One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up! CD

One of the tighter late albums from trumpet legend Chet Baker – done during the last few years of his life, at a time when he was going for a sound that was a bit more back to basics than some of his more longer-winded records from a few years before! The group here is a quartet – Harold Danko on piano, Jon Burr on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – and Baker blows in this cool, compressed style that showcases all the sonic lessons learned from the late 70s/early 80s experiments, brought more in focus with territory that resonates with more familiar recordings. Titles include "Swing Shifting", "Round Midnight", "Caravelle", "For All We Know", "Blue Moon", and "My Foolish Heart". CD

Classic soul jazz material from trumpeter Donald Byrd – one of his most sinister (and most rare) albums for Blue Note! The group's a quintet, with frequent bandmate Pepper Adams on baritone, Duke Pearson on piano, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all grooving with some of the tightness heard on other Adams/Byrd dates, but also a warmer, more open-ended approach to the music, especially on the solos! The tracks slink along with a dark little groove – and although Pearson's piano is often sweetly lyrical, it also has a nice hard sound that works well with the sharp-edged horn lines of Byrd and Adams. The album's very much in the vein of the pair's work on the Warwick label during the same time – and with excellent compositions that include "Say You're Mine", "Duke's Mixture", "The Cat Walk", and "Hello Bright Sunflower". CD

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Fagen returns to wrestle with mortality and his own significance on Morph The Cat – his best solo work since Nightfly – and overall a stronger album than Steely Dan's previous effort! We can't pinpoint exactly what makes this one of the better Dan-related efforts off the 00s, but we think it just might be Fagen's tendency to let the tracks on Morph The Cat roll on and groove for a while. (If memory serves, Dan's Everything Must Go was a more tightly punctuated affair.) The keyboards are really rich this time out, propelled by smooth, soulful bass, and the incredibly clean and beautiful sound so necessary to stand behind the man's sardonic, somehow pleasantly caustic wordplay. Tracks include "Morph The Cat", "H Gang", "What I Do", "Brite Nitegown", "The Great Pagoda Of Funn", "Security Joan", "The Night Belongs To Mona", "Mary Shut The Garden Door" and "Morph The Cat (Reprise)". CD

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CD single with 3 versions of Cat Food and Groon (original version). CD

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A gem of a session from the European expatriot scene of the postwar years – not really a tribute to Cannonball Adderley, but a rare meeting of Bud Powell and Don Byas in the studio, produced by Cannonball in Paris in 1961! The record has a tremendous amount of fire and focus – especially on the part of Powell, who could sometimes falter in a European setting – and although Byas' horn might seem a contrasting choice for Bud, he really burns with a lot of energy here – arcing, soaring, and turning with lines that show that his talents hadn't dimmed at all out of the American limelight. As always with his few productions from the time, Cannonball shows a great deal of sensitivity and patience with the players – probably a key factor of the success of the set. Also noteworthy is the rest of the group – which includes Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Jeannine", "Just One Of Those Things", "All The Things You Are", "I Remember Clifford", and "Jackie My Little Cat". CD

One of the greatest crossover albums of the 80s – and the record that catapulted Prince very firmly into the mainstream! There's a tightness here that surpasses even that of Prince's early classics for Warner Brothers – an unabashed love of a pop hook that makes for some incredibly catchy tunes that are still delivered with a nice funky undercurrent. The whole Prince family is at the top of their game at this point – and titles include "Darling Nikki", "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die 4 U", "When Doves Cry", "Baby I'm A Star", and "Purple Rain". This fantastic 3CD/DVD version features a completely new 2015 Paisley Park remaster of the album, done by Prince – plus a full CD that features unreleased songs and tracks from the vaults – with titles that include "Katrina's Paper Dolls", "We Can F**k", "Father's Song", "Possessed", "Computer Blue (hallway speech version)", "Love & Sex", "The Dance Electric", "Our Destiny/Roadhouse Garden", "Wonderful Ass", "Velvet Kitty Cat", and "Electric Intercourse (studio version)". CD3 features lots of rare single edits and non-LP b-sides – with tracks that include "Erotic City", "Let's Go Crazy (special dance mix)", "17 Days (edit)", "Baby I'm A Star (edit)", "I Would Die 4 U (extended)", "Another Lonely Christmas (extended)", "Take Me With U (edit)", "God (edit)", "When Doves Cry (7" edit)", and "God (inst)". DVD features a never-issued concert performance, recorded at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse in March of 1985 – with 19 songs in all! CD

Cameron Pfiffner and Pat Millinger on saxophones and flutes, Pete Benson on Hammond B3, and Ted Sirota on drums. Tracks include "Mary Anne", "Odd Couple", "China Cat Sunflower", the originals "Dr. Midnight" and "Tetemetearri". CD

A beautifully overstuffed collection of early work from New Orleans soul legend Allen Toussaint – a set that not only includes many of his key recordings from the scene in the 60s, but also some of his important productions for other artists too! The package begins with Toussaint in the lead on a series of sides on CD one – working either as himself, or as Al Touson, or with The Stones, The Rubyiats, or Allen & Allen – all with these choppy, loping, heavy-grooving rhythms that were Toussaint's huge contribution to New Orleans soul right from the start! Titles include "Whirlaway", "Whipped Cream", "Moo Moo", "Wham Tousan", "Omar Khayyam", "I Don't Need One", "Baby Do Liddle", "Tomorrow", "Fat Cat", "Banana Split", and "Java". CD2 features a series of recordings done for the Minit, Instant, and Sansu labels – all with Toussaint involved either as producer, arranger, or musician – on material that forever shaped the sound of New Orleans – titles that include "A Certain Girl" by Ernie K Doe, "Over You" by Aaron Neville, "I Like It Like That (parts 1 & 2)" by Chris Kenner, "Sophisticated Cissy" by The Meters, "Holy Cow" by Lee Dorsey, "I'm Evil Tonight" by Betty Harris, "Oogsey Moo" by Jessie Hill, "It Will Stand" by The Showmen, "Ruler Of My Heart" by Irma Thomas, "Fortune Teller" by Benny Spellman, and "Hot Tamales (parts 1 & 2)" by The Primemates. 50 tracks in all! CD

Music from Tweedy, Coldplay, The Hives, Cat Power, The Flaming Lips, Gnarls Barkley, Vampire Weekend, Wilco, Leighton Meester, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney & Wings, The Black Keys, and more. CD

A seminal collection of work by one of the earliest figures in southern soul of the 60s – the amazing Arthur Alexander, a key link between 50s R&B and many years of great music to come! The CD features most of Alexander's early 60s recordings for Dot Records, including previously unissued numbers – some of the first soul sides to come out of the Muscle Shoals scene, most of which were recorded by a young Rick Hall. Alexander's voice is quite different than many other southern singers in years to come – but that's the great thing about these recordings, as they allow you to hear the genre in transition – with a sound that didn't just leap out of the minds of a few talents at Stax or Atlantic. CD features 21 tracks in all – titles that include "Black Cat", "You're The Reason", "Anna", "After You", "Where Have You Been", "A Shot Of Rhythm & Blues", "Detroit City", "Go Home Girl", "Keep Her Guessing", and "I Hang My Head & Cry". CD

A classic rock power trio – with titles that include "Black Cat Moan", "Lady", "Sweet Sweet Surrender", "Lose Myself With You", "Livin Alone", "Oh To Love You", and surprising takes on Stevie Wonder's "Superstation" and Curtis Mayfield's "I'm So Proud". CD

Tracks include "Hey Now, Hey Now", "Are You All Reet?", "Hep Cat's Love Song", "Papa's In Bed With His Britches On", "Chant Of The Jungle", "I Want To Rock", "Boog It', and "Minnie The Moocher" – 22 tracks total. CD

Stomping organ instrumentals from Dave Baby Cortez – early singles done for the Clock label at the end of the 50s and start of the 60s – all of which helped to really find a place for the organ in American pop and soul! Cortez brought a style to the instrument that was as wild as some of the guitarists and saxophonists of his time – a mode that wasn't really jazz, was a bit R&B, and which helped give the organ a much leaner sound than some of its "skating rink" uses in pop during the decade before. Dave's clean style is a great fit for the jaunty, leaping rhythms of these tunes – and other instrumentation includes tenor, guitar, and even a bit of piano, which is featured on a few tracks instead of organ. CD features 25 tracks in all – with titles that include "Piano Shuffle", "The Happy Organ", "Cat Nip", "Hey Hey Hey", "Mari Gras", "Fiesta", "Love Me As I Love you", "The Whistling Organ", "Do The Slop", "You're Just Right", "Riffin", "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie", "Dave's Special", "Red Sails In The Sunset", and "Hurricane". CD

A masterful tribute from one bad cat to another – and easily one of Miles Davis' greatest electric albums ever! The album's got a powerful, epic sort of feel – a renewed focus after the looser style of Bitches Brew, and the 70s live albums – and one that mixes a deeper funky sound with the raw, exploratory style Davis had let loose a few years before. Michael Henderson's bass is a big part of the power of the record, and John McLaughlin's guitar has never sounded better, or sharper. Teo Macero made the whole thing magic in the studio, and titles include two sidelong funkdafied jams – "Right Off" and "Yesternow". CD

An important larger work from Duke Ellington – a suite of tracks that encompasses a range of styles and emotions in African-American expression! The work features some key guest work from Mahalia Jackson – singing here in a way that's different than other vocalists who worked with Duke in the 50s – much more steeped in a rootsy tradition. Group members include John Sanders, Harry Carney, Ray Nance, Quentin Jackson, and Cat Anderson – and the piece is divided into 6 sections, and includes the famous "Come Sunday" theme throughout most of the second half. Plus, the CD features a number of rare bonus tracks – including "Blues In Orbit" and "Track 360" in alternate takes, and a whole alternate version of the album – plus an acapella version of "Come Sunday", and even Mahalia Jackson swearing in the studio! CD

Recorded live at Konserthuset in Stockholm, Sweden, with Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Rolf Ericson, and Herbie Jones on trumpets; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, and Harry Carney on reeds; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, and Chuck Connors on trombones, Jimmy Woods on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. CD

A fantastic testament of the live genius of Duke Ellington – material recorded from a few different 60s shows recorded in Europe – woven together to make an album that's every bit as magical as some of the Duke's famous studio sides from the 40s and the 50s! The choice of tunes is great – some less-familiar Ellington compositions, highlighted by that fantastic blend of modernism and swing that the group was developing strongly from the mid 50s onwards – even more so than in previous years, with a maturation in both the leader and group members that made whole new heights of colorful expression possible! Players include Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, and Harry Carney on saxes – and Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, and Cootie Williams on trumpets – on titles that include "Bula", "Silk Lace", "Star Crossed Lovers", "ESP", "Guitar Amour", "Kinda Dukish", and two takes on "The Shepherd", which was done for a film about Jean Miro! CD

A slightly smaller take on the Ellington sound – but one that's still a bit fuller than you might guess from the "Small Bands" on the cover! There's definitely a more intimate feel here than usual – especially given the size of ensembles Duke was working with in the 60s – but the approach is more like some of the earliest Ellington combos, a full feel as most of the group works tightly together, while one soloist snakes out with some deeply soulful lines on his own! The first six tracks here feature "The Combo Suite" – recorded in 1967, with some especially nice horn work from Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Cat Anderson on trumpet, and Lawrence Brown on trombone. Remaining tracks were recorded in 1970, in New York and Las Vegas – and include "Noon Mooning", "Rockochet", "All Too Soon", and "Tippy Toeing Through The Jungle Garden". CD

Late work from Duke – a set that has that nicely mature approach to arrangements, with a group that includes Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson on trumpets, and Lawrence Brown on trombones. Titles include a "Johnny Hodges Medley" – plus "Boola Boola", "Chromatic Love Affair", "Put-Tin", and "Swamp Goo". CD

One of Joe Farrell's first LPs as a leader – and a stellar session that's easily one of the early high points for the legendary CTI label! Farrell had been making some great noise in the underground during the late 60s – but here, he bursts forth as one heck of a soulful cat – working on these great modal grooves that slide out wonderfully and really have a sense of flow – a style that's different than Joe's later material, but equally powerful! Part of the strength of the record comes from the lineup – a key quintet of like-mined up-and-comers that includes Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – players who definitely know the farther reaches of jazz, yet hang just on the inside here with Joe – providing some amazing accompaniment for his lines on soprano, tenor, and flute. Titles include "Molten Glass", "Song Of The Wind", "Motion", "Follow Your Heart", and "Circle In The Square". CD

With Sonny Greer, Cat Anderson and Johnny Hodges. CD

One of the best of Elton's early years – with cuts that include "Hercules", "Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters", "Salvation", "Slave", "Rocket Man", "Honkey Cat", "Mellow", and "I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself". CD

The second album from Little Feat – and it's a great one! Loose roadhouse bluesy and country rock-styled songs – infused with their own weirdness! This is one of those great examples of a band that not only loved, but could play down home American music of many kinds – and add their own personal craft and idiosyncratic charms to whatever they touched. Includes "Easy To Slip", "Cold Cold Cold", "Triple Face Boogie", "Sailin' Shoes", "Cat Fever", "Texas Rose Cafe" and more. CD

A long-overdue tribute to the legendary Moondog – one of the true visionaries of American music in the 20th Century! Moondog got his starts as a blind musician working the streets of New York at the end of the 40s, but he did so (as you'll note on the cover photo) with a range of unusual instruments of his own invention, and in a minimal, rhythmic style that linked together primitivism with higher musical ideals. Moondog's often been called "the father of minimalism" – and while his experiments of the 50s prefaced the work of Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and others, his work was also much more personal, and had an earthy intensity that's still tremendously powerful even decades later! This collection is one of the first to dip into the earliest of Moondog's recordings – his recordings for the Mars, SRC, Brunswick, and Moondog labels – which are presented here alongside selected tracks from his albums for Epic and Prestige, also of similar vintage. Nearly all the tracks here offer a very primitive blend of percussion that's sometimes mixed with unusual woodwind or stringed instruments – nearly all of Moondog's own invention – and the package also features some great notes on his long career, plus some photos that are as gripping as the music itself! Titles include "Down Is Up", "Big Cat", "Bumbo", "Rimshot", "Rabbit Hop", "Instrumental Round", "Be A Hobo", "Dog Trot", "Oasis", "2 W 46th Street", and "Why Spend The Dark Night With You". CD

A landmark live set from the Rolling Stones – featuring material from their smoking tour of 1969! The set really captures the Stones at their most nasty – that great turning point when their edge was maybe sharpest of ever, right in the best Let It Bleed mode – but with even more raw energy from the live setting. Titles include "Carol", "Live With Me", "Street Fighting Man", "Sympathy For The Devil", "Little Queenie", and "Stray Cat Blues". CD

A beautiful album by Mal Waldron – recorded in 1960, after the passing of Billie Holiday, and a very loving tribute by Waldron, who was her accompanist for a number of years. The set moves way past the usual "Holiday songbook" mode, and features instead a dark batch of tracks, two written by Waldron – "Minor Pulsation" and "Cat Walk" – a third written by him and Holiday, the famous tune "Left Alone". Jackie McLean plays some fantastic alto sax on the CD's version of "Left Alone", and the rest of the tracks are trio tracks played by Waldron, Julian Euell, and Al Dreares. The set also features one very strange track – "Mal Waldron: The Way He Remembers Billie Holiday" – which is an interview with Waldron about Billie! And sure, there were many cash-in records after Billie Holiday died, but this is one of the best, and it comes from a very legitimate source! CD

A beautiful album by Mal Waldron – recorded in 1960, after the passing of Billie Holiday, and a very loving tribute by Waldron, who was her accompanist for a number of years. The set moves way past the usual "Holiday songbook" mode, and features instead a dark batch of tracks, two written by Waldron – "Minor Pulsation" and "Cat Walk" – a third written by him and Holiday, the famous tune "Left Alone". Jackie McLean plays some fantastic alto sax on the CD's version of "Left Alone", and the rest of the tracks are trio tracks played by Waldron, Julian Euell, and Al Dreares. The set also features one very strange track – "Mal Waldron: The Way He Remembers Billie Holiday" – which is an interview with Waldron about Billie! And sure, there were many cash-in records after Billie Holiday died, but this is one of the best, and it comes from a very legitimate source! CD

Music from Huckleberry Hound, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Top Cat, Wally The Gator, The Flinstones, and more. CD

Easily the best collection so far in the Let's Boogaloo series – and one that's overflowing with great older work from the 60s and 70s! We've liked the other Let's Boogaloo sets plenty, but this one's even more deep funk oriented than before – and not only features some great rare funky 45 material, but also a few great sound library rarities – mixed in alongside the newer cuts that Record Kicks always champions, done in a mix of funky and mod styles overall! Previously unreleased titles include "Funky Skunk" by Pete Thomas, "Beatcoma" by Alan Moorehouse, "Jazz Cat" and "Latin Soul Strut" by D Glover & G Crockett, and "Miss Augusta" by Minivip – and other cuts include "Hot Pants Party" by Guy Morris, "Look What You Can Get" by Funky Nassau, "Don't Let This Happen" by Fred Hughes, "Say Yeah Yeah" by Yvonne Fair, "Getting Down" by Brand New Rhythm, "Ain't Gonna Tell No More" by Stoned Soul Picnic, and "Oh My" by The Dansettes. 12 tracks in all! CD

Fantastic sounds from Terry Allen – one of the key underground Texas talents who were helping transform the style of country music in the 70s – and one of the few who maybe never fully got his due! Terry's from the same scene as David Allen Coe, Billy Joe Shaver, and Guy Clark, but his music is much more underground than theirs – maybe only ever designed to be put forth in an intimate club setting, late in the night – where the very conversational style of Allen's songs almost make them feel like barroom musings of a cat who's seen a heck of a lot of life on this planet, but still very able to peer into the souls of those he comes across. This double-length set is Allen's masterpiece – originally issued on a small pressing back in the 70s, and very much an alt-country relic – but from a time when such a thing didn't even exist. Titles include "Cocktails For Three", "High Plains Jamboree", "Amarillo Highway", "Lubbock Woman", "Rendezvous USA", "The Girl Who Danced Oklahoma", "Truckload Of Art", and "The Pink & Black Song". Great reissue – with corrected sound, and a huge booklet of notes on Allen – with essays by David Byrne and others. CD

Louis Armstrong hits the Flying Dutchman label – and unlocks a whole new spiritual side of his talents – a mode that's quite different than some of his crossover pop of the 60s! The style here has a bit of righteous elements in the lyrics, and lots of spiritual jazz in the backings – with full arrangements from Oliver Nelson – who heads up a dream lineup that includes Billy Harper on tenor, and either Chico Hamilton or Pretty Purdie on drums! Even more amazing is a guest appearance from Leon Thomas – who sings on a version of "The Creator Has A Master Plan". Other tunes are just as hip – and include "The Black Cat Has 9 Lives", "His Father Wore Long Hair", "Give Peace A Chance", and "We Shall Overcome". Must be heard to be believed! CD

A compelling set of club jazz work from Italy – proof that the nation's scene has plenty to offer besides well known work on Schema Records! We really dug the previous album from Berardi Jazz Connection, and this set is equally great – a sweet-stepping batch of jazz tracks that runs between modal numbers and soulful grooves – served up in a blend of instrumentation that includes Fender Rhodes, sax, trumpet, guitar, bass, and drums – used in varying ways from track to track, and occasionally augmented by a bit of soulful female vocals. The rhythms here are very much in the best spirit of the contemporary club jazz scene, but are also pretty fresh too – a bit more loosened up from the straight Schema mode, and inflected with a wider range of soulful influences. Titles include "To Brian", "O Prazer De Ser", "The Renegade", "Relax", "FDP", "Play Kid", "Friendly", "Lies", and "Last Night A Cat Stopped Me". CD

Amazing music from one of our most-treasured stretches of David Bowie's career – that creatively-fertile time when he escaped to West Berlin, hid from the mainstream, and made some groundbreaking records with Brian Eno – then returned to the limelight to remind us all that he was still a hell of a force to be reckoned with! The set includes everything post-Thin White Duke, and pre-Let's Dance – a run of music that's still shaping new sounds on this planet all these many years later. The set begins with Low – the mix of experimental instrumentals and subtle vocal tracks that was a complete change from Ziggy Stardust – and follows with Heroes, Lodger, and Scary Monsters & Super Creeps – all albums that reintroduce some sense of song and lyrical interplay, but at a level that clearly indicates how important Bowie was to the generation of post-punk and new wave as his earlier work was to psych, prog, and glam! But the package isn't just a standard collection of albums – because along with those four studio records, it also features the live album Stage, presented here in two different full mixes – plus a new 2017 mix of Lodger, which really increases the edge. There's also a special Heroes EP, with all the different language versions of the song – and a very cool Re:Call 3 album – which features all the singles that were issued at the time, plus other rare material – and Bowie's very unique take on Bertolt Brecht's Baal. Titles on this album include "Alabama Song", "Crystal Japan", "Under Pressure", "Remembering Marie A", "The Drowned Girl", "The Dirty Song", "Cat People", and even his "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy" duet with Bing Crosby. As with other entries in this complete Bowie series, the presentation is wonderful – album sleeve replicas, great packaging, and lots of notes – kind of a treasure, even if you already own some of the records! CD

Includes the songs "Space Oddity", "Changes", "Oh, You Pretty Things", "Life On Mars?", "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "John, I'm Only Dancing", "Suffragette City", "The Jean Genie", "Sorrow", "Drive In Saturday", "Diamond Dogs", "Rebel Rebel", "Young Americans", "Fame", "Golden Years", "TVC 15", "Be My Wife", "Sound & Vision", "Beauty & The Beast", "Heroes", "Boys Keep Swinging", "DJ", "Look Back In Anger", "Ashes To Ashes", "Fashion", "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)", "Under Pressure", "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)", "Let's Dance", "China Girl", "Modern Love", "Blue Jean", "Loving The Alien", "Dancing In The Street", "Absolute Beginners", "Day-In Day-Out", "Never Let Me Down", "Jump They Say", "Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy", CD

One of the freshest string quartets we've heard in years – a group of young musicians with roots in many different styles, coming together in a really evocative way – and with a sound that's free from any gimmicks or tricks! In the years since Kronos, there's been lots of messing with the string quartet format – to the point where it's almost a joke at times – but these guys show that there's plenty of new life to be brought to the form, without resorting to kitschy cover versions or too oft-tread territory! The music is from a great range of talents – including jazz musicians like Bill Frisell, Ethan Iverson, and Vijay Iyer – but the group's presentation is very unique, and makes a diverse array of compositions come together with a distinctly Americanist take on the format – one that is quite far from the European roots of the string quartet, but still deeply respectful of the musicianship required. Titles include "Necessary Henry", "Simpson's Gap", "Five Legged Cat", "Exit", "Morris Dance", "John Steinbeck", "Ping Pong Fumble Thaw", "Dig The Say", and "Show Me". CD

Darkly brooding work from John Coltrane's early years as a leader on Prestige – a very unique little record that features twin baritone sax support from Pepper Adams and Cecil Payne! Both players are wonderfully hip here – more than enough to match Trane's unique musical vision for the group's format – and the sound of the session is much edgier than some of his other Prestige work – which may be why the label chose not to issue it until 1963, even though it was recorded back in '57. There's a nice roughness here – the same inspirational early sound you'll get on Coltrane's early sides for Savoy or Imperial – and other players include Mal Waldron on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Cat Walk", "Dakar", "Route 4", "Velvet Scene", and "Witches Pit". CD

A killer solo set from DeRobert – a cat you might know as the lead singer for the Half-Truths, but an artist who's maybe even greater here on his own! The style of the record is more blacksploitation soul than the straighter funk of DeRobert's other records – this cool, crispy sound on the rhythms that merges 70s inspiration with contemporary execution – an approach that gives the singer a lot more edge, and a lot more bite than before! The album's relatively short – only 6 full tracks, plus intro and outro numbers – but it may well deliver twice as much as any other DeRobert record that's come before. Titles include "Ask Of Me", "Let It Go", "Life Support", "Moody Tuesday", and "The More & More". CD

An early Warner Brothers classic from the Grateful Dead – a set that has them stretching out in maybe a more collaborative way than usual – using a few key guests to expand their freewheeling sound! The larger posse is pictured on the back cover, with a down to earth image that's a nice contrast to the trippy vibe of the front – and that may well be the best illustration of the group's changing spirit during this key year – as they shake off a bit of the hippie stink, and settle into even more serious musicianship overall. Titles include "Cosmic Charlie", "China Cat Sunflower", "Doin That Rag", "Mountains Of The Moon", and "Dupree's Diamond Blues". Includes the original 1969 mix, the 1971 mix and at the Avalon Ballroom San Francisco 1969. CD

A nice little 60s album by Johnny Hodges – one of the few post-Verve sessions that has him still playing in the hard swinging Ellingtonia small combo mode of the 50s! Players are all strong – and include Jimmy Jones, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, Harry Carney, and Paul Gonsalves – and the tracks are mostly older numbers, but redone here with a bit more 60s bounce. Hodges' alto is, as ever, great – and titles include "Everybody Knows", "The Jeep Is Jumpin", "Main Stem", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", and "Open Mike". CD features lots of bonus tracks too! CD

Filled with classics – including "Nasty", "Rhythm Nation", "When I Think Of You", "Escapade", "What Have You Done For Me Lately", "Runaway", "Miss You Much", "Come Back To Me", "That's The Way Love Goes", "The Pleasure Principle", "Control", and "Black Cat". CD