Cannonball Adderley and Earle Warren on alto saxophone, Jerome Richardson on baritone saxophone and flute, Ray Brown and Sam Jones on bass, Ray Brown on cello, Nat Adderley on cornet, Albert Heath, Grady Tate, and Osie Johnson on drums, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Wild Bill Davis on organ, Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Danny Bank, Jimmy Heath, Phil Woods, and Robert Ashton on reeds, Budd Johnson and Seldon Powell on tenor saxophone, Yusef Lateef on tenor saxophone and flute, Britt Woodman, Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston, Paul Faulise, Tom McIntosh, Tony Studd, and Urbie Green on trombone, Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Joe Newman, and Snooky Young on trumpet, Milt Jackson on vibraphone, and Marion Williams on vocals. CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Daniel Carter on reeds and keyboards, Stelios Mihas on guitar, Irma Nejando on bass, and Federico Ughi on drums. CD

Daniel Carter on saxophone, flute and trumpet, Tobias Wilmer on electronics, synth and beats, Djibril Toure on bass, and Federico Ughi on drums. CD

Daniel Carter on saxophones, flute, trumpet, and clarinet – with Djibril Toure on bass, Fererico Ughi on drums, and Tobias Wilner on electronics, synthesizers, piano, and guitar. CD

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and tenor, trumpet, and flute of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – on titles that include "Majestic Travel Agency", "Scintillate", and "Ear-Regularities". CD

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and tenor, trumpet, and flute of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – on titles that include "Majestic Travel Agency", "Scintillate", and "Ear-Regularities". CD

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and reeds of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – and this second volume features titles that include "Wordwide", "Mask Production", "Da Rest Is Story", and "Blinking Down". CD

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and reeds of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – and this second volume features titles that include "Wordwide", "Mask Production", "Da Rest Is Story", and "Blinking Down". CD

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and reeds of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – and this second volume features titles that include "Wordwide", "Mask Production", "Da Rest Is Story", and "Blinking Down". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a wonderful layering of sounds going on here – tremendous work from a team of improvisers who really know how to fill in the spaces alongside each other, and build up a performance that only increases in intensity as things move on! William Parker's bass, as always, is a key factor in the sound here – and on the album, he also plays gralla and shakuhachi as well – next to the drums of Francisco Mela and piano of Leo Genovese, topped and driven forward by incredible work from Daniel Carter on saxes! The music here is based on a poem by carter about non-stop motion in New York – and there's definitely that sense of action here – on titles that include "Intertext Salute", "Shine Hear", and "Glisten Up". CD

There's a wonderful layering of sounds going on here – tremendous work from a team of improvisers who really know how to fill in the spaces alongside each other, and build up a performance that only increases in intensity as things move on! William Parker's bass, as always, is a key factor in the sound here – and on the album, he also plays gralla and shakuhachi as well – next to the drums of Francisco Mela and piano of Leo Genovese, topped and driven forward by incredible work from Daniel Carter on saxes! The music here is based on a poem by carter about non-stop motion in New York – and there's definitely that sense of action here – on titles that include "Intertext Salute", "Shine Hear", and "Glisten Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare later date from tenor giant Arnett Cobb – and one of the few to match the groove of his Prestige Records sessions! There's an easygoing groove here that takes us back to the brilliantly understated soul of Cobb's Party Time Records – as the set's got a similar laidback rhythm vibe – with piano from Junior Mance, bass from George Duvivier, and drums from Panama Francis – all players who really keep things cool, while Cobb steps out with some well-blown solos in the lead. The album also features a bit of guest work on two tracks from Joe Newman on trumpet and Al Grey on trombone – and titles include "Cheatin On Me", "Blues For Lisette", "Keep On Pushin", "Stardust", and "Deep River". LP, Vinyl record album

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A solid collection that opens with material from Africa/Brass and moves chronologically through Kulu Se Mama and Expression – 24 tracks total. CD

A great trio set – Larry Coryell on guitar, with Paul Wertico on drums and Mark Egan on bass – on original tunes that include "Spaces Revisited", "Good Citizen Swallow", "Immer Geradeaus", "Rhapsody & Blues", "Dragon Gate", and "Three Way Split". CD

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Hank Crawford on alto saxophone, Danny Mixon on piano and organ, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and flugelhorn, Ronnie Cuber on baritone saxophone, Melvin Sparks on guitar, Stanley Banks on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums. CD

Mod mod 60s jazz – and 20 tight-as-can-be instrumentals from London's Dave Davani combo! Dave's a Hammond player with a great mix of soul jazz and R&B in his grooves – very much the best sort of instrumental work you might expect from London in the swinging 60s – a great blend of American influences and UK mod styles. The rest of the group includes guitar, bass, and drums – plus a bit of vocals and Latin percussion from Beryl Wayne. The groove here is clearly a precursor to the James Taylor Quartet, and the overall sound is better than some of the more famous groups from the time – such as the combos of Brian Auger or Graham Bond. The set features tracks from Dave's Parlophone album, a few other singles, and even 4 previously unissued tracks from the same time – with titles that inlcude "Big Bossa Man", "Working Out", "Funky Mama", "Sack O Woe", "Boot Leg", "Harlem Waltz", and "Pig Foots". CD

Good material, even if the set is kind of a mish-mash of older tracks! The real strength of the set is the material from 1958 – recorded live at Newport Jazz Festival, with a group that includes Miles, Coltrane, and Cannonball Adderley. Tunes from that one include "Straight No Chaser", "Fran-Dance", and "Two-Bass Hit". The rest of the album wasn't actually recorded at Newport, though. 3 more tracks are from New York in 1956 – and feature the same great group, plus Bill Evans, on studio versions of "On Green Dolphin Street", "Stella By Starlight", and "Fran Dance" – all of them incredible tunes, and actually quite rare, as they originally only appeared on a short lived album called Jazz Track. The last track on the set is one more version of "On Green Dolphin Street" – a short one, live, from 1961, recorded at the Blackhawk. LP, Vinyl record album

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29 gems from one of the most fantastic groups of the 70s! CD

An excellent 60s collection of early Ellington material – presented here with great notes too! LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Evans is working with a really wonderful trio here – one that features Gary Peacock on bass and Paul Motian on drums – both budding young modernists who help Evans reach some new sounds on the set! The record starts out with a groove that's perhaps more inside than you'd expect – but it then quickly moves into the sort of sensitively-played numbers that really made Evans a key force in jazz during the early 60s – supported by equally personal work from Peacock and Motian, who both clearly feel free to move beyond common piano trio cliches. Tracks include "Dancing In The Dark", "Always", "Little Lulu", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Everything Happens To Me", and "For Heaven's Sake". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful classic from mid 60s Verve – and the kind of a session that we wouldn't have expected to come off so well! In a style they were using with older artists at the time, Verve brought Ella and Duke into the studio together – with Duke's band and compositions providing the structure of the set, and Ella handling vocals. The tunes are mostly Ellington classics, but they provide a nice change of pace for the Fitzgerald of the 60s – taking Ella into more sophisticated territory on some darker themes that really surprised us. Players are all of the Ellington stalwarts of the time – and titles include "Imagine My Frustration", "Duke's Place", "What Am I Here For", "Azure", "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", "Passion Flower", and "Something To Live For". CD

Von Freeman on tenor sax, Jodie Christian on piano, Eddie De Haas on bass, Wilbur Campbell on drums. CD

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The first album we've heard in years by trumpeter Eddie Gale – an artist that we'll love forever for his 2 righteous sides on Blue Note! Gale's come a long way since his Blue Note years – and since his early 80s live album (the last recording we'd heard by him) – and he's working here in a style that mixes muted trumpet blowing with a range of electronics – in a style that's got some of the traces of messed-up mid 80s Ornette Coleman, and some of the mellower electric work of Miles Davis in his later years. Eddie sings a bit on one track, and the album's got a political undercurrent that reminds us of some of the mid 80s New York jazz/funk/electronics recordings. Titles include "Free You Free Me", "Welcome To Silicon Valley", "Inner Peace To You", "Afro Fire", "New York After Hours", "Route 95", and "Tribal Future". CD

A great collection of Stan Getz' earliest sides for Savoy – 78rpm material from some of his youngest years on record, – with players who include Shorty Rogers on trumpet, Kai Winding on trombone, Hank Jones and Duke Jordan on piano, and Al Cohn and Zoot Sims on tenors. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record, and one that forever transformed the sound of opera in the US – the amazing summation of all the many musical ideas that Philip Glass had been cooking up since the 60s, done as a mindblowing stage presentation with Robert Wilson! Voices, organ, reeds, and piano come together in wonderful lines that go on and on, seemingly forever, in endless variations and rivulets of sound – as simple in structure as the leaner small combo minimalist work from Glass – but with a very different style in the fuller setting, with a sonic quality that still is as groundbreaking today as it was back in the 70s! LP, Vinyl record album

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A great one from Delmark – a set that features work from these two obscure Chicago small combo players – Othello Anderson on alto and Al Green on drums – with Odies Williams III on trumpet, and Leandro Lopez Varady on piano! CD

A really unique album from pianist Roland Hanna – a set that allows him to show off all the amazing keyboard flow that he has on solo and trio dates – but in the larger space of a CTI Records session! Arrangements are by Don Sebesky – and while full, they're never overwhelming – so that the acoustic piano of Roland is always right out front, as dexterous as ever – with slight backing from a larger group of mixed electric and acoustic elements! The tunes are Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael numbers, but that hardly matters at all – as the approach here is very unique and personal – and the album does feature trumpet from Chet Baker on one track, and soprano sax from Ronnie Cuber on another. Titles include "Skylark", "Stardust", "Oh Bess Where's My Bess", "The Nearness Of You", and "Embraceable You". LP, Vinyl record album

Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and flugelhorn, Ashley Alexander on double trombone, George Cables on piano, Richie Cole on alto saxophone, John Dentz on drums, and Andy Simpkins on bass. CD

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An excellent full length set of beats & genius from J Dilla – put together by fellow beatmaker extraordinaire Pete Rock, with all Dilla beats – a surprising triumph! Call us jaded, but honestly, we weren't sure how deep the well could go of ready-to-go beats from Dilla, but this stuff is truly top shelf – nearly as strong as the instant classic Donuts from a few years back! Pete Rock crafts the set as if it's a radio show or mixtape, but his skill in so doing is well above and beyond the norm – neither Pete's interjections nor the guest rappers ever get in the way of the flow, it's as smooth as can be. Vocal guests include Ma Dukes (the album was made under Ma's auspices), plus Lil Fame & MOP, Black Thought, Frank Nitty of Frank N Dank, Doom, Illa J & Cue D, Blu, and others. Titles include "King", "I Told Yall", "Smoke" feat Blu, "CaDILLAc". "Fire Wood Drumstix" feat Doom, "Big Day", "24K Rap" feat Havoc of Mobb Deep & Raekwon, "Coming Back", "Mythsysizer" and more. 28 tracks in all, about an hour of unreleased Dilla! CD

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Etta Jones on vocals – with Houston Person on tenor sax, Norman Simmons on piano, John Webber on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums. CD

Landmark stuff – a killer session of funky guitar jazz, and the record that gave Ivan "Boogaloo" Joe Jones his nickname! The set's a full-on wailer that really blows away Joe's first two on Prestige – breaking out ouf the box with a killer lineup that includes Rusty Bryant on tenor, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Sonny Phillips on organ – all working with Joe's incredibly tight guitar lines to craft some wicked tunes that take soul jazz firmly into the sound of the 70s! Titles include "Boogaloo Joe", "People Are Talking", "Dream On Little Dreamer", and "Atlantic City Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Why Think About Tomorrow", "Swinging On A Star", "Tetra Tetra", "Blues For Helene", and "Our Love Is Here To Stay". CD

A sweet set of funky large group work, with some great rock touches as well! Every bit as funky and over the top as some of the best projects of this nature coming out of the UK – and the drums are especially nice, with lots of great bottom-end sounds that almost give the record an Axelrod vibe! LP, Vinyl record album

Damn wonderful solo work from Chaka Khan – a record that holds onto all the best funky elements of her 70s music with Rufus – but also finds a way to put the lady even more strongly out front! There's maybe a bit more of a clubby vibe here than before, but never in a cheesy or commercial way – as the mighty Arif Mardin is at the production helm, and arguably does an even better job with Chaka than on his classic productions for Aretha Franklin! The vocals soar out beautifully, but the grooves are every bit as great – with these warm jazzy touches that make the album instantly seductive – and a level of sophistication that's kept this one strong for many many years. Titles include the wonderful stepper "Any Old Sunday", plus "We Got Each Other", "We Can Work It Out", "Night Moods", "What Cha Gonna Do For Me", and "Father He Said" – plus "I Know You, I Live You", a big Chicago house cut from the old days. CD

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Despite the fact that he's one of the most influential jazz singers of all time (and certainly one with the biggest hit, as the original recording of "I'm In the Mood For Love" probably sold more copies than most other vocalese recordings combined), King Pleasure only ever cut three full albums – and this third one is the hardest to find! The album was recorded for United Artists during the time when Alan Douglas was cutting sides for the label, and it's very much in the same mode as his earlier recordings for Prestige and HiFi, apart from some occasional spare string backing that's added to the small group jazz playing. Pleasure's vocals are wonderful – incomparable, and right at the peak of vocalese sublimity – and the album's filled with great numbers like "That Old Black Magic (Diaper Pin)", "This Is Always", "Jazz Jump", "Don't Get Scared", "Swan Blues", and "Mean To Me", all completely transformed by Pleasure! LP, Vinyl record album

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An ambitious larger group album from Yusef Lateef – and one that's carried off with all the genius of his smaller group sessions from the time! Yusef himself is working with a variety of reed instruments – including tenor sax, oboe, flute, and argol – amongst a larger horn section that also features Josea Taylor on bassoon, Tate Houston on baritone sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Clark Terry and Richard Williams on trumpet. Rhythm is by the trio of Joe Zawinul piano, Ben Tucker bass, and Lex Humphries drums – and although the horn arrangements are complicated, they're always soulfully swinging – never too academic, and really done on a way that just expands the mixture of exoticism and hardbop expressed on other Lateef albums! Titles include "Iqbal", "Apathy", "Summer Song", "Revelation", and "The Centaur & The Phoenix". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Jungle Fantasy" and "Titora" – both taken from The Many Faces Of Yusef Lateef album, and done with added percussion and background voices! CD

Tony Levin on bass, Larry Fast on synthesizer, Jesse Gress on guitar, and Jerry Marotta on drums. CD

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Early 80s issue of live recordings at the Alex Club in Chicago from 1963 and 1964 and from the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on drums, and Mack Thompson on bass – all to craft a set of rough and ready blues tunes that would have played well on both sides of the tracks at the time. Titles include "That's All I Need", "All Of Your Love", "I Don't Want No Woman", "Mama Mama Talk To Your Daughter", and "Lookin Good", a nice instrumental! CD

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Features Mulgrew Miller on piano, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, and Chris Potter on tenor! CD

Two great lost albums from Carmen – very different than her earlier work, kind of a mixture of jazz, soul, and pop, in territory that's a bit like work by Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw. Sound of Silence has Carmen working with arrangments by Shorty Rogers and Jimmy Jones – nicely jazzy, but with other sophisticated touches that open up Carmen's palette a lot. Titles include "Watch What Happens", "Sound Of Silence", "MacArthur Park", "Can You Tell", and "Gloomy Sunday". Portrait Of Carmen is one of her hippest LPs ever, and a great set of vocal gems that often gets overlooked. Arrangements are by Benny Carter, Shorty Rogers, and Oliver Nelson – and the album's got a swinging groovy style that pushes Carmen past her schmaltzier jazz vocal roots. The album kicks off with an amazing reading of Tommy Wolf's "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco", done by Carmen in a way that makes you know she owns the song – and then it moves through a compelling blend of compositions that includes "My Very Own Person", "Ask Any Woman", "Boy, Do I Have A Surprise For You", and "Elusive Butterfly". CD

There's a nice variation here to the previous album from Francisco Mela with this title – and that difference is pianist Cooper-Moore, who steps into the place that Matthew Shipp held in the previous trio – and brings all sorts of wonderful sounds and flavors into play! Mela's a great leader for the set – as his approach to the drums is as open and elliptical as the bass of William Parker and the piano of Cooper-Moore – who really has a way of circling around these sonic passages in a great way – almost slowly winding up, and pulling Parker and Mela along with him – then generating sparks that allows all three players to bristle with energy in all sorts of different directions. The set features two long tracks – "Musical Literacy" and "Mental Scenario". CD

Mostly "east" – as the violin of the famous solist comes into play with the sitar of Ravi Shankar, plus tabla and tanpura! The vibe's a bit like some of the best John Mayer albums, although less jazz. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set of high-class jazz from the MJQ – one that shows John Lewis' growing compositional skills, and the band's always tight ability to work in a compressed chamber format. Features the extended "Fontessa" suite, plus the tracks "Versailles", "Angel Eyes", "Bluesology", and "Woodyn You". CD

Some of the earliest material ever recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet – early 50s sides that were originally issued as 78rpm singles, then brought together in this self-titled LP! Some of the material was first released under the name of the Milt Jackson Quartet – but featured the lineup of Jackson on vibes, John Lewis piano, Percy Heath bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Yet other tracks on the set have bassist Ray Brown in for Heath and drummer Al Jones in for Clarke – both players who make for a slightly different groove in the company of Jackson and Lewis. Tunes are short, but already show that Lewis love of chromatic tones – and titles include "Yesterdays", "Love Me Pretty Baby", "Milt Meets Sid", "Moving Nicely", "D&E", "True Blues", and "Autumn Breeze". CD

A later date from Audrey Morris – the Chicago singer who's probably best remembered for some classic RCA sessions in the 50s, but who also kept on doing her own thing for decades later in the Windy City! The set's got a very old school feel – quite different than the usual 80s jazz set – very much in classic small combo vocal mode, with Audrey's lead accompanied by piano from Bruce Robins, and some occasional tenor from Stu Genovese. And although the set was issued on a small label, it's got a very professional approach – almost an attempt to go for the classic sound that bigger labels were doing with small singer sessions a few decades before. The song choices are great, and titles include "Nobody", "I'm A Dreamer Aren't We All", "My Silent Love", "Mira", "Rain Sometimes", "But I Loved You", and "Afterthoughts". LP, Vinyl record album

US issue of some of Gerry's classic Vogue recordings, done in Paris in 1954 with a quartet that featured Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Red Mitchell on bass, and Frank Isola on drums. This is Gerry at the height of his powers, and playing classic piano-less material with supberb accompaniment by Brookmeyer. Tracks include a number of originals, including "Utter Chaos", "Five Brothers", and "Walkin' Shoes", plus others like "Bernies Tune", "Come Out Wherever You Are", and "Laura". LP, Vinyl record album

A lot nicer than you might think – very well-conceived, with some originals by Mulligan, too! With Mulligan on baritone, Hamilton on tenor, Mike Renzi on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass, and Grady Tate on drums. Titles include "Gone", "Soft Lights & Sweet Music", "Noblesse", and "Ghosts". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic solo Ozzy with Randy Rhoads! Includes "Crazy Train", "I Don't Know", "Suicide Solution", "No Bone Movies", "Dee", and more. CD

The mid 90s instant classic! Outkast's debut set them up as one of the most distinctive hip hop duos ever, right out of the gate, but it also helped to established the freewheeling, funky dirty south sound, thanks to genius Organized Noize production! The Outkast sound would get bigger and more wildly eclectic on the records to follow Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, but the consistent, funky southern swagger on this one holds up incredibly well. It sounds fresh to this day! Includes breakout hit "Player's Ball", "Crumblin Erb", "Git Up, Git Out", "Claimin' True", "Funky Ride", "Soouthernplayalisticadillacmuzik", "Ain't No Thang", "CallOf Da Wild", "Hootie Hoo" and a couple of interludes. CD

A set that brings together the famous Charlie Parker performance on one of Verve's Jam Session albums in the early 50s – with other material too! Parker plays alto alongside Benny Carter and Johnny Hodges – in a group that also includes Ben Webster on tenor, Oscar Peterson on piano, and Barney Kessel on guitar – on a long "Ballad Medley", plus "Jam Blues", "Funky Blues", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". Also features a sextet with Flip Philips on tenor and Charlie Shavers on trumpet – on Blues For The Midgets", "Cottontail", and "If I Had You" – plus a quintet with Benny Carter, Oscar Peterson, and Buddy Rich – on "I Got It Bad", "Long Ago & Far Away", and "I've Got The World On A String". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Stan Hope on piano and Paul Bollenback on guitar! CD

Titles include "On The Run", "Money", "Us & Them", "Any Colour You Like", "Brain Damage", "The Great Gig In The Sky", and "Time". CD

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Comes with a very cool lenticular cover – almost worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

A strange little late record from Sun Ra – transpose Hours After to After Hours, and you'll get a good idea of the feel of this one – late night, soulful and bluesy, with a sound that's in keeping with the traditionalism of the late Arkestra! The group's an all-star one – Pat Patrick, Danny Thompson, Marshall Allen, and John Gilmore – and Ra sings a bit on the session. Side B of the session steps out a bit more from the first side – which is the more traditional one – and Ra plays a bit of synthesizer, in a 70s avant kind of mode. Titles include "Dance Of The Extra Terrestrians", "Love On A Far Away Planet", "Hours After", and "Beautiful Love". LP, Vinyl record album

As great of a rock & roll album as there's ever been! It's impossible to describe this record without sounding like a blow hard, but you really can't overstate what these four goony guys from Queens accomplished. 30-odd years of the most visceral pop music concentrated into 2 minute, 3 chord blasts of beautiful sonic catharsis – and they could barely even play. Thanks boys. Tracks include "Blitzkreig Bop", "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", "Beat On The Brat", "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue", "I Don't Wanna Around With You", "Loudmouth", and "Today Your Love", Tomorrow The World". 8 bonus tracks include original demo versions of many of the album tracks – plus never officially released outtakes from the sessions including "I Can't Be" and "I Don't Wanna Be Learned/I Don't Wanna Be Tamed". CD

A brilliant record – Kenny Rankin's first, and a really unique mix of styles that's completely different from his more famous later albums! The album has a gentle folksy style with touches of jazz – a bit like some of Tim Hardin's work for Verve, but without as much of a sad loser finish. Arrangements are by the great Artie Schroeck, and they're a mix of jazz, strings, acoustic guitar – all wrapped up in the light and breezy style of Artie's great late 60s work on Verve. Rankin's voice has a really unique quality – sparkling with a harmonic mode that's got definite ties to folk, but bubbling with the jazzy phrasing that you'd expect to hear more from Tim Buckley or Nick Drake. Titles include "Cotton Candy Sandman", "The Dolphin", "Every Passing Moment", "In Never Changes", "Song For A Winter's Night", "The Girl I Left Behind", and "Minuet". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking salsa from one of its greatest proponents in the 70s – the crowd-pleasing Ricardo Ray & Bobby Cruz ensemble, heard here at the height of their powers! Tracks here are mostly tight and lively – arranged by Ray and Cruz with help from Russel Farnsworth – but a few numbers also move into mellower modes too, and have Bobby's vocals taking on mainstream hits "My Way", "Soul & Inspiration", and "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" – but in a very different way than such hits might have been handled during the late 60s Latin Soul years. The approach here is more boundary-less – kind of a "hey, all music can be ours" sort of approach – and Bobby and Ricardo really move past simple boogaloo-ification of soul tracks into the more expansive territory that was their right. Other titles include "Aguzate", "Guaguanco Raro", "Traigo De Todo", and "Amparo Arrebato". LP, Vinyl record album

Dianne Reeves – as lovely as ever, perhaps even more so – as the set's a nicely stripped-down session that really showcases her best side! The tunes are spare and simple small combo numbers – mostly with piano trio backing, but also including a bit of occasional trumpet and guitar. Dianne performs wonderfully on a mix of standards served up with a heck of a lot more soul and expression than we're used to hearing from the tunes – and production on the set is by Arif Mardin, showing the same simple elegance that he brought to classic work by Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan. Titles include "I'm All Smiles", "Loads Of Love", "Skylark", "We'll Be Together Again", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", and "Reflections". CD

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause". CD

Features Eric Alexander, Wynton Marsalis, and Renee Rosnes, who also provides most of the arrangements. CD

Features Hank Crawford, Cyrus Chestnut, George Mraz, and others. CD

Killer jazz from the UK! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Jazz Couriers group that starred England's greatest tenor players ever – Ronnie Scott & Tubby Hayes. The album is darn tough to find in the original, and this reissue is long long overdue – especially as the music gives us one of the best glipses into Scott's rich tenor talent, which has long been under-documented in the reissue world. The group is tight, hard, and surprisingly soulful – and we're sure to bet that if you pop the CD in for a friend, they're going to say "What the heck is this? Some lost Blue Note LP?" Titles include "In Salah", "The Monk", "After Tea", and "Mirage" – the the whole thing sounds excellent! CD