A beautifully unique take on the music of Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman – served up here by a trio that features Kirk Knuffke on cornet, Jay Anderson on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums! The tunes are all classic Cherry or Coleman compositions – but the performance here is very different, with a robust quality that comes not just from the deeper range of the cornet, but also from the bold work on drum and bass – which still keeps things in that rompingly rhythmic mode of the group that Cherry and Coleman had together, but maybe both a bit more open in terms of the groove – and more focused on the one lead solo instrument. Knuffke's really opened up the sound of others in the past – but this record might well be his greatest achievement so far – as you'll hear on titles that include "Roland Alphonso", "The Sphinx", "Jayne", "Song In D", "Mind & Time", "Cherryco", "Golden Heart", "Paris Ambulance Song", and "Angel Voice". LP, Vinyl record album

Different work than usual for Herbie – a series of sides recorded in Sweden in the late 50s, featuring Herbie on both flute and tenor! The feel here is at once more poised and more open than some of Herbie's US sides from the time – as the groups shift from track to track, and Herbie's movement between tenor and flute gives the album a nicely rough edge. Players include Ake Persson, Rolf Blomqvist, Arne Domnerus, and Beng Arne Wallin – and titles include "Cherry Point", "Serenata", "Hurry Burry", "Adam's Theme", "Ow", and "Nature Boy". 1969 pressing of an album originally titled Mann In The Morning. LP, Vinyl record album

Funky punk from Medium Medium – one of the strongest proponents of such modes on the UK scene of the post-punk years, yet one who never issued much material at the time! The group are heavy on basslines mixed with scratchy guitars – all in this art funk approach that resonates strongly with some of the groundbreaking material issued on 99 Records at the start of the 80s – and although this set's put together by Cherry Red, the work inside has more of that aggro vibe you'd hear during the glorious early days of Rough Trade! This double-length set brings together rare singles, live material, unreleased tracks, and cuts from their sole full length album – a lineup that includes "Stir Me Up", "Full Of Secrecy", "Serbian Village", "7th Floor", "Hungry So Angry", "Guru Maharaji", "The Glitterhouse", and "Them Or Me". LP, Vinyl record album

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The third meeting of this world jazz ensemble, with Colin Walcott of Oregon on sitar, tabla and hammered dulcimer, Don Cherry on trumpet, organ and doussn'gouni and Nana Vasconcelos on berimbau and percussion. All three players have always had a very wide reaching approach to playing, even incorporating international elements in their less overtly "world music" projects, and this set finds them once again vibing well off each other. The tunes feature a wide open approach with improvised excursions on traditional and contemporary themes, with 7 tracks in all: "Goshakabuchi", "Hey Da Ba Doom", "Travel By Night", "Lullaby", "Trayra Boia", "Clicky Clacky" and "Inner Organs". LP, Vinyl record album

One of two great records that Cherry cut for the Sonet label while working in Sweden. The album features Cherry in the company of Swedish players like Bernt Rosengren, Agneta Arnstrom, and Bengt Berger – all of whom play in a very world jazz vibe, adding in lots of strange percussion, gongs, pianos, and other percussive instruments to the mix. Cherry even vocalizes a bit on one track, and he plays no trumpet at all on the recording – which shows an even greater commitment to exploring new modes of expression than you might expect. Titles include "Tibet", "Moving Pictures For The Ear", "Love Train", and "Gamla Stan – The Old Town By Night". LP, Vinyl record album

Don Cherry gave many wonderful musical performances on the European scene in the 70s, including this one – a gem of a record that was thought to be lost for years, and finally gets released to the world at large! The set's a live collaboration with electronic musician Jean Schwarz – whose contributions here are nicely subtle, and never challenge the acoustic energy of the session, but instead augment it in all these really cool, unique ways – very different than most improvised music with electronics at the time. Cherry plays pocket trumpet and some great doussn gouni – in the company of an equally fantastic lineup that features JF Jenny Clark on bass, Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, and Michel Portal on saxes, bass clarinet, and bandoneon. Given all the elements, there's some very unique sounds going on here – a really amazing record that includes the tracks "Bells One", "Doussn Gouni", "Tribute To Ornette", "Bando", and "Berimbau". LP, Vinyl record album

A cheapo package, but some really great material! Side one features two long cuts recorded live – with Gato Barbieri on tenor, Don Cherry on trumpet, and Karl Berger on vibes – on "OCDC" and "Third Movement". Next is another live track – Albert Ayler's tenor on a version of "Ghosts" with Norman Howard on trumpet, Earle Henderson and Henry Grimes on basses, and Sonny Murray on drums. Last is a side-long take of "If Only We Knew" – led by John Handy on alto – with Michael Sampson on violin, George Tucker on bass, and Bobby Fuhlrodt on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Don Cherry's most hypnotic albums ever – a full album-length performance that features one of his first experiments with mixing jazz and global elements! The set was captured at the 1968 Berlin Jazz Festival – and mixes Cherry's amazing work on cornet, flute, and a myriad of world instruments with key contributions from European improvisers who include Eje Thelin on trombone, Bernt Rosengren on tenor and oboe, Karl Berger on vibes, Joachim Kuhn on piano and prepared piano, and Albert Mangelsdorf on trombone! There's even a bit of gamelon elements in some of the music, and Sonny Sharrock plays guitar too – and although free at times, the music comes together with an amazing sense of cohesion by the end – a vision that would inspire others to move into new territory in the decade to come. LP, Vinyl record album

Important 70s work from Don Cherry – one of the first albums to bring his overseas experiments to a larger US audience! The set builds nicely off of styles that Don forged earlier in France and Scandinavia – a freer style of music than his work with Ornette Coleman, and a richly organic groove that builds up strongly from the bottom, often with elements of world music settled in alongside the jazz – but there's also some funkier moments here too, a bit like the Brown Rice album, but looser overall! The groups on most numbers are relatively large and spiritual – almost like Alice Coltrane at times, but a bit more electric and funky at others – and players include Collin Walcott on sitar, Michael Brecker on saxes, Cliff Carter on keyboards, Lenny White and Tony Williams on drums, Lois Colin on harp, and Raphael Cruz on percussion. Cherry himself plays conch shells, bells, and flute in addition to his usual trumpet – and he even sings a bit on a few numbers, in a soulful, scatting sort of groove. Narada Michael Walden produced, and the whole set's got a very righteous feel – with tracks that include "Universal Mother", "Buddah's Blues", "Eagle Eye", "Mahakali", "Karmapa Chenno", "Surrender Rose", and "Journey Of Milarepa". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare 70s work from Don Cherry, and one of the most perfect realizations of his organic music concept – a quartet session recorded for Italian broadcast, with long songs that have a very spun-out, meditative vibe! Cherry's on pocket trumpet, but is way more than a horn player – as his vocalizations and spirit really guide the whole proceedings – played by a quartet that features Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, Gian Piero Pramaggiore on guitar, and Moki on tanpura! As you can imagine from the mix of instruments, there's an earthy, organic vibe to the whole set – really special sounds that come together with a natural beauty that may well make the record one of Don's most spiritual performances of the 70s – and that's really saying a lot. Titles include "Koye", "Flute Song", "Dissolution", "Nana's Solo", "Om Shanti Om", Luna Turca", and "Chenrezig". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible performance from the great Don Cherry – one that's maybe the most perfect summation we've ever heard of his ability to embrace a globe's worth of influences and make them his own! The set was recorded live at a French jazz festival in 1972, and it has a very compelling group known as the New Researches Ensemble – a lineup that includes Nana Vasconcelos on percussion and berimbau, Christer Bothen on ngoni and piano, Dodou Gouirand on soprano and alto, and Moki Cherry on tanpura – all working in a larger stage setting designed by Moki, with puppet theater as well! The most striking thing might well be the vocals – much more prominent here than on other Cherry recordings, and very soulful as well – blended with jazz expressions and global instrumentation, with a vibe that's almost like some of the best work on the Saravah label during the period. The whole thing's fantastic – a great lost chapter of a musician whose well never seems to run dry – with titles that include "Resa", "Butterfly Friend", "Elixir", "Amazwe", "Witchi Tai To", "Ganesh", "North Brazilian Ceremonial Hymn", and "Dha Dhin Na Dha Tin Na". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of documents from the late 50s of an early incarnation of Ornette's group, that still featured piano, before he decided to pursue the more limitless possibilities of a keyless harmelodic group. Paul Bley joins Ornette, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins in this seminal recording, which offers an altogether different perspective on Coleman's formative years developing the free concept. 4 numbers in all: "Klactoveesedstene", "I Remember Harlem", "The Blessing" and "Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark work from The Dead Kennedys – and maybe still one of the greatest punk records to ever come from the American scene! There's so much here that so many other records are missing – razor-sharp instrumentation, a great sense of pacing, and most importantly, a biting wit that always keeps the whole thing from ever lapsing into any sort of over-serious cliches! Yet unlike their LA contemporaries, the group were also never ones to just lay into the jokes – as the political commentary here is especially pointed, and nearly every single song is a blistering attack on late 70s California mores and national obsessions. Every track's a gem – and titles include "Kill The Poor", "Forward To Death", "Let's Lynch The Landlord", "Your Emotions", "Holiday In Cambodia", "California Uber Alles", and "Stealing People's Mail" – plus a killer cover of "Viva Las Vegas". LP, Vinyl record album

Here's a summer house we'd really like to visit on our next vacation – a legendary spot in Sweden, where Don Cherry created freely with some of the hippest players on the local scene in 1968! The tracks here were all recorded for later commercial release, which never ended up happening – and they represent a key bridge in Cherry's career between his important American work of the mid 60s, and his growing global consciousness to come – maybe a first chapter in the sound that would become the Organic Music Society! The set features work from an array of musicians that includes Cherry on pocket trumpet and flute, Bernt Rosengren on tenor and flute, Gunnar Lindqvist on reeds, Tommy Koverhult on tenor and a variety of flutes, Jacques Thollot and Leif Wennerstrom on drums, Torbjorn Hultcrantz and Kent Carter on bass, and percussion from Bulent Ates – plus other members of the group! There's no vocals, but there's a strong sense of rhythmic cohesion throughout – freewheeling jazz, but not entirely free either – and filled with a global inspiration that makes the whole thing come off with an organic sense of beauty. Titles include "The Machine Age", "Sir Charles Brackeen A", "Mao", "Samba", "Plotslight", and "Human". LP, Vinyl record album

Ben LaMar Gay might well be one of the most creatively intense artists on the International Anthem label – and that's saying a lot, given all of the groundbreaking talents who've come to record for the company in recent years! And while Ben's previous record was completely mindblowing, this set really pushes things over the top – and has the artist at the helm of a large assemblage of musicians who provide all these different sonic elements to augment the intensity of his vision – as the leader handles cornet, organ, and a host of other instruments – while singing on most cuts, but in a way that's majestic and very much his own – neither soul, nor jazz – at least in familiar ways. The lineup features voices of many others – and instrumentation that includes Tomeka Reid on cello, Matthew Davis on trombone, Johanna Brock on viola, and Rob Frye on flute – mixed with spoken and sung passages from a number of others, including Angel Bat Dawid. Incredibly beautiful throughout – with titles that include "Hood Rich Happy", "I Once Carried A Blossom", "Slightly Before The Dawn", "Be Loving Me Some Of You", "We Gon Win", "S'Phisticated Lady", "In Tongues & Droves", and "Touch Don't Scroll". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music for the Alejandro Jodorowsky film The Holy Mountain – even more compelling and complex than his sounds for El Topo! The score is a wonderful mix of earthy, organic elements and a few more composed and equally groovy parts – handled by Jodorowsky in collaboration with trumpeter Don Cherry and pop producer/arranger Ron Frangipane! Some of the work has the hypnotic blend of global elements you'll find in Cherry's recordings of the time – particularly his groundbreaking early 70s work in Sweden – and although Frangipane brings in some bigger, fuller charts, he always does so with a sense of irony, and this undercurrent of darkness that continues to link his sounds with those of Cherry. The double-length score is a wonder throughout – maybe Jodorowsky's highest musical moment – and titles include "Psychedelic Weapons", "Rainbow Room", "Alchemical Room", "Mattresses Masks & Pearls", "City Of Freedom", "Starfish", and "Violence Of The Lambs". LP, Vinyl record album

Two wonderful early 50s albums recorded by Count Basie for Verve – both sessions aimed at the dancefloor, and served up with an undeniably soulful groove! The style here is hard and swinging – the older Basie mode refined for the 50s – thanks to arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, Frank Foster, Neal Hefti, Manny Albam, and others! Groups on the set are often a bit small – and feature reeds by Frank Foster, Frank Wess, and Paul Quinichette; trumpets by Thad Jones, Joe Wilder, and Joe Newman; trombone from Henry Coker and Benny Powell; guitar by Freddie Green; and both piano and organ from Count Basie – the latter of which is a surprising and wonderful addition to this set! Features 24 tracks in all – with titles that include "Cherry Point", "Bubbles", "Straight Life", "Basie Goes Wess", "Mambo Mist", "Stereophonic", "Plymouth Rock", "Sixteen Men Swinging", "You For Me", "Soft Drink", "Slow But Sure", and "She's Just My Size". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that certainly lives up to the promise of its title – as it's filled with amazing instrumentation, groundbreaking compositions, and a sound in jazz that few ears could imagine at the time! The groove here is extremely modal – all instruments rolling along on the same rhythmic pulse, with drums, bass, trumpet, and alto sax incredibly intertwined! Ornette's really got an edge on his instrument – cutting even more deeply here than the clipped, punctuated cornet work of Don Cherry – and the rhythm team of Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins are simply amazing – not just keeping up with the energy of Ornette, but also really helping facilitate it as well! Titles include the haunting "Lonely Woman", plus "Peace", "Chronology", and "Focus on Sanity". LP, Vinyl record album

Pre-Atlantic work from Ornette Coleman – one of his first recorded statements in jazz – and one of his boldest! At some level, the complete Coleman sound isn't entirely in place here – as there's a bit of a trace of hardbop in the mix – not entirely, but just a bit. But at another level, the record's still way darn bolder than just about anything coming out of LA at the time – proof that amidst all the cool jazz ruminations of the 50s, there was a second wave of modernism about to explode! The group here features Don Cherry on trumpet, Walter Norris on piano, Don Payne on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and while the core harmelodic rhythmic approach isn't always in place, it's more than made up for by some surprisingly free energy. Titles include "Invisible", "The Blessing", "Alpha", and "The Sphinx". LP, Vinyl record album

Pre-Atlantic work from Ornette Coleman – one of his first recorded statements in jazz – and one of his boldest! At some level, the complete Coleman sound isn't entirely in place here – as there's a bit of a trace of hardbop in the mix – not entirely, but just a bit. But at another level, the record's still way darn bolder than just about anything coming out of LA at the time – proof that amidst all the cool jazz ruminations of the 50s, there was a second wave of modernism about to explode! The group here features Don Cherry on trumpet, Walter Norris on piano, Don Payne on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and while the core harmelodic rhythmic approach isn't always in place, it's more than made up for by some surprisingly free energy. Titles include "Invisible", "The Blessing", "Alpha", and "The Sphinx". LP, Vinyl record album

Tomorrow may be the question, but the record screams "today!" – and even this many years after its recording, this early set by Ornette Coleman has an energy and presence that cannot be denied! The sound here is kind of a rougher take on the mode that would gel more strongly on Ornette's Atlantic albums – but even so, it's still incredibly fresh, and well worth seeking out – especially as an example of the sharper edges that were bursting forth from the once-cool west coast scene! Coleman's on alto sax and Don Cherry is on trumpet – but they're not joined by their more familiar associates, and are instead working with a more conventional rhythm team that includes either Percy Heath or Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – all clearly trying to make a bit of sense of Ornette's approach here, but in a way that also creates a great sense of tension on the record! Tracks are shortish, with great solos by Ornette and Cherry – and titles include "Tomorrow Is The Question", "Endless", "Rejoicing", "Lorraine", "Turnaround", "Tears Inside", and "Giggin". LP, Vinyl record album

Key work as a leader from bassist Johnny Dyani – one of his most soulful, spiritual outings ever – and a record dedicated to the important South African political prisoner Stephen Biko! There's a sense of flow and rhythmic focus here that's wonderful – as Dyani comes together with a tremendous quartet that features Don Cherry on cornet, Dudu Pukwana on alto sax, and Makaya Ntshoko on drums – players that are joined as one in meaning and message as they make their way through the original Dyani compositions on the set. The album features a wonderful extended tune, running for all of side two, entitled "Jo'Burg–New York" – a musical journey that's worth the price of the album alone – and the set also features a number of great shorter tunes that include "Wish You Sunshine", "Song For Biko", and "Confession of Moods" LP, Vinyl record album

Really inventive sounds from this hip Italian trio – a combo who have a way of mixing acoustic and electric elements in ways that echo recent experiments on both the Chicago and London scenes! The music is jazz, but with a strong reliance on larger soundscapes – a quality that's echoed here by the appearance of Rob Mazurek on one track, who seems to be a great inspiration for the way the group approaches their music! The core trio features Gabriele Mitelli on trumpets and electronics, Cristiano Calcagnile on drums and percussion, and Pasquale Mirra on vibes and korg minilogue – all of which makes for a great layering of creative sounds. The set also features guest work from Damon Locks and Cristina Dona – and titles include "The Black Shining Of The Sea", "Hey Mary", "The Elephant", "Fata Morgana", "Cherry Juice In A Box", and "Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album

A group that's not really folk, but who definitely have a special magic of their own – a collective ensemble who played on the Italian scene of the 70s, and who bring together free improvisation with a range of other earthy and organic elements! There's definitely some global currents going on here – and at points, the record's not far from some of the Don Cherry experiments of this nature – especially on passages that are heavy on percussion elements. But the size of the ensemble really gives them a strong force once they get going – and the saxes and flutes are sometimes merged with use of voice – only conventionally singing on one more straight ahead track on the record. Most musicians are ones that we don't recognize from other jazz efforts of the time – but the group does include flute from Nicola Stilo, who later played with Chet Baker – plus soprano and alto from Giancarlo Maurino, tenor from Mario Fulci, and altos from Sandro Satta and Luciano De Bonis. Titles include "Inno Per L'Imperatore", "Grass Leaf Rag", "Alice Alice Che Piange E Che Ride", "Free Bop New Bop", and "Monkey". LP, Vinyl record album

Bassist Charlie Haden in a really wonderful mode – stepping out here in a set of spare duets, each with a different hip player on each of the album's four long tracks – a masterful setting not just for his own work as an improviser, but also for the collaborative spirit that's always made Charlie such a great musical player! The vibe is similar to his Closeness album, but maybe a bit more relaxed and open – and the set has many wonderful moments – as Don Cherry plays trumpet and flutes on "Out Of Focus", Archie Shepp plays tenor on "Shepp's Way", Hampton Hawes plays piano on "Turnaround", and Ornette Coleman plays trumpet on the beautiful title track "Golden Number". LP, Vinyl record album

Deeply soulful blowing from tenorist Frank Lowe – working here in a wonderfully hip group that includes Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Grachan Moncur III on trombone, Geri Allen on piano, Charnett Moffett on bass, and Charles Moffett on drums. The date really lives up to the promise you might expect from the players listed – and has a really classic, deep-rooted sound that makes the album feel like some lost avant set from a decade before – very well-crafted and thoughtful, with a great balance between focus and freedom. Lowe wrote most of the songs – and titles include "Decision In Paradise", "Cherryco", "I'll Whistle Your Name", "Lowe-ologie", "You Dig", and "Dues & Don'ts". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Supremes albums of the 70s – a rare live Japanese session that wasn't even issued in the US at the time! The album follows strongly in the spirit of the other Motown Japanese live sets of the time – with really tight backings behind the group on stage, and a powerful, spontaneous sound that really seems to take off even more strongly than the studio albums. The girls' vocals are great – and really nicely unfettered on some of the tunes – stepping out with strong leads and soulful harmonies that are a good reminder that the group was still burning strong at this point. Titles include "Stoned Love", "TCB", "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", "Bad Weather", "Cherry Cherry", and "Somewhere". LP, Vinyl record album

The music of Don Cherry, but delivered in a completely different way than his original recordings – served up here as a beautiful series of duets between Ken Vandermark on tenor and Hamid Drake on drums and percussion! The pair have a sympathy for each other that's amazing – and the music is often more rhythmic than you might be used to hearing from Vandermark – as the duo weave together themes from Don Cherry compositions in a variety of classic settings – yet work them anew with the sort of individual magic that really makes the record special! This isn't a set of covers, nor some staid "tribute" record – and instead, Vandermark and Drake really soar with inspiration that's delivered at a very personal level, and which marks the record as a testament to the still very vital talents of both musicians. LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy Witherspoon pays tributes to his roots in rhythm and blues – but he does so in a wonderful way, by bringing a more jazz-focused approach to the material here – thanks to some nice tenor work from Ben Webster! Back in the 60s, Witherspoon always sat easily on the fence between jazz and blues – but a few key recordings really bring out that aspect of his work – and this obscure session for Reprise is one of them! Spoon's singing in a laidback, small combo setting here – very similar to the style he'd use on live dates in California – and Webster gets in some wonderful moments on the record too, blown with the boozy, late nite style used on his own Reprise album at the time. Titles include "Key To The Highway", "Confessing The Blues", "Did You Ever", "Rain Is Such A Lonesome Sound", "Cherry Red", "Just A Dream", and "Please Mr Webster". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collection – an important re-investigation of the unusual mix of sounds and styles on the New York scene in the years after disco – a time when funk, punk, hip hop, and art were all colliding at once – providing a really fresh antidote to the staid sounds of Studio 54! The "disco" in the title should be taken lightly – as these cuts didn't play at the slick uptown dance spots – but were instead the soundtrack for the cool spots happening downtown, as the previous loft culture morphed into clubs, in this very special blend of the energy of CBGB and the underground soulful dancefloors. The set list is filled with classics from this time – and titles include "Cavern" by Liquid Liquid, "Tell You Today (voc)" by Loose Joints, "Walking On Thin Ice (re-edit)" by Yoko Ono, "Over & Over" by Material, "Spasticus Autisticus (version)" by Ian Dury & The Seven Seas Players, "Kiss Me Again (original edit)" by Dinosaur, "Move" by Nicky Siano, "School Bell/Tree House" by Indian Ocean, "I Walk" by Don Cherry, "Voices Inside My Head" by Common Sense, and "Wheel Me Out" by Was Not Was. LP, Vinyl record album

Fuzzy guitars, analog electronics, moody production, and slightly sinister vocals – all elements you'll find in abundance here, in this well done look at UK work from a generation when the US scene was dipping into modes that were later dubbed "post-rock" – and helped to define the style of a generation! The British take on this territory is nicely different from American work of the time – and there's maybe a larger, wider palette of approaches going on – elements borrowed from other styles and generations, but woven into these wonderful waves of sound that made for a great farewell to the 20th century! The collection is in a slightly newer range than we're used to hearing from Ace Records, but they do an equally great job with the material – as the choice of cuts is superb, and the detailed notes provide plenty of direction throughout the musical journey. Titles include "City Poison" by Moonshake, "Second Language" by Disco Inferno, "Darling Effect" by Insides, "Starry Night" by Laika, "Every Day Shines (D mix)" by Earwig, "Play Away" by Electric Sound Of Joy, "Through You" by Seefeel, "Loose Threads" by Pram, "In The Light Of Time" by Flying Saucer Attack, "The Weight" by Hood, "A Street Scene" by Bark Psychosis, "Naturally Occurring Anchors" by Spoonfed Hybrid, In The Event Of Just Looking" by Appliance, "Sun Drawing" by Movietone, and "A Cherry Wave From Stranded Youngsters" by Mogwai. LP, Vinyl record album

32 nuggets from the farther reaches of the British scene in the early years of punk rock – music that goes past some of the bigger names of the time, and which presents an especially English take on the raw sounds that were shaking things up on both sides of the Atlantic as an antidote to the disco and AOR generations! The Cherry Red label was born during these times, and always had a great ear for some of the more unusual, offbeat work – including cuts by artists who were important, but who quickly disappeared from the scene – presented here in both classic 45rpm singles, and some even much more obscure and rare tracks too! The whole thing's got a short, sharp punch throughout – and titles include "Mucky Pup" by Puncture, "Hungry" by The Zeros, "Outside View" by Eater, "Peudo Punk" by O Level, "Chelsea 77" by Maniacs, "Speed Freak" by V2, "Safety Pin Stuck In My Heart" by Patrik Fitzgerald, "Teenage Treats" by The Wasps, "I Don't Want My Heart To Rule My Head" by Social Security, "Murder Of Liddle Towers" by Angelic Upstarts, "Just Another Teenage Rebel" by The Outcasts, "ACAB" by The Rowdies, "19 & Mad" by Leyton Buzzards, "King Of Kings" by The Pack, "Where's Captain Kirk" by Spizzenergi, "These Boots Are Made For Walking" by Pure Hell, and "Jilly" by The Pranhas. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful albums that Charlie Haden ever recorded – and if he only ever appeared on one record in his life, we'd still love him tremendously for this one! The album has a feel that's very much in keeping with both the "liberation" and "orchestra" in the title – "liberation", in that the music is filled with inspiration from South American sources, and has a strongly political feel at times; and "orchestra" because the group here is somewhat large, and filled with a tremendous array of expressive players – including Gato Barbieri on tenor, Dewey Redman on alto and tenor, Don Cherry on cornet and flutes, Michael Mantler on trumpet, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Robert Northern on French horn, Paul Motian and Andrew Cyrille on percussion, Carla Bley on piano, and Perry Robinson on clarinet. Haden leads these disparate talents through a set of tremendously focused music – filled with as many ideas as it is with a sense of humanity and soul – all to brilliantly point the way forward for the new sound of Impulse Records in the years after Coltrane's death! Titles include the classic "Song For Che", plus Ornette's "War Orphans", Carla Bley's "The Interlude", and "Song Of The United Front", by Hans Eisler, and with words by Brecht! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Japanese trumpeters of the 70s – heard here in a great set of fusion that mixes his solo talents with a whole host of great American players too! The set was recorded in Electric Lady at the end of the 70s – and also features some great tenor and soprano sax from Carter Jefferson, keyboards from Kenny Kirkland, bass from Marcus Miller, and piano from Onaje Allan Gumbs – all working at a level that's almost tighter and more funky than most of their other records of the time! Ohno also plays a bit of mini moog next to his trumpet – giving some cuts an added electric punch – and a few spots feature work from a vocal trio with Vivian Cherry and Ullanda McCullough too. Titles include "The Dawn", "Quarter Moon", "In The Sky", "Jeff", and "Fatback". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest soul sets from Esther Phillips' 70s years on Kudu Records – a set with some nicely gritty grooves and a surprisingly earthy feel at times – especially when compared to some of her other albums of the time! Backings are by James Brown's old reedman, Pee Wee Ellis – and although there's some of the usual Kudu electric funk in the mix, there's also some deeper soul elements too – a vibe that's often a bit laidback and open, almost more Atlantic Records at points – which is a mighty good fit for Esther's wonderful voice! As usual for Kudu, the players are an all-star lineup – one that includes Richard Tee on keyboards, George Benson on guitar, Maceo Parker on tenor, and Bernard Purdie and Billy Cobham on drums – and Don Sebesky's also on deck a bit, to sweeten a few tracks up with light strings. The album's got a great version of Bill Withers' "Use Me" that features a tasty break in the intro – and other titles include a great version of "Alone Again (Naturally)", plus the cuts "Let's Move & Groove", "Cherry Red", "Let Me In Your Life", and "You & Me Together". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s album, issued at a time when Esther Phillips was really riding high with her records on the Kudo label – but a set that brings together unissued sides recorded for Atlantic in the 60s! The style is a great mix of rootsy soul and hipper jazz – arranged by Onzy Matthews on side one, with a care and quality that almost rivals Capitol jazz vocal sessions of the time – and performed live at Freddie Jett's Piper Club on side two – in the same mode as her classic Burnin album from the time locale! Philips is wonderful in both settings – with that distinct approach that's unlike any other singer we know – quite versatile, and at a critical point between her R&B work of the 50s, and her smoother Kudu jazz of the 70s. Titles include include "Cherry Red", "In The Evenin", "I Wonder", "Romance In The Dark", "I Love Paris", and "I'm Gettin' Long Alright". LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic from blues giant Joe Turner – a singer who burst back to the mainstream on 50s Atlantic Records, thanks to a host of R&B singles that burned up the charts – but who here returns to his roots, and lays down a great set of jazzy tunes that get back to his roots in the Kansas City scene of the 30s! The shift is a bit like that Ray Charles made at the end of the 50s on Atlantic – R&B to more of a jazz-based groove – and Joe works here with great help from Pete Brown on alto, Pete Johnson on piano, Joe Newman on trumpet, and Lawrence Brown on trombone. After the raw hard R&B of Joe's bigger hit sides for Atlantic, the album's a compelling change – a reminder that Turner had roots that went much deeper than his rock and roll fame – and a depth of delivery that would keep his career strong, long after some of his 50s R&B contemporaries faded! The mix of modes – R&B and jazz – is a bit like some of the later Ray Charles albums on Atlantic – and tracks include "Low Down Dog", "Roll Em Pete", "Cherry Red", "How Long Blues", and "Morning Glories". LP, Vinyl record album

The Perfect Toy label has an amazing way of coming up with grooves we've never heard before – really rare tracks that make us dig each new release from the label – just as they keep on digging for more rare records to make their releases great! We've been Hammond fans for decades – and always have searched ourselves for all sorts of rare organ jazz and soul gems – yet even with that experience, we'd never come across most of these cuts – which are from rare singles and obscure albums, and show that there's a heck of a lot to discover in the world of jazz organ, once you get past Blue Note and Prestige Records! Most numbers here are small combo funk – and titles include "Beware Of The Dog" by The Group Solo, "Miss Delores Funk" by Soul Brothers, "A Soulful Feeling" by The Tears, "Corporation" by Timmy Sims & His Organ Combo, "Nervous Conclusion" by The Cherry Fogg, "A Ritual Melody" by Black River Circus, "Harbor Melon" by The Young Ones, and "Theme For Billy" by Kurt Watkins & Soul Sister 7. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that bursts out with a sound that definitely lives up to its striking title – as Ornette Coleman explores the new frontiers of experimental jazz with one of his great groups from the end of the 60s! The album's got the intensity of the best ESP sessions of the period, but also shows the richer sonic elements that Coleman can bring to the proceedings – that way of mixing sharp edges with surprising currents – delivered by an all-star group that features Ornette on alto and violin, Don Cherry on trumpet and flute, Dewey Redman on tenor and clarinet, Charlie Haden on bass, and the young Ornette D Coleman on drums. It's especially amazing to hear Haden and Cherry take on such different roles than in the Ornette material of the early 60s – and also realize a wider vision for the music, on tunes that include a great version of Haden's "Song For Che", plus "Broken Shadows", "Trouble In The East", and "Space Jungle". LP, Vinyl record album

2 LP set of material from the mid 80's – one featuring Ornette reunited with his classic quartet of Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Billy Higgins; the other with his Prime Time group that included Bern Nix, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and Denardo Coleman. The whole set's a "30 Years Of Harmelodic Music" tribute, and includes the tracks "Space Church", "In All Languages", "Latin Genetics", "Peace Warriors", "Music News", and "Feet Music". Some tracks are done by both bands, and are a good illustration of how Ornette's style had grown in the 30 year period. LP, Vinyl record album

The soulful vocals of Desmond Dekker were some of the first from the Jamaican scene to let the rest of the world know that something magical was really taking place – and although the man himself is remembered for a few key singles back in the day, Desmond cut a heck of a lot of wonderful work – lots of which you'll find in this overstuffed set! The package brings together top-shelf tracks that certainly mark Dekker as one of the essentials of Trojan Records – much of it with his key group The Aces, and more with The Cherry Pies – plus later solo tracks too – all running strongly through the best modes of the ska, rocksteady, and early reggae generations. 2LP set features 28 tracks in all – and titles include "Intensified 68", "Jamaica Ska", Mother Pepper", "Wise Man", "Problem", "Rude Boy Train", "007", "Rudy Got Soul", "Unity", "You Can Get It If You Really Want", "Licking Stick", "Young Generation", "Get Up Adina", "Generosity", "Pretty Africa", "It Mek", "Israelites", and "Fu Man Chu". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty cool and groovy work from Tommy James – with cuts that include "Papa Rolled His Own", "Sweet Cherry Wine", "Cellophane Symphony", "Evergreen", "On Behalf Of The Entire Staff & Management", and "The Love Of A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best albums on the rare Mode label – and a great quintet side by trombonist Frank Rosolino! The group here features Vince Guaraldi on piano, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Monty Budwig on bass, and Stan Levy on drums – and the sound's a lot harder than you'd expect from the combo. Guraldi's especially rough-edged – with a soulful sound that's quite different than his 60s recordings, one that sounds great next to Rosolino's horn. Titles include "Tuffy", "Fine Shape", "Cherry", "Let's Make It", "Fallout", "Thou Swell", "How Long Has This Been Going On" and "They Say". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Horace Silver's greatest records ever – and the album that always makes us remember how many of his tunes are now etched in the memory of modern jazz! The album's got a slightly exotic bent that you might guess from the title – a furthering of the sound that Silver first started on his own after breaking with Art Blakey – a hint of more cosmic modes to come in soul jazz, yet still served up here with more of the punch you might expect from 60s Blue Note. The group is great – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Junior Cook on tenor – both super-tight at the start of the tunes, then breaking off into deeply personal territory on their solos. Rhythm is from Gene Taylor on bass and John Harris on drums – the latter a lesser-known compatriot of Silver, but one with a nicely loose sensibility that really adds a lot to the record. The writing is great – and titles include "Sayanara Blues", "Tokyo Blues", "Ah So", "Cherry Blossom", and "Too Much Sake". LP, Vinyl record album

The team of Phil Woods & Gene Quill hit Prestige Records – and get a bit more space to blow than on other sessions of the time! The album's definitely got a quality that lives up to the "with prestige" in the title – a classy, careful sort of sound that's very much the height of alto work for the time – a style that's modern, yet never too much so – and informed by bop, but never in the shadow of Charlie Parker or Sonny Stitt. Rhythm is strong – by George Syran on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – but it's mostly there just to give the players the right impetus to blow nicely together. Titles include "Lazy Like", "Nothing But Soul", "A Night At St Nicks", and "Black Cherry Fritters". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal early moment from the legendary Albert Ayler – an important session recorded overseas in Copenhagen – where enthusiasm for Ayler's music caught fire more strongly than in the US! The group's got an edge that's maybe even sharper than some of Ayler's ESP material, but no less powerful – with Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – working through tremendous readings of six Ayler classics that include "Ghosts", "Children", "Holy Spirit", "Vibrations" and "Mothers". A wonderful precursor to the ESP years – and equally great! LP, Vinyl record album

A repackaged version of material from Count Basie's excellent Dance Session albums for Verve – no-nonsense albums that really get at the high-grooving side of the group, and which feature the kind of compelling and catchy tunes that always made them a favorite on the dancefloor! The Count manages to play a bit of organ on the session, in the tone that we really like at the time – and arrangements are by Ernie Wilkins, Neal Hefti, Johnny Mandel, and Frank Wess – on tracks that include "Straight Life", "Soft Drink", "Cherry Point, "Plymouth Rock", "Slow But Sure", "Two For The Blues", and "Bubbles". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums of all time from the legendary saxophonist Ornette Coleman – an essential showcase for his early harmelodic concepts, but with a vibe that's maybe more pulsatingly rhythmic than on other albums from the time! Ornette plays his incredible plastic alto sax, which has a bracing sound that really gives the record a sense of urgency – and the rest of the quartet features Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – working here with a lively dancing sound on the kit, one that works perfectly for Ornette's jaunty compositions. The chopped-up modal groove is in full effect here – making the record a treasure trove of angular, highly rhythmic numbers that are easily some of Coleman's best-remembered tunes! Titles include the surprisingly modal classics "Ramblin" and "Una Muy Bonita" – performed in original early versions – plus "Free", "The Face Of The Bass", "Bird Food", and "Change Of The Century". LP, Vinyl record album

Man, it's like a talent bomb exploded! This set's stuffed with work by some of the greatest jazz funk players of the early 70s – Johnny Hammond, Bob James, Deodato, George Benson, Joe Farrell, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard, Grover Washington Jr, Hubert Laws, and others – all playing together at a massive live concert recorded in Hollywood in 1972! And although you might worry that the collection of so many great talents on one stage might just create confusion – don't! The quality of the work is excellent – almost better than the best of the CTI studio sides, with a lean, clean sound that's really really tight – never overblown, just sweet electric funk with loads of great space for solo work. This third volume of the 3 LP set includes takes of "Funkfathers", "Cherry", "Bowl Full Of Blues", "Cherry Red" and "God Bless The Child". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album – a late 60s classic meeting of the brain trust of the avant garde jazz scene in New York, recorded for the young JCOA label – and put forth as one of their early attempts to prove that musicians could be in charge of the means of production! Michael Mantler provided the core composition, and directs the group – but the lineup is a who's who of forces who'd record for ESP, Impulse, and other labels – with bold solos from Don Cherry on cornet, Gato Barbieri on tenor, Larry Coryell on guitar, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Cecil Taylor on piano, and Pharoah Sanders on tenor – in a larger lineup of players who also include Steve Marcus, Andrew Cyrille, Reggie Workman, Alan Silva, Carla Bley, Beaver Harris, Charles Davis, Robert Northern, Kent Carter, and many other key avant musicians! Titles include "Communications 8", "Communications 9", "Communications 10", and "Communications 11".' LP, Vinyl record album

Post-Atlantic work from Robin Kenyatta – but an album that follows in a very similar mode! This date was done for the Wolf subsidiary of TK Records, but it's got a very hip New York groove – one that's almost even more righteous than some of Robin's earlier work, with some excellent arrangements from Arthur Jenkins – who's managed to fill the set with a great sense of soul! Kenyatta's alto and soprano sax are set up with keyboards from Jenkins and Richard Tee, plus bass, guitar, percussion, and some great backing vocals at points – used sparingly, but in ways that almost remind us of Oneness Of Juju at some of their smoother moments. Kenyatta's reeds have a Plunky-like feel too – more inside than the Juju work of the mid 70s, but pointing towards Plunky's smoother sounds to come. Given that the vocal group features Gwen Guthrie, Vivian Cherry, and Patti Austin, you can bet they sound pretty sweet – and titles on the set include "Love Me", "Oh Oh Oh", "You", "Bluebird", and "Of Life & Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from one of the greatest groups of the New York avant scene of the 60s – the legendary New York Contemporary Five, a combo that features Archie Shepp on tenor, John Tchicai on alto, Don Cherry on cornet, Don Moore on bass, and JC Moses on drums! This 1963 recording, originally done in Copenhagen, is one of the group's most lasting statements – a bold, bracing bit of jazz that seems to pick up energy from Ornette Coleman's dimming flame, prefacing Albert Ayler inferno to come, wrapped up with some of the sensitivity of Eric Dolphy in his final years – a record that rivals the best that any of those three players had to offer. Shepp's got an intensity that almost blows away his Impulse sides, and Tchicai has hardly ever sounded better – and even Cherry seems to be unlocking a whole new side of his spirit in the process of the recording! Titles include "Mick", "The Funeral", "When Will The Blues Leave", "Crepuscule With Nellie", "OC", and "Cisum". LP, Vinyl record album

They certainly got the title right on this one – as the album's overflowing with earlier hits by Perez Prado, re-recorded here for the hi-fi generation, with really swinging RCA sound! The numbers include some perennial Perez favorites – including "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White", "In A Little Spanish Town", "Caballo Negro", "Mambo Jambo", and the legendary "Mambo Number 5". A nice way to get all of his best stuff on wax! LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzy mambos from the king – and easily the most successful of Perez Prado's albums for RCA in the 50s! The album showcases the Latin mode that Prado crossed over big with on his hit "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White" – a tune that almost single-handedly grabbed the energy and audiences of the late swing years, and grafted them onto the growing New York Latin scene of the time! Prado's got that great growl in his chants, as usual – pushing the band to even more rhythmic heights and brassy horn flourishes with his trademark calls – and titles include the classic "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White", as well as tracks like "Tomcat Mambo", "Mambo Ala Kenton", "The High & The Mighty", "Marilyn Monroe Mambo", and "Skokiaan". LP, Vinyl record album

Prince in a grand groove – really hitting a new level of funk with a razor-sharp edge – and even blowing away some of his work on previous records! The record's a soundtrack for a film – Under The Cherry Moon – and although that movie never had the success of Purple Rain, we actually think it left behind an even stronger musical legacy – one that has Prince finding even more of a funky voice than before, with so many wonderfully freaky twists and turns! The music never got the showcase it might have deserved, because of the failure of the film – but it's one of our favorite Prince albums ever, and includes the massively funky "Kiss", the closest Prince ever got to James Brown, The whole album's got some great sweeping, pop psyche orchestral arrangements by Clare Fischer – and titles include "Christopher Tracey's Parade", "I Wonder U", "Under The Cherry Moon", "Girls & Boys", and "Anotherloverholenyohead". LP, Vinyl record album

A record as striking as its title – and one of the few recorded performances of trumpeter Alan Shorter – brother of Wayne Shorter, and an equally powerful force in avant jazz in the 60s when he got a chance! And although Alan hardly recorded much, this album's a masterpiece – a set that bridges the "new thing" moment of jazz in the mid 60s with some of the freer improvisations that were taking over on both the New York and European scenes – a balance of modes that's similar to some of the Don Cherry albums for Blue Note in the late 60s, and delivered here with a stunning lineup that includes superb early modern tenor work from Gato Barbieri, bass from either Charlie Haden or Reggie Johnson, and drums from either Muhammad Ali or Rashied Ali. Tracks are all originals – and titles include "Parabola", "Straits Of Blagellan", "Outeroids", and "Orgasm". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual non-Ellington session from Billy Strayhorn – but one that's recorded in septet formation with plenty of the Duke's men at his side! Strayhorn's in the lead on piano, and other players include Quentin Jackson on trombone, Cue Porter (Johnny Hodges?) on alto sax, Shorty Baker on trumpet, and Russell Procope on clarinet – all gliding nicely with a bit more solo room than usual, in the great swing-based mode used by the Felsted label for it's short-lived series of sessions. Titles include "Watch Your Cue", "Cue's Blue Now", "Cherry", "Gone With The Wind", and "Rose Room". LP, Vinyl record album

A solidly soulful session from Stanley Turrentine – one of his few Blue Note dates in the company of organist Shirley Scott, and possibly the hardest-hitting of the bunch! The album's got a great added element in the front line – the trumpet of Blue Mitchell, which really rounds out the sound alongside Stan's tenor and Shirley's Hammond – making for a really full approach, even though the group's a quintet – almost in the mode of some of Turrentine's dates with his brother Tommy, but a bit more lown-down and dirty! There's a definite Basie influence going on but the sound is much leaner overall – and other players include Earl May on bass and Al Harewood on drums. Titles include "One O'Clock Jump", "Midnight Blue", "Blues In Hoss' Flat", and "Cherry Point". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary live set from Amy Winehouse – a concert performance that helped cement her status as one of the true soul legends of the 21st Century – before she was taken away from us all too soon! A few years before, nobody would have guessed that up-and-coming Amy would have been able to command such a large arena presence – and she manages to do so here while still staying very true to herself, and to the kind of deep soul presentation that always made her such a standout from the pack. Titles include "Rehab", "Me & Mr Jones", "Cupid", "F*ck Me Pumps", "Tears Dry On Their Own", "Monkey Man", "You Know I'm No Good", "Valerie", "Cherry", "Wake Up Alone", "Back To Black", and "Hey Little Rich Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary live set from Amy Winehouse – a concert performance that helped cement her status as one of the true soul legends of the 21st Century – before she was taken away from us all too soon! A few years before, nobody would have guessed that up-and-coming Amy would have been able to command such a large arena presence – and she manages to do so here while still staying very true to herself, and to the kind of deep soul presentation that always made her such a standout from the pack. Titles include "Rehab", "Me & Mr Jones", "Cupid", "F*ck Me Pumps", "Tears Dry On Their Own", "Monkey Man", "You Know I'm No Good", "Valerie", "Cherry", "Wake Up Alone", "Back To Black", and "Hey Little Rich Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to tell if these are new versions of songs, or simply ones lifted from Barry's UA soundtracks – but from the notes and the music, the album seems to be a unique one. Barry's sounding nice and lean here, working his way through his own work – like "The James Bond Theme", "Goldfinger", "From Russia With Love", and "Zulu Stomp" – plus tracks like "Spanish Harlem", "Moody River", "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White", and "Baubles, Bangles, & Beads". LP, Vinyl record album