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A pair of hard-wailing tenor albums on Verve – both of them great! Boss Tenors In Orbit is a studio album, but one that really has Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recreating some of the bold energy of their live shows – coming across with a vibe that's much more Prestige Records than Verve, thanks to the presence of the Don Patterson trio on the set! Backing is by Don on Hammond, Paul Weeden on guitar, and Billy James on drums – a nicely loose combo that really lets the tenorists stretch out and show their stuff. The cuts are mostly standard material – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long Ago And Far Away" – but the twin-tenor sound is great, and Patterson's free organ lines riff away nicely! On Boss Tenors, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love".

Fantastic work from one of the most unique talents in jazz! Rufus Harley plays bagpipes – yes, that's right, bagpipes – in a modal Coltrane-esque way that's simply got to be heard to be believed. He uses the drone capability of the instrument to explore reed patterns in the same way that Coltrane did, inspired a bit by Eastern sounds, especially Indian music, but also working in an Afro-centric mode that reclaims the bagpipes as an instrument rooted in the middle east (where it was first picked up by soldiers during the crusades, and brought north to Scotland.) The whole thing might sound incredibly silly, but when you hear the music, you'll be convinced – and this CD is set up to do just that. The collection takes 9 tracks from Rufus glory days at Atlantic Records during the late 60s – and features Harley not only on bagpipes, but on tenor, soprano, and flute – playing in groups that feature players like Roy Ayers, Herbie Mann, Sonny Stitt, James Glenn, and Don Patterson. Titles include "Feelin Good", "Flute Bag", "Taurus The 20th", "More", "Sufur", and "Pipin The Blues".

Funky blues work from Howlin Wolf – his key entry into the funked-up genre that Chess Records was cutting at the end of the 60s with other blues artists like Etta James, Bo Diddley, and Muddy Waters! As on records with those artists, Wolf's older modes are updated here for a hipper, younger audience – backed up with a bouncing batch of electrified backings arranged by Sonny Thompson, and conducted by Thompson and Cash McCall, the latter of whom is most likely playing a bit of guitar here. Tracks are a bit longer than usual, and filled with plenty of heavy guitar bits next to the vocals – and titles include "I Smell A Rat", "Miss James", "If I Were A Bird", "She's Lookin Good", "Turn Me On", and "Message To The Young".

Funky blues work from Howlin Wolf – his key entry into the funked-up genre that Chess Records was cutting at the end of the 60s with other blues artists like Etta James, Bo Diddley, and Muddy Waters! As on records with those artists, Wolf's older modes are updated here for a hipper, younger audience – backed up with a bouncing batch of electrified backings arranged by Sonny Thompson, and conducted by Thompson and Cash McCall, the latter of whom is most likely playing a bit of guitar here. Tracks are a bit longer than usual, and filled with plenty of heavy guitar bits next to the vocals – and titles include "I Smell A Rat", "Miss James", "If I Were A Bird", "She's Lookin Good", "Turn Me On", and "Message To The Young".

Funky blues work from Howlin Wolf – his key entry into the funked-up genre that Chess Records was cutting at the end of the 60s with other blues artists like Etta James, Bo Diddley, and Muddy Waters! As on records with those artists, Wolf's older modes are updated here for a hipper, younger audience – backed up with a bouncing batch of electrified backings arranged by Sonny Thompson, and conducted by Thompson and Cash McCall, the latter of whom is most likely playing a bit of guitar here. Tracks are a bit longer than usual, and filled with plenty of heavy guitar bits next to the vocals – and titles include "I Smell A Rat", "Miss James", "If I Were A Bird", "She's Lookin Good", "Turn Me On", and "Message To The Young".

A great groover from Don Patterson – cut in a trio format, with an open-ended style that lets the players kick back and play, in the sort of free and easy setting you'd hear in a hip small club. Patterson's organ is backed by his usual drummer Billy James, and 4 of the album's 5 tracks feature tenor work, either by Booker Ervin or Sonny Stitt. The last track, "Theme For Dee", is a spare mellow ballad that features mostly just organ by Patterson, with some subtle drum fills by James. The other tracks groove a bit harder, and include "Love Me With All Your Heart", "42639", and "Sentimental Journey".

A killer compilation of late 50s and early 60s songs that were covered and popularized by British pop legend Cliff Richard – and Cliff not only heard them here first, but the man has impeccable taste! This is a stellar set of proto rock, pop and soul – with completely great, if lesser-remembered treasures by superstars and relative cult faves alike – including Bobby Helms, proto rock era Conway Twitty, Gene Vincent, Ruth Brown, Peggy Lee, Bobby Vee, Sonny James, Johnny Otis, Little Stevie Wonder and many more! Includes "Schoolboy Crush" by Bobby Helms, "I'll Try" by Conway Twitty, "Save My Soul" by Jack Scott with The Chantones, "The Night Is So Lovely" by Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps, "Somebody Touched Me" by Ruth Brown, "Tough Enough" by Johnny Otis & Orchestra with The Jayos, "D In Love" by Curtis Lee, "I'm Looking Out The Window" by Peggy Lee, "The Minute You're Gone" by Sonny James, It's All Over" by The Everly Brothers and more. 24 tracks in all.

Includes tracks by Luke Jordan, Blind Willie McTell, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elijah Jones, Clifford Gibson, James Rachel, the Memphis Jug Band, Joe Williams, Cannons's Jug Stompers, and Walter Davis.

One of those rare treasures that was recorded by Blue Note in the 60s, but not issued at the time – a great late Hank Mobley set from 1967 that only saw the light of day in 1980! The album's got Hank really opening things up – using some of those more inventive rhythms and articulate phrasing that really graced his late years at Blue Note – a bold step forward, given his already-great run of material for the label! The core group is a quintet – with Lee Morgan on trumpet and Cedar Walton on piano – both of whom add to the lyrical edge of the playing – and most tracks feature additional work from James Spaulding on alto and flute, and the wonderful Sonny Greenwich on guitar – a player whose unique phrasing really helps shape the record's sound! Rhythms are from Walter Booker on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – again both great choices for the sometimes-modal qualities of the record – and titles include "Don't Cry Just Sigh", "Steppin Stone", "Third Season", "Boss Bossa", and "An Apertif". CD features one bonus track – an alternate of "Don't Cry Just Sigh".

Sonny Stitt in a sweet electric funk mode – working here in a style that's almost more CTI/Kudu than the usual Cadet Records groove! Arrangements are by James Brown heavyweight Pee Wee Ellis – who also plays some moog on the set – and other players include Wilbur Bascomb on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Patti Brown on electric piano! Titles include the classic "Slick Eddie", plus "Bachianas Brasilieras/Funky Interlude", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Spanish Harlem", and "Ocho Rios".

One of the only albums we've ever seen from drummer James Zitro – a player who'd worked as a percussionist for one of the Sonny Simmons' albums on ESP Records, then was invited to cut his own date for the label! There's a really groundbreaking sound here – an approach to percussion that's almost melodic at times, and which prefaces some of the more famous experiments in those modes to come both from the Chicago AACM and the New York loft jazz scene of the 70s. Zitro's really got a way around the kit, leaping around with a style that reminds us of Andrew Cyrille at his best – yet in ways that often go in other directions. The rest of the group here is relatively obscure too – and players include Allan Praskin on alto, Bert Wilson on tenor, Warren Gale on trumpet, Michael Cohen on piano, and Bruce Cale on bass. Titles include "Freeken", "Happy Pretty", and "Sweet".

The title's a bit obtuse, but the music is warm and soulful throughout – a really tremendous session that carries on the strong legacy of solo work that Jimmy Heath was doing in the 70s! The feel here is a lot like some of Heath's dates for the Muse or Xanadu labels – and Jimmy's working here with a great rhythm section that includes Larry Willis on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Akira Tana on drums – players who provide a very soulful grounding for the set. Heath blows alto, tenor, and soprano sax – and remaining players include Tom Williams on trumpet and Tony Purrone on guitar. The groove is in a classic Prestige/Riverside mode – not hard hardbop, but soulful, with touches of post-Coltrane blowing, and the mix of lyricism and soul jazz that Heath's always brought to his best work. Titles include "Trane Connections", "Forever Sonny", "You Can See", "I Waited For You", and "Song For Ben Webster". CD features the bonus track "Is That So".

Massively funky – and one of Jimmy McGriff's best albums for the Groove Merchant label! The album's follows strongly on the mode of Jimmy's classic Worm album – also produced by Sonny Lester, issued slightly before on the Solid State label. The set's got that stripped-down, hard-n-funky sound that Jimmy used on his best albums from the time – rhythm crackling at the bottom with a really sharp edge, and a lean, clean keyboards soaring over the top in some really mighty solo work – somewhere between James Brown funk and early 70s soundtracks! The drums are great, the tunes are tasty, and Jimmy plays both keyboards and Hammond – with a groove that's always outta site! Titles include the funky "Stump Juice", plus "TNT", "Stretch Me Out", "Pisces", "Cumayon", and "Purple Onion".

The funky side of the Jewel & Paula labels – surprisingly jazzy work for a company that's best known for its blues recordings! Most of the tracks here come from a creative early 70s stretch for the label – and there's a number of cuts that show a strong connection with the AACM and Chicago undergrounds of the time – mixed with other tracks that show more of the southern roots that you might normally expect from Jewel/Paula. Electric and acoustic sounds mix together wonderfully in the track selection for the package – and titles include "Just A Feelin" by Ronnie Kole, "Chi Congo" by Art Ensemble Of Chicago, "Tropical" by African Music Machine, "L&T" by Tony Valor Orchestra, "Ode To Billie Joe" by Ronnie Kole, "First Thing In The Morning" by James Moody, "I Love Every Little Thing About You" by Odell Brown, "Toussaint Shuffle" by Toussaint McCall, "Got To Get Over" by Sonny Stitt, "One For Bud" by Mal Waldron, and "Great Stone Bottle" by Ronnie Kole.

Miguel Migs has often skewed more towards the soulful side of the house and otherwise club groove sound, and he does so on an even deeper level with Outside The Skylike! This one features a diverse roster of guests – and an impressive one, too – Meshell Ndegeocello, Bebel Gilberto, Capleton, Lisa Shaw, Evelyn Champagne King, Aya, Lisa Shaw and more! Really impressive work from Miguel, with timeless club soul influences going into inventive club grooves of his own unique inspiration. Includes "Tonight" and "Close Your Eyes" feat Meshell Ndegeocello, "Breakdown" and "Lose Control" with Lisa Shaw, "The Distance and "Don't Stop" feat Aya, "Life" feat Half Pint, "Changin'"f eat Sonny J Jameson, "The System" feat Capleton, "Getaway" with Georg Levin, "Zuzu" with Bebel Gilberto and more.