A sweet mix of Brazilian grooves and New York attitude – an overlooked session from the end of the 90s – recorded in the US by Brazilian saxman Leo Gandelman, with soulful help from a variety of American players – including Reuben Wilson on organ and both Charlie Hunter and Grant Green Jr on guitar! There's a rich sort of 70s vibe to the record – a tight, funky blend of jazzy riffing and Brazilian percussion, all put together at a level that almost reminds us of Kudu Records at its best – lean, soulful, and surprisingly focused throughout – a great step forward for Gandelman, and for percussionist Juliano Zanoni, who co-arranged the set with Leo, and also wrote most of the tunes. Supposedly, the record never saw the light of day when it was recorded – making this sweet Far Out package its first-ever release! Titles include "Safari", "Pau Grande", "April 7th", "Dance", "Prince Samba", "Groove In The Head", "Pirulito", and "Charlie 1". CD

An incredible collection of work from Bob Brookmeyer – tracing the development of his sound in the 50s through a variety of different settings! The package begins with material from an original 10" LP session in 1954 – featuring Brookmeyer on trombone with backing by the John Williams trio. The set then expands to feature tracks recorded by Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, and Jimmy Giuffre as material that was originally issued on the album Traditionalism Revisited, but which also features tracks from that session that came out on other more obscure sources, including a Playboy jazz album and a Brookmeyer LP on Crown. The set then follows with a beautiful guitar/trombone session that features Jim Hall, Jimy Raney, and Brookmeyer – originally issued as The Street Swingers. Next up is material from a bluesy 1958 set, recorded with vocalist Big Miller, as well as Paul Quinichette, Al Cohn, and Jim Hall – for the album Kansas City Revisited. The set's completed by material from the beautiful UA album Stretching Out – which featured Zoot Sims, Harry Edison, and Al Cohn – and the whole thing's packaged with a great booklet that gives notes on the material. 37 tracks in all – in a limited, numbered set! CD

A fantastic entry in the late-life partnership that reedman Peter Brotzmann has formed with steel guitar player Heather Leigh – the kind of instrumentalist that Brotzmann never would have played with back in the day – but who seems to really open him up with an unheard range of color and tone! At times, Peter is maybe even more soulful than usual – blowing almost straight, to match the more colorful modes of the steel – which itself can be more abstract from a sonic perspective – creating a shift in the expected sensibilities you might have with a record from Brotzmann. Leigh really uses her instrument in wonderful ways – and Brotzmann blows a variety of clarinets, plus alto, tenor, and bass saxophone – on titles that include "It's Almost Dark", "This Word Love", "Summer Rain", "All Of Us", "River Of Sorrow", "My Empty Heart", and "The Longer We're Apart". CD

A set of unreleased improvisations between these two fantastic free jazz musicians – intended as a session in which, according to Paal Nilssen-Love, "we agreed to bring all the metal we could bring"! That means that Peter Brotzmann is blowing a wide variety of reed instruments, and Paal is handling lots of percussion and gongs next to his drums – yet all elements are used in these very spare styles, almost more loft jazz than you'd guess from the legacy of intensity from both of the musicians – which makes for yet another great late life surprise in the final years of Brotzmann – proof that he never stopped reinventing and opening doors to new avenues of creation! Titles include "Dancing Octopus", "Move On Over", "South Of No Return", "Butterfly Mushroom", "Found The Cabin But No People", and "Five Of Them Survived The Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A great full length collection of work by Memphis singer Barbara Brown – a vocalist who appeared both as a solo act, and with her sisters – on a variety of singles for labels like Cadet, Atlantic, Tower, and MGM in the late 60s and early 70s! Barbara's got a deep, rich voice that's clearly schooled in gospel, but pointed towards more secular ends – an approach that's very much in keeping with the best late 60s wave of soul from Atlantic Records, and which is carried off here with a sharpness and precision that's simply mindblowing! Why Brown never scored bigger is a real mystery to us, because these tunes come off like the cream of the crop of southern soul at the end of the 60s – not just obscurities for obscurity sake, but some of the highest level of soul a female soul singer could hope for at the time! Titles include "Can't Find No Happiness", "Plenty Of Room", "A Great Big Thing", "Things Have Gone To Pieces", "Man Around The House", "Play Thing", "I'm Gonna Start A War", "I Don't Want To Have To Wait", "It Hurts Me So Much", "Got To Be Somebody", "There's A Look On Your Face", and "If I Can't Run To You I'll Crawl". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy Nigerian funk from the great Segun Bucknor – an artist who was working during the same Afro Funk revolution as Fela Kuti & Africa 70, but one who never fully got the exposure he deserved on a global level! By the time of these cuts, Segun had already been working hard in a variety of different groups – and he emerges at the start of the 70s with a bold new vision in music – one that draws on the same American soul and funk inspirations that you'll hear on the records of Geraldo Pino, but which also has some moodier elements at times too – a heady current that's clearly inspired by the psych generation, and taken to some more message-oriented lyrics at times. The blend is wonderful, especially when most cuts have these deeply funky rhythms at the bottom – and this 2CD package is a fantastic introduction to his music, with 16 long cuts that include "Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow", "Poor Man No Get Brother", "Dye Dye", "Only In My Sleep", "Adanri Sogbasogba", "Baby Get Your Thing", "Love And Affection", "Son Of January 15th", "La La La", "Gbmojo", "Ayinde Ogo", "Who Say I Tire", "You Killing Me", "Adebo", and "That's The Time". CD

Maybe the greatest moment ever from Brit soundtrack genius Roy Budd – an artist who started with his roots in jazz piano, but who really explodes here in a range of groovy styles! The main title is an incredible blend of Eastern percussion and moody jazz – and other cuts bring in some trippier elements, mixed with funkier bits and warmer moments – all at a level that have Budd even outdoing the best late 60s work by Lalo Schifrin! The keyboards are often at the forefront – either acoustic or electric – and the album's got so many groovy grooves, with such variety, it's got a feel that's much richer than the usual soundtrack set. Titles include "Love Is A Four Letter Word", "Carter Takes A Train", "Looking For Someone", "The Girl In The Car", "Livin Should Be This Way", "Manhunt", "Goodbye Carter", and "Hallucinations". LP, Vinyl record album

Here's a heck of a deal if you're into CDs – at least 100 completely random bulk CDs from our bargain basement – all packaged together! The CDs are titles that hit the basement for a variety of reasons – some are titles we just don't sell well, some might have a flaw in the artwork, and a rare few might have an actual defect, like a skip on a track – although these are usually very few. The styles vary as much as the CDs – so you'll get a mix of many genres, as random as the artists and titles included in the box – very much like the boxes of random vinyl we sell here too. At this price, you're paying a nickel or less per CD – so you might even think about re-using the discs in creative ways – or maybe changing out the better jewel cases for some of the damaged ones in your collection! Misc

A really wonderful Chess/Cadet session from the 60s – not the bop-styled record you might expect from the 52nd Street reference in the title! Instead, the whole thing's more of a cool Chicago take on soul jazz – with these great large arrangements from Richard Evans, backing strong solos in the lead from guitarist Kenny Burrell – sounding wonderful here, almost in a Verve Records 60s mode – floating over the top of a variety of material, both mellow and upbeat, all very groovy! Side one features the extended "Suite For Guitar & Orchestra" – and side two features "I Want My Baby Back", "Soulero", "Con Alma", and "Blues Fuse". LP, Vinyl record album

A mixed bag of tracks from Gary – but a really nice record overall, one that has him stretching out in the Atlantic years! 3 of the album's tracks were recorded live in Montreux, the others were recorded back in New York – and Gary plays a variety of instruments in addition to vibes, including electric piano, organ, and piano. Tracks are a mixture of modern and hippy, and titles include "Moonchild/In Your Quiet Place", "The Sunset Bell", "Hullo Bolinas", "General Mojo's Well Laid Plan", and "Chega De Saudade". CD

A really early nugget from the Detroit jazz scene of the 50s – and a record that marks a key moment for players who would soon become huge on a variety of different labels! The group here features a very young Donald Byrd on trumpet, with Yusef Lateef on tenor, Barry Harris on piano, Alvin Jackson on bass, and Frank Gant on drums – plus Bernard McKinney blowing euphonium – an instrument he would use on a number of other important recordings over the years to really deepen their sound. The date was originally issued by the Transition label, and very quickly disappeared when they quickly closed up show – brought back over the years in a few variations by Delmark, to keep the memory of this moment alive. Tracks include "Yusef", "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Blues", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Tortion Level". CD

A really early nugget from the Detroit jazz scene of the 50s – and a record that marks a key moment for players who would soon become huge on a variety of different labels! The group here features a very young Donald Byrd on trumpet, with Yusef Lateef on tenor, Barry Harris on piano, Alvin Jackson on bass, and Frank Gant on drums – plus Bernard McKinney blowing euphonium – an instrument he would use on a number of other important recordings over the years to really deepen their sound. The date was originally issued by the Transition label, and very quickly disappeared when they quickly closed up show – brought back over the years in a few variations by Delmark, to keep the memory of this moment alive. Tracks include "Yusef", "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Blues", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Tortion Level". CD

A well-done batch of music for the initial season of Japanese TV show Long Vacation – served up with a sense of variety and depth that's a great change from American television music for a program of this nature! Cagnet put the whole thing together, but they've got a good sense of variety throughout – shifting singers and styles of music, and moving between vocal numbers and instrumentals that have a nice mix of beats and soundtrack elements. Titles include "Long Vacation" by Anna McMurphy, "Silent Emotion" by Calin, "Little By Little" by Section S, "To Live & Die" by David, "What Will I Do" by Natalie Burks, and the tunes "Tiny Tale", "Back Ground", and "Short Wave Radio". CD

America's never sounded better than in the hands of Italian sound library talent Daniela Casa – who does a great job here of serving up all these cool tracks that would have been right at home in a film set during the 70s! The music is a mix of themes that evoke different slices of the American experience – almost all of them with keyboards, and most with a nice current of funk as well – plenty of action elements that resonate nicely with the best Italian soundtracks of the crime/cop variety from the same stretch in time! Titles include "Icarus", "Big Sur", "Spiralys", "Beta Lady", "NYC 42nd", "Fix", "Third World Tango", "Puertorico Slum", "Soft Bird", and "Kentucky Fried Chicken". CD

Modern art, but of the sonic variety – served up here by composer Daniela Casa on a rare sound library album, but with a free-thinking quality that rivals the best of the avant garde at the time! Unlike some more staid, academic record, there's no overarching concept here – no detailed notes that you need to read to "get" the music. Instead, Casa creates these short, dark little passages of sound – sometimes very abstract, occasionally tuneful – with elements that move between free jazz, atonal piano and woodwinds, offbeat strings, and even a bit of Fender Rhodes! The whole thing's a great reminder of just how much genius was bubbling up in Italy during the 70s – so much so that a record like this, which would have been worthy of release by Columbia or Deutsche Grammophon in bigger scenes, was only pressed up in small quantities by the Flipper music label. Titles include "Concetto Informale", "Dimensione Umana", "Prima Maniera", "Ricerca Della Materia", "Visione Surreale", and "Ricerca Cromatica". LP, Vinyl record album

A mellow but striking blend of world and jazz styles – featuring Walcott on a variety of Indian instruments, Cherry on trumpet, flute, Doussn'Gouni, and voice, and Vasconcelos on berimbau, cuica, and percussion. Titles include "Codona", "Mumakata", "New Light", and "Colemanwonder", a blending of Stevie Wonder and Ornette Coleman tunes! LP, Vinyl record album

Post Funkadelic and Parliament work from George Clinton – an assortment of tracks from a variety of Columbia and Sony-related albums by artists who include Sweat Band, Mutiny, Junie, Bootsy Collins, Mico Wave, Philippe Wynne, and the P-Funk All-Stars! Most of the material here has an early 80s sort of feel – that second wave of P-Funk inspiration after so many other groups were grabbing the Clinton groove – and bass is especially upfront in the mix on most of these numbers, topped with vocals that are definitely in the style first encouraged by George back in the day. Titles include "Funky Kind" and "If Anybody Gets Funked Up" by George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars, "Leakin" and "Party On Plastic" by Bootsy Collins, "Lump" and "Funk N Bop" by Mutiny, "Rappin About Rappin" and "Love Has Taken Me Over" by Junie Morrison, "Instant Replay" by Mico Wave, "Freak To Freak" by Sweat Band, "Breakout" and "Never Gonna Tell It" by Philippe Wynne, and "One Of Those Summers" and "Pumpin It Up" by P-Funk All Stars. CD

Billy's got no "inner conflicts" here – as the album's a full-on set of heavy jamming, one that features some nice electronics alongside Billy's drums! The album's actually one of our favorite Cobham sessions of the 70s – a record that we'd rank right up there with Spectrum for sheer intensity, and for its ability to appeal to our funk-tuned ears. The variety of rhythms on the record is really really great – earthy and tribal one minute, and electric and spacey the next – all coming off well without trying too hard, and with a feel that's much more jazzy and soulful than some of Billy's more rock-focused work. Players include George Duke as Dawilli Gonga on keyboards, John Scofield on guitar, Julian Priester on trombone, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, and Pete & Sheila Escovedo on percussion. Titles include "Inner Conflicts", "Arroyo", "El Barrio", "Nickels & Dimes", and "The Muffin Talks Back". CD

Rare late 60s work from guitar genius Jerry Cole – and even more compelling than his famous records from earlier in the decade! This collection unearths a lost side of Jerry's career – tripped-out psych instrumentals from 1967 and 1968, recorded under a variety of different aliases – like The Generation Gap, Projection Company, Stone Canyon Rock Group, and T-Swift & The Electric Bag – all groups that didn't exist in real life, but were album-based studio projects by Cole! Jerry's brought a lot more fuzz to the sessions than on his surf and hot rod instrumental tracks – but the groove is mighty tight throughout, with almost a funky undercurrent to some of the best tracks – kind of an American equivalent to the UK freakbeat modes of the period, served up by Cole and a host of tight LA studio musicians. Great stuff throughout – all pulled from the Custom Records catalog – and titles include "Tune Out Of Place", "Fool's Luck", "Wild Times", "Hard Times", "What's Your Bag", "Our Man Hendrix", "Red Eyes", "I Love You I Do", "Expo In Sound", and "The Stinger". CD

One of the best American psyche albums we've heard from the late 60s – a near-perfect record that's head and shoulders above the rough experimentation of most other groups from the period! Colours spell their name with a definite British twist, and there's clearly a Beatles influence going on here – a sound that's almost pre-Sgt Peppers, but which has wonderfully complicated time changes, vocal parts, and production techniques that must have cost a pretty penny to such a little-known group! Horns and strings are arranged by Dave Roberts, and handled with a sensitivity that almost matches The Zombies' best at times – and the tunes themselves are a fresh variety of odd themes, including one number about robbing a liquor store. Titles include "Brother Lou's Love Colony", "Bad Day At Black Rock Baby", "Love Heals", "Rather Be Me", "I'm Leaving", "Cataleptic", "Don't You Realize", and "Lovin". CD

4 discs worth of material recorded by Coltrane in a variety of settings at the Village Vanguard in November 1961! Eric Dolphy is included on most takes, and the bass chair is filled by either Jimmy Garrison or Reggie Workman, and on some takes both (!), McCoy Tyner is on piano, Elvin Jones is on drums and a few songs feature Ahmed Abdul Malik or Garvin Bushnell. Titles include multiple readings of "India", "Chasin' The Trane", "Spiritual", "Miles' Mode" and more! CD

Richly soulful sounds from Nicola Conte – his first album for Far Out Records, but a set that shows the spiritual journey he's been on for the past decade or so on a variety of other labels! Conte has really matured into a jazz visionary – using the same energy here with live musicians that he used to bring to studio projects – in a warm blend of classic soulful styles, with work from an excellent lineup that includes Zara McFarlane and Myles Sanko on vocals, Alberto Parmegiani on guitar, Timo Lassy on tenor, Simon Mullier on vibes, Milena Jancuric on flute, and Ameen Saleem on bass. All players are wonderful – pushing past anything we might have expected – and McFarlane is especially great on the record, almost hitting heights that feel like Dee Dee Bridgewater back in the day! Titles include "Arise", "Dance Of Love & Peace", "Flying Circles", "Freedom & Progress", "Soul Of The People", "Into The Light Of Love", "Umoja Unity", and "Heritage". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing modern work from the young Chick Corea – a set that captures the pianist in much more avant territory than his famous 70s sets – at a time when he was just coming off some years working in a variety of modes on the New York scene! The group here is as revolutionary as Chick's own work on piano – a trio with Miroslav Vitous on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – generations coming together to really unlock the possibilities of a piano trio, with the same sort of freshness that you'd hear in the earliest work by Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett from the same time. By that, we mean that there's still elements here that tie the approach to older modes – but with a quality that's also instantly Chick's own – especially on the very compelling original material on the set. Titles include "Now He Sings – Now He Sobs", "Steps – What Was", "Matrix", and "The Law Of Falling & Catching Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing modern work from the young Chick Corea – a set that captures the pianist in much more avant territory than his famous 70s sets – at a time when he was just coming off some years working in a variety of modes on the New York scene! The group here is as revolutionary as Chick's own work on piano – a trio with Miroslav Vitous on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – generations coming together to really unlock the possibilities of a piano trio, with the same sort of freshness that you'd hear in the earliest work by Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett from the same time. By that, we mean that there's still elements here that tie the approach to older modes – but with a quality that's also instantly Chick's own – especially on the very compelling original material on the set. Titles include "Now He Sings – Now He Sobs", "Steps – What Was", "Matrix", and "The Law Of Falling & Catching Up". Lots of bonus tracks – including "Fragments", "Windows", "Samba Yantra", "I Don't Know", "Gemini", and "Bossa". CD

Gianluca Petrella has come a long way since his initial work as a straight jazz trombonist – and has really risen up with his Cosmic Renaissance project as a bold messenger of righteous energy in the 21st Century! The set's just an EP, but it's got a flowing, spiritual quality that makes the whole thing feel much fuller overall – core instrumentation from Petrella on a variety of instruments, and a small combo that features percussion from Riccardo Di Vinci and trumpet from Mirco Rubegni – but with key work from guests who include Soweto Kinch on vocals and tenor on the track "Universal Language" – and Anna Bassy on vocals on the cut "Connection (revisited)". Other tracks include "Universal Message"," Mutation", and "Universal Language (revisited)". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful group – and one who might also be called the Chicago Creative Construction Company – as the combo has a fair bit of contributions from members of the AACM! There's an openly inventive spirit here that's quite similar to early Art Ensemble Of Chicago records, with similar instrumental variety between the members of the group – a fantastic lineup that includes Anthony Braxton on saxes, flute, and clarinets; Leroy Jenkins on violin, viola, recorder, harmonica, and xylophone; Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet, seal horn, flugelhorn, and French Horn; Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, cello, and clarinet; Richard Davis on bass; and Steve McCall on drums and percussion. Ornette Coleman produced the performance, which was recorded live at the Peace Church in New York – and this second volume features one long track, titled "No More White Gloves". LP, Vinyl record album

Fred Frith plays a variety of guitars – and Chris Cutler plays both drums and "noise"! LP, Vinyl record album

Ted Daniel may be one of the most compelling sound-shapers we've ever heard on the trumpet – a very under-acknowledged musician whose playing of the 70s and 80s continues to really grab us over the years! This unissued live set is from 1981, and it features Ted on a variety of horns – blowing in a special way that both links to more conventional trumpet modes, yet also shows a knowledge of the more open phrasing that some of his generation were using – like Lester Bowie or Leo Smith. Yet unlike some of those artists, Ted's performance, although free, is never that far from the more familiar roots of trumpet expression – a fantastic balance that really comes through beautifully in the music. There's a few unusual approaches here – one track features a trumpet played into a grand piano, another a flugelhorn through a phase shifter – but even these never go too far out. Titles include "Sunny Side Up", "Closer & Closer", "Vicissitudes Of A Lover", "Al Fine", "Ciao Bene", and "Deac's Ceremonial Testimonial". CD

A huge amount of work from the French duo of David Jisse and Dominique Marge – two singers who come together here in surprisingly hip ways – very much their own mode of the time, and quite different than some of the more commercial French pop of the period! A few years before, and these guys might have been a folk duo – but instead, they seem to take the bohemian inspiration of that generation and blend it with a whole host of hip styles – bits of jazz at some points, Brazilian elements at others, groovier soul sometimes, and maybe even a bit of the more experimental styles you'd hear from the team of Areski & Brigitte Fontaine! This 2CD set presents the complete work of the duo – a massive 48 tracks that are a huge musical discovery – work that includes material from a variety of singles and albums, and even one obscure recording done with Luc Ferrari. Titles include "Nemo", "Juliette", "Tu Vas Je Vais", "Et Se Reveiller", "Petit Hommage Au Jazz", "Retrospective", "Sirop D'Orgeat", "Piegon Vole", "Mimi Tant Pis", "Cache Cache", "Mamie Nina", "Babar", "Oh Les Enfants", "Tu M'Fais Rever", and "Ces Mots Qui Te Touchent". CD

An excellent set that spans the gamut of Miles' work on Columbia – from his early hardbop sides to his later experimental ones! All of the material on the 2LP set was unreleased until the time of this release in 1979 – and the album features Miles in the company of a wide variety of players that include George Benson, Cannonball Adderley, Bennie Maupin, Hank Mobley, Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Red Garland, and Joe Beck. Titles include "Teo's Bag", "Side Car (1 & 2)", "Sanctuary", "Guinnevere", "Circle In The Round", and "Two Bass Hit". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most striking Eric Dolphy work we've ever heard – a set of live performances from the years 1962 and 1963 that feature Dolphy in a free-thinking mode that surpasses even the modernism of his classic studio sides! The recordings feature Dolphy amidst a variety of players – including a number of unlikely suspects like Barry Galbraith, Eddie Costa, and Jim Hall – and although some of the tracks have a moody and introspective third stream quality (3 of the numbers are written by Gunther Schuller), others are quite open, and almost have an ESP-like intensity. One longer title is a jam session take on Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" – recorded with a lineup that includes Phil Woods, Nick Travis, Benny Golson, Don Ellis, and Lalo Schifrin! Other titles include "Iron Man", "Half Note Triplets", "Densities", and "Night Music". CD

A really great entry in this excellent series – one that not only features lots of great Fender Rhodes from Brazilian jazz legend Joao Donato, but also vocals from Loren Oden on almost every track – which makes the whole thing feel like a fantastic hybrid of Joao's genius with a righteous approach to spacey soul! Oden sounds maybe even better here than ever before – singing jazzily, and drifting in and out of the instrumentation – which often has a more dynamic lead in the mix, with lots of work on a variety of instruments from Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – upbeat, but just a few shades short of funk, which works perfectly for the way that Donato slides his Rhodes in and out of the tunes. Titles include "Forever More", "Sua Beleza E Beleza", "Desejo De Amor", "Aquarius", "Nao Negue Seu Coracao", "Liaisons", and "Adrian Ali & Gregory". CD

Lean later work from Philippe Doray and his anti-social associates – material that draws heavily on some of the cold wave electronics of the early part of the 80s, and which also has some of the playful presence of the German new wave too! The music is definitely out of time – very different than anything recorded in the French mainstream of the mid-80s – and delivered with a style that clearly knows the darker reaches of the sonic spectrum, but which never lingers there too long. Doray handles a variety of keyboards and synth, and since both straight and with a vocoder – alongside contributions from others on guitars, keyboards, saxes, and flute. Titles include "Flash Back", "Le Petit Geant", "Aurora Day (edit)", "Choc D'Amour", "Le Composant Compositeur", and "Secoue Le Flipeur". LP, Vinyl record album

Two Capitol classics from the great Gene Dunlap – back to back on a single CD! First up is It's Just The Way I Feel – a classic soulful fusion album recorded and released during the crucial years of the "Capitol Rare" sound! Gene Dunlap is a jazz drummer at heart – but he's got a flair for the modern soul song – and in the same style as Norman Connors or Harvey Mason before him, he manages to put together a strong record of grooves and ballads from behind the kit! The strongest point of the record is work by The Ridgeways, a female soul trio who sing on the best tracks, giving them a smooth Jones Girls-ish kind of sound. The album includes two modern soul classics – "Before You Break My Heart" and "It's Just the Way I Feel" – plus "Love Dancin", "Rock Radio", "I Got You", and "Surest Things Can Change". Party In Me is wonderful work from Gene Dunlap – a jazzy soul drummer, and also a maestro with a killer ear for a modern soul groove! The album's got a mix of grooves and sophistication that are a bit like the best early 80s material from Roy Ayers – never chartbound, and never too commercial – but nice and tight, and really well put together! The instrumentation has plenty of jazzy 80s groove touches – especially in the keyboards – and Dunlap does a nice job of balancing up beat tracks with the mellow moments we love so much in his work. Vocals are from a variety of singers – including the great Ethel Beatty, who'd sung with Roy Ayers – plus Phillippe Wynne, Pam Lawson, and Gene himself – and titles include "Something Inside My Head", "Something Special", "Corner Pocket", "There Will Never Be Another (Like You)", "Party In Me", "Jam City", and "This One's On Me". CD

Rachel Eckroth has a resume that includes work behind some famous singers in a variety of styles – but here, she's a very committed jazz instrumentalist – working with a very bold touch on the piano at times, alongside guitarist Andrew Renfroe, who's got this edgey sense of tone on his instrument that really makes the record shine! The set's way more than just another quartet date with piano and guitar – as both players are clearly trying to distinguish themselves with individual sounds, while also working together in a cohesive vision that draws strongly from the bass of Billy Mohler and drums of Tim Raymond. Titles include "Humanoid", "Mind", "Evolution", and "Fleurette Africaine". LP, Vinyl record album

Emmeluth is alto saxophonist Signe Emmeluth – a player with a very unusual ear for timing and rhythms, as you'll hear in this completely unique set! The record has a vibe that's very hard to describe in words – maybe partly some of the experimentation of the 80s New York downtown scene, but mixed with more subtle moments as well – played as instrumental jazz, but with a boundless sense of imagination and exploration in a variety of different sonic textures. Signe blows alto at the head of a quartet – with Karl Bjora on guitar, Christian Balvig on piano, and Ole Mofjell on drums – all musicians who have a sense of invention that's as strong as the leader – on titles that include "Flickering", "Parallel", "I Hear Nonsense", "Are You Cross", "Zelda", and "Shaking Tail Feathers". CD

Emmeluth is alto saxophonist Signe Emmeluth – a player with a very unusual ear for timing and rhythms, as you'll hear in this completely unique set! The record has a vibe that's very hard to describe in words – maybe partly some of the experimentation of the 80s New York downtown scene, but mixed with more subtle moments as well – played as instrumental jazz, but with a boundless sense of imagination and exploration in a variety of different sonic textures. Signe blows alto at the head of a quartet – with Karl Bjora on guitar, Christian Balvig on piano, and Ole Mofjell on drums – all musicians who have a sense of invention that's as strong as the leader – on titles that include "Flickering", "Parallel", "I Hear Nonsense", "Are You Cross", "Zelda", and "Shaking Tail Feathers". LP, Vinyl record album

Gil Evans plays an electric grand piano and is joined by a rather large set of musicians who include Masabumi Kikuchi on a variety of synthesizers, Billy Cobham on drums, Lou Soloff on trumpet, George Lewis on trombone and many others. Tracks include two Evans originals – "Copenhagen Sight" and "Zee Zee" plus others like "Sirhan's Blues", a Jimi Hendrix song "Stone Free", and Mingus' "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress". LP, Vinyl record album

Gil Evans plays an electric grand piano and is joined by a rather large set of musicians who include Masabumi Kikuchi on a variety of synthesizers, Billy Cobham on drums, Lou Soloff on trumpet, George Lewis on trombone and many others. Tracks include two Evans originals – "Copenhagen Sight" and "Zee Zee" plus others like "Sirhan's Blues", a Jimi Hendrix song "Stone Free", and Mingus' "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress". CD

A definite killer from the great Gianni Ferrio – one of his grooviest soundtracks ever, and a set that's filled with lots of mod 60s touches! There's a bit of electric sitar, cool bubbling Hammond, and even some jazzy horn parts that make for nice flourishes over the top – all changing up in cool and different ways from track to track – creating the kind of instrumental variety that we love in soundtracks like these! The album features vocals on two tracks – and titles include "Strana Gente", "Mr Ice Cream Again", "Week-End On Ice", "Billy's Ice Cream", "Pedigree", "Semifreddo", "Nuovi Ricchi", and "Fino All'Ultimo Gelato". CD also features 16 more bonus tracks – practically a whole extra album of music! CD

Seminal pre-Verve work by Ella Fitzgerald – a variety of early singles from the late 40s and early 50s, collected together in one full album by Decca! Even at this point in her career, the Fitzgerald magic is firmly in place – sensitively taking on familiar lyrics on some tunes, scatting breezily on others – all with a lot more jazz in the mix than her contemporaries, but not nearly as much pyrotechnics as the bebop-era vocalese crowd. Backings are by Sy Oliver on many numbers, by small groups on others – and a few tracks feature backing vocals by the Ray Charles singers. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Rough Ridin", "Smooth Sailing", "Later", "Ella Hums The Blues", "How High The Moon", "Air Mail Special", and "Flying Home". CD

Righteous soul from late 60s Chicago – a killer collection of early singles from the great Darrow Fletcher – only a youngster at the time, but already working at a level that's as strong as most of his older contemporaries! Darrow's got this soaring voice that really sends us every time we hear him sing – a style that's possibly a bit like Jackie Wilson, but both deeper and lighter at the same time – very unique, especially in these early years – and perfect for helping Fletcher stand out from the pack! The grooves here are nice and deep – socking hard in the best Chi-town styles of the time, with the sort of punch you'd get on the best One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus recordings – with arrangements by Mike Terry, Phil Wright, Burgess Gardner, and others. Tracks were originally issued on a variety of labels – Groovy, Jacklyn, and Genna – and titles include "The Pain Gets A Little Deeper", "Hope For Love", "No Limit", "Now Is The Time For Love (part 1)", "My Judgement Day", "Little Girl", "What Have I Got Now", "What Good Am I Without You", "That Certain Little Something", and "Gotta Draw The Line". LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous soul from late 60s Chicago – a killer collection of early singles from the great Darrow Fletcher – only a youngster at the time, but already working at a level that's as strong as most of his older contemporaries! Darrow's got this soaring voice that really sends us every time we hear him sing – a style that's possibly a bit like Jackie Wilson, but both deeper and lighter at the same time – very unique, especially in these early years – and perfect for helping Fletcher stand out from the pack! The grooves here are nice and deep – socking hard in the best Chi-town styles of the time, with the sort of punch you'd get on the best One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus recordings – with arrangements by Mike Terry, Phil Wright, Tom Tom, and others. Tracks were originally issued on a variety of labels – Groovy, Jacklyn, Uni, Congress, and Genna – and titles include "The Pain Gets A Little Deeper", "Now Is The Time For Love (parts 1 & 2)", "What Have I Got Now", "What Is This", "Gotta Draw The Line", "My Young Misery", "Infatuation", "When Love Calls", "My Judgement Day", "Sitting There That Night", "Changing By The Minute", "What Good Am I Without You", "We Can't Go On This Way", and "That Certain Little Something". CD

An early hummer from one of the hardest male/female soul acts next to Ike & Tina Turner, but listed here under Inez's name. Inez & Charlie scored super big with their hit "Mockingbird" – the tune that kicks off this LP for a subsidiary of the Sue label – but they also had a style that could get them through a wide variety of material, grooving long past their hits, with great vocals up front, and plenty of hot guitar licks to keep the grooves rough! A dozen great numbers hee, including the title track and "Sitting Here", "Jaybirds", "The Ball Game", "Tom & Jim", "I See You My Love", "The Angels Got Together", "Broken Hearted Fool", "The Angels Got Together", "Searching For My CC", "Love Me Today" and "Talk With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet overview of the early years of Aretha Franklin's career – her formative days at Columbia Records, when she was working in a variety of styles before heading over to bigger fame at Atlantic! Even at this early stage, Aretha's one hell of a singer – and, despite what folks who listen to Jerry Wexler might say, this early Columbia work is pretty darn amazing throughout – steeped in a number of different modes, with bits of jazz, R&B, and early soul sewn together beautifully throughout. The double-length set is filled with key early moments from Aretha – and titles include "Don't Cry Baby", "Lee Cross", "Skylark", "One Step Ahead", "Evil Gal Blues", "Take A Look", "Runnin Out Of Fools", "People", "Try A Little Tenderness", and "Take It Like You Give It". LP, Vinyl record album

A relatively short album, at least in terms of hip hop records that can span multiple discs and dozens of tracks – but that also marks the sharp focus that's made Freddie Gibbs such a powerful force in the music – an MC who gets right to the point, and never needs to hide his ideas behind intros and skits! Production here is by a variety of talents – Badbadnotgood, Teddy Walton, Speakerbomb, and others – shifting from track to track, in a nicely varied way – all unified through the subtle majesty of Gibbs! Titles include "Phone Lit", "Homesick", "Alexys", "Amnesia", "Dear Maria", "Crushed Glass", and "20 Karat Jesus". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare soundtrack for a very offbeat 70s documentary – one that more than lived up to its title by showing footage of sexual acts of a wide variety of different creatures – including frogs, kangaroos, rhinos, monkeys, and others – each of whom was given some very special scoring attention by composer Gerald Fried! Each track has a slightly different feel – as Fried is clearly watching the documentary footage, then composing the music – with all sorts of instrumental flourishes and odd effects that must have been a wonder next to the animal porn onscreen! The CD features 25 tracks in all – and titles include "Aphids", "Snails", "Buffalo Birth", "Rattlesnake", "Chimp Lullaby", "Trout Eggs", "Cheetah Chase", and "Primal Ooze". CD

The complete legacy of Glad – and the related New Breed group as well! The set begins with the group's classic album Feelin Glad – a sweet bit of 60s sunshine, and a record that's every bit as charming as you might guess from the cover – served up by a group who are well into the best harmonies of the time, but also digging for something deeper too! The vibe isn't really psychedelic, but there's certainly some of those elements at play – as the group get help on some larger arrangements from producer Erik Wangberg, who uses just the right touches from song to song to keep things interesting, and from ever falling into too-familiar territory! The record's filled with groovy little original tunes in a variety of flavors – and titles include "Bedtime Story", "A New Tomorrow", "Sweet Melinda", "Silly Girl", "Johnny Silver's Ride", "No Ma It Can't Be", and a cool remake of "Shape Of Things". CD also features 8 more mono Glad singles, mostly of tracks from the album – plus 8 more earlier tracks by The New Breed – all mono singles by an earlier version of the group, already really able to deliver pure Cali harmonic genius! CD

An amazing album produced and arranged by legendary Philly mastermind Larry Gold – the cello player/writer/arranger for MFSB – and a key player in the best Philly soul of the last several decades! Don Cello & Friends features Gold as Don Cello – and the friends include Black Thought of the Roots, McFadden & Whitehead, Carol Riddick, Gerald Levert, Kindred The Family Soul, Jaguar Wright, Bunny Sigler and others. The goal for the set was not only to celebrate the depth and rich history of Philly soul with a variety of vocalists, but to draw a direct parallel with the best of today's scene. It succeeds at both masterfully. Gold's production and arranging is lush and sparkling – and the vocalists bring the very best of their games. Black Thought's rhymes on the lead off remake of "No Stoppin'", with McFadden & Whitehead, sets the stage perfectly – think the Roots on Curtom, and that's about half the picture! Much of the album carries more of a classic soul sheen – smooth and sparkling, with just enough grit for a nice edge! In the liner notes, Gold explains that he loves songs from "Gamble, Huff to Timbaland" – and this album is the perfect sonic encapsulation of that aesthetic! Possibly the best album yet with the relatively fledgling Beat Generation imprint – and a great signpost for the future of underground soul! 12 tracks including "Loving You" with Carol Riddick, "Dance" with Gerald Levert, "And I Hope" featuring Floetry, "Travelin'" with Kameelah Waheed, ""All That You Are" featuring Kindred, "Nothin'" with Jaguar Wright, "Just A Dream" with Erro, "Everybody" with Cristal Oliver, "Can I" with Bunny Sigler, and Larry Gold's "Outro". CD

One of the die-cut cover "Stereo Action" series, with a variety of film themes given a wild batchelor pad twist. Tracks include "Colonel Bogey", "Tara's Theme", "The High & The Mighty", and "Song Of The Barefoot Contessa". Not too way out, but nicely swinging. LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums from one of our favorite trumpeters on the European scene! First up is Portrait – a set that stands as a tribute to trumpeter Dusko Goykovich's 70 years on this planet – and a record that features him in a variety of settings too! Other players include Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, Tony Lakatos on tenor, Steve Gut on trumpet, Isla Eckinger and Ray Drummond on basses, Abraham Burton on alto, and Kenny Barron and Tommy Flanagan on pianos – on titles that include "Recado Bossa Nova", "Balkan Blue", "Adriatica", "One For Klook", and "Inga". Next is Swinging Macedonia – a legendary German session from the 60s – and a record that really showcases the unusual criss-crossing of modes that was going on in the European scene at the time! There's a very strong MPS vibe here – as trumpeter Dusko Goykovich leads a swinging sextet that includes Nathan Davis on flute, soprano, and tenor – blowing some tremendously soulful reed lines – plus incredible rhythms from Mal Waldron on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Cees See on drums. The record's an attempt to bring traditional Macedonian rhythms into a jazz perspective – but with players like these, it swings in a way any Macedonian album never could – damn soulful, and with a great exotic vibe. Davis is especially great, and plays in a soaring modal vein that's similar to his work on his classic MPS sides, and on the records he cut in America in the early 70s. The album's a beautiful session that often get's overlooked because it blends it with the Enja catalog – but it's really more of a record that belongs in an MPS reissue series, and is a great lost groover that's waiting to be rediscovered by the Dusty Groove crowd. Titles include "Macedonia", "Old Fisherman's Daughter", "Jumbo Uganda", "Bem Basha", "Saga Se karame", and "The Nights Of Skopje". Brandenberg Concert features one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene of the past few decades – heard here in a completely sublime setting! Dusko Goykovich has played in many styles and many ways, but hasn't ever done a date with full strings before – a long-overdue placement for his wonderful tone on trumpet – shimmering out front of a larger ensemble, in the manner of classic "with strings" dates by Dizzy Gillespie or Art Farmer! Altoist Peter King arranged the album – and titles are all originals by Dusko, some of which you might know from earlier records – reworked here beautifully for the new setting. King also solos on a handful of tracks too – a rich voice that provides a nice balance with Dusko's trumpet. Strings are never overdone, and the album's always got a nice swing from a core rhythm trio that features Renato Chicco on piano. Titles include "Good Old Days", "Handful O Soul", "Danca Comigo", "St Germain Des Pres", "Adriatica", "In My Dreams", and "I Miss You So". CD

Mostly mellow numbers, but not without some charm – featuring tracks written by Rod McKuen for a variety of films and TV shows, including The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, A Boy Named Charlie Brown, and Joanna. Greenslade was McKuen's prime interpreter at the time –and he's recording here on Rod's own label. Titles in clude "Lonesome Cities", "Listen To The Warm", "Mr Kelly/Kelly & Me", "Jean", "Pastures Green", and "The Loner". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool quintet of Korean lovelies from the 70s – five gals who could sing sweetly when they wanted, but also hit some funkier sounds on their instruments as well! The Happy Dolls follow strongly in the tradition of earlier Army base acts from the postwar Korean scene – but they've also got a groovier sound overall, and maybe more of an international appeal too – given the time they spent on the Vegas stages in the early part of the decade, and their frequent work in Canada during the latter half. This set was recorded in Toronto, and it's got a very unusual approach that mixes equal parts small combo funk with some fuller harmony singing as well – a shift that takes place from track to track on the set, which makes for a surprising sense of variety. The group turn in two great covers – "Funky Stuff" and "Pick Up The Pieces" – both of which work great in kind of an indie funk mode – and other tunes include their own "Bombie", a take on "Shake Your Booty", and even a "Drum Solo" number! LP, Vinyl record album

Hampton Hawes isn't exactly the first pianist we think of when it comes to bluesy lines in his music – but there's definitely a blue-tinged undercurrent to most of the work in this set – a well-chosen batch of tracks from Hamp's early years as a leader on Contemporary Records! The album features work in a variety of settings – with players who include Red Mitchell, Ray Brown, or Scott LaFaro on bass – Shelly Manne, Chuck Thompson, or Frank Butler on drums – and some occasional work by Harold Land on tenor sax, and either Jim Hall or Barney Kessel on guitar. Titles include "Blues The Most", "Hamp's Blues", "Hip", "Soul Sign Eight", "The Sermon", "For Real", "Hampton's Pulpit", "Takin Care", "Up Blues", and "Blues For Jacque". CD

A nice set that brings together Hawk Flies High plus earlier material from 78s! The core record is a key album in the reintroduction of Coleman Hawkins in the late 50s – recorded in a style that still bears a lot of traces of earlier years, but at a time when Hawk was being claimed as a key influence by a variety of younger modernists! The set's got a sense of freedom that's really surprising – especially on the longer numbers, which unfold with some playful instrumental twists that seem to come especially from trumpeter Idrees Sulieman and trombonist JJ Johnson – both of whom are great on the record. Other players include Hank Jones on piano, Barry Galbraith on guitar, and Oscar Pettiford on bass – and titles include "Juicy Fruit", "Think Deep", "Blue Lights", "Sanctity", and "Chant". Other material is from 40s 78s – very nicely presented! LP, Vinyl record album

A lost Ohio soul treasure – the initial effort by a singer with a hell of a voice, but one who languished in obscurity after the poor response to this debut LP! Barbara Howard really knocks it out of the park here – singing like a deep soul diva with a hell of a lot of power and focus – but also moving effortlessly through material from a variety of modes, often given a bit of a jazzy twist in the backings – almost as if Howard's trying to be the southern soul answer to Nancy Wilson on Capitol Records! There's maybe a Spanky Wilson vibe to the whole thing – with a similar punch in the arrangements – and titles include "The Man Above", "Save Your Love For Me", "Light My Fire", "My Song", "I Need You", "Welcome Home", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "For Once In My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic side of the many talents of Joseph Jarman – best known as a key member of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and a saxophonist whose talents were crucial to the formation of the AACM – but also a very strong writer, as you'll discover in this book! This version is the full 1977 version of Black Case – and brings together material from the original self-published version in 1974, plus other writings that Jarman had done over the years – some of which later turned up as texts on a variety of albums! The book is a mixture of poetry, free verse, and some prose – sometimes personal, but also very political – maybe even more so than the work of the AEOC. The whole thing is a fantastic revelation, and a representation of Jarman's connection to a much richer cultural world in Chicago – and the book is beautifully done – blue text on white pages, with some images sprinkled throughout – very much a facsimile of the original. 146 pages, softcover. Book

A great overview of the work of Abner Jay – as much of a blues singer as the folk artist promised on the cover – working here in a stunning array of styles, pulled from a variety of recordings he made in the late 60s and early 70s! It's clear that Jay is one of those talents who was rising up during the initial folk revival years, but was also able to find a groove that was very much his own when that moment faded – and the tunes here feature some very unusual phrasing on vocals, supported by acoustic guitar and a bit of percussion – on titles that include "Depression", "Lord Randal", "I Wanna Job", "St James Infirmary", "I'm Georgia Bound", "Bring It With You When You Come", "The Thresher", "Cotton Fields", "Starving To Death On My Government Claim", "Shenandoah", "99 Years In Jail", and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot". LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling chapter in the long and wonderful career of reedman Per Texas Johansson – a set that features a larger ensemble interpreting his ideas, and working with a really incredible combination of horns! The group perform three longer compositions under the direction of Johan Siberg, and there's an insane criss-crossing of instruments throughout – a variety of clarinets from Per, plus other reeds from Johan Horlen, Astrid Le Clercq, Fredrik Ljungkvist, Alberto Pinton, and Linus Lindblom – plus trumpets from Joakim Agnas, Emil Strandberg, and Karl Olandersson – and trombones from Mats Aleklint, Mats Agelid, and Lisa Bodelius! The horns really shape the sound here, but there are some other elements in the mix – vibes from Mattias Stahl, bass from Par Ola Landin, piano from Rasmus Borg, and drums from Konrad Agnas – but all elements that really step back at many points and let the woodwinds and brass direct the music. Titles include "Livet I Tre Delar", "Klarinet", and "Orosmoln". CD

Valerie June's been bubbling under for almost a decade – recording work with other artists, doing a variety of projects, and finally getting her chance to shine in the spotlight with her previous debut – yet it may well be this well-crafted second album that finally puts the singer over the top! Valerie's completely her own woman here – not beholden to any sort of easy tags or cliches – including the "rootsy soul" or "folksy diva" tags that we heard batted around before – and instead, almost inventing her own genre for the record – which has a vibe that makes us guess that it's going to be the start of a huge legacy of fame to come for June. Her voice is timeless, the instrumentation is nicely understated, and the production is very easygoing – yet the whole thing comes across with a crispily compelling sound that could appeal to both hipsters and their more mainstream friends. That might sound like a dig, but it's not – just our way of illustrating the soon-to-be universal appeal of the singer! Titles include "The Front Door", "Astral Plane", "Long Lonely Road", "Just IN Time", "Slip Slide On By", "Two Hearts", and "Got Soul". CD

A really funky set from the UK scene of the 70s – an album that mixes West African roots with some of the hipper elements going on in London at the time – a city where Remi Kabaka had been lending his talents to a variety of different records over the years! The set was issued by Island Records, and has the kind of cross-cultural groove the label did so well – and at some level, the record's sort of a second chapter in some of the African-influenced funk that was bubbling over on the London scene in the early 70s – maybe a bit sharper and tighter overall, but no less funky! The basslines are especially nice – nice and deep, with maybe an influence from Jamaican music, even though there's no reggae at all on the set. Titles include "Future Of 1000 Years", "All Black Festival", "African Hustle", "Blue Lagos", "Meteorite", "Sure Thing", and "Kabaka". LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Goran Kajfes has been giving us great sounds in a variety of formats over the years, but this album may well be one of his most inventive – a session of spare, slow-growing sounds done with some very like-minded musicians – Alex Zethson on piano and organ, Johan Berthling on bass, and Johan Holmegard on drums – all sharing the same spacious sensibility that Goran's bringing to the session! Both Kajfes and Zethson add in some especially cool electronics – building things nicely from the background to the front – and the record also features beautiful guest work on violin and cello, both elements whose contributions here are crucial. The set features three long, beautifully-flowing tracks – "Magmatique", "Prije I Posle", and "Unity In Diversity". CD

Trumpeter Goran Kajfes has been giving us great sounds in a variety of formats over the years, but this album may well be one of his most inventive – a session of spare, slow-growing sounds done with some very like-minded musicians – Alex Zethson on piano and organ, Johan Berthling on bass, and Johan Holmegard on drums – all sharing the same spacious sensibility that Goran's bringing to the session! Both Kajfes and Zethson add in some especially cool electronics – building things nicely from the background to the front – and the record also features beautiful guest work on violin and cello, both elements whose contributions here are crucial. The set features three long, beautifully-flowing tracks – "Magmatique", "Prije I Posle", and "Unity In Diversity". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty nice little soundtrack from a period when Columbia was sneaking out some great material in the genre! The album features tracks by Kaplan that run through a variety of moods – some are orchestral and dramatic, but there's also some good groovy numbers too – a few nice, almost bossa-inflected tunes of the type that we love to dig through 60s soundtracks for. Titles include "Cold Love", "The Beatch", "The Amphitheater", "Young Lovers", and "Bull Fight". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool album from the Japanese scene of the 80s – one that's much more experimental and creative than some of the city pop material of the time – with a shifting style of music that really keeps things interesting! Ryuichi Sakamoto helped with the first track on the set, which also rounds out the end of side one – and there's definitely elements of the YMO-era electro pop on the record, but mixed with more instrumental material that partly echoes the ambient sounds of the era – but also with more experimental material that's sometimes playful, sometimes a bit dark – almost echoing some of the hipper New York downtown experiments of the Laurie Anderson generation. Koharu Kisaragi handles most of the work herself - through a variety of keyboards, samples, and electronics next to her vocals – but there's also some live percussion, piano, bells, and recorder on the record too. Titles include "Neo Plant" in two versions – plus "Paraffin", "Bon Voyage", and "Traumerei". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of poems dedicated to the legacy of bebop genius Charlie Parker – presented in a variety of ways that make the book far more engrossing than you might expect! Some of the poems deal with the bebop scene directly from the artists' perspective, others contemplate the music as a listener – and the book features a large central passage that includes the complete text of a radio play that Yusef Komunyakaa did with saxophonist Sandy Evans for Australian radio! There's also some essays on the Testimony piece – as well as an interview with the poet by Sascha Feinstein – plus a bonus CD of the whole broadcast performance, in this hardcover edition of 140 pages. Book

A great document of an early all-star jazz concert – recorded at Town Hall by a young Bob Shad – who's clearly working here in the same live territory as producer Norman Granz! There's a great sense of variety going on here – and the record's maybe worth it alone for an excellent performance by a trio with Gene Krupa on drums and Charlie Ventura on tenor – with only piano, and no other instrumentation – a great mode for both players! The album also features work from a quintet led by pianist Teddy Wilson with Flip Phillips on tenor – on the tune "Sweet & Lovely"; a trio with Billy Taylor on piano and Stuff Smith on violin, on "Perdido"; a fantastic duet between Don Byas' tenor and Slam Stewart's bass on "I Got Rhythm"; and a Red Norvo group with Shorty Rogers on trumpet and Flip Phillips on tenor, on the tunes "The Man I Love" and "One Note Jive". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever – an archetypal album from French composer Francis Lai, and a record that set the tone for countless other imitations to come – yet which is still the best! The groove here is really unique – a spare blend of bossa influences, jazzy organ lines, and wordless vocals that are sung beautifully by French singers Nicole Croisille and Pierre Barouh – and although a mainstream success, the record was the initial force behind the legendary Saravah imprint that Barouh would form later, to record a wide range of groundbreaking work in a variety of genres. But history aside, the music here is plenty – and from the very first note the whole soundtrack grabs you with a sense of warmth and sentiment that defy description – modes never heard before in the soundtrack world, and which really broke the mold from Hollywood conventions! Titles include the seminal bossa number "Samba Saravah", plus "A Man & A Woman", "Today It's You", "In Our Shadow", "At 200 MPH", and "Stronger Than Us". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever – an archetypal album from French composer Francis Lai, and a record that set the tone for countless other imitations to come – yet which is still the best! The groove here is really unique – a spare blend of bossa influences, jazzy organ lines, and wordless vocals that are sung beautifully by French singers Nicole Croisille and Pierre Barouh – and although a mainstream success, the record was the initial force behind the legendary Saravah imprint that Barouh would form later, to record a wide range of groundbreaking work in a variety of genres. But history aside, the music here is plenty – and from the very first note the whole soundtrack grabs you with a sense of warmth and sentiment that defy description – modes never heard before in the soundtrack world, and which really broke the mold from Hollywood conventions! Titles include the seminal bossa number "Samba Saravah", plus "A Man & A Woman", "Today It's You", "In Our Shadow", "At 200 MPH", and "Stronger Than Us". LP, Vinyl record album

About 30 years back, Joseph Lanza first turned us on to an amazing array of 60s easy listening records that we'd never fully given their due – and here, he continues the journey, but with a key shift into the world of psychedelia too! The book is a wonderful look at the way that easy listening and instrumental pop tried to stay vibrant in the second half of the 60s – and it follows the way that easy artists of the time were picking up the aesthetics of the younger generation in a variety of ways – not just doing cover versions of songs by The Beatles and Stones, but also going for trippier artwork on their album covers, and using more unusual studio techniques in production – all in ways that made for a huge legacy of very groovy records! At times, things would even move backwards – as older songs from the early part of the century were given a mod spin for the 60s generation – and the range of topics covered here is as wonderful as Lanza's presentation. The book is a very cool 7" square format – with lots of album reproductions and great graphics, plus a list of 50 essential records at the back – served up in a softcover volume that's 237 pages in length. Book

Music of a very different style than some of Laraaji's other work – more tuneful and song-based – with shorter tracks that show a whole different side of his talents! Laraaji's gotten great acclaim for his homespun spiritual sounds – long tracks that first found a home in Brian Eno's Ambient series, then came out on a variety of self-released records, and have even seen a big new revival in recent years. But the music here is a mixture of echoey vocals and rhythm patterns – songs that almost feel like special prayers of motivation and uplift – a karmic legacy stripped down more for an 80s generation, but still filled with a rich amount of spirit! The man's a surprisingly strong singer, with a trippy quality that really fits his lyrics – and almost gives some of the songs a late 60s sort of LA underground vibe. Titles include "Is This Clear", "Hare Jaya Jaya Rama", "Great Bells", "Laws Of Manifestation", "Cosmic Joe", "We Shall Be Lifted", and "I Can Only Bliss Out". CD

Music of a very different style than some of Laraaji's other work – more tuneful and song-based – with shorter tracks that show a whole different side of his talents! Laraaji's gotten great acclaim for his homespun spiritual sounds – long tracks that first found a home in Brian Eno's Ambient series, then came out on a variety of self-released records, and have even seen a big new revival in recent years. But the music here is a mixture of echoey vocals and rhythm patterns – songs that almost feel like special prayers of motivation and uplift – a karmic legacy stripped down more for an 80s generation, but still filled with a rich amount of spirit! The man's a surprisingly strong singer, with a trippy quality that really fits his lyrics – and almost gives some of the songs a late 60s sort of LA underground vibe. Titles include "Is This Clear", "Hare Jaya Jaya Rama", "Great Bells", "Laws Of Manifestation", "Cosmic Joe", "We Shall Be Lifted", and "I Can Only Bliss Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget the title, as (thankfully) this isn't one of those records that ties itself to the dark days of 2020 – and instead, rejoice at the combination of sounds that come from the reed work of Aaron Leaney and the drums and percussion of Guy Thouin – who, we think, may well be making his studio recorded debut here, even though he's 83 years old! The tracks are short, and have a very earthy, organic quality – one that makes full use of the range of instruments on the set, which include Thouin's work on a variety of drums, gongs, and percussion instruments – and Leaney's bolder solos on tenor and alto, mixed with flutes, bells, and mbira. With that instrumental lineup, there's a nicely spiritual vibe to the record at times – on titles that include "Zumba", "Curfew", "Thembi Thouin", "Pontential", "Inward", "Bhariav", and "Turtle Island". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue look at the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden – an tiny little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time – politician, club owner, and local businessman – but he also put together his own band and record label, and worked in a very hip mix of R&B and 60s soul jazz modes! Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact with a variety of great musicians, both national and local – and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here for his LG family of labels – issued on a handful of singles and two rare LPs. Although rough-edged at times, these tracks have a really great sound – kind of a grittier take on the Prestige Records groove of the 60s – helped out by musicians who include Oliver Nelson and Hamiet Bluiett – and singers who include Albert King and Charles Drain. The package is a bit loose on discographical details, but definitely includes all the best moments from these mighty years on the East St Louis scene – and the full story in the notes more than helps to fill in the gaps in Gooden's compelling tale. The titles by Leo's Five – Gooden's group – are all hip jazz instrumentals, often with a strong mix of Hammond, guitar, and tenor – and these titles include "Hold It", "Sunrise Serenade", "Something You Got", "Tippin", "Johnnie Come Marching Home (Country Style)", "Minor Over Matter", "Mop Water", "Fredrick's Dream", and "Cookin With Chezie Mae". Other cuts include "COD" and "Worsome Baby" by Albert King, "So Glad" and "Stop & Think About It Baby" by Charles Drain, "Winkee Do" and "Ugly Ugly" by Leo Gooden, and "Let's Do The Cat" by Jamie Ross. CD

The rich 70s legacy of the Lovelites – a Chicago trio who first sprang onto the soul with some wonderfully fragile work when they were young, and who continued to record some really great music – even though they never fully got their due at the time! The music here was all done after the girls got their one shot at an LP on the Uni label – and the set features rare work for a variety of different labels, all issued only as 7" singles – plus a few tracks that were never released at the time. All the strength of their early vocals is still in place here, but guided by a sense of maturity that makes the music even more powerful – and which seems to indicate that the trio have already lived a lot of life in the time since their first records – all of which they bring to play in the music. Most tracks have a groovy vibe – midtempo and mellow, but with a gentle groove too – one that brings out the best in lead singer Patti Hamilton, in a set of 16 tracks that includes "My Conscience", "Love So Strong", "Got To Be There", "Oh What A Day", "Get It Off My Conscience", "My Baby Loves Me", "Bumpy Road Ahead", "Man In My Life", "Love Is Pretty", "I'm The One You Need", "Come & Get It", and "Cravin For Your Love". CD

Amazing lost work from the Mahvishnu Orchestra – a previously-unreleased studio session from 1973, one that features John McLaughlin and the group working in some beautifully tripped-out territory! The lineup features McLaughlin on a variety of guitars – plus Jerry Goodman on electric violin, Jan Hammer on keyboards, Rick Laird on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums – all coming together perfectly with that sense of subtle, organic fusion that made the Mahvishnu records so great – a real change from the harder, more rockish sounds of Hammer and Goodman in later years. Titles include "Dream", "Sister Andrea", "I Wonder", "Steppings Tones", "John's Song", and "Triology". CD