There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! CD

Miles Davis makes the electric transition – in this groundbreaking set from the late 60s! The classic mid 60s quintet is still in place here – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – but the sound is looser, freer, and more spacious – often echoing some of the rhythmic concerns that would dominate Miles' music in a few more years, but without as much of a bombastic sound. Williams' drums are amazing – fierce one minute, then fading the next – and Herbie Hancock's use of both electric and acoustic piano really points at his own directions in coming years. George Benson plays one one track – "Paraphernalia" – introducing electric guitar to the Miles Davis sound – and other long tracks on the set include "Stuff", "Black Comedy", and "Country Son". CD features 2 bonus alternate takes of "Black Comedy" and "Country Son". CD

A huge chapter of work from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – one that not only includes their own albums for the ECM label, but also related solo and side projects too! The set begins with four Art Ensemble albums – Nice Guys, Full Force, Urban Bushman, and The Third Decade – all of which came out as a statement of the group's strengths in the late 70s and early 80s – their first mainstream appearance after a few years of being very underground, and material that helped set a whole new standard for avant jazz expression in the generation to come! Next is the fantastic album Divine Love, by trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – not necessarily an Art Ensemble album, but one that does feature great work from trumpeter Leo Smith – plus trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, bassist Charlie Haden, and vibist Bobby Naughton. Next are four albums by Lester Bowie – two smaller group, and two with his Brass Fantasy ensemble – the records The Great Pretender, All The Magic/The One & Only, I Only Have Eyes For You, and Avant Pop. Then, after Bowie's early passing, the Art Ensemble recorded their beautiful Tribute To Lester – as a trio lineup with Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors, and Don Moye. Mitchell takes the helm next – on a surprisingly big flurry of projects for ECM – records that often show a deeper compositional strand in his music – on records that include Nine To Get Ready, Composition/Improvisation, Far Side, Bells For The South Side, and Boustrophedon – the last of which was led by Evan Parker, with Mitchell in the Transatlantic Art Ensemble. Last up are three records by drummer Jack DeJohnette for ECM – New Directions and New Directions In Europe, both featuring a group with Lester Bowie on trumpet – and Made In Chicago, which features Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Threadgill, and Muhal Ricard Abrams. Recordings were made between 1978 and 2015 – and comes in a box set with a big booklet of notes! CD

The first solo album from John Cale – and a record that's about as different a statement as he could have made from his previous work in the Velvet Underground! There's an approach here in both the songwriting and instrumentation that's instantly Cale-like – sounds that have a knowledge of all the newer ideas that have been brewing up in the underground throughout the 60s – both in rock and more "serious" forms of art music – yet a way of putting over the tunes with undeniable charm, and which have Cale rising to the forefront as a surprisingly strong lead. A few steps further, and John might well have been a compelling crossover pop singer with a record like this – yet it's also his way of holding back that really makes things interesting – especially given all the different directions his career would take in the next few years – all hinted at here, but hidden in some surprisingly tuneful songs. Titles include "Ghost Story", "Amsterdam", "Charlemagne", "Hello There", "Gideon's Bible", "Adelaide", "Cleo", and "Big White Cloud". CD

Two jazz rock classics – back to back as a 2CD set! Solar Plexus was a pivotal album in the career of British jazzman Ian Carr – one that had him really opening up into some trippy, spacey grooves – adding in a lot of keyboards, kicking up the grooves, yet still never losing the strong jazzy finish that was the best part of his earlier work. Players on the set include trumpeters Harry Beckett and Kenny Wheeler, guitarist Chris Spedding, and keyboardist Karl Jekins, who really throws in some groovy lines on the set! Titles include "Elements 1 & 2", "Snakehips Dream", "Torso", "Spirit Level", and "Bedrock Deadlock". Belladonna is one of the heaviest electric sets from UK trumpeter Ian Carr – and that's really saying a lot, given how much heavy work he cut with his group Nucleus! The sound here is a groundbreaking mix of acoustic horns and keyboards – trumpet from Carr, and a mix of tenor, soprano, alto, and flute from Brian Smith – coming into contact with the Fender Rhodes of Dave MacRae and the Hohner electric of Gordon Beck! The pairing of keys is wonderful – and the whole thing is sewn together by the guitar of a young Allan Holdsworth, who's very much in the sway of Carr's sound here, instead of the later directions he'd take as a leader. The set might be worth it alone for the massive "Summer Rain" – a slow funk track that trips along beautifully – but the whole thing's great, and other titles include "Belladonna", "Mayday", "Suspension", and "Hector's House". CD

A package without much in the way of notes, but which includes some really killer work from the great Don Cherry – some of his famous French recordings done for the BYG/Actuel label at the end of the 60s, and which really helped point the way towards all the directions he'd take in the 70s! The music is a strong bridge between the more avant styles he was recording at Blue Note, and some of the global experiments he was beginning to do overseas – served up here with help from Ed Blackwell and Okay Temiz on percussion, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Cherry on pocket trumpet, flute, piano, and other instruments. Titles include "Bamboo Night", "Blue Lake", "Amejelo", "East (parts 1 & 2)", "Orient (Part 1)", and "Smiling Faces Going Places". CD

A really unusual album from Rosemary Clooney – recorded with lush backings from Nelson Riddle, in a style that gets past the lighter mode of earlier years! Clooney really opens up in Riddle's company – and hits a mature, adult mode that almost points the way towards directions Morgana King would take in later years. The tunes are all extremely well-chosen – and even the older numbers seem to have a more contemporary feel here, thanks to Riddle's unified arrangements throughout – an overall approach that avoids the "fast then slow then fast" mode that sometimes kept other Clooney albums from sounding like more serious vocal efforts. Titles include "Invitation", "I Wish It So", "Yours Sincerely", "Find The Way", "If I Forget You", "More Than You Know", and "Why Shouldn't I". CD

A long-awaited addition to the Miles Davis electric catalog – and a package that features over 4 hours of newly-discovered music! The 6CD set documents 4 nights of performance by Miles at the Cellar Door in Washington DC – recorded in December of 1970, and featuring a mindblowing group that includes Gary Bartz on soprano and alto sax, Keith Jarrett on Fender Rhodes and organ, Airto on percussion, Michael Henderson on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and a bit of guitar from John McLaughlin on the last 2 CDs. There's a really hard and heavy feel here that's steeped in rock and soul influences – and the package is even more amazing, considering how little work has been offered from this unique point in Davis' career. Presentation of the material is in the same high standards as other Miles Davis boxes on Sony – with a 96 page book with notes and reflections by each band member, and a whopping 6 CDs of music, featuring mostly really long takes on the tunes! Titles include "Directions", "What'd I Say", "Honky Tonk", "Sanctuary", "Improvisation #3", "Inamorata", "It's About That Time", and "Yesternow". CD

Collects material from Seven Steps To Heaven, Quiet Nights, Miles Davis In Europe, My Funny Valentine, Four & More, Miles In Tokyo, and Miles In Berlin – plus tracks that appeared on Directions and other compilations as well as plenty of previously unissued material. CD

Miles Davis makes the electric transition – in this groundbreaking set from the late 60s! The classic mid 60s quintet is still in place here – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – but the sound is looser, freer, and more spacious – often echoing some of the rhythmic concerns that would dominate Miles' music in a few more years, but without as much of a bombastic sound. Williams' drums are amazing – fierce one minute, then fading the next – and Herbie Hancock's use of both electric and acoustic piano really points at his own directions in coming years. George Benson plays one one track – "Paraphernalia" – introducing electric guitar to the Miles Davis sound – and other long tracks on the set include "Stuff", "Black Comedy", and "Country Son". CD

Haunting western work from Francesco De Masi – a film score that mixes nice bits of electric guitar and bass in with the larger orchestrations! A number of tracks here also used some great harmonica, too – very much in the best Morricone-styled sound of the period, but warmed up in different directions by some of De Masi's string-based backdrops. The main theme – "Seven Men" – is a doozy – and other tracks include "The Pursuit", "To Durango", "The Massacre", "Stagecoach Attack", "The Night Attack", "Bandits", and "The Man Without A Home". Great Japanese pressing – with 22 tracks in all! CD

A beautiful take on the Zodiac Suite composed by Mary Lou Williams – one that has the same mix of piano and larger arrangements as her initial performance, but which takes the tones and colors in some much different directions overall! The core of the set has Aaron Diehl on piano, in the trio of David Wong on bass and Aaron Kimmel on drums – but there's some beautiful larger arrangements that really flesh out the sound in a wonderful way – with performances from Nicole Glover on tenor, Brandon Lee on trumpet, and Mikaela Bennett on soprano sax – all ringing out beautifully next to Diehl's work on the keys, which maybe have more sensitivity here than we've ever heard before! As with the original, the work features twelve parts, each divided up into a sign of the zodiac – "Cancer", "Libra", "Scorpio", and so on. CD

A landmark album from the mighty Bob Dylan – a 2LP set of studio work, which was quite rare at the time – and a set that has Dylan stretching out all his creative powers in newly different directions! The album had a long genesis in the studio – some early work with The Band, then Dylan breaking off with Al Kooper and Robbie Robertson to head down to Nashville – where they interacted with key country session musicians to make this masterful blend of music – work that's not country at all, but which is also moving past Dylan's folk roots too – with a blend of music that still as mindblowing today as it was back in the mid 60s! This is definitely one of those double-length sets that makes fantastic use of all the extra space – overflowing with gems that include "Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35", "Visions Of Johanna", "Pledging My Time", "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again", "Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat", and "Just Like A Woman". CD

A real standout in the career of guitarist Grant Green – and that's really saying a lot, as every one of his albums is pretty darn special! The set's a trio date, but it's very different than the mode that Grant was using just a few years before – as it's an early pairing with organist Larry Young, and both players take off in all these really wonderful new directions – working with just the drums of Elvin Jones for accompaniment, a player whose Coltrane-trained sense of rhythm brings Green and Young to the height of their early powers! The songs are open and loose, and the set includes two killer early Young compositions – "Talkin About JC" and "Luny Tune" – plus takes on "People", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

Killer Cali work from the start of the 70s – served up by a group who clearly learned the sharper sides of the Sunset Strip scene of the time, but who also soar out here with a style that's definitely reaching for new directions too! The record's nice and lean overall – touches of psych and hard rock guitar, but never in the way of the vocals – which are often harmonized between the group's two male singers, in a way that makes the whole thing a lot more special and expansive than some more typical garagey sort of record! Titles include "It's Got To Be", "Na-Na", "Funny", "Late To My Resurrection", "Stone Sassy Fox", "The Human Zoo", "The Time Was Over", and "When Papa Started Drinking". CD

Subtitled "New Directions In Garage Music", this was the second album of Prince-blessed funky instrumental tracks from Eric Leeds and the Madhouse combo. The sound is pure 80s Paisley Park, with a groove that's more enduring than you'd expect, and some horn and keyboard solos that rock out wildly on top of the electro rhythms of the backing tracks. Titles include "9", "10", "11", and so on! CD

A seminal set from Max Roach – the start of his more righteous stretch in jazz, as you might guess from the title of the album! At some level, the record's got a bit of the feel of the post-Clifford Brown Mercury years from Roach – but at another, it's stretching out towards the directions Max would explore fully on the Candid, Impulse, and Fantasy labels in the 60s – an approach to hardbop that often really pushes its limits – not content to simply set up solos for the players, and instead moving with a much more forceful energy overall! Group members include Booker Little on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor, Ray Draper on tuba, and Art Davis on bass – and the lack of a piano makes for a very exciting sound! The album's got 2 great originals by Bill Lee – "Jodie's Cha Cha" and "Deeds Not Words" – plus Draper's classic "Filide", and the groundbreaking "Conversation" – a very cool solo by Roach on the drums! CD also features the bonus track "There Will Never Be Another You" – with Oscar Pettiford on bass instead of Davis. CD

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause". CD

An amazing live performance from Sonny Rollins – one we'd rank right up there with his legendary Village Vanguard recordings on Blue Note – thanks to its stripped-down trio presentation, and its ability to let Rollins open up in some wonderfully modern tones! As with the Vanguard sides, these tracks feature a superb trio – Henry Grimes on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – both wonderfully loose players, at the start of a budding legacy of creativity – and well-matched with Rollins, whose really changing his sound and style, and using the open space of the performance to move in directions that nobody would have expected at the start of the decade. Most tracks are standards, but really transformed – and titles include "Paul's Pal", "St Thomas", "There Will Never Be Another You", "Stay As Sweet As You Are", "How High The Moon", "Oleo", and "I've Told Every Little Star". CD

An album inspired by the legendary John Coltrane album Live At The Village Vanguard Again – but a set that takes off in very individual directions, thanks to the spirit of the players! The group's led by pianist Jamie Saft – who's drawing strong energy from Alice Coltrane on the record – especially in the way he effortlessly lays out these dark lines that have a calming presence amidst the more ferocious horn work from Joe McPhee on alto and tenor – that balance that both Mr and Mrs Coltrane could share at their best. Joe Morris provides some of the rounded, most soulful bass we've heard in years – and drums are by Charles Downs, who easily leaps between free moments and bolder rhythmic progressions. Titles include "Beyond Days", "Simplicity Of Man", "Leaves Of Certain", and "A Backward King". CD

A stellar collection of work from the legendary Brunswick Records – put together with the special vibe of the Free Soul series! The tunes here are upbeat and soaring – not club or disco, but earlier soul numbers that sparkle with this sort of positive energy – a vibe that's very much the best side of the Brunswick Records approach of the late 60s and early 70s – as the imprint picked up Chicago soul, and gave it a whole new sort of groove! Yet not all this work is Chicago-based, despite the title – and the set's got a really nice range of Brunswick cuts that includes 'We Need Love" by The Directions, "Loveland" by The Lost Generation, "Broken Home" by Ben Monroe, "It Only Happens When I Look At You" by Jackie Wilson, "When Temptation Comes" by The Chi-Lites, "Following You" by Dana Valery, "Here Is A Heart" by Ginji James, "I Always Wanted To Be In The Band" by Step By Step, and "Love The One You're With" by Herman. 24 tracks – and over 80 minutes of music! CD

A treasure trove of Nuggets from the LA Scene – fantastic material from a far reaching line up of gritty garage rockers, sunshine pop tunesmiths, psychedelic groovers, trippy psyche folk and much more – masterfully collected on 4 discs by the box set geniuses at Rhino! With such a diverse catalog to mine, the CDs are divided surprisingly well, and like other Nuggets comps, it's a great way to intro a ton of obscurities, while still including bigger hits that deserve to be remembered. Packaged in a beautiful 48 page book with essays, artist commentaries, tons of great photos, and even a 60s LA club guide! Disc one On The Strip includes: "Riot On The Sunset Strip" by The Standells, "Gentle As It May Seem" by Iron Butterfly, "Take A Giant Step" by The Guilloteens, "Tripmaker" by The Seeds, "Girl In Your Eye" by Sprit, "Eventually" by Peanut Butter Conspiracy and many more. Disc two The Studio Scene includes: "Action, Action, Action" by Keith Allison, "The Rebel Kind" by Dino, Desi & Billy, "Yellow Balloon" by Yellow Balloon, "Montage Mirror" Roger Nichols Trio, "Don't Say No" by The Oracle, "Baby, Please Don't Go" by Ballroom and lots more. Disc three Beyond The City includes: "Jump, Jive & Harmonies" by Thee Midnighters, "She Done Moved" by The Spats, "Underground Lady" by Kim Fowley, "Our Time Is Running Out" by The Yellow Payges and many more. Disc four New Directions has 3 previously unreleased tracks: "Sit Down I Think I Love You" by Stephen Stills & Richie Furay, "Words" (demo) by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, and "Once Upon A Time" by Tim Buckley; plus "November Night" by Peter Fonda, "Marshmallow Skies" by Rick Nelson. "You Set The Scene" by Love and many more. 101 songs on 4CDs! CD

Magnificent music from Atomic – a set that begins with a set of variations on the "Pet Sounds" theme from Brian Wilson – then takes off into some great directions inspired by the music of Steve Lacy, Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley, and Edgar Varese! Atomic are always fantastic – way more than the sum of their parts, which is a top-shelf quintet lineup that includes Fredrik Ljungkvist on saxes and clarinet, Magnus Broo on trumpet, Havard Wilk on piano, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass, and Hans Hulbaekmo on drums – mostly players you'll know from our rave reviews of their other music here on these pages, but who always seem to really reach new heights together as a group! There's a sense of energy here that's wonderful – structure balanced with freedom, group performance balanced with individualism – spread out over inventive performances of "Pet Sounds", "Karin's Mode", "Art", "Walking Woman", "Cry Want", "Un Grand Sommeil Noir", and "Inri". CD

Four sides of noisy, funky, stretched-out playing from Miles Davis – recorded at the Fillmore West, but with an intensity that matches some of Miles' crazy electric recordings from Japan during the early 70s! The music is a powerful blast of music that stretches out over the double-length set of the package – with a style that moves from heavy-duty avant playing, then back to more mellow grooving, then kicks it out nice and hard again – a heavy dose of rock mixed in with the fusion, but still plenty jazzy throughout. In all, the record is probably one of the most heavy-duty that the Miles electric group recorded in the 70s – and the lineup on the set features Steve Grossman on saxes, Chick Corea on electric piano, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto on percussion. Tracks include "Spanish Key", "Directions", "Masqualero", "It's About That Time", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Bitches Brew", "Willie Nelson", and "Sanctuary". CD

A massively expanded version of a landmark album – and fantastic glimpse of recordings that went on to form the legendary 2LP record that opened up a whole new electric world for Miles Davis – and which also yielded a huge amount of wonderful tracks that never made it onto the original release! The lineup here is the stuff of legends – Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Joe Zawinul on keyboards – plus Wayne Shorter on saxes, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all working with Miles in some very new directions in jazz! CD

One of the most formative periods of Miles Davis' career, with lots of new ideas taking shape – including Fender Rhodes from Herbie Hancock, guitar from George Benson and Joe Beck, and plenty of great tenor from Wayne Shorter, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Tony Williams! Includes material that appeared on the albums Miles Smiles, ESP, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, Water Babies, Miles In The Sky, and Filles De Kilimanjaro – as well as unreleased tracks, alternates, and material that showed up on Directions and Circle In The Round. CD

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! CD

Previously-unreleased live work by one of Miles Davis' most important groups ever – a Bitches Brew-era lineup, playing live at the Fillmore East a month before the record was released to the public – which makes this performance one of the first times the world had ever heard jams like this! The group's heavy on rhythm here – a rumbling groove brought up from the bottom, courtesy of the drums of Jack Dejohnette, basses of Dave Holland, and percussion of Airto – sewn together beautifully by the Fender Rhodes work of Chick Corea – easily some of the noisiest sounds the instrument ever produced! Miles plays trumpet, and Wayne Shorter's on soprano and tenor sax – on titles that include "Directions", "Spanish Key", "Masqualero", "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Bitches Brew", and "It's About That Time/Willie Nelson". CD

A massive moment for Miles Davis – legendary live performances at both the Fillmore East and Fillmore West from 1970 – presented here in their entirety for the first time ever! Part of the record features Miles' work that appeared in edited form on the Miles Davis At Fillmore record – but issued here without the edits, so that you can really hear the group take off in unbridled, Bitches Brew-like energy – served up by a lineup that includes Steve Grossman on tenor and soprano sax, Chick Corea on Fender Rhodes, Keith Jarrett on organ, Dave Holland on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto on percussion and flute. The set then also includes material recorded in April at the Fillmore West – but all unissued tracks, and not the material that was on the Black Beauty album at all. These tracks feature a similar lineup, but without Keith Jarrett – on a few long tracks. The set separates out all the tunes with great clarity and better mastering than before – and adds 100 minutes to the Fillmore East set. Titles include "Directions", "The Mask", "It's About That Time", "Bitches Brew", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Footprints", "Paraphernalia", "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Willie Nelson", and "The Theme". CD

A record that hardly seems like workin at all, given the ease with which the group lays down the music – especially trumpeter Miles Davis, whose work here is like magic – and tenorist John Coltrane, who was really coming into his own with this recording! The set's one of a handful from this famous pair, and features superb rhythm accompaniment from Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a standard-setting group who know how to come in when needed, then lay back and let Miles and Trane run in their own directions The album's got well-deserved classic status in modern jazz – and titles include two takes on the group's famous "The Theme", plus "It Never Entered My Mind", "Four", "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Trane's Blues", "Ahmad's Blues", and "Half Nelson". CD

A record that hardly seems like workin at all, given the ease with which the group lays down the music – especially trumpeter Miles Davis, whose work here is like magic – and tenorist John Coltrane, who was really coming into his own with this recording! The set's one of a handful from this famous pair, and features superb rhythm accompaniment from Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a standard-setting group who know how to come in when needed, then lay back and let Miles and Trane run in their own directions The album's got well-deserved classic status in modern jazz – and titles include two takes on the group's famous "The Theme", plus "It Never Entered My Mind", "Four", "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Trane's Blues", "Ahmad's Blues", and "Half Nelson". CD

A Sugar Hill party in one sweet little package – 2CDs worth of music that features some of the biggest hits from the Grandmaster Flash generation, plus a few surprising bits from later years too! The package features a whopping 23 tracks in all – one disc that mostly hovers around the early Sugar Hill years, and another that takes off a bit in different directions. Cuts include "Freedom", "New York New York", "Scorpio", "The Message", "It's Nasty", and "Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five; "Internationally Known", "We Don't Work For Free", and "Beat Street" by Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five; "Showdown" by Furious Five Meets Sugarhill Gang, "Flash To The Beat" by Grandmaster Flash, "Message II" by Melle Mel & Duke Bootee, "White Lines" by Grandmaster & Melle Mel, "World War III" by Melle Mel, "Step Off" by The Furious Five, "Sign Of The Times" and "Vice" by Grandmaster Flash. CD

A great return to the limelight for reedman Charles Lloyd – heard here in one of his most open, expressive settings in years – with all the best exotic touches of his famous early years still very much intact! Lloyd plays tenor and flute, plus a bit of Chinese oboe as well – an instrument that really underscores some of the more inventive qualities in his music, and which works well with some of the modal energies in the set. The great Michel Perucciani makes a key appearance here on piano – and shades the tunes with a sensitive sound that also helps Lloyd find the new directions he'd take strongly in years to come – and the remaining group features Palle Danielsson on bass and Son Ship Theus on drums. Bobby McFerrin sings in a few spots, but at a level that's hipper than his hits – and titles include "Lotus Land", "Lady Day", "Of Course Of Course", "Night Blooming Jasmine", and "El Encanto". CD

Great remixes from Monday Michiru's Routes album – and a set that really continues her strong tradition of collaboration with some of the hippest talents of the underground! As with some of our favorite Michiru remixes from years back, the tracks here are more re-imaginations or re-recordings of her music than anything else – hardly just new beats or keyboards added into the mix, and often versions that have the tunes taken in rich new directions – always with the soulful, positive energy we love in Monday's originals. Collaborators include Part Time Heroes, Jephte Guillame, and Carlos Mena – and titles include "The Right Time (Yellowtail rmx)", "Hung Up (PTH sprung up mix)", "You Don't Know (feat Part Time Heroes)", "Philosophy Road (PTH hideout mix)", "The Right Time (Jephte's tet kale mix)", and "Don't (Casamena backyard mix)". CD

Wonderful guitar work from John Scofield – awash in those warm chromatic tones that make his work from this period so great – set up in a sweet trio with Steve Swallow on electric bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums! The sound has a nice sort of focus – still some of the ethereal moments of other Scofield work of the 70s, but often a bit tighter too – grooving in ways that slightly hint at John's move towards funkier styles in the 90s, yet delivered on long tracks with plenty of open-ended playing, too. Titles include "Miss Directions", "Out Like A Light", "Holidays", "Last Week", and "Melinda". CD

Beautiful early work from Weather Report – one of the finest statements ever uttered by group, and a set that's got a bit more soul and warmth than their first album! The lineup's changed slightly at this point – still Wayne Shorter on reeds, Joe Zawinul on keyboards, and Miroslav Vitous on bass – but Eric Gravatt has replaced Alphonse Mouzon on drums, and Dom Um Romao's taken over for Airto on percussion – giving the record an even earthier feel at times! Despite the sci-fi promise of the title and cover image, the electronics are toned down slightly for this record – making for a set that's sometimes more personal, yet which also explodes with a new sense of majesty on some of the fuller tracks. The latter of these add in some extra horns and a few singers – used sparingly, but beautifully – and titles include "Unknown Soldier", "The Moors", "Crystal", "Surucucu", and "Directions". CD

The groundbreaking first album from Weather Report – a massive session that took fusion to a whole new level for the 70s! Most of the players here had been associated with Miles Davis at some point in the year or two beforehand – and Miles' electric work is definitely a starting point for this group – but they quickly flow off in whole new directions, thanks to the mighty legacy of their own talents on previous records! The group features an intense lineup with Wayne Shorter on saxes, Joe Zawinul on keyboards, Miroslav Vitous on bass, Alphonse Mouzon on drums, and Airto on percussion – all coming together in a groove that's often incredibly raw and free – with plenty of sharp electronic bits from Zawinul crackling under the acoustic elements in the music. The sound is still quite revolutionary all these years later – and titles include "Tears", "Eurydice", "Orange Lady", "Umbrellas", and "Milky Way". CD

A huge look at the Liverpool scene in the UK – but one that doesn't focus on the generation of the Beatles and Brit Invasion groups – and instead brings some great attention to the city's contribution to the post-punk years and beyond! The package is tremendous – 100 songs in a huge booklet of notes – tracing an evolution from the late 70s years, when Liverpool was as creative and fervent of a scene as other North England territories, like Manchester and Sheffield – but also one that could quickly develop some tuneful aspects too, which no doubt helped the rest of the UK music scene of the 80s find a way to expand in some great global directions! Throughout the whole time covered here, there's a great tension between experimentation and commercial success – one that's covered beautifully by the many tracks in the collection, and also documented in the hefty notes within. There's far too many tracks here for us to list – but let us say that the package is overflowing with work by artists as diverse as Dalek I, The Wild Swans, China Crisis, Pink Industry, Care, Box Of Toys, Deaf School, Big In Japan, Pale Fountains, Icicle Works, Dead Or Alive, The Lotus Eaters, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Mr Amir, Brenda & The Beach Balls, Jegsy Dodd & The Sons Of Harry Cross, The La's, Jactars, Magic Carpets, Barbel, The Walking Seeds, Thomas Lang, Ministry Of Love, Nightmares In Wax, OMD, The Planets, Spitfire Boys, Geisha Girls, Royal Family & The Poor, Public Disgrace, It's Immaterial, The Balcony, The Yachts, Teardrop Explodes, Original Mirrors, The Press Gang, Moderates, Egypt For Now, Those Naughty Lumps, Flock Of Seagulls, Freeze Frame, Echo & The Bunnymen, and many more! CD

A landmark album from the mighty Bob Dylan – a 2LP set of studio work, which was quite rare at the time – and a set that has Dylan stretching out all his creative powers in newly different directions! The album had a long genesis in the studio – some early work with The Band, then Dylan breaking off with Al Kooper and Robbie Robertson to head down to Nashville – where they interacted with key country session musicians to make this masterful blend of music – work that's not country at all, but which is also moving past Dylan's folk roots too – with a blend of music that still as mindblowing today as it was back in the mid 60s! This is definitely one of those double-length sets that makes fantastic use of all the extra space – overflowing with gems that include "Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35", "Visions Of Johanna", "Pledging My Time", "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again", "Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat", and "Just Like A Woman". CD

An album of explosive power and imagination from Don Ellis – a set that shows him very firmly shaking off the more academic mode of earlier years, and heading into hipper, more youth-oriented directions! The group's still a bit band on most numbers – but it's one with a lean, well-crafted sound that's not really big band jazz, and which also features some elements of later soundtrack scoring. Players on the date are all great – and include Frank Strozier, John Klemmer, and Ira Schulman on saxes – plus Pete Robinson on clavinet, piano, and electric piano! The set begins with the beautiful extended "Variations For Trumpet" – a suite-type number that has plenty of great colors from Ellis, plus loads of other horn work too. Other titles include "Indian Lady", "Pussy Wiggle Stomp", "Scratt & Fluggs", and "Child Of Ecstasy". CD

A real standout in the career of guitarist Grant Green – and that's really saying a lot, as every one of his albums is pretty darn special! The set's a trio date, but it's very different than the mode that Grant was using just a few years before – as it's an early pairing with organist Larry Young, and both players take off in all these really wonderful new directions – working with just the drums of Elvin Jones for accompaniment, a player whose Coltrane-trained sense of rhythm brings Green and Young to the height of their early powers! The songs are open and loose, and the set includes two killer early Young compositions – "Talkin About JC" and "Luny Tune" – plus takes on "People", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

The sticks are up, and Bobby Hutcherson is at the top of his game – hitting a whole new groove here in this sublime session of modal numbers for Blue Note – a slightly warmer set than his more modern albums of the "new thing" years, and a great indication of the directions he'd take in the 70s! Bobby's vibes are set up wonderfully here in a quintet that includes Joe Henderson on tenor sax, McCoy Tyner on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all players who bring key elements to the groove. Tyner's got an obvious ear for the modal rhythms that Hutcherson's heading for; Higgins' drum work is freely lyrical in all the best ways; and Henderson's horn sharpens the edges of the tunes a bit, bringing in some nice darker sounds. The kickoff track is an amazing modal reading of Ornette's "Una Muy Bonita", and the rest are all Hutcherson originals, including "Summer Nights", "8/4 Beat", "Black Circle", "Verse", and "Blues Mind Matter". CD

A great session that was recorded in Tokyo in 1973 – featuring Abbey backed by a small group that includes Dave Liebman on sax and flute, Al Foster on drums, and Hiromasa Suzuki on piano. The record's pretty darn hip – and it's a nice version of Abbey's haunting approach to vocal jazz, touched by some of the new directions vocalists were going at the time, yet firmly rooted in the firm command of voice and emotion heard on Lincoln's best records from the early 60s. Titles include "Africa", "You & Me & Love", "Naturally", "Living Room", and "Natas", which seems to have Abbey singing along with overdubs of her own voice, to very cool effect! CD

A dream of a record from Gary McFarland – lightly jazzy instrumentals with a warm bossa nova undercurrent! The style is incredible – a sweet blend of vibes, guitar, and even some light whistling – often also featuring wordless jazz vocals – scatting along with the groove in a melodic and lovely kind of way! The whole thing's incredibly charming, and even familiar tunes come across sounding quite different in McFarlands hands. Titles include "From Russia With Love", "More", "Emily", "La Vie En Rose", "The Love Goddess", and even a groovy take on "I Want To Hold Your Hand". For you true swingers, the cover includes directions for mixing a "Soft Samba Cocktail" (courtesy Spanish Sherry Institute)! CD

A beautiful example of why the west coast scene was great when it was working at its finest – that perfect blend of group formation and individual identity that could make a record like this so great! Tenor player Jack Montrose cut a rare few albums in the 50s, but this one's a gem – done with help from frequent partner Bob Gordon on baritone sax, and with other players that include Conte Candoli on trumpet, Paul Moer on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – a well-matched group that definitely knows how to follow the course, and break off in individual directions when needed. The style is tightly arranged, but not too tightly that the band doesn't have room to swing – and the mix of Montrose's tenor and Gordon's baritone is sublime together! Titles include "Listen Hear", "Some Good Fun Blues", "Fools Rush In", "Speakeasy", "Pretty", "Credo", and "That Old Feeling". CD

Songs from John Coltrane, Lee Morgan and Rudy Van Gelder, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd, Ike Quebec, Dexter Gordon, Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan, and New Directions. CD