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

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

One of our favorite-ever Miles Davis albums – and a groundbreaking soundtrack that forever changed the way that jazz music was used in film! According to legend, the sounds here were recorded by Miles on a hot Paris night – late in the studio, after a live performance – in a very intimate setting that had he and the combo creating these little poetic passages along with the action in the film! In addition to sublime and moody muted trumpet from Miles – the small group also features tremendous tenor work from the great Barney Wilen – a French modernist who's at the height of his powers – and beautiful bass from Pierre Michelot, whose rich tones really frame the whole proceedings. The rest of the group features bop pianist Rene Urtreger and American drummer Kenny Clarke – but the real charm comes from the interplay between Wilen, Davis, and Michelo. Titles include "Florence Sur Les Champs-Elysees", "L'Assassinat De Carla", "Diner Au Motel", "Evasion De Julien", "Nuit Sur Les Champs-Elysees", "Le Petit Bal", "Au Bar Du Petit Bac" and "Sur L'Autoroute". LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling exploration into the use of the music of Miles Davis in film – one that begins with a famous French soundtrack from the new wave generation, then moves onto vintage Miles tunes that were used in other movies over the years! The core of the record features Davis' score to the 1957 film Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud – one of our favorite-ever Miles Davis albums – and a stunning soundtrack that began a rich legacy of jazz scores in France! Miles recorded this material during late-night post-gig sessions with a great group that includes French players Barney Wilen, Rene Urtreger, and Pierre Michelot, plus American ex-patriot Kenny Clarke. Wilen's playing is fantastic, and it's great to hear him and Miles together on the score's spooky meandering passages. Alongside that body of work, the CD also features Davis songs that were used in a variety of films from the 70s onward – tracks that weren't written for the films, but which had strong use in movies that include Lenny, Kerouac, Tacones Lejanos, Ginger & Rosa, Talented Mr Ripley, and La Flor De Mi Secreto. These titles include "Saeta", "Blue Haze", "Tempus Fugit", "Well You Needn't", "It Never Entered My Mind", "Nature Boy", "Solea", and "Blue In Green". Also features a selection each by Lenny Bruce and Jack Kerouac! CD

Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson – two key soulful talents from the 60s, working together beautifully here in a mid 80s set! The album's almost more Randy's than it is Nancy's given that Lewis takes a few tunes instrumentally, working in a blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation that's very much in his best early 80s Columbia Records mode. But things really come together when Nancy joins in – bringing her mature, soulful approach to the tunes – and really tying them together wonderfully with her vocals! Stanley Clarke produced, and there's definitely some echoes here of his own music of the time – and titles include "Ram", "Quiet Storm", "Never Wanna Say Goodnight", "Closer Than Close", and "Breaker Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from 50s modernist Warne Marsh – but pretty darn great stuff, and proof that Marsh remained creative and inventive as the years went on! The core of the CD features a 1980 live date recorded in Berlin with pianist Sal Mosca – like Marsh, another disciple of the Tristano school, and a great accompanist for the set! The rest of the group includes Eddie Gomez on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – but although both players are strongly voiced, the real focus here is on Warne's beautifully-spun solos on the longer tracks, and on Sal's angular approach to the keys. Tracks are nearly all Tristano, Marsh, or Mosca numbers – and titles include "Leave Me", "The Family Song", "Like The Angels", "And Then There's Music", and "Background Music". CD also features 2 more tracks from a 1977 live date in Bronxville – with Mosca, plus Sam Jones and Roy Haynes – on readings of "She's Funny That Way" and "Background Music". And quite possibly best of all, the set's completed by 2 more tracks that are only spare duos between Sal and Warne – recorded at Mosca's apartment in 1979, and featuring versions of "Noteworthy" and "The Hard Way". CD

The electric years of Miles Davis have left a huge legacy in music – one that's referenced again and again, and continually revisited by generations of musicians, both young and old! Here, that legacy gets some especially nice treatment – by a group of artists who include some key collaborators with Miles in years back, plus other musicians too – in a project that even features two unreleased solo performance by Davis himself! Vince Wilburn Jr is the leader of the project, and players are almost far too many to mention here – so we'll just list a few – including Wallace Roney, Bernard Wright, Vernon Reid, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Donald Harrison, Marcus Miller, Jeremy Pelt, John Scofield, and Lenny White – all working in deeply layered territory that definitely pushes the older electric mode forward. Titles include "Over My Shoulder", "Hail To The Real Chief (long version)", "Mellow Kisses", "That You Dare Not To Forget", and "Bitches Are Back". LP, Vinyl record album

A very well-done collection of Charlie Parker performances from the legendary Birdland nightclub – originally presented on radio, but cleaned up here with a great sense of sound! The mighty Symphony Sid can be heard introducing a few tracks, but the main focus is on the music – with the kind of razor-sharp solos that always made Parker a knockout, especially during these key early 50s years – and accompaniment from musicians who include Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Bud Powell or John Lewis on piano, Kenny Clarke or Roy Haynes on drums, and even the surprising inclusion of organist Milt Buckner at one point! The album may well be worth it, just to hear Bird playing with a Hammond – but the whole thing's great, and titles include "Cool Blues", "Star Eyes", "Blue N Boogie", "Anthropology", "Night In Tunisia", and "Groovin High". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's maybe a bit misleading – as most folks think of day-glo as a color associated with some of the most throwaway culture of the 80s – but the brightness of the hue definitely marks the big explosion in styles during the key British year of 1978 – a time when the punk revolution of 1977 opened the door for a big range of modes to follow! It might be said that the post-punk years came immediately after the initial days of punk – and they definitely begin here, as hard and fast modes are mixed with more unusual styles that include mod revival moments, electronic experiments, and even some offbeat pop – expressions of humor, anger, and a shifting political landscape – served up as an amazing document of the creative intensity of the time! As with other Cherry Red boxes, the overall package is great – a huge amount of notes to support the 79 tracks within – a diverse array of music from Blue Steam, The Others, UK Subs, The Jam, Monochrome Set, Wreckless Eric, Spizzoil, Public Image Ltd, 999, The Stranglers, Japan, The Only Ones, Magazine, Alternative TV, Slush, Time Machine, Eater, The Bozos, Tyla Gang, Ed Banger, No Sweat, The VIPs, John Cooper Clarke, Scritti Politti, Penetration, Stiff Little Fingers, Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias, Teardrops, Coventry Automatics, Menace, Bleach Boys, Jilted John, Zones, Electric Chairs, and many more! CD

Features music from Dizzy Gillespie and his Orchestra, 52nd Street All Stars, Kenny Clarke and his 52nd Street Boys, Lucky Thompson and his Lucky Seven, and Coleman Hawkins and his Orchestra – 21 tracks in all. CD

A really great look at a special side of the Chess Records soul catalog of the 60s – tracks that were very big on Chicago airwaves in the label's home town, yet which hardly got much play at all in the rest of the country! The collection's put together by Robert Pruter – the man who (literally) wrote the book on Chicago soul – and it's a wonderful portrait of soul in the Windy City of the 60s, with strands of music that nicely differ from the overplayed hits in later years. The collection also stands as a super-strong tribute to the never-ending genius of Chess Records – a label that never seems to let us down whenever we uncover a soul single we've never heard before! Titles include "Shy Guy" by The Radiants, "No Faith No Love" by Mitty Collier, "I Can't Help Myself" by The Gems, "Love Is A 5 Letter Word" by James Phelps, "A Thousand Miles Away" by Jo Ann Garrett, "Selfish One" by Jackie Ross, "Strange Feeling" by Billy Stewart, "The Creeper" by Freddy Robinson, "Peak Of Love" by Bobby McClure, "Lonely Girl" by Andrea Davis, "This Heart Of Mine" by Tony Clarke, "Bossa Nova Bird" by The Dells, and "Only Time Will Tell" by Etta James. CD

The debut of one of the most forward-thinking, longest living, unique pop music phenomenons of the 80s onward! Although Depeche Mode diehards might bristle at being lumped in with pop music giants, you really can't deny that they're often emotionally raw, even morose songs, married with a range of synth friendly production got over with a huge audience with pretty astounding success. Here where it all started, with Vince Clarke writing all the songs on this one. Titles include "New Life", "I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead", "Puppets", "No Disco", "Photographic", "Dreaming Of Me" and more. CD

What happens when Art Farmer and Phil Woods get together? Some pretty magical music – and a set that's quite different than most of their other 60s recordings! The session is a special date – put together by Clarke-Boland Band impresario Gigi Campi – with Farmer's flugelhorn and Woods' alto backed by a very cool French rhythm trio – which features Martial Solal on piano, Henri Texier on bass, and Daniel Humair on the drums! The group's a bit more modern than some of Art's usual combos, which makes for really surprising results, and often a much harder sound – one that matches the growing intensity of Woods during this part in his career. The tracks are long and openly grooving – and titles include "Blue Bossa", "Watch What Happens", "Blue Lights", "Sunrise Sunset", and "The Day After". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky funky Maynard – and a sweet set of electric big band jazz that's got plenty of nice moments! The album features a core rhythm group that really goes to town – jamming in sort of a Clarke-Boland sort of way, with lots of propulsive changes that create a full-on and often funky groove – as Maynard and other horns blow like mad over the top, sending the album into screaming, soaring grooves that almost never let up. The record was Maynard's first US effort in a long time – and was produced by Teo Macero with a very electric-conscious sound that further enforced the hipness of the music! Titles include "Pochahontas", "Awright Awright", "Nice N Juicy", "SOMF", and "Mother Fingers". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from the great Sonny Greenwich – an open-toned guitarist with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – a Canadian player who never got much exposure down here in the US, but who really stands apart from most of the jazz guitarists of his generation! There's this unusual sense of color and phrasing that really makes Sonny stand out – chords that almost feel as if they're broken open and exposed from a Wes Montgomery sort of tightness – able to move with a sense of fluidity, but a unique sense of rhythm that's definitely Greenwich's own. The rest of the group here really match the spirit of his music – maybe more so than on any other record of his as a leader – a great lineup that includes Don Thompson on electric and acoustic piano, Rick Homme on bass, Terry Clarke on drums, and Clayton Johnson on percussion. All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Peace Chant", "Lilly Lotus", "Parting", and "Starlight". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – and virtually the blueprint for countless other keyboard records to come! At the height of his 70s powers, Herbie really takes off into space with this set – moving away from more commercial music, and hitting a groove that's totally righteous, totally electric, and completely mindblowing! The album's got a bit of a Headhunters vibe, but it also veers off into some very wild analogue electronics too – a mix of Fender Rhodes, clavinet, melotron, and echoplex processing – augmented by additional work on Arp from Patrick Gleeson. Other players on the set include Bennie Maupin on reeds, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and the great Buck Clarke rounds out the combo on percussion. The album only features three long tracks – "Rain Dance", "Hidden Shadows", and "Hornets" – but all of them are killers! CD

The music of Antonio Carlos Jobim – performed by Eddie Higgins on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass, and Terry Clarke on drums! CD

A full package of work from the mighty Bill Holman – 2CDs worth of music – including three full albums plus bonus tracks! First up is material from the 1957 Coral album The Fabulous Bill Holman – a record that's got a maturity of expression that pushes Holman way past his Kenton years! The tracks are all larger ensemble ones, arranged and partially written by Bill, and played by the group in a broad chromatic style that's very nice – certainly Kenton-esque, but with a style that's somehow a bit more personal. Players include Charlie Mariano, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, Conte Cantoli, Stu Williamson, and Holman himself – and titles include "Evil Eyes", "You & I", "Bright Eyes", and the extended "The Big Street" – a great 17 minute tune! Next Is In A Jazz Orbit – a set that has Holman in a great mode that bridges the large group styles of the swing years and the changes in big band sounds that would take place in the 60s – and he's almost prefacing the style of the Clarke Boland Big Band by writing charts here that pack a real punch on the ensemble passages, yet which also rely very strongly on breakaway horn solos to tear up the tunes! The strength of the players is a key factor in the success of the album – as soloists include Frank Rosolino, Jack Sheldon, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, and Holman himself – on titles that include "Kissin Bug", "You Go To My Head", "Far Down Below", "Aura", "Theme & Variation #2", and "No Heat". Bill Holman's Great Big Band is a session from 1960 that has Bill Holman still sitting nicely at the top of the west coast large group format from the 50s! As with previous dates of this nature, Holman's got a way around the charts that few can match – a way of swinging the whole ensemble strongly, yet never in ways that are cloying, commercial, or cliched. All the right players find a space for expression – and the lineup includes Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenor sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all players who really sparkle nicely when they step out from the larger group. Titles include "Stereoso", "Shadrack", "Quickstep", "Aura", "The Moon Is Blue", "June Is Busting Out All Over", and "Spinuet". CD features 10 more bonus tracks – tunes from Holman's Kenton Presents sessions for Capitol in 1954 – octet material done with Don Fagerquist, Bob Eneveldsen, and Stu Williamson providing full brass support on trumpet and trombones – while Holman, Herb Geller, and Bob Gordon cut some broader lines themselves on saxes. Tunes are all great originals by Holman – extremely inventive in both melody and structure – with titles that include "Sparkle", "Tanglefoot", "Song Without Words", "Cousin Jack", "Back To Minors", and "Jughaid". CD

Two rare slices of Charles Mingus from the 50s – back to back on a single CD! First up is a Charles Mingus Octet session, originally released as a 10" LP – and a date that shows some of the first complicated orchestrations from the legendary bassist! The music here already has the creatively complex feel of Mingus' better-known mid 50s sessions – like the Jazz Composers Workshop date on Savoy, or the Bethlehem sides – and the interplay between the horn work is really amazing, and worth the price of admission itself! Players include Willie Dennis on trombone, Teo Macero on tenor, Eddie Caine on alto and flute, Ernie Royal on trumpet, and Danny Bank on baritone. Nadi Qamar conducts, and other players include John Lewis on piano, Mingus on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – and Janet Thurlow sings on two titles, "Blue Tide" and "Eclipse". Other tracks include "Miss Bliss", "Pink Topsy", and the CD also features 2 alternates too. Jimmy Knepper heads the next date – a rare 10" outing from 1957, with some killer horn work throughout! The group's a quintet – and the album's easily one of Knepper's most hard-burning, thanks in part to some sharp alto lines from the great Joe Maini, a player we can never get enough of! The rest of the group features Bill Triglia on piano, Mingus on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – and titles include "Cunningbird", "The Masher", "Latter Day Saint", and "The Jumpin Blues" – plus four more bonus alternate takes. CD

Thelonious Monk plays the music of Duke Ellington – but as you can imagine, the sound here is quite different than usual! At a time when Ellington was working mostly in large group format for the mainstream, Monk's presentation of his standards in trio format is a wonderful way to unlock their nascent modernism – the angular tones, lines, and complex ideas that were still present in the orchestra readings of the tunes, but which would show up even more strongly in Duke's smaller group dates of the 60s. Many numbers bear the familiar Monk imprint – complicated lines on the keys and sharp changes that really reignite the numbers – and rhythm here is from Oscar Pettiford on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Mood Indigo", "It Don't Mean A Thing", "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good", and "Caravan". CD

Thelonious Monk plays the music of Duke Ellington – but as you can imagine, the sound here is quite different than usual! At a time when Ellington was working mostly in large group format for the mainstream, Monk's presentation of his standards in trio format is a wonderful way to unlock their nascent modernism – the angular tones, lines, and complex ideas that were still present in the orchestra readings of the tunes, but which would show up even more strongly in Duke's smaller group dates of the 60s. Many numbers bear the familiar Monk imprint – complicated lines on the keys and sharp changes that really reignite the numbers – and rhythm here is from Oscar Pettiford on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Mood Indigo", "It Don't Mean A Thing", "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good", and "Caravan". LP, Vinyl record album

With Terry Clarke on drums. CD

80s issue of some seminal recordings of some of the most influential, yet unde-documented jazz pianists of the bop and post bop eras. There's three tracks by the Bebop Boys, with Bud Powell, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Al Hall and Kenny Clarke: "Bebop In Pastel", "Seven Up" and "Blues In Bebop". Following that there's 5 stellar tracks from Lennie Tristano's trio with Billy Bauer and John Levy, performing his cerebral and vastly influential music on two takes of "Supersonic", plus "On A Planet", "Air Pocket" and "Celestia" and fouor popping bop numbers from Herbie Nichols in a small group rolling through "'s Wonderful", "Nichols & Dimes", "Who's Blues" and "My Lady Gingersnap". There's also a batch of trio sides from Dodo Marmarosa and the under-recorded George Wallington, and a nice handful of bop numbers from the Kenny Clarke Quintet featuring Horace Silver. 27 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

The roots of modern jazz never sounded this great before – and this is the first time ever that all the early bop recordings by Savoy have been properly brought together in one place! Savoy was one of the most important labels to record the early bop pioneers – and had a dedication to the music that begin in 1945, and moved well into the 50s – as the label captured some of the brightest young stars who'd go onto shape a generation! Almost all of this material was originally issued just as 78rpm singles – then later scattered and repackaged in a confusing way – although many tracks here also never made it into the LP or CD generation, either. The folks at Mosaic have worked incredible magic to correct that error – and have pulled together a stunning 10CD package that finally presents this amazing legacy of music in its proper form – complete with notes and session details that were never given in later years, too. There's way too much here to list in this space – but the set features dates recorded under the name of Dexter Gordon, Fats Navarro, Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, Sonny Stitt & Kenny Dorham's Bebop Boys, Allen Eager, Kai Winding, Ray Brown, Eddie Davis, Serge Chaloff, Kenny Hagood, Leo Parker, Tadd Dameron, Teddy Reig, Brew Moore, Milt Jackson, Kenny Clarke, and Gil Fuller – all with groups that are filled with equally hip and important musicians too. We love Mosaic all the time – but with a collection of 78rpm material, they really knock it out of the park – and do us, and the jazz history books, a mighty big favor! CD

Classic soul, with a slight touch of funk – all served up in a limited vinyl-only package that really does justice to the longstanding legacy of the Free Soul series from Japan! The tunes here are upbeat, soaring, and very much on the positive side of soul music from back in the day – and although most of these tracks are more obscure than the big hits of the 70s, they've achieved greater fame over the decades – thanks in part to use as samples, and through great collections like this one! Titles on this volume include "We've Only Just Begun" by Frank Cunimondo Trio with Lynn Marino, "Don't You Care" by Alice Clarke, "Misdemeanor" by Foster Sylvers, "We've Gotta Find A Way Back To Love" by Freda Payne, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Reid Inc, "You Light Up My Life" by Judy Roberts, "I Think I'll Call It Morning" by Gil Scott Heron, "Girl Overboard" by Dorothy Moore, "Love Each Other" by Leon Thomas, "Run Away" by Salsoul Orchestra with Loleatta Holloway, and "Am I The Same Girl" by Barbara Acklin. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet early 80s tracks from the legendary Bunny Striker Lee – work that shows him stepping effortlessly into the dancehall modes of the time – still a master of rhythm, and of finding the right sort of talents to add to his sound! The package features a nice mix of bigger names and up-and-coming talents – and also includes a number of unissued tracks from Bunny's archives, which fit perfectly alongside the singles in the set – music that's mostly in a late roots-into-dancehall mode, instead of some of the bigger, more commercial work that would circulate under the dancehall name a few years later. As always with Pressure Sounds, the presentation, sound quality, and notes are great – and titles include "Gun Fever" by Frankie Jones, "People Cruel (12" mix)" by Cornell Campbell & Errol Scorcher, "Lay Down Flat" by Devon Edwards, "Revolution Fighters" by Simple Simon, "Too Popular" by Trevor Castell, "Babylon No Badda Haul & Pull Me" by Devon Edwards, "A Place Called Zion" by The Paragons, "The Right Time (12" mix)" by Neville Brown & John Wayne, "Bandulo (12" mix)" by Cornell Campbell & Scientist, "Know Yourself Mankind" by The Paragons, "Lazer Beam (12" mix)" by Don Carlos & Papa Tullo, and "I Man Come Again" by Johnny Clarke. LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy fusion from Brand X – the late 70s heirs to some of the harder, rock-inspired modes of the earlier part of the decade! The music is still mostly jazz, but there's a lot of mainstream influence here – especially in the guitars played by John Goodsall, and the drums, which are handled by Mike Clarke, or Phil Collins on a few famous tracks. Keyboards are by Peter Robinson and Robin Lumley – and titles include "Act Of Will", "Voidarama", "Noddy Goes To Sweden", "Triumphant Limp", and "Cambodia". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic early recording from the great French tenor saxophonist Barney Wilen – best known as an artist who recorded famously in the soundtrack world of the French new wave, and with Art Blakey – but who's even more striking here on a rare small combo date from the 50s! The session's a monster – cut with rhythmic backing by Milt Jackson on piano (!?), Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – and two cuts feature additional percussion by Gana M'Bow, which gives the set a wonderful kick, and an unusual sound for the period – as Gana plays toumba, at a level that forecasts some of Wilen's later experiments crossing jazz with elements of African music. The quality of the set is wonderful – hardbop, but with lots of new ideas going on – on titles that include "Nuages", "Swing 39", "Epistrophy", "Minor Swing", "Swingin Parisian Rhythm", "J'Ai Ta Main", "La Route Enchantee", and "Menilmontant". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive music from Betty Wright – an album that really has her coming into her own – and showing the world how great Miami soul can be, when it's done this right! The album's overflowing with key help from TK legends like Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, Steve Alaimo, and KC – all of whom bring in a cool shifting set of grooves to really expand Betty's style – still with all the charm of her early hits, yet also showing a classy, sophisticated side that we never would have expected before – a vibe that's even more powerful than Gwen McCrae on her albums from the time. Titles include the classic "Tonight's the Night" – made famous in a later live take, but done here in the original studio version – plus the tracks "Show Your Girl", "Where Is The Love", "Everybody Was Rockin", "Love Don't Grow On A Love Tree", "Don't Thank Me Baby Thank Yourself", and "Shoorah Shoorah". CD features 5 bonus tracks "Value Your Love", "My Baby Ain't My Baby Anymore", "It's Bad For Me To See You", "Secretary", and "One Thing Leads To Another". CD