An unusual chapter in the career of the Art Ensemble – yet a set that's also a key recording in their legendary time in Paris at the start of the 70s! The set was recorded in that city in 1970, and not issued in France and the US until a few years later – with less fanfare (and less reissue history) than their Nessa, Freedom, and BYG records from the same time – even though the quality here is every bit as great, if not better! The tracks are long, open, and have that wonderfully fluid sense of shifting instrumentation that the group virtually pioneered at the time – with Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell on saxes, Lester Bowie on trumpet, Malachi Favors on bass, and Don Moye on drums – and all players picking up lots of different percussion along the way. Titles include "Chi Congo", "Enlorfe", and "Hippparippp". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little live set from the Art Ensemble of Chicago – one that showcases the group's quintet lineup with younger players, but which captures some of the energy and imagination of live dates from years past! Older members Don Moye, Roscoe Mitchell, and Joseph Jarman are joined here by bassist Jaribu Shahid and trumpeter Corey Wilkes – both players who are clearly aware of, and respectful towards the AEC traditions – and who almost seem to help the older players get a new sense of focus and presence. As with all Ensemble albums, the instrumentation and moods here vary wildly – but in a way that's still quite coherent, and which is recorded well, even in the quieter moments. Titles include "Odwalla", "Big Red Peaches", "On The Mountain", "Erika", "Malachi", "The J Song", "Red Sand Green Water", "Slow Tenor & Bass", and "The Morning Mist". CD

Writer Nelson Algren is one of our hometown heroes, and spent most of his key years right around the corner of Dusty Groove – so we're always a bit biased when it comes to his work – but you can trust us when we say that this well-done biography is almost as fantastic as some of Algren's classic books! Algren knew the streets of Chicago like the back of his hand – and his interaction with the city and its characters provided Algren with a life's worth of pain and pleasure – a richness of experience that really comes through in the biography. Nelson had a quick rise to fame with the success of The Man With The Golden Arm and a few other key books – but was also the subject of a long FBI investigation, and a number of other political pitfalls too – all documented here in great detail, along with his famous love affair with Simone DeBeauvoir. There's as much sadness and struggle to Algren's life as you'll find in one of his books – and the well-researched volume looks at a stunning array of material to give a full picture of his time and writing. 543 pages, hardcover, with some black and white images. Book

A stunning bit of sweet soul from this very obscure Ohio group – done in a soaring harmony style that would have made the late 60s Impressions proud – but given this nicely stark backing and production that's maybe more in the New Jersey mode of the time! The Aswads are backed by the Naturall Band on the vocal cut – and the flipside is a searing take on the territory explored by James Brown in "There Was A Time" – moving nicely quick, and with all sorts of riffing guitar and electric piano! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A legendary improvising jazz group from the Mexico City scene – one who really thrived at the end of the 70s in a live setting, but hardly ever recorded any music at all! This set brings together tracks from a rare cassette-only release, and has a power that's undeniable right from the very first note – music that's got the bold richness of some of the best material from the BYG/Actuel series of recordings on the Parisian scene in 1969, and with a frenzied energy that really knocks out most of what was happening in American free jazz at the end of the 70s! The lineup features Henry West on saxes, Ana Ruiz on piano, Claudio Enriquez on bass, and Evry Mann on drums and percussion – and titles include "Hot Dreams", "Clapping Hand 2", "Cold Drinks", "MD", "Hanne IV", and "What Reason". LP, Vinyl record album

The second smoking Live Oblivion set from Brian Auger and crew – twice as long, and maybe even twice as funky as the first! The tunes on here all really push the ten minute mark – stretching out the original Auger conception on studio sides, and featuring plenty of room for really wicked solo work on organ and electric piano! The live setting seems to inspire the group to even greater new heights – and there's an intensity here that makes for some really great moments. Titles include the wonderful break-heavy version of "Compared To What" – plus "Second Wind", "Maiden Voyage", "Straight Ahead", "Freedom Jazz Dance", and "Inner City Blues". CD

The second smoking Live Oblivion set from Brian Auger and crew – twice as long, and maybe even twice as funky as the first! The tunes on here all really push the ten minute mark – stretching out the original Auger conception on studio sides, and featuring plenty of room for really wicked solo work on organ and electric piano! The live setting seems to inspire the group to even greater new heights – and there's an intensity here that makes for some really great moments. Titles include the wonderful break-heavy version of "Compared To What" – plus "Second Wind", "Maiden Voyage", "Straight Ahead", "Freedom Jazz Dance", and "Inner City Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic lost chapter in the career of genius soul/jazz/funk maestro Roy Ayers – a set that was only ever issued in the UK, and which is a great second part to his Lots Of Love album on the Uno Melodic label! This album features a few tracks from that gem, but in longer versions – mixed with other cuts that were never issued in the US at the time – all with that return to perfection that Roy found on Uno Melodic – which was his own label, and one of the few times in the 80s when he matched the brilliance of his 70s recordings on Polydor! Like those albums, the style here is tight and right in the pocket, but also full of meaning and message too – beautiful songs that are catchy, but far from commercial – funky, but never dance music in a conventional way. The set kicks off with a 7:20 minute version of "Chicago" – one of our favorite Roy Ayers songs ever, natch – and other cuts include "Smiling With Our Eyes", "Good Good Music", "Keep On Movin", "Silver Vibrations", "DC City", and "Lots Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic! The lost link in the Chicago soul scene of the 60s was Baby Huey – and he was a pretty darn big link too, if you've ever seen him in pictures! Weighing in at about 300 pounds, Baby Huey was sort of a rockin' soul star who played clubs on both sides of the city, to audiences of all types – working in a party-styled blend of funk, rock, and soul that was one of the most powerful grooves going down in the Windy City at the time! Huey sadly passed away at a very young age, leaving only this full album as his legacy – a great batch of hard-hitting soul tracks that are among some of the funkiest work ever recorded for the legendary Curtom label! The set includes Huey's classic version of "Mighty, Mighty", a club favorite from the live shows – plus the excellent Curtis Mayfield tune "Hard Times", famous as an oft-used sample track! Other titles include "A Change Is Going To Come", "California Dreamin", "Running", and "Mama Get Yourself Together". CD

The last in a series of rare 50s live material from Chet Baker – featuring a near-lost performance from the Tiffany Club in LA, recorded in 1954 with a group that includes Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums. The tracks are presented in crystal-clear long versions – really sparkling with a sound that's tremendous for a live set at the time – and which is even more amazing, considering that most of the tracks hadn't been issued before. A few numbers were issued in edited form on an Italian label, and later briefly on one of the out of print Mosaic box sets – but the CD features the full performance – 12 tracks in all, all in unedited takes. Titles include "Lullaby Of the Leaves", "Russ Job", "The Wind", "Frenesi", "Carson City Stage", and "A Dandy Line". CD

Rare live material from Chet Baker – recorded at 1954 performances at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and the Tiffany Club in LA. The material was never officially issued at the time, although it did make an appearance in a now out of print box set on Mosaic – and it features Chet grooving easily in quartet formation, with Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "Line For Lyons", "Carson City Stage", "All The Things You Are", "Lady Bird", and "Out Of Nowhere". CD

One of Chet's rarer albums from the Pacific Jazz years – a late 50s set that compiles earlier recordings, making for a whopping 14 tracks in all from Chet's glory days! The core of the album features Chet fronting the original quartet with Russ Freeman on piano, plus some occasional guest guitar work – but a number of tracks also feature appearances by Bill Perkins and Jimmy Guiffre. Tracks are short and very to the point – in that early Baker mode – and titles include "Look For The Silver Lining", "Band Aid", "Pavane", "Winter Wonderland", "Batter Up", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Carson City Stage", "But Not For Me", and "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic solo work from Ginger Baker – a musician who only seemed to get better and better the farther he moved away from Cream and Blind Faith! A set like this really gives Ginger a chance to open up and explore all the many musical currents that were grabbing his interests – served up here in a mix of jazz, funk, rock, and soul delivered by a lineup who are every bit as stunning as the music on the album! In addition to plenty of work from Baker on drums, the set features jazz contributions from the excellent Harold McNair and Chris Wood, who both play saxes and flute – plus drums from the legendary Phil Seamen – as well as a heck of a lot more sax and organ from Graham Bond, plus bass from Ric Grech, guitar and vocals from Denny Laine, organ and vocals from Steve Winwood, percussion from Neemoi Acquaye, and lots more contributions from a lineup that's almost too big to mention. The results are wonderful – and titles include "Toady", "Let Me Ride", "We Free Kings", "12 Gates Of The City", "Do U No Hu Yor Phrenz R", and "Sweet Wine". CD

A great mix of mellow soul and sweet disco – and a lost treasure from the 70s Twin Cities soul scene! There's a groove here that almost sounds like east coast group soul in the early pre-mainstream disco years – hitting some uptempo tunes for the clubs, but also kicking back into some mellower harmony tracks that are equally great. The production and arrangements are all totally top shelf – thanks to help from sound library studio maestro Herb Pilhofer – and the group's got a solid sound that easily matches bigger groups of the time! Titles include "Sweet Lady", "City Slicker", "A New Day", "Call On Me", "My Story", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "In The City", and "I Need You". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set of soundtrack funk – from a film named after one of our favorite streets in Chicago! Although the record's got an approach that's perhaps a bit tighter and smoother than anything going down on Stony in the late 70s, it does manage to share a good deal of styles with the Chi-soul scene of the time – thanks to work on the record from Chicagoans Gene Barge, Sonny Seals, and Tennyson Stephens! Many of the tracks on the set have a bad-walking soul approach – one that's kind of a mixture of funky and bluesy – and these are laid out next to some jazzier instrumentals that we like most of all – tunes that have a great funky soundtrack feel, but with a bit more fusion touches than usual, probably because of the work of David Matthews. Titles include "Percy Fired", "Party Lights", "High Speed Posters", "Back To Business", "Chase The Train", "Gangster City", "Dream Ride", and "Peace Of Mind". CD

A sweet set of soundtrack funk – from a film named after one of our favorite streets in Chicago! Although the record's got an approach that's perhaps a bit tighter and smoother than anything going down on Stony in the late 70s, it does manage to share a good deal of styles with the Chi-soul scene of the time – thanks to work on the record from Chicagoans Gene Barge, Sonny Seals, and Tennyson Stephens! Many of the tracks on the set have a bad-walking soul approach – one that's kind of a mixture of funky and bluesy – and these are laid out next to some jazzier instrumentals that we like most of all – tunes that have a great funky soundtrack feel, but with a bit more fusion touches than usual, probably because of the work of David Matthews. Titles include "Percy Fired", "Party Lights", "High Speed Posters", "Back To Business", "Chase The Train", "Gangster City", "Dream Ride", and "Peace Of Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

The even more obscure second volume to the great soul/gospel classic Do Not Pass Me By – and like the first, the product of a wonderfully spiritual setting on Chicago's south side – music created in the church, but with all the same vibe as the hippest secular soul coming from the Windy City in the early 70s! The set does a great job of alternating strong lead singers with the rest of the group – a bit like Voices Of East Harlem, but with more of a larger ensemble feel – and there's some really wonderful moments on the record throughout – even a bit of funk amidst the more righteous soul-styled tunes. Tracks include "I Shall Wear A Crown", "O Sinner", "I Want To Be In Love With You", "Do Not Pass Me By", "O What A Day", "Here I Am", and "There Is Only One". CD

The even more obscure second volume to the great soul/gospel classic Do Not Pass Me By – and like the first, the product of a wonderfully spiritual setting on Chicago's south side – music created in the church, but with all the same vibe as the hippest secular soul coming from the Windy City in the early 70s! The set does a great job of alternating strong lead singers with the rest of the group – a bit like Voices Of East Harlem, but with more of a larger ensemble feel – and there's some really wonderful moments on the record throughout – even a bit of funk amidst the more righteous soul-styled tunes. Tracks include "I Shall Wear A Crown", "O Sinner", "I Want To Be In Love With You", "Do Not Pass Me By", "O What A Day", "Here I Am", and "There Is Only One". CD

A tremendous package of work from this overlooked soul and gospel legend – four classic albums, plus other rare material too – all packaged with detailed notes in the wonderful Numero Group style! First up is Like A Ship Without A Sail – a gospel album from Pastor TL Barrett, but one that's gone on to legendary status among funk and soul collectors over the years! Barrett works here with his Youth For Christ Choir – a south side ensemble that's filled with genuine spirit and passion, aimed towards lofty ideals – but set up with some deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that keep things razor sharp throughout! The album was supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with other Chess players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch on the sessions too – and the music is filled with raw drums, heavy bass, and lots of great organ lines! Next is Do Not Pass Me By Vol 1 – an album that's got a nice balance between intimate soul numbers and larger tracks that have the whole Mount Zion Baptist Church along for support! The set's definitely got the strongly soulful vibe of Barrett's Like A Ship album – a strong ear for the best secular elements of the time, which are used liberally in the instrumental backing – to really send home the message in the music! Most tunes really soft-pedal the religion, and instead go for an overall feel that really crosses over to regular soul music. Next is the great second volume of Do Not Pass Me By – like the first, the product of a wonderfully spiritual setting on Chicago's south side – music created in the church, but with all the same vibe as the hippest secular soul coming from the Windy City in the early 70s! The set does a great job of alternating strong lead singers with the rest of the group – a bit like Voices Of East Harlem, but with more of a larger ensemble feel – and there's some really wonderful moments on the record throughout – even a bit of funk amidst the more righteous soul-styled tunes. I Found The Answer is one of the biggest-circulating albums from this fantastic figure in Chicago gospel – a unique set done for the Gospel Truth subsidiary of Stax Records, but a set served up in the same blend of soul-based inspirations as some of TL Barrett's indie label releases back home in the Windy City! Plus, the package features a full album of Singles & Sermons – rare non-LP material by this seminal figure in both soul and spiritual music. CD

A great little set – despite our initial fears about the package – and a really wonderful pairing of the talents of Count Basie and Benny Carter! We'll admit that we're the first ones to shy away from anything that says "Kansas City" in the title – as we expect a lot of hoke – but this album's a surprisingly great batch of tunes, original numbers written by Benny Carter in honor of the KC of days past, but arranged and performed by the Basie group in a swinging style that's got the best touches of their Roulette years, plus a bit of Ellingtonish ambition in the horn charts. Titles include "Katy Do", "Miss Missouri", "Jackson County Jubilee", "Sunset Glow", "Meetin Time", and "The Wiggle Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Beach Boys karaoke – or kind of a "music minus one" album – but whatever the case, the set's a pretty unique outing in the field of 60s pop! The record's exactly what the title promises – a "stack o tracks" from the group's earlier records – rhythm parts, some instrumental bits – all laid out with key guitar parts missing and no vocals at all – so that you can pick up your instrument and play along with the record – and maybe get your friends to harmonize too! At the time, the approach seemed somewhat crazy – but after spending decades tracking down Smile-era bootlegs of Brian Wilson studio tracks just like this, the record's got a surprising sort of brilliance – almost as if Brian had guessed there's be a market for his "studio progress" sort of material. Titles include "Darlin", "Salt Lake City", "Wild Honey", "Catch A Wave", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Surfer Girl", "God Only Knows", "Little Honda", and "Let Him Run Wild". LP, Vinyl record album

Modern Records sessions by Jimmy Beasley – done for the famous LA label, but all recorded in Beasley's home town of New Orleans – with a very raw, early Crescent City vibe! Many of these cuts were done with the group of Dave Bartholomew at Cosimo's Studios – and they're filled with the kind of romping rhythms and piano lines that you'd know from some of Dave's bigger-name sessions with artists like Fats Domino or Smiley Lewis – yet Jimmy's approach here is nicely different, and far less familiar – almost jazzy at times, and with less of a need to "rock" than some of his contemporaries! That doesn't mean that these tracks don't groove with the New Orleans best – just that they've got some very cool, individual touches – and sophisticated shadings that we really appreciate. LP, Vinyl record album

Although Archie Bell & The Drells had recorded earlier with Gamble & Huff on Atlantic, this is their first album for the team's own label – and it's a killer! In a way, Archie and group were sort of responsible for getting Gamble & Huff their own famous imprint in the first place – because their work with the team on Atlantic yielded some instant hits that really pointed the way towards the hit Gamble & Huff style of the 70s, and that sound is brought up-to-date nicely on this LP. The record really retains the strong vocal sound of earlier years – and has some of the best harmonies the band ever recorded, very much in the mode of The O'Jays or Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. McFadden & Whitehead and Bunny Sigler wrote most of the material, backing is by the Instant Funk group, and the Gamble & Huff team handled production on all cuts. Titles include "Let's Groove", "I Won't Leave You Honey, Never", "Let's Groove", "The Soul City Walk", "Dance Your Troubles Away", and "I Love You (But You Don't Even Know It)". LP, Vinyl record album

There's few cases where we want the clock to stop in music – but in the case of Belle & Sebastian, we'll gladly make an exception – as the group deliver all the completely charming, well-crafted songs here that we've always loved in their work – instantly appealing, and with that undeniable quality that has you instantly knowing the music as it unfolds! Titles include "Deathbed Of My Dreams", "If They're Shooting At You", "Young & Stupid", "Sea Of Sorry", "Working Boy In New York City", "Do It For Your Country", and "Reclaim The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

There's few cases where we want the clock to stop in music – but in the case of Belle & Sebastian, we'll gladly make an exception – as the group deliver all the completely charming, well-crafted songs here that we've always loved in their work – instantly appealing, and with that undeniable quality that has you instantly knowing the music as it unfolds! Titles include "Deathbed Of My Dreams", "If They're Shooting At You", "Young & Stupid", "Sea Of Sorry", "Working Boy In New York City", "Do It For Your Country", and "Reclaim The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

The 2 great albums by Big Star – back-to-back on CD! #1 Record is simply one of the best rock albums of the 70s – partly remembered as a defining moment in power pop, but to us there's a depth of emotion here that goes way beyond chords and choruses, and sinks into our very souls every time we listen to it! Indespensible Memphis rock, to say the very least. Titles include "Feel", "Ballad Of El Goodo", "In The Street", "The India Song", "When My Baby's Beside Me", "Give Me Another Chance", "Watch The Sunrise" and more. Radio City is also one of 70s rock's finest moments. With Chris Bell out of the picture, one could successfully argue the traits that it lacks from the first album, but this thing stands up as work of genius all its own – with a raw, shambling immediacy to the songs that cut incredibly deep. Amazing stuff all around – totally indispensable! Titles include "O My Soul", "Life Is White", "Way Out West", "You Get What You Deserve", "Mod Lang", "She's A Mover", "Morpha Too", "I'm In Love With A Girl". CD

A tremendous achievement in jazz from Daniel Bingert – the kind of record that would be in everyone's collection, had it been issued back in 1959 – but a set that's every bit as essential all these decades later! Binger's the composer, and has kind of a postwar modern sensibility about his music – that mix of core elements and individual voices that made Mingus so great when he was at his best – except Daniel's also got more of an ear for modal rhythms, of the sort that remind us a bit of the inspirations on the European scene during the Saba/MPS generation, taken forward with some of the fresher, completely visionary ideas that we've always loved from the Moserobie label! The group's a sextet with some key Moserobie members in the line up – Jonas Kullhammar on alto, Karl Olandersson on trumpet, Per Texas Johansson on tenor, Charlie Malmberg on piano, Moussa Fadera on drums, and the mighty Torbjorn Zetterberg on bass – whose energy alone is enough to guide the album. Titles include "City Sirens", "Cinco De Mayo", "Henry & Bernard", "Notredame", "Lost Keys", "Gil Bill", and "Kaya Boca". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best records ever from this famous St Louis collective – recorded in Paris a few years after the AACM made their big splash on the city – and done with a very similar feel! The instrumentation is loose, open-ended, and incredibly creative – a wonderful array of sounds, textures, and shapes – played by a lineup that includes Oliver Lake on saxes and flute, Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Joseph Bowie on trombone, Floyd LeFlore on trumpet, and Charles Bobo Shaw on drums and percussion – with additional percussion help from all the other group members, too! Tracks are all very long – and titles include "OLCSJBFLBC Bag", "Echoes", "Something To Play On", and "Re-Cre-A-Tion". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy duty fuzzy soul from Black Merda (aka Mer-Da) – the massive Black Merda and Long Burn The Fire LPs back-to-back on one CD! The Black Merda album has a distinct batch of influences that run from Funkadelic, to Hendrix, to Chicago electric blues – but since the recording (from 1970) was contemporaneous with most of those influences, we should give the group more credit than just listing others with a similar sound! Includes the great stoned track "Cynthy-Ruth", plus "Prophet", "Reality", "I Don't Want To Die", and "Over & Over". Long Burn The Fire is another great batch Hendrix-inspired funky rock, released under the moniker Mer-Da! The sound is definitely rock-heavy – with lots of trippy guitars riffing away in heavy fuzzy style – but the album's also a classic in the black rock vein, and there's enough funk in the mix to keep it on your turntable if you dig the rockier sound of the funky grooves! Cuts include "The Folks From Mother's Mixer", "Lying", "We Made Up", and "Long Burn The Fire". 19 tracks in all! CD

Soulful sounds from Black Pumas – a collaboration between singer Eric Burton and the great Adrian Quesada – the latter an instrumentalist and producer that you'll know from a variety of different funky projects over the years! This set might well be Adrian's ticket to the big time – as Burton's a singer with a very strong range, and great crossover potential – echoing Al Green one minute, hitting deeper vibes the next – and working alongside small combo backing that has plenty of laidback guitar lines and warm keyboards, all produced with the usual Quesada touch! Titles include "Oct 33", "Fire", "Colors", "Know You Better", "Stay Gold", "Old Man", "Confines", and "Touch The Sky". Expanded version features lots of bonus material – including "Eleanor Rigby", "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City", "Fast Car", "Black Cat", and "I Am Ready" – plus "live in studio" versions of "Confines", "Colors", and "Oct 33". CD

Soulful sounds from Black Pumas – a collaboration between singer Eric Burton and the great Adrian Quesada – the latter an instrumentalist and producer that you'll know from a variety of different funky projects over the years! This set might well be Adrian's ticket to the big time – as Burton's a singer with a very strong range, and great crossover potential – echoing Al Green one minute, hitting deeper vibes the next – and working alongside small combo backing that has plenty of laidback guitar lines and warm keyboards, all produced with the usual Quesada touch! Titles include "Oct 33", "Fire", "Colors", "Know You Better", "Stay Gold", "Old Man", "Confines", and "Touch The Sky". Expanded version features lots of bonus material – including "Eleanor Rigby", "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City", "Fast Car", "Black Cat", and "I Am Ready" – plus "live in studio" versions of "Confines", "Colors", and "Oct 33". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from this legendary jazz funk combo – a bit smoother than their first, but that's the great thing about it! The record has the band getting even tighter than before – coming up with an amazing jazz-inflected funk groove that still leaves us breathless after all these years – and which is the perfect fusion of jazz and soul that was going down with the best groups in the mid 70s. The best example of this sound can be heard on the massive cut "Rock Creek Park" – which begins with a wonderful bass on the intro, a killer moogy keyboard bit, and a super-catchy chorus that goes "doin' it in the park," which you should recognize in about 30 seconds! The rest of the album is great too – and titles include the classic sample track "Love So Fine" – plus "Happy Music", "Hash and Eggs", "Thankful Bout Yourself", and "All I Ask". LP, Vinyl record album

2 classics from The Blackbyrds – back to back on a single CD! City Life is a fantastic album from the legendary jazz funk combo – a bit smoother than their first, but that's the great thing about it! The record has the band getting even tighter than before – coming up with an amazing jazz-inflected funk groove that still leaves us breathless after all these years – and which is the perfect fusion of jazz and soul that was going down with the best groups in the mid 70s. The best example of this sound can be heard on the massive cut "Rock Creek Park" – which begins with a wonderful bass on the intro, a killer moogy keyboard bit, and a super-catchy chorus that goes "doin' it in the park," which you should recognize in about 30 seconds! The rest of the album is great too – and titles include the classic sample track "Love So Fine" – plus "Happy Music", "Hash and Eggs", "Thankful Bout Yourself", and "All I Ask". Unfinished Business has The Blackbyrds are at the top of their game – working in a sweet blend of jazz, funk, and soul – all produced to perfection by their mentor Donald Byrd! The groove is quite similar to some of Byrd's best from the time – a bit fuller than the first few records by The Blackbyrds, thanks to the addition of larger horns – and put together in ways that really has them soaring towards the skies on waves or righteous soul! There's vocals on most tracks, but they really take equal place next to the group's wonderful instrumentation – especially the heady keyboards of the mighty Kevin Toney, still a key member of the combo at this point. Titles include "Party Land", "In Life", "Time Is Movin", "Lady", and "You've Got That Something". CD

Some of the sharpest, jazziest funk you'll ever hope to hear – a smoking collection of the legendary 70s work by The Blackbyrds on Fantasy Records! The group started as a jazz combo under Donald Byrd's supervision – right at a time when Byrd was making his own fantastic funky records in the 70s – but working for the Bay Area Fantasy label, they really took off into an amazing groove that was all their own – still informed by jazz, but free to open up to lots of funk and soul elements too – sometimes with vocals in the lead, sometimes more focus on the kinds of solos that always set them apart from all their contemporaries! The cuts have some wonderful keyboard work from a young Kevin Toney – who's gone onto a lot of fame over the years – and production on all cuts is either by Larry Mizell, Donald Byrd, or George Duke – key 70s jazz funk forces who keep things mighty tight in the studio! The package features work from all Blackbyrds albums of the 70s – including the Cornbread Earl & Me soundtrack, and the Night Grooves remix set – and the package features 25 titles that include "Enter In", "Party Land", "Do It Fluid", "Gut Level", "Summer Love", "I Need You", "The Baby", "Blackbyrds' Theme", "City Life", "Rock Creek Park", "Walking In Rhythm", "A Hot Day Today", "Wilford's Gone", "One Gun Salute", "Supernatural Feeling", "Mysterious Vibes", and "Soft & Easy". CD

Otis Blackwell takes back his songs – providing his own new versions of tunes that were recorded famously by a host of rock, pop, and R&B artists back in the 50s! The 70s session is definitely done as part of the generation that was "giving back" to the roots of rock and roll – and Blackwell's performance here is possibly more tilted towards the rockers in the room than the R&B fans, given the used of heavy guitar on the record, and the cleaner style of production. Still, as a revivalist set, it's got plenty to offer – and Blackwell working with a small combo for backing, and sounding a bit Elvis-like at times – no surprise, given that Otis was supposedly a big influence on Presley. Titles include "All Shook Up", "Fever", "Daddy Rollin Stone", "Great Balls Of Fire", "Don't Be Cruel", "Searchin", "Hey Little Girl", and "Handy Man". CD

One of the most comprehensive collections of work we've ever seen on Eddie Bo – a really well-done set that finally gets at the full range of his massive funky talents – including a host of rare singles done for a variety of other artists as well! Despite the dates in the title, most of the music here is from the 60s and 70s – music from those glorious years of New Orleans soul and funk – when it seemed like the Crescent City groove could never stop, thanks to the efforts of Eddie and some of his contemporaries! There's a massively heavy groove to most of the numbers here – an emphasis on the funkiest side of Eddie Bo's sound, especially when he's working in the studio with other singers in the lead – and even if you've got some other Eddie Bo reissues in your collection, there's plenty fresh stuff here that makes this one well worth owning. LP notes are great too – a full history of Eddie's long career and all its different chapters. 30 tracks in all – including "Funky Yeah" and "Shelly's Rubber Band" by Curley Moore & The Cool Ones, "What's Good To You (part 1)" and "The La La Man (part 1)" by Oliver Morgan, "Horse With A Freeze (part 1)" by Roy Ward, "Timber (parts 1 & 2)" by Candy Phillips, "Can I Be Your Main Squeeze" by Chuck Carbo, "I'm A Carpenter (part 1)" by David Robinson, "Garden Of Our Trees" by The Explosions, "Reborn" by Marilyn Barbarin, "Live It Up" by James K-Nine, "Mama Here Comes The Preacher" by Doug Anderson, ""Something You Got" by Barbara George" – and the tracks "Chained", "When The Fingers On The Funk", "Rubber Band", "Getting To The Middle", "Check Your Bucket", "Lover & Friend", "Can You Handle It", "Fallin In Love Again", "Gotta Have More", and "We Like Mambo" all by Eddie Bo. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the stunning late 60 psych rock classics on Mainstream Records – and, like the rest, a set that's a real standout at the time – and one of the few musical statements by a group who never got picked up and pushed more heavily by another label! Yet that quality is what makes the whole thing wonderful – a freaky, fuzzy east coast set with a very down to earth vibe – music that would have been garage a few years before, but which has picked up some very heady influences along the way – especially in the strong use of fuzz and distortion on the guitar! Drummer Chuck Monica has a nicely urgent vibe at times, echoed by the bass of Victor Muglia – and lead singer Brian Cooke delivers some great work on organ too! Nick Manzi is the man with the fuzz on guitar – and titles include "All Kinds Of Highs", "Riddles & Fairytales", "She Always Gives Me Pleasure", "Images", "Deaf Dumb & Blind", and "Paradox City". CD

A trio that really lives up to its name – given that the lineup features three of the most dynamic figures in free jazz over the past few decades! The set was recorded in Chicago, and has a sound that really lives up to that city's embrace of a power trio like this – with completely frenetic work on reeds by Mars Williams, next to tumultuous drums from Paal Nilssen-Love, and some boldly propulsive bass from Kent Kessler – all spun out here over the course of three very long, freely-improvised tracks! Williams plays a few toy instruments, and Nilssen-Love handles some percussion too – both of which make for some slightly more introspective passages, which are soon balanced by more dynamic energy. Titles include "Miakoda", "Lovin The Buzz", and "Echo Clang". CD

There's no denying that Hunky Dory is one of the most significant albums ever in the catalog of David Bowie – a real turning point that pushed both his songwriting and performance to a whole new level! Here, that album is presented in a stunning amount of context – 4CDs worth of material that sets up the record, plus blu-ray audio of more content too – all included with a 100 page book of liner notes, memorabilia, and rare photos too – plus a replica of the young Bowie's notebook for the project – all making for an insane tribute to the record! CD1 features songwriting demos that include many rare cuts – including "Shadow Man", "Looking For A Friend", "Tired Of My Life", "Right On Mother", "How Lucky You Are", and "King Of The City". CD2 features John Peel performances from June of 1971 – mono and stereo takes on "Almost Grown", "Kooks", "Supermen", "Looking For A Friend", "Song For Bob Dylan", and "It Ain't Easy". CD3 features more BBC material – a 1971 Bob Harris Sounds Of The 70s show, and then a 1971 Live Friars performance – with cuts that include "Amsterdam", "Eight Line Poem", "Looing For A Friend", "Oh You Pretty Things", "Buzz The Fuzz", and "Waiting For The Man". CD4 features alternate mixes and singles – Bowpromo mixes of album tracks, then early mixes and mono mixes, and alternate mixes discovered in 2021. Blu-ray disc features a full 2015 remaster of the core album – plus alternate mixes found in 2021, and the 1971 Sounds Of The 70s show too! CD

Arguably one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time – and the key flowering of the partnership between David Bowie and Mick Ronson! The guitars here are heavy – so much so that the record's always crossed over big with crowds who are always suspicious of Bowie's artier work of the 70s – and represented a crucial moment when his groundbreaking music also found a large mainstream audience as well. And despite the fact that Ziggy's an androgynous space rocker with a spurious pedigree, the manufactured posturing of the album's come to be taken quite literally over the years – a vivid text of alienation, expression, and redemption – served up beautifully over a host of classic tracks that include "Five Years", "Soul Love", "Moonage Daydream", "Suffragette City", and "Ziggy Stardust" – all further proof of Bowie's 70s ability to slide in wherever he wanted with ease! LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time – and the key flowering of the partnership between David Bowie and Mick Ronson! The guitars here are heavy – so much so that the record's always crossed over big with crowds who are always suspicious of Bowie's artier work of the 70s – and represented a crucial moment when his groundbreaking music also found a large mainstream audience as well. And despite the fact that Ziggy's an androgynous space rocker with a spurious pedigree, the manufactured posturing of the album's come to be taken quite literally over the years – a vivid text of alienation, expression, and redemption – served up beautifully over a host of classic tracks that include "Five Years", "Soul Love", "Moonage Daydream", "Suffragette City", and "Ziggy Stardust" – all further proof of Bowie's 70s ability to slide in wherever he wanted with ease! LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time – and the key flowering of the partnership between David Bowie and Mick Ronson! The guitars here are heavy – so much so that the record's always crossed over big with crowds who are always suspicious of Bowie's artier work of the 70s – and represented a crucial moment when his groundbreaking music also found a large mainstream audience as well. And despite the fact that Ziggy's an androgynous space rocker with a spurious pedigree, the manufactured posturing of the album's come to be taken quite literally over the years – a vivid text of alienation, expression, and redemption – served up beautifully over a host of classic tracks that include "Five Years", "Soul Love", "Moonage Daydream", "Suffragette City", and "Ziggy Stardust" – all further proof of Bowie's 70s ability to slide in wherever he wanted with ease! LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time – and the key flowering of the partnership between David Bowie and Mick Ronson! The guitars here are heavy – so much so that the record's always crossed over big with crowds who are always suspicious of Bowie's artier work of the 70s – and represented a crucial moment when his groundbreaking music also found a large mainstream audience as well. And despite the fact that Ziggy's an androgynous space rocker with a spurious pedigree, the manufactured posturing of the album's come to be taken quite literally over the years – a vivid text of alienation, expression, and redemption – served up beautifully over a host of classic tracks that include "Five Years", "Soul Love", "Moonage Daydream", "Suffragette City", and "Ziggy Stardust" – all further proof of Bowie's 70s ability to slide in wherever he wanted with ease! Features great bonus tracks – unreleased demos of "Ziggy Stardust" and "Lady Stardust" – plus the unreleased "Sweet Head", the b-side "Velvet Goldmine", and an unreleased mix of "John I'm Only Dancing". CD

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! LP, Vinyl record album

Trio material – featuring Dollar Brand on piano with Cecil McBee on bass and the great Roy Brooks on drums! The album's pretty laidback, but in a mellow spiritual mode that suits all players well. Brand plays soprano sax on the track "Ishmael", playing over his own piano lines – and other tracks include "The Dream", "The Honey Bird", and "Asr". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Anthony Braxton – an album that has him playing straight ahead jazz – but at a time when he was also making some of his most complex recordings of the 70s! The approach here is sublime – as Braxton's reputation has ears already anticipating some far-out playing, but then marvel at his restraint – his care for keeping alto and bass clarinet work inside a straight jazz tradition, yet always hinting at the modern inflections he can bring to his music! Tunes are almost all jazz standards, blown beautifully – with a tone that's crisp, cool, and very inviting – surprisingly soulful, and never cold at all – matched well with the rhythm trio of Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", "Ornithology", and "Marshmallow". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Anthony Braxton – an album that has him playing straight ahead jazz – but at a time when he was also making some of his most complex recordings of the 70s! The approach here is sublime – as Braxton's reputation has ears already anticipating some far-out playing, but then marvel at his restraint – his care for keeping alto and bass clarinet work inside a straight jazz tradition, yet always hinting at the modern inflections he can bring to his music! Tunes are almost all jazz standards, blown beautifully – with a tone that's crisp, cool, and very inviting – surprisingly soulful, and never cold at all – matched well with the rhythm trio of Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Body & Soul", "Donna Lee", "My Funny Valentine" and "Half Nelson". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime second generation soul from Brenda & The Tabulations – a sweet set of Philly grooves, recorded at Sigma sound with help from Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, and John Davis! The album's every bit as groove-heavy as you'd expect from work by those dancefloor heavyweights – and the record's a great change from the earlier style of Brenda and the group – more positive and progressive, yet still with a few of the fragile ballads that first got them noticed! There's a great sense of class and poise to the record – a progression from the early years that's similar to that which many other Philly artists experienced with Gamble & Huff – almost more surprising here, given that sometimes a Casablanca record didn't come out with the same sort of care. Titles include "Superstar", "Home To Myself", "I Keep Coming Back For More", "Let's Go All The Way Down", "Leave Me Alone", and "Everybody's Fool". CD also features a bonus 12" mix of "Let's Go All The Way Down" – and an excellent Reel Music job of mastering and liner notes! CD

A killer debut from Brick – the start of a massive run at the end of the 70s, a time when the group was easily one of the biggest acts to come out of the up-and-coming Atlanta scene! Like some other Atlanta acts of the time, Brick had a way of fusing older funky soul on a tighter modern groove – coming up with a sound that was nice and lean – perfect for these key transitional years of funk – with influences that were felt for years, in places as far away as the west coast! Case in point is the album's classic "Dazz" – one of those cuts that never gets old – nestled nicely in a lineup that also includes "Music Matic", "Here We Come", "Good High", "That's What It's All About", "Brick City", and "Sister Twister". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collection of work from Bob Brookmeyer – tracing the development of his sound in the 50s through a variety of different settings! The package begins with material from an original 10" LP session in 1954 – featuring Brookmeyer on trombone with backing by the John Williams trio. The set then expands to feature tracks recorded by Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, and Jimmy Giuffre as material that was originally issued on the album Traditionalism Revisited, but which also features tracks from that session that came out on other more obscure sources, including a Playboy jazz album and a Brookmeyer LP on Crown. The set then follows with a beautiful guitar/trombone session that features Jim Hall, Jimy Raney, and Brookmeyer – originally issued as The Street Swingers. Next up is material from a bluesy 1958 set, recorded with vocalist Big Miller, as well as Paul Quinichette, Al Cohn, and Jim Hall – for the album Kansas City Revisited. The set's completed by material from the beautiful UA album Stretching Out – which featured Zoot Sims, Harry Edison, and Al Cohn – and the whole thing's packaged with a great booklet that gives notes on the material. 37 tracks in all – in a limited, numbered set! CD

A nice one from one of Chicago's most underrated jazz men! Bobby Broom's been plying his trade here in the Windy City on guitar in small group combos for years, playing some of the finest post bop modern jazz we've heard, but he's made few recordings. This great disc captures him alongside Lonnie Smith, Ronnie Cuber and Idris Muhammad, about as near as you'll come today to the classic George Benson quartet that cut some burning sides for Columbia in the late 60s, and as you might hope, this session lives up to the promise of the lineup! The group grooves along nicely on renditions of standards like "Old Devil Moon" and "Peck A Sec", jazzy takes on pop tunes like "Superstition" and "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" and Broom's originals"Dance For Osiris" and "Blues For Modern Man". 10 tracks in all. CD

James Brown gets even better than before – working here in the setting of a blacksploitation soundtracks – which makes the album a doubly funky outing from the 70s! James is a master throughout – beating Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield at their own games – as he works with super-tight work from the JBs, plus a bit of vocals from Lyn Collins – all in a massive batch of tracks that further expand his funky palette! Unlike other blacksploitation soundtracks, which usually have one or two key funky tunes, this one's almost entirely overflowing with gems – including Lyn Collins on a version of "Mama Feelgood" that's worth the price of the record alone! The whole thing's great, though – and titles include the classic "Down & Out in New York City", plus "Blind Man Can See It", "Sportin' Life", "The Boss", "Dirty Harri", and "Chase". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest collaborations of Dave Brubeck's years at Columbia Records – and one of the greatest jazz sessions from vocalist Jimmy Rushing too! On paper, the modernist Brubeck and Kansas City roots singer Rushing would seem to be a very unlikely pair – but by this time in his career, Jimmy had gotten extremely inventive and was very open to new ideas – and manages to lend his amazing vocals to some sublime instrumental backdrops from the Brubeck quartet! Dave unlocks a whole host of bluesy tones for the session, and really matches Rushing's energy – and Paul Desmond's alto sounds somewhat unusual in that setting, but with a real appeal too – a very unusual sound for a record like this. Titles include "There'll Be Some Changes Made", "My Melancholy Baby", "Blues In The Dark", "I Never Knew", "Ain't Misbehavin", "Evenin", "All By Myself", "River Stay Way From My Door", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Am I Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest collaborations of Dave Brubeck's years at Columbia Records – and one of the greatest jazz sessions from vocalist Jimmy Rushing too! On paper, the modernist Brubeck and Kansas City roots singer Rushing would seem to be a very unlikely pair – but by this time in his career, Jimmy had gotten extremely inventive and was very open to new ideas – and manages to lend his amazing vocals to some sublime instrumental backdrops from the Brubeck quartet! Dave unlocks a whole host of bluesy tones for the session, and really matches Rushing's energy – and Paul Desmond's alto sounds somewhat unusual in that setting, but with a real appeal too – a very unusual sound for a record like this. Titles include "There'll Be Some Changes Made", "My Melancholy Baby", "Blues In The Dark", "I Never Knew", "Ain't Misbehavin", "Evenin", "All By Myself", "River Stay Way From My Door", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Am I Blue". CD features the previously unreleased bonus track "Shine On Harvest Moon". CD

Genius – pure genius! Solomon Burke is one of those soul singers you always hear folks about, but who you never seem to get to hear as much as folks like Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, or any of his other label-mates on Atlantic. This excellent 2CD set will correct that problem – as it brings together 41 tracks from Solomon's glory days at Atlantic, and the selection of material is fantastic all the way through. Solomon's voice is indescribably majestic – soaring over the top of the tightly-woven arrangements that were some of Atlantic's first real forays into soul music. The set does a good job of showing the full range of his talents during the 60s – and it moves way past the few hits he had, which always seem to get repeated endlessly when anyone brings up his name. Tracks include "Save It", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Detroit City", "Take Me (Just As I Am)", "When She Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters)", "Looking For My Baby", "I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You", "Cry To Me", "If You Need Me", "The Price", "You're Good For Me", "Words", "It's Been A Change", "Time Is A Thief", "Stupidity", and "Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do". CD

A beautiful tribute to New York from jazz arranger Ralph Burns – perhaps one of the best of that odd postwar genre – the LP-long salute to the Big Apple! This set's got an unusual approach – great instrumentation from Burns, on a par with his more famous jazz scoring of the 50s – mixed with sound effects from all over the city – bits of voices, traffic, crowds, ships, and more – a wonderful pastiche of music and moments! LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from Kenny Burrell – a set that features the guitarist sounding beautiful in a variety of settings, all of them great! The format really mixes things up nicely – almost showing a more diverse Kenny than in later years – as one track is solo, and the others feature quartet, quintet, and sextet lineups – with players who include JR Monterose or Frank Foster on tenor, Tommy Flanagan or Bobby Timons on piano, Oscar Pettiford or Sam Jones on bass, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, and Kenny Clarke or Shadow Wilson on drums. The solo track is a great version of "But Not For Me" – and other titles include "Mexico City", "Cheeta", "Phinupi", and "Now See How You Are". CD

Early genius from Kenny Burrell – a set that features the guitarist sounding beautiful in a variety of settings, all of them great! The format really mixes things up nicely – almost showing a more diverse Kenny than in later years – as one track is solo, and the others feature quartet, quintet, and sextet lineups – with players who include JR Monterose or Frank Foster on tenor, Tommy Flanagan or Bobby Timons on piano, Oscar Pettiford or Sam Jones on bass, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, and Kenny Clarke or Shadow Wilson on drums. The solo track is a great version of "But Not For Me" – and other titles include "Mexico City", "Cheeta", "Phinupi", and "Now See How You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

If you grew up in Chitown, like we did, you'll know that Jerry Butler never got old – and through the years he continued to make some pretty darn great music, even when he was falling far from the limelight in the rest of the country! This album's a great little early 80s effort that steps off from territory that Jerry explored on his LPs for Philly International – a smoothly stepping, sophisticated soul style that's a fair bit like work happening over at Chi-Soul records in its waning years. Jerry's voice is still incredible, and sounds really great on the mellower tunes on the set – perfect numbers for his maturing vocals, in a similar mode to Walter Jackson's late work. Titles include "No Fair Falling In Love", "All The Way", "Don't Be Afraid To Show How You Feel", "Ask Me What You Want", "Simple Beautiful", and "Night Life In The City". LP, Vinyl record album

The rise of punk is usually tied to the scene of the Sex Pistols and others up in London – but right from the start, there was plenty happening up in Leeds – a scene that gave the world Gang Of Four, The Mekons, Soft Cell, Scritti Politti, and other key acts from the end of the 70s! Leeds was a university town, and very different than London and other working class scenes in the UK – as the acts in the city often approached their craft with a fair bit of intellectual background – something that shows not just in the lyrics, but the experimental constructions of their instrumentation too. Author Gavin Butt really dives deep into the Leeds scene of the period – mixing history with a stunning amount of information from interviews – with band members and other people on the scene – all in a book that's a much more lively read than you might expect from an academic press. The book is illustrated with black and white images throughout, features a suggested discography at the back, and this softcover edition is 290 pages in length. Book

The genius of Terry Callier – remixed! One of the greatest things to happen to Chicago soul legend Callier in recent years was his discovery by a host of cutting edge producers and DJs on the European scene – important talents who took his work to a whole new audience, by fusing Terry's original grooves with some more ambitious rhythmic progressions, keyboard lines, and other studio touches. And while you might fear that such knob-twiddling would muddy the waters and dampen Callier's spirit, such was not the case – as work in this vein only seemed to inspire Terry further, to stretch out his wings and reach new musical horizons. The tracks on this set offer a number of recent Callier recordings, remixed by the cream of the current UK and European scene – all as proof of how great this format is when applied to Callier's work. Titles include "Monuments Of Mars (Hopper mix)", "Running Around (Fug city mix)", "Love Theme From Spartacus (4 Hero No Skins mix)", "Sierra Leone (Block 16 mix)", "Darker Than A Shadow (Mitchell & Dewbury mix)", "Love Theme (Zero 7 rmx)", "Imagine A Nation (Funky Lowlives mix)", and "Just My Imagination (Tom Findlay & Keeling Lee mix)". CD

The cover's a bit creepy, but the album's still plenty great – old school Cameo still strongly in a funk-based mode, before some of the stiffer grooves of their later years! Bass is the ruler of the set – and most tracks here vamp around in a very heavy P-Funk style of groove – lots of guitar dancing around the rhythms, and plenty of spoken/sung vocals from the whole ensemble – not to mention a heavy dose of keyboards that helps keep things clean and lean! A partyful album if there ever was one – with tracks that include "Soul Army", "Enjoy Your Life", "Flirt", "Secrets Of Time", "I Owe It All To You", and "For You". CD

A great 80s groove from Cameo – but one that's still done in the group's best early funk ensemble mode! There's maybe a bit more emphasis on the basslines and keyboards than before, but the sound of the music is still wonderfully full and spontaneous – very much in keeping with the warmly collaborative look of the group on the cover, who really sound like they're having a hell of a lot of fun making the record! The rhythms have a razor-sharpness that just about nobody else can touch – and there's all these cool little instrumental flourishes that sneak into the mix and really keep things interesting – odd sounds on familiar instruments, moogy moments on keyboards, and even some vocal inflections that come as a nice surprise. There's two nice mellow cuts – "Feel Me" and "Is This The Way", which have a sweetly compressed harmony sound on the lyrics – and funky numbers include "Better Days", "Keep It Hot", "Roller Skates", and "Is This The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A real rarity in West Coast jazz – originally issued as a very obscure Blue Note session recorded on the west coast in the mid 50s – released as 2 10" LPs, and billed as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather, but featuring some of Blue Note's only west coast jazz sessions of the 50s! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include Conte Candoli, Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Mariano, Howard Roberts, Marty Paich, and others – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's very much in the spirit of some of the best west coast work for labels like Pacific Jazz or Capitol at the time! This CD reissue includes both of the original 10" albums on one set – along with much-needed notes on the players. Titles include "Santa Anita", "Culver City", "Burbank Bounce", "Arcadia", "Here's Pete", "Santa Monica", and "Blindfold Test No 1". CD

A brilliant tribute to one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of the 50s – featuring 3 full albums of material, plus some bonus tracks as well! Conte Candoli is a name that's appeared on countless sessions as a sideman or studio player, but here, Conte really sparkles as a leader – setting fire amidst some great small group lineups that include the players Bill Holman, Lou Levy, Lawrence Marable, Leroy Vinnegar, Max Bennett, Stan Levey, and Ira Sullivan. The set features material from 2 Bethlehem albums by Conte – Sincerely Conte and Powerhouse Trumpet – plus an Atlantic album, West Coast Wailers – and a rare 78rpm session for the Chicago-based Chance label, and a few additional tunes from a New York session in 1956 with Hank Jones! Conte's never sounded better – and with all this material in one place, the 2CD set is a great bargain overall. 30 tracks in all – with titles that include "Mambo Junior", "Flamingo", "TNT", "Thank You Judge", "Comes Love", "Tune For Tex", "Fine & Dandy", "Night Flight", "Toot Sweet", "Jazz City Blues", "Four", "Groovin Higher", "Lover Man", "Pete's Alibi", "Cheremoya", and "Jordu". CD

A treasure trove of west coast jazz work from the mid 50s – one that features a number of unusual sessions! First off, the set includes 4 tracks that were initially recorded under the leadership of Shorty Rogers, most likely for RCA – and featuring players that include Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Jimmy Giuffre, and Pete Jolly – on titles that include the Giuffre originals "Safari", "Ballade", and "Scarf Dance". Next up are 15 tracks from the rare Best From The West 10" jazz LPs for Blue Note – originally billed as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather, and some of the label's only west coast jazz sessions of the 50s! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include Conte Candoli, Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Mariano, Howard Roberts, Marty Paich, and others – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's very much in the spirit of some of the best west coast work for labels like Pacific Jazz or Capitol at the time! This CD reissue includes both of the original 10" albums on one set – along with much-needed notes on the players. Titles include "Santa Anita", "Culver City", "Burbank Bounce", "Arcadia", "Here's Pete", "Santa Monica", and "Blindfold Test No 1". The set then features 9 more tracks from sine 1957 sessions produced by Howard Lucraft, also done as a study in West Coast jazz – featuring compositions by Lucraft that include "Smog A La Mode", "Jazz For Gene", "Larrisa", and "California Zephyr – played by 3 different groups of players that include Bud Shank, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson, Frank Rosolino, Charlie Mariano, and Buddy Collette. Last up are 4 more tunes from a 1955 session that features Stu Williamson, Herb Geller, Jack Montrose, and Bob Gordon – on tracks that include "Id", "I'm Forever Counting Geigers", and "Skip To Me Loot". 38 tracks in all – with full notes on the sessions and players! CD

The full scope of genius from the legendary Alvin Cash – not just his 60s gritty groovers, but a host of later funk tracks as well – all packaged into a beautiful book-styled package! Cash is one of our favorite Chicago artists ever – a dancer by trade, but a flamboyant personality who always managed to make his way center stage – whether live or in the recording studio! The set begins with early "twine" numbers from Alvin – some romping heavy soul tracks that have a very deep bottom, and a raw sound that's equal part R&B and Chicago soul – definitely tuned towards the dancefloor crowd that was a natural fit for Cash's energy. As the set moves on, it then picks up some wicked late 60s singles for the Toddlin Town label, and also includes some excellent early 70s groovers for Sound Stage Seven – some of Alvin's hardest, heaviest numbers ever. The set features work by Alvin Cash with The Registers, Hundred Dollar Bills, The Crawlers, and Scott Brothers Orchestra – and titles include "Keep On Dancing (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky 69", "Moanin & Groanin", "Doin The Creep", "It's Party Time", "Funky Washing Machine", "Alvin's Doin His Thing", "Funky Street", "Doin The Ali Shuffle", "Whip It On Me", "The Charge", "Boston Monkey", "The Philly Freeze", "Alvin's Boogaloo", "Let's Do Some Good Timing", "The Bump", "Twine Time", "Twine Awhile", "The Barracuda", and "You Shot Me Through The Grease". CD

A book that's as lively as the image on the cover – one that traces the role of drums and percussion in the music of New Orleans – following a legacy that runs from the 19th century all the way up to contemporary sounds as well! If you know the sounds of Nola, you know that the drum is the key – and that because of the city's placement as a crossroads of culture, New Orleans helped create all sorts of new grooves, from the early years of jazz up through more contemporary soul and hip hop as well. The book is square, almost like a record cover – and is filled with images of both instruments and players – as it traces a long legacy that begins in Congo Square, then runs through improvised percussion experiments, early jazz, then blues, funk, soul, and later styles as well. Book is hardcover, 227 pages, with images throughout. Book

A fresh new chapter of the long legacy of drummer Joe Chambers – a key instrumental force in the hipper reaches of the Blue Note label in the late 60s, but an artist who seems to finally be catching up with his own work as a leader after all these years! Joe is every bit as wonderful here as on his famous recordings, and his more recent dates for Blue Note – a wonderfully inventive percussionist, and an inherently rhythmic player who's got this ability to spin sounds out in all these different directions, yet always make things feel wonderfully unified too. His group on the set has excellent vibes from Michael Davidson, almost recalling Joe's work with Bobby Hutcherson – and other players include Caoilainn Power on alto, Andres Vial on piano, Eli Miller Maboungou on ngoma drums, and Ira Coleman on bass. Titles include "Dance Kobina", "Intermezzo", "Gazelle Suite", "City Of Saints", "Moon Dance", "Power To The People", and "Caravanserai". CD

A fresh new chapter of the long legacy of drummer Joe Chambers – a key instrumental force in the hipper reaches of the Blue Note label in the late 60s, but an artist who seems to finally be catching up with his own work as a leader after all these years! Joe is every bit as wonderful here as on his famous recordings, and his more recent dates for Blue Note – a wonderfully inventive percussionist, and an inherently rhythmic player who's got this ability to spin sounds out in all these different directions, yet always make things feel wonderfully unified too. His group on the set has excellent vibes from Michael Davidson, almost recalling Joe's work with Bobby Hutcherson – and other players include Caoilainn Power on alto, Andres Vial on piano, Eli Miller Maboungou on ngoma drums, and Ira Coleman on bass. Titles include "Dance Kobina", "Intermezzo", "Gazelle Suite", "City Of Saints", "Moon Dance", "Power To The People", and "Caravanserai". CD

Drummer Joe Chambers never records much as a leader – but every time he does, the album really turns out to be something special! That's definitely the case with this early 90s session for Candid Records – a date that recalls the brooding intensity that Joe brought to some of his late 60s dates for Blue Note as a sideman, carried out here on a set of tunes and concepts that are all Chambers' own – and given great life by a lineup that features Bob Berg on tenor, Philip Harper on trumpet, George Cables on piano, and Santi Debriano on bass! Berg is at his moodiest here – a great reminder of that side of his talents – and titles include "For Miles", "El Gaucho", "Phantom Of The City", "In & Out", and "Fun". CD

Wicked funk from Chocolate Milk – and a set that perfectly combines their deep New Orleans roots with the tighter sound the Crescent City was brewing up in the mid 70s! The group work closely here with producer Allen Toussaint – and really show that stronger use of studio technology that Toussaint was perfecting at the time – a mode used famously in work for bigger artists, but which is totally perfect here to bring an even greater focus to the sound of the group! There's loads of sharp-stepping basslines and drums at the bottom, mixed with a cool compressed sound at the top – a way of being a bit smooth, yet still pretty darn funky all the way through. The mellower cuts are especially great – never sleepy, but slow grooving in a really badass way – and titles include "Comin", "Do Onto Others", "Starbright", "Feel the Need", and "Something New". LP, Vinyl record album

Robert Christgau is one of the coolest music writers of all time – a hugely important force for decades, through his work in the Village Voice – where he helped shape acceptance and understanding of generations of new sounds – and a contributor to other publications and broadcast outlets, where his voice is always one of the smartest in the room! And while we've always dug what Christgau has to say about other folks, it's also pretty great to read his own story, too – a life spent living in New York, where his path crossed countless other cultural figures and moments, apart from the music and musicians you might expect. This volume focuses mostly on his youth, his growth on the New York scene of the 60s, and his role in the 70s – and the book is softcover, 366 pages. Book