A fantastic late 60s set from John Lee Hooker – one that has the legend working in a mode that echoes some of the funkier soul styles of the time, but with a vibe that's still very much in the best spirit of his classic work! The groove is slightly amped up by the electric bass of Eddie Taylor and tight drums of Al Duncan, but the session just features a quartet – with the mighty Phil Upchurch on second guitar next to John's lead – and Hooker delivering some fantastic vocals throughout! Titles include "Hot Spring Water (parts 1 & 2)", "Backbiters & Syndicaters", "Mr Lucky", "Cry Before I Go", "I'm Standing In Line", "The Motor City Is Burning", "Want Ad Blues", and "I Can't Stand To Leave You". CD

A great little change for John Mayall – a set that has the British singer picking up some strong funky touches from Allen Toussaint – the New Orleans soul legend who produced and arranged the record, and wrote most of the tunes too! For a brief time in the mid 70s, the Toussaint touch was pure magic, and that's definitely the case here – as the record helps Mayall really re-focus his energy with a lean, tight sort of sound – yet one that's never slick or commercial as well! Toussaint plays plenty of Fender Rhodes and clavinet on the album – and titles include "Lil Boogie In The Afternoon", "Who's Next Who's Now", "Just Knowing You Is A Pleasure", "Mess Of Love", "The Boy Most Likely To Succeed", and "There Will Be A Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, LA raised singer Dorris Henderson moved to London in 1965 and was soon singing London's folk clubs, where she met Rensbourn. A solid mix of traditionals and then contemporary folk songs – stripped down and honest takes on "Saly Free And Easy", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Going To Memphis", Something Lonesome", "Mist On The Mountain" and more. This edition includes bonus tracks from a rare 45 – "Hangman" and "Leaves That Are Green". Next is the self-titled John Renbourn from 1965 – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Bert & John is a hell of a collaboration between British legends Bert Jansch and John Renbourn – both working here together to completely redefine the sound of their music for the generation to come! This one album may well hold all the sense of subtle power and possibility that was about to flower in the Brit movement often known as "acid folk" – that reworking of older aesthetics with modern conceptions, and doing so mostly with their work on acoustic guitar – quite a feat, given the stripped-down instrumentation of the set! Bert sings a bit – in that incredible style of his – but the real attraction here is the guitar interplay, which is always fresh, never hokey, neither familiar American folk nor forced singer-songwriter backup material. Titles include a wonderful reworking of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – plus "Red's Favourite", "Orlando", "Soho", "Piano Tune", "East Wind", "After The Dance", and "The Time Has Come". Another Monday is maybe the most obscure album in the collection – a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". Watch The Stars is another great collaboration with Dorris Henderson – an American singer, but one who moved to London in the 60s – where she cut this rare gem with guitarist John Renbourn! The album's got a righteous vibe that's hipper than the usual folk set – with some traditional tunes and some contemporary material – recorded with that amazing phrasing that made Renbourn's guitar so distinct right from the start, with lots of those jazzy currents we love so much – and which really fit the creative vocal approach of Henderson! Dorris also plays some autoharp, and there's a bit of bass in the backings – although overall the main focus here is on Renbourn's guitar and Henderson's vocals. Titles include "Come Up Horsey", "God Bless The Child", "Watch The Stars", "30 Days In Jail", "Mosaic Patterns", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "There's Anger In This Land". Sir John A Lot Of is perhaps one of the best-known albums from British guitar legend John Renbourn – as it was issued widely in the US, and kept in print for a surprisingly long time over the years! The approach here is slightly different than Renbourn's previous records – a bit in the image presented by the cover, although with maybe not as slavish a sound – as John just uses the whole thing to go a bit more ancient than before, in ways that echo the time travel that the whole British folk scene was taking as the 70s approached. The tunes are done in ways that are really beautiful – still lots of the incredible guitar work that made Renbourn such a standout on the scene – plus flute from jazzman Ray Warleigh, who's very different here than usual – and spare use of finger cymbals, African drums, and glockenspiel by Terry Cox. Titles include "Morgana", "Transfusion", "The Trees They Do Grow High", "Sweet Potato", "Seven Up", and "White Fishes". 6CD box features all records in original artwork sleeves, with a booklet of notes – and bonus tracks that include "Message To Pretty", "The Waggoner's Lad", "Lucky Thirteen", "Blues Run The Game", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity (alt)", "Can't Keep From Crying", "Transfusion (alt)", and "The Leaves Are Green". CD

A pair of great albums back to back – both rare albums from a percussionist who worked with Sun Ra! First up is Mora volume 1 – a legendary early set from percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett – and a really sublime blend of spiritual jazz and Latin rhythms! Mora's percussion is definitely at the core – but the set also features wonderful contributions from Vincent Bowens on tenor and soprano sax, Jerome LeDuff on berimbau, Alberto Nacif on quinto, and Detroit jazz legend Kenny Cox on piano! There's a balance here that really matches the best Strata East energy of the 70s – an open, flowing approach that's completely sublime, and very righteous too – even more so than anything Mora's done since the 70s – making this record one of his greatest achievements ever. Tersa Mora sings a bit of vocals at times – and titles include "Afra Jum", "Five AM", "Rumba Morena", "Samba De Amor", and "Cultural Warrior". Mora 2 is a set recorded in Detroit, but one that's got a globe's worth of elements in the mix – originally recorded in the mid 80s, but not released until a brief CD issue in the early part of the 21st Century! Despite that history, the album's a really timeless record that encompasses a world's worth of elements in jazz! Francisco Mora Catlett's at the height of his powers here – leading the group with a sense of righteous majesty that takes us back to some of the most ambitious heirs of the post-Coltrane generation, but with perhaps an oddly rhythmic twist as well – such as you might find in some of the 70s classics of Bobby Vince Paunetto. Echoes of Latin, Afro, and spiritual jazz come together as one – soaring to the skies on soulful waves of sound – brought together with a sense of focus and spirit that really moves us a lot. Players include Marcus Belgrave and John Douglass on trumpets, Sherman Mitchell on trombone, Vincent Bowens on tenor and flute, Alex Harding on baritone and bass clarinet, Kenny Cox on piano, and Rodney Whitaker on bass – and titles include "Samba/Conga De Amor", "Amazona Prelude/Dawn", "Old Man Joe", "Por Que Paro", and "Afra-Jum (parts 2 & 3)". CD

"I rap with the Passion of Christ, Ni**a, cross me!" BE isn't exactly a back-to-basics LP in the vein of his classic work for Relativity – but it is indeed a return to a focused, genuinely soulful, no BS approach – and it's a very welcome one at that! It seems like Com was a bit affected by some of the criticism folks had for the spacious, astral Electric Circus LP – if you ask us Common had no reason to apologize, but we'd be lyin' if we said we weren't hoping for another batch of tracks that sound like they could have been written on a front porch on the southside of Chicago. This is indeed that record – 12 tracks, few guest appearances, and a warm, consistent sound all the way through. There's a 3 track span on this album, from "Chi-City" through "Real People", that's seriously close to perfection. Welcome home, Common! Ruggedly produced by Kanye West, with a couple of stellar production contributions from Jay Dee! Other tracks include "The Corner" feat Last Poets, "Go!", "Faithful", "Testify", "Love Is. . .", "The Food (live)" (this great track has been circulating for a while since it was performed on Chappelle's Show, and we're thrilled Common and Kanye had the good sense to include it on the album), "They Say" featuring John Legend and "It's Your World (Part 1 &2)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! CD

Folk legend Woody Guthrie was no stranger to struggle – which is the subject highlighted in most of these tunes – pulled together in the shape of this album, which offered a great counterpoint to the Bicentennial madness in America when it was released in 1976! The titles of the songs give plenty of an idea of the nature of the music – with classic Guthrie recordings done for Folkways in the 40s, including "The Dying Miner", "Waiting At The Gate", "A Dollar Down & A Dollar A Week", "Lost John", "Union Burying Ground", and "Ludlow Massacre" – many of which echo the continuing struggle of the working man, even as America was shining forth as an industrial giant. The recordings mostly feature Woody on vocals and guitar, but there's also some guest contributions from Cisco Houston and Sonny Terry – both key contemporaries of Guthrie. LP, Vinyl record album

Rockabilly legend Billy Joy definitely rocks – hardly a household name in the 50s, but a killer figure in the rock and roll underground – and one whose fame has just grown more and more over the years! The package is a beautifully-done tribute to Benny's genius – and presents the most hard-rocking of his important 50s recordings, as well as a host of unreleased tracks from later demos too! Joy's guitar work alone is amazing, but when it's coupled with the kickass rhythms of the tunes, the music really takes off to a whole new level – burning with the power you'd expect from the classic Johnny Burnette Trio – and that's before Benny's gritty vocals even come into play! CD features 30 tracks in all – including some lost recordings from the 70s – titles that include "Rollin To The Juke Box Rock", "Dark Angel", "Miss Bobby Sox", "Little Red Book", "Button Nose", "Come Back", "Wild Wild Lover", "In Study Hall", "Crash The Party (unedited)", "Spin The Bottle (Nashville demo)", "Big John Taylor", "High High School Baby", and "Nosey Nosey Neighbors". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks on this first volume include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", and "The Realm Of Lightning". LP, Vinyl record album

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

With John Legend and production by Kanye West. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A wonderfully genre-hopping collection – put together by Toru Hashimoto, the man behind such incredible Japanese series as the Free Soul, Cafe Apres Midi, and Suburbia compilations for many different labels! Toru really lives up to his legend here, and mixes music from different scenes and styles, but in a way that not only makes total sense – but also seems to have the tracks resonate even more strongly in the company of each other – moving from soul to bossa, jazz, vocal, and even hip hop cuts! Titles include "It's You" by Joyce Cooking, "I've Got You Under My Skin" by G9 Group, "Persian Love" by Holger Czukay, "Never Did I Stop Loving You" by Alice Clark, "What Else Can I Say" by Ingram, "Another Day" by Precise Hero, "NYC Tonight (version voc Shintaro Sakamoto)" by Dump, "Beautiful Love" by Myron & the Works with Meshell Ndegeocello and Robert Glasper, "Just The Way You Are" by Meta Roos & Nippe Sylwens Band, "Little Girl Lost" by Penny Goodwin, "Hunk Of Heaven" by Lemuria, "Why Don't We Fall In Love" by John Valenti, "Love Oh Love" by Vince Andrews, "You've Got To Have Freedom" by Pharoah Sanders, and "In All The Wrong Places" by Kero One. CD

Life! Liberty! Vengeance! A wild and very cool soundtrack for Tarantino's dual Blacksploitation/Spaghetti Western homage Django Unchained – featuring bits from some of our favorite Italian western composers mixed up with classic and contemporary funky soul and hip hop! It's the kind of soundtrack that could only happen for Quentin Tarantino – with rare and hard-to-find compositions by Luis Bacalov, Ennio Morricone, Riz Ortolani and Jerry Goldsmith on one hand – along with a few seemingly antithetical new compositions on the other – including a track penned by star Jamie Foxx for Rick Ross, a James Brown "Payback" remix with a vocal from the 2Pac archive, plus ones by Anthony Hamilton, John Legend and others! Last but not least, it's got some great bits of film dialogue by Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio. Titles include "Django" by Luis Bacalov, "The Braying Mule" by Ennio Morricone, "Nicaragua" by Jerry Goldsmith with Pat Metheny, "Day Of Anger" by Riz Ortolani, "Unchained (The Payback/Untouchable)" by James Brown with 2Pac, "Who Did That To You?" by John Legend, "100 Black Coffins" by Rick Ross, "Trinity (Titoli)" by Annibale E I Cantori Moderni and many more. CD

Few songwriters have had such a lasting impact on modern music as Leonard Cohen – an incredible songsmith when he first emerged in the late 60s, and one who continued to create songs at the top of his game for many years after! And although Cohen's own recordings are the stuff of legend – essential to any collection of hip, thoughtful music – many others have picked up his tunes and really done great things with them – a fair bit of whom are included in this set! The package has an unusual scope – in that it includes selections by some of the artists recording right when Leonard was getting his start on record – then jumps forward to the 21st Century, to showcase a number of more contemporary recordings that show just how timeless Cohen's lyrics can be. As always with Ace, the presentation is wonderful – with detailed notes on all the selections – and titles include "So Long Marianne" by Noel Harrison, "Joan Of Arc" by Anna Calvi, "Show Me The Place" by The Webb Sisters, "Anthem" by Father John Misty, "The Stranger Song" by Emmylou Harris, "Blue Alert" by Madeleine Peyroux, "Closing Time" by Fairport Convention, "A Thousand Kisses Deep" by Ann Wilson, "Nightingale" by Anjani, "Is This What You Wanted" by Last Shadow Puppets, "Story Of Isaac" by Judy Collins, "Here It Is" by Jonathan Richman, and "You Know Who I Am" by Mama Cass. CD

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! CD

A new record by the legendary Sergio Mendes – bursting into the 21st century on a catchy wave of Will I Am production – reworking gems from the Brazilian songbook and more with guest appearances by Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, India Arie, Black Thought, Chali 2Na, Marcelo D2, John Legend and others! Will I Am has been annoying hip hop purists for years thanks to the relentless candy-coated pop gloss of recent Black Eyed Peas records – but he brings an intelligent, reverent and educated approach to the Brazilian keys legend Sergio Mendes – whose familiar grooves are a lovely accomplice to the sparkling hip hop/pop background. The guest stars seem to be here out of genuine love of the music – and provide far more graceful appearances than we would have expected! A very sweet surprise with bright, warm, and lovely moments – almost good enough for us to forgive Will I Am for "My Humps"! Tracks include "Mas Que Nada" feat Black Eyed Peas, "Berimbau/Consolacao" feat Stevie Wonder & Gracinha Leporace, "That Heat" feat Erykah Badu & Will I Am, "Let Me" feat Jill Scott & Will I Am, "Please Baby Don't" feat John Legend, "Samba Da Bencao" feat Marcelo D2, "Yes, Yes, Y'All" feat Black Thought, Chali 2Na & others and much more! CD

A wonderful collection of New Orleans soul legend Allen Toussaint's recordings for Reprise in the 70s! The Reprise years were really magical period for Allen, recording some of the greatest music of his career – mixing funk with heavy soul early in the decade and with a bit more sweetness and polish as the years progress – but even at his most mainstream ready, the groove is very much traceable to the gritty, funkier Crescent City sounds of his younger years. Amazing stuff that we grow more and more fond of with each passing year! Includes "From A Whisper To A Scream", "What Is Success", "Am I Expecting To Much?", "On Your Way Down"., "Soul Sister", "Country John", "Last Train", "What Do You Want The Girl To Do?", "Lover Of Love", "Motion", "Viva La Money", "With You In Mind", Night People", "Happiness" and more. 16 tracks in all. CD

A set that really expands the legend of Factory Records – the famous label who gave the world New Order, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, and other important post-punk bands – as the set focuses on the equally legendary Hacienda nightclub, which the label opened in Manchester in 1982! Manchester was already a city with a hell of a music scene – but at the Hacienda, all sorts of sounds and styles mixed together – in a spirit that was similar to some of the energy on the New York scene at the time, particularly at a club like Danceteria – where the quest for the new took clubbers way past standard genre designations! The Fac 51 in the title was Factory's way of giving the club a catalog number that was in keeping with its record releases at the time – and the beautiful package features plenty of information on the club and the scene – along with 65 tracks by artists who include Gang Of Four, Section 25, Defunkt, Heaven 17, Medium Medium, The Birthday Party, Kurtis Blow, Shalamar, Barry Gray, Simple Minds, Rockers Revenge, 23 Skidoo, Royal Family & The Poor, Josef K, John Cooper Clarke, Stockholm Monsters, Swamp Children, Iggy & The Stooges, Sugarhill Gang, Laura Lee, Temptations, Trio, Bow Wow Wow, Valentine Brothers, Soft Cell, The Associates, Loose Joints, Suicide, Pale Fountains, and many others. CD

Later work from New Orleans legend James Booker – but a set that may well be one of his greatest records ever – a real back to basics effort recorded with a hands-off approach that almost makes you feel like you're catching Booker in some small club down off the Quarter! James plays piano and sings throughout – bringing a special magic to tunes that include a few surprises, mixed with a few of his own numbers too – and half the set features additional backing from Alvin Tyler on tenor, James Singleton on bass, and John Vidacovich on drums. Titles include "Madame X", "Hound Dog", "Classified", "All Around The World", "Bald Head/Tipitina", "Baby Face", and "Three Keys". CD

One of the greatest live albums ever, and probably THE best album Johnny Cash ever recorded, properly reissued with the original sequence restored and uncensored! In 1969 Cash had more angst than you could shake a stick at – he just kicked drugs, and he hadn't had a big hit in years, so his respectful and thoughtful empathy for the audience of inmates not only cemented his persona as the real deal, but carries an air of dizzying emotion throughout the set. Appropriately filled with his darkest tunes, Folsom is one of the few cases in which a live recording of a hitmakers catalog is stronger and more vital than the studio versions. Includes "Folsom Prison Blues", "Dark As A Dungeon", "Cocaine Blues", "25 Minutes To Go", "Orange Blossom Special", "The Long Black Veil", "Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog", "Joe Bean", plus "Jackson" and "Give My Love To Rose" featuring June Carter. 2 previously unissued songs – "Joe Bean" and "The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer". CD

Never-issued live work from British jazz legend Graham Collier – a performance that follows hot on the heels of his classic Down Another Road album, and which continues with a very similar vibe! That album is a modal masterpiece that stands as one of the key moments in British jazz at the end of the 60s – and here, bassist Collier furthers the magic of that wonderful album, but with a freer, more spontaneous sort of live energy – leading a very cool group that features Nick Evans on trombone, Harry Beckett on trumpet and flugelhorn, Stan Sulzman on tenor and alto, Karl Jenkins on piano and oboe, and John Marshall on drums. Collier's basslines alone are worth the price of admission – but there's so many other wonderful touches too – even the oboe work by Jenkins, which echoes some of the exotic tones of Yusef Lateef a few years earlier. Titles include "Molewrenceh", "The Barley Mow", "Aberdeen Angus", "Down Another Road", "Lullaby For A Lonely Child", and "Burblings For Bob". LP, Vinyl record album

BE isn't exactly a back-to-basics LP in the vein of his classic work for Relativity – but it is indeed a return to a focused, genuinely soulful, no BS approach – and it's a very welcome one at that! It seems like Com was a bit affected by some of the criticism folks had for the spacious, astral Electric Circus LP – if you ask us Common had no reason to apologize, but we'd be lyin' if we said we weren't hoping for another batch of tracks that sound like they could have been written on a front porch on the southside of Chicago. This is indeed that record – 12 tracks, few guest appearances, and a warm, consistent sound all the way through. There's a 3 track span on this album, from "Chi-City" through "Real People", that's seriously close to perfection. Welcome home, Common! Ruggedly produced by Kanye West, with a couple of stellar production contributions from Jay Dee! Other tracks include "The Corner" feat Last Poets, "Go!", "Faithful", "Testify", "Love Is. . .", "The Food (live)" (this great track has been circulating for a while since it was performed on Chappelle's Show, and we're thrilled Common and Kanye had the good sense to include it on the album), "They Say" featuring John Legend and "It's Your World (Part 1 &2)". LP, Vinyl record album

Giacomo Gates affectionately and effectively steers the work of the toughest and most sharply unique songwriters of our time and into straight-forward jazz vocal territory – and it's works really well! The backing is done by a stripped down combo who lay down guitar, bass, drums and piano – with sax and flute on a couple. Gates' husky baritone is well suited to the material and the it's well chosen set list, which includes "Show Bizness", "Lady Day And John Coletrane", "Winter In America", "Is That Jazz", "New York City", "It's Your World", "Madison Avenue" and "Legend In His Own Mind". 10 tracks in all. CD

Finally! Yusef Lateef's live set at Pep's in 1964 is the stuff of legend. Not only is it one of his best-ever recordings, but it also yielded a huge amount of material that was not issued at the time, and which only ever came out on later, badly-annotated issues. Now, the proper "part 2" set is finally issued – with all the lost cuts fully intact, and a great set of notes to explain everything. The set features one of Lateef's best cuts ever – "Brother John" – plus other great ones like "P-Bouk", "Nu-Bounk", and "Delilah". Throw away your beat up copy of Club Date, and check out this great new CD! CD

A less tense and caustic Roots than the crew that hit us on the majority of Rising Down a couple years earlier – and this one's as strong of an album as they've delivered since moving over to Def Jam. In truth, we were a little scared when we saw some of the guests credited – Monsters Of Folk, John Legend, Joanna Newsom and other headscratchers on top of more likely collaborators such as Phonte, Blu, Peedi Peedi and Dice Raw – it gets over very, very well here! How I Got Over is a Roots effort through and through, with contemplative and soulful tracks that simmer and stew in tried and true fashion. The tracks with those indie rock guests turn out to be among the Roots-iest tracks on the record. Believe that! So you can rest easy, the Roots are The Roots here, just what we wanted and just what we get! Includes "A Peace Of Light" feat Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian & Haley Dekle, "Walk Alone" feat Truck North, PORN & Dice Raw, "Now Or Never" with Phonte & Dice Raw, "Dear God 2.0" with Monsters Of Folk, "The Day" feat Blu, Phonte & Patty Crash, "Doin It Again", "Tunnel Vision" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant live work from Blue Note legend Horace Silver – extended live tracks that are even hipper than some of his studio work of the period, and recorded with a very cool combo as well! The great Benny Maupin is in the lead on tenor, and a young Randy Brecker sounds wonderful next to him on trumpet – as Horace crafts those wonderful modal lines that really send the tunes soaring, with help from John Williams on bass and a very young Billy Cobham on drums! The set features three long tracks – nice takes of "The Natives Are Restless Tonight", "Psychedelic Sally", and "Serenade To A Soul Sister". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued live work from British jazz legend Graham Collier – a performance that follows hot on the heels of his classic Down Another Road album, and which continues with a very similar vibe! That album is a modal masterpiece that stands as one of the key moments in British jazz at the end of the 60s – and here, bassist Collier furthers the magic of that wonderful album, but with a freer, more spontaneous sort of live energy – leading a very cool group that features Nick Evans on trombone, Harry Beckett on trumpet and flugelhorn, Stan Sulzman on tenor and alto, Karl Jenkins on piano and oboe, and John Marshall on drums. Collier's basslines alone are worth the price of admission – but there's so many other wonderful touches too – even the oboe work by Jenkins, which echoes some of the exotic tones of Yusef Lateef a few years earlier. Titles include "Molewrenceh", "The Barley Mow", "Aberdeen Angus", "Down Another Road", "Lullaby For A Lonely Child", and "Burblings For Bob". CD

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! CD features 4 long bonus tracks too – "Yaphet", "The Little Blue Frog", "Recollections", and "Trevere". CD

The stuff of legend – and not just work by the Jazztet combo, but also solo albums from Art Farmer and Benny Golson too! Set includes Jazztet albums Meet The Jazztet, Big City Sounds, Jazztet & John Lewis, Jazztet At Birdhouse, Another Git Together, and Here & Now; Benny Golson albums Turning Point, Free, and Take A Number From 1 to 10; plus Art Farmer albums Art, Listen To Art Farmer, and Perception. CD

The drama master of hip hop and pretty much all of contemporary pop music returns with his Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – a full length hip hop rumination on being hated and the struggle of needing that hate to be creatively fruitful. It's not always an easy listening experience, but it's a hella strong record, and yet another "Album Of The Year" candidate for Mr. West, love him or hate him. Includes "Georgeous" feat Kid Cudi & Raekwon, "Power", "All Of The Lights", "So Apalled" with Jay Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz & The RZA, "Runaway" feat Pusha T, "Hell Of A Life", "Blame Game" with John Legend, "Who Will Survive In America" and "Dark Fantasy". CD

The drama master of hip hop and pretty much all of contemporary pop music returns with his Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – a full length hip hop rumination on being hated and the struggle of needing that hate to be creatively fruitful. It's not always an easy listening experience, but it's a hella strong record, and yet another "Album Of The Year" candidate for Mr. West, love him or hate him. Includes "Georgeous" feat Kid Cudi & Raekwon, "Power", "All Of The Lights", "So Apalled" with Jay Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz & The RZA, "Runaway" feat Pusha T, "Hell Of A Life", "Blame Game" with John Legend, "Who Will Survive In America" and "Dark Fantasy". The CD/DVD combo special edition includes Kanye's crazy ambitious film Runaway on the DVD. CD

A less tense and caustic Roots than the crew that hit us on the majority of Rising Down a couple years earlier – and this one's as strong of an album as they've delivered since moving over to Def Jam. In truth, we were a little scared when we saw some of the guests credited – Monsters Of Folk, John Legend, Joanna Newsom and other headscratchers on top of more likely collaborators such as Phonte, Blu, Peedi Peedi and Dice Raw – unfounded worry, it turns out, as this set gets over very, very well! How I Got Over is a Roots effort through and through, with contemplative and soulful tracks that simmer and stew in tried and true fashion. The songs with those indie rock guests turn out to be among the Roots-iest tracks on the record. Believe that! So you can rest easy, the Roots are The Roots here, just what we wanted and just what we get! Includes "A Peace Of Light" feat Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian & Haley Dekle, "Walk Alone" feat Truck North, PORN & Dice Raw, "Now Or Never" with Phonte & Dice Raw, "Dear God 2.0" with Monsters Of Folk, "The Day" feat Blu, Phonte & Patty Crash, "Doin It Again", "Tunnel Vision" and more. CD

Brilliant live work from Blue Note legend Horace Silver – extended live tracks that are even hipper than some of his studio work of the period, and recorded with a very cool combo as well! The great Benny Maupin is in the lead on tenor, and a young Randy Brecker sounds wonderful next to him on trumpet – as Horace crafts those wonderful modal lines that really send the tunes soaring, with help from John Williams on bass and a very young Billy Cobham on drums! The set features three long tracks – nice takes of "The Natives Are Restless Tonight", "Psychedelic Sally", and "Serenade To A Soul Sister". LP, Vinyl record album

2 Chainz was bubbling up in the underground for a number of years before this full length debut – including work under his earlier name of Tity Boy – and that experience clearly gave him plenty of muscle to burst upon the scene with the kind of intensity that made the record a big burner right from the start! Production has plenty of those sinister elements that were really popping big at the time – and titles include "Dope Peddler", "Crack", "I Luv Dem Strippers", "Stop Me Now", "Ghetto Dreams", "In Town", "Money Machine", "Extremely Blessed", and "No Lie" – with features from Drake, Kanye West, Dolla Boy, John Legend, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by Latimore, Leela James, Detroit Emeralds, Smokey Robinson, John Legend & The Roots, Barry White, Mayer Hawthorne, Michael Jackson, and others. CD

An insane package of work from this wonderful British group – a studio pop creation who stormed the charts with one huge hit, but also recorded some really great overlooked material! The style of First Class is a brilliant extension of the sound of American harmony pop of the 60s – and one that blends it together with a good deal of 70s soft rock as well – but always with a super-catchy style that's completely wonderful! The group is the brainchild of Brit studio legend John Carter – and they're kind of a recast take on the sound of the Beach Boys in later years – filtered through a nicely compressed UK mid 70s pop approach that brings in some sweeter, softer modes, but which also has some of that "bump" of glam-era pop as well. The group's best known for their massive 70s hit "Beach Baby" – but they've got a great sound that's more than worth rediscovering all these years later – which you will definitely do when digging through this massive set. The 3CD package features 82 tracks in all the group's two full albums and singles, plus unreleased tracks – and, even cooler, a whole host of rare jingles they recorded – for Right Guard deodorant, Eveready batteries, Singer sewing machines, and many other products. The jingles alone are worth the price of admission – and the whole thing is super groovy, all the way through! CD

A pair of early albums from the great Gordon Giltrap – both released by Transatlantic Records when Gordon was a very young fellow! The self-titled Gordon Giltrap is a gem from 1968 – a record that has Gordon stepping out as a hell of a guitarist, and a very dark-tinged songwriter – certainly of the generation that was budding with John Renbourn and Bert Jansch – but with a distinct quality that really set Giltrap apart from the rest, maybe making him as much of an individualist as Davy Graham! Although just 18, Giltrap's acoustic guitar work is fantastic– and his vocals are much more biting than some of his contemporaries – almost mean at times. Titles include "Window Pattern", "Blythe Hill", "Won't You Stay Awhile Suzanne", "Don't You Feel Good", "Birth Of Spring", "Don't You Hear Your Mother's Voice", and "Ives Horizon". Portrait is an amazing record – at one level filled with mastery of the 12 string guitar has has Gordon Giltrap matching the best of the Takoma generation in the US – but also graced with vocals that are very distinct, very pointed, and which make the tunes with lyrics such a contrast to the instrumentals! The whole thing is fantastic – a true testament to the legend that has grown up around Giltrap over the years – with titles that include "Thoughts In The Rain", "Never Ending Solitude", "Young Love", "Lucifer's Cage", "Portrait", "Tuxedo", and "Hands Of Fate". CD

One of the first albums ever recorded by soulful avant legend Byard Lancaster! Lancaster hailed from Philadelphia, and played flute and alto in a style that was clearly informed by the freer spiritual players that dominated one branch of the avant garde tree at the time – in a mode that's right alongside the work of John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. He's joined here by a young Sonny Sharrock on guitar – whose "John's Children" they do a wonderful reading of, plus Eric Gravatt on drums, Keno Speller on congas, and Jerome Hunter on bass. The tunes are all still tied to a primarily swing based concept of time, and the solos never reach too far, on this side that nods towards the new thing without diving in too deeply. Includes the title track "It's Not Up To Us", plus "Last Summer", "Misty", "Mr AA", "Dogtown", "Over The Rainbow", and "Satan". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiraling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". Plus, this new version of the set features a huge amount of bonus material – a long live version of the whole suite, recorded in 1965 in Antibes, alternate takes of tracks on the original session – and the fantastic sextet reading of "Acknowledgement", with playing by Archie Shepp! Movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". CD

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My Favorite Things" a million times – but it still blows our mind the way Coltrane hits this incredibly soulful modal groove, twisting and turning on soprano sax, always keeping things interesting, so that we're surprised that the cut's 13 minutes have gone by so quickly! The rest of the record's equally great – and the 3 other long cuts are "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Summertime" and "But Not for Me". The other players include McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the whole album is as great today as when it was cut, and still one of Coltrane's most revelatory albums! LP, Vinyl record album

A long overdue testament to the live genius of the mighty John Coltrane Quartet – captured at the legendary Half Note club in NYC – disc 1 recorded on a date in March 1965 and disc 2 on a date in early May of the same year! The set finds Coltrane plus McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on the kit working in a far more adventurous guise than many of the 60s studio sessions – stretching out incredibly on the half hour epic workout "One Up, One Down" and a beautifully loose run of "Afro Blue". The stylistic themes are carried through similarly on the second disc's long grooving "Song Of Praise" and an amazing "My Favorite Things", but stretching near or past the 20 minute mark. These long bootlegged recordings are now available on CD officially for the first time ever – complete with the original radio introductions and announcements! CD

Soaring work from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – a session that was incredibly far-reaching for the time, and which originally was unissued until after the time of Coltrane's death! The record's got the group really pushing forward strongly – hitting a Love Supreme mode, but also showing even some of the sharper edges that John would explore with the group after this one – a beautiful swan song to the lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Things soar with a hell of a lot of spirituality, yet never get too overindulgent to lose their groove – and titles include "Amen", "Dearly Beloved", "Ascent", "Attaining", and "Sun Ship". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of classic New Orleans-styled soul tracks from Dr John – all the early singles for Atlantic Records that helped him forge his legendary sound – served up here with some surprising non-LP moments as well! If you don't know Dr John's groove, this is a great place to start – and even if you already dig his messed-up blend of funk, soul, and trippier currents, you'll love the way these shorter singles focuses his energy in ways that are different than some of the longer LP tracks – still very groovy, but packing even more punch! The set's got 26 tracks in all – including "A Man Of Many Words", done with Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton – plus "I Walk On Guilded Splinters (parts 1 & 2)", "Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya", "Let The Good Times Roll", "Cold Cold Cold", "Traveling Mood", "Mos Scocious", "Let's Make A Better World", "Me - You = Loneliness", "Rite Away", "Such A Night", "Right Place Wrong Time", "Loop Garoo", "Jump Sturdy", "The Patriotic Flag Waver (mono short version)", and "Mama Roux". CD

The best record in years – maybe decades – from the legendary Dr John – and a set that stands up strongly next to the messed-up Crescent City vibe of his 70s classics! Big thanks are due to Black Keys' guitarist Dan Auerbach – who produced and supervised the whole recording – and helped create the kind of rootsy studio proceedings that make for just the right vibe to help the Doctor hit all his best classic modes! Leon Michels brings in some great keyboards, too – and an undercurrent of El Michels funk – and Dr John's vocals really sparkle in the setting – stepping out with all the weird raspy elements we love so much. Titles include "Ice Age", "Getaway", "Kingdom Of Izzness", "You Lie", "Eleggua", "My Children My Angels", "Locked Down", and "Big Shot". CD

A pair of wonderful albums from the great John Fahey – back to back on a single CD! First up is Rivers & Religion – a really unique album by John Fahey – issued during a short stretch of initial mainstream approval, and a brief time of recording for Warner Brothers! Some of the album's quite different than the spare, solo Fahey you might know – and mixes his legendary guitar work with more elaborate elements than usual – additional instrumentation that includes bass, banjo, clarinet, piano, trombone, and fiddle – but all used at a level that really supports John's presence, not occludes it. Other tracks return to spare acoustic steel string guitar – creating an evocative balance that's mighty nice. Titles include "Funeral Song For Mississippi John Hurt", "Texas & Pacific Blues", "Dixie Pig Bar B Q Blues", "Lord Have Mercy Song", and "Deep River". After The Ball is a set with a disco ball on the cover, but a record that fits right in with the best early 20th century aesthetic in the work of John Fahey – particularly his way of reiimagining older musical traditions! There's a bit of added instrumentation on the record – two tracks that have some slight trad jazz flourishes – but overall, the album's mostly a solo effort with loads of wonderful guitar work from John – still as creative and as complicated as in his best recordings for Takoma! Other added instrumentation sometimes expands the sound with mandolin or banjo, but again in very sensitive ways – and titles include "Bucktown Stomp", "Om Shanthi Norris", "Beverly", and "Horses". CD

Later work by this western swing legend – very well recorded, and with some guest work by Cliff Bruner too! CD

A blues album, but one with a difference – thanks to some tremendous help from the legendary Johnny Otis and his young son Shuggie! Despite the fact that the leader is billed as Guitar Slim Green, Shuggie actually plays some lead guitar on the record too – adding in some cool, complicated solos that point towards his genius to come as a solo act – and which also get some nicely romping rhythms from Johnny on drums! The Otis family was definitely bringing a lot of funk into their sound at the time, which they share plenty with Slim here – helping to make the record way more than just another late 60s rootsy blues session, and instead a great west coast criss-crossing of modes. Titles include "Shake Em Up", "My Little Angel Child", "5th Street Alley Boogie", "Old Folks Blues", "This War Ain't Right", and "Big Fine Thing". Also features two bonus tracks, both unissued – "My Marie" and "Rock The Nation". CD

A brilliant mid 70s session by tenor legend Johnny Griffin – one that hearkens back to his earlier, freer days, and which features the long, driving solo style he forged during his time in Europe at the end of the 60s. The session's recorded live in Tokyo with a quartet that includes Horace Parlan piano, Mads Vinding bass, and Art Taylor drums – and each side of the album features one long track, done in a stretched-out, very driving style, thanks to stellar drum work by Taylor. Titles include "Soft & Furry" and "The Man I Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work as a leader from this legendary Duke Ellington altoist – working here with Ben Webster on tenor, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Emmett Berry on trumpet, Leroy Lovett on piano, and Lloyd Trotman on bass – plus some tracks that Flip Phillips and Al Sears on tenor, and Sonny Green on drums. Titles include "In A Mellow Tone", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Solitude". LP, Vinyl record album