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A brilliant mix of jazz and world music! Abdul-Malik was the legendary bass player from the fifties who mixed straight jazz playing with traditional Middle Eastern rhythms – and although he most famously recorded albums with Monk as a regular bassist, his albums on his own are amazing... read more

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One of the most amazing players to ever pick up the vibes – an artist with the sort of boundless creativity that Walt Dickerson and Bobby Hutcherson brought to the instrument in the 60s! Jason Adasiewicz has an amazing ear for both sound and music – and manages to balance the two... read more

A stone classic from Cannonball Adderley – and a pivotal set that has him continuing the live recording setting of some of his best 60s albums, while also stretching forward to some of the more inventive ideas of the latter part of the decade! David Axelrod produced, and the album's... read more

Wickedly hip work from Cannonball Adderley – and one of his real standout sessions for Capitol Records in the 60s! The set lives up to its "Africa" promise right from the very first note – and features a set of loud, proud tunes that really bring out the righteous sounds of... read more

Well, Cannonball was doing great with his bigger concept albums – like Soul Zodiac or Soul Of the Bible – but he slipped a bit with this one, which is an exploration into the life of John Henry. Still, the record has all the elements of the classic Fantasy sound in place –... read more

Cannonball Adderley with David Axelrod production – a combination that couldn't miss back in the 60s! In keeping with the success of the Mercy Mercy Mercy album done with Axelrod, Capitol did everything they could to catch Cannonball in a live setting – a great move, given the open,... read more

A totally great set by Cannonball Adderley – one of his funkiest albums ever, recorded live at Operation Breadbasket under the supervision of Jesse Jackson, and a session in which the band is cooking a lot more than on some of their other albums from the time! The set grooves hard with some... read more

The clearly love Cannonball Adderley in Europe – as you'll see in these two performances from the 60s – packaged nicely back to back on a single DVD! The set features 1963 material from Germany and Switzerland – in a group that features Nat Adderley on cornet, Yusef Lateef on... read more

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect... read more

If you ever needed a key example of the genius of Cannonball on Capitol Records, this tight little set may well be it! The record's got all the best elements of a Cannon classic firmly in place – production by David Axelrod, electric piano by Joe Zawinul, and some tremendously soulful work... read more

Almost everything soulful at Capitol Records in the mid 60s – packed together in one sweet little place! The set's a winner in a great line of Cannonball Adderley live dates from the time – produced by David Axelrod, and done with that great mix of angular, slightly electric groove the... read more

Almost everything soulful at Capitol Records in the mid 60s – packed together in one sweet little place! The set's a winner in a great line of Cannonball Adderley live dates from the time – produced by David Axelrod, and done with that great mix of angular, slightly electric groove the... read more

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Greatest hits compilation from one of the true greats! Tracks include "Zulu Nation Throw Down", "Planet Rock", "Looking For The Perfect Beat", "Frantic Situation", "Unity Part 7", "What Time Is It", and "Funk You".... read more

An album that definitely lives up to its title – as congolero Francisco Aguabella comes on hard, hitting strong throughout – and serving up a wicked blend of Latin, funk, and soul! The mid 70s set is a standout recording from Aguabella – done after he left the group Malo, and one... read more

Singer Cyrille Aimee gets help from some great "friends" here – a tight quintet with Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Joel Frahm on tenor, and Spike Wilner on piano – really helping set up her vocals with a solid instrumental footing! Aimee's got a slight Billie Holiday quality to... read more

One of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of... read more

One of Airto's most polished records, and an album that we've really grown to love over the years! There's a pretty strong modern soul/R&B component to the album – but at the core, there's still a strong feeling for Brazilian rhythms, and the record's got a wonderfully warm Brazilian... read more

Very righteous work from percussionist Pheeroan Ak Laff – even more hard-edged than some of his other important recordings of the late 70s – and that's saying a lot! Allthough Pheeroan lent his talents to many other musicians, this is one of the few albums he cut under his own name... read more

From the "Put It In Your Mouth" EP.... read more

Rare early solo material from Dutch jazz rock guitar eclecticist/genius Jan Akkerman – a late 60s album released in the Netherlands on Imperial after Akkerman's time in The Hunters and before his work with Brainbox and Focus! It's an early indication of his far reaching tastes and talent... read more

A stone classic from pianist Monty Alexander – a live date recorded for MPS in the mid 70s, and a set with even more fire than his studio sides for the label! The sound here is quite freewheeling at times – not funky, but in a very romping, gutbuckety mode that marks Alexander as a... read more

Classic kitschy biker material from Davie Allan and The Arrows – one of the best-ever groups to play on schlocky soundtracks during the 60s! There's lots of guitar and lots of fuzz – and guessing from the photos of the movie, the music was the best thing about it! Toddler Mike Curb... read more

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A great little spy spoof soundtrack – up there with the best of the 60s, with a sound that's a lot hipper than anything else Steve Allen has ever done! The music was written by Allen, but arranged and conducted by Ronald Stein – and it's got a groovy "Our Man Flint" kind of... read more

Featuring Positive K alongside K-Swift, the King of Chill and DJ Skill, with production help from fellow First Priority posse member Milk D of the Audio Two on a couple cuts. Includes "Bustin Loose", "We Could Get Used To this", "Fish Heads", "Down To Earth"... read more

It's definitely a bossa nova world when Laurinda Almeida's around – given that the player first got the whole sound going in the 50s, then returned the favor in the 60s with some great albums like this for Capitol Records! The set's a bright blend of LA jazz and bossa rhythms – played... read more

Fresh late 00s soulful hip hop from MC Lyte (!!!) plus producers Whitey & Jared – just a tease given that it's just a 7 track EP, but a very promising one – and a gratifying and all too rare record from a one of the true first ladies of hip hop! Jared & Whitey (who also sings a... read more

Cinematic soul rooted in the rawer organ, drums and horns vibes that resonated deeply in records from north to south in the 70s – done with a lean, tight and head nodding groove no doubt informed by Aloe Blacc's own roots in hip hop – on his best album yet and one of best raw soul... read more

Fierce sounds from Ame Son – one of the most important French groups at the start of the 70s, and, as the title implies, an outfit who seemed to catalyze all the best elements going on at the time! The tunes are long, and relatively freewheeling – and instrumentation can get mighty... read more

Rare early work from Ame Son – the legendary French group who were easily one of the most creative of their scene at the start of the 70s! The sound here isn't really prog or psyche, but a wicked blend of styles that embraces both of those genres, and brings in elements from folk and... read more

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Obscure little session that has Jug and Stitt recreating the energy of their live shows – as they stretch out nicely on very long tracks that have spare backing by the Don Patterson trio! The cuts are mostly standard stuff – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long... read more

A stellar set from one of the most underrated reed players of all time – a brilliant bit of searching soul jazz, cut at a time when Curtis Amy was leaving behind his Texas roots for the new sounds of the Coltrane generation! The album's quite different than the organ and tenor dates that Amy... read more

One of the best Curtis Amy records for Pacific Jazz – and an album that really has him stretching out, hitting some of the more openly soulful modes that would develop further in the 60s! The set's a partnership with drummer Frank Butler, who himself is a pretty hip cat – and together,... read more

Quite an obscure date from trumpeter Cat Anderson – done for the tiny Wynne label in 1959, and in a great small group approximation of the Duke Ellington spirit! Anderson's trumpet is set nicely in a very hip little group – with players who include Ray Nance on violin, Quentin Jackson... read more

An obscure reissue that collects some of the best work by James Brown soul sister Vicki Anderson – a heck of a great vocalist, and right up there with Lyn Collins and Marva Whitney for sheer raw soul power! Vicki's work was actually some of the funkiest and most righteous to come out of the... read more

A lost treasure from the glory days of the LA soul jazz bop scene of the early 60s! Alto player Earl Anderza has this crazy tone that's unlike anything we've ever heard – and he plays with a calculated approach to atonality that hints at later work by Ayler and others – but which comes... read more

Warm, jazzy, and with plenty of the bossa nova promised in the title – a record that's not to be confused with Leny's singular Bossa Nova album from a few years before, because this is a pluralized set from the late 90s! Roberto Menescal's on board to direct the music – and gives the... read more

The only compilation of 60s female soul trio The Apollas we've ever seen – beautiful tunes with sweet and soulful vocals, big emotions and excellent arrangements – fantastic stuff from the trio, earlier material recorded as The Lovejoys and solo numbers by singer Leola Jiles! We'd love... read more

A damn legendary record from the last years of Chess Records – and for good reason, too! Archie Whitewater were a group that was years ahead of its time – a rock combo, but one with real genre-crossing sensibilities that made them perfect for the experimental styles at the... read more

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An incredible debut – and the birth of a genre! India Arie burst upon the Neo Soul scene with this sweet little set a few years back – and her career's been burning up ever since! The set's got all the best elements of some of the best indie soul of recent years – sweet beats,... read more

A great second album from India Arie – sweet, smooth, soulful, and one we like even better than the first! The style is wonderful – a mix of warm vocals, spare production, and acoustic guitar – which gives the set a folksy quality that really offsets the smooth backings nicely. ... read more

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A very soulful batch of fusion tracks from drummer Horacee Arnold – here leading a group that includes reed talents Billy Harper and Joe Farrell, percussionist Ralph McDonald, guitarist Ralph Towner, and Dave Friedman on vibes and percussion. Tracks are long and spiralling, with a spiritual... read more

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer – and plays with a creative tightness... read more

One of the most hard-hitting albums ever cut by pianist Georges Arvanitas – an early effort that's all soul jazz all the way through! Although Arvanitas is best known as a committed modernist, especially in later years, this sweet early 60s session is a stone cooker in the best mode of Blue... read more

A boundary skirting set of catchy soul from Asa – a Nigerian-born, Paris-based singer with a sound that's timelessly crafted and easy to love – ranging from rave up pop soul to more delicately layered and stripped down! Asa has just a bit of gravel in her voice, which works great and... read more

A seminal bit of funky Afrojazz from the DC scene of the 70s! The album features work by percussionist Okyerema Asante, and also includes sax work by Plunky Nakabinde – best known as the leader of the group Oneness Of Juju. Plunky's influence can really be felt strongly on the set –... read more

Sublimely satisfying work from Ashford & Simpson – a stone killer from the height of their late 70s glory days on Warner Brothers! The pair are working together wonderfully at this point – wrapped up in that blend of upbeat soul and righteous undercurrents that made them a real cut... read more

Great stuff! From Motown songwriters to world-class superstars, the trip was a well-deserved one for Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford – and this album's perhaps their crowning achievement in sophisticated club soul! The record's got a great groove that offers a more soulful version of disco... read more

A special album of music – just for Harley Davidson owners!... read more

A mid 80s classic from Atlantic Starr – at the height of their catchy commercial fame – bouncing along with rhythms that crossover nicely to the mainstream, yet still keep a bit of their previous funky edge intact! The groove here is almost in the style that Atlantic Starr inspired in... read more

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A collection of material Brian Auger recorded for RCA. Included are long lean groovers mostly with the Oblivion Express group – recorded with a slightly freer feel than some of the group's earlier albums, and an approach that has them stretching out nicely! Brian still sings a bit on some... read more

A great later sleeper from Brian Auger – a record that's much deeper and more soulful than some of his earlier work – and done in a soaring style that's really great! Alex Lighterwood sings as much as Auger plays the keys here, but that's ok with us – because he fuses his voice... read more

No honking here, as Sil Austin takes his deeply soulful tenor sax, and turns it to a set of creamy late-nite tracks – all done over some very "pretty" backings, ala the Verve strings work of Ben Webster or Lester Young. Most cuts have voices in with the orchestrations – and... read more

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Stunning! This is David Axelrod's rare suite of tracks dedicated to saving the enviroment with a set of jazzy funky grooves! The record's probably his most baroque album ever, with a big group of jazz players that mixes vibes, guitars, and off-kilter reeds – plus a group of singers who... read more

A masterpiece! This is one of David Axelrod's most perfectly realized albums – and it's a brilliant batch of baroque arrangements, jazzy solos, and slightly subtle funky bits! The album contains the much-sampled song "Holy Thursday", but the whole thing has a very similar feel to... read more

A masterpiece! This is one of David Axelrod's most perfectly realized albums – and it's a brilliant batch of baroque arrangements, jazzy solos, and slightly subtle funky bits! The album contains the much-sampled song "Holy Thursday", but the whole thing has a very similar feel to... read more

One of the greatest albums ever by studio genius David Axelrod! The album's one of Axelrod's first on his own – cut for Capitol Records at a time when he was working with some of the label's biggest selling soul acts – like Cannonball Adderley and Lou Rawls – turning their... read more

Mariana Aydar's really blowing our mind since the last time we heard her on record – stepping forth here with her deepest, most complex material ever – an album as rich in sounds and styles as some of our favorite Brazilian material from the 70s! There's this confidence to the... read more

One of the most sweetly jazzy albums ever recorded by Kevin Ayers – a set that almost has him moving in the more progressive direction taken by Soft Machine after his departure! As on other solo Ayers albums, David Bedford had a strong hand in the arrangements – but his approach here... read more

A great album that Roy Ayers cut after his co-led record with Fela Kuti – and one with the same sort of hard-driving Afro-Funk grooves that you'd find in Fela's classic recordings! The songs are shorter than Fela's, and with more of Roy's usual smooth jazzy production style – but the... read more

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The... read more

One of Roy Ayers' greatest albums of the 70s – a set that tightens up the groove from previous Polydor productions, yet still keeps all the soul intact! The record picks up the style begun with the Mystic Voyage album, and pushes it to some slightly tighter territory – a more focused... read more

Talk about a meeting of the minds – a pair of ultra-amazing classics from the team of Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – back to back in a single set! At the time of Step Into Our Life, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a... read more

The third album from Maya Azucena and here debut for the Half Note label – brilliant true soul from one of our favorite voice of the past decade – really at her best here! Maya may be drawing from a more diverse stylistic spectrum here – there's some classic brass backed soul... read more

Great lost soul jazz organ grooves! Eddie Baccus was a blind organist discovered by Roland Kirk and brought to Smash Records – and he played with Kirk in a trio in Cleveland before Kirk left to join Mingus in NYC during the early 60s. After becoming a Mercury artist, Kirk talked Smash into... read more

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The classic Burt Bacharach score for What's New Pussycat – a mid 60s sex-farce starring Peter Sellers and Peter O'Toole! The album features some amazing vocal tracks that have become enduring classics – like "What's New Pussycat?" sung by Tom Jones, "Here I Am" sung... read more

The Beach Boys – day by day, year by year, presented in a very compelling diary format that really gets past some of the overblown mythos about the group! Author Badman goes for a "just the facts" sort of approach – and lists key days in the group's career from the 60s onward... read more

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A classic album from Chet – and one that's got a perfect mix of vocal and instrumental moments, of the sort you don't find easily on other albums! Chet plays trumpet and sings, and is backed by Kenny Drew, Sam Jones, and Philly Joe Jones – a different style of group from his west coast... read more

Mindblowing work from the early years of Schema Records – a set that really helped set a whole new tone for a generation – and which still sounds wonderful all these many hears later! Balanco work up a perfect blend of bossa rhythms and soulful jazz – all wrapped up with the kind... read more

Mindblowing work from the early years of Schema Records – a set that really helped set a whole new tone for a generation – and which still sounds wonderful all these many hears later! Balanco work up a perfect blend of bossa rhythms and soulful jazz – all wrapped up with the kind... read more

Incredible! Although the first album by Balanco had a definite Italian bossa sound (which was very popular in their acid jazz scene a few years ago), this great second album by the group breaks into whole new territory – like French and Italian soundtrack grooves, particularly in the vein of... read more

Slinky modern funk & soul from The Bamboos – the fourth album from the leading light of he Australian deep funk scene, and in the top tier the world over! The Bamboos greatest attribute is the way they combine the deepest, truest love for the full range of old school funk & soul... read more

Spare work by a group that includes Billy Bang, Don Cherry, Wilber Morris, and Dennis Charles – kind of in a loft jazz mode, with lots of open-ended playing, percussion, bells, and a bit of flute work from Cherry. Titles include "Echovamp 1678", "The Kora Song", "Maat... read more

The Bar-Kays definitely groove as one on this tight little set – with amazing choppy guitar, bumping basslines, and brassy horns – all wrapped up with some wonderfully warm production! The group have come a long way from their fuzzier funk roots by this time, but they're still sounding... read more

A great Ray Barretto album from 1972 – one that beautifully showcases the master percussionist as he effortlessly shifts between Latin soul and 70's salsa styles! The group's nice and lean – with Adalberto Santiago on vocals, Papy Roman on trumpet, Louis Cruz on piano, and the great... read more

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Classic early electronic work from Louis & Bebe Barron – and the score to one of the best 50s space thrillers! This LP does a nice job of bringing the material out again – and although the sound quality isn't totally perfect, the spookiness of the music more than makes up for that.... read more

Cool Barry score for this spacey 70s film – Disney's attempt to cash in on the Star Wars action, but not nearly as successful as some of the other hits at the time. Titles include "Laser", "Into The Hole", "Zero Gravity", "Six Robots", and "The... read more

Quite a shift for John Barry – not the usual groovy music you might expect, and instead a somewhat serious score written for this historical epic written and directed by James Clavell, starring Omar Sharif and Michael Caine! The sound is still wonderful, though – proof that Barry was... read more

A great little James Bond soundtrack – written for one of the lesser-remembered Bond films, but filled with nice moments! There's a darker, moodier feel here than on some of Barry's other Bond scores – lots of stretched out tracks that have a bit more space than usual, and odd... read more

The soundtrack that put John Barry over the top – and to many, THE James Bond soundtrack! The album chills from the first notes of the haunting title theme – the majestic "Goldfinger", sung by Shirley Bassey with a tone that's as dangerous as a razor-sharp hat spinning... read more

Bruce Barth is a pianist who always knows how to open up and run – making him an excellent choice for the Smalls Live series – easily some of the best-recorded live jazz CDs in recent years! Barth's touch on the keys is amazing – very fluid, and a mixture of sharp tones and... read more

Sweet jazzy soul from Gary Bartz – proof that he always sounds great, no matter what the setting! Production is by the team of Mtume and Reggie Lucas – in a style that has all the jazzy sophistication of their own work – a nice extension of Gary's work at Capitol with Larry... read more

Sweet jazzy soul from Gary Bartz – proof that he always sounds great, no matter what the setting! Production is by the team of Mtume and Reggie Lucas – in a style that has all the jazzy sophistication of their own work – a nice extension of Gary's work at Capitol with Larry... read more

A landmark set of recordings – both of Gary Bartz's Harlem Bush Music albums, back to back on one CD! After a few years as a modern-tinged soul jazz saxophonist, Bartz broke strongly into the 70s with this pair of sessions – working in a mode that brought together rhythmic percussion,... read more