All Categories — LPs  

Album of clubby, uptempo stuff, recorded in Rio, and with a bit of a Brazilian feel to it. The tracks are long and fast, and include medleys of "Girl From Ipanema/Manha De Carnaval" and "Chove Chuva/Mas Que Nada", as well as a few other Brazilian tracks. There's also a version of "Mambo No. 5", which is the same one from the Ultimate Breaks compilation.

Sweet funky 70s work from Cannonball Adderley – a record that has him revisiting older tunes from his early soul jazz years – but in ways that give them a whole new electric vibe overall! The album's actually Cannonball's last full studio set, but it's also one of his greatest too – a very hip little record that features arrangements that are slightly bigger than before – almost a CTI sort of mode, with a similar CTI sense of space, sound, and timing! There's some great keyboards on the set – courtesy of George Duke and Mike Wolff – and other players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Airto on percussion, Sam Jones and Walter Booker on bass, and Louis Hayes and Roy McCurdy on drums. The keyboards lead off most numbers, but they're followed strongly by Cannon and Nat – both of whom open up wonderfully in the magical setting of the record! Titles include great new takes on "Sack O Woe", "Work Song", "Jive Samba", "74 Miles Away", "Walk Tall/Mercy Mercy Mercy", "Country Preacher", "Domination", and "This Here" – plus "Hi Fly" and "Hamba Nami".

If you've ever been wondering which album to get by Chico Buarque – this is it! The record's a stunning batch of sophisticated sides, done in collaboration with Roberto Menescal, and with help from Jobim and MPB4! The album builds on the style of Buarque's excellent late 60s songwriting, and adds in some of the more complicated approaches to arrangement that were being developed in Brazil at the end of the 60s – in a way that pushes Chico's work to the next level, and which makes this record sit right up there with work at the time by Jobim or Edu Lobo. Titles include "Samba De Orly", "Valsinha", "Acalanto", "Deus Ilhe Pague", and "Construcao". Really beautiful – with a lot of soul, and a great sound!

An overlooked gem from the revival years of Impulse Records – a set recorded in the mid 80s, but one that easily matches the soul and spirituality of the label's best work from the late 60s and early 70s! Pianist Henry Butler steps out here with a strong musical vision – one colored by his own bold McCoy Tyner-esque lines on the piano – and embellished by great solo work from Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Azar Lawrence on tenor. Rhythm is by Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – who definitely match Butler's pulsating, modal-influenced groove here – and additional instrumentation includes bits of flute and oboe, plus a string quartet on 2 numbers – coming off with Alice Coltrane-like brilliance! Great proof that righteous jazz was still being made in the 80s – with titles that include "Fivin Around", "LA Samba", "Improvisation On An Afghan Theme", "Giant Steps", and "Butler's Blues".

One of Carlos Garnett's great soul jazz albums for the Muse label from the mid 70's. There's a very deep feel here, and the music is played by an ensemble that's fairly large, and which has a similar sound to the Norman Connors jazz LPs that were on Buddah and Cobblestone (which is no surprise, since Garnett played on those). The lineup includes Hubert Eaves, Reggie Lucas, and Olu Dara, and the tracks are long and spiritual. Includes "Senor Trane", "Samba Serenade", and "Ghetto Jungle".

A great little album of short groovy cuts from Dizzy – and actually quite hard to find on vinyl! Despite a title that sounds a bit flowery, the grooves are nice and hard – and Dizzy's playing here with a combo that includes James Moody, Kenny Barron, Billy Butler, and Candido. The sound isn't as funky as the records that Dizzy would later cut for Perception, but it's getting pretty close at times – especially on the tunes that have a nice Latin soul feel. Titles include "Summer Samba", "Bang Bang", "Mas Que Nada", "Tequila", "Winter Samba", and "Get That Money Blues".

Goin Latin, and goin groovy too – thanks to some wonderful arrangements from Chicago soul legend Richard Evans – who really helps Ramsey Lewis open up his sound on the set! The format's less straight Latin than you might expect from the title – and Evans brings in a bouncing, bassy bottom that's still got a strongly American flavor – not really Latin Soul, but something of a blend of Latin and bossa elements with some of Evans' more soul-styled modes of the time! The mix of styles is really great – Ramsey's Chicago groove taken a bit south of the border – and tracks include the heavy smoker "Hey Mrs Jones", plus "Summer Samba", "Free Again", "Blue Bongo", "Function At The Junction", "One Two Three", "I'll Wait For You", and "Spanish Grease".

Excellent little small combo record, cut by this obscure funky jazz group for 20th Century – and probably the only thing they ever did! The album's got a number of tight short cuts, played by organ, vibes, and guitar – and titles include "Soul Samba", "Mad Hatters Stomp", "Soul Sister", "Monkey Children", "All Soul", and "That Sanctified Thing". Very very nice, and more like an album you'd find on Sue than one that you'd find on 20th Century – with a heavy duty sound that's almost in the funky 45 mode!

A killer diller of a live set from Brother Jack McDuff – a cut that burns with energy that almost beats his studio 60s classics for Prestige! The group is one of Jack's best ever – a lineup that includes the twin tenors of Red Holloway and Harold Vick, plus incredibly sharp guitar from a young George Benson, and some of the most unique soul jazz drum work you'll ever hear – courtesy of the amazing Joe Dukes. Despite their individual strengths, which might make this whole thing an ego-fest – all players fit perfectly into place on the album's hard wailing batch of groovers, and groove together with a sympathetic energy that's simply amazing! Titles include a great remake of "Jive Samba", plus "Dink's Blues", "Grease Monkey", "Passing Through", and "Vas Dis". This is the kind of thing live recording equipment was made for!

Classic Blue Note work by Horace Silver – the stuff that soul jazz legends are made of, and an album that showed he was destined to be a huge force away from the Jazz Messengers! Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook hold down the frontline with Horace – playing in a mellifluous style that links the tenor and trumpet magically, dancing in sweetly lyrical lines over the impeccable rhythm team of Gene Taylor on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are short, tight, and grooving with a sound that's virtually the blueprint for early soul jazz – and the album includes classic Silver tunes like "Come On Home", "Mellow D", "Finger Poppin", and "Swingin The Samba".

An excellent album of Latin material from Herbie Mann – and proof that he's equally great in just about any setting! The album's a rare Columbia Records outing from Herbie – but it's easily one of his greatest of the 60s, thanks to some really smoking arrangements from Oliver Nelson – plus an all-star cast of players that includes Carmell Jones, Dave Pike, Jimmy Heath, Patato Valdez, Willie Bobo, Charlie Palmieri, and a young Chick Corea on piano! Tracks are short, tight, and very rhythmic – grooving in a snapping approach to Latin that's filled with plenty of soul, but which also features plenty of jazzy touches as well. A few tunes here are familiar, but they're given wonderful new treatment by Herbie and Nelson – and the record easily beats most Verve or Impulse sessions of this type at their own game! Tracks include "Bijou", "Ave Maria Morena", "Watermelon Man", "Interlude", "Let's Boom Chitty Boom", "Senor Blues", "Jungle Fantasy", and "Jive Samba".

A nice collection of some of Cannon's bigger numbers for Capitol in the 60s – most of them longer tracks, some of them recorded live, with a bit of production help from David Axelrod! The grooves are firmly in place – not as tripped out and funky as later years, but a good updating of his early 60s soul jazz approach, handled with that clean Capitol sound. Titles include "Work Song", "Jive Samba", "Why Am I Treated So Bad", "Mercy Mercy Mercy", "Them Dirty Blues", and "Dat Dere".

A great bit of smooth funky fusion from this Japanese trumpeter, done in a soulful New York groove that we really approve of! The record was cut with arrangements and keyboard work from Leon Pendarvis, who did a lot of good uptempo soul in the 70s, and Harry Whitaker, who'd worked on some of Roy Ayers' best records – and the sound is kind of similar to Ayers' albums at the time, with a jazz base, slick production, and vocals on a number of tunes. Titles include "Send Me Your Feelings", "Samba De La Cruz", "Hino's Reggae", "City Connection", and "Blue Smiles".

About as close as you'll get to soul jazz with Oscar Peterson – and a very groovy set recorded with some good Latiny influences in the playing, and kind of a pop soul style in the arrangements! The core trio of Peterson on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums (a very soulful group already) is augmented by added timbales by Marshall Thompson and conga by Master Henry Gibson – great extra percussion that really makes the whole thing groove nicely! The album was recorded in Chicago, and has a sound that's very much in the best Cadet Records style of the time – filled with soulful groovers that include "Mas Que Nada", "Samba Sensitive", "Amanha", "Soulville Samba", "Samba De Orfeu", and "Call Me".

A strange one for Sonny Stitt – but also a real gem! The album has Sonny, who'd been working for the Roost/Roulette label, coming together with other jazz players in the same boat, plus Latin musicians who were recording for the related Tico label. Moishe Levy never made such a good talent judgement as he did with this session – which features an all-star Latin jazz jam that includes the likes of Ray Barretto, Joe Cuba, Junior Mance, Les Spann, Billy Taylor, Wild Bill Davis, Barry Galbraith, Walter Perkins, and Tito Puente. The organ of Davis is a particularly great touch – odd for a Latin session, but creating a cool groove on the best tracks, and a nice way to touch back with a soul jazz sound. Stitt's tone is right out front, and never sounded better – making us wish he'd recorded a few more albums in this manner! Titles include "Duketation", "Twana", "Icey Stone", "Let My People Split", "Samba De Orfeo", "Liberian Love Song", and "Handkerchief Head". Very hip stuff – and organized by Henry Glover, which might be part of the explanation for that!

Bossa madness – and a really hard to find pressing of this album! Cannonball Adderley recorded this nice little groover in 1962, when American musicans were just getting on the bossa tip, and still keeping things pretty authentic. The record was cut in New York with Sergio Mendes' early Bossa Rio group – the legendary Brazilian jazz ensemble that featured Paulo Moura, Dom Um Romao, and Durval Ferreira. The mixture of tight bossa rhythms and Cannon's soulful sax is totally great – and it's only because the Riverside label was folding at the time that the record never got bigger fame. Includes the cuts "Joyce's Samba", "Clouds", "Minha Saudade", "Corcovado", "Batida Diferentes", and "Sambops".

A gem of a record from Nat Adderley – filled with short soulful groovers, and done with an upbeat vibe that rivals some of Cannonball's best of the 60s! Joe Zawinul handled the arrangements, so there's definitely a strong influence here from the Cannon group – and although the players shift a bit throughout the course of the set, there's a really unified feel – thanks to a top-shelf lineup that includes Seldon Powell on tenor and flute, Ernie Royal on trumpet, Benny Powell on bass trombone, and Willie Bobo on percussion! The set features all original material by Nat – with older gems and new favorites that include "Little Boy With The Sad Eyes", "Never Say Yes, "Jive Samba", "Stony Island", "Junkanoo", and "Work Song".

Nothing too soft here – as this classic from the Jeff Lorber group of the late 70s is a sweet fusion set with lots of soulful edges, but never a watered-down approach! The groove's much different than you'd expect from Lorber's later work – and the album's got lots of nice edges in the mix, even when things are mellow – a stripped-down sense of instrumentation and production that's a great reminder of how strong jazz like this could be before smoother cliches crept in to smother it! Jeff plays acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, moog, and Oberheim four voice – and the rest of the group keeps time with a lightly soulful bounce, and some nicely peppered solos on alto and flute. The album features guest work by Chick Corea and Joe Farrell – and titles include "The Samba", "Black Ice", "Curtains", "Soft Space", "Swing Funk", and "Proteus".

A wonderful record – one you might pass up easily, but not to be missed – as it's one of our straight jazz treasures of the 80s! The album's mostly straight ahead hardbop – recorded with a largeish group that includes Robin Eubanks on trombone, Steve Coleman on saxes, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ralph Moore on tenor, and Wallce Roney on trumpet. The soulfulness of the players really makes the album sparkle – as all inventively blow around tightly scripted tunes laid down by Smith, driving with the fierceness of some of Art Blakey's best work towards the end of the 60s, recorded here with a lot more energy than the usual Concord session. Titles include "Just Have Fun", "Song Of Joy", "The Creeper", "A Simple Samba Song", and "Love Will Find A Way".

A very groovy set of standards and 60s pop tunes – all done by Nancy in her great soulful swinging style! The record's got far more to offer than you'd guess from the track list, as Nancy's at the height of her early career here – and she's getting backing from a very sympathetic west coast group that includes Jack Wilson on piano and organ, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Bill Perkins on tenor, and Milt Holland on percussion. Titles include "Our Day Will Come", "Call Me Irresponsible", "Go Away, Little Boy", "Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life", "Unchain My Heart", and "One Note Samba".

Perhaps the greatest volume in this always-great series! Mr Bongo take another firm dip into their Brazilian bag – and come up with an excellent batch of dancefloor tracks, old and new alike, that sum up the best of funky Brazil! The track selection here is great – with less familiar numbers than on other volumes, and a seamless blend of styles that shifts effortlessly between older and newer material – funky samba grooving with sweet dancefloor beats, with lots of soulful vocals, and a very solid approach that will please newcomers and crate-diggers alike! Titles include "E Isso Ai" by Paulo Lima, "Chega No Suingue" by Seu Jorge, "Riacho" by Guem, "Misapeque" by Sao Benitez, "Maria (One Rascal main mix)" by Bazedo, "Para Ti (Criancas mix)" by Malena, "Saudacao A Toco Preto" by Candeia, "Nao Adianta" by Trio Mocoto, and "Kriula" by Clube Do Balanco. 11 tracks in all.

An overlooked gem from Bob Brookmeyer – and a set that fits in strongly with the other Verve Records bossa nova albums of the 60s! Bob's the center star on valve trombone, but the record's awash in work from other great Verve talents too – a tight small group that features Gary McFarland on vibes, Jim Hall and Jimmy Raney on guitars, and Willie Bobo on drums – alongside some added percussion that really helps keep the bossa spirit strong! Tunes have that spare, soulful crackle that you'd find in the Stan Getz bossa sessions for Verve – except that trombone is the lead solo instrument here – and titles include "A Felicidade", "Col Bogey Bossa Nova", "Blues Bossa Nova", "Qual E O Po", "Chara Tu Tristeza", and "Samba De Orfeu".