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One of the youngest groups of the zydeco wave of the 70s – and one of the grooviest too! The group's got a solid swing and sense of soul that goes beyond most of their contemporaries – almost a deeper current of blues at most points, especially in the guitar – and even in some of the accordion, which can come across like a harmonica at points! Titles include "Mama", "La La Waltz", "Sugar Cane Patch", "Country Boy", "SB 5", and "SAM".

A legendary run of music from the late, great Sam Cooke – almost all of his recordings for RCA Records, packaged here in one sweet little package! The scope of the set is wonderful – and almost something of a revelation, given that a number of these titles have never appeared on CD in the US before – making this collection a real discovery in soul music! Cooke first came out of the underground in the late 50s – and by the time he hit RCA, was really ready to take on new challenges – recording some key tracks that would help redefine the sound of soul for the 60s – and also working on some special album projects that expanded the range of work that he was handling – showing off some great sides of his talents. The set features the killer live album One Night Stand – recorded at the Harlem Square Club – plus the studio albums Cooke's Tour, Hits Of The 50s, Swing Low, My Kind Of Blues, Twistin The Night Away, Mr Soul, and Night Beat – all packaged in these cool little LP-styled sleeves!

A great early RCA set from Sam Cooke – issued with the odd tag "Folk Favorites" in the corner – but done with that unmistakable soul vibe that Sam helped invent at the time! True, many of the tunes have folk music roots – but they're re-swung by Sammy Lowe with some nice jazzy charts – in a way that sounds way different not just from folk music, but also from some of the pop-folk work that other artists were doing at the time. If anything, the feel is like some of the other RCA gems from the time – which had Cooke re-working familiar tunes with a new sort of sophisticated soul mode – one that would go onto influence countless others in years to come. Titles include "Goin Home", "Jeanie", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "If I Had You", and "Pray" – plus the huge hit single "Chain Gang".

A classic live album – one of the first in soul music, and a beautiful set of smooth soul tunes from Sam Cooke! Sam's singing at the high-end nitespot The Copacabana – and like many live sets performed there, this one's tailored a bit to the classy crowd at the show – but that doesn't stop him from using his voice to perfection, sweetly crafting beautiful lines on a batch of standards given the soul treatment, plus a few of Sam's own hits. And sure, it's easy to criticize this album after the release of the Live At The Harlem Square album in the mid 80s – which was recorded a year earlier, but rejected by RCA in favor of this album's crossover potential – but keep in mind that for most folks who didn't grow up with the hindsight of reissues, this album was all they had, and it still had quite an impact in the soul market. Titles include "The Best Things In Life Are Free", "Try A Little Tenderness", "If I Had A Hammer", "Twistin The Night Away", "You Send Me", and "This Little Light Of Mine".

A classic live album – one of the first in soul music, and a beautiful set of smooth soul tunes from Sam Cooke! Sam's singing at the high-end nitespot The Copacabana – and like many live sets performed there, this one's tailored a bit to the classy crowd at the show – but that doesn't stop him from using his voice to perfection, sweetly crafting beautiful lines on a batch of standards given the soul treatment, plus a few of Sam's own hits. And sure, it's easy to criticize this album after the release of the Live At The Harlem Square album in the mid 80s – which was recorded a year earlier, but rejected by RCA in favor of this album's crossover potential – but keep in mind that for most folks who didn't grow up with the hindsight of reissues, this album was all they had, and it still had quite an impact in the soul market. Titles include "The Best Things In Life Are Free", "Try A Little Tenderness", "If I Had A Hammer", "Twistin The Night Away", "You Send Me", and "This Little Light Of Mine".

A posthumous collection of material that Sam recorded for RCA before his untimely death – not really a greatest hits collection, but a lot better than the usual "house cleaning" type of record that gets issued in this sort of situation! Arrangements are by Stan Applebaum, Jimmie Haskell, and Rene Hall – and titles include "Feel It", "One More Time", "Soothe Me", "I'm Gonna Forget About You", "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More", "Sugar Dumpling", and "Wonderful World".

Rare hard funky soul from early 70s titans Damn Sam The Miracle Man – and some of the rawest, fiercest funk we've ever heard! Damn Sam is actually a group – spearheaded by vocalist OC Tolbert – a man with a roaring voice and righteous delivery that could tear through brick – and producer Jack Taylor. If not for the amazing funky 45 tracks "Damn Sam The Miracle Man", "Smash" and "BJ" – all of which appear on this long lost LP – they may have been obscure to even the most diligent crate diggers, an argument in favor of that format if there ever was one. The group is a real killer, with absolutely pummeling funky drums and snapping electric congas & bongo work on just about every track – plus soaring trumpet and sax work that counterbalance the fury of Tolbert's vocals nicely. Tolbert's history with gospel lends a genuine spiritual aspect to the frenzy, too – one of the sweetest raw funk tornadoes you could every hope to get swept up by! Other tracks include "Give Me Another Joint", "Let Me Be Your Only Man", "LA 26000", "Poor Mary", Music Makes You Feel Alright", "Rainy Night In Georgia", and "Sonny B".

Pretty sweet stuff from Damn Sam The Miracle Man – a tune named after himself, and delivered like some bad-rapping theme song all the way through! There's a hip groove to the cut that's almost blacksploitation funk – as is the presentation of Sam's lyrics, which have a swaggering confidence that really sends the whole thing home! "Give Me Another Joint" is a heavy bit of funk too – fast guitar and rhythms that really move nicely right from the start – and these vocals from Sam that really go over the top in the middle!

The only full album ever recorded by the legendary Sam Dees – an artist who's probably best known for his songwriting skills on other records, but who really shines here as a lead star on his own! Dees' approach is wonderful – a bit rootsy, with some slight southern soul elements – but also righteous and progressive, with a bit of a Curtom vibe in the mix – a perfect blend for Dees' upfront presentation of the lyrics, and the powerful message in his music! And the lyrics are sublime – really thoughtful words that go way past any standard cliches – mixing the personal and politics in ways that few other records did this well – a quality that's made this one a lasting treasure for years. Titles include "Child of the Streets", "Claim Jumpin", "Troubled Child", "So Tied Up", and "Good Guys".

The only full album ever recorded by the legendary Sam Dees – an artist who's probably best known for his songwriting skills on other records, but who really shines here as a lead star on his own! Dees' approach is wonderful – a bit rootsy, with some slight southern soul elements – but also righteous and progressive, with a bit of a Curtom vibe in the mix – a perfect blend for Dees' upfront presentation of the lyrics, and the powerful message in his music! And the lyrics are sublime – really thoughtful words that go way past any standard cliches – mixing the personal and politics in ways that few other records did this well – a quality that's made this one a lasting treasure for years. Titles include "Child of the Streets", "Claim Jumpin", "Troubled Child", "So Tied Up", and "Good Guys". CD features 6 bonus singles too – including "I'm So Very Glad", "Signed Miss Heroin", "Fragile Handle With Care", "Save The Love At Any Cost", "Child Of The Streets (single)", and "So Tied Up (single)".

An incredible look at the all-too-short life and music of Sam Cooke – put together by Peter Guralnick with an amazing amount of historical detail, and an even more important love of Cooke's music! The book is to Cooke what Guralnick's earlier writings were to Elvis Presley – a much deeper look at the man than had ever before been published – put together with an keen understanding for the music and its contribution to the world around it. Guralnick follows Cooke's key years with a great amount of detail – presenting incredible research, along with a wealth of vintage photos, but in ways that always read with far more depth than typical music history. A whopping 749 pages, softcover, with lots of photos!

A tight batch of organ groovers with a raw R&B feel, recorded by the obscure St Louis organist Sam Lazar – with a very young Grant Green on guitar! The album's a bit different than Sam's other records for Argo – in that the tunes are all quite short, with a tight fast sound that's almost more R&B at times than jazz – a very unusual setting especially for Grant Green! The guitar is nice and loud – really racing to keep up with Lazar's fast work on the Hammond – and other members of the group include Willie Dixon on bass and Chauncey Williams on drums. Titles include "Mad Lad", "Space Flight", "Caramu", "Funky Blues", and "Big Willie".

A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on drums, and Mack Thompson on bass – all to craft a set of rough and ready blues tunes that would have played well on both sides of the tracks at the time. Titles include "That's All I Need", "All Of Your Love", "I Don't Want No Woman", "Mama Mama Talk To Your Daughter", and "Lookin Good", a nice instrumental!

The first volume in this seminal series from the mid 70s – one that did a great job of documenting some of the formative underground playing that was happening in the New York loft scene, almost more creative work than in previous generations, thanks to a lack of commercial venues, and hence, commercial constraints on the music. Tracks include "Uso Dance" by Air, "Rainbows" by Sam Rivers, "Over The Rainbow" by Sunny Murray with Byard Lancaster, "New Times" by Ken McIntyre,a nd "Jays" by Kalaparusha.

A cool Specialty Records compilation – with three cuts each by the four stars on the cover!

Some of the freest, most far-reaching work that Sam Rivers ever cut for Blue Note – a set recorded in 1967, but not issued until nearly a decade later by the label! The album's a great precursor of some of the work that Sam would do later in the 70s – still somewhat in a "new thing" mode, at points, but also sharper, and more angular too – with a nice sense of space in the playing. The group is a piano-less one – with Sam on reeds, joined by James Spaulding on alto, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Steve Ellington on drums, and Cecil McBee on bass – all mighty hip players who really realize Rivers' vision perfectly. Titles include "Precis", "Paean", "Effusive Melange", "Involution", "Afflatus", and "Helix".

One of the greatest modern moments on Blue Note – ever! From the cover, to the compositions, to the playing on the set – the whole album crackles with an unbelievable fire that was hardly ever matched again. A young Sam Rivers leads a quartet that includes Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Anthony Williams on drums – coming together in a sound that's got lots of sharp edges, yet which also beats with an undeniably swinging heart. Rivers blows incredibly on the session – held in check by the rhythm section, and never getting too free (or sloppy, as on some later sides) – and instead hitting these hard tones that really push the envelope of 60s jazz without rewriting the rules entirely. Brilliant all the way through, with tracks that include "Beatrice", "Ellipsis", "Cyclic Episode", and "Downstairs Blues Upstairs".

A nice record in that it's got less of the "I'm gonna blow my head off for about 20 minutes a solo" kind of groove that Rivers was using on Impulse at the time. Instead, the tracks are shorter, with a bit more focus – but still a relatively free out approach. The tracks were recorded in 1973, in different trio groupings, with players like Cecil McBee, Richard Davis, and Norman Connors. Titles include "Amber", "Rose", "Mauve", and "Violet".

A mindblowing moment from the young Sam Rivers – and definitely a set that warrants the "new conception" of the title! Unlike some of Rivers' other material of the time, which often featured original inventive compositions, this set's based around classic standards – but all presented in a way that's wickedly different than any previous readings you might have heard! The set's a great statement from Sam – as it shows his link to a strong jazz tradition, but a willingness to really move things forward – hanging here in a great balance between straight and out that's mighty compelling all the way through. There's a brilliant edge to the record that never lets up – and in addition to tenor, soprano sax, and flute from Rivers, the set also features Hal Galper's piano, Herbie Lewis' bass, and Steve Ellington's drums. Titles include "When I Fall In Love", "That's All", "Detour Ahead", "Temptation", and "Secret Love".

An amazing reunion of a legendary group – the 70s free jazz trio of Sam Rivers on reeds, Dave Holland on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums! Rivers had already carved out a strong name for himself with earlier work – but his meeting with Holland and Altschul really helped the reedman take off – and together, the three musicians made some of the most creatively unbridled work of Sam's career! And yet the players hadn't worked together for over 25 years – until the time of this special recording, done as part of a Sam River marathon at Columbia University – an amazing moment in jazz that has all three members of the group picking up beautifully, and improvising together in a long session of music that's simply mindblowing! The album's easily one of the best we've heard from Rivers in his later years – and has all the sort of soulful undercurrents that take us back to the 70s loft jazz years of the original group – sounding way more like some lost tapes from the old days than the reunion captured within. Genius – and a great treasure from the late Rivers!

Vital late work from the amazing Sam Rivers – masterful, energetic jazz orchestra pieces recorded live and in the studio with players culled from Orlando and the Central Florida areas around Rivers' adopted home – a treasure that finds Sam sounding as spry and fiercely creative in his 80s has he was half a lifetime ago! Trilogy features 3 unreleased sets – 2 live and one with studio recordings – and it's remarkably vibrant throughout. Sam started dabbling with orchestra jazz in the 70s, bring muscularity and dissonance to big band music in a wholly unique way, and he's been doing it as brilliantly as ever in recent years. 14 horns bring complex, but melodic sweep to the sound, with a 2 piece rhythm. We've been blown away by most of Sam's late period efforts and this exceptional 3CD set from Mosaic is as great as any of it. Players include Jeff Rupert, Chris Charles, David Pate and others on saxes, Tom Parmenter, Brian Scanlon and more trumpet players, Keith Oshiro and David Sheffield on trombone, Doug Mathews on bass and Rion Smith on drums. The first disc (Offering) was recorded at the Plaza Theater in Orlando in November of '08. Includes "Spice", "Ganymede", "Crux", "Aura", "Perkin" and "Pulsar". Disc two (Progeny) was recorded at Sonic Cauldron Studios in Casselberry, FL earlier in '08, and it includes "Robyn", "Cindy", "Monique", "Traci", Iisha", "Destiny" and more. Disc Three (Edge) is a return to the Plaza Theatre in April of '09, and it includes "Ridge", "Brink", "Precipice", "Verge", "Visions", "Point" and more.

Classic Sam & Dave work for Stax – a searing batch of hard soul tracks that forever redefined the concept of a male soul duet! This was the sound that put Sam & Dave over the top hard – and which left a generation of similar acts trying to catch up. The album sports a sublime track list of Stax originals – mostly by the Isaac Hayes/David Porter team, plus a few others by Steve Cropper and other writers – all top-shelf work that really helps the pair do their best! Titles include "Hold On, I'm Comin", "You Don't Know Like I Know", "You Got It Made", "It's A Wonder", "Blame Me", "Don't Make It So Hard On Me", "I Take What I Want", "I Got Everything I Need", and "If You Got The Loving".

In case you don't recognize him from his beard on the cover, Sam Samudio is Sam The Sham – of Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs fame – stepping out here in a badass mix of rock and soul, all served up in a heady brew that's more early 70s Capricorn than straight Atlantic Records! The album was recorded at Criteria Studios with the Dixie Flyers, The Memphis Horns, and The Sweet Inspirations backing Sam up – but the overall sound is much more of a rootsy rock one than the soul you might expect from the setting. But that's actually ok with us, given the soul in Sam's earlier work – as coming out with a rocking mode is actually much more of a departure in some ways. Tracks include "Goin Upstairs", "Sweet Release", "Lonely Avenue", "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield", "Homework", and "Relativity". Real Gone CD version includes a bonus cover of "Me And Bobby McGee".

Rare 50s recordings, brought together in a nice 70s package with detailed notes!

Includes "O Katharina", "Shanghai Shuffle", "Alabamy Bound", and "By The Waters Of Minnetonka Melody".

Great work from the legendary Magic Sam – a smoking Chicago bluesman of the 60s, and one who was taken away from us all too soon! The set captures Sam in a club in his west side home – playing with the kind of sharp and soulful style he soon made famous on his West Side Soul album for Delmark – served up here with an even grittier, rootsier sound! The recording is pretty great – and is especially great for Sam's tight guitar lines – and the set really documents that heady sound that made the west side scene so vibrant in the 60s. Titles include "Baby Scratch My Back", "Just Like A Fish", "Reconsider Baby", "Juke", "Dirty Work Going On", "I'm Tore Down", and "All Your Love" – and the CD also features three bonus tracks from a 1969 European performance.

One of the definitive Sam Cooke recordings of the 60s – never issued at the time, but one of the crucial sides that's provided a later look at his brilliance from the time. The session was recorded at the same vintage as Sam Cooke At The Copa – another live record that was issued during the 60s, and which some claim caused the repression of this one, a much livelier, harder, and soulful session, recorded way uptown, at the Harlem Square Club. The Sam you hear here is a much harder soul artist than the one at the Copa – working his way through some great versions of tracks that include "Cupid", "Chain Gang", "Feel It", "Bring It On Home To Me", and "Nothing Can Change This Love".

If there's anyone who earns the name "Mr Soul", it's gotta be Sam Cooke – given that records like these were crucial to getting the term of soul music out to the public in the 60s! The set's a great illustration of the way that Sam cooks up soul, too – as it mostly features familiar tunes, recast by Cooke with a new soul music approach – that deeper feeling he brings to the lyrics, while still holding up a professional polish that rivals the great singers of the decade before. Horace Ott handled the arrangements, with a great blend of strings and soul – and titles include "Smoke Rings", "I Wish You Love", "Little Girl", "Driftin Blues", "Send Me Some Lovin", and "Chains Of Love".

Rare soul from Sam Dees – Shelby Singleton productions for SSS International – starting with a nice, rumbling bassline and piano before Sam's achingly soulful voice kicks in the with the horns – with a raspy style that's completely sublime. Killer! The flip has an alternate version & chorus.

Rough-edged blues from the west side of Chicago – a stone classic from the mighty Magic Sam – a player who was taken from us all too soon! On the west side, they mix plenty of soul in with their blues – and you can definitely hear that on this stone smoker – a record that has roots in the same scene as Syl Johnson, whose modes definitely creep into the groove at times! Sam's combo here is mighty nice – with Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano, and Mighty Joe Young on guitar – and titles include "Stop You're Hurting Me", "Easy Baby", "What Have I Done Wrong", "It's All Your Fault", "You Belong To Me", "You Don't Love Me Baby", and "San Jose".

A departure for Sam Prekop – the breezy voice of the Sea & Cake and his own terrific previous solo material on Thrill Jockey – going to another realm here, sans vocals and a full scale tapestry of electronic instrumentalism! Old Punch Card has no vocals, no guitars and no conventional beats. Much of the music was created on a modular synthesizer, with oddly tuneful bits of melody and acres of atmosphere. Nor does it strike as a creative departure as a self concious stunt...Sam doesn't strike us as that pretentious of a fellow, and if you've paid attention to the Sea & Cake over the years, with all of those textural touches on the outer edges of the songs – those deserve a spotlight focus, right? Titles include "Old Punch Card", "Array Wicket", "Knitting Needles", "Brambles", "Tell Work", "A Places", "Lazy House", "The Silhoutettes" and more.

Really great work from Sam Rivers – an album that's a bit more inside than some of his other European recordings of the period, but in a really great way that makes it a decided standout in Sam's career! Rivers is playing a bevy of heavy horns here – flute, tenor, soprano sax, and even a bit of piano – and the group has some good electricity in the rhythms, thanks to the guitar of Jerry Byrd and electric bass of Rael Wesley Grant. But the really compelling element is the drums of Steve Ellington – a surprisingly funky player at points, giving some of the cuts here a damn heavy groove, which Sam matches with some of his tightest, most soulful horn work. A few cuts definitely go outside, and unlock the freer side of Rivers – especially the piano moments – and titles include "Swirl", "Rapture", "Crosscurrent", "Sunbeams", "Breeze", "Eddy", and "Serenity".

One of the greatest modern moments on Blue Note – ever! From the cover, to the compositions, to the playing on the set – the whole album crackles with an unbelievable fire that was hardly ever matched again. A young Sam Rivers leads a quartet that includes Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Anthony Williams on drums – coming together in a sound that's got lots of sharp edges, yet which also beats with an undeniably swinging heart. Rivers blows incredibly on the session – held in check by the rhythm section, and never getting too free (or sloppy, as on some later sides) – and instead hitting these hard tones that really push the envelope of 60s jazz without rewriting the rules entirely. Brilliant all the way through, with tracks that include "Beatrice", "Ellipsis", "Cyclic Episode", and "Downstairs Blues Upstairs".

Two classics from this legendary team – packaged here with bonus tracks too! First up is the self-titled Sam & Dave album – one of the best ever albums by this incredible soul duo! Sam & Dave may have been one of the bigger names on the 60s scene, but they also had a sheer raw soul approach that blew away most of their contemporaries – a way of trading vocal lines then combining them that infused their songs with a tremendous amount of power – and which gets past any easy cliches you may have about Atlantic or Stax soul of the time! The album's virtually a blueprint for countless other acts that cropped up to steal the duo's style in years to come – but it's still one of the best of the bunch, and almost without equal. Titles include "Soul Man", "May I Baby", "Hold It Baby", "I'm With You", and "Rich Kind Of Poverty". I Thank You is a killer by Sam & Dave – recorded in Memphis with crack work by the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter, and unfortunately a record that was recorded by Stax, but stolen by Atlantic in their 1968 takeover of the label! Sam & Dave are at the height of their powers here – hitting on all burners with that tight funked-up southern soul style that made them one of the most popular acts of their generation – and although the pair may be familiar, they've got an energy that never fails to amaze us on a record like this! Titles include "I Thank You", "Don't Turn Your Heater On", "Love Is After Me", "Talk To The Man", "Don't Waste That Love", "Wrap It Up", and "You Don't Know What You Mean To Me". 2CD package features 9 bonus tracks – including "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down", "Soothe Me (live)", "This Is Your World", "Can't You Find Another Way Of Doing It", "Still Is The Night", "Soul Sister Brown Sugar", "Come On In", "Born Again", and "Get It".

One of the best-ever albums by this incredible soul duo! Sam & Dave may have been one of the bigger names on the 60s scene, but they also had a sheer raw soul approach that blew away most of their contemporaries – a way of trading vocal lines then combining them that infused their songs with a tremendous amount of power – and which gets past any easy cliches you may have about Atlantic or Stax soul of the time! The album's virtually a blueprint for countless other acts that cropped up to steal the duo's style in years to come – but it's still one of the best of the bunch, and almost without equal. Titles include "Soul Man", "May I Baby", "Hold It Baby", "I'm With You", and "Rich Kind Of Poverty".

A treasure trove of work from this overlooked southern soul singer – recordings that Sam Baker cut down in Nashville for the Sound Stage Seven label – all brought together here in one very comprehensive package! Sam's got a voice that's pitched slightly higher than some of his contemporaries, but with soul that goes equally deep – and the setting here is perfect for his phrasing, with nicely punctuated rhythms that give even the mellower cuts a nice kick up from the bottom! Baker's got a nicely sensitive approach at times – which really makes the set great – a nice mix of sophisticated styles that gets way past overdone southern soul modes. 22 tracks in all – including "What Did Sister Do", "You Can't See The Blood", "Just A Glance Away", "Safe In The Arms Of Love", "I Believe In You", "I'm Number One", "Sunny", "I Can't Stand It", "Coming To Bring You Some Soul", and "Strange Sensation".

A self-titled set that features a nice batch of lesser-known gems from Sam Cooke's early 60s years on RCA! Lots of the material here is a nice contrast to some of the hit-heavy Cooke sets on the market – not that those aren't great, but it's just good to hear some of the other sides of Sam's amazing talents at the time. Titles include "Little Things You Do", "Long Long Ago", "I Fall In Love Every Day", "You're Always On My Mind", "If I Had You", "Don't Cry On My Shoulder", "Out In The Cold Again", and "You Belong To Me".

Collection of Sam Cooke's wonderful soul for RCA, compiled just after his untimely death. The set's divided into more uptempo numbers on the first side, and Sam's great ballads on the flip, all with his rich voice ringing clearly on top. Features "Shake", "Yeah Man", 'Win Your Love For Me", "It's Got The Whole World Shakin", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "I'm Just A Country Boy" and "Ease My Troublin Mind".

The only full album ever recorded by the legendary Sam Dees – an artist who's probably best known for his songwriting skills on other records, but who really shines here as a lead star on his own! Dees' approach is wonderful – a bit rootsy, with some slight southern soul elements – but also righteous and progressive, with a bit of a Curtom vibe in the mix – a perfect blend for Dees' upfront presentation of the lyrics, and the powerful message in his music! And the lyrics are sublime – really thoughtful words that go way past any standard cliches – mixing the personal and politics in ways that few other records did this well – a quality that's made this one a lasting treasure for years. Titles include "Child of the Streets", "Claim Jumpin", "Troubled Child", "So Tied Up", and "Good Guys".

A great little collection of work recorded by bassist Sam Jones during the early 60s – done at a time when Jones had emerged from some key fame in the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, and was beginning to work as a leader on his own! The quality of the work here is extremely high, and Jones' sessions from the time marked a whole new voice for the bass as a leader in jazz – done at a time when soul jazz waves were rolling onto the market with great strength, and allowing the "bottom" of the genre's sound to come to the forefront. Players on the sessions include Nat Adderley, Charles Davis, Jimmy Heath, Bobby Timmons, Blue Mitchell, Les Spann, and Frank Strozier – and titles include "Blue Bird", "Some Kinda Mean", "There Is No Greater Love", "Home", "The Old Country", "Four", and "Unit 7".

A fantastic lost soul jazz groover! The record is clearly one of the best ever cut by this fantastically overlooked bass player – and it's filled with a great set of players that includes Bobby Timmons, Nat Adderley, Charles Davis, and Jimmy Heath. The whole thing leaps along with that tight mix of hardbop, soul jazz, and spiritual modernism that would occasionally show up on the best Riverside/Jazzland session – and the level of writing and playing is superb throughout! Jones plays both bass and cello, and he kicks the group into Jazz Messengers-like precision for the duration of the session. Titles include "Home", "Some Kinda Mean", "The Old Country", and a great bass-heavy version of Timmons' "So Tired".

Sublime early work from Magic Sam – an Chicago bluesman who never hit bigger fame until the last few years of his too-short career – but who's represented here with some killer sides from the legendary Cobra label! Sam's guitar playing alone is worth the price of admission – deft and sharp, with moments that really step out from some of his electric contemporaries – and his vocals have a great gritty sense of soul that really shows his ties to the west side scene of the 50s and 60s – almost with an R&B sort of inflection at times. The package brings back rare 78s with crystal-clear sound – and titles include "21 Days In Jail", "All Your Love", "Look Whatcha Done", "All Night Long", "Love Me With A Feeling", "Magic Rocker", and "Roll Your Money Maker".

A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on drums, and Mack Thompson on bass – all to craft a set of rough and ready blues tunes that would have played well on both sides of the tracks at the time. Titles include "That's All I Need", "All Of Your Love", "I Don't Want No Woman", "Mama Mama Talk To Your Daughter", and "Lookin Good", a nice instrumental!

Classic Sam & Dave work for Stax – a searing batch of hard soul tracks that forever redefined the concept of a male soul duet! This was the sound that put Sam & Dave over the top hard – and which left a generation of similar acts trying to catch up. The album sports a sublime track list of Stax originals – mostly by the Isaac Hayes/David Porter team, plus a few others by Steve Cropper and other writers – all top-shelf work that really helps the pair do their best! Titles include "Hold On, I'm Comin", "You Don't Know Like I Know", "You Got It Made", "It's A Wonder", "Blame Me", "Don't Make It So Hard On Me", "I Take What I Want", "I Got Everything I Need", and "If You Got The Loving".

One of the best early efforts to pair the great Sam Lightin Hopkins with accompaniment – in this case, the rollicking drums of Spider Kilpatrick – bring just a little bit of early 60s boogie to Sam's charismatic blues! The electric guitar and bluesy storytelling style of Sam sounds great in all recording situations if you ask us, but this pared down duo style with Spider works really well. A great early Arhoolie album from Sam & Spider. Includes "Meet You At The Chicken Shack", "Once Was A Gambler", "Ice Storm Blues", "Do The Boogie", "Goin' Out", "California Showers" and more.

A freewheeling trio set from reedman Sam Rivers – the kind of hard-burning, open-ended record he does so well! Rivers' energy here is amazing – a fire that hasn't dimmed since the start of the 70s, when he first started letting loose like this – and throughout the course of the album's space, Sam plays tenor, soprano sax, flute, and piano – in a trio with Doug Mathews on bass and bass clarinet, and Anthony Cole on drums, tenor, and piano. Given that both players move between rhythm instruments and horns, they've really got the right sort of dexterity to match Sam's efforts – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Commemoration", "Observance", "Dedication", "Effusion", "Appreciation", and "Currents".

Massive grooves from the legendary Sam Records – a late 70s disco powerhouse from the New York scene – and one of the tightest, most soulful labels on the market! This killer collection not only brings together the best of Sam from the glory days, it also offers up a wealth of edits and remixes that further enforce the funky sounds of the classics – including a number of contemporary edits that really bring out the hippest aspects of the tunes! Percussion breakdowns are extended, keyboard parts stretched out, and basslines are funkier than ever – on a 2CD set of tracks that include "We'll Make It (Volta Bureau edit)" by Mike & Brenda Sutton, "Bourgie Bourgie (Catz N Dogz rmx)" by John Davis & Monster Orchestra, "This Beat Is Mine (Soul Clap rmx)" by Vicky D, "Just How Sweet Is Your Love (Walker & Royce Touch)" by Rhyze, "Feel Alright (Bonar Broadberry edit)" by Komiko, "Stay With Me (Andy Ash edit)" by John Davis, "Let's Lovedance Tonight (Jacques Renault edit)" by Gary's Gang, Just Let Me Dance (Maxxi Soundsystem rmx)" by Scandla, "Up Jumped The Devil (6th Borough Project jumped up jam)" by John Davis, "Keep On Dancing (Todd Terje rmx)" by Gary's Gang, "Don't Stop (runaway rmx)" by KID, and "Let's Do It (Prince Language hands up edit)" by Convertion – plus a long continuous mix of tracks by Jacques Renault!

A pretty great session – if only for the work of the sax players! The "stablemates" on the session are a host of older spiritual and soul jazz players – including Nathan Davis, Sam Rivers, Chico Freeman, and Arthur Blythe – alternating solos and coming together in some angular ensemble parts that really sound wonderful. The "Stablemates" reference is well chosen, as there's a lot of Benny Golson influences on the album – especially in the rhythm section of Don Pullen, Santi Debriano, and Idris Muhammad, who groove together with the crackling tightness that Golson would have used on a classic early 60s album, keeping the pace with a soulful swing, so that the horn players can cut loose in some modernist inflections. Titles include "Walkin", "I Remember Eric Dolphy", "Stolen Moments", "Linden Boulevard", and "Stablemates".

One of the few albums ever cut as a leader by pianist Ronnell Bright – a player best known for his accompaniment behind famous vocalists, like Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson! This rare date was cut in Paris – at a time when Bright was visiting the city with Vaughan – and it's a stripped-down trio date with a nicely relaxed feel – one that has Bright really opening up on the keys, in ways you don't always hear on his material with singers. Other players in the trio include Richard Davis on bass and Art Morgan on drums – and titles include "Johnnie Pate's Blues", "Sail Em", "Doxology", "Chasing Sarah", and "R&R Groove".

Prime symphonic disco from the mighty John Davis and his well-named Monster Orchestra! The set's got a dramatic flourish that still mixes in plenty of live instrumentation – including keyboards and flute from John, plus some nice congas from Larry Washington! John sings lead vocals on most cuts, but uses some cool processing to kind of space out the sound – making for a compressed and flanged-out sound that's poppy, but really compelling. And although the whole thing sounds hokey, the quality of the grooves is actually pretty great from an instrumental standpoint. Titles include "Once Upon A Time", "We Can Fly", "Up Jumped The Devil", "You Gotta Give It Up", "You're The One", "The Magic Is You", and "Recapitulation".

A great little club groover! "Just How Sweet" begins with a tightly stepping intro that's very nice – guitar riffing along with the beat, warm washes of keyboards, and horns blasting over the top before the tight ensemble vocals come into play. "I Found Love In You" is a strong number too – with a bit of a smooth jazz finish, but still a pretty nice hook!

A swingin' Japanese concert by one of Cannonball's best groups from the 60's. Joe Zawinul's on piano, brother Nat's on cornet, Sam Jones is on bass, and Louis Hayes is on drums. But the real treat here is Yusef Lateef, who does some excellent reed work on tenor, flute, and oboe – and who's playing at this point with that great mix of soul jazz and out-sounds that he was cooking up at the time. There's some great long cuts, including an excellent 12 minute reading of Lateef's "Brother John", plus the title track, "Come Sunday", "Tengo Tango", "Easy To Love" and "The Weaver".

A jazzy portrait of Cannonball Adderley in his early soul jazz prime – oddly one that doesn't feature his regular quintet lineup, but which more than makes up for that lack with a batch of players that includes Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Bill Evans on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums! Given the personnel, the record's almost kind of a transition from Cannon's brief time with Miles Davis into his tighter more soul-inflected group to come – and Evans' piano provides an especially spacious sensibility here, one that marks the time spent with Miles nicely. Titles include "Nardis", "A Little Taste", "Minority", and "Blue Funk". CD features 3 bonus tracks!

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark".

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark".

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". Includes bonus track "Alison's Uncle".

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The quintet forged a sound that made them an immediate hit – and which had their tight, jagged, soul-drenched sound getting copied by everyone. The record features some amazing soul jazz standards – like Nat's original version of "Work Song", the first-ever record of Timmons' amazing "Dat Dere", Cannon's slinky "Them Dirty Blues", and the jaunty groover "Jeannine", a wonderful cut by Duke Pearson that never sounded better! The CD features alternates of "Work Song" and "Dat Dere" – for a total of 9 tracks in all!

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The quintet forged a sound that made them an immediate hit – and which had their tight, jagged, soul-drenched sound getting copied by everyone. The record features some amazing soul jazz standards – like Nat's original version of "Work Song", the first-ever record of Timmons' amazing "Dat Dere", Cannon's slinky "Them Dirty Blues", and the jaunty groover "Jeannine", a wonderful cut by Duke Pearson that never sounded better! The CD features alternates of "Work Song" and "Dat Dere" – for a total of 9 tracks in all!

A strong showcase for young Nat Adderley's talents on cornet – and an album that's got a different feel that his work with his more famous brother's combo at the same time! The style here is simple – Nat blowing with 2 different quartets – one with Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums (all from Cannonball's group) – the other with the rhythm section of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Despite's Nat's reputation as a gutbuckety soul jazz player, he actually gets in some nicely lyrical licks in this set – blowing in a soulful modern style that almost recalls the work of Carmell Jones at times! Titles include "Chloe", "Images", "Scotch & Water", and "Naturally".

A massive amount of early work by The Animals – brought together in one overstuffed package with some unreleased tracks as well! The group here have a great rough sound – much more bluesy than in later years, which turns out to be a perfect setting for the young Eric Burdon – whose vocals soar out wonderfully over a mix of original tunes and remakes of American classics by folks like Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke, Bo Diddley, and others! Producer Mickie Most really knows how to keep the right sort of edge on the tunes – lots of raw power in the instrumentation, especially the Hammond and guitar – and a stark, dark quality to Eric's vocals that went onto become the stuff of legend. Package features 40 tracks in all – with titles that include "I Believe To My Soul", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Club A Go Go", "For Miss Caulker", "Feel", "Boom Boom", "Don't Want Much", "It's My Life", "House Of The Rising Sun", "We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place", and "I'm Gonna Change The World".

A folk funk classic from the early 70s – and a weird little record that has a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The arrangements are quite soulful, almost funky at times – with a righteous undercurrent that reminds us of Richard Evans or Charles Stepney at Cadet Records. But the vocals – by singer Barbara Massey – have a flanged-out quality that's clearly overdubbed, creating a double-voiced sound that's almost a bit like Brasil 66! This mix of modes is really great – completely unique, and sublime throughout – with a vibe that was years ahead of its time, and which is finally beginning to get some recognition these many years later. Arrangements are by the pair, but Deodato also had a hand in the record too – and the core combo of musicians includes Grady Tate on drums, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Sam Brown on guitar – alongside more guitars from Ernie and keyboards and piano from Barbara. Tracks include "Searching the Circle", "Do You Know", "For You", "Play With Fire", "My Love & I", "Satisfied", and "Prelude" – plus a wild remake of "Somebody to Love"!

A reissue of one of Blakey's best non-Blue Note sides from the late 50s, a killer album that sports a great lineup of the Jazz Messengers that included Jackie McLean, Johnny Griffin, Bill Hardman, Sam Dockery and Spanky DeBrest. The three of them sparkle and shine with the sort of brilliance that Blakey's leadership brings to the group, and they wail their way through a 13 minute long reading of "Night In Tunisia", with excellent solos all around, and the other cuts "Theory Of Art", "Couldn't It Be You?", "Evans", and "Off The Wall". This reissue adds the bonus number "Social Call" recorded for RCA at very nearly the same time, but with a larger group that features Wynton Kelly in place of Sam Dockery, plus the addition of Lee Morgan, Sahib Shihab, Melba Liston and Cecil Payne in the horn section.

One of the greatest albums ever for Blue Note – and the only album recorded by tenor player Tina Brooks that was issued during his lifetime! The album's nearly perfect – and features Brooks' edgey tenor set in an all star group that includes Duke Jordan on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Brooks had blown on other Blue Note sessions before, but here, working as a leader, his sound is tremendous – vaguely to the left of center of some of his other tenor counterparts on the label, but with an equally impeccable approach to soul and rhythm. Titles include "Miss Hazel", "Good Old Soul", "Up Tight's Creek", and "Theme For Doris".

Features very early work with Chris Powell & His Blue Flames – on "Ida Red" and "I Come From Jamaica" – plus 3 longer Philly sides from 1956, with Billy Root on tenor and Sam Dockery on piano – on titles that include "Walkin", "Donna Lee", and "Night In Tunisia".

A beautiful album by Ron Carter – and quite rare, too! The record features a group that's got a nice 70s modal soul jazz sound – with players that include Herbie Hancock on acoustic and electric piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Sam Brown on guitar, and both Billy Cobham and Grady Tate on drums – all working in sweet small group mode alongside Carter's excellent work on acoustic and Fender bass. The sound is sometimes spacey, sometimes groovy – and marks a key chapter in Carter's career, one that has him stepping out of the background into a great role as a leader – setting the stage for many more albums to come in the 70s! Titles include the very funky "Uptown Conversation", plus the tracks "Half A Row", "Doom", and "Einbahnstrasse". Very soulful, with a stone mellow moody groove!

A massive 2-fer from The Chi-Lites – 2 amazing post-Brunswick records on a single CD! Happy Being Lonely is beautiful beautiful work from The Chi-Lites – and a record that we might even say tops the best of their late Brunswick book! Despite the move from that label to Mercury, the group have a sound here that's still wonderfully fragile and harmony-focused – especially on the mellower cuts, which crackle with a sense of humanity that so many other harmony groups were losing at the time. But even the more upbeat tunes are great too – rolling along on some spacious arrangements by Tom Tom Washington, and showing that Chicago could come up with grooves to rival the sound of Philly! Titles include the great ballad "Love Can Be Hazardous", the Sam Dees number "Vanishing Love", and the titles "Don't Blame The World", "Message To The World", "Let Your Love Fall Like Rain", and "I Turn Away". The other album on the set is great too – and Fantastic Chi-Lites is right, because the group's still going strong even after their hit years on Brunswick – stepping forth with a sweet harmony sound that nicely fits the Philly arrangements they get on this set! There's a maturity here that gets past the fragile soul of earlier sets, and which has the group moving into a warmly adult mode that's a perfect shift from their more familiar hits. Includes the classic club groover "My First Mistake" – a stunning track that recalls the best work of groups like Blue Magic or Double Exposure – and other tracks include "I've Got Love On My Mind", "If I Had A Girl", "Who's In Love With Me", "Let's Touch", and "Love At Its Best".

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".

Great set that reissues material from 2 live albums that were never properly issued in the US – Miles In Tokyo, recorded in 1964, with Sam Rivers, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams; and Miles In Berlin, recorded in 64 as well, with the same group, minus Rivers, plus Wayne Shorter on tenor. The quality is as high as you'd expect – with that Plugged Nickel groove hitting on all burners – and titles include "So What", "All Of You", "Walkin", "Milestones", and "Autumn Leaves".

Miles Davis' first-ever performance in Japan – a really unique concert that featured the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by a young Sam Rivers on tenor! The presence of Rivers really gives the set an edge – and although Miles is holding Sam a bit more in check than on some of his "new thing" albums from the time, there's an overall quality here that's different than the other Davis quintet albums of the time. The set was one of a number of important Miles Davis live sessions from the period – including albums from Berlin, Antibes, and Chicago – and titles include "If I Were A Bell", "My Funny Valentine", "So What", "Walkin'" and "All Of You".

Wonderful Sammy from his years at Reprise – and a beautiful album cut in collaboration with arranger Marty Paich! Marty had a swinging, jazzy style that always brought out the best in Sam – even on an album of fuller, mellower tracks such as these. The title hit is done by Sammy in a heartfelt style that showed that he could be every bit the pop crooner as some of his contemporaries, and the album follows in a similar mode – but also throws in some more upbeat numbers that keep things fresh and grooving. Titles include "Song From Two For The Seesaw", "We Kiss In A Shadow", "Love Is The Tender Trap", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "There Was A Tavern In The Town", and "Falling In Love With Love".

A pretty great record from Sammy – one that has a groovier feel than most of his other work from the time! The cover has Sammy hanging out with a bunch of hippies, and that feel is certainly carried through to the music – arranged by Billy Strange and George Rhodes, with bouncy production by Jimmy Bowen that takes Sam way past his years at Reprise. Kicks off with a great version of "Spinning Wheel", and includes the tracks "You Better Sit Down Kids", "For Once In My Life", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "In The Ghetto".