a nice mix of covers and original tunes – with titles that include "Green Onions", "I Got A Woman", "Twist & Shout", "Lonely Avenue", "Comin Home Baby", "Mo Onions", "Behave Yourself", and "Rinky Dink". CD features two bonus live tracks from 1965 – versions of "Green Onions" and "Can't Sit Down".

Excellent work from Chicago reed player David Boykin – a much more straight ahead album than some of his earlier work, but done with an edge that keeps it in the ranks of the AACM tradition that has informed much of Boykin's music from the start. Boykin is on sax and clarinet – and the rest of the group includes Josh Abrams on bass, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Jim Baker on piano, and Isaiah Spencer on drums – grooving together in an angular modern bop approach that recalls some of Roland Kirk's most adventurous work of the 60s, touched with traces of the more soulful side of the Chicago avant scene. Titles include "Niki's Bounce", "Jacuzzi", "Virgo", "Sunset", "Stalking The Cat", "Sunrise", "Antimatter", and "Jiffy Pop".

Bold bass saxophone sounds from the overlooked Helmut Brand – a German player of the postwar years, and one with a sense of tone and texture to rival that of Gerry Mulligan at his west coast best! The work here is all previously unreleased, but shows Brand as one of the key reed innovators of the German scene at the time – right up there with the experiments of Hans Koller, especially in the way that Helmut can work fresh tones in with a strong sense of soul and swing! Many of these cuts feature trumpeter Conny Jackel joining in the frontline – folding his horn in with Brand's to create a cool wash of color – and a few other numbers feature Helmut alone as the lead soloist in a quartet, one with Roland Kovac on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Bami", "Nordlicht", "Yesterdays", "Salute To Lars Gullin", "Love For Sale", "Berlin Calling", and "Sum".

Early genius from The Carpenters – a really tremendous little album, and one that's quite different than their soft rock hits of the 70s! There's a plenty playful feel to the set – energy that comes right off the best Sunshine Pop of late 60s A&M Records – to which this album is a perfect link – a mode in which the studio's as much a part of the sound as Richard and Karen's own contributions – wrapped up with a heavenly approach by producer Jack Daugherty. Tunes are simpler, sometimes more personal – and there's lots of nice basic music touches along the way – a piano here, sweet keyboard there, some gentle drums, and more – all to make the music sound totally groovy! If you've ever heard the Roger Nichols music for A&M, and wondered how he could have such a later link to this pair, this is the album to show you the way. Titles include "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing", "Your Wonderful Parade", "Turn Away", "All Of My Life", "Ticket To Ride", "Don't Be Afraid", "What's The Use", and "Someday".

The legendary 1970 recordings Alex Chilton made at Ardent Studios – recorded in a brief moment after the bust up of the Box Tops and before the debut of Big Star – and a truly powerful precursor to that most iconic of soulful Memphis rock acts! For the longest time, the 1970 sessions were something of a rock & roll holy grail – having been oft-discussed, if rarely heard, by Chilton and Big Star diehards. In the mid 90s, Ardent Records finally released the heart of this collection as 1970 – and here it's done up with even more love and respect by Omnivore, which over the course of just a handful of releases has become one of the very best deep digging reissuers of great, should-be classic soul & rock treasures. The vibe swings from stripped down, soulful rock that sometimes flirts with country rock – those songs featuring gruff, bluesy vocals from Chilton that belie his actual youth, just as greatly as his vox for The Box Tops – to gentler soul pop numbers that truly prefigure the Big Star sound to come. The collection features 20 tracks: all of the material from the long out of print 1970, plus other songs from the period, including demos (these are raw in the right kind of way, as finished as we'd ever want to hear them) and some original mono mixes. Great liner notes by Bob Mehr, a living encyclopedia of Memphis musical knowledge. Includes "Free Again (Original Mono Mix)", "Come On Honey", "Something Deep Inside", "I Can Dig It", "The EMI Song (Smile For Me)", "Every Day As We Grow Closer/Funky National", "I Wish I Could Meet Elvis", "All We Ever Got From Them Was Pain", "Sugar, Sugar/I Got That Feeling", "All I Really Want Is Money", "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and more.

Otis Clay, still going strong – stepping out here on a sweet new recording from the Chicago scene – done with that warm mix of modern modes and deep soul roots we really love from his work of the late 70s! Clay's vocals have, if anything, only gotten better with age – really able to find the right notes and inflections to make the music sparkle – even more so than some of Otis records from back in the day! Instrumentation is relatively laidback – done in a mode that's a bit like some of the Jackson or Memphis styles at the start of the 80s, but without any of the bluesy inflections that might get in the way of the sort of solid soul performance that Clay delivers here. The legendary Tom Tom 84 handled many of the arrangements on the set – and although most of the material is new, Otis also tweaked a few older favorites for the set – to make for a nice long album, too. Titles include "Love's After Me", "All That's Missing Is You", "Walk A Mile In My Shoes", "Even Now", "I Thought You Knew", "Truth Is", "I Know I'm Over You", "Even When I Win", "I Keep Trying", "Steal Away To The Hideaway", and "The Only Way Is Up".

Great earlier stuff from Natalie Cole – actually her third great album in a row – a tremendous early creative and commerical winning streak for Natalie! Thankful has her sweet, soulful voice out from of prodcution by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy of the Independents, and they give her a nice jazzy sound that made the record one of her best of the 70s. Richard Evans and Gene Barge arranged, which probably had something to do with that, too – but Natalie truly deserves most of the credit of the strength of this set. It includes the standout groovers "La Costa" and"Annie Mae", but the whole record is really sweet – with "Lovers", "Our Love", "Be Thankful", "Just Can't Stay Away" and "Keeping A Light". This Soulmusic.com edition includes a bonus track: "Our Love (US Single Edit).

A rare score from French arranger Michel Colombier – penned for an equally-obscure film directed by the great Jacques Demy! The album follows the same musical style as some of Demy's better-known work from the 60s – like Umbrellas Of Cherbourg or Young Girls Of Rochefort – although the overall style is a bit darker, and Colombier's music definitely rises to the challenge. Vocals don't feature as heavily as on some of Demy's movies with Michel Legrand, but they still have a strong role in the music – and this beautiful 2CD package brings the complete score to light for the first time – quite an achievement considering that the film never even made it to video. Titles include "Edith Et Sa Mere", "Violette Amoureuse", "Visite D'Edmond", "La Chambre D'Hotel", "Chez La Baronne", "La Rupture", and "Mme Pelletier Et Sa Fille".

An excellent album of smooth soul tracks – one that reaches back to some of Norman's earlier records for inspiration, and which takes the sound up a few notches to expand the groove. Norman gets help on the arranging tip from Al Johnson, McKinley Jackson, and Paul Riser – which is why the album has such a great 70s smooth soul feel – and there's loads of guest appearances, like vocals by Johnson, Jean Carn, and The Jones Girls, and instrumental solos from Freddie Hubbard and Gary Bartz. Adaritha sings lead vocals on a number of cuts, and Glenn Johnson takes the lead on "Melancholy Fire". Includes a great version of "Black Cow", plus "Take It To The Limit", "Justify", "You've Been On My Mind", and an excellent remake of "I Don't Need Nobody Else", with Al Johnson on vocals!

A pair of groovers by Norman Connors from the start of the 80s – Take It To The Limit and Mr C – together in a single set! Take It To The Limit is excellent album of smooth soul – one that reaches back to some of Norman's earlier records for inspiration, and which takes the sound up a few notches to expand the groove. Norman gets help on the arranging tip from Al Johnson, McKinley Jackson, and Paul Riser – which is why the album has such a great 70s smooth soul feel – and there's loads of guest appearances, like vocals by Johnson, Jean Carn, and instrumental solos from Freddie Hubbard and Gary Bartz. Adaritha sings lead vocals on a number of cuts, and Glenn Johnson takes the lead on "Melancholy Fire". Includes a great version of "Black Cow", plus "Take It To The Limit", "Justify", "You've Been On My Mind", and an excellent remake of "I Don't Need Nobody Else", with Al Johnson on vocals! Mr C is a real sleeper from Norman Connors, but a great record – one that shows him still moving strong in the 80s, always continuing to develop his smooth jazzy soul style! Backing is by the Starship Orchestra, with Marion Meadows on most sax solos – and vocals are by Beau Williams, Jean Carn, and Glenn Jones. There's a number of great uptempo tunes – with a tight hard jazz funk backing, and kind of a sweet early 80s club style in the vocals. Titles include "Love's In Your Corner", "She's Gone", "Stay With Me", "Keep Doin It", "Anyway You Want", and "Sing A Love Song".

Hard driving work by Ted Curson! Jubilant Power is a pretty apt title for the set – played with a celebratory fire – combining the freer loft-style playing of his late 70s American work, with some of the tighter grooving rhythmic approaches of his early 70s sides in France. Chris Woods, a frequent partner from the Paris years, is in the group on alto and flute, cutting lines that match Curson's as well recallung the tenor of Bill Barron during the 60s. Other players include Andy Laverne and Jim McNeely on piano, Nick Brignola on alto sax and flute, Bob Merigliano on drums and Sam Jacobs on conga. Excellent stuff! Titles include "Marjo", "Song Of The Lonely", "Reava's Waltz", "Airi's Tune", "Searchin For The Blues" and "Ted's Tempo".

Another incredible set of mad, moody film music from Francois de Roubaix – some featuring vocals by Serge Reggiani. Roubaix is a pretty obscure name when you consider the hallowed halls of worshipped composers – but trust us, it's as likely due to his unique vision and lack of a huge crossover film to have attached to his oeuvre than any other reasons. You could tangentially connect his style to that of Morricone (wild, hissy percussive momentum) and more well known French composers (moody, quiet passages, rich accordian work) but it all comes through with a very unique feel. It runs from weird, sorta bluesy rags to a vaguely Western sound and beyond – these could play behind anything from a shootout to a burlesque show! The tunes are from the 1965's Les Grandes Gueule, 1968's Ho!, 1972's Les Caids, and 1975's Le Vieux Fusil – plus three previously unreleased bonus cuts. 24 tracks in all. Titles include "Jackie", "Le Revolver", "Alarme Et Sirene", "Clara Et Julien", "La Mort", "Benedictine", and lots of others.

Classic 60s pop from Jackie DeShannon – served up here with a massive batch of bonus tracks too! The core album was issued after Jackie's successful run opening up for The Beatles during their first American tour – but more than that easy association with the Fab Four, the record's actually a surprisingly great batch of material with a sweet west coast pop groove – and one that includes a fair number of original tunes written by Jackie herself! Jackie's ability to write her own material really made her stand out amongst sweeter female 60s singers – and it ensured that on an album like this, she'd be working with a depth that went beyond simple pop, and which avoided the over-trodden filler that clogged up too many other albums of the genre. Bonus tracks follow in a similar DeShannon-penned spirit – and the CD features a total of 20 tracks that include "She Don't Understand Him Like I Do", "Should I Cry", "You Won't Forget Me", "Did He Call Today Mama", "When You Walk In The Room", "Oh Boy", "The Prince", "Over You", "Till You Say You'll Be Mine", and "Today Will Have No Night".

A sweet blend of west coast jazz and Brazilian rhythms – and one of our favorite records ever from trombonist Raul De Souza! The session's got a more soulful, jazzy feel than some of Raul's other dates from the 70s – not nearly as tight as his sets for Capitol, with an earthy undercurrent in the music, thanks to the production efforts of Airto, who spearheads the session. Horns are by JJ Johnson, with some slight echoes of his soul soundtrack work of the period – and other players include Ted Lo on keyboards, Richard Davis on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus a bit of guest alto sax from Cannonball Adderley on a few tunes. Titles include "Water Buffalo", "Dr Honoris Causa", "Canto De Ossahna", "Nana", "Festival", and "Chants To Burn".

A quadruple-header of a set – four great albums together in one cool box! First up is the first album from the great Special Edition group of drummer Jack DeJohnette – a wickedly sharp record that's as equally tight on the reeds as it is on the drums! The album features brilliant work on tenor and bass clarinet from David Murray, and equally nice alto from Arthur Blythe – both criss-crossing and soaring out effortlessly in each others' company – amidst complex rhythmic impulses from DeJohnette on drums, and both bass and cello from Peter Warren. Jack also plays a bit of piano and melodica as well – and titles include "One For Eric", "Zoot Suite", "Central Park West", "India", and "Journey To The Twin Planet". On Tin Can Alley, the great Chico Freeman really shines with drummer Jack DeJohnette – lending his tenor, flute, and bass clarinet to the album – and helping make it a really reed-heavy affair! John Purcell's also in the frontline with Chico – playing alto, baritone, and flute – and in addition to Peter Warren's bass and cello, the album Jack DeJohnette also plays drums, congas, piano, and organ too! The range of instrumentation almost echoes some Chicago AACM roots at times – but with that tighter focus that musicians like Jack were bringing to their work at ECM – and titles include "Riff Raff", "The Gri Gri Man", "I Know", and "Pastel Rhapsody". Inflation Blues is a record that bristles with energy right from the start – spurred on by the creative rhythms that have always made Jack DeJohnette one of the most inventive drummers of his time! The group features a triple-threat lineup with Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Chico Freeman on tenor and soprano sax, and John Purcell on alto, baritone, flute, and clarinet – especially nice at points when the reedmen shift and turn with sharp edges learned from the earlier avant years, yet given a nice focus here under DeJohnette's leadership. Jack penned all original tunes for the set, and there's a depth to his writing that really marks a move forward – possibly some of his richest musical statements on record ever! Titles include "Ebony", "Inflation Blues", "Slowdown", and "The Islands". Album Album is a record that really dives deep with a rich mix of creative rhythms and inventive horn lines! The album still has Jack staying true to his more avant roots – working with tenor from David Murray, alto and soprano sax from John Purcell, baritone and tuba from Howard Johnson, and bass from Rufus Reid – a lineup that's a bit bigger than on other Special Edition albums, and which is used to fill in even more colors and deeper elements than before. Some of the tunes are wonderfully vivid in approach – and titles include "Festival", "Third World Anthem", "Zoot Suite", "Ahmad The Terrible", and "New Orleans Strut".

An album led by pianist Aaron Diehl – but a set that also features some especially great vibes from Warren Wolf – one of our favorite players on the instrument in the past decade or so! Wolf's tones ring out beautifully – with that richness he really brings to his own albums, and hasn't spared a bit with Diehl – a style that really has great ways of expanding out Aaron's initial impulses on piano, and giving the record a lyrical quality that almost takes us back to 60s collaborations between Jack Wilson and Roy Ayers! Other quartet members include David Wong on bass and Rodney Green on drums – and titles include "Generation Y", "The Cylinder", "Stop & Go", "Single Petal Of A Rose", and "Blue Nude".

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender".

American sounds, but forged in Sweden – a surprisingly great batch of work from expatriate Jack Downing – including some rare singles, previously unreleased tunes, and even some live material too! Downing clearly picks up some of the folk rock styles of the post-Dylan generation – but he's also got this rough, raspy style of singing that's much more garagey at points than any folkies in the US – a weird sort of hybrid that only gets more interesting as the music here moves into the early 70s! The package brings together a full album recorded for RCA in Sweden, singles for Karusell, RCA, and CBS, and some live material recorded for Swedish radio too – 37 tracks that include "No Man's Land", "Out My Light", "Muddy Water", "Queen Jane Approximately", "Branded Man", "Only Dadd That'll Walk The Line", "The Kind Of Words", "Greenback Dollar", and "Going To California".

A range of rare recordings from singer Doris Drew – a vocalist we only know from one full album, but who also made some of these appearances as a guest on other instrumental dates! Doris has a great approach – one that's slightly warmer than the ice blondes of the west coast scene of the 50s, yet which often carries some of the same modern elements too – supported here by work from players who include John Williams on piano, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, and Herb Geller on alto – plus arrangements from Williams, Jack Fascinato, David Caroll, and Lew Raymonde. Titles include "He's My Guy", "Tea For Two", "I Cried For You", "Pennies From Heaven", "Put The Blame On Mame", "You're The Cream In My Coffee", and "Be My Lovin Baby".

Music for the last feature film of Jacques Tati – the mad mad Trafic, matched here by a wonderful soundtrack by Charles Dumont! After the dark modernism of Playtime, Tati let loose a bit more for Trafic – and the score matches the film's sometimes silly approach with some very groovy numbers that are a lot more mod than you'd expect. Guitars, organ, drums, and fuzzy bass ring out on the best numbers – a mix of funk and groovy numbers that almost feel like they were pulled out of one of the wilder Italian soundtracks of the same era. Titles include "Trafic", "Maria", "La Route", "La Course D'Autos", and "Marche De La Rai". Great to have on CD – and we'd like to have the movie out soon too!

Beautiful reeds throughout – a sensitive yet striking mix of flutes and clarinet – the former played by Michel Edelin, the latter by Jacques Di Donato, who also handles a bit of soprano sax as well! The instruments often fold over each other nicely as the tunes begin – fluttering in waves of sound that are pushed forward by the rhythmic intensity of Jean Jacques Avenel on bass and Simon Goubert on drums – but also able to find some quieter, more contemplative space at times too. The album's one of the most lyrical we've ever heard on the Rogue Art label, yet still has that highly creative and independent spirit that we like on the company's other discs too. Titles include "Tristezza Della Diva", "Black Snow", "Witches", "Jet Lag", "Tales Of Seven Lizards", "Bailes De Tango", and "Simon's Bubbles".

A magnificent decade of music from Duke Ellington – the bulk of his fifties recordings for Columbia Records – all albums that really show the Duke stretching forth and greatly developing his style! The scope of performances here is breathtaking – as Ellington works with key sidemen of the postwar years, and moves into much longer-form recordings that before – tracks that help him deeply express his new ideas, and also make way for a few guest performers too. Each album comes in a tiny LP-styled sleeve, replicating the original record – and the box features the albums Masterpieces By Ellington, Ellington Uptown, A Drum Is A Woman, Such Sweet Thunder, Ellington Indigos, The Cosmic Scene, and At The Bal Masque – plus the Black Brown & Beige suite with Mahalia Jackson, and the Blue Rose album with vocals by Rosemary Clooney!

A treasure trove of southern soul – the complete Kayvette Recordings of Facts Of Life – a really unique trio with a great talent for mellow songs about life, love, and messing around! The work was recorded in Muscle Shoals by Brad Shapiro and Millie Jackson – and it's often got the best qualities of Millie's own mellow work – not the upbeat tracks, but the laidback ones in which she tells a little story with her lyrics. But given the trio nature of the group, there's often some great interplay between the male and female vocals – in a way that reminds us a lot of The Soul Children towards the end of their run at Stax – when they really matured a lot, and used the male/female group format to really expand on older styles of southern soul. Shapiro's production is tight, but never overdone – often letting the vocals cup through the most strongly, even on some cuts that augment the grooves a bit. The 2CD package features both albums by the group – Matter Of Fact and Sometimes – plus material from singles too. 23 tracks in all – including "Sometimes", "Uphill Peace Of Mind", "Caught In The Act Of Getting It On", "Bitter Woman", "Did He Make Love To You", "It's Only A Matter Of Time", "Dr Feelgood", "I'm Way Ahead Of You", "Do You Wanna Make Love", "If You Can Give You Can Get", "Love Is The Final Truth", and "What Would Your Mama Say".

A brilliant criss-crossing of group from this cool trans-global group – a set recorded in London, but with roots in Venezuela, LA, and Ghana – served up with a sound that's even greater than the sum of its parts! Malcolm Catto recorded the record – and really helps bring a funky energy to the record, by working alongside lead studio help from Jack Yglesias of The Heliocentrics – pushing here into a space that's even more offbeat than the grooves of that group! There's loads of rich acoustic instrumentation – especially percussion – and Mulatu joins the record at one spot, furthering the exotic appeal of the set. Some tracks have an almost ethnographic vibes, while others are a bit more contemporary – although the overall sound is more than worthy of placement on the Soundway label. Titles incude "Arena", "Cumbacutiri", "Fly Through The Lightning To Speak With The Sun", "El Negrero", "Escape To The Palenque", "Manicero", "La Familia", and "Speak To The Spirit Of The Sea".

A slinky set of organ jazz & soul by The Filthy Six for Acid Jazz – modern combo with a profound love for and mastery of mid-to-late 60s funky organ combos – as sly as can be The Fox! This is a group that knows what they want and what they can do – delivering vintage style, though modern relevance. The originals are great for showing the group's skill at a number of classic Hammond organ styles, be it jazzy or funky – and there's a couple of cool covers, including adaptations of Off The Wall and J5 era Michael Jackson – Girlfriend" featuring guest vocalist Brendan Reilly plus "Never Can Say Goodbye". Other tracks Include "Midnight Boogaloo", "Down Frenchmen Street", "Prattle In Seattle", "The Rum Diary", "Getting Better", "The Fox", "Jukebox" and "Get Down". 12 tracks on the CD version.

A smoking little set from Flaming Ember – a rock group at the core, but one who has plenty of blue-eyed soul in the mix – thanks to great production from Greg Perry, and strong arrangements from HB Barnum and McKinley Jackson – all of whom give the record a vibe that's right up there with the best Hot Wax/Invictus soul sets of the time! There's a nice amount of fuzz in the grooves – that post-Motown style that uses lots of great bass and guitar alongside core Detroit soul modes – and although the vocals have more of a rockish approach, the instrumental undercurrent is a great mix of funk, rock, and soul! Titles include the sweet soul ballad "Sunshine", plus the cuts "Ember Blues", "1200 Miles From Heaven", "Livin High Money Low", "Gotta Get Away", "Heart On Lovin You", "Stop The World & Let Me Off", and "Ding Need Dong". CD features bonus tracks – "Robot In A Robot's World", "If It's Good To You It's Good For You", "If It's Good To You It's Good For You (inst)", "Heart On Lovin You (long version)", and "Stop The World & Let Me Off (long version)".

Incredibly groovy work from France Gall – easily one of our favorite French singers of the 60s! France has a sound that's really unique – one that comes from the Frenchified pop of the "yeh yeh" generation, but which really packs a lot more punch than her contemporaries – a bold, proud, loud quality that's really wonderful – and which makes just about every number from the time a total killer! Part of the help here comes from Serge Gainsbourg – who wrote a good number of tracks for the young Gall – but the style's also quite different than that of Serge, too – often with an emphasis on punchy drums at the bottom, which creates a hint of funk – bringing a nice nasty feel to France's little girl vocals. The set's a great one – overflowing with key cuts from singles of the 60s – and titles include "Made In France", "Poupee De Cire Poupee De Son", "Laisse Tomber Les Filles", "Quand On Est Ensemble", "Rue De L'Abricot", "Bloody Jack", "Le Temps De La Rentree", "Mon Bateau De Nuit", "Baby Pop", and "Les Sucettes". 22 tracks in all!

Mighty keyboards from Francesco Gazzara – easily one of our favorite Irma Records artists from years back – still sounding pretty darn great here in a nicely mature setting! The album's got a bit of the bossa promised in the title, but also has a wider-ranging groove too – echoes of older keyboard modes, mixed with bits of jazz funk at times – all handled by Gazzara on a range of Fender Rhodes, Hammond, Korg, and other keys – with core bass and drums, and additional help from Lily Latuheru on vocals and Dario Cecchini on flute and saxes! Most tracks are instrumentals, but Lily's soulful tones definitely make the vocal tracks sound great too – and titles include "New Frontier", "Blow Your Mind", "Ivory Skyscrapers", "Bahia Moon", "Berimbau", "Black Jack", and "Song For My Father".

One of the greatest Jackie Gleason albums ever – intially released in a heavy duty package that took the listener through a full evening's worth of seduction! Jackie put together the record as a bachelor's "do it yourself" kit – filled with four different sides of music – one apiece for "sippin", "listenin", "dancin", and "lovin" – all modes the maestro is mighty darn great at! The "sippin" selections feature solo piano with a bit of bass and drums – the "listenin" section is a trad jazz combo led by Gleason – the "dancin" set is bigger band society numbers – and the "lovin" secion features some of Jackie's famous lush orchestrations – pillowy waves of sound designed to relax even the most uptight of lovers. The whole thing's very cool – and is designed to take you from start to finish in the course of a very sucessful evening – and as Jackie says, "Man Is The Hunter, Woman Is His Game!"

3 rare French jazz soundtracks on one CD! First up is the music from the film Les Loups Dans La Bergerie, written by Serge Gainsbourg, and performed by Serge's arranger Alain Goraguer – in a hip modern mode that recalls some of the best soundtrack work by Barney Wilen, Miles Davis, and Art Blakey from the same period. Next up are 5 tracks from Les Tripes Au Soleil, written and performed by Andre Hodier – with a feel that's similar to that of Gourager's work, but perhaps a bit more modern. Hodier's tunes feature solos by Roger Guerin on trumpet and Pierre Gossez on alto, plus some performances by Christine Legrand. Last up are tracks from the Freddie Redd's score for The Connection – played by the Daniel Humair Soultet, a very cool group that features Humair on drums, Eddy Louiss on piano, Sonny Grey on trumpet, Jean-Louis Chautemps on tenor, and Rene Urtreger doing the arrangements. The work on the set's a wonderful variation on the American recording of the work – done by Redd and Jackie McLean – with a very different kind of energy that opens up the compositions nicely. Titles include "Wigglin", "Overdose", "Danse", "Le Desert", "Rhythm & Blues No 1", "Les Loups Dans La Bergerie", and "Cha Cha Cha Du Loup".

Pre-Bread work from Jimmy Griffin – recording here in a sweet Cali setting, thanks to arrangements from the young Jack Nitzsche! The album's got all the light sounds and sunny feelings you'd guess from the title and cover – but Jimmy's also got a voice that's surprisingly strong, too – really pushing its range as the album moves on, as if he's waiting to hit more mature material in later years! Nitzsche's touch in the studio is greatly appreciated too – that perfect sort of poise that made his pop instrumentation way more than the usual, with a wonderful sense of focus throughout. Titles include "Too Young", "She Used To Be Mine", "My Baby Made Me Cry", "The Bully", "You're Tempting Me", and "Cold Rainy Day". CD also features 9 bonus tracks – including "Running to You", "Marie Is Moving", "Little Miss Cool", "Girls Grow Up Faster", and "It's A Free Country".

Killer electric work from Herbie Hancock – right on par with his groundbreaking Headhunters set, but a bit spacier too! The album features a Headhunters-solid lineup – with Bennie Maupin on saxes, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – all grooving wonderfully with Herbie on a set of super-long tracks! Hancock himself handles a host of incredible keyboards – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, Arp, and lots more – all in a lean electric style that still sounds as fresh today as it did way back in the mid 70s – perhaps even more so, given the return to this sort of basic groove that has happened in recent years! Tracks are long, tight, and super funky – and titles include "Actual Proof", "Palm Grease", "Spank-A-Lee", and "Butterfly".

A 60s classic from the great Eddie Harris – and proof that his move to Atlantic Records was a very good thing! There's a punch here that Harris didn't have in his earlier sides for Vee Jay – a bite that shows an even stronger focus than before – a willingness to mix soulful undercurrents with some of the more exotic styles in his music – all in a blend that's completely captivating all the way through! The set features some wicked work from Cedar Walton on piano, adding in some lyrical lines that are mighty nice – and other players include the mighty Melvin Jackson on bass, the great Ray Codrington on trumpet, and Sonny Phillips on organ – adding in some sweet electricity to the set. Harris goes a bit electric at times – bringing in some great sounds on the Varitone – and titles include an early take of "Listen Here", with Eddie on electric piano – plus "Goin' Home", "Blues In The Basement", and "Mean Greens".

Srong work from Boris Hoff (tenor and soprano sax, sine tones and harmonium), Steven Hess (drums and electronics), Keefe Jackson (contrabass clarinet & tenor sax) and Juun (piano) – recorded at Chicago's Experimental Sound Studios in April of '10. Slow building atmosphere and tense interplay from exceptional players on the aptly named Creative Sources label. Includes 2 long pieces: "Public" (29+ minutes) and "Personal" (12+ minutes) and the shorter middle piece "Social" (nearly 6 minutes).

Hampton Hawes isn't exactly the first pianist we think of when it comes to bluesy lines in his music – but there's definitely a blue-tinged undercurrent to most of the work in this set – a well-chosen batch of tracks from Hamp's early years as a leader on Contemporary Records! The album features work in a variety of settings – with players who include Red Mitchell, Ray Brown, or Scott LaFaro on bass – Shelly Manne, Chuck Thompson, or Frank Butler on drums – and some occasional work by Harold Land on tenor sax, and either Jim Hall or Barney Kessel on guitar. Titles include "Blues The Most", "Hamp's Blues", "Hip", "Soul Sign Eight", "The Sermon", "For Real", "Hampton's Pulpit", "Takin Care", "Up Blues", and "Blues For Jacque".

Essential work from Eddie Henderson – one of the trumpeter's hippest albums of the 70s, and a key link between his early righteous days and his later smoother sound! The set's a near-perfect blend of all elements involved – tight funky rhythms, spacey soulful instrumentation, and wicked production work from the mighty Skip Drinkwater in the studio – a record that's as essential to his legacy as Gears is to that of Larry Mizell! Henderson's trumpet work is totally great – often muted, and always snakey inside the rhythms – and other players here include Julian Priester on trombone, Hadley Caliman on flute and soprano sax, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Paul Jackson on bass, and Headhunter Mike Clark on drums. Titles include the excellent groover "Inside You", plus "Kudu", "Acuphuncture", "Time & Space", "Dr Mganga", and "Dark Shadow".

Some of the most ambitious electric work from Joe Henderson to date – a record that really has him stretching out from his previous small combo keyboard sets, into a space that's much fuller and even more righteous! Frequent partner George Cables is very much in force on electric piano – helping create that floating middle-level sound that really lets Henderson find some new space on tenor – as well as soprano sax and flute. Other players are a range of different musicians with a similar spirit – and include David Horowitz on synthesizer, Ralph MacDonald and Airto on percussion, Jack DeJohnette on drums and electric piano, Dave Holland on acoustic bass, Ron Carter on electric bass, and Georg Waldenius on guitar. Some of the cuts have a Brazilian tinge, others have a moody fusiony feel – really stretching out with intensity! Titles include "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Mind", "Terra Firma", "Current Events", and "Vis-a-Vis".

The grooviest organ working the other side of the Atlantic in the 60s – as mighty a talent on the Hammond as Jimmy Smith or Jack McDuff back in the US at the time, and equally groovy too! Ingfried Hoffmann's work on the keys is probably best known from his searing soul jazz sides with Klaus Doldinger in the pre-Passport years – but this package focuses even more strongly on Hoffmann's sides as a leader – all of which are tightly snapping, quickly vamping, and filled with loads of lively organ and guitar! The core part of the set is Ingfried's lost album From Twen With Love – a 1966 spy-jazz styled album, with both original numbers, and a few James Bond covers – all played by a quintet that features guitars from Volker Kriegel and Pierre Cavalli, bass by Peter Trunk, and funky drums from Rafi Luderitz. Titles include "Yeah Dr No", "Thunderball", "007 Bond Street", "Sharp Sharks", "Phantom's Walk", "Let Live & Die", "Vabanque At Casino Royale", and "James Only Lives Twice". Added to that core album are 4 more bonus tracks – 3 recorded in 1963 with Rene Thomas on guitar and Klaus Weiss on drums, including "Midnight Bossa Nova", "TV Swing", and "Soul Twist" – plus the great "Playgirl", recorded with Peter Thomas in 1966.

The sweet second album from If – a Brit jazz-rock combo with a really great sound! The album was produced by Lew Futterman, the talent behind some of Jack McDuff's large-arrangement albums for Blue Note – and Lew seems to bring in a similar ambitious feel to the set that really brings the most out of the instrumentation. The group features some great organ and electric piano by John Mealing, and saxes by Dick Morrisey – and as always with this sort of thing, there's some vocals that sound a bit dated – but the overall feel is still quite strong, especially in the breakout instrumental passages. Titles include "Your City Is Falling", "Shadows & Echoes", "I Couldn't Write & Tell You", and "Sunday Sad".

Overlooked 70s genius from The Impressions – 2 killer albums back to back on a single CD! Loving Power is later Curtom work from the group – but still plenty darn nice, with a super-dope vocal harmony approach on the best tracks! The title cut is worth the price of admission alone – as it's a slow-stepping harmony tune that really burns with a sweet mellow feel – sung to perfection by a quartet lineup that includes younger singers Ralph Johnson and Reggie Torian working with older Impressions Fred Cash and Sam Gooden. Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy had a good hand in much of the record – bringing it into the warm, sophisti-soul style they were using at the time – and arrangements include some great work by Richard Evans and Rich Tufo. Titles include "Loving Power", "If You Have To Ask", "Sunshine", and "I Can't Wait To See You". It's About Time is The Impressions first album for Cotillion, cut after a great 70s run on Curtom – but one that's done with a sound that still carries on the groove nicely! The more righteous tones of the earlier work are shaken loose a bit, to be replaced by a fuller approach to the music built from arrangements by HB Barnum, Gene Page, and Gil Askey – a bit more LA than Chicago, but with a soaringly soulful quality that almost recalls the sound of The Spinners during their best Philly years. As with that work, the harmonies here are all right on the money, and get plenty of space to sparkle amidst the full strings and tight rhythms – and new group member Nate Evans really brings a deep sense of soul to the group's work. Many tunes were written by the team of Mervin Seals and Melvin Steals – and titles include "I'm A Fool For Love", "Same Old Heartaches", "This Time", "Stardust", "I Need You", and "What Might Have Been".

Great recent work from legendary bassist Chuck Israels – a player known for his famous work with Bill Evans, but a musician who's just kept on growing over the years! This set's got a great 50s modern jazz vibe – bass by Israels and guitar from co-leader Axel Hagen – in a setting that also features drums from Peter Kahlenborn and tenor and clarinet from John Ruocco. The bass and guitar often take the lead – in ways that echo the vibe of an older Jim Hall-styled session – and when clarinet's in the mix, there's a wonderfully open style to the record – not exactly the Jimmy Giuffre trio on Atlantic, but not far off either! Titles include "Koko", "Slow Freight", "The Boy Next Door", "Chaconne A Son Gout", "The Sweetest Sounds", and "Minor Tributary".

A pretty compelling little quartet – a jazz combo from Zimbabwe, and one who play with a lot of spiritual jazz overtones – yet also throw in some occasional vocals in English! Instrumentation is pretty unique – like some of the hipper experiments on Strata East in the 70s – with a mix of piano, mbira, cello, alto sax, percussion, and marimba – all used in shifting rhythmic passages that have a really hypnotic feel – almost the same sort of slow-building energy of some of Phil Cohran's classic recordings, but with a bit more focus on the vocal tunes. Singer Vimbai Mukarati is great – with a voice that makes his lyrics way more than just an afterthought – and titles include "Let You Go", "Thirty Five", "September Sun", "Kunakirwa", "Moonlight", "Free Fall", "Coming Home", and "Underwater Subway".

A sweet 70s set from Jackie & Roy – just the kind of record that shows that their genius kept on growing and growing as the years went on! The album's a nice change from the fuller, freer sound of the pair's earlier 70s sides on CTI – but it's also not the straighter jazz of the 50s and 60s either – kind of a wonderful fusion of both eras, brought together in a really groovy way! Instrumentation is small combo throughout – piano from Roy, plus vibes, bass, and drums – all used in a sweetly swinging sort of way to match the melodic quality of the pair's vocals. Titles are a really well-selected batch of numbers – and include "Tiny Told Me", "Good & Rich", "The Runaround", "Born To Be Blue", "Waltz For Dana", "Cheerful Little Earful", and "Magic To Do".

It's hard to go wrong with Jackie & Roy at this early point in their career – and the sound here is completely sublime – unlike anything else we can think of! The album has the pair coming off their seminal early work with Charlie Ventura – working in a mode that's deeply informed by bop, and which has the singers hitting vocal lines that only the hippest of the 50s could match! Yet there's also a sweetness too – a style that sets them apart from the work of Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure, or Jon Hendricks – especially given that some of the tunes have Jackie & Roy taking the lyrics straight, instead of riffing with an instrumental solo-inspired sound. Some cuts feature scatting, others vocalese, and still others offer great straight-up readings of the lyrics – and backing is by a small combo that features Roy on piano, Barry Galbraith on guitar, Bill Crow on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. Titles include "Slowly", "Thou Swell", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "Cheerful Little Earful", "Hook Line & Sinker", and "Yesterdays".

Bold 80s soul from Jermaine Jackson – a set that's heavy on beats and keyboards, but which still leaves enough space for his gentler-toned vocals! The upbeat tracks here sometimes get a bit dramatic, which makes us like the ballads more – sweeter-styled numbers that are much better suited to Jermaine's singing approach – but even those upbeat numbers show the Jackson family ear for crossover soul! Titles include "Give A Little Love", "Precious Moments", "Our Love Story", "I Think It's Love", "Voices In The Dark", "Words Into Action", and "Do You Remember Me". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "Do You Remember Me (Bruce Forest rmx)", "Closest Thing To Perfect (ext)", "I Think It's Love (ext rmx)", "Do You Remember Me (Michael Omartin rmx)", and "Do You Remember Me (Jellybean rmx)".

An overlooked early session from multi-instrumentalist Michael Gregory Jackson, recording here with a trio of great horn players in a wonderfully sensitive sound! The record's approach is a perfect illustration of the maturity on the New York avant scene in the late 70s – a real change from the more frenetic modes that ESP was recording a decade before, with some thoughtful, almost pensive points that really round out the record beautifully. Jackson plays mostly guitar, but also vocalizes a bit and plays marimba, percussion, wood flute and other instruments – and he's joined by Oliver Lake on flute and saxes, Wadada Leo Smith on trumpets, and David Murray on tenor sax. Some tracks get nice and bold, while others hold back wonderfully – and titles include "Oliver Lake", "Clarity", "A View Of This Life", "Prelueoionti" and "Iomi".

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too far over the top – catchy, compelling numbers that played well all over the world of pop – but which still hang onto just a little part of his soul roots too! That balance is a key factor to the success of this set – a record that helped re-ignite interest in Jackson's music, and introduce him to a whole new generation – while still keeping most of the older fans plenty pleased too. Titles include "Just Good Friends", "Smooth Criminal", "Bad", "Another Part Of Me", "Man In The Mirror", and "Speed Demon". 2CD version is filled with great bonus material – a huge amount of tracks that include "Free", "Song Groove", "I'm So Blue", "Don't Be Messin Round", "Streetwalker", "Fly Away", "Price Of Fame", "Todo Mi Amor Eres Tu", "Je Ne Vieux Pas La Fin De Nous", "Bad (Afrojack rmx)", "Speed Demon (Nero rmx)", and "Bad (Afrojack club)".

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too far over the top – catchy, compelling numbers that played well all over the world of pop – but which still hang onto just a little part of his soul roots too! That balance is a key factor to the success of this set – a record that helped re-ignite interest in Jackson's music, and introduce him to a whole new generation – while still keeping most of the older fans plenty pleased too. Titles include "Just Good Friends", "Smooth Criminal", "Bad", "Another Part Of Me", "Man In The Mirror", and "Speed Demon". Second CD is filled with great bonus material – a huge amount of tracks that include "Free", "Song Groove", "I'm So Blue", "Don't Be Messin Round", "Streetwalker", "Fly Away", "Price Of Fame", "Toto Mi Amor Eres Tu", "Je Ne Vieux Pas La Fin De Nous", "Bad (Afrojack rmx)", "Speed Demon (Nero rmx)", and "Bad Afrojack club)". Also features the CD and DVD of Michael Jackson's massive performance at Wembley Stadium in 1988 – part of the Bad world tour,a nd filled with great performances!

Ahhh . . . Great stuff! This Millie Jackson's tremendous debut album – and the work here is completely different from later records that have her more in a bitchy mode! Here, Millie's a heartbroken southern diva – right in the vein of Ann Sexton, Doris Duke, or Shirley Brown – and even though the arrangements are done north of the Mason/Dixon line (in New York by Bert DeCoteaux, and in DC by Tony Camillo), the record feels like it was lifted off the pressing plant in Muscle Shoals or Jackson! Titles include "I Ain't Giving Up", "I Miss You Baby", "Ask Me What You Want", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Just Can't Stand It", and "Strange Things". CD version features a whopping 11 bonus tracks – many of which were never issued before – and titles include the MGM numbers "My Heart Took A Licking" and "A Little Bit Of Something", plus "Ask Me What You Want (unedited master)", "Untrue Men", "I Don't Wanna Talk About It", "Strange Things (alt mix)", "My Man A Sweet Man (unedited master)", and "You're The Joy Of My Life (alt take)".

One of the greatest Milt Jackson albums ever – thanks to an incredible lineup that features Art Farmer on trumpet and Benny Golson on tenor – both of whom give the record a lot more edge than usual for Jackson! The set's almost a maturation of the earliest modern grooves that Milt forged in his earlier sessions for Blue Note and Prestige – a sound that comes across here with a lot more confidence and focus than some of his 50s Savoy sides – with a sharper, edgier quality that comes from Golson's great arrangements for the record. Milt's vibes have a really chromatic feel here, and a sound that's almost louder than usual – and the rest of the group features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Titles include "Blues For Diahann", "I Remember Clifford", "Thinking Of You", and "Whisper Not".

A sweet larger group session from vibist Milt Jackson – proof that he was really trying to stretch his wings, and get into new things during the 60s! The set's got Milt working with some great help from Tadd Dameron and Ernie Wilkins on larger group arrangements – nicely swinging charts that have a nice touch of modern, but lots of straightforward grooving too! Milt's the primary soloist, buoyed by an orchestra built around a rhythm section of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and either Connie Cay or Philly Joe on drums – plus loads of great horn players like Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Melba Liston, James Moody and Jimmy Heath among others. Titles include renditions of "Old Devil Moon", "'Round Midnight", "The Dream Is You", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Echoes", "If You Could See Me Now", "Star Eyes", "Namesake", "If I Should Lose You", and "Later Than You Think". CD features 2 bonus tracks!

A great statement from vibist Milt Jackson – one of his key solo sessions in a great 60s run of recordings away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! Like the classics that followed this one, the vibe is much more soulful than any of Milt's records with the MJQ – kind of an extension of the groove he hit on 50s dates for Savoy and Prestige, swung with an even tighter feel here in the Impulse Records setting! The backing's from a trio that includes Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and the tracks are short, but have some nice haunting themes that work well with the sensitive vibes of Jackson and piano of Jones. Titles include "Put Off", "Statement", "Slowly", "Sonnymoon For Two", and "Thrill From The Blues".

One of the great jazz sessions that Ray Charles cut towards the end of his years at Atlantic Records – a surprisingly great little album with vibist Milt Jackson! The set really shows a side of Milt that didn't always surface in the Modern Jazz Quartet – and Charles is surprisingly great on piano (and even a bit of alto sax, which is mighty nice) – especially on the long tracks, which really let the players stretch out! Other players include the great Billy Mitchell on tenor sax, Skeeter Best on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and titles include "Blue Funk", "Cosmic Ray", "Soul Brothers", and "How Long Blues".

A tremendous second step for Chicago soul legend Walter Jackson – packaged here with a huge amount of bonus tracks as well! The core album is a sublime mix of new tunes and re-imagined standards – and a set that takes Walter Jackson into even more sophisticated soul territory than before! The record is proof that the up and coming soul artists of the 60s had a key place alongside the more established mainstream acts on the other side of the fence – as Walter's working here with arranger Riley Hampton to re-cast a number of familiar tunes in his cool Iceman soul mode – changing the themes, rhythms, and inflections of the tracks for a more contemporary soul market – and also interspersing them with a few great new songs of his own! The approach is amazing – far better than even Jerry Butler or Chuck Jackson's work in a similar idiom – and the album features the sublime hit "Welcome Home", plus the Van McCoy tunes "Suddenly I'm All Alone", "Still At The Mercy Of Your Love", and "The Magic's Gone" – alongside versions of "Moon River", "Let It Be Me", "Imagination", and "My Funny Valentine". Added to the original album are 7 more rare tracks pulled from singles – some of the true gems in Jackson's 60s career for Okeh – with titles that include "Deep In The Heart Of Harlem", "Cold Cold Winter", "That's When I Come To You", "Special Love", "One Heart Lonely", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", and "The Folks Who Live On The Hill".

Seminal early work from Willis Jackson – two classics back to back on a single CD! Blue Gator is a massive early Prestige set from tenorist Willis – and just the kind of record that set him firmly in the soul jazz camp for the 60s! By the time of the set, Jackson had already won plenty of fame for his R&B-tinged work – but here, he stretches out a bit more, and really gets creative on his solos – working with a very hip group that includes Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar – both players making a similar shift in their music at the time. The tracks are lively, recorded with a bold, loud tone, and have lots of those great open-mouthed tones from Jackson – quite possibly a good reason for his "Gator" nickname! Tracks include "Blue Gator", "East Breeze", "The Gator Jumps", and "Try A Little Tenderness". Cookin Sherry is solid-sending soul jazz from the great Willis Jackson! The album features Gator blowing in a group that includes Jack McDuff and Wild Bill Jennings on all cuts – plus bass by either Milt Hinton or Wendell Marshall, drums by Bill Elliott or Al Johnson, and some tasty added conga by Buck Clarke on a few cuts! The album's got a tight, yet laidback feel to – perfect kickback jam session material, in that classic Prestige soul jazz mode. Titles include "Contrasts", "Cookin Sherry", "Mellow Blues", and "Sportin".

One of the greatest small group sessions of the 50s by tenorist Illinois Jacquet – and a record that really lets you hear his development as a musician at the time! Jacquet was always a standout on his instrument – especially in some of the larger group recordings that won him acclaim in the 40s. Yet the player heard here is much more mature, and even more confident – yet in ways that actually have him doing less – really finding his sense of timing and tone, and moving out magically in a hip Verve combo with Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Jimmy Jones on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. Titles include "Las Vegas Blues", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", and "Achtung".

The landmark first album to feature the Jazz Crusaders playing live at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach – the start of a great run of albums that would go onto help redefine the sound of soul jazz in the 60s! Although the group was already plenty darn great on their studio sides, working at the Lighthouse seemed to allow them to open up even more – work in a slightly longer, more spacious setting than in the studio – with more room for creative solos and a sound that was often more deeply soulful overall! In fact, the Jazz Crusaders association with the club helped turn the sound of the Lighthouse away from the "cool" reputation it got from Lighthouse All-Stars albums of the 50s – and open the place up as the more righteous venue for jazz expression to come from players like Lee Morgan, Grant Green, and Elvin Jones on Blue Note! The lineup here is classic Crusaders – with plenty of searing tenor work from Wilton Felder, slidingly soulful trombone from Wayne Henderson, storming piano by Joe Sample, and tight tight rhythm from Victor Gaskin on bass and Stix Hooper on drums. Tracks include some great originals, like "Congolese Sermon", "Cathy's Dilemma", and "Scandalizing", plus a great version of Jackie McLean's "Appointment in Ghana".

Plenty of young blood here – a trio of powerful horn players who really make the set stand out nicely! Elvin Jones proves once again that his ear for a horn is almost as great as his work on the drums – and having chosen the trumpet of Nicholas Payton, and tenors of Javon Jackson and Joshua Redman, he really sets about making this session cook! The quintet's completed by bassist George Mraz – who's also a great component to the sound – and although some of the tunes come on with that hard-pounding approach that Jones developed in the post-Coltrane years, there's also a straighter hardbop groove going on that we like even more. Titles include "The Biscuit Man", "Lady Luck", "Ding A Ling A Ding", "Not Yet", "Have You Seen Eleven", "My Romance", "The Wise One", and "Youngblood".

A rare set from pianist Alex Kallao – an obscure player we really only know from a 50s album for RCA – and who sounds equally great here! Kallao was born blind, but has a hell of a fluid touch on the keys – a soulful swing that goes even farther than his RCA session in this rare live date – in a hip trio with Ali Mohammed Jackson on bass and brother Oliver Jackson on drums – both great rhythmic players who really help the overall feel of the performance. Kallao's got this style that's sometimes very full of notes – similar to some of the crossover pianists of the postwar era – but when the rhythm section gets going, he really moves with a much stronger punch – and helps swing some of the numbers here a lot harder than we might expect. Titles include "Lover Man", "Love For Sale", "Tendery", "Lullaby Of Birdland", and "It's Alright With Me".

One of the most soul jazz-styled sets ever cut by German clarinetist Rolf Kuhn – a very groovy record that features work from tenorist Klaus Doldinger and organist Ingfried Hoffmann! On their own albums of the 60s, Doldinger and Hoffmann are quite a pair – swinging almost as perfectly as Willis Jackson and Jack McDuff on Prestige, in the US at the same time. So you can imagine the effect they have on Kuhn – a player who can sometimes be a lot more modern, but who here really takes off in an easygoing groove – swinging soulfully on a set of short and groovy tracks, with great rhythm work from Hermann Schoonderwalt on bass and Cees See on drums. Titles include "Rainbow In My Tears", "Opus 90", "Combo Swing", "Scottish", "Swing For Sale", "The Snake", and "L'Amour Sans Espoir".

Latimore's digging deeper, and sounding greater than ever – working at Muscle Shoals with some great Miami production from Steve Alaimo – and coming across with a sound that's even warmer and more sophisticated than before – yet still very true to its deep soul roots too! At a time when some of Latimore's contemporaries might have been heading for the disco, he keeps it real and focuses on the best mellow modes that always made him so great – particularly those which use keyboards next to his unique vocal approach. Heck, even the album's odd cover of "Tonight's The Night" sounds pretty darn great – although we're even more partial to the original tracks like "Out To Get Cha", "We Got To Hit It Off", and "Dig A Little Deeper" – as well as his sweet version of George Jackson's "Ain't Nothing Like A Sweet Woman's Love".

Latimore takes on the music of Ray Charles – and finds a whole new groove in the process! The set's contemporary, but recorded with relatively laidback instrumentation – at a level that never pushes things too hard, and instead hits the right sort of jazzy undercurrent to make the music come off well. Instrumentation is heavy on piano and keyboards – played by Latimore himself – and a few cuts feature larger horns, or female backing vocals – sung by a group that includes Gwen McCrae. Titles include "Hit The Road Jack", "Unchain My Heart", "Drown In My Own Tears", "Crying Time", "What'd I Say", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "I Got A Woman".

A great illustration of the upbeat, positive vibe that Peggy Lee could serve up when she was at her best – a cool Capitol Records mode that really helped Lee set a whole new tone for singers in the 60s! The great Jack Marshall is at the helm on arrangements – putting things together with a vibe that's bright, but also pretty modern as well – thanks to work from a west coast jazz lineup that includes Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Harnell on piano, Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Barney Kessel on guitar! The set includes Lee's famous version of "Fever" – plus "It's A Wonderful World", "Things Are Swingin'", Alright, Okay, You Win", "Ridin' High", "Alone Together", "Life For Livin'", and"You Don't Know".

A fresh new sound from the Shawn Lee universe – one that's every bit as funky as before, but which has some great twists and turns too! The album definitely lives up to its title – and offers up plenty of keyboards soaring off into space – but there's also some unexpectedly gritty rhythms at the bottom, making for a nice degree of acoustic funk – and not just the drum machine bits you might expect! And in fact, there's even some sweet congas and other percussion at points – bringing in a deeper, rootsy quality that's a great contrast to the moogy moments – almost as if Jean Jacques Perry was sitting in some some lost combo from the funky 45 years! Titles include "Black Hole", "Galactica", "Celestial Waltz", "AJ's Mood", "Low Riders In Space", "Jupiter's Jam", and "Tiger Style".

A motherlode of mid-to-late 60s Killer – 5 whole albums for Smash Records – I'm On Fire, Return Of Rock, Memphis Beat, Soul My Way and Together (with Linda Gail Lewis) – in a 2CD set! The heart of the collection are the records Jerry Lee cut for Smash from '65-'67 – and they're classic to us, but actually quite overlooked in the canon – with some blistering takes on Memphis rock, soul and boogie woogie – great records that didn't sell a ton of copies at the time, leading up to his stellar run as a country music star. It also includes '69's I'm On Fire compilation of singles from the earlier 60s, and his decent country duets album with sister Linda Gail Lewis. 58 songs and almost 2 1/2 hours of vintage Jerry Lee Lewis! Includes "Memphis Beat", "I'm On Fire", "This Must Be The Place", "Hit The Road Jack", "Flip, Flop And Fly", "Baby, Hold Me Close", "Sexy Ways", "Mathilda", "Sticks And Stones", "Big Boss Man", "The Urge", "Shotgun Man", "I Bet You're Gonna Like It", "Secret Places", "Jackson", "We Live In Two Different Worlds" and many more!

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

A classic set from reedman Charles Lloyd – a set that really pushes forward all the experiments he'd begun in the Chico Hamilton group – and shows a bold move forward for rhythms in 60s jazz! The tracks are long, and spiral out wonderfully – but in ways that are different than those used by other creators of the time – like Eric Dolphy or John Coltrane. Even though leading the group on tenor and flute, Lloyd's got a real sense of rhythm to his playing – echoes of the Hamilton group – but set loose with a stellar quartet of younger players – including Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all perfect choices for inventive music like this! The standout cut is the amazing "Sombrero Sam", a tight little groover that we never tire of – and one that has Jarrett sounding much more in the pocket than you'd ever imagine – and other tracks include "Dream Weaver", "Autumn Sequence", and "Bird Flight".

A great title for this one – as the set really features reedman Charles Lloyd flowering strongly – blooming into a richer expression of his talents than any one might have expected a few short years before! The album features Lloyd working with his groundbreaking quartet of Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – players who have a perfect rhythmic conception to take Charles to the place he wants to go with his reeds! Titles include "Speak Low", "Goin' To Memphis/Island Blues", "Gypsy 66", "Wilpan's", and "Love-In/Island Blues".

A great 60s moment not just for reedman Charles Lloyd, but also for pianist Keith Jarrett – who was a key part of Charles' group for a few years at the time – and who really opens up on this classic set! Tracks are long and very open – reaching in a spiritual sort of way with definite Coltrane overtones, yet also showing that more complexly rhythmic mode that made Lloyd a standout in previous groups before he was a leader – a quality that's really augmented by the presence of Jack DeJohnette on drums! Lloyd plays both tenor and flute – and Jarrett switches to soprano sax on one number! Titles include"Journey Within", "Love No 3", "Memphis Green" and "Lonesome Child".

Fred Lonberg-Holm at his collaborative best – working with a great group of Chicago citizens, each of whom shape the others' sound in the set! Parts of the record have Lonberg-Holm's older style of arch avant energy – an almost academic mode that comes across with thoughtfully expressive passages. Yet other sides of the music are much more freewheeling – and almost swinging, which is quite a change for Fred – but a welcome one too! Things never get too conventional, as the older modes grab back the newer ones from time to time – making for a rich set of sounds that come from Lonberg-Holm on cello and guitar, Aram Shelton on alto and clarinet, Keefe Jackson on tenor and bass clarinet, Josh Berman on cornet, Anton Hatwich on bass, and Frank Rosaly on drums – and, oddly, at some point nearly every band member plays some form of trumpet, too. Titles include "Infra Pass", "It's A Tough Grid", "Later News", "Lazy Day", "Roses", and "Simpler Days".

Tight funky instrumentals from Brother Jack McDuff – an Atlantic groover that's probably closer to his late 60s gems for Cadet Records than it is his earlier work for Prestige! The solos are shorter, but they're packed nicely around the rhythms – played by a combo that features a young Melvin Sparks on some mighty nice guitar – plus Leo Johnson on tenor and Ray Appleton on drums! The groove is tight and choppy, with little bits of funk, and McDuff's usual sense of humor and warmth – and for the record, Jack wrote loads of original tracks, including "Mush Melon", "Snap Back Jack", "Strolling Blues", and "Do It Now".

One of the records that put a young Brother Jack McDuff on the map – and a perfect example of the rougher R&B roots that first emerged in his early work on the Hammond! The session's got a much more down-n-dirty feel than some of McDuff's tighter 60s quartet work – and offers a nice bridge between 50s use of the organ in R&B, and the growing soul jazz take on the instrument that McDuff was helping to forge at the time. The group's a real cooker too – with some great work on guitar by a young Grant Green, smoking tenor from Jimmy Forrest, and lyrically dancing drums from the great Ben Dixon. Titles include the great original "Whap!", plus versions of "I Want A Little Girl" and "The Honeydripper" – and an excellent reading of Henry Mancini's "Mr Lucky", virtually worth the price of the record alone!

2 of the greatest albums ever by Jack McDuff – back to back on one CD! Soulful Drums of Joe Dukes was originally issued under the name of McDuff's famous mid-60s funky drummer, Joe Dukes – but it's actually a McDuff session, recorded with the classic quartet lineup that includes Red Holloway on tenor and alto, George Benson on guitar, and Dukes on drums. The album's got an incredible sound, with Dukes' unique approach to drums scattering all over the kit, creating these complicated dancing rhythms for the organ, sax, and guitar lineup. The album's filled with excellent groovers, like "Moohah the D.J.", "Soulful Drums", "Greasy Drums", and "My Three Sons" – and the whole thing's great! Equally sublime is the album Hot Barbeque – probably the strongest of all of McDuff's mid 60s albums, with a coherency and a solidness to the playing that you'd have to work hard to find on other organ group sides from the time. Jack's work on the Hammond is incredible, filled with sharp changes and turns that will leave you breathless, and which will soon make him your favorite organist ever. Benson's guitar is incredible, too – filled with energy and intensity, vamping away at a pace and accuracy that's simply inexplicable. Every single cut's a gem – and the album includes the vocal-driven groover "Hot Barbeque", plus "Hippy Dip", "601 1/2 North Poplar", "The Three Day Thang", and "Briar Patch". All That, and the CD also includes the rare bonus track "Redwood City"!

An overlooked gem! During the mid 70s, Jackie McLean cut a few fantastic records that had a very spiritual vibe, and which added in a lot more soul than in previous sessions from the 60s. Part of the strength of these recordings – including this one – is the other musicians in the group – like the great Billy Gault, who wrote 2 tracks on the record, and who plays some very spiritual piano – or the excellent Billy Skinner, a young trumpeter who also emerges as a strong writer on this session. Other players include Rene McLean on alto and soprano, and Michael Carvin on drums – and tracks include "Camel Driver", "Some Other Time", "Adrian's Dance", and "Star Dancer". CD features a bonus alternate take, too.

A beautiful set of tributes to the legendary Albert Ayler – presented here in a series of improvisations from different assemblages of players – some solo, some duo, and some in larger groups – all working together in a legacy of sound that really takes off from the amazing tones and textures that Ayler first forged in the 60s! The range of musicians is as exciting as the music itself – and the performances feature reeds from Joe McPhee, Evan Parker, Urs Leimgruber, Raphael Imbert, John Tchicai, and Michel Portal – plus trumpet from Jean-Luc Cappozzo, bass from Joelle Leandre, Jean Jacques Avenel, and Barre Phillips, drums from Simon Goubert and Christian Rollet – and a mixture of sung and spoken passages from Lucia Recio, Steve Dalachinsky, and Jacqueline Caux.

A pair of killers from this legendary group! High On Music is one of the funkiest albums ever from The Memphis Horns – that super-tight instrumental combo headed by Andrew Love on tenor and Wayne Jackson on trumpet! Both players had years in the Memphis soul scene under their belt by the time of this set – and instead of just going for familiar modes, they wisely try to reach for a whole new groove – bringing in a bit of New York funk from the time, particularly the tighter ensemble sound of the Fatback generation. Booker T still handles production, which ensures a link to Memphis roots – and there's some great keyboards, which underscore the horns nicely. Titles include "Freedom Train", "Get It Up", "80 Proof Red", "Move Your Feet", "Keep On Doin' It", "Crystal Mellow", "Love's Mood", and "Beale Street Shuffle". On Get Up & Dance, The Memphis Horns expand their groove – still serving up their great blend of funky soul horns, but also adding in a bit of vocals too! The core focus of the album is still instrumental – based around that amazing sound led by Memphis soul legends Andrew Love and Wayne Jackson – but given the dancefloor orientation of some of the best tracks here, vocals are a perfect blend for the sound – lyrics that never dominate too much, but which have a great way of underscoring the groove! Singers include DJ Rogers, Lani Groves, Deniece Williams, and James Gilstrap all sing on the record – and titles include "Just For Your Love", a smooth mellow stepper that's pretty darn catchy – plus "Love Is Happiness", "Get Up And Dance", "Memphis Nights", "What The Funk", "Don't Abuse It", "Keep On Smilin", and "Waitin For The Flood".

One of the greatest Northern Soul albums ever – completely great all the way through, and filled with songs that have been burning up dancefloors for years! The vocals are incredible – soaring harmonies that hold together perfectly, even when the grooves are hard and heavy – and the instrumentation is great too – handled by the Pied Piper team, who were kind of a Motown offshoot that featured Jack Ashford on vibes and percussion, Dave Hamilton and Ray Monette on guitar, and Joe Hunter on piano. Hunter and Ashford handled the arrangements – with a pitch-perfect sound that's completely sublime – sweet and grooving at the same time, and put together with the same kind of care you'd find at Motown – but with all the harder-edge qualities that always made indie work from Detroit so great. Every cut is a winner, and the set is the only full album ever done by the group – with cuts that include "Egyptian Love", "Till The End Of Time", "Since I Found My Baby", "Sweetest One", "Unlucky Sun", "I'll Never Forget You", "Do The Pied Piper", and "I'm With You All The Way". Great reissue – fully remastered from the original tapes – with new liner notes too!

Complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker ont enors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side 2 contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus".

Willie's Soul Bag is pretty darn deep – a tight mixture of trumpet-heavy originals – all given sock-solid Hi Records soul production! The album's one of Mitchell's most smoking – and in addition to a few well-chosen covers, the set's also got some great originals – including some Jackson/Love numbers that have a definite Memphis Horns groove! There's some great Hammond at times – and in a way, the whole thing almost feels more like a Stax instrumental set than the sort of grooves we're used to hearing from Hi. Titles include "Apollo X", "Grand Slam", "Honey Pot", "Hawaii Five O", "Set Free", "Everday People", and "Young People".

Killer funky organ – and 100% Dynamite! Jackie Mittoo is one of the all-time great organists – as essential to Jamaica as Booker T was to Memphis, or Jimmy McGriff was to New York. He's legendary these days as the player who completely transformed the Hammond sound with his unique Jamaican instrumental style during his early years with the Skatalites, and on his later solo recordings for Studio One. This set's probably the first time Mittoo's work has been properly packaged and remastered – and the folks at Soul Jazz have done an amazing job of selecting just the right tracks for such a project. The whole thing wails along with a stone rocksteady groove – with plenty of nice drum parts and funky rhythm bits underneath Jackie's soulful organ. If you dug the label's 100% Dynamite series, you'll really dig this one – and the whole thing's very much in the same vein. Tracks include "Drum Song", "Reggae Rock", "Hot Tamale", "Killer Diller", "Black Organ", "Stereo Freeze", "Wall Street", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Juice Box", and "Killer Diller".

We give up! Just when we thought the gravy train had stopped running, the last train to skaville pulls into the station with 16 jaunty numbers fusing ska and rocksteady with a healthy dose of Jamaican soul at the hands of Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Brothers under the guidance of Coxsone Dodd! After the Skatalites busted up in the mid 60s, Dodd set about assembling a new house band, bringing Mittoo and a number of the original members of the Skatalites, including Lloyd Brevett and Roland Alphonso, together with some of the new, younger talent, and the fine folks at Soul Jazz have assembled a mighty, mighty set of their finest moments. But as Coxsone says in the liner notes, let's "Cut the chatter and spin the platter"! Includes "James Bond", "Voodoo Moon", "Chicken & Booze", "Hpney Pot", "Mr Flint", "Dr Ring Ding", "Got My Boogaloo", "Home Made", "Sufferer's Choice" and "Hot & Cold".

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. The album is live, but still has that sophisticated composure that made the group so unique at the time – and the whole thing's a perfect complement to their famous studio albums on Atlantic! Titles include "Django", "Bluesology", "La Ronde", "Festival Sketch", "Vendome", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "I Should Care", and "I Remember Clifford".

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. The album is live, but still has that sophisticated composure that made the group so unique at the time – and the whole thing's a perfect complement to their famous studio albums on Atlantic! Titles include "Pyramid", "It Don't Mean A Thing", "The Cylinder", "Round Midnight", "Bag's Groove", and "Skating In Central Park".

Truly one of the Modern Jazz Quartet's greatest albums – and a set that has an edge and a darkness that's missing from some of their other Atlantic records! Part of the reason for this may be the group's fantastic reading of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – a killer moody track that sounds great in the group's vibes/piano style – and which leads off the album with a chilling tone that's really unbelievable! The rest of the album's pretty great too – and there's a brooding intensity we don't normally hear in the piano of John Lewis and vibes of Milt Jackson. Other tracks include Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue" – plus John Lewi's "Belkis", "Animal Dance", "New York 19", and "Trieste".

One of the groovier albums the Modern Jazz Quartet ever recorded – as you might expect, given the cover and title! In addition to the group's usual cool sound from Milt Jackson's vibes, the set also features John Lewis playing a bit of harpsichord in addition to his usual piano – and the group's also augmented on a few tracks with some great horns from Snookie Young and Joe Newman on trumpets, Garnett Brown on trombone, Jim Buffington on French horn, and Don Butterfield on tuba – a change that really gives the record a nicely different flavor from other MJQ albums. John Lewis composed all of the tracks – and titles include "Walkin Stomp", "Dancing", "Plastic Dreams", "Variations On A Christmas Theme", "Travlin", "Piazza Novona", and "England's Carol".

Lee Morgan on the hippest side of his 60s talents – working here in a style that's really stretching out, and in the same territory as similar unreleased gems from the time – like Tom Cat or Sonic Boom! The group here is very inventive – Jackie McLean on alto, Larry Willis on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – players who really represent the left side of Blue Note, but not as out as the "new thing" crowd – with a really creative approach to both the rhythms and the solos, commanded by Morgan's rich imagination at this point in his career. All tunes are great, and titles include "Zip Code", "Infinity", "Miss Nettie B", "Growing Pains", and McLean's fantastic "Portrait of a Doll".

Damn great work from one of the greatest British tenorists of the 60s – reedman Dick Morrissey, an artist who never cracked our shores as strongly as Tubby Hayes or Ronnie Scott – but whose work is equally wonderful! Like both Hayes and Scott, Morrissey's got a way of mixing solid swing with a touch of modern – really taking Brit jazz to the next level with a recording like this – a smoking studio cooker with a rock-solid rhythm section! Most tunes are originals – played with tight changes that really make the most of Dick's sharp line on tenor – by a quartet that also includes Harry South on piano, Phil Bates on bass, and Jackie Dougan on drums. Titles include "The Goblin", "Serenata", "Down Home", "Skatin", "On The Spot", "There & Back", and "The Celt".

A monstrous bit of jazz funk from drummer Alphonse Mouzon – spacey tracks in a choppy style that reminds us a bit of some of the best European fusion albums from the period, but with a harder groove overall! Mini Moog and ARP trip out the sound throughout, but the underlying rhythms are nice and heavy. Lee Ritenour's on guitar, and he gets a lot of play on the record – but the main groove is Alphonse's heavy funky snakefoot! Al's drums and percussion are furiously frenetic, and he also plays a lot of keyboards – and other players include Tom Scott on tenor, Dave Grusin on clavinet, Victor Feldman on bongos and congas, and Charles Meeks on bass. A few tracks have vocals – by Marty McCall, Jackie Ward, and Caroline Willis – as well as Alphonse himself and the album's also got two very nice break-oriented tracks – "Snake Walk" and "New York City" – both with nice hard drums! Titles include a number of other good fusion groovers, like "Without A Reason", "Just Like the Sun", "Before You Leave", "Just Like The Sun", and "Mouzon Moves On".

A monstrous bit of jazz funk from drummer Alphonse Mouzon – spacey tracks in a choppy style that reminds us a bit of some of the best European fusion albums from the period, but with a harder groove overall! Mini Moog and ARP trip out the sound throughout, but the underlying rhythms are nice and heavy. Lee Ritenour's on guitar, and he gets a lot of play on the record – but the main groove is Alphonse's heavy funky snakefoot! Al's drums and percussion are furiously frenetic, and he also plays a lot of keyboards – and other players include Tom Scott on tenor, Dave Grusin on clavinet, Victor Feldman on bongos and congas, and Charles Meeks on bass. A few tracks have vocals – by Marty McCall, Jackie Ward, and Caroline Willis – as well as Alphonse himself and the album's also got two very nice break-oriented tracks – "Snake Walk" and "New York City" – both with nice hard drums! Titles include a number of other good fusion groovers, like "Without A Reason", "Just Like the Sun", "Before You Leave", "Just Like The Sun", and "Mouzon Moves On".