A beautifully groovy album from Celia Reis – maybe the hippest set ever from this Brazilian singer who was equally at home in samba and bossa modes! Production and arrangements are by Arthur Verocai – which will give you an idea of the creativity that went into the record – as Verocai creates all these ambitious grooves that are very much in the best territory of some of the funky Marcos Valle work at the start of the 70s – basslines dipping under strings, all topped with Celia's wonderful vocals – which have a power here that we've never heard on other records – almost a Gal Costa sort of touch! Tracks include tunes by Valle, Verocai, and others – and titles include "Em Familia", "Mia", "Vida De Artista", "Dominus Tecum", "Ay Adelita", "Toda Quarta Feira Depois Do Amor", "A Hora E Essa", "E Preciso Dizer ADeus", and "Badalacao". CD

A beautifully groovy album from Celia Reis – maybe the hippest set ever from this Brazilian singer who was equally at home in samba and bossa modes! Production and arrangements are by Arthur Verocai – which will give you an idea of the creativity that went into the record – as Verocai creates all these ambitious grooves that are very much in the best territory of some of the funky Marcos Valle work at the start of the 70s – basslines dipping under strings, all topped with Celia's wonderful vocals – which have a power here that we've never heard on other records – almost a Gal Costa sort of touch! Tracks include tunes by Valle, Verocai, and others – and titles include "Em Familia", "Mia", "Vida De Artista", "Dominus Tecum", "Ay Adelita", "Toda Quarta Feira Depois Do Amor", "A Hora E Essa", "E Preciso Dizer ADeus", and "Badalacao". LP, Vinyl record album

14 songs. CD

A really great project from Tito Puente – maybe not his only collaboration with Celia Cruz, but maybe one of the best – a top-to-bottom album of unified vision, topped with sublime vocals from the legendary lady! The set was arranged and produced by Tito – and brings together tunes that are maybe a bit rootsier than some of his other work – that return to tradition that Puente was clamoring for as the 70s began, as a way of shaking off what he felt were the worse influences of the Latin Soul youngsters (not something we agree with ourselves!) The vibe of the album is quite different than its 1970 date – more like something from pre-Castro Havana at times, but with an updated, more sophisticated sense of arrangements and percussion. Titles include "Guiro 6/8", "Chango", "Alguien Vendra", "Cuyi", "Sahara", "Elegua", and "Salsa De Tomate". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

19 songs. CD

An early 70s session from Celia Cruz & Tito Puente – but one that's recorded with much rootsier touches than you might guess from the date! The album's kind of a precursor to Celia's further rise in the 70s salsa scene in New York – and offers up a nice reworking of older themes and sounds, put together here with a sense of clarity that stands out from some of the earlier Cruz/Puente collaborations. The mighty Joe Cain produced, and arrangements are all by Tito – on titles that include "Vaca Pinta", "De Noche", "Bonco", "Tatalibaba", "Extrano Amor", "Mi Rico Son", and "A Todos Mi Amigos". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A beautiful record – and probably the best attempt by the Far Out label to mix older Brazilian styles with current abstract rhythms! The record features the lovely vocals of Celia Vaz, superbly blended with the mellow funky backing of the new group Ape – who mix samples, guitars, saxes, and keyboards into a sweet soulful vibe that's got a little bit of jungle and a little bit of abstract electronica, but which still also has an older jazzy feel to it. The results are great, and of all the projects like this we've heard in recent years – this album is an instant favorite! Titles include "Obrigado Donato", "No Deserto", "Nas Aguas Do Rio", "Fadas E Gnomos", and "Na Fabrica". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

We never tire of the saxophone work of Sonny Criss – and this mid 70s gem is a perfect example of his brilliance! Sonny's sound on alto here is completely his own – raspily, soulful style that's really unique – and which draws strongly from Criss' rich life experience, including his years away from music (he'd been retired for most of the 70s before the time of this album.) The group's laidback and open – with Dolo Coker on piano, Ray Crawford on guitar, Larry Gales on bass, and Jimmy Smith on drums – a group that's all well with Criss on his journey – but also lets him sparkle brightly in the lead. Titles include the extended track "Isle Of Celia", plus "This Is For Benny", "Blues In My Heart", and "Crisscraft". CD

We never tire of the saxophone work of Sonny Criss – and this mid 70s gem is a perfect example of his brilliance! Sonny's sound on alto here is completely his own – raspily, soulful style that's really unique – and which draws strongly from Criss' rich life experience, including his years away from music (he'd been retired for most of the 70s before the time of this album.) The group's laidback and open – with Dolo Coker on piano, Ray Crawford on guitar, Larry Gales on bass, and Jimmy Smith on drums – a group that's all well with Criss on his journey – but also lets him sparkle brightly in the lead. Titles include the extended track "Isle Of Celia", plus "This Is For Benny", "Blues In My Heart", and "Crisscraft". CD features 2 bonus tracks – an alternate of "Blues In My Heart", and "All The Things You Are". CD

British tenor giant Tubby Hayes left the planet all too soon – passing away at the age of 38 in 1973 – but right up to the end, he continued to blow away most of his contemporaries – as you'll hear from this set of unreleased live material from 1972! The recording is from a time when Hayes was actually coming back out of a bit of time away from the scene – recuperating from heart issues that were soon to take away his life – and the period is almost a return to the basics of Tubby's breakout recordings of the late 50s – when he emerged as a tenor soloist to rival American greats like Sonny Rollins or Dexter Gordon! You can definitely hear that quality here, as Tubbs takes on some older standards, plus a few originals – and spins out these wonderful long solos that never fair for imagination or soulful expression – and which also feature some occasional great moments on flute too. The group is a very familiar one – Mike Pyne on piano, Tony Levin on drums, and Ron Mathewson on pass – who happened to record the proceedings over the course of two nights at Ronnie Scotts. Titles include long takes on "Lady Celia", "Trane's Blues", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Trenton Place", and "I Thought About You" – plus two shorter incomplete tracks, "Seven Steps To Heaven" and "Sienna Red". CD

One of Charles Mingus' excellent albums for the Bethlehem label – recorded during that magical year of 1957, a real turning point in his career! There's a sharpness here to Mingus' musical vision that hadn't shown up in previous years – a refinement of ideas expressed for Savoy and Prestige on previous sessions, drawn with tighter tension, and a bolder sense of spirit and emotion throughout. The group's a well-chosen batch of modernists – with Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, and the surprising addition of Bill Evans on piano – sounding a fair bit bolder here than elsewhere. Titles are almost all Mingus originals with a great balance of modern structures and freer solo moments – and tracks include "Conversation", "West Coast Ghost", "Fifty First Street Blues", "East Coasting", and the sublime "Celia", which Mingus and Hadi performed in the film Shadows by John Cassavettes. CD reissue also features bonus alternate takes of "East Coasting" and "Memories Of You". CD

One of Charles Mingus' excellent albums for the Bethlehem label – recorded during that magical year of 1957, a real turning point in his career! There's a sharpness here to Mingus' musical vision that hadn't shown up in previous years – a refinement of ideas expressed for Savoy and Prestige on previous sessions, drawn with tighter tension, and a bolder sense of spirit and emotion throughout. The group's a well-chosen batch of modernists – with Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, and the surprising addition of Bill Evans on piano – sounding a fair bit bolder here than elsewhere. Titles are almost all Mingus originals with a great balance of modern structures and freer solo moments – and tracks include "Conversation", "West Coast Ghost", "Fifty First Street Blues", "East Coasting", and the sublime "Celia", which Mingus and Hadi performed in the film Shadows by John Cassavettes. CD reissue also features bonus alternate takes of "East Coasting" and "Memories Of You". CD

A record that definitely lives up to its title – as alums from the Mingus band work together here in a set of fresh changes on classics from the master - titles that include "Celia", "Ysabel's Table Dance", "Caroline", and "Sue's Changes". Group includes Randy Brecker on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, James Newton and Craig Handy on reeds, and Roland Hanna on piano. CD

A Parisian player gives a strong tip of the hat to the great Bud Powell – the American bop genius whose work and presence were an undeniable force on the French jazz scene of the 50s and 60s! Rene Urtreger does a wonderful job of catching some of Bud's fire here – working through a host of tracks that includes some of Powell's most famous compositions, played with plenty of dexterity, but also a slightly different vibe as well – some more sensitive elements at points, and a bit harder swing at others. Trio members include Benoit Quersin on bass and Jean-Louis Viale on drums – and titles include "Budo", "Dance of The Infidels", "A La Bud", "Celia", and "Parisian Thoroughfare". CD

A massive batch of boogaloo gems – all wrapped up in one mighty package! Tico Records was one of the first great New York indie labels to focus on Latin music in the postwar years – and by the time of the huge late 60s boom in the world of Latin Soul, the label were definitely in a great position to turn out some killer work from a variety of artists! Some of the label's artists were aging, but reinvigorated by the energy of the younger generation – who also got access to the top shelf Tico presentation, as they brought in some of the best soul styles from East Harlem to trim things down from the larger Latin ensembles of the previous generation, and really send things home with a funky sort of groove. This set's a great overview of these key years at Tico – and titles include "Sock It To Me" and "Psychedelic Baby" by Joe Cuba, "Tighten Up" and "The Horse" by Al Escobar, "Fever" by La Lupe, "Be's That Way" and "Bobo Do That Thing" by Willie Bobo, "El Watusi" and "Babalu" by Ray Barretto, "Hit The Bongo" and "Coye Como Va" by Tito Puente, "My People" by Joe Panama, "Come An Get It" and "The African Twist" by Eddie Palmieri, "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In" by Celia Cruz & Tito Puente, "Madrid" by Candido, "Times They Are A Changin" by Jimmy Sabater, "El Pito" and "Bang Bang" by Joe Cuba, "Fat Mama" and "TP's Shing A Ling" by Tito Puente, and "Yes I Will (part 1)" by Gilberto Sextet. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of Mingus' Impulse sides: "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress, Then Silk Blues", "The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady: Solo Dance/Duet Solo Dancer/Group Dancers", "The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady: Trio & Group Dancers/Single Solos & Group Dance/Group & Solo Dance", "Meditations For Moses", "II BS", "IX Love", "Celia", "Mood Indigo", "Better Get Hit In Yo Soul", "Theme For Lester Young", "Hora Decubitus", "Roland Kirk's Message" and "Memories Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

Charles Mingus at Carnegie Hall – but playing here with relaxed and intimate feel that's not what you might expect from the staid setting! The original album features two long tracks – both done in more of a jam session mode than any other Charles Mingus recordings we can think of. Both numbers are Ellington classics – "C Jam Blues" and "Perdido" – showcasing Mingus' late fascination with the Duke, but in a way that still preserves all of the modern inventions of his own earlier work. As on much of the best Mingus albums from the time, there's a real focus on the strengths of the soloists here – players who include Roland Kirk on tenor and stritch, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Handy on alto and tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, and Don Pullen on piano – all of whom really play with some sharp edges and bold notes! This great expanded version features more very long tracks – over 70 minutes of unreleased music, with versions of "Celia", "Big Alice", "Fables Of Faubus", and "Peggy's Blue Skylight" – as well as Mingus' introduction of the music. CD

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". CD features the bonus track "Freedom" – not on the original LP! CD

The second volume of legendary Fania in the Leyendeas De La Fania series – featuring hard driving salsa and soulful Latin sounds from the fertile 70s years at the label – with numbers by Ismael Rivera, Willie Colon, Celia Cruz & Tito Puente, Charlie Palmieri, Bobby Valentine, La Lupe, Joe Bataan, Pete Rodriguez and more!. t's great mix of Fania hits andl and some perhaps lesser known numbers that are just as incredible. "Me Tienes" by Ismael Rivera", "Chonqui" by Willie Colon, "El Hablador" by Sonora Poncena, "Coco" by Charlie Palmieri", "Para Puerto Rico Voy" by Joe Bataan, "Sin Tu Carino" by Fania All Stars, "Tinicue" by Celia Cruz & Tito Puente and more. CD

A great little back to basics effort from the Fania All Stars – one that shakes off some of the electric and clubby influences that were creeping in during their years at Columbia, and returns the group to a mostly salsa groove! The sound here is bold and bright throughout – traditional at one level, but colored with modern inflections and a deepening sense of sophistication that may well make it one of the group's most cohesive records ever! Members of the ensemble include Roberto Roena, Johnny Pacheco, Luie Ramirez, and Papo Lucca – and vocals are by Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago, Ruben Blades, Santos Colon, Hector Lavoe, and Cheo Feliciano. Titles include "Dinamita", "Dime", "Ublabadu", "Cuando Despiertes", "La Borinquena", and "Encantigo". LP, Vinyl record album

A full-on set from the mighty Fania All-Stars – a session that matches some of the larger arrangements of their Columbia Records albums, but which also returns the group to more of a salsa-focused groove! Tracks are somewhat short – none of the jam sessions of the group's earliest years – but the sound is top-shelf all the way through, and a lot more classic than you'd guess from the cheesy cocaine image on the cover! Group members include Papo Luca on piano, Nicky Marrero on timbales, Roberto Roena on bongos, Yomo Toro on cuatro, and Lewis Khan on trombone – and singers include Hector Lavoe, Adalberto Santiago, Willie Colon, Ismael Rivera, and Celia Cruz. Titles include "Semilla De Amor", "Bilongo", "La Montana", "Rosa En El Fango", "Mi So Den Boso", and "Nina". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little live album from The Fania All Stars – one that's recorded a few years after their classic sets at the Cheetah, Red Garter, and Yankee Stadium – but which still burns with the same sort of energy! The groove here has a bit more of a straighter salsa approach – as you'd guess from the date – but the record still features the cream of the crop of the New York scene, coming together with a masterful sense of power and togetherness! Vocalsits include Justo Belancourt, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, and Ismael Rivera – and titles include "Felicitaciones", "Ahora Si", "Publico Corriente", "Toro Mata", "El Nazareno", "Cucala", and "Yo Soy La Candela". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 80s studio set from the Fania All Stars – and proof that the group was still going great at this time – almost reverting to their older modes of the early 70s, and shaking free of the more electric, more soul-based styles that group was using during their time at Columbia Records! The style here is very much in the spirit of the group's roots – long tracks that spin out with plenty of space for all the collaboration that made the Fania All Stars not only unique in Latin music, but a real model of artistic cooperation that other genres could certainly share! The group for this date includes vocals by Ismael Miranda, Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago, and Hector Lavoe – and titles include "Por Eso Yo Canto Salsa", "Usando El Coco", "El Rey De La Puntulidad", and "La Tierra No Es Pa La Guerra". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the sharper-edged sessions on the GRP label at the start of the 90s – a self-titled set from keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, who's mostly working here in a stripped-down acoustic mode! The lineup changes a bit from track to track – and in addition to Kenny on keys, the set also features Jeff Tain Watts on drums, Branford Marsalis on tenor and soprano sax, Charnett Moffet on bass, and Don Alias and Jerry Gonzalez on percussion. Some tracks are quite spare – one number is even just a drum solo by Watts – and there's a slightly modern undercurrent at points, as you might find in Marsalis family music of the same point – nothing that's ever too out, but a slightly dark edge that adds a bit more depth than you might expect. Titles include "Celia", "Chance", "Midnight Silence", "El Rey", "Mr JC", "Criss Cross", "Revelations", and "Ana Maria". CD

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". CD

Music from Celia Cruz, Graciela And Mario Bauza, Noraida Y Los More, La Lupe, Cortijo Y Su Nuevo Combo, Choco Orta, Yoko, Albita, Cecilia Noel, Mimi Ibarra, and more. CD

Music from Junction, Free For All, the Magic Reign, the Real McCoy, Kicks & Company, Paper Dragon, the Bandits, Lally Stott, St Cecelia, the Yummies, and more – 25 tracks in all. CD

A fantastic collection of work from the UK scene at the start of the 70s – a treasure trove of pop cuts from the time, most of which never made it across the Atlantic to our neck of the woods – and which represent a whole different world of music than you'd know from the classic rock and prog albums that usually represent the period! Instead, these are cuts that were cooked up in the studio in search of a hit – some by names that worked strongly in the 60s, others by new groups – some of whom only existed as a name on a label – but all in search of fresh sounds, groovy lyrics, and a way of putting over a tune that spoke volumes about the studio changes and advances taking place around the UK scene at the time! A number of cuts here have production that might be vaguely in glam territory, while others change up the way that vocals and guitars work together, and others evolve past Brit pop modes of the 60s – embracing psych or hard rock elements, but in a subtle way. As with other Cherry Red/Grapefruit collections of this nature, the whole thing is a stunning journey through music that we'd never have heard otherwise, and never in this much detail – presented with a big booklet of notes on all the crazy cats within – to support 85 tracks by artists who include Paintbox, Simon Turner, Mr Bloe, The Weathermen, Fumble, Posse, Gingerbread, Majority One, Jonathan King, Marmalade, Clifford T Ward, Stud Leather, Paul Gabriel, Autumn, St Cecelia, Rick Price, The Piglets, Kincade, Sweet, The Sad, Gumm, The Angelette, Grumble, Jungle Jim, Shag, Bubblerock, Harmony Grass, Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs, Stardust, Bill Fay, Pete Dello, Buggy, David Essex, Peter Kellern, Fickle Pickle, Touchwood, and many others! CD