An amazing blend of free jazz and fusiony touches – a partially electric session that's a real standout in the New York loft jazz scene! The album was produced by Noah Howard at Ornette Coleman's Artist House studio – but it's got a sound that's quite different from work by either of those big names associated with the set. Daniel plays trumpet and flugelhorn on the record – always with an open, spacious tone that soars one minute, meanders the next – allowing plenty of room for contributions from other group members who include Khan Jamal on vibes, Jerome Cooper on drums, Tim Ingles on electric bass with wah wah, and Richard Daniel on Fender Rhodes – again played with wah wah and echoplex! The added processing really does cool things to the electric sides of the music – spacing them out nicely, and creating a wide-toned sound that's a nice contrast to Jamal's vibes and Daniel's horn. All tracks are long, and titles include "Tapestry", "Sweet Dreams", and "Mozambique". CD also features the previously unreleased bonus track "Asagefo". CD

Volume 2 of Lockjaw's classic early Cookbook sessions – cut for Prestige in a key transitional moment, when Lock was trying to break past the R&B roots of earlier years, and emerge as a more sophisticated jazz soloist, capable of carrying an idea way past the short format of singles and jukebox sides. The sessions provide a perfect format for such an effort – as the tracks are long and open-ended, and match Eddie with a great quintet that includes Shirley Scott on organ and Jerome Richardon on flute. Includes the classic "The Rev", plus "Stardust", "Skillet", and "The Broilers". Includes the bonus track "Willow Weep For Me". CD

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One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". CD features one bonus track – "Feio" – nearly 12 more minutes of electric goodness! CD

A dark blend of acoustic and electric modes from Miles Davis – a set that still has him working with elements of the classic 60s quintet, but which also brings in a stronger emphasis on electric piano too! The rhythms here are really fantastic – ready to burst forth into a whole new direction, yet still not hitting the Bitches Brew level of freedom – and drummer Tony Williams may well be the real star of the set for his tremendous work on the kit – even though, as stated, the album's got some heavy electric piano contributions both from Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea! All titles feature Miles on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums – and the titles with Herbie feature Ron Carter on bass, while the rest with Chick Corea feature Dave Holland. Titles include "Frelon Brun", "Tout De Suite", "Petits Machins", "Mademoiselle Mabry", and "Filles De Kilimanjaro". CD also features a bonus alternate take of "Tout De Suite". CD

What can we say? This is the ultimate Miles Davis album – the one that includes so many songs that we've heard way too much in Starbucks, in retail stores, or at a friend's house who claims to be a "jazz expert", but is really a yuppie dilettante. Yet somehow, over all the years, and all those playings, the record manages to still sound fantastic – a truly inspirational piece of music that's long deserved all the attention it gets! The legendary group on the album includes John Coltrane on tenor, Cannonball Adderley on alto, Bill Evans on piano, and Paul Chambers on bass – working with Miles in a relatively modal style, with brilliant rhythm changes and a wonderful sense of space. The whole thing's sublime – and titles include "Blue In Green", "All Blues", "So What", and "Freddie Freeloader". CD

A wonderful live set from the Seven Steps-era Miles group – with rhythm by Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and tunes that are all in that transformative mode that really showed Miles hitting a new voice at the time! Tenorist George Coleman's playing with the group on the set – proving again that he's got a depth that few people ever seem to give him credit for – and that it wasn't just Wayne Shorter who made the 60s Davis quintet so great. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "All Of You", "Walkin", and "Joshua". CD features the bonus track "I Thought About You" – and new liner notes by Harvey Pekar! CD

A really great bit of live work from Miles Davis – and the first-ever recorded appearance of the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – even though the album was never issued in the US at the time! The set follows very strongly in the mode of the group's work at the Plugged Nickel – with a pace that's faster than usual, and bristling with freely exploratory energy. Titles include "Milestones", "So What", "Walkin", and a nicely stepped-up version of "Autumn Leaves". Shorter's solos are worth the price of the record alone, but Williams' work on the kit never ceases to amaze! CD features a bonus track – "Stella By Starlight"! CD

A classic set of jazz vocals from Blossom Dearie – recorded at Ronnie Scott's nightclub when she was living in London during the 60s! The set's got a nice intimate feel, and is one of Blossom's best-ever jazz recordings – a bit more live and hip than some of her Verve material, with backing from Jeff Clyne on bass and Johnnie Butts n drums. The record has little of the cocktail sound that marred some of her other releases, and more of the swinging jazz piano and vocals that you find on her best work. Blossom's voice is as unique as always, and the set's got some great groovy numbers, like "I'm Hip", "Once Upon A Summertime", "When In Rome", and "The Shape Of Things". Very nice vibe, with a good live feel and lots of interaction with the audience! CD features the bonus track "Cornflower Lavender Wallflower Blue (mono)". CD

Nice lost one! "Track Down" has a good choppy funk groove, with nice downbeats, weird spacey electronics, and an off-kilter horn finish. "Let's Put It Together" has more of an uptempo groove, with lots of choppy wah wah guitars – and a strong dancefloor groove! Both nice! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Live European work by Eric Dolphy – caught in a setting that was often freer and more creative than his American recordings! The work on the set is pulled from 2 different sessions – one with a group that includes with Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Rune Ofwerman on piano; the other with no trumpet, just piano, bass, and drums session, with Woode on bass again. All titles are relatively long – with Dolphy playing a spiritual mix of flute, alto, and bass clarinet – and the tunes are a strong mix of originals and standards, with titles that include "Sorino", "Loss", "Ann", "Alone", and "Geewee". CD adds and alternate take of "Sorino". CD

An excellent groover from Kenny Dorham – possibly one of his best ever albums for Blue Note – a record that shows how much he was pushing past his bop roots in his later years! The tracks are extremely long, and done with a complexity in rhythms that mixes Latin elements with hardbop modes – all set up in a style that really stretches out, and drives Dorham's trumpet with a fire he'd hardly had before. The rest of the group is super-sharp – key young players who really help keep an edge the the whole thing – with Herbie Hancock on piano, Joe Henderson on tenor, Butch Warren on bass and Tony Williams drums. Tracks are all long, incredible Dorham originals – "Una Mas" fills up side one, and "Straight Ahead" and "Sao Paulo" cover the flip. Also includes a bonus track, a sweet warm take of "If Ever I Would Leave You". CD

Edbl's got some great friends here – a hip lineup that includes Myles Sanko, Sophie Faith, and others – all of whom bring in some great flavors to his wonderful production at the core! Edbl's nicely understated – clearly a lover of classic soul, funk, and jazz – but one who's also fused the whole thing together, then come up with this crispy, crackling vibe that's all his own! There's plenty of contemporary producers trying for the same thing, but Edbl really gets it right, and finds a way to really fly his own flag without ever tying himself too much to the past – as you'll hear on titles that include "Tell Me", "Too Much", "Temperature High", "Bossa", "Cold", and "Heist". CD features the bonus Japanese exclusive cut "Cafe 9". CD

A lost Duke Ellington gem from the late 50s – a session that has a decidedly different look than some of his other records of the time! We don't know if the Duke was into Sun Ra – but it almost seems like he was copping his thunder with this title and band name – a fair bit more flashy than the usual presentation for the Ellington group! The record's not nearly as trippy as you'd expect – but it's still a prime set of Ellingtonia from those key late 50s years – material played by a smaller group of "Spacemen" than Duke's fuller orchestra – with a bit more room for small group interaction, almost in a Verve mode. Players include Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Clark Terry on trumpet, Paul Gonzalves on tenor, Quentin Jackson on trombone, and Jimmy Woode on bass – and titles include "Avalon", "Midnight Sun", "Spacemen", "Bass-ment", "Early Autumn", and "Jones". CD also features a bonus alternate take of "Jones". CD

Poland's Ergo Band are a tight combo with a great ear for a groove – sometimes funky in sort of an Average White Band way, sometimes a bit harder jamming, like some of their Eastern Bloc contemporaries! And here, they're joined by singer Grzyna Lobaszewska – who sings on a good number of tracks on the set, in a way that really helps the band find their focus – keeping things in more of a rhythmic mode when Grzyna's singing, so that there's some surprising elements of soul in the music – even though the lyrics themselves are in Polish! The AWB comparison is definitely a good one for the way the group blend great drums, riffing guitar, and horns – and titles include "15 Minut Spozienia", "Nocny Spacer", "A Wiec", "Dzien Jak Blues", "Gdybys", and "Piesn Dla Ciebie". CD features an unreleased live take on the Quincy Jones tune "Boogie Joe The Grinder". CD

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A magnificent set from the team of Art Farmer and Jim Hall – one of those rare pairings in jazz that somehow comes off sounding even way better than the sum of its parts – and that's saying a lot, given that the parts here are already pretty darn great! Farmer's flugelhorn and Hall's guitar create these wonderful shapes in sound – softly coming together with a vibe that's very modern, yet also soulful – gently swinging while still experimenting – with a combination that's completely wonderful! Think of Bob Brookmeyer and Clark Terry, or Bill Evans and Jim Hall – and you'll be somewhere in the territory of these magically unique sounds – augmented with some gentle rhythm work by Steve Swallow on bass and Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "By Myself", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Sometime Ago", and "My Kinda Love". CD only bonus track "Loads of Love" CD

A key classic from the earliest years of the Fatback Band – one of the group's funkiest albums, and part of their original trilogy for the Perception label! The groove here is mighty raw throughout – but a bit more complicated than some of their funky 45 releases – a mixture of funky vamps and some more soul-styled tunes – showing the group evolving a bit from the start, yet still losing none of their funky edge – sounding surprisingly nice on a few of the album's mellower instrumentals. Titles include the massive "Goin' To See My Baby", with a classic break on the intro – plus "Street Dance", "Free Form", "Give Me One More Chance", "Green Green Grass Of Home", "Baby I'm A Want You", and "Take a Ride (On The Soul Train)". Features the bonus track "Dance Girl". CD

An overlooked 70s gem from the great Jose Feliciano – a set that really continues the warm soul styles he'd hit on his last few years at RCA – a wonderful blend for his unique vocals and his tremendous way of putting over a tune! The set was recorded down at Muscle Shoals, but it's got a nicely subtle approach that never tries to lean on the modes of that studio too strongly – avoiding some of the cliches that other records might showcase in such a setting – and throughout it all, it's clear that Jose's the star in the spotlight, using that warmly crackling vocal approach in a wonderful way – especially on the more upbeat modern soul moments. Titles include "Every Woman", "Marguerita", "Loving Her Was Easier", "Sweet Soul Music", "I Love Making Love To You", "Love Comes From Unexpected Places", and "Funny/Night Life". CD features the bonus track "What I Wanna Do". CD

Quite possibly our favorite album ever from Chico Freeman – a beautiful set that was originally issued only in Japan, and which has Chico hitting some of his strongest, most spiritual modes on record! The album features Freeman's reeds in the company of other Chicagoans – AACM players who include Henry Threadgill on saxes, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, and Steve McCall on percussion – plus added work from Cecil McBee on bass and Ben Montgomery on drums – both players who round out the group with a very solid rhythmic focus. There's a bold sense of direction to this record that you don't always get in other work from Chico – a sound that's almost more Strata East at points, and which serves to bring the AACM players into sharp formation, and a strongly rhythmic orientation at times. The whole thing's wonderful – very well-crafted, and filled with spirit and soul – and titles include "The In Between", "Like The Kind Of Peace It Is", "Morning Prayer", "Pepe's Samba", and "Conversations". CD also features a bonus 19 minute version of "Pepe's Samba". CD

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". Also features the bonus track "Wives & Lovers". CD

Great later work from Wendell Harrison – a set that has the Tribe Records giant of the 70s taking the sound of the Detroit underground into a whole new vibe! The record takes the spiritual post-Coltrane jazz of Harrison's earlier days, and infuses it with some warmer, electric modes – a way of pushing spiritual jazz currents into other territory, a bit like Gary Bartz did with some of his work in the late 70s! Tracks are shorter and slightly less political than before – but the overall vibe is equally soulful in an 80s indie jazz style – and proof that Harrison was still keeping strong after the early days of the Tribe movement. There's some nice dark edges to the record that really keep things interesting – maybe imagine Larry Mizell producing some of the more off-beat albums on Strata East – and there's a bit of vocals on the set, which also features work from Phil Ranelin on trombone. Tracks include "Where Am I", "Sea Minor Blues", "Take Time Out", and "Dreams Of A Love Supreme". Includes a bonus 7" single with the tracks "Rocket Love" and "No Turnin" – plus the bonus track "Patrina's Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". One CD bonus cut, "A Dream", is previously unissued. CD

Mayer Hawthorne's looking a bit cheesy on the cover, but sounding pretty darn great within – really sparkling with those mellow soul elements that have just gotten better and better with each new release, at a level that's a plenty strong musical answers to any of the haters out there! There's a warm glow to the set – a sense of heart-ful feelings that clearly inspire Mayer in his lyrics, and which really comes through on the slower-paced tracks on the set! Titles include "Standby", "Cream Interior", "Hawthorne Rides Again", "Without You", "Physical Touch", "The Pool", "Deeper Vibration", "Tell Me", "Deuce & A Quarter", "On The Floor", and "Sweet Temptation Woman". CD features the bonus track "Eyes Of Love". CD

Very hip work from a young Jimmy Heath – a relative newcomer to the scene at this point, but breaking out with a firm conception and tone, exercised strongly here in a set of large group arrangements worked out in collaboration with Tom McIntosh. McIntosh's work in this format is well known from albums by Dizzy and James Moody – and as with those records, this one has an edgey quality that really keeps the music fresh, and which provides a good foil for solos by Heath, McIntosh, Pat Patrick, and Cannonball Adderley. Titles include "Big P", "Mona's Mood", "Nails", and "The Picture Of Heath". CD features the bonus track "Nails", in an alternate take! CD

There's nothing standard about this set – as Joe Henderson always brings something special to a recording session – especially at this point in his career! The album has a wonderful format – Joe's unique tenor tone set up beautifully alongside the bass of Rufus Reid and drums of Al Foster – no piano or other horns at all, just an open, swinging combo with a really great sense of energy! Joe's bold lead really sets the tone for most numbers – and a few tracks are compositions that Henderson recorded famously early in his career, recast here with a whole new sound and heightened sense of maturity. Titles include "Blues In F (aka In N Out)", "Blue Bossa", "Inner Urge", "Body & Soul", and "Take The A Train". Also features a bonus alternate of "Body & Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

With a name like Home Boy & The Cost Of Living, it's gotta be the 80s – as just a quick listen to this set will attest! The rhythms are heavy in basslines and drum machine modes – with lots of sweet styles that are somewhere between electro/street soul, and a mellower boogie bounce on some of the groovers – almost that criss-crossing of modes that often went on in the old school hip hop years! Homeboy handles lead vocals and riffing guitar – and titles include "You Turn Me Out", "When Will You Be Mine", "Pleasure", "I Saw You Dancing", "Happy Feeling", and "Money's Funny Change Is Strange". CD also features the bonus track "Love Connection (long version)". CD

A really heady set of tracks from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – a record that has him stepping away from the harder sounds of his early modern years – and moving into the sublime mix of soulful and modal styles that would really grow strongly by the end of the 60s! The album's a treasure through and through – warm, subtle interpretations of the music by a group that features Hutcherson on vibes, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Stanley Cowell on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all working together in modes that are quite like Hutcherson's music with Harold Land – but slightly looser and freer at points too. The album includes a fantastic version of Cowell's "Effi", which was later recorded by Charles Tolliver a few times, plus other beautiful compositions by Joe Chambers – including "Patterns", "Ankana", "Irina", and "Nocturnal". Also features a bonus alternate of the title track! CD

Incognito never lets us down – and records like this keep us listening strongly year after year! The set's got all the core brilliance of Incognito at their best – a really classic approach to jazzy soul, served up with top shelf instrumentation by the group – and sent home strongly by a range of singers who include Vanessa Haynes, Tony Momrelle, Chiara Hunter, Imani, Deborah Bond, and the great Carleen Anderson! Nobody can do it as well as these guys – tight, but never uptight – smooth, but never sleepy – really right on the money from the production on down to the bottom – the kind of careful, classy soul that almost makes Incognito a genre unto themselves. Titles include "Wind Sorceress", "Rapture", "Hands Up If You Wanna Be Loved", "Hats", "I Couldn't Love You More", "Something Bout July", and "Silver Shadow". Japanese CD features the bonus track "Part Of The Plan". CD

A flawless batch of classics from Millie Jackson in the heart of her early years on Spring Records – maybe sounding better than ever here! Millie's raunchier style would come later on, but here she's working in styles that are a perfect mix of gritty and sweet – arrangements tailored perfectly to those characteristics in her sultry, smoky voice – and equally at home in sessions in Muscle Shoals, Philly or NYC. Covers the bases from moody southern soul, to tender ballads, to lightly soaring strings – and the mixes by Steve Levine really bring out the vibe of the original sessions, as closely as possible to the spirit and vision of the original recordings – a restoration as opposed to a revision. Includes "Sweet Music, Soft Lights & You" featuring Isaac Hayes, "House For Sale", "I'll Continue To Love You", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Cry", "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Wanna Be Right)" and "It Hurts So Good" – plus "Kiss You All Over", "Bad Risk", "Never Change Lovers In The Middle Of The Night" and more. 12 tracks on the CD. CD

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 30 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey". Also features the bonus track "Here Let My Life" – and presented here with new liner notes! CD

The overdue debut as a leader for reedman Josh Johnson – once part of our scene here in Chicago, but also a musician with a wide range of experience that includes work with Leon Bridges, Jeff Parker, and Marquis Hill! Yet despite those ties, Josh breaks out here as a musician with a vibe that's completely his own – doubling up on other instruments at times, and working with contributions from Gergory Uhlmann on guitar, Anna Butterss on bass, and Aaron Steele on drums – in a fluid mix of live instrumentation, effects, and other touches – not as edited as some of the work on International Anthem, but also not a conventional jazz record either. We're hoping to hear plenty more from Johnson to come – but right now we're really digging the cuts that include "Western Ave", "Eclipsing", "Bowed", "Nerf Day", "856", "Return Recoil", and "False Choice". Japanese pressing features the bonus track "Western Ave (extended play)". CD

Late Kenton on Capitol – but great Kenton too! In a way, Stan was almost best when he was working with standards – as on a set like this, he has an incredible way of transforming the sound of familiar numbers into something dark, moody, and modern. It's amazing to hear the way he raises the edge of tunes we thought we'd already heard too much of – and working with players like Charlie Mariano, Don Sebesky, and Rolf Ericson, Stan's in perfect company to really work magic with the material. Titles include "Django", "Willow Weep For Me", "I Get Along Without You Very Well", "The Thrill Is Gone", and "When Sunny Gets Blue". CD features the bonus track "Lazy Afternoon". CD

Produced by the Beatnuts, with an early guest appearance by Lord Sear. 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the most haunting scores you'll ever hear for a vampire film – a soundtrack that's moody, open, and extremely evocative! Henryk Kuzniak uses a range of instruments and sounds here – sometimes more familiar elements like vibes, other times more abstracted with effects and electronics – not in a mainstream 80s horror way, but at times almost with echoes of some of the industrial experiments that were happening at the time! The whole thing is as evocative of the dark economic corners of Poland as it is the horror of a vampire taking its victim – and titles include "Zasdzki", "Tropicel", "Mgla", "Slady Zbrodni", "Wampir I Ofiary", and "Zmierzch Dnia". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

We love the vibes-heavy music of Chien Chien Lu, and love it in an even different way here, as she collaborates with bassist Richie Goods – an artist who really helps deepen the sound of her music, and creates this great balance between bass and vibes that's completely amazing! You might not be likely to put the two instruments together right away, but they sounds fantastic here – as Goods has this melodic way of handling his instrument that stems from some of the best electric bass advances in 70s jazz, yet leaned out with a more contemporary vibe – and given these gentle funky elements in the backings that are mighty nice. All those touches make for a perfect setting for Chien's vibes – every bit as spacious, soulful, and seductive as before. The set features guest vocals from Sy Smith and Jamison Ross, plus keyboards from Big Yuki – and titles include "Rain", "Water", "Dull Ice Flower", "Embrace The Now", and a great remake of the Donny Hathaway tune "Someday We'll All Be Free" – plus a bonus radio edit of "Someday We'll All Be Free"! CD

The never-issued second album from Main Source – and a set that's a very worthy successor to their classic Breaking Atoms! As with that record, the production here is superb – Large Professor at his best, with all the right sort of early 90s jazz influence in the samples, balanced with the group's trademark bite and wit in the lyrics – all at a level that makes for a record that shoulda been a classic back in the day! The set's got a fair bit of interludes, maybe to space out the vocal tracks for the full length release – but given the production, and great ear for found spoken bits, they seem to further the delightful quality of the record, as on an early De La set. Titles include an uncut version of "Looking At The Front Door", an unreleased version of "Fakin The Funk", and the tracks "Hellavision", "How My Man Went Down In The Game", "Time (part 2)", "Raise Up", and "Bootlegging". CD features the bonus track "Fakin The Funk (soundtrack version)". CD

Beautifully dynamic work from drummer Myele Manzanza – an artist we've never heard work in this scope before, and we hope will soon do so again! The album's got Myele at the helm of a great large ensemble – a group who have a strong spiritual sense at the core, but often move in more vibrant rhythms driven by Manzana's work on the drums – not really funky, maybe more in an upbeat modal mode – which allows for great sounds from the rising crest of alto, trumpet, tenor, trombone, and flute in the lineup! Bass is by Ross McHenry, whose sound is a key core part of the record – and Ross also produced, as well – really capturing the right sort of vibe for the entire album. Myele's part of the Adelaide scene, in New Zealand – but we'd put this record right up there with some of the best work coming out of the London jazz world in recent years – with titles that include "Big Deal", "Madrid", "Itaru's Phone Booth", "Family Dynamics", "Ritual", and "A Love Requited". Includes the Japanese-only bonus track "Freedom Of Movement". CD

Very early work from Ramuntcho Matta – a French artist with a long legacy of creative activity, heard here on a set of tracks that mix arty inclinations with some very cool new wave elements! The music is maybe a bit like some of the more experimental creations from the New York downtown scene of the early 80s – especially those recordings by artists who can work in more conventional modes, but are willing to be a bit more creative, especially when it comes to using new technologies to express themselves. Matta handles a range of guitars, organ, piano, bass, and all sorts of tapes and effects – with guest percussion on many tracks, and vocals from singer Elli Medeiros on two of the tracks. Titles include "Hop Hop", "Zoique 2", "Assemblage", "Jeunes Et Vielles", "Opi", "Gesti", "Irimi Nage", "Wallaroo", "All Those Years", and "Harpie". LP features the bonus unissued instrumental of "Une A Une". LP, Vinyl record album

Wild electric work from Les McCann – an album of free, open sounds that's quite a change from his styles of the 60s – and from most of his other work of the 70s too! Side one features an extended 26 minute track titled "The Lovers" – a slow-building number that has Les on sublime Fender Rhodes, as things build slowly with this really spiritual current that comes from the addition of Yusef Lateef on reeds, Cornell Dupree and David Spinozza on guitar, Corky Hale on harp, and both Bernard Purdie and Alphonse Mouzon on drums! The track is loose, but builds into some great funky moments – almost a keyboard version of electric Miles Davis at the time, but a lot more soulful. And side two continues the heavy keyboard vibe – with a killer remake of Les' classic "Beaux J Poo Poo" and a similar "Poo Pye McGoochie", both with the kind of choppy funky grooves Les laid down with Eddie Harris a few years prior! CD features a long bonus track – a live version of "Compared To What", which originally appeared on the Doldinger Jubilee album from 1975. CD

A seminal album from altoist Jackie McLean – and a set that serves as a key bridge between his mid 60s avant work in the "new thing" scene, and the deeper, spiritual sounds he'd play in years to come! There's a sense of balance here that grabs us right from the start – especially on the album's leadoff track "Soul" – written by Grachan Moncur, and featuring this very hip, very righteous spoken passage from Barbara Simmons – kind of a discourse on the idiom of the title! The group features key McLean associates – a young Woody Shaw on trumpet, plus Moncur on trombone, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scotty Holt on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums – and titles include "Soul", "Big Ben's Voice", "Conversion Point", and "Erdu" – plus an alternate take of "Big Ben's Voice"! CD

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". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from Blue Note tenor giant Hank Mobley – a set that really explodes in all the new directions Hank was taking in the 60s! Mobley in the 50s was already the stuff of legend – a tremendous soloist on tenor, and every bit his own man – firmly focused forward with a voice that was already tremendous – but which was turned towards a lot of new ideas with records like this! Both Mobley's phrasing and rhythmic construction are different here than a few years before – still every bit as soulful as ever, but able to open up with richer imagination, especially on the strong original tunes on the set. The group's great – a quintet that offers up both guitar from Grant Green and piano from Wynton Kelly – and rhythm is by the mighty team of Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Tracks are longish, with plenty of room for solos – and titles include "Smokin", "Greasin Easy", "Workout", and "Uh Huh". CD features the bonus track "Three Coins In The Fountain". CD

A title and cover that beautifully illustrate the sharp-edged power of the Thelonious Monk quartet on Columbia – and a wonderful place to start if you're just digging Thelonious' music! The record is similar to the best of Monk's Columbia sides – in that it revisits older tunes and themes from previous years, but in a way that's often much better than the original recordings – thanks to some incredible energy between group members Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Ore on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums! Rouse's sharp horn is easily a real bnous here – as it dances beautifully with Monk's piano lines and creates a magical sense of juxtaposition and fluidity, but is still nicely earthy and soulful as well! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Think Of One", "Eronel", "Hackensack", "Rhythm-a-Ning", and "Crepuscule With Nellie". Includes a previously unreleased version of "Pannonica". CD

Blues, but with an undercurrent of New Orleans jazz – no surprise, given the Louisiana roots of Eurreal "Little Brother" Montgomery! The album's a classic set recorded in Chicago in the early 60s – featuring both Montgomery in a spare solo setting, and with help from a small backup group that includes Ted Butterman on cornet, Bob Gordon on clarinet, and Mike McKendrick on banjo. Little Brother plays piano on all numbers, and sings on most – and titles include "44 Vicksburg", "Prescriptions Of The Blues", "Sweet Daddy", "Home Again Blues", "Up The Country Blues", "Saturday Night Function", "Michigan Water Blues", and "Oh Daddy". CD features the bonus track "Cooter Crawl". CD

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Excellent later work from Frank Morgan – the legendary LA altoist who first burned brightly in the bop generation, then came back to make really rich recordings like this! The set's got Frank in some really great company – a hip sextet that features Joe Henderson on tenor, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a sweet modern jazz lineup that ensures that the record's filled with sharp changes and deep colors – arguably a lot more so than some of Morgan's later revival sessions – with a vibe that's much more like some of Hutcherson or Henderson's best from the 80s. Titles include "Old Bowl New Grits", "Starting Over", "Reflections", "OK", and "Black Narcissus". CD features a bonus track – "Caravan". CD

One of our favorite Lee Morgan albums, and one of his least known – a set recorded in the crucial last five years of his life, and a sparkling mix of hard bop, soul jazz, and slight bits of modernism – that magical mix that Lee was hitting as he reached farther and farther with his music – an amazing legacy in jazz that has us loving every Morgan session from 1965 onward! Lee's playing in very comfortable territory, with a group that includes Bennie Maupin on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but that doesn't mean that the proceedings are relaxed at all, because the interplay between the players is flawless, and they use their familiarity as a great springboard to soar off into rich new territory. Lee wrote all the tunes on the record – like "Caramba", "Suicide City", and "Soulita". An excellent record throughout, and one that we'd never part with! Also features one bonus track on this CD, "Baby's Smile", which was written by Cal Massey. CD

One of the hardest to find of the early Lee Morgan albums on Blue Note – and a very lyrical batch of hardbop tracks, played with a slightly exotic flair! Morgan's group on the date features melodic modernists Benny Golson on tenor and Gigi Gryce on alto sax – both of whom push Morgan past his youthful bop approach into more sensitive areas – especially Golson, who wrote and arranged the tunes on the date with a sublime mix of hardbop and deeper musical ideals! Rhythm is from the trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – and titles include a great reading of Golson's "I Remember Clifford", plus four other originals by Benny – "Hasaan's Dream", "Domingo", "Mesabi Chant", and "Tip Toeing". CD features a bonus alternate take. CD

Easily the greatest album that vocalist Mark Murphy has recorded in years – and a surprising departure from a lot of his recent work! Murphy did the album in collaboration with German trumpeter Til Bronner – a player we mostly know for his own smoothly soulful, and often-grooving albums. Yet here, Bronner's got both himself and Murphy working in a lush mode that recalls the spirit of 60s sessions arranged by Claus Ogerman or Don Sebesky – Bronner on trumpet with a core jazz group, augmented by larger orchestrations on most tracks – and recorded in a spaciously sublime way that often has Murphy's vocals hanging beautifully in mid-air! There's a breathtaking depth to the album that gets past some of the simple tracks and over-tread territory of other recent Murphy albums – almost as if the album's the "classic" that Mark never got to record back in the day, but which is finally coming out now, 50 years into his career in music! A real contrast to the recent Mark Murphy dancefloor work – such as his vocals with Five Corners Quintet – and featuring the originals "I Know You From Somewhere" and "Our Game" – plus standards "It Never Entered My Mind", "I'm Through With Love", "When I Fall In Love/My One & Only Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". Japanese pressing features the bonus track "Detour Ahead". CD

Mellow ballad material from Mark Murphy – as you might expect from the title – a sad-tinged session that almost hints at the style of his recent work in Verve – showing a real maturity for Murphy's music at the time! There's a bit of electricity in the instrumentation – some keyboards and guitar – but the record's got a warm, mellow tone that mostly focuses on Mark's wonderful vocals – gently making their way through a well-chosen set of tunes that includes "September Fifteenth", "Night Life", "Sack Full Of Dreams", "Crystal Silence", "Sausalito", "Para Nada", "Spring Is Where You Are", "I Never Went Away", and "When She Is Mine". Art Farmer also plays some sweet solos on three of the album's tracks! CD

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Wicked funky fusion from Opa – a Brazilian-inspired set, and one with loads of great electric moments! Although originally from Uruguay, Opa are best known for their Brazilian-tinged albums on the soul/jazz Fantasy records label in Cali during the mid 70s – great placement, given that their sound is a bit like Azymuth – with a similar mix of South American roots and contemporary electric grooves! This album is actually their first – captured in America before their two classics on Fantasy – and featuring a sharp quartet that includes legendary pianist Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards – a great talent who'd already made jazz and bossa records in the 60s – working here with George Osvaldo Fattoruso on drums, percussion, and flute – plus Ringo Thielmann on bass. The core trio is also joined for this record by percussionist Pappo Atiles – and although there's some light vocal touches, they've got that breezy style that was often used in Brazilian jazz at the time – almost more instrumental than vocal. Titles include a great take on Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte" – plus "Back Home (The Inner City)", "Brother Rada", "African Bird", "Goldenwings", "Brooklynville", and "One & One & One Is Two". CD also features the bonus track "I Came To This Country". CD

A great lineup that would make plenty of waves in the coming years – wth Kenny Garrett on alto, Ralph Bowen on tenor, Michael Philip Mossman on trumpet, Harry Pickens on bass, Bob Hurst on bass, and Ralph Peterson on drums! CD

With Jadakiss and Eve. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A very cool combo from the LA scene of the 70s – a tight funky group, topped with two female soul singers – all working together in a style that's got a wonderful mixture of warmer edges and grittier sounds at the core! The two female singers really give the set a unique vibe – as they help bring focus to the instrumentation of the group, with a lot more presence than the usual throw-in female vocals of the time – hardly the backing chorus mode of a disco record, and instead a great balance to the sharp guitar lines and keyboards from the musicians! We've not heard of any of the players in any other setting, but they're very good – clearly able to handle jazz if they want, but aimed here towards a sophisticated funk style that's equally great on the mellow steppers as it is on the more upbeat tracks. Titles include "Heavenly Feeling", "World Full Of People", "Do You Hear Me Talking To You", "Dreaming Our Lives Away", "A Thank You Song", "Fantasies & Dreams", and "I'd Like To Stay". CD features a bonus 7" mix of "I'd Like To Stay". CD

A gem of a session from the European expatriot scene of the postwar years – not really a tribute to Cannonball Adderley, but a rare meeting of Bud Powell and Don Byas in the studio, produced by Cannonball in Paris in 1961! The record has a tremendous amount of fire and focus – especially on the part of Powell, who could sometimes falter in a European setting – and although Byas' horn might seem a contrasting choice for Bud, he really burns with a lot of energy here – arcing, soaring, and turning with lines that show that his talents hadn't dimmed at all out of the American limelight. As always with his few productions from the time, Cannonball shows a great deal of sensitivity and patience with the players – probably a key factor of the success of the set. Also noteworthy is the rest of the group – which includes Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Jeannine", "Just One Of Those Things", "All The Things You Are", "I Remember Clifford", and "Jackie My Little Cat". CD

A collection of unreleased and alternate tracks from Specialty sessions. LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure session from Sun Ra and the Arkestra, and a great one too – a set that's maybe a bit different than some of their other material from the time! The album's from the early 80s, but maybe feels a bit more like the group in the late 50s – when they were in Chicago, and first stepping from straighter modes to more adventurous music – which means that the tracks here have maybe a stronger relationship to familiar jazz styles than the more avant Arkestra work, yet are still filled with plenty of originality and the kind of elements that always made the group so wonderful! Ra plays a fair bit of organ, using the instrument in soul jazz ways at a few points, which is really great, alongside work on piano and electronics – and the group also features John Gilmore on tenor, Marshal Allen on alto and flute, Danny Ray Thompson on baritone, Walter Miller on trumpet, and Tyrone Hill on trombone. June Tyson joins the group for a small bit of vocals – and overall, the session almost feels like a rough take on territory that the Arkestra would explore in the second half of the 80s, particularly on their European tours. Titles include "Celestial Love", "Blue Intensity", "Interstellarism", "Nameless One 2", "Sophisticated Lady", "Smile", and "Sometimes I'm Happy" – plus the track "Drop Me Off In Harlem", which was not on the original Saturn album. LP, Vinyl record album

Solo Sun Ra, and a set that's heavy on Fender Rhodes as well – a record that's maybe a bit more inside than some of Ra's more avant live sessions, yet one that still features a fair bit of improvisation as well! From an electric piano perspective, the set's a gem – and it's great to hear Ra open up on the keys, working in modes that are a bit like some of his Improvising Artists recordings from a few years before – showing the world that although he's sometimes working in a larger ensemble, he's also a hell of a pianist with sold grounding in older jazz modes – displayed strongly here on titles that include "Haverford Impromptu #2", "Love In Outer Space", "Space Is The Place/Over The Rainbow", "St Louis Blues", and "Haverford Impromptu #1". The set also features two never-issued shorter acoustic piano tracks – "We Love To Be" and "Take The A Train". CD also features the excellent "Haverford Encore Duet" – with vibist Walt Dickerson! CD

A killer album from Paulette Reaves – a hip singer from the TK Records scene of the 70s, but one who never fully got her due at the time! Paulette's got a really wonderful style here that's partly deep soul, partly jazz-inflected – an approach that almost has more of the sophistication of 70s Philly sessions, especially given the mix of mature modes that come across in both the vocals and some of the instrumentation. Production is by Clarence Reid, Snoopy Dean, and Chocolate Perry – all of whom polish things enough to match the maturity in Reaves' vocals, yet never take the record into too-commercial territory – including the other styles you might find at TK. Titles include the sublime "Jazz Freak" – a classic stepper that has Paulette running down a list of her favorite artists in the lyrics – and other tracks include "You Are My Star", "We'll Try It Again", "I Forgot To Be Your Lover", "Flesh", and "Sweet Bitter Love". CD features the bonus track "Man Enough For Two". CD

Riff weren't one of the only groups on the scene in the early 90s to tie old school harmonies with hip hop and new jack production elements – but given their vocal work on this album, they may well be one of the best – as the set definitely puts the vocals first, and really lets them find their flow! The group may be sporting a street look on the cover, but they've got the sensual warmth of old school Isleys at their best – really letting their voices flow and drift into a tune, a reference that's maybe more than apt, given that the album features a great remake of the Isley classic "Voyage To Atlantis"! Other tracks include "To Whom It May Concern", "Baby It's Yours", "Adjust Your Love", "Don't Go Nowhere", "Judy Had A Boyfriend", "Waiting", and "There'll Never Be". CD features the bonus track "Judy Had A Boyfriend (12" mix)". CD

A crucially important record in Sonny Rollins' career – one that had him breaking out of the straight bop sound, and emerging as a major power on the tenor sax – one with limitless creative power! The set features Rollins working with only drum and bass accompaniment – played by Max Roach and Oscar Pettiford, respectively – and the lack of piano or other horns gives Rollins a free space in which to work his magic, doing so incredibly on the album's "Freedom Suite", an extended piece that runs for nearly 20 minutes, and which pushes all conceptions of the tenor's ability to solo freely on record. The other side of the record features shorter tracks – "Shadow Waltz", "Someday I'll Find You", and "Will You Still Be Mine?" – blown with no less creativity. Includes a bonus alternate take of "Till There Was You". CD

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An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". CD features a bonus alternate take of "Dance Cadaverous". CD

Features Jimmy Rowles on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Akira Tana on drums. CD

A partner album of sorts to Jimmy Smith's classic Midnight Special album – recorded during the same sessions as that one, and also featuring Stanley Turrentine on tenor and Kenny Burrell on guitar! The sound here is almost even more open and stretched out – with only 4 long tracks on the album, 2 on each side – all offering up plenty of room for Jimmy to hit the Hammond with that keenly imaginative approach to a solo he was showing at this time – a style that proved that the instrument could do a lot more than just make weird noises or pump up the rhythm. Turrentine's tenor more than matches Jimmy's solos for imagination – and titles include "When I Grow Too Old To Dream", "Messy Bessie", "Minor Chant", and "Back At The Chicken Shack". CD also contains one bonus track – "On The Sunny Side Of The Street". CD

A pair of near perfect soulful jazz organ sets from Jimmy Smith – 1967's Respect and 1968's Livin' It Up – plus the rare non album single "Mickey Mouse" as bonus track for the first time on CD! Respect is really nice jazz album from Jimmy, although one that got hidden in the years of Jimmy's more "concept" oriented sessions for Verve. Most of the material is quartet stuff, with players like Bernard Purdie, Eric Gale, and Ron Carter backing up Jimmy's soulful organ. The tracks are longer than usual too, with lots of nice soloing going on, and a stone easy soul groove. Includes a tasty loping version of "Get Out Of My Life", with a very different drum groove than usual, plus "Funky Broadway", "T Bone Steak", and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". Livin' It Up is a straight up stunner – and quite possibly one of his greatest records for Verve! The set has Jimmy working with arranger Oliver Nelson – in a setting that's got big band backings, but done in a style that's cool enough to cut through all the BS of similar sessions. There's no hoke at all – just a lean and soulful approach that has Nelson serving up a powerhouse jazzy groove underneath – and Jimmy soloing madly over the top! The album's filled with great tunes too – including a fab cover of "Mission Impossible", the original "Big Boss Man", a version of Richard Evans' "Burning Spear", a great takes on "Valley Of The Dolls" and "The Gentle Rain". Great stuff throughout! CD

A sublime bit of east coast soul – and the only full album ever cut by this heavenly-voiced trio! The group have a sound to rival the best of their contemporaries on the harmony soul scene – one that floats along on a light pillow of strings and soul, with just the right amount of heavier touches to give the record a bit more of the HDH depth. The falsetto bits are especially nice – drifting out in front of the deeper vocals – and the whole thing's got a solidness that should have made these guys huge. Titles include "The Day You Leave", "Under My Wings", "Wish I Had You", "I've Been In Love", "My World Is Empty Without You", and "You Ain't Livin Unless You're Lovin". CD also features the bonus track "I'm Bugging Your Phone (part 1)". CD

Fantastic early work from flautist Jeremy Steig – a 60s quartet session for Columbia that came several years before the funky style of some of his later work – and a damn great record, with lots of soulful touches! Part of this has to do with the rhythm section of Ben Tucker on bass and Ben Riley on drums – both of whom put a nice kick in the proceedings, and substantially ground and groove the solo work of Steig's flute and Denny Zeitlin's piano. On that note, Steig's and Zeitlin's solos are truly outstanding – more than delivering on the feverish promise of the album's title! Titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love?", "So What", "Willow Weep For Me", "Well, You Needn't", "Blue Seven", "Oleo", and "Lover Man". This excellent CD version from International Phonograph also includes the bonus first take version of "What Is This Thing Called Love?". CD

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An album recorded for the Delmark label, but one that follows strongly from the style of Prestige Records in the 60s – particularly those great sessions that featured saxophonist Sonny Stitt blowing next to a Hammond! In this case, the Hammond is handled by the great Don Patterson, who played with Sonny in the 60s – in a trio that also has the great Billy James on drums – a player whose loose, open style really works great with the magic Patterson touch on the keys! The tracks are a bit shorter than some of the longer jams on Don's albums of the 60s, but still equally nice. Stitt plays tenor and alto – and titles include "Funny", "Honey", "Blues For JJ", "Night Has A Thousand Eyes", and "Samba De Orfeo". CD features a previously unissued alternate of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD

The world of Dexter Story just keeps getting bigger and bigger – not just because he's a richly collaborative player, but also because he's got this musical style that really opens up to so many different elements – but without ever sounding like he's trying to crash them together in any sort of inorganic way! Instead, Dexter draws evenly from spiritual jazz, Ethiopian rhythms, underground soul, and some of the best strands of 21st Century grooves – opening up the door for his own wonderful lead lyrics, while creating and exploring a planet of his own. Guests on the record include Carlos Nino on percussion, Te'Amir Sweeney on drums, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson on strings, and Randal Fischer on tenor – and the set features guest vocals from Haile Supreme, Marie Daulne, Endeguena Mulu, Sudan Archives, Jimetta Rose, and Kibrom Birhane – although Dexter gets plenty of time in the lead too. Titles include "Mamdooh", "Buna Be Chow", "Gold", "Techawit", "Shuruba Song", "Bahir", "Abebaye", and "Jijiga Jijiya". CD features the Japanese only bonus track "Wejene Aolo" – which features work from Kamasi Washington! CD

A lost 90s album from this legendary vocal group – one that's definitely got instrumentation and production that reflects the day, but with stunning leads from Russell Thompkins Jr, wrapped up in all the best harmonies that the group were serving up back in the 70s! There's a wonderfully understated, old school vibe to the album – nobody's trying to be too modern, or keep up with the kids – and instead the original group just reminds the world that sometimes, elders can do it better than most – especially when it comes to the world of mellow soul! Titles include "Have You Ever Been In Love", "Where Do You Run", "You Must Love Loneliness", "She's All That", "Shoulder", "Keeping Your Promise", and "I Once Had A Love". CD features a bonus remix of "She's All That". CD

Really beautiful work from pianist Horace Tapscott – working here in a mode that crosses some of the freer inclinations of his solo sessions for the Nimbus label with some of the deeper spiritual currents of his large group recordings of the time! The group's just a trio – with Sonship on percussion and the mighty Roberto Miranda on bass – the last of whom does a really fantastic job of setting the tone, with this round, rich sound that really holds things together – even when Horace is getting a bit free on his solos! All tracks are nice and long, and thanks to Miranda, there's a nice sort of modal energy on the set – a balance between structure and freedom that's really wonderful, and which gets at the core of Tapscott's best achievements on record. The album features a great 21 minute reading of Tapscott's perennial favorite "The Dark Tree" – done with a great throbbing bassline – plus the tracks "Raisha's New Hip Dance" and "Sketches Of Drunken Mary". CD also features the bonus track "Inception" – a full 29 minutes worth of extra music! CD

A wild little record – one that was issued under the name of Flying Dutchman label headman Bob Thiele – but which actually features work from some of the grooviest artists on the label at the time – including Tom Scott, Ornette Coleman, Jon Appleton, John Carter, Horace Tapscott, and Bobby Bradford! The package has a very different feel on each of the album's four sides – and side one is a tremendous showcase for the young reedman Tom Scott – working here in a cool mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation that's similar to his other records of the time – including organ, vibes, and some nice funky touches as well. Side two features an exploration of the history of jazz – but one that progresses quickly from early modes to hipper ones – showcasing the talents of John Carter on tenor, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, and Horace Tapscott on piano! Side three is a mighty dedication to the late John Coltrane – played at first by a trio with Joe Farrell on flute, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – then moving into a mix of Farrell's flute and narration by Rosko – then a performance by the Ornette Coleman quartet. And side four is especially mindblowing, as it's comprised of lone long piece by Jon Appleton's Syntonic Menagerie – a mix of sound samples, tape tricks, and jazz – as a commentary on The American Indian, JFK, and Martin Luther King. The whole thing's a great illustration of the Flying Dutchman label at its most revolutionary – and titles include "Head Start", "Freaky Zeke", "Lanoola Goes Limp", "Swing Era", "In The Vineyard/Avant Garde", "Love Supreme", "Lament For John Coltrane", and "A Few Thoughts For The Day". CD also features a rare bonus track – "The Flying Dutchman". CD

Overlooked spiritual jazz genius from Chicago trumpeter Malachi Thompson – a player who was making 70s-styled sessions when most folks had given up on the music! The vibe here is right between Strata East and some of the more righteous 70s sessions on Muse – and the group features superb work from tenorist Carter Jefferson, who's at the level of his Rise Of Atlantis work from back in the day – in a group that also features Albert Dailey on piano, James King on bass, Nasar Abadey on drums, and Randy Abbott on congas. Arnae Burton sings on the track "Back To The One", Leon Thomas guests on "No More Hard Times" – and other instrumental tracks include "A Rising Daystar", "Spirit Of Man", "Dhyia Malika", and "I Remember Clifford". CD features the bonus track "Dearly Beloved". CD

A really great set from Today – a group with a very old school sense of soul harmony, in a way that elevates the record past some of the thinner mainstream work of the time! The group definitely revel in the beaty, bassy rhythms of the new jack generation – but really come together strongly on the vocal tip, with a range that soars nicely along the scale, and really has the lyrics trading back and forth together in a great way – often really enhancing the hooks of the songs. Titles include a remix of their soundtrack cut "Why You Get Funky On Me" – plus "I Wanna Come Back Home", "Every Little Thing About You", "Let Me Know", "Self Centered", "Gonna Make You Mine", "My Happiness", "No Need To Worry", and "I Got The Feeling". CD features the bonus track "Why You Get Funky On Me (orig mix)". CD