Compelling compositions from the great Henry Threadgill – recorded here with a really like-minded batch of players who perfectly help him realize his musical vision! There's a nicely snakey feel to some of the tunes here – almost a journey in jazz expression from the left side of the spectrum – lead with a bit more strength than some of Threadgill's other contemporaries, but still allowing plenty of room for solo expression! Two percussionists drive the ensemble – Pheeroan Aklaff and John Betsch – and other players include Ray Anderson on trombone, Rasul Siddik on trumpet, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Deidre Murray on cello – as well as Threadgill himself on flute, alto, tenor, and clarinet. Amina Claudine Myers contributes vocals on one number – "A Piece Of Software", which features lyrics by Cassandra Wilson – and other titles include "Just Trinity The Man", "Homeostasis", "Higher Places", "Subject To Change", and "This". LP, Vinyl record album

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UK soul from Joyce Bond – with titles that include "You Don't Stand A Chance", "Wind Of Change", "Freedom Train", "It's Got To Be You", "First In Line", "Make Me Yours", "Oh Darling", and "Take Care Of Your Homework". LP, Vinyl record album

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Early 80s live work from Miles Davis – done at a level that's a nice change from some of his studio work of the time! If you've ever heard Miles in a live setting like this from the decade, you know that such recordings are a great reminder of the way he can really deliver an extended solo with plenty of spirit and imagination – stretching out here on long tracks with a group that also features lots of great work from John Scofield on guitar, and up and coming saxophonist Bill Evans – who plays soprano, tenor, and flute! Miles also plays a bit of keyboards, and the rest of the group features Darryl Jones on bass, Al Foster on drums, and Mino Cinelu on percussion – on titles that include "Star On Cicely", "Hopscotch", "What It Is", "It Gets Better", "Speak", "Code 3", "Jean Pierre", "Star People", and "Creepin In". LP, Vinyl record album

More than a usual greatest hits comp – this LP brings together a very tasty batch of Dells tracks from the late 60s, a number of which were either not on LP, or are very tough to find on wax. Titles include "Hallways Of My Mind", "O-O, I Love You", "There Is", "Wear It On Our Face", "The Change We Go Through (For Love)", "Does Anybody Know I'm Here", and lots lots more! And in case you didn't know, the great Charles Stepney handled most of the arrangements! LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album in the career of saxophonist Lou Donaldson – a set that really has him finding his own groove – a slow-stepping, soul-drenched mode that's a nice change from the bop of his roots! A key part of the record's charm is conga work by Ray Barretto – a player used often on early soul jazz dates like this – not in the Latin style of Ray's bigger work to come, but more in this extra-percussion mode that's a great blend with the drum work in the group by Dave Bailey – creating this mellow groove that's a great platform for Lou's smoking solos on alto! The rest of the group is great too – the wonderful Herman Foster on piano, plus Peck Morrison on bass – a great match for Bailey – on titles that include "Play Ray", "Callin' All Cats", and "Blues Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album in the career of saxophonist Lou Donaldson – a set that really has him finding his own groove – a slow-stepping, soul-drenched mode that's a nice change from the bop of his roots! A key part of the record's charm is conga work by Ray Barretto – a player used often on early soul jazz dates like this – not in the Latin style of Ray's bigger work to come, but more in this extra-percussion mode that's a great blend with the drum work in the group by Dave Bailey – creating this mellow groove that's a great platform for Lou's smoking solos on alto! The rest of the group is great too – the wonderful Herman Foster on piano, plus Peck Morrison on bass – a great match for Bailey – on titles that include "Play Ray", "Callin' All Cats", and "Blues Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "What A Fool Believes", "Minute By Minute", "Sweet Feelin", "Open Your Eyes", "Here To Love You", "You Never Change", and "Dependin On You". LP, Vinyl record album

The Drawbars definitely work here with more than just one finger – and they deliver a really great groove, with a style that's a nice change from some of their contemporaries! Part of the trio's uniqueness lies in the vintage keyboards handled by Chris Haertel – who has a way of going for tones that are nicely less familiar, and sometimes delivered with a spacious approach that's a cool change from just jamming work on organ or piano! The rhythms are often equally laidback, yet still tight and funky – served up with bass from David Nesselhauf and drums from Julian Gutjahr – on titles that include "Art Form", "Shout", "Two Face", "Cat Call", "One Finger Only", "Let's Do It Again", "Skyline", and "One Twenty Five". LP, Vinyl record album

The "new" thing here is that Kenny's playing with horns – always a refreshing change from his trio sides, and a setting that really brings out an edgier side to his playing. About half the record features a quintet with Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley, plus Wilbur Ware on bass and GT Hogan on drums – and the other half of the set features the same group without Mobley. Titles include "Carol", "Little T", "Paul's Pal", and "This Is New". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange film, but a great soundtrack! George Duning came up with an excellent batch of jazzy tracks for the film – and most of them swing hard and tightly, with strong jazzy solos, in a manner that's similar to some of Mancini's best scores of the late 50s. A number of tracks have odd "Eastern" touches in the melody – mostly through the use of percussion – and this makes the jazzy tracks even nicer, and gives them a strange feel that's similar to some of the "east meets jazz" albums on Verve during the 60s. Titles include "Aberdeen Caper", "Gwenny Lee", "At The Namcock", "Groove For Suzie", and "Hit The Road To Dreamland". Towards the end of the soundtrack, some cuts have a more orchestral feel, and this is in keeping with the change of mood in the film. LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly mellow work from Steve Eaton – a singer with a nicely laidback take on blue-eyed soul, served up in some lean arrangements with a nice jazzy vibe – all a nice change from some of the bigger, more commercial work of the period! The indie approach of the set gives the whole thing the feel of a record from a half decade before – as Steve unabashedly puts himself forward vocally, while also handling both acoustic and electric guitar, keyboards, piano, and more – with support from some equally easygoing session musicians too! Titles include the wonderfully groovy "Without Out" and "All In Love Say I" – plus "Got Me Moanin", "Rakin Leaves In The Wind", "Hurricanes & Tornadoes", "You're Not A Hero", "Friendly Stealer", and "Old Smart Big & Kind". LP, Vinyl record album

A great back to basics set from Edo G and Insight Innovates – part of a recent run of records on the scene that really seem to redirect hip hop to more straightforward modes – not at a retro level, but in a style that reminds us that at the core, the music is best when it's got a strong focus on beats and quality rhymes! Neither artist is out to change the world, but together they've got a way of uniting hip hop history with a contemporary sensibility – no fuzz or fluff, just tight at the core, and all the way through. Titles include "Just Listen", "Unite & Let's All Get Down", "It Takes Progress", "Good In Goodbye", "Never Too Late To Correct Mistakes", "Choose Your Path", and Set It Off", a tribute to Big Daddy Kane! LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing later work from Booker Ervin – far more modern and far-reaching than you'd guess from the "Texas" title in the set! Although Ervin first came onto the scene as a strong-voiced tenorist from a Texas tradition, through the course of the 60s he'd really expanded his musical vision – working with Charles Mingus, Jaki Byard, and others to push his already-soulful sound into a freer-thinking mode that was one of the most compelling approaches to tenor at the time. And while this change had been documented on some key sides for Prestige and World Pacific at the time, this rare 1968 session for Blue Note is perhaps one of the best of the bunch – but oddly was somehow never issued at the time, and only made a brief appearance in 1976, as part of a 2LP set. Ervin's working here with a totally hip group – one that has Woody Shaw in the frontline on trumpet, and a rhythm team of Kenny Barron on piano, Jan Arnet on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all grooving with Ervin in styles that recall the modal vamping and soaring energy that Shaw would later bring to his own solo work in the 70s. Tracks are all longish, and filled with a sense of life and exploration that shows that Ervin was growing tremendously in this last stretch of his all-too-short life – never too free, always in control, yet roaming the skies in search of new notes and sounds! Titles include "Gichi", "Den Tex", "Lynn's Tune", "204", and an early version of Shaw's "In A Capricornian Way". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few larger group Bill Evans sessions from the later years – an album that features sax and flute from Larry Schneider and trumpet from Tom Harrell – in addition to core trio instrumentation from Bill on piano, Marc Johnson on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums. The added horns really make the session sparkle – and although those players aren't on every number in the record, when they do show up they really help change the sound nicely from overly familiar Evans trio modes. Bill plays a bit of electric piano on the set – especially beautifully on the track "Only Child" – and other titles include "Comrade Conrad", "Peri's Scope", "We Will Meet Again", "Bill's Hit Tune", "Laurie", "Five", and "For All We Know". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazingly beautiful set of tracks from Art Farmer – playing here with superb accompaniment from a young Harold Mabern on piano, in a laidback quartet format that really lets Art open up! Art's playing is fresh and creative throughout – never too over the top, and always blown with that subtle genius that he was bringing to his work in the 60s – a pure exercise in understatement, with a quality that seems to make the notes fall out of the air by themselves. Rhythm is by Tommy Williams on bass and Roy McCurdy on drums – and the choice of material includes Tom McIntosh's great composition "The Day After", plus Art's "Punsu" and "Kayin" – and versions of "Change Partners", "Blue Room", and "Nobody's Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark LP by this famous Philly trio who forever went onto change the face of club music! The record is pre-disco, but has a great strident soul sound, augmented by tight Norman Harris arrangements. Features the famous title hit – "Armed & Extremely Dangerous" – a great one in the "crime" soul subgenre, plus "Smarty Pants", "Newsy Neighbors", and lots more. LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue reboot in the career of keyboardist Ronnie Foster – a player who made some real magic on Blue Note in the 70s, then recorded on a number of other different labels – before stepping away from the studio for more than three decades! This set marks a great Blue Note return for Ronnie, and a strong back-to-basics use of the Hammond too – handled with the care of a long-trained master, but one who's also had plenty of phrasing experience on other keyboards too – which makes the record a nice change from a standard organ jazz outing. The group features plenty of great guitar from Michael O'Neill, drums from either Chris Foster or Jimmy Branley, and Latin percussion on a few tracks too – on titles that include "After Chicago", "Swingin", "Reboot", "J's Dream", "Carlos", and "After Conversation With Nadia" – plus a reworking of the Stevie Wonder classic "Isn't She Lovely". LP, Vinyl record album

Marvin's definitely in the groove on this set – cooking on all burners with a host of late 60s Motown hits – bad-stepping his way towards some of the more mature moments to come in the 70s! The album's probably best remembered for the cut "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" – easily one of Marvin's biggest moments of the 60s, and a track whose popularity led to the album's title change from In The Groove to later incarnations as Heard It Through The Grapevine! Other cuts are equally great, and show Gaye really stretching out with mature, masculine confidence – pushing the envelope nicely on cuts that include "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "There Goes My Baby", "Change What You Can", "You're What's Happening", "Tear It Down", "You", and "Some Kind Of Wonderful". LP, Vinyl record album

A full-length look at a group who only ever issued a few tracks back in the day, but who were clearly one of the leading lights of the scene way up in Minnesota during the 60s! These guys have a warmth and way of harmonizing that's a nice change from some of their contemporaries on the garagey scene – almost a slight Beatles inspiration, but hardly handled with George Martin production – as the guitars and rhythms are still plenty sharp around the edges, even while the group warm up the lyrics with some great vocal interplay! Titles include the originals "I'm Not Mad", "It Seems To Me", "When Does Linda Cry", "Savage World", "Candlelight", and "Stand By Me" – plus a great tale on the fab four tune "Things We Said Today". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual groups we've heard from the Lagos scene of the 70s – a combo who definitely have a bit of funk in their style, but also a pretty trippy sound too – one that seems to draw from some of the headier sounds in the UK from a few years before – maybe folk-funk, touched with a bit of acid guitar – set to basslines that groove nicely on some of the album's best tracks – in a way that nicely offsets the unusual vocals! The whole thing's pretty trippy – even when funky – maybe more like some of the Zamrock funk of the period, but very much its own thing too – with tracks that include "Grottic Depression 1", "Change Of Tide", "Doomed", "Funk From Mother", "Grottic Depression 2", and "Bad Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from reedman Wendell Harrison and the Tribe Records scene – a set that's got a slightly tighter feel than some of his earlier work, but still a relatively soulful vibe overall! Harrison leads the group on tenor, flute, and clarinet – but there's definitely a collective vibe to the music – which also features Harold McKinney on piano, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Ralph Jones on soprano sax – part of a shifting lineup of artists who change from track to track – including Leon Thomas and Pamela Wise, who each sing a bit on the record. Thomas appears on the great tracks "Where Am I" and "Love Dream", both of which have a great mellow soul jazz vibe – and other cuts get a bit more out, and have more of the soaring spiritualism that got the Tribe scene going in the early 70s. Other titles include "Tons & Tons Of BS", "Winter", and "He's The One We All Knew". LP, Vinyl record album

A very very cool live set from the great tenorist Tubby Hayes – one that has him working in an unusual quartet with Louis Stewart on guitar – a setting that makes a really nice change for Hayes! The track are all very long and open – three of the four are past the ten minute mark – and Stewart's guitar often provides this rhythmic comping while Tubby solos – creating blocks of chromatic sound that make for a wonderful counterpart to the sharper, soulful lines from Hayes as he creates with the sort of non-stop energy we love in his live performances. The rest of the group includes Kenny Baldock on bass and Spike Wells on drums – and titles include "The Syndicate", "Gingerbread Boy", "The Inner Splurge", and "The Gentle Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A really groovy little record from singer Kim Sang Hee – a vocalist who works here in English throughout, but gets backing from a few different forces on the Japanese jazz scene! Things change up nicely throughout the record – so that some tracks have Fender Rhodes backings from the trio of Masahiko Sato, some have the groovy sound of the Freedom Unity group, and others have larger backings from the New Herd of Toshiyuki Miyama – who gets great arrangements from Norio Maeda! Kim's vocals are nice too – but it's the overall instrumental vibe that really sends the album home, and makes things groovy – as you'll hear on cuts that include "The Look Of Love", "We've Only Just Begun", "Close To You", "Scarborough Fair", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", "Spinning Wheel", and "Love Story". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from one of the funkiest leaders on the Chicago scene – the mighty mighty Willie Henderson, force behind some of the city's greatest soul tracks and funky 45s! This album's like a stack of lost funky nuggets laid back to back – with lots and lots of bass-heavy grooving from the band, and plenty of instrumental riffing on guitar and horns! Most tracks are instrumental, but often feature some nice shouted or spoken bits – and the whole thing's stuffed to the rafters with great breaks, beats, and grooves! Titles include "Funky Chicken (parts 1 & 2)", "Off Into A Black Thing", "Soulful Football", "Sugar Sugar", "Can I Change My Mind", and "Is It Something You Got". Also includes two very funky bonus tracks – "Loose Booty" and "Break Your Back". LP, Vinyl record album

The great live compilation of classic Hendrix – pulled from incendiary performances at Isle Of Wight in 1970 and other benchmark west coast gigs from '68 to '70! It's as fine of a snapshot of Jimi as you could really hope for, as it features numbers that showcase his fiery blues psych side that pretty much single-handedly change rock guitar forever after, as well as more loosely furnished bluesy jams that demonstrate his love for the blues legends before him. So, it's Jimi paving the way and showing love for his predecessors – and historical importance aside, it's simply great stuff! Some gigs have Noel Redding on bass and others have Billy Cox. Includes "The Queen", "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Little Wing", "Fire", "Red House", "Johnny B Goode", "Lover Man", "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)". LP, Vinyl record album

Milt Jackson's third album for CTI – part of a wonderful run that really helped him redefine his sound in the 70s! The album's got the electric approach you'd expect from the label – a great change from the sound of Jackson in the Modern Jazz Quartet, and a surprisingly great setting for his wonderful work on vibes! Milt's laidback style is perfect for the CTI mode – open, flowing, and filled with great tones – matched up here with sax work by Jimmy Heath, bass by Ron Carter, piano from Cedar Walton, and drums by Mickey Roker – a perfect setting to let loose in a way he rarely did on his earlier albums. The whole set's great – and titles include "Lost April", "Rerev", "The Metal Melter", "The Steel Bender", and "I'm Not So Sure". LP, Vinyl record album

Michael Jackson's last album with his famous family – a set of electric 80s soul that's a bit different than Jackson's well-known solo work! In a way, the later Jacksons albums almost feel like a place where Michael can try out some ideas that don't fit as tightly into the overall sound of his own records – and there's definitely more diversity here than before – a shift between gentle ballads, beat-heavy tunes, and even a few rockish/poppish moments. Of course, we should probably be crediting the other Jacksons for their help in the sound here too – as they're certainly credited on the cover – but there's also less of the "many parts as one" sound than before, so it's hard to tell how they're working together. Titles include "The Hurt", "Wait", "Torture", "One More Chance", "Body", "We Can Change The World", and "State Of Shock", the big single, which features a guest appearance by Mick Jagger. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet soul explosion from Illinois Jacquet – a record that's quite different than his previous work for Verve, Chess, and Roulette – and one that has him fronting a very hip larger group! The "soul" in the title is well-placed – as there's a strong influence here from 60s music from Memphis and Muscle Shoals, spun out in a more jazz-based way – but not in styles that are as much like other soul jazz of the time. The tunes are much longer than standard soul instrumentals, and feature plenty of well-blown solos – but they also have a nicely gritty feel at the core, which makes for a nice change for Jacquet. Players include Joe Newman on trumpet, Matthew Gee on trombone, Frank Foster on tenor, Cecil Payne on baritone, Milt Buckner on piano and organ, and Wally Richardson on guitar – and titles include "The Soul Explosion", "After Hours", "I'm A Fool To Want You", and "The Eighteenth Hole". LP, Vinyl record album

"This here is the victory lap," raps Hov midway through The Black Album, his supposed career-capper (for this stage, anyway), and if nothing here immediately dazzles us to the core the way the best of his past singles have done, overall this is probably the most consistent front-to-back listen of all his albums. One of the nicest things about the Black Album is the brevity. As tight as the best of his recent output has been over the last couple of years – from singles, to album tracks, to guest spots – Jay-Z's simply been TOO productive, which has diluted the overall power of his presence. That issue is addressed right off the bat here – with a very manageable 14 tracks, no guest rhymers, and a consistent overall sound and mood thanks in part to strong production by Kanye West, 9th Wonder, Neptunes, Timbaland, Eminem (who's baroque synth productions are getting dangerously close to going stale, but it fits Jay-Z's dramatic finale theme very well), Rick Rubin and DJ Quik. It's a wildly disparate cast behind the boards, but this thing flows incredibly well thanks to Jay-Z's predetermined mission to make a great album, not just a hot record. We may still have to lean towards Blueprint as his late masterpiece, but this is way up there. "December 4th", "What More Can I Say?", "Encore", "Change Clothes", "Dirt Off Your Shoulder", "Threat", "Moment Of Clarity", "99 Problems", "Justify My Thug", "Lucifer", "Allure", "My First Song", and a couple of brief interludes. LP, Vinyl record album

"This here is the victory lap," raps Hov midway through The Black Album, probably the most consistent front-to-back listen of all his albums. One of the nicest things about the Black Album is the brevity – with a very manageable 14 tracks, no guest rhymers, and a consistent overall sound and mood thanks in part to strong production by Kanye West, 9th Wonder, Neptunes, Timbaland, Eminem, Rick Rubin and DJ Quik. It's a wildly disparate cast behind the boards, but this thing flows incredibly well thanks to Jay-Z's predetermined mission to make a great album, not just a hot record. We may still have to lean towards Blueprint as his late masterpiece, but this is way up there. "December 4th", "What More Can I Say?", "Encore", "Change Clothes", "Dirt Off Your Shoulder", "Threat", "Moment Of Clarity", "99 Problems", "Justify My Thug", "Lucifer", "Allure", "My First Song", and a couple of brief interludes. LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic UA work from George Jones – featuring duets with Melba Montgomery on the cuts "Out Of Our Minds" and "Flame In My Heart" – plus solo tracks "Ain't It Funny What A Fool Will Do", "There's No Justice", "Lonesome Life", "The Old Old House", "I Saw Me", "I Can't Change Over Night", and "Every Time I Look At You". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really helped push guitarist Ronny Jordan over the top – a set that took that sharp, clean sound that made him the 90s heir to the funky Grant Green sound – and updated it nicely with some help from DJ Krush! The record is one of the most successful blends of jazz and hip hop from the time – one of the few that really gets things right, and which knows when to lean into soul as well – and is maybe a key part of an early legacy that would later flourish in Blue Note projects from artists like Madlib and Robert Glasper! Titles include the killer "The Jackal (the illest mix)", which has Dana Bryant delivering a very hip spoken part – plus "S**t Goes Down (but I phunked up mix)", "Love I Never Had It So Good", "Season For Change (dawn of the season mix)", "Bad Brother (how ya like my wheel mix)", and a great remake of "So What (tuff n smooth mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard live work from the legendary Junie Morrison – a funky legend who worked both in the Ohio Players and in the P-Funk empire of George Clinton – heard here in a smoking live setting in Michigan, right around the time of his classic solo records for Westbound! The format is great – really open and freewheeling, and nicely different than some of Junie's records in the studio – as Junie works with the Crowd Pleasers group, in a blistering blend of funk, soul, and jazz – with solos that evoke some of the latter, and which remind us of the unearthed Lyman Woodard concerts from around the same time! Tracks are mostly nice and long, very jamming – and the small combo vibe is a really different change from some of the arena funk of the period. Titles include a great version of Junie's classic "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce" – plus "Super J", "Tight Rope/Super Groupie", "Shakey Ground", "Fopp", "Musical Son", "Oh Me Oh My", "Surrender", and an Ohio Players medley of "Pain/Cookies Will Get You/Pleasure/Ecstasy". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare 70s reunion for the Poll Winners trio of Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, and Shelly Manne – one that has them all looking a bit shaggy on the cover, but still plenty darn tight in the grooves of the record! There's a really nice change here from the earlier sound of the group – longer tracks than before, played with a bit more sense of freedom by all players involved – but still with that tight comraderie that made the trio so great in the first place. Manne's rhythms are showing some of the looser modes of his later years – and that space is filled nicely by Kessel's still firm guitar lines and Brown's increasingly warm bass. Titles include "Blue Boy", "Caravan", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Two Cents", and "One Foot Off The Curb". LP, Vinyl record album

A tight date from 1977, and one that follows nicely in the spirit of King's later Stax sides, but with a slightly smoother groove. There's a bit of the Detroit 70s mode going on in the set – that rough-and-smooth quality that you'd find on a Don Davis production, which proves to be a wonderful blend for King's music, especially on some of the album's funkier numbers. Titles include "Chump Change", "You Upset Me Babe", "Let Me Rock You", "Boot Lace", "Love Mechanic", "Call My Job", and "Good Time Charlie". LP, Vinyl record album

A standout classic from Fern Kinney – and a set that not only marked a big moment of evolution for southern soul, but also for the Mississippi scene as well! The set was recorded at the Malaco studios in Jackson, but has a vibe that's much closer to some of the TK Records material from Miami – that maturation of southern soul during the disco era – as warmer, more modern touches came into play with rootsier styles of vocals! Mike Lewis handled the string arrangements – giving the record the same disco vibe as some of his other work of the time, including Anita Ward's big debut – and Fern's vocals have this higher range than usual for a southern singer – almost more innately tuned towards clubby rhythms. Titles include a big hit remake of King Floyd's "Groove Me" – really marking the change from the original version – plus "Baby Let Me Kiss You", "Pillow Talk", "Sun Moon Rain", "Angel On The Ground", and "Under Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous second set of work from the mighty Mike James Kirkland – a west coast soul talent who never fully got his due, but who will forever be legendary for a few key records like this! Mike can give us all the right funky currents when he wants – but this album also displays an almost deeper approach to soul – one that often has the sensuous qualities of mid 70s Marvin Gaye at his best, but delivered with some slightly rougher edges that really keep things interesting – and which keeps the record from sounding anything else like the bigger 70s soul on the charts! Titles include "You Put It On My Mind", "It's Too Late", "Love Insurance", "Oh Me Oh My (I'm A Fool For You)", "Got To Do It Right", "The Only Change", and "Love Is All We Need". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of work from the European scene – recordings that were unissued at the time, but which feature fantastic performance by American soloists done for Austrian radio! The core group is led by trombonist Eich Kleinschuster – a player from Vienna who never got much notice on our side of the Atlantic, but who was a fantastic host for visiting musicians in a series of broadcast concerts done by the Austrian radio – with Erich as the leader, and a fair bit of work on piano and Fender Rhodes from the mighty Fritz Pauer – a talent you'll know from some key MPS Records sessions of the period! And the vibe here is very much like MPS at its best – a great meeting of talents, at a level that rises everyone else involved – which makes these sessions superb throughout, no matter the soloist. This Volume 3 features three great tracks with trumpeter Carmell Jones – "And Things Will Change", "Fantangolin", and "The J Dance" – and three more with trumpeter Art Farmer – "Eau Sauvage", "Red Jeans", and "Alisarb". There's also six great tracks with trombonist Slide Hampton, who also helps with arrangements – on titles that include "New World", "Spain", "Ok Persson", "Wide Slide", "Soulsides", and "TEE". LP, Vinyl record album

Gladys Knight steps out on her own – in her very first solo album, after years of recording with The Pips! The change has maybe a bit more focus on Knight's incredible vocals in the lead, but the approach is also strongly similar to the best work with The Pips at the same period – with the Jim Gilstrap singers providing backup vocals, but at a lighter level, with less harmonies that soar out – so that Knight really carries the tunes in a wonderful way. Most tracks are in that mellow mode that Gladys was really doing so well in the 70s – and titles include "I'm Coming Home Again", "I'm Still Caught Up With You", "The Way It Was", "I'll Take a Melody", "Love Gives You The Power", and "Sail Away/Freedom For The Stallion". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really has Alexis Korner stretching out from the straighter blues of his 60s material – using his fantastic style on a set of tunes that show as much New Orleans influence as you might guess from the title – but also an evolved British roots rock quality too! The group is very interesting – relatively lean, and with loads of saxophone solos from Mel Collins – the reedman who made some early 70s King Crimson albums so great – plus second guitar from Peter Thorup, who also adds a bit of slide, and makes for a strongly guitar-based groove amidst some of the slightly funky rhythms. Titles include "Gospel Ship", "Lo & Behold", "County Shoes", "Don't Change On Me", "Rock Me", and "Sweet Sympathy". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the sharpest, funkiest album to date from the great jazz organist Delvon Lamarr – a live set that was done at the Colemine headquarters – but handled with a vibe that makes the whole thing feel like some small club date from the east coast from the 60s Hammond hero generation! Delvon is a monster on the keys – graced with as much a sense of pedal basslines as deft solo work on the keys – alongside support from Jimmy James on guitar and David McGraw on drums – partners in the rock-solid trio that's got to be one of the best funky jazz groups in the world! Tracks are all nice and long – and titles include "Love Land", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Tacoma Black Party", "Move On Up", "You Know When I'm Right Or Wrong", "Memphis", and "Can I Change My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

Live material from Bob Marley & The Wailers – recorded in an obscure nightclub in our hometown of Chicago during the 70s, and quite a nice change from some of the bigger label releases of the time! The band has a loose, very spontaneous vibe – and there's a nice flow to the longer length of the tracks – served up with instrumentation from Earl Lindon on keyboards and organ, Al Anderson on guitar, Aston Family Man Barrett on bass, and Carlton Barrett on drums – with backing vocals from the I-Threes behind Bob's lead vocals! Titles include "Rebel Music", "Talkin Blues", "Concrete Jungle", "Natty Dread", "I Shot The Sherriff", "Slave Driver", and "Midnight Ravers". LP, Vinyl record album

There's plenty of rare feelings going on here – of the best sort of funky 70s type, with a groove that's totally great all the way through! Rick Mason and group bring plenty of jazz instrumentation to the record – some especially nice Fender Rhodes, trumpet, and guitar – but the vibe is more funky soul overall, even though the instruments often take the lead – in a tight, sharp mode that's maybe inspired by the best early material from Kool & The Gang, yet there's a grittier indie vibe too – one that comes across especially well in the unusual way the group can change up the rhythms and spirit of a song within a single tune! Rick Mason himself handles the lead vocals and bass, and also arranged the set – and titles include "Dope", "Metamorphosis Funk", "Song To God", "Funk Ain't Being Funky", "Rare Feelings", and "I Dream Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that definitely lives up to its title – as the set is definitely a turning point in the career of John Mayall, and the debut of brand new lineup that helped move his music past a the straighter sound of American blues! There's still plenty of blues at the core – and great vocals and harmonica from the leader – but the lineup also features no drums at all, which gives very open space to freeplay between the acoustic guitar of Jon Mark, the bass of Steve Thompson, and the wicked work of Johnny Almond on tenor, alto, and flute! The jazzy elements that Almond brings to the music are wonderful – and really open up the sound, and showcase a whole new side of Mayall's talents too – as the group here play live at the Fillmore East, on titles that include "The Laws Must Change", "California", "I'm Gonna Fight For You JB", "Room To Move", and "Saw Mill Gulch Road". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album by Curtis Mayfield – filled with some excellent lesser-known gems! There's No Place Like America was Curtis' scathing testament to the State Of The Union – and it's got a hip political tone that's right up there with the best of his early 70s songwriting – perhaps even more so, as the message is a bit subtler than on other albums, and laid out in this stoner mellow funk vein that's very tasty throughout, and which makes for an extremely unified album! The album includes a version of the cut "Hard Times", which was done earlier by Baby Huey, plus "Blue Monday People", "Love To The People", and "When Seasons Change". Also includes the great sweet love song, "So In Love"! LP, Vinyl record album

Wild electric work from Les McCann – an album of free, open sounds that's quite a change from his styles of the 60s – and from most of his other work of the 70s too! Side one features an extended 26 minute track titled "The Lovers" – a slow-building number that has Les on sublime Fender Rhodes, as things build slowly with this really spiritual current that comes from the addition of Yusef Lateef on reeds, Cornell Dupree and David Spinozza on guitar, Corky Hale on harp, and both Bernard Purdie and Alphonse Mouzon on drums! The track is loose, but builds into some great funky moments – almost a keyboard version of electric Miles Davis at the time, but a lot more soulful. And side two continues the heavy keyboard vibe – with a killer remake of Les' classic "Beaux J Poo Poo" and a similar "Poo Pye McGoochie", both with the kind of choppy funky grooves Les laid down with Eddie Harris a few years prior! LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from the team of Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr – and a set that's arguably even more soulful than their work together in The 5th Dimension! The pair are lucky to have Groovesville soul maestro Don Davis at the helm – helping them hit a more mature, more contemporary sound that mixes equal parts club rhythms with some of the smoother styles of the late 5th Dimension years. McCoo's vocals are especially wonderful – classy, but always quite heartfelt – at a level that almost comes across like some of the best Philly International vocalists of the same period – especially on the soaring disco numbers! Titles include "You Can't Change My Heart", "You Don't Have To Be A Star", "We've Got To Get It On Again", "Easy Way Out", "My Love For You", and "I Hope We Get To Love In Time". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a legend – and the very first album by Sergio Mendes' Brasil 66 group, proudly brought to the world through the godlike talents of a young Herb Alpert! Sergio was no stranger to the recording studio by the time of this set, but the record marked a real shift in his music – a change from the mostly-instrumental bossa modes he first forged back in Brazil, and a shift to warmer, sweeter pop with a nice sunny California finish – done through unique production techniques and the group's trademark two-lady lead vocals! The sound is tremendous, and is possibly heard in its purest form here – simple, focused, and given that near-perfect A&M sound through Herb's production skills. Titles include the classics "Daytripper", "Aqua De Beber", "O Pato", "Berimbau", "Mas Que Nada", and "The Joker". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Charles Mingus' classic recordings for the Candid label – far and away some of the best recordings he ever made, and some of the few studio sessions that really let him stretch out and do his thing! The Candid label didn't last long – but during their short stretch of recording, they gave musicians like Mingus a chance to do things they weren't able to do at bigger labels – and this 1960 session is a great change from some of the tighter style that Charles was using just the year before at Columbia. The group is a searing combo – Eric Dolphy on alto, Booker Ervin on tenor, Ted Curson on tenor, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone – really taking off on long tracks that are filled with brilliant solo work – titles that include "Lock Em Up", "MDM", and "Stormy Weather". LP, Vinyl record album

A really sweet roots set from Pablo Moses – one that's got some cool electric moments at points, including very cool use of Arp – but which also retains all the earthy core to make the righteous currents of the lyrics come out right! Geoffrey Chung arranged and produced, and there's a vibe here that's a nice change from more mainstream work – still all the power that you'd hope for in Pablo's vocals, but a quality that's slightly trippy too – focused, yet willing to open the ears a little bit around the edges. Titles include "Be Not A Dread", "We Should Be In Angola", "Come Mek We Run", "Revolutionary Dream", "Where Am I", "Blood Money", and "Corrupted Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Nas's sorta comeback record from the dawn of the millennium– a strong one at the time that still stands strong today! Stillmatic was a welcome change of pace after some not so great work in the later 90 – with the return-to-form rally cry "One Mic" setting the pace – and the best cuts on this set (which make up the majority of the run time) still sound great! 15 tracks including "Stillmatic", "Got Ur Self A...", "2nd Childhood", "You're Da Man", "The Flyest" featuring AZ, "Rule" featuring Amerie, "Ether", "What Goes Around", "Every Ghetto", "Braveheart Party" featuring Mary J Blige and more – included here is the bonus track "Every Ghetto! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Oliver Nelson's hippest albums – a bold statement of righteous energy, and a fantastic summation of all the genius he'd created during the 60s as an arranger for other people's records! The record is almost at a Duke Ellington level – a complex yet soulful suite of tracks for the post-60s years – complete with some sound effects of rioting and urban strife at the beginning, and a mix of modern, modal, and compositional styles that bursts out with pride and power that we wouldn't have heard in Nelson's music a decade before! The soloists are great – and the album features wonderful read work from John Klemmer, Frank Strozier, and Nelson himself – on great original titles that include "Self Help Is Needed", "I Hope In Time A Change Will Come", "Requiem Afterthoughts", "Lamb Of God", and "Martin Was A Man A Real Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the nicest early albums by this great 70s soul collective – featuring a strong mix of funk and mellow soul tracks, with backing by the Nite Liters on some tracks, and production by the great Harvey Fuqua throughout! Titles include "Wild Flower", "It's Been A Long Time", "Keep On Doing It", "Pains of Love", "Ain't No Change", and "Heaven Says". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most striking, most unusual settings for the voice of Leon Thomas we've ever heard – a rare 1970 performance with the Brit group Nucleus – done right at the same time that Thomas was recording his classics with Pharoah Sanders! The initial approach is similar, and the songs are familiar – but the overall execution is quite different given the change in instrumentation – as the Nucleus lineup includes Ian Carr on trumpet, Chris Spedding on guitar, Karl Jenkins on piano and oboe, and Brian Smith on tenor, saxophone, and flute! Tracks are all nice and long, and rhythms begin with a slightly similar mode to Thomas' other records – but the use of Spedding's guitar is especially striking, as is Carr's trumpet – which has a very different quality than any American player that Thomas ever worked with. The sax and oboe lines are especially nice – often exotic, but in more of a European spiritual way than an American one – and throughout it all, Thomas really holds the course with some wonderful vocals – on long tracks that include "One", "Chains Of Love", "The Journey", "Echoes", "Damn Nam", and "The Creator Has A Master Plan". LP, Vinyl record album

The "Lo" in the title here is Immy Owusu's way of hinting at a lo-fi approach on the record – a sound that mixes older West African influences with a more personal, down to earth approach – one that really lets Immy's vocals come across wonderfully – almost more like a soul album, given how upfront they are in the mix – a style that's different than an older singer buried amidst a larger ensemble sound! And yet there's also a decently-sized group on the record too – guitar, keyboards, percussion, and backing vocals alongside Owusu's lead work on guitar and vocals – intimate, yet rich – and with a sound that's such a nice change from records that try for a more slavish vintage sound. Titles include "Holy Shoulders", "Flashback", "Appellation Of Elevation", "Sunsum Dware", "Nyame Kasa", "Right With No Wrong", and "Palm Wine Elixir". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic full length set from Verve Records – one of those key late 50s albums that helped piece together the scattered legacy of Charlie Parker for the label! This set has a focus on small combo work from Bird – all quartet sessions, captured by Verve with a crispness that really shows his maturing early 50s style at its best, and with a few alternates of some tracks, which also illustrate that way that Parker could effortlessly change a solo from recording to recording! The group features Al Haig on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Max Roach on drums – and titles include "Kim", "Cosmic Rays", "Laird Baird", "Chi Chi", and "Confirmation". LP, Vinyl record album