Early genius from the great Martin Carthy – the kind of set that had a huge influence on the acid folk generation to come, and one that also marks the start of a huge amount of contributions Carthy would make to the UK scene! The album is spare, with just Martin on vocals and guitar – and additional accompaniment from frequent partner Dave Swarbrick on fiddle and mandolin – both instruments used occasionally, but in really great ways. The production is wonderful – that eerie sound that makes so many of the UK folk sets so different than American ones of the 60s – and titles include "Springhill Mine Disaster", "Scarborough Fair", "Lovely Joan", "The Handsome Cabin Boy", "High Germany", and "The Trees They Do Grow High". LP, Vinyl record album

Modern art, but of the sonic variety – served up here by composer Daniela Casa on a rare sound library album, but with a free-thinking quality that rivals the best of the avant garde at the time! Unlike some more staid, academic record, there's no overarching concept here – no detailed notes that you need to read to "get" the music. Instead, Casa creates these short, dark little passages of sound – sometimes very abstract, occasionally tuneful – with elements that move between free jazz, atonal piano and woodwinds, offbeat strings, and even a bit of Fender Rhodes! The whole thing's a great reminder of just how much genius was bubbling up in Italy during the 70s – so much so that a record like this, which would have been worthy of release by Columbia or Deutsche Grammophon in bigger scenes, was only pressed up in small quantities by the Flipper music label. Titles include "Concetto Informale", "Dimensione Umana", "Prima Maniera", "Ricerca Della Materia", "Visione Surreale", and "Ricerca Cromatica". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from the great Gene Clark – a key part of that scattered legacy that really helped cement his individual genius after leaving The Byrds! Much of the record is a spare and intimate affair – with Gene's warm vocals accompanied by his own gently picked acoustic guitar, along with producer Jesse Ed Davis (who does a masterful job in the booth on this one) also on guitar. The tunes are also sweetened by waltzy basslines, and Byrds-y keyboard riffs by Ben Sidran, but Gene's wonderful vocals and his amazingly strong songwriting are obviously the biggest draws – not standard country or roots rock, and instead delivered with a sense of sophistication that's almost a genre unto itself. Titles include the amazing "For A Spanish Guitar" – plus "The Virgin", "With Tomorrow", "White Light", "Where My Love Lies Asleep", "1975", and a great reading of The Band & Bob Dylan's "Tears Of Rage". LP, Vinyl record album

The first rumblings of genius from German electronic giants Cluster – but oddly, a record recorded without any synthesizers at all! The team of Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Rodelius are both playing organ here – as well as cello and Hawaiian guitar, and some "audio-generator" and amplifier effects – and they're recording with some excellent production help from the legendary Conny Plank, who uses all sorts of weird techniques to mess up the sound in really great ways. Ordinary notes are completely abstracted here – given cosmic tones and echoey rumblings that are far more challenging than most of the later work by Cluster, especially the pair's more ambient late 70s recordings. The 3 long songs are identified only by their timings – "15:33", "7:38", and "21:17". LP, Vinyl record album

A really bold step forward for Chicago tenor genius Isaiah Collier – and maybe the first record to showcase his emergence as a multi-instrumentalist instead of just a spiritual jazz musician! There's clearly a lot of improvisation going on here – not just from the larger ensemble, which includes Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Julian Reid on keyboards, and Michael Damani on guitar – but also from Collier, who effortlessly shifts between saxes, flute, vocals, and keyboards without any overdubs or additional production at all! A few moments are tight and funky, others are much more experimental – a blend that that's really great, and which continues the unique spirit into which Collier has evolved in recent years. The record also features some key vocal contributions from the great Jimetta Rose – and titles include "Never Back Down", "Eggun", "Village Song", "Retreat", "Parallel Universe", and "The Last Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Electric piano genius from this legendary French group of the 70s – served up here in a set of tracks that were only issued as 7" singles, plus a few other rare gems too! Cortex are maybe best known for their landmark Rhodes album Troupeau Bleu – a classic that stands up next to famous 70s work by Placebo and Marc Moulin – but these singles are equally great, and show the group really moving their sound into a range of different modes! Some tracks have a slight touch of soulful vocals, others are instrumental with a groove that rivals the best of CTI – and throughout it all, there's a strong focus on the kind of keyboard work that has always really made us love these guys. Titles include "Stevie", "Californie", "Les Oiseux Morts", "Mary & Jeff (Fender Rhodes version 77)", "Moanin", "The Sky Is Grey I'm So Blue", and "Les Oiseux Morts (alt take 76)". LP, Vinyl record album

Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". LP, Vinyl record album

Daft Punk's epic second live album – an uncommon feat for an electronic act of their era, in that they had that kind of pop or rock cache to build a reputation as a must see live "band', without compromising their club floor shaking genius – and a bit of a classic in its own right. This one came a decade after their first, and again somehow harnessing the show's energy in perfect form and blasting it outta the speakers – and it includes Robot Rock", "Oh Yeah", "Steam Machine", "Brainwasher", "Superheroes", "Rock N Roll", "Alive", "Da Funk", "One More Time", "Prime Tiem Of Your Life", "Short Circuit" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo set that Dr Dre cut after leaving NWA – and a record that not only set the tone for his solo career, but also for a huge run of albums from other folks in the years to come! Dre's as much of a production genius as he is a frontman here – really pushing forward some of the best elements he brought to the music of NWA, and also providing a great showcase for the young Snoop Dogg too! And yes, there were so many other records that tried to hit this territory right afterwards, and ended up more in the realm of parody – but the doctor really stays ahead of the pack here throughout, with a record that holds up surprisingly well over the years. Titles include the cuts "F**k Wit Dre Day", "Let Me Ride", "Nuthin' But A G Thang", "Lil Ghetto Boy", "A N***a Witta Gun", "B!tches Ain't Sh!t", "The Chronic", "Deeez Nuts", and "Stranded On Death Row". LP, Vinyl record album

The great Dr John at his freaky deaky best – working here in a mindblowing mix of New Orleans roots and late 60s psych – all served up in some heady studio space and instrumental touches! The sound's unlike anything that ever went before – and is way better here than on some of John's later, straighter material – clearly the work of years of creative genius, as the Doctor, Mac Rebennack, draws on both his heritage from the Crescent City, and his years of work in the underground rock scene in LA! Harold Batiste handled the arrangements – and the record really paves the way for so many famous LA/New Orleans albums to come in the 70s – but never with results this mindblowingly trippy. The tracks are wild, funky, and messed-up New Orleans R&B filtered through a heavy dose of psychedelics – and titles include "Mama Roux", "Croker Courtbullion", "Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya", and the original version of "I Walk On Guilded Splinters". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool work from Ben Cenac of Newcleus fame – a set of house instrumentals that use all the keyboard genius of that earlier groove and move it into the lean clubby sound of the New York scene in the early 90s! There's a great post-Todd Terry vibe going on here – bassy rhythms, crackling beats, and that approach that was definitely learning that less is more with club cuts like these – very much in the spirit of the best work on Nu Groove at the time! The set's only got six tracks, but all are great – and titles include "Breathe Deep", "Liquid", "How Do I Love Thee", "Mystery Of Love", "Dream 2 Science", and "My Love Turns To Liquid". LP, Vinyl record album

An early moment of genius from The Electric Prunes – and exactly the kind of record that shows why they were a cut above their contemporaries, and why Warner really backed them strongly right from the start! There's a depth here that rivals some of the group's Sunset Strip contemporaries – and although David Axelrod's not working with them on the record, there's still lots of dark corners and sharp edges – really thoughtful sounds that are spun out wonderfully on fuzzy guitars and organ, with some nicely subtle drums in the rear. Tracks include "I Has Too Much To Dream (Last Night)", "Try Me On For Size", "Get Me To the World On Time", "About A Quarter To Nine", and "Luvin". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic lost set from modernist genius Gil Evans – one that expands on some of the larger group territory he was exploring with Miles Davis at Columbia Records – but with an even hipper range of soloists overall! The lineup on the record is an all-star one – mostly top shelf players, not studio musicians – and the set has Evans making room in the arrangements for key solo performances by giants who include Johnny Coles on trumpet, Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Budd Johnson on tenor, Ray Crawford on guitar, and both Curtis Fuller and Jimmy Cleveland on trombones – all players who each bring some key moments of magic to the larger arrangements on the album. Evans himself plays piano, and drums are by Elvin Jones and Dennis Charles – which should give you an idea of the modernist inclinations in the music. And although the title says "standards", the tunes here are definitely on the hipper side of the jazz spectrum of the 50s, expanded with beautiful modern arrangements by Gil – on versions of "Joy Spring", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", "Django", "Straight No Chaser", and "Chant Of The Weed". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most obscure work ever recorded by Lebanese singer/songwriter Roger Fakhr – late 70s recordings that were originally only circulated on tape within a small community of friends and supporters, and material that has a vibe that almost feels like some of the best late 60s material from the American scene! Roger sings in this beautifully moody vocal style that's maybe somewhere between Bill Fay and Fred Neil – and the instrumentation, while gentle, is also well-pointed – so that slight electric elements mix with acoustic guitar in a very cool way, and always with a sense of arrangement and production that really distances these tracks from any sort of home recordings or demos. Plus, vocals are in English throughout – which furthers the Cali vibe of the material – and the whole thing could well be the record that gets the rest of the world to pay attention to Fakhr's overlooked genius! Titles include "Down To My Bones", "You Look So Funny", "Had To See Harry", "Drinking Tea", "Rainhill", "Road Of Farewell", and "East Of Any Place". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s indie club classic – and the only album we've ever seen from Maryann Farra & Satin Soul! The group have a sound that's equal parts Brunswick Chicago soul and New York early disco groove – a combination that's brought out even more by the production talents of disco maestro Tony Valor and Chi-soul genius Eugene Record! The tunes groove along in a really rich style of arrangement – often using sweeping strings over tighter rhythms – sometimes hitting the loping midtempo groove you'd expect from Brunswick records at the time, yet also going for some of the faster, freer rhythms that were cropping up on the east coast indies of the time. Some tracks have a tight dancefloor feel – like "Never Gonna Leave You", "Do Those Little Things", and "Just A Little Timing" – while others have a beautiful soul groove – like "You Got To Be The One" and "Living In The Footsteps of Another Girl" – which both have a sound that feels like it was lifted from a lost Barbara Acklin or Chi-Lites album! The set also includes a female soul remake of "Stoned Out Of My Mind" that's almost worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare 70s session from guitar genius Eddie Fisher – best known for his early classics on Chess/Cadet Records, and sounding even funkier here overall! Eddie's still a monster on the guitar – and plays with all of the fuzzy energy of his second album, while throwing in a few of the mellower moments of his first – but all with a trippy vibe that really shows just how much Fisher could explore when allowed to step off onto his own self-run label! There's some cool use of pedals, effects, and keyboards on the record too – and Eddie sings as well, bringing in a great current of soul to the funky rhythms – on titles that include "Cosmic Blues", "The Sunrise", "Music Makes Me Feel Good", "Do You Like It", "Give Me Lend Me Loan Me Let Me Have", "Good Old Days", and "Energy". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the most amazing debut records of all time – not only the record that first exposed the world to Roberta Flack, but a set that heralded so many changes to come in the following decade! Flack's genius here is almost impossible to put into words – part jazz, part soul, and completely righteous from the very first note – possessed of a sense of pride and power that belie both her understated image on the front cover, and her relatively young age – and delivered with a timelessness that still makes the record as vital today as it was so many years back. The set features Flack playing piano and singing with her trio – sometimes augmented by larger arrangements by the very hip William S Fischer, but often in a setting that's very spare yet incredibly moving – instantly putting Roberta at the same level as Nina Simone, and maybe even past the territory of Aretha Franklin at the time. Titles include her seminal reading of "Compared To What" – an instant anthem for the time – plus the tracks "Angelitos Negros", "Our Ages Or Our Hearts", and "Tryin Times". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost early chapter in the career of Roberta Flack – material recorded during the sessions for her legendary First Take album, but unissued at the time – and presented here with an amazing demonstration of the depth of her young talents! All the genius of First Take is in place here – that groundbreaking territory between jazz and soul that set Roberta apart from the pack, right from the start – but there's also a wider range of currents going on – maybe some more jazz-based numbers, mixed with other soul-referenced titles too – a wider span that furthers the role that Flack plays as a bridge between the 60s innovations of Nina Simone and a host of others to follow. The group is just a trio – Flack on piano with Marshall Hawkins on bass and Bernard Sweetney on drums – but the tunes have a very wide-open vibe that's very visionary, and every bit as great as Roberta's debut! Titles include a stunning version of "Afro Blue", plus "It's Way Past Suppertime", "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Groove Me", "To Sir With Love", "The Song Is Love", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out", "The House Song", and "Hush A Bye". LP, Vinyl record album

Streetwise raps from Freddie Gibbs, backed by inventive production from Madlib – here on one of the best records yet on 'Lib's own Madlib Invazion imprint! If you'll forgive us a little bit of repetition – because we KNOW we've written this before – there's just something extra riveting about Madlib's production work for straight shooting, street lingo slinging, no nonsense MCs. The freewheeling inspiration and bottomless depth of unpredictable sample funk is there, as always. It's leaner, tighter and with a thicker backdrop of beats. Gibbs is sharply on point throughout here, and if it seems like an oddball pairing at first glance, rest assured, these guys work GREAT together. Guests include Danny Brown – who drops some top shelf wordplay of his own on "High" – plus the Wu legend Raekwon on "Bomb", Domo Genius & Earl Sweatshirt on "Robes", Domo Genius, G-Whiz, Mac Miller and more on the title cut, and more. Other titles include "Supplier", "Scarface", "Deeper", "Harold's", "Thuggin'", "Real" and "Uno". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the crowning moments of genius from the great George Clinton – a record that has Funkadelic really finding their groove, in the same way that Parliament were helping push underground funk into both the clubs and the mainstream – while also showing that the P-Funk empire can jam better than just about anyone else! The whole thing is hitting on all burners throughout – with an impeccable sense of instrumentation, balanced with an easygoing attitude that makes the whole thing seem effortless – especially compared to other funk ensembles who were picking up the speed a bit too much in the disco generation. The centerpiece of the album is the classic "One Nation Under A Groove" – a monster cut with a hook that won't quit, spun out here in a great extended version – followed by other classics that include "Into You", "Grooveallegiance", and "Cholly". Also comes with a bonus 12" single that features the tracks "One Nation Under A Groove (disco mix)", "Maggot Brain/Chant", "Lunchmeataphobia", and "PE Squad/Doo Doo Chasers". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great 80s albums that really helped Jerry Garcia demonstrate his commitment to deeper currents of American acoustic music – sounds that always colored his contributions to the Grateful Dead, but which by this point have emerged as a fantastic second side of Jerry's genius! And sure, the guy's a superstar, so most folks would lend their ears to anything he does – but the sounds here are really balanced so that Garcia is hardly the leading light of the set – trading guitar lines and vocals with David Nelson, in a group that also features John Kahn on bass, Kenny Kosek on fiddle, David Kemper on snare drum, and Sandy Rothman on mandolin, dobro, and banjo – all of which really add a lot to the set. Titles include "Bright Morning Stars", "Turtle Dove", "Rosa Lee McFall", "Deep Elem Blues", If I Lose", "Ragged But Right", and "I Ain't Never". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique – written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him – done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love – all of which were very much on the mind of Marvin during his troubled years of the mid 70s. The whole thing's beautifully put together – superbly orchestrated with just the right funky touches, and even a sweet bit of electronics to give the set a nice edge. An amazing album – one of those soul records that goes deeper and deeper than you ever thought pop music could go – filled with great tracks that include "I Want You", "After the Dance", "Come Live With Me", and "Since I Had You". Genius – pure genius! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure albums ever recorded by Stan Getz – an unusual early 70s outing that pairs his tenor genius with some very cool larger arrangements, all produced to perfection by the great George Martin! The record's surprisingly great overall, with some groovy charts handled by Richard Hewson – not an artist usually associated with Getz, but then again, neither is Martin – and as with Dynasty, Communications 72, and other unusual projects from the time – the set really shows Stan opening up to some new ideas, while still winning us all over again with that wonderful sense of tone! Titles include great versions of "Without Her", "Cecilia", "Marrakesh Express", "The April Fools", and "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different record than the first collaboration between Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – but that's also one of the things that makes it great! The album's more of a split LP than a shared one – as side one features a live performance from the great mid 60s Stan Getz quartet that featured Gary Burton on vibes – a wonderfully cool combo that was very under-documented on record, and which makes a key appearance here. The combination of Burton's vibes and Stan's tenor is pure genius – a sound that's got all the subtle hues and cool colors of the Getz bossa recordings, but which is quite different overall. Stan's tone is amazing on these tunes – and titles include "Here's That Rainy Day", "Tonight I Shall Sleep With A Smile On My Face", "Grandfather's Waltz", and "Stan's Blues". Side two features Joao Gilberto without Stan – playing in a very groovy trio that's more straight bossa than most of his other US recordings – cool small combo grooving that's totally great! The lineup features Gilberto on guitar and vocals, Keeter Betts on bass, and Helcio Milito on drums – all working in a sweetly grooving mode on titles that include "Samba De Minha Terra", "Meditation", "Bim Bom", "Rosa Moreno", and "O Pato". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most compelling Bill Laswell productions of the 90s – partly because the work of Maleem Mahmoud Ghania is so great – and also because tenor genius Pharoah Sanders turns in some great work on the set! The core sound comes from Ghania's roots in gnawa – vocals and guimbri from the leader, mixed with rising voices and percussion from a larger ensemble – the topped with the sorts of searing solos that only Pharoah can deliver – usually at a level that's a lot more outside than most of his other recordings of the period! Unlike some other Laswell records, Bill doesn't seem to be involved at all in the music – and instead really just steps back and lets Sanders and Ghania really work magic together with the rest of the ensemble – on titles that include "Bala Moussaka", "Peace In Essaouria", "Salat Anbi", "Mahraba", "Casa Casa Atougra", "Boulandi Samawi", and "Hamdouchi". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic record from Blue Note guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that's got a sound that goes way past his goofy look on the cover! The title's a bit right – in that there's something of a Latin vibe going on, with more percussion than usual in a small group – but the sound is also not straight New York Latin, with looser currents that are borrowed a bit from bossa nova, but also given a fluid soul jazz spin! There's maybe a slight touch of some of Cal Tjader's records from the period, but with more of the edge that we love on his guitar – served up in a combo that features the mighty Willie Bobo on drums, Johnny Acea on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, Patato Valdez on congas, and Garvin Masseux on chekere. Together, the group makes for a very hip set of tracks that includes "Tico Tico", "Mama Inez", "Besame Mucho", and "Mambo Inn". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most compelling albums ever recorded by British alto genius Joe Harriott – a very unusual record that has him working with guitarist Amanico D'Silva, in a style that's got some wonderful modal undertones! The feel here is a bit like Harriott's work with Michael Garrick – minus piano, of course – as he and D'Silva work through some tunes that are long, filled with complicated rhythms, yet still have a magically dancing sound. The mood shifts a bit from track to track – as Norma Winstone comes in for wordless vocals on two numbers, and Ian Carr blows a bit on one tune – and there's one short track on the record that only features Harriott's alto next to a bit of drums. Great stuff all around – with titles that include "NNNT", "Hum Donon", "Jaipur", "Stephano's Dance", and "Ballad For Goa". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible package – one that features all three variations on this legendary album, along with bonus material on other pieces of vinyl – plus complete replicas of all 17 issues of the legendary Tribe Magazine – a key outlet for knowledge and culture in the Detroit scene of the 70s! The package has all three variations of the record in their original artwork – and version 1 comes with a 7" single that includes short versions of "Where Am I" and "How Do We End All Of This Madness". Version 2 comes with a 10" album that features full instrumental versions of "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", and "Angela's Dilemma". Version 3 is pressed on 2LPs, which each play at 45rpm! The core album is genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison – and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Jeamel Lee on vocals, Charles Eubanks on electric piano, and Charles Moore on flugelhorn. The tracks have a spacious spiritual approach that recalls some of the later Archie Shepp on Impulse – a blend of soul jazz with slight touches of electric instrumentation, some vocals, and a very progressive spirit overall – stepping proud in the new freedoms of the 70s, yet still swinging and very groovy. Titles include "Angela's Dilemma", "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", "Merciful", and "Beneficent". But maybe even cooler are the issues of Tribe Magazine – rare treasures from the Detroit underground, reproduced here for the first time ever – and maybe even worth the price of the heavy box set. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible package – one that features all three variations on this legendary album, along with bonus material on other pieces of vinyl – plus complete replicas of all 17 issues of the legendary Tribe Magazine – a key outlet for knowledge and culture in the Detroit scene of the 70s! The package has all three variations of the record in their original artwork – and version 1 comes with a 7" single that includes short versions of "Where Am I" and "How Do We End All Of This Madness". Version 2 comes with a 10" album that features full instrumental versions of "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", and "Angela's Dilemma". Version 3 is pressed on 2LPs, which each play at 45rpm! The core album is genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison – and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Jeamel Lee on vocals, Charles Eubanks on electric piano, and Charles Moore on flugelhorn. The tracks have a spacious spiritual approach that recalls some of the later Archie Shepp on Impulse – a blend of soul jazz with slight touches of electric instrumentation, some vocals, and a very progressive spirit overall – stepping proud in the new freedoms of the 70s, yet still swinging and very groovy. Titles include "Angela's Dilemma", "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", "Merciful", and "Beneficent". But maybe even cooler are the issues of Tribe Magazine – rare treasures from the Detroit underground, reproduced here for the first time ever – and maybe even worth the price of the heavy box set. LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from the legendary pianist Hasaan – an artist most people know for his famous Atlantic album with Max Roach, but who steps out here in a set of earlier material that's completely amazing! The set begins with six trio tracks – performed in a group with Henry Grimes on bass and Kalil Madi on drums – a combo who carve out space that's completely their own, taking some of the 50s modern piano ideas of Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, but letting them loose with even more imagination – yet also avoiding any too-free modes as well. The balance is incredible – on all original titles that include "Viceroy", "Pay Not Play Not", "Off My Back Jack", "Almost Like Me", and "Dinka Street". Next are three long tracks that feature the vocals of Muriel Gilliam (aka Muriel Winston from her Strata East days), singing alongside Hasaan's piano on these really amazing takes on standards – stretched out, and given lots of sharp edges – on takes of "Embraceable You", "Stella By Starlight", and "Body & Soul". Last up are two very long solo tracks – stunningly imaginative versions of "After You've Gone" and "End Of A Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

There was never anyone like Lee Hazlewood – and this album is a true testament to his genius! He's the kind of guy you think you've got figured out when you first look at him – but the more you listen to his music, the more you want to raise him above all of the other hip singer/songwriters he seems to be like (Gram Parsons, Leonard Cohen, etc). At heart, Lee was a Cowboy – much more so than any of those fake LA "desperadoes" of the Sunset rock years – and this album, recorded as part of the enigmatic film A Cowboy In Sweden, is true testament to Lee's incredible ability to be both totally serious about his image, yet still maintain a sense of wit and distance that makes him incredibly hard to pin down, genre-wise. He's the country singer Scott Walker always wanted to be, and he's got a pop genius that Leonard Cohen painfully tried to reach in his later years. Brilliant! Filled with beautiful titles like "Forget Marie", "Pray Them Bars Away", "Easy & Me", "No Train To Stockholm", and "The Night Before" – one that you won't forget for a long time! This rare deluxe version features a bonus album of unreleased tracks – outtakes, demos, and instrumentals! LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from a contemporary hardbop genius – Finnish drummer Aleksi Heinola, a musician who's got the same sense of leadership as the great Art Blakey! Not that Heinola's any sort of Blakey imitation – just that he's got a way of picking all the best elements for a group, putting them together the right way – and really letting them take off and do their own thing! We loved the efforts of his quintet release from a few years back, and the music here follows in a similar spirit, with a mostly different lineup – superb work from deep-voiced tenorist Gabor Bolla, rock-solid bass from Daniel Franck, and soulful piano lines from Jukkis Uotila, a player who can hang on just the right modern modes at the right time, in order to bring a real sharpness to the set. Titles include "Big Push", "Peace", "Bolivia", "New Vibes", "Vananta Land", "10 Points", "Pronto", "Think Of One", "Tetragon", and "Rio". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic early work by modern tenor genius Joe Henderson – very well titled with the use of "mode", given the new sound and new direction Henderson was taking his tenor in the 60s! The album's got Joe working at the head of an all-great lineup that includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – the last of whom really brings in some tremendous moments to the record, using his instrument to create a slightly off-kilter feel that pushes the set from straight hardbop into the modern realm with traces of "new thing" tones and colors. Joe's solos are incredible – searing, searching, yet still pulsing with an undeniably soulful rhythm – and titles include the essential track "Black", plus "Caribbean Fire Dance", "Free Wheelin", and "Shade Of Jade". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from Ron Henderson and his excellent Choice Of Colors group – maybe one of the hippest soul acts in North Carolina during the 70s – and one who are certainly different than the groups of that scene who were trying more for a groove that would please vacationers on the coast! Instead, Henderson's a mellow soul genius – with elements in his music that maybe rivals some of the better-known work of artists like Bobby Wilson or Leroy Hutson – but which also has some Jersey/Philly elements at times, too – especially when the rest of the group harmonizes along with Ron's lead! The set features two Allen Toussaint remakes, and the rest is original material by Henderson – titles that include "I'll Be Around", "The Real Thing", "Love Is Gone", "Real Men Can't Be Wrong", "What About Love", "Mary Green", and "Problem Child". LP, Vinyl record album

Raw genius from Smokey Hogg – a set of recordings originally issued as singles for the Modern/RPM label, brought together here to make one of the few full length documents of Hogg's talents from the time! Smokey sings here with spare acoustic guitar on most tracks, and a bit of piano added in on some others – but all with a very lean, very rootsy vibe that reflects his rural roots, and which is especially resonant with Lightning Hopkins on the piano-less tunes! Titles include "I Got Your Picture", "Goin Back To Chicago", "Coming Back Home To You Again", "You Can't Keep Your Business Straight", "Look In Your Eyes Pretty Mama", and "It's Raining Here". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime genius from funky flute player Bobbi Humphrey – a record we'd rank right up there with her classic Blacks & Blues set – and like that one, another fantastic collaboration with producer Larry Mizell! The groove here is tremendous throughout – a heady mix of Bobbi's flute, Larry's keyboards, and some additional work from Jerry Peters, Skip Scarborough, and other 70s funky jazz legends – all coming together in a large lineup that works together with an amazingly tight and stripped-down groove – a sound that seems to flow effortlessly from the breeze, but which was the long result of careful work in the studio by Larry Mizell and his brother Fonce, who also helped on arrangements. Humphrey is in excellent form – blowing with a tone that's hard, crisp, and very soulful – and the spacey keyboards and gentle grooves lift her flute way out into the cosmos, yet never push things too far! Every cut's a winner – and titles include "You Make Me Feel So Good", "Please Set Me At Ease", "Uno Esta", "The Trip", "Fancy Dancer", and "Mestizo Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius, pure genius! This album's possibly the most perfectly realized set from the team of Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and Harold Land on reeds – a pair who hit territory that's slightly funky, but which is also still touched by the modal spiritualism of some of their earlier work together! The album has an approach that we've not heard on other sides from the time – in that it takes its time to build the grooves up slowly, layering element over element as the songs unfurl, crafting some killer numbers that make the album incredibly strong as a whole. Land plays flute and tenor, and even a bit of oboe, which makes for a wonderfully compelling reed sound – and the group also features Joe Sample on Fender Rhodes, on loan from The Crusaders, plus Fender bass from John Williams and drums from Mickey Roker. Titles include the classics "Ummh" and "Goin' Down South", which have been made famous over the years, thanks to the magic of sampling technology – plus the tracks "Jazz", "Night In Barcelona", and "Procession". LP, Vinyl record album

19 different snapshots of the Motor City, as presented through the ears of J Dilla – who's close to the ground, brimming over with sound, and working here with a boundless array of different beats and samples! The package is one from the vaults, issued after Dilla's too-soon passing – and although the tracks are spare, they stand as a strong testament to his production genius, and that way of putting together a fresh track with just a few key elements that sound so great together! There's definitely plenty of famous cuts sampled here – which is partly why the package is somewhat obscure – so much so, the tracks don't even have any titles of their own. LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous live performance from Ahmad Jamal – one that has the piano genius stretching out on some very long tracks, in a spirit that's similar to the magic he brought to his early 70s records for the Impulse label! As on those, Jamal here also plays a bit of Fender Rhodes – in the company of drummer Frank Gant and bassist Jami Nasser – both players whose sense of open flow really matches Ahmad's energy on the piano – as the tracks take off, open up, and sparkle with creative imagination throughout! The whole thing is a key addition to the small catalog of records from this moment – which include Outertimeinnerspace and Awakening – and titles include long takes on "Bogota", "Effendi", and "Manhattan Reflections". LP, Vinyl record album

Late 70s genius from Leon Keita, a Mandingue musician who only recorded a few albums on the scene in Mali, but really helped transform the music at the time! There's an evolution of older modes here that's great – never forced, but this kind of gentle nudge into more complexity in both the rhythms and the guitar lines – sometimes with these uplifting qualities that almost seem to echo South African jazz, but with more of the cyclical progressions that you'd expect from Keita's scene. The organ and keyboard lines are especially great, sometimes almost otherworldly – and titles include "Dalaka"," Gnanassouma", "Daka Sate Korotoumi", "Diarabi Mana", and "Ifarana". LP, Vinyl record album

The very first full length album from BB King – a killer collection of previous singles for the RPM Records label, served up as a bold statement of King's early genius! The record announces its presence right from the very first note – that brilliant blend of effortless electric guitar solo work and completely charismatic vocals that made BB such a star, right from the get-go – and which maybe comes through even more clearly here than in some of his overproduced material from later decades! Many tracks have nicely jumping backings by the great Maxwell Davis – and titles include "Please Love Me", "Bad Luck", "3 O'Clock Blues", "Ten Long Years", "Sweet Little Angel", "You Upset Me Baby", and a classic early take on "Every Day I Have The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The young Roland Kirk at the height of his powers – recording here on the UK scene, long before he added the Rahsaan to his name – and heading up a very cool combo with the legendary Stan Tracey on piano! Stan's presence here is wonderful – as Tracey was in many ways the Thelonious Monk or Herbie Nichols of the London scene – a modernist piano genius whose accompaniment of Roland here is akin to the work of Jaki Byard on some of Kirk's other albums – as the pair move deftly and wonderfully with the mix of imagination and wit that both of them brought to their music! Rhythm accompaniment is wonderful too – deft drums from Ronnie Stephenson and bass from Malcolm Cecil. Kirk blows tenor, stritch, and manzello – sometimes all three at once – and titles include the long tracks "Angelica", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Close Your Eyes", and "Three For The Festival". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant later set from Lee Konitz – recorded for Blue Note, after many years of Lee's mighty talents being ignored by US labels! Konitz first rose up as a modernist in the postwar years, recorded important records for Atlantic, Verve, Prestige, and other labels – then mostly gave his gifts to the overseas market during the 70s, and especially the 80s. Yet during that time, he grew tremendously as a player – something that's almost hard to imagine given the genius of his youth – and received this excellent showcase courtesy of bassist Charlie Haden, who co-produced with Lee, and plays in the trio alongside pianist Brad Mehldau. The format is open and fluid – never too free, but with that exploratory vibe that Konitz and the rest of the Tristano school opened up in the 50s. Titles include nice long takes on "Alone Together", "The Song Is You", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "Round Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

Daisaku Kume did a fantastic job with the music for this excellent film from Takeshi Kitano – serving up a fair bit of the keyboard sounds that you'd know from his work in the famous fusion group T-Square, but in a way that's nicely different than those records too! There's definitely lots of 80s elements in the production, yet the sound is often nice and spare – matching the directorial genius of Kitano – with slow-moving drum machine rhythms, nicely chromatic keyboards, and a glow in the overall sound that's mighty nice. A few passages have lead tenor solos, and there's also two takes on work from Erik Satie – which might stand as a good inspiration for Kume's direction with the music. LP, Vinyl record album

A second great set of work from improvising genius Steve Lacy – working here in both solo formation, and in a trio with Andrea Centazzo on drums and Kent Carter on bass – all on material recorded by the Ictus label in the 70s, but unissued at the time! The solo pieces are beautiful – very much on a par with some of Lacy's better-known recordings in that mode at the time, but maybe also more lyrical too – and the trio improvisation gets nicely unbounded, with all three players really pushing themselves in pursuit of new sonic ideas! Titles include "Name", "The Way", and "Bone". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure Steve Lacy albums of the 80s, and a record that almost hearkens back to much earlier work in his career – a set that has the soprano sax genius working alongside the piano of Martin Joseph, in a mode that recalls some of Lacy's Monkish inspirations in the early years, but which also showcases some of the bold directions he'd taken in the 70s as well! The set's a live one, and has this crisp quality that's beautiful – maybe because of the rawness of the format, which seems to bring a sharp edge to Lacy's horn, and make the corners of Martin Joseph's piano lines equally great. Titles include "Flakes", "No Baby", "Coastline", "Deadline", and "Bemsha Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from French composer Francis Lai – one of his greatest soundtracks ever, and done during the same period as Live For Life and A Man & A Woman! The feel here is very similar to the work of those films – and was also done for a project directed by Claude Lelouch – and as on A Man & A Woman, both Pierre Barouh and Nicole Croisille sing vocals on the session, bringing a really groovy vocal touch to the set! The tunes range from broadly sweeping and soaring numbers, to others that have a bouncy French pop feel – and Lai really comes through with some beautiful instrumentation for the set, especially on a few of the tracks that feature organ! There's three versions of the great track "Killy", an anthemic ditty that's sung by Nicole Croisille, and played again on solo organ – and other tracks include "Descente", "Peggy", and "13 Jours En France". LP, Vinyl record album

Pianist Walter Lang brings all his own compositions to this beautiful trio set – a record of understated genius that's handled with a really beautiful approach to recording! Lang's tunes are complex, but never in a way that's cold – and although he clearly can really work his way around the keyboard, he also does so in ways that aren't showy or overdone – really just these light painterly strokes in sound at times, given gentle groove through the work of Thomas Markusson on bass and Sebastian Merk on drums. Titles include "Still Gone", "Dawn Song", "Precious Love", "I Wonder", "Translucent Red", and "Afterglow". LP, Vinyl record album

Michel Legrand is one of our favorite composers of all time – and although the man himself passed away in 2019, his music continues to live on strongly in the hearts of countless singers and musicians he's touched over the years – including those who work together on this wonderful tribute album! The set's very different than other Legrand-related projects of this nature – as both the choice of cuts and the execution is very special – not too pop-polished, or overly sentimental – as most of the numbers here are very spare and open – almost recorded as these elegies to Michel, with beautiful reworkings of his familiar themes, often just with piano and some other light instrumentation – never sleepy, given the talents on board, but sensitively done in just the right spirit of Legrand's genius. Titles include "Windmills Of Your Mind" by Chad Lawson, "Sans Toi" by Luca D'Alberto, "Les Parapluies De Cherbourg" by Lambert, "Toujoirs Jamais" by Akira Kosemura, "Peau D'Ane" by Alban Claudin, "Chanson De Jumelles" by Joseph Schiano Di Lombo, "How Do You Keep The Music Playing" by Moux, and "Summer Of 42" by Chilly Gonzales. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest jazz albums of the 60s – and a crucial crossover set from the legendary Ramsey Lewis trio! The record's a live one, which gives the group a perfect chance to show off their special genius – not just soulful grooves from Ramsey on piano, but wickedly sharp and playful basslines from the great Eldee Young, and equally inventive work on drums from Redd Holt – both fantastic players who would soon break out on their own as Young Holt Unlimited! There's a surprising mix of modes on the record, too – as Ramsey begins with the group's classic reading of "The In Crowd" – formerly a soul tune, but maybe more of a hit here in their instrumental reading – then runs through material that really showcases the creative depth of the group, on titles that include "Love Theme From Spartacus", "Felicidade", "Come Sunday", and "You Been Talkin Bout Me Baby". CD features 2 non-LP bonus tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

The original soundtrack to Trouble Man is nothing short of a masterpiece – a full-on moment of studio genius from Marvin Gaye, right in the middle of his classic 70s run – a record that's given a fantastic new treatment here by Lo Res, who delivers exactly what's promised in the title! The record's not a straight rehash of the original – as Lo Res clearly knows and loves, and has completely absorbed the original – so that he can take the whole thing and open it up with new arrangements, interesting instrumentation, and a mix of strings, jazz, and funky elements that are completely sublime. If anything, the set seems to more fully expand on the orchestrations of the original, while losing none of the sense of the soul – and apart from a vocal appearance by Blackwolf, most of the focus is instrumental – on titles that include "Cleo's Apartment", "T Plays It Cool", "Don't Mess With Mr T", "T Stands For Trouble", "Theme From Trouble Man", "Poor Abbey Walsh", "The Break In", and "Deep In It". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure albums issued on the Palm Records label of French jazz genius Jef Gilson – a large ensemble session that ties together both spiritual and avant styles of the early 70s, and which really demonstrates the overlooked power of the French scene at the time! The group's led by Chilean pianist Manuel Villarroel which might explain the title reference – and the lineup is filled with a range of excellent and obscure French musicians – including Jean Quarlier, Hugh Levick, Jef Sicard, and Gerard Coppere on reeds – plus Alain Brunet and JF Cannape on trumpets, Alphonse Leboucher and Josef Traindl on trombones, and Keno Speller, Claudio Bertoni, and Ana-Maria Villarroel on percussion. The tunes are as loose and open as the free jazz material recorded by BYG/Actuel a few years before – but also have more inherent structure and soul, and a really great balance between the contributions of the individual members as they space out the sound nicely. Titles include "Bolerito", "Leyendas De Nahuelbuta", and "Quetzalcoatl". LP, Vinyl record album

All the lean, spare Madlib tracks taken from the vocal album – served up here as instrumentals, and in a way that really showcases Madlib's continuing genius over the years! There's really a "less is more" vibe going on here – with a focus on key elements, just the right kind of raw rhythms, and stark statements that maybe doesn't make us miss the vocals at all – as we instead find ourselves falling in love with the Madlib sound all over again! Titles include "Birthday", "High Stakes", "The Cypher", "Pop Fly", "Advice", "Flying High", "Duwop", and "Kool". LP, Vinyl record album

Formative Madlib beatcraft – music made by 'Lib from 1990-2000 – crafted into a tight full length album that feels as fresh as ever! History Of The Loop Digga features funky hip hop instrumentals made at a time when he was producing underground beat tapes for himself and the Crate Diggas Palace crew of MCs. Raw Madlib hip hop beats from the early days with spackled with bits of vocals from Madlib & his Quasimoto alter ego, Declaime and others, plus mad vocal samples. At the core, it's excellent leftfield hip hop productions that aptly predicts for the unbridled genius to come, mixed in 2010 and feeling very much of the here and now. 34 shortish tracks on the 2LP version for more than an hour of modern vintage Madlib. Titles include "Static Invazion", "Stakeout", "Rapper X Radio", "Last Day's Music", "Nothing For Nothing", "Live From Outer Space", "Further Adventures Of Walkman Flavor", "Real Days" "CDP Assassins" (Pts 1-6) and a slew of untitled episodes. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the one and only album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing solo set from Curtis Mayfield – a record that not only foregrounds all the subtle politics he'd been forging in the Impressions during the 60s – but one that also really has Mayfield exploding as a force to be reckoned with in the studio! The album's a personal masterpiece – to the career of Curtis what the early solo albums of Issac Hayes were to his own genius – a bold, unfettered statement of pride and power – of the sort that would both make Mayfield and the Curtom Records label forces to be reckoned with in the 70s. Every cut is a classic – and titles include "Move On Up", "If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go", "Miss Black America", "Wild & Free", "Give It Up", "The Makings Of You", "The Other Side Of Town", and "We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget The Stooges, forget Alice Cooper, forget the White Stripes, and maybe even forget Funkadelic – because this landmark album is one that really put the ferocity of the Detroit scene on the map – rising up the city's legacy of raw sounds next to their better-known soul and pop of the 60s – and forever putting MC5 on the great rock and roll map! The group had been honing their craft in the city for a few years before this set – and it was the genius of Elektra Records to capture them live at the city's Grande Ballroom, and not in the studio – which is part of the intensity of the record's charm, especially on the sometimes-edited bit of profanity. Titles include the seminal "Kick Out The Jams", plus "Come Together", "Rocket Reducer No 62", "Borderline", "Motor City Is Burning", "I Want You Right Now", and "Starship". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the crowning achievement of drummer Makaya McCraven so far – a double-length set that stands as a huge testimony to all the many waves he's been making in jazz for the past few years! The album features four slices of live performance – recorded in New York, Chicago, LA, and London – and as with every one of his different projects, Makaya seems to bring a different voice to each live track here – recording with Brandee Younger on harp and Joel Ross on vibes in New York, Shabaka Hutchings on tenor in Chicago; Nubya Garcia on tenor and Ashley Henry on Rhodes in London; and Josh Johnson on alto, Jeff Parker on guitar, Carlos Nino on percussion, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson on violin in LA! The rhythms are as amazing as the contributions from the different soloists – and the sound of the record is maybe something we'd call post-spiritual – moving past that Coltrane-inspired mode that's been revived so well in the 21st Century, while still holding onto its best sense of energy. The whole thing is fantastic – and titles include "The Count Off", "Brighter Days Beginning", "Universal Beings", "Mantra", "Young Genius", "Holy Lands", "Wise Man Wiser Woman", "Prosperity's Fear", "Atlantic Black", "Flipped Out", "Voila", and "Suite Hans". LP, Vinyl record album

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". LP, Vinyl record album

A triple-action classic from alto genius Jackie McLean – and one of those key records from the years when he stunned the world by moving from hardbop into the more experimental modes of the "new thing" generation! The approach here is very formative – not just for some of Jackie's spiritual expressions in the 70s, but also for the way that more creative jazz moved forward in years to come – as McLean is working alongside key players who include Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! Higgins' lyrical playing is a perfect complement to the more avant tones of the others – giving the album a free dancing soul, but also never letting things get too out of hand to lose the jazz basis of McLean's best work. The album includes an early recording of Tolliver's classic tune "Plight", plus the tracks "Wrong Handle", "Action", and "Hootnan". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant live set from the key 60s years of the Thelonious Monk Quartet – material recorded in Tokyo as part of a TV broadcasting – done with excellent sound, and different than the album release of material that came out from Columbia Records at the time! The group here features pure genius – a balance of Monk's modern piano with sax, bass, and drums at a level that's almost an answer to that pairing in the late 50s Dave Brubeck group – Monk really pushing the edges, alongside the stunning Charlie Rouse on tenor, with Butch Warren on bass and Frankie Dunlop on drums. This version of the group would be gone by the end of 1963, but sound wonderful here – on titles that include "Epistrophy", "Evidence", "Just A Gigolo", "Blue Monk", and "Ba Lou Bolivar Ba Luse Are". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece from Gerry Mulligan – and one of those key 60s albums that marks such a huge shift in his sound from the 50s! The approach here is very cool and compressed – but not in an LA "cool jazz" way – as the music has a more urbane, sophisticated vibe that's very much in keeping with the cover – as Gerry both blows baritone and plays piano with this spare sensitivity that's perfectly matched by group mates who include Art Farmer on trumpet and flugelhorn, Jim Hall on guitar, and Bob Brookmeyer on trombone! The use of Hall and Farmer is especially key here – as the pair bring in those soulful yet airy sounds they were crafting on their own records – given superb rhythm support from Bill Crow on bass and Dave Bailey on drums. The whole thing is a master class in understated genius – and titles include "Night Lights", "Prelude In E Minor", "Tell Me When", "Festive Minor", and "Morning Of The Carnival". LP, Vinyl record album

Late 70s genius from the Japanese jazz scene – a record that features warm piano work from the leader Masao Nakajima – a player who can burn one minute with great intensity, then deliver a laidback lyrical line the next! It's that balance that makes the album really wonderful – a quality that's echoed very strongly by the reed work on the record – great contributions from Toshiyuki Honda on flute, alto, and soprano – a player you might hear on fusion records in other settings, but who is even more wonderful here. The rest of the group includes bassist Osamu Kawakami, and the great American drummer Donald Bailey – a player who worked with Jimmy Smith in the 60s, but who has a very different vibe here. Titles include a beautiful remake of "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" – plus "Third Plane", "Moment's Notice", "My Love", and "Beloved Diane". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Oliver Nelson's hippest albums – a bold statement of righteous energy, and a fantastic summation of all the genius he'd created during the 60s as an arranger for other people's records! The record is almost at a Duke Ellington level – a complex yet soulful suite of tracks for the post-60s years – complete with some sound effects of rioting and urban strife at the beginning, and a mix of modern, modal, and compositional styles that bursts out with pride and power that we wouldn't have heard in Nelson's music a decade before! The soloists are great – and the album features wonderful read work from John Klemmer, Frank Strozier, and Nelson himself – on great original titles that include "Self Help Is Needed", "I Hope In Time A Change Will Come", "Requiem Afterthoughts", "Lamb Of God", and "Martin Was A Man A Real Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A really rare slice of work from the funky genius Janko Nilovic – not the sound library grooves which have gained him fame over the decades – but instead a batch of rare cuts from his own short-lived record label, which he formed in 1968 with soul singer Davy Jones! Nilovic and Jones wrote all the tunes on the set, and they're presented by a variety of different artists – but have a unified feel that certainly comes from the strong instrumentation provided by Janko! The tunes are in a mix of mod 60s styles – some soul, some Hammond-heavy groovers, and some with a more expansive vibe that's almost a psychedelic take on the spirit of French pop during the period. The set features every a and b-side of the six singles issued by the label – plus four more bonus remixes – and titles include "Voodoo Juju Obsession (parts 1 & 2)" by K Ptyacunthapuserectus, "Lover's Summer Song" and "Moon Man" by Bobby Cannon, "Restless Gringo" and "The Lost & The Lonely" by Spiritus M, "Groovy Kinda Samba" and "The Juju Is The Thing" by Abra K Dabra, "Treasure Lee" and "Voodoo Juju" by Killer Steen, and "Tinka Bell" and "There's A Little Old Lady" by Tinka Bell. LP, Vinyl record album

Dubby genius from the great Augustus Pablo – a set that continues the spirit of his best 70s work in this mode, but with a sound that has a few slight 80s touches! The overall sound is still very nice and spare – laidback, gently tripping in the rhythm department, and with both melodica solos from Pablo – and some other keyboard work that really echoes the moody, spacey, snakey sound of his work on the blown instrument! The title names are a bit basic, but that hardly matters, given the sound of the set – and tracks include "Riot Dub", "In The Red Dub", "Hanging Dub", "Night Patrol Dub", "Rastaman Dub", "Zion Way Dub", and "Dubbing King James". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete presentation of a legendary live performance, and one that's often billed as a high moment in the history of bebop – a special concert-only group that brings together five key bop heavyweights – Charlie Parker on alto, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max Roach on drums – all coming together in a unique one-off performance! The set was recorded up in Canada, and represents one of the first widely-circulated live recordings of a straight bop set – different than some of the mix of styles you'd get on a JATP record, with long tracks that really show the nonstop creative energy that shifts between the players. The original vinyl release broke the concert out into two records – both of which are united here with additional material! The set features two takes on the Quintet material – without bass overdubs, and with them added – on titles that include "Night In Tunisia", "Perdido", "Salt Peanuts", "All The Things You Are/52nd Street Theme", "Wee", and "Hot House". The package then also adds in the second half of the concert – a set that features the core rhythm trio, without Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie – a killer lineup that has Bud Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max Roach on drums! The tunes are a bit shorter than on the quintet sides, but maybe that's because Powell can always pack so much into such a short space – and Mingus has plenty of sharp small group imagination here, while Roach is a young genius, really breaking out here too. Titles include "Sure Thing", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Jubilee", "Cherokee", and "Embraceable You". Plus, the set features a stunning solo drum performance by Max Roach – "Drum Conversation". LP, Vinyl record album

A genius pairing of these two legendary improvisers – two artists who really had an amazing sense of tone and timing on their instruments! By the time of the recording, Evan Parker had lept far ahead most of his improvising contemporaries on tenor and soprano sax – using the horns in ways that were very far from their roots, as he opens up all sorts of sonic possibilities – at a level that is also echoed by George Lewis, who'd already given the world some amazing moments on his solo trombone record, yet pushes even farther here! The set features five different improvisations, each numbered variations on the title – all great. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album in the British avant garde – the first set ever issued on Incus Records, and a monumental set of improvisations between Evan Parker on saxes, Hank Bennink on percussion, and Derek Bailey on guitar! The album followed from some great energy on the British scene of the previous few years – but went onto set the tone for countless other improvisations in years to come – especially in the way that Bailey's guitar is integrated into the sharper sounds of the saxes and drums. That blend may well be the record's strongest contribution to improvisation – but even without that historic status, it's still a hell of a set from some genius players at their height. Titles include "Dogmeat", "For Peter B & Peter K", "Fixed Elsewhere", and "Titan Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking improvisations from the British scene of the early 70s – a set that stands as a key demonstration of the tonal genius of Evan Parker on reeds, and one that also marks a seminal mix of percussion and electronics from the great Paul Lytton! Parker blows soprano and tenor saxes, sometimes in those cyclical modes that he can pull off effortlessly – which also seems to open the door to Lytton's electronic pulsations, and some of his percussive touches in a similar way – while both musicians also use other elements, including tape and home made instruments – touching the proceedings with some very cool and unexpected sounds! Titles include "Lytton Perdu", "Shaker", "Cat's Flux 2", "Peradam", "Voice Fragment", and "What's Left Of The Neo Left". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing first album from Brazilian modern musical genius Hermeto Pascoal – a set that would change the world of jazz and Brazilian music for years to come! By the time of the set, Hermeto was no stranger to the scene – he'd recorded famously in Quarteto Novo with Airto, and in some other key groups – yet this set also marks a real transformation, the rise of Pascoal as a new visionary, with endless fresh ideas for sounds, rhythms, and instrumental possibilities! And yet, the album's still very groovy – it follows nicely off the spirit of Quarteto Novo, and mixes tight rhythmic changes with all sorts of incredible instrumental inflections – work by Pascoal on keyboards and flute – augmented with drums and percussion from Airto, and a range of reeds from American jazz musicians Jerome Richardson, Maurico Smith, Joe Farrell, Jerry Dodgion, and Hubert Laws – as well as trombone from the great Garnett Brown, and trumpets from Thad Jones and Joe Newman. The mix of American players and Brazilian inspiration is wonderful – and Airto and Flora Purim produced the set – and the latter sings a bit on the record. Titles include "As Marianas", "Alicate", "Hermeto", "Coalhada", "Fabiola", "Guizos", and "Flor Do Amor". LP, Vinyl record album