Includes performances by Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Country Joe McDonald, the Beach Boys, Merry Clayton, and Linda Ronstadt. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Dizzy Gillespie's hippest big band sessions ever – and one of the few dates as a leader from arranger Gil Fuller! Fuller will always be best-remembered as the man who composed some of Dizzy Gillespie's best known tunes from the bop era – like "Manteca", "One Bass Hit", and "Things To Come" – but on this album from 1965, he's reunited with Dizzy for a large group set of tracks that feature Diz as the main soloist – at a level that really shows the growth of both men at the time! Fuller's charts are large and full, but with a sense of space that's really amazing – almost like some of the soundtrack work Dizzy had done for The Cool World – with a mix of soulful and modern moments that's really wonderful. The group's kind of a mix of hip LA players – with Phil Moore Jr on piano, Dennis Budimir on guitar, and Jimmy Bond on bass – plus a larger set of horn players backing Dizzy up. Titles include a number of great originals – such as "Be's That Way", "Big Sur", "Things Are Here", "Man From Monterey", and "Angel City". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive work from Johnny Hammond – stretching out here in some totally jamming grooves that really transform his style for the 70s! The sound here is a lot hipper and tighter than some of Hammond's more rough-edged soul jazz of the 60s – a groove that's a great precursor to his more famous meetings with Larry Mizell a few years later – and equally great! Johnny's got plenty of space here – and is really taking his time with the grooves, thanks to some open ended arrangements by Bob James, who also plays electric piano on the record! The record is a seminal piece of work in the transformation of the chunky 60s organ sound to a sweeter 70s keyboard groove – and was proof that Johnny, more than most of his 60s soul jazz contemporaries, was ready to embrace the new sounds of the decade with open arms. Includes the great sample cut "Big Sur Suite" – plus "Higher Ground", "Summertime/The Ghetto", and "Catch My Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard swinging big band material from Sweden – featuring the big band of Harry Arnold arranged by Quincy Jones. Quincy had been spending a lot of time in Sweden during the mid 50s – bringing with him a host of great players that would soon become big names on the European scene. Biggest of these is Benny Bailey, who plays some good solos here with a mostly-Swedish group that includes Arne Domnerus, Bengt Hallberb, Ake Persson, and Bengt-Arne Wallin. The style of the work, and its trans-Atlantic jazz orientation, is a direct precursor of later work by the Clarke-Boland Big Band – of whom Bailey was a big part. Titles all swing nicely, and tracks include "Doodlin", "Room 608", "Quincy's Home Again", "Brief Encounter", and "Meet Benny Bailey". LP, Vinyl record album

A much groovier 70s show than Sesame Street! LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly charming album from Scatman Crothers – recorded during his big comeback stretch in the 70s! Although Scatman's role during this time was often reduced to being the colorful old guy in an assortment of comedies and action films, he'd actually had quite a bit of experience as a singer – a rich history drawn on for this traditionally grooved set! The album was recorded for Motown, but echoes with an older mode that belies Crothers' work on an older west coast scene – with jazzy arrangements that have a nice swing based feel that goes great with the raspy, playful lyrics. Titles include "Hay Lawdy Mama", "I'm The Melody Man", "Dead Man's Blues", "Waiting For My Baby", and "Wondering". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the glory days of the west coast surf scene – the standout set from The Fantastic Baggys, a group who are also known for their backup work with Jan & Dean! There's a very Jan & Dean vibe going on here – right down to the backings from Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew – but the overall sound's a bit looser, too – a bit less iconic, and almost a bit less perfect – in ways that make for a lot of charm as the album rolls along! The set's almost worth it alone for the track "This Little Woody" – and other titles include "Big Gun Board", "Alone On The Beach", "Surfer Boy's Dream Come True", "When Surfers Rule", and "Wax Up Your Board". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the Verve bossa years – a session that features the sweet tenor sax work of Stan Getz, alongside some swinging bossa arrangements from the great Gary McFarland! Given the strength of Gary's own work for Verve at the time, it's no surprise that he's a perfect accompanist for Getz on the session – working with just the right amount of space to let Stan stand out from the pack, and really creating a great blend of Brazilian rhythms and some of the modder 60s styles at Verve. Gary contributed a number of originals to the session too – and titles include "Bim Bom", "Manlancolico", "Balanco No Samba", "Noite Triste", "Chega De Saudade", and "Manha De Carnival". LP, Vinyl record album

Two great 60s albums from vibist Milt Jackson – both a bit unusual in format! On Big Bags, Jackson takes on a set of 10 standards (mostly) with some help from Tadd Dameron and Ernie Wilkins on larger group arrangements! Milt's the primary soloist, buoyed by an orchestra built around a rhythm section of Hank Jones, Ron Carter and either Connie Cay or Philly Joe on drums, plus loads of great horn players like Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Melba Liston, James Moody and Jimmy Heath among others. Includes renditions of "Old Devil Moon", "'Round Midnight", "The Dream Is You", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Echoes", "If You Could See Me Now", "Star Eyes", "Namesake", "If I Should Lose You", and "Later Than You Think". The second album of this set is also a surprisingly nice pairing – the vibes of Milt Jackson and some larger horn backings that fall heavy on the trumpet and trombone side of the spectrum! The sound's not nearly as heavy or hokey as you'd expect – thanks to arrangements by Melba Liston – and the horns do a nice job of setting a scene that lets Milt's vibes sneak in and out with effortless ease – coloring things with a great one, and a very rhythmic feel. The album's worth it for one track alone – the really great "Bossa Bags", which grooves with a sound that's everything you'd expect from the title! Other tracks include "Extraordinary Blues", "Save Your Love For Me", "For Someone I Love", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Just Waiting". LP, Vinyl record album

A damn great little record – a small label indie side, but a set that had an unusually strong influence on vocal jazz in the 60s – really setting a new standard for the generation to come! Marv swings things with a hip, sophisticated style – shaking off some of the excesses of the Billy Eckstine generation, going for the leaner modes of the Frank Minion set – and coming up with some groovy tunes that really sparkle in his hands! Marvin plays piano and celeste, and the set also features organ from Charles Kynard and Groove Holmes, flute and tenor from Buddy Collette and Clifford Scott, trumpet from Carmell Jones, and guitar from Hank Crawford – about as hip a backing group as you could hope to pull from the LA scene! The set includes the killer "Big City" – penned and sung by Jenkins, but covered by plenty of others – plus "Chicago", "Small Town", "City Blues", "Visit Me Today", and "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest records in the 60s surf/hotrod/motorcycle years of instrumental sets – an album that's partly sound effects from races, and partly instrumental music! There's no credits as to the players, but we're guessing it's the cream of the crop of LA studio musicians, of the sort who usually worked for Liberty! LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure session for Big Maybelle, but a great one too – a record that has her moving past the melancholy blues of her earlier work, into a lively gospel-based mode that's surprisingly great for her voice! The sound is quite upbeat and joyous – in a style that really has Maybelle's voice soaring to the skies – supported by arrangements from Alan Lorber and John Jacobs that are a bit like some of the backings Jackie Wilson received at Brunswick, including some additional chorus support. Tunes are a mix of gospel standards and a few secular tracks as well – and titles include "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen", "Do Lord", "Dry Bones", "Down By The Riverside", and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot". LP, Vinyl record album

A great example of why the Swingville label was such a great idea – a perfect setting for older players to have a chance to relax in the studio and really do their thing – hitting the sort of notes they might reach in a late-nite set at a club, without all the pressures to try for a crossover hit or short takes on overdone standards! The tracks here are all quite long – surpassing even Verve material of this nature – and Carter plays both alto and trumpet, Webster his classic tenor, and Bigard clarinet – in a group that also includes Shorty Sherock on trumpet, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and Dave Barbour on guitar. Rhythm's from Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Mel Lewis on drums – so that part of the equation is rock-solid too – and titles include "Opening Blues", "Lula", "When Lights Are Low", and "You Can't Tell The Difference When The Sun Goes Down Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sides from Herbie Hancock – amazing material recorded for Warner Brothers in the years between his time at Blue Note and his big fame at Columbia Records – all sides that definitely show Hancock as one mighty righteous cat! Herbie's really stretching past his more conventional jazz of earlier years here – working both with a bit more electricity in his keys, and some larger arrangements that have a wonderful sense of flow and funk – a groove that definitely puts Hancock on a par with Quincy Jones at his funky best during the early 70s! The album's filled with great grooves pulled from the Warner Brothers albums by Hancock – including some quite long numbers – titles that include the funky nuggets "Wiggle Waggle", "Lil Brother", and "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" – plus "Sleeping Giant", "Crossings", "Quazar", "Ostinato", and "You'll Know When You Get There". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Slippin & Slidin", "Rip It Up", "Lucille", "Jenny Jenny", "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Long Tall Sally", and "Keep A Knockin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums to come from the New York underground of the early 80s – even if it was a relatively big "hit" on a major label! Laurie Anderson is in perfect form here – drawing on a strong tradition of avant garde performance, but without any of the indulgences that would mire down performance art in years to come. Instead, she's got a clean, clear style that's simply amazing – spoken passages that are poetic and pointed, but which also have a slight undercurrent of wit – a charming quality that never takes itself too seriously, even when the sounds and styles are somewhat dark. Instrumentation includes some great rhythm passages from David Van Tieghem, plus surprising performances from Rufus Harley on bagpipes and George Lewis on trombone. Titles include "From The Air", "Big Science", "O Superman", "Born Never Asked", "Walking & Falling", "Example #22", "Let X = X", and "It Tango". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing first album from Big Star – a set that came out of nowhere, made hardly a ripple on the charts, yet went onto crash in big waves of sound for generations to come! The style here is unlike thing else before – hardly what you'd expect from the group's Memphis roots or Alex Chilton's previous performances – yet the group's music has become a generation-defining sound in the way it blends southern inflections with harder rock influences, and a lean, gritty quality that's arguably in a late 70s space between punk and power pop. Every element is wonderful – guitars that are powerful, but never indulgent – vocals that are moving, but never overly emotive – and a balance between sensitive and searing moments that even The Replacements could never hope to match. A landmark all the way through – with tracks that include "Feel", "Ballad Of El Goodo", "In The Street", "The India Song", "When My Baby's Beside Me", "Give Me Another Chance", "Don't Lie To Me", "Thirteen", "Watch The Sunrise", and "Try Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Chemical Brothers still riding high at the end of the 90s! In some ways, Surrender scales back on bigger, more boisterous big beat vibe for slightly hipper dancefloor vibe – but there's really a ton of ambitiousness here. Just a glance at the guest appearances is clue of how wild the ride is – a far reaching lot for sure – including Missy Elliot, Bernard Sumner, Hope Sandoval, Bobby Gillespie, Jonathan Donahue of Mercury Rev and more. Includes "Music: Response", "Under The Influence", "Out Of Control", "Orange Wedge", "Let Forever Be", "The Sunshine Underground", "Asleep From Day", "Got Glint?", "Hey Boy Hey Girl", "Surrender" and "Dream On". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A tremendous little record that has Oscar Peterson really pushing the fuller, stronger sound he started with his trio of Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen – a set that features additional backings by Ernie Wilkins behind the core sound of the piano combo! The mode here is in that "all soul" style of Peterson's huge-selling Verve albums from the time – but the addition of a larger group makes for a mode that's even fresher – because Oscar rarely used any larger backings, so the record's a real standout! Hearing the strength of the tracks, we're a bit surprised that Peterson never made more albums like this – because there seems to be added inspiration from Wilkins' presence, giving Oscar even more focus and drive on his solos. A rare outing, but a great one – with titles that include "Blues For Big Scotia", "Tricotism", "Manteca", "I'm Old Fashioned", "West Coast Blues", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

Badfinger's early 70s win streak continues on Straight Up – a straight up classic set of tuneful 70s rock with big emotions and catchy songs – one that keeps just enough grit underneath those killer melodies! Titles include "Take It All", "Bably Blue", "Name Of The Game", "Perfection", "It's Over", "Sometimes" and more. This might be the group's most consistent batch of songs to date, and it's essential early 70s rock for sure. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work by one of our favorite soul singers of all time! Jerry first came to fame with The Impressions and on his own in the early 60s – singing dark moody easy tunes that well earned him the nickname of "Iceman". In the late 60s, though, he moved onto Mercury where he broke through even bigger with some excellent early production by Gamble & Huff, which took Jerry to a whole new level, and which gave his work a swinging soul groove that worked great with his vocals. This set compiles some of the best moments of the Mercury years – including "Never Give You Up", "Lost", "Moody Woman", "Mr Dream Merchant", "Hey Western Union Man", and "Only The Strong Survive". LP, Vinyl record album

A 60s album, but one that brings together earlier small combo work from trumpeter Buck Clayton! The set features work from his Big Four combo, with Tiny Grimes on guitar; his Big Eight group with Trummy Young on trombone, George Johnson on alto, and Billy Taylor on piano; and Trummy Young's Big Seven, with Buster Bailey on clarinet and Jimmy Jones on piano! LP, Vinyl record album