An amazing record from pianist Horace Tapscott – maybe one of his most ambitious projects ever, and a set that stands head and shoulders next to his classic work for the Nimbus label! As with some of those records, this set features his large Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra – performing live at LACMA in 1998, and also augmented by a vocal choir at times – working with a sense of pride and power that's very much in the best 70s spiritual jazz mode! We honestly didn't know that Tapscott had continued the group this far into the 90s – we've only heard them on record up through the early 80s – and the lineup really represents the maturing vision of the music, with some especially great work from Tapscott on piano, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Michael Session on soprano, alto, and tenor – plus lead vocals from the mighty Dwight Trible. Titles include "Aiee The Phantom", "Fela Fela", "Listen Africa", "Caravan", and "Why Don't You Listen". CD

David Taylor on tombones, Warren Smith on vibes and percussion, Scott Robinson on reeds, Adam Holzman on piano and synth, and Franz Hackl on trumpets. CD

One of the most amazing jazz vocalists of our generation returns here with an incredible group – a majestic combo to match all the spiritual inclinations in his music – with work from Kamasi Washington on tenor, Mark De Clive-Lowe on piano, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on viola, and both Carlos Nino and Derf Reklaw on percussion! Dwight Trible on his own is already more than enough to get us to run out and buy a record – but here, the combination of his unique voice with these musicians makes for an album that's an instant masterpiece – and one that even has lots of new colors and styles compared to some of Dwight's previous work! Songs include numbers by older west coast spiritual jazz heavyweights – like Horace Tapscott, Linda Hill, Nate Morgan, James Leary, and Jesse Sharps – mixed with some of Trible's own songs, and versions of work by Carmen Lundy, Oscar Brown Jr, and Donny Hathaway. From top to bottom, start to stop, the album's a treasure – with tracks that include "It's All About Love", "Thank You Master", "Song For My Mother", "Brother Where Are You", "Some Other Time", "These Things You Are To Me", "Desert Fairy Princess", and "Mothership". CD

One of the most amazing jazz vocalists of our generation returns here with an incredible group – a majestic combo to match all the spiritual inclinations in his music – with work from Kamasi Washington on tenor, Mark De Clive-Lowe on piano, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on viola, and both Carlos Nino and Derf Reklaw on percussion! Dwight Trible on his own is already more than enough to get us to run out and buy a record – but here, the combination of his unique voice with these musicians makes for an album that's an instant masterpiece – and one that even has lots of new colors and styles compared to some of Dwight's previous work! Songs include numbers by older west coast spiritual jazz heavyweights – like Horace Tapscott, Linda Hill, Nate Morgan, James Leary, and Jesse Sharps – mixed with some of Trible's own songs, and versions of work by Carmen Lundy, Oscar Brown Jr, and Donny Hathaway. From top to bottom, start to stop, the album's a treasure – with tracks that include "It's All About Love", "Thank You Master", "Song For My Mother", "Brother Where Are You", "Some Other Time", "These Things You Are To Me", "Desert Fairy Princess", and "Mothership". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most amazing jazz vocalists of our generation returns here with an incredible group – a majestic combo to match all the spiritual inclinations in his music – with work from Kamasi Washington on tenor, Mark De Clive-Lowe on piano, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on viola, and both Carlos Nino and Derf Reklaw on percussion! Dwight Trible on his own is already more than enough to get us to run out and buy a record – but here, the combination of his unique voice with these musicians makes for an album that's an instant masterpiece – and one that even has lots of new colors and styles compared to some of Dwight's previous work! Songs include numbers by older west coast spiritual jazz heavyweights – like Horace Tapscott, Linda Hill, Nate Morgan, James Leary, and Jesse Sharps – mixed with some of Trible's own songs, and versions of work by Carmen Lundy, Oscar Brown Jr, and Donny Hathaway. From top to bottom, start to stop, the album's a treasure – with tracks that include "It's All About Love", "Thank You Master", "Song For My Mother", "Brother Where Are You", "Some Other Time", "These Things You Are To Me", "Desert Fairy Princess", and "Mothership". CD

A brilliant set from Polish pianist Andrzej Trzaskowski – a talent who's virtually unknown in America, but one who cut some of the most forward-thinking work of his generation! The session's a bold, fresh, modern statement that's clearly steeped in work by other 60s American and European modernists, but which also has a fresh quality that's incredibly hard to peg. It's a bit preoccupied with sound and sound colors – almost in a Paul Bley-ish way – but also has a trace of soul and lyricism, as well as a graceful approach that allows space for other players to state themselves freely on the record. That's a good thing, too, because the first album is dominated by strong trumpet work by the great Tomasz Stanko, as well as the relative unknown Janusz Muniak, who plays some great soprano sax on the session. Titles include "Sinobrody", "Post Scriptum", "Synopsis", and "Requiem For Scott La Faro". CD

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". CD

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 rare non-Blue Note 60s date as a leader from Stanley Turrentine – recorded for Impluse when his (then) wife Shirley Scott was contracted to the label – and featuring the talents of both players on some very groovy tracks! The quartet features both Stan's tenor and Shirley's Hammond – with bass by Ron Carter and drums from Mack Simpkins – all in an easy-going groove that recalls some of the best Turrentine/Scott pairings on Prestige! There's a quality here that's relaxed, but never lazy – professional, but never slick – and the album's great proof that although both players could be great on their own, they often sounded even better together at this point in their careers. The album features a cool version of "On a Clear Day", which Shirley always manages to kick into a nice groove – plus the tracks "Good Lookin Out", "Let It Go", "Sure As You're Born", "T'Aint What You Do", and "Ciao Ciao". LP, Vinyl record album

That's right – you're not dreaming – this is a rare Scott Walker album, never reissued on CD! The album features Scott singing a number of standards and pop covers, the sort of fare that he laid down on his short-lived TV show in the late 60s. The tunes aren't exactly the same as Scott's own compositions – but the record is arranged by Peter Knight and produced by Johnny Franz, who handled most of Scott's other work on Fontana. Kind of a hint at the direction he would take after his 5th album – and with the tracks "The Look of Love", "Will You Still Be Mine", "If She Walked Into My Life", "Who", "When The World Was Young", and "I Have Dreamed". Cool cover, too – with a picture of Scott wearing the key to a monastery that once offered him refuge! LP, Vinyl record album

The debut set from Scott Walker and the Walker Brothers – and a record that still has some surprisingly deep moments at times! Much of the work echoes a "wall of sound" style of production – but Scott's vocals are already amazing, and bring this eerie feel to some of the best numbers. Titles include the Scott originals "You're All Around Me" and "Doin' The Jerk", plus "Make It Easy On Yourself", "Here Comes The Night", "Love Her", "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore", "My Ship Is Comin' In", "Love Minus Zero", and "There Goes My Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of excellent albums from master drummer Tony Williams – all brought together in a single package! Believe It is crackling funky fusion from Tony Williams' "new" version of his classic Lifetime group – a quartet that featured some smoking guitar work by jazz rock legend Allan Holdsworth! The sound on the set is very full-on and jamming – fuzzed-out guitars taking over most of the tracks, and Tony jumping into the fray with some really frenetic work on drums – miles away from his earlier jazz work in the 60s, and really taking off with the best sort of rock/jazz fusion energy! Titles include "Snake Oil", "Fred", "Proto Cosmos", "Red Alert", and "Mr Spock". On Million Dollar Legs, Tony Williams is a million miles from his work with the Miles Davis Quintet on this record – grooving in a heavy rock/fusion mode with his New Lifetime group that includes Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Tony Newton on bass and vocals, and Alan Pasqua on keyboards! The tracks have a post Jeff Beck kind of approach – lots of heavy riffing in a way that does create a bit of funk at the right moments, almost in the Alphonze Mouzon/Tommy Bolin mode – and Williams' drums are right at home in the setting, and somehow filled with as much imagination and creativity as before! Titles include "Sweet Revenge", "Inspirations Of Love", "Lady Jade", "What You Do To Me", and "Joy Filled Summer". Joy Of Flying is a key record in the evolution of Tony Williams as a drummer – and kind of a powerful summation of all the changes he'd made in the 70s – before a return to straighter jazz in the next decade! Williams' drumming here is incredibly fierce at points – almost at a Billy Cobham level – but he also shows the sensitivity to deeper sounds that he first brought into play during the 60s – and manages to mix an ear for fusion modes with some freer elements too – thanks to help from a lineup of players that includes Herbie Hancock and Brian Auger on keyboards, Cecil Taylor on piano, Jan Hammer on Fender Rhodes, Stanley Clarke on bass, Ton Scott on lyricon, and Ronnie Montrose on guitar. Titles include "Tony", "Coming Back Home", "Morgan's Motion", "Eris", "Open Fire", and "Hittin On 6". Great CD reissue – full notes, and a 20 page booklet with the usual Reel Music attention to detail! CD

Includes Christmas tunes by Reno & Smiley, Jimmy Dickens, The Stanley Brothers, Jim Eanes, Leon Payne, Cowboy Copas, Hylo Brown, Jimmy Martin & His Sunny Mountain Boys, Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, and Tommy Scott. LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from the glory days of Impulse Records – tracks from sessions for the label's most famous albums, but never issued until this special package! We're not normally ones to dig various artists collections in jazz, but this series is wonderful – an essential counterpart to the main records on Impulse, and filled with work that really offers a fresh look at the musicians. This 2nd volume is a bit more mainstream than some of the others, but still quite nice – and titles include "Gloria" by JJ Johnson, "Dear Old Stockholm" by John Coltrane, "Anything I Do" by Tommy Flanagan, "Moon Over My Annie" by Lionel Hampton, "The Blues Ain't Nothin But Some Pain" by Shirley Scott, and "Night Lights" by Oliver Nelson. LP, Vinyl record album

Features Scott Fields, Sachiko M, Otomo Yoshihide, Taku Sugimoto, Gene Goleman, Elliott Sharp, Richard Teitelbaum, Kang Tae Hwan, Utah Kawasaki, and more. CD

Music from Chuck Johnson, Sean Proper, Norberto Lobo, Simon Scott, dbh, Jordan Norton, Kyle Fosburgh, Christoph Bruhn, Michael Vallera, Dylan Golden Aycock, M. Mucci, Mariano Rodriguez, Andrew Weathers, and Wes Tirey. CD

With selections by Aretha Franklin, Lee Dorsey, The Impressions, The Poets, Gene Chandler, The Olympics, Five Stairsteps, Barbara Mason, Aaron Neville, The Volcanos, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, The Capitols, Intruders, Bar Kays, Mad Lads, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Esquires, and Freddie Scott. LP, Vinyl record album

Horace Silver in many flavors – a great range of jazz recordings from the Prestige/Fantasy catalog – all based around classic compositions by Silver! Horace was a Blue Note man, and never recorded for other labels back in the 60s – but his music had a huge reach for generations to come, as you'll hear on this great mix of cuts that includes soul jazz groovers, vocal numbers, and even the odd Brazilian bit too! Titles include "Ecaroh" by Wes Montgomery, "Filthy McNasty" and "The Preacher" by Eddie Jefferson, "Peace" by Tommy Flanagan, "Moon Rays" by Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete, "Sister Sadie" by Ray Brown, "Song For My Father" by Richard Groove Holmes, "Strollin" by Jack McDuff, "The Preacher" by Shirley Scott, "Nica's Dream" by Blue Mitchell, and "Opus De Funk" by Art Pepper. CD

Incredible funk from an almost-unlikely source – the legendary P&P family of record labels, mostly known for their groundbreaking disco work – but also home to some excellent funky tracks in the late 70s! Given that most of the focus on P&P reissues has often been on the label's club tracks, nearly all the tunes on this CD are reissued here for the first time – offering a completely fresh look at the sound of P&P – making the collection a totally essential set, and long overdue! Many of the tracks are instrumental, and have touches that clearly mark them as coming from the hands of Peter Brown or Patrick Adams – nice spacey bits in the keyboards, wickedly snapping rhythms at the bottom, and an overall sense of groove that's always yearning for something new. Titles include "I've Been Working" by Wild Honey, "Hooker (parts 1 & 2)" by Peter Brown, "I'm Gonna Fool" by Ella Hamilton, "Do The Funky Donkey" by Otis Turner, "Hitch Hike One More Time" by King David, "Long Time Ago" by Smokey Brooks, "New York Apple Jack" by Scott Davis & The Movements, "Solid Funk" by Flame & The Sons Of Darkness, and "Determination" by Eddie Owen. CD

Not the popular ragtime material you'll know from Scott Joplin and 70s revival years – and instead a batch of raw early blues sides, all from the 78rpm generation! Titles include "Have More Faith In Jesus" by Reverend Gary Davis, "Money Never Runs Out" by Cannon's Jug Stompers, "Southern Can Is Mine" by Blind Willie McTell, "South Carolina Rag (take 2)" by Willie Walker, "Piccolo Rag" by Blind Boy Fuller, "Drop That Sack" by Papa Charlie Jackson", "Your Biscuits Are Big Enough For Me" by Bo Carter, and "Ragtime Millionaire" by William Moore. CD