... LP, Vinyl record album

A strange little record from the days when the music industry had so much money to throw around, they could make sessions like these! The record is sort of a space rock opera – featuring a huge cast of stars like Cooper, Moon, Hopkins, John Entwistle, Jim Dandy, Eddie Jobson, Elkie Brooks, Justin Hayward, Bill Bruford, and others. The overall feel of the work is a bit like the Rocky Horror Show – a high camp, heavy rock parody of a vintage artform (in this case, the radio space opera.) The musicianship is actually pretty darn strong, even if the overall concept is a bit silly. Tracks include "I'm Flash", "Country Cooking", "What's Happening", "Space Pirates", and "Blast Off". Also includes the great funky break track "Trapped" by Elkie Brooks, which we think was sampled by DJ Shadow! LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

The first Impulse album issued after the early death of John Coltrane – and one of his last sessions for the label as well! The record's got a somber, introspective quality that almost hints at the darkness to come – a new way of reaching the spiritual planes that Coltrane was striving for in his music, but with gentler, more individual energy than before. Alice Coltrane plays piano on all tracks, and Coltrane plays tenor throughout – except for the long track "To Be", which has him on flute and Pharaoh Sanders on piccolo! There's a quality here that's almost like some of Alice Coltrane's later work as a leader – very warm, and almost meditative at times. Titles include "To Be", "Offering", "Expression", and "Ogunde". LP, Vinyl record album

A goofy cover, and a tribute to Alice In Wonderland, but a nice little record – one that has Chick Corea playing a wide variety of keyboards next to acoustic piano – coming up with a sound that's sometimes cosmic, sometimes spacious, but always a lot more creative than most of his contemporaries! The album's got a bit of a high concept feel – as strings and larger arrangements sometimes slide into the mix – and all compositions, arrangements, and production were handled by Chick. And just when things seem as if they might get a bit too arty, tunes slide back into a more straightforward jazzy mode – keeping some of the best Corea elements in place over the course of the record. Other players include Herbie Hancock, John Thomas, Harvey Mason, and Joe Farrell – and Gayle Moran sings a bit on the record. Titles include "Dear Alice", "The Woods", "Rhapsody", "The Mad Hatter", "Falling Alice", and "Humpty Dumpty". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing compilation – and a really groundbreaking attempt to get to the true heart of new age music – that initial moment of meditative sound on records from the American underground – very pure in both spirit and execution before the whole thing got watered down and commercial! The massive set digs way deeper than we might have expected – way past the Bay Area indies who rose the genre to prominence, to a whole host of tiny US labels from the postwar years onward – home to individual players with a very personal sound – on instruments that range from conventional piano to global sources, electronics, and even some items of their own invention. The choice of tracks is perfect – really getting back to the basics of the genre in a great way – and the music is very laidback and meditative, with ethereal qualities that are completely sublime – especially in the context of the great packaging and notes of the whole collection. Many tracks here were never issued on CD – and many were only from rare tapes, too – and the double-length batch of work is one of the most unique musical journeys we've ever taken! Titles include "Lifting Off" by Joanna Brouk, "Arabian Fantasy" by Daniel Emmanuel, "Formentera Sunset Clouds" by Iasos, "Seventh Chakra Keynote B" by Steven Halpern, "Om Mani Padme Hum" by Constance Derby, "Unicorns In Paradise" by Laraaji, "Blue Spirals" by Daniel Kobialka, "As The Earth Kissed The Moon" by Michael Stearns, and "Waterfall Winds" by Alice Damon. CD

A rare indie label finally gets its due – Australia's stalwart Clarion imprint, home to some great music at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s – and a tiny little powerhouse who seemed to knock it out of the park with each new release! The scope of sounds here is great, and at some level, the package also provides an overview of Aussie rock during the space of a decade or so – beginning with raw tracks that are a rougher-edged take on UK mod territory, through more ambitious 60s work, and some very cool early 70s tracks that have the scene really finding its own voice – almost all served up on material issued as 7" singles, which keeps the music moving along at a really nice pace. The package features a huge amount of tracks – 86 numbers in all, supported with a huge booklet of notes on each group, plus images of rare records too – with tracks from The Valentines, Johnny Young, Colin Cook, The Clan, The Troupadors, Soul Purpose, Proclamation, The Spektors, Russ Kennedy & The Little Wheels, Chalice, Strawberry Fair, Willpower, The Birds, and others. CD

Great early stuff from Paul Winter – a player who's certainly done some terrible stuff over the years, but who really sounded great in his younger days! Winter was a hip young player coming out of Northwestern U in Chicago, and he had a well-educated, slightly-modern approach to jazz that was still supported by a lot of straight soulful playing. Here, Winter's working with a great group – his sextet that included Jay Cameron on baritone, Dick Whitsell on trumpet, Chuck Israels on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The set list includes some very hip numbers like "The Sherrif" by Gil Melle, "All Members" by Jimmy Heath, and "With Malice Towards None", "Cupbearers", and "Ally" written by Tom McIntosh. LP, Vinyl record album