With John Coltrane, Bobby Jaspar, Paul Quinichette, Booker Ervin, Gene Ammons, Jackie McLean, Eric Dolphy, Cecil Payne, Pepper Adams, Steve Lacy, Idrees Sulieman, Johnny Splawn, Webster Young, Kenny Burrell, Joe Puma, Teddy Charles, Paul Chambers, Julian Euell, Earl May, Addison Farmer, Buell Neidlinger, Joe Benjamin, Wendell Marshall, Ron Carter, Art Taylor, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Ed Thigpen, Jerry Segal, Kenny Dennis, Elvin Jones, and Charlie Persip. CD

Dark and sophisticated vocals from Lee Wiley – cut with a slightly more traditional feel than some of her other albums from the time, partly because the backings are handled by Billy Butterfield! Yet despite a slightly traddish bent, there's also a slightly modern feel too – a nice melding of modes that's very much in the best 50s RCA spirit – fresh and sultry enough to live up to the streetwise image on the cover. Arrangements are by Al Cohn and Bill Finegan, and titles include "Blues In My Heart", "The Memphis Blues","A Hundred Years From Today", "Make Believe", "A Touch Of The Blues", and "I Don't Want To Walk Without You". CD

Wicked soul from 70s Japanese singer Tatsuro Yamashita – recorded in New York and LA, and done with some excellent backings that rank with the best American soul from the time! The New York side was produced and arranged by Charlie Calello – who brings in some great jazzy moments to the set, using Pat Rebillot, Randy Brecker, and Jon Faddis to play on the tunes – almost giving the record a Crusaders-ish groove at times. The LA side was arranged by Tatsuro himself – and has a style that's similar, but with more backing vocals that slide in and out of the mellow Free Soul-styled rhythms. There's some really great numbers on the set, even if you can't understand the Japanese lyrics – and titles include "Windy Lady", "Circus Town", "Minnie", "Last Step", and "City Way". LP, Vinyl record album