A rare slice of the career of this famous and short-lived jazz duo – tapes that were recorded in 1955 at the legendary Bee Hive niteclub in Chicago, but not issued until the end of the 70s, in this smashing 2CD set that was produced by Max himself! The material offers a strong contrast to the sometimes more staid work the pair recorded for Mercury before Brown's untimely death – as it features unbridled playing in a rougher environment than usual – and a break from the original format of the famous group, with only Roach, Brown, and bassist George Morrow intact – plus appearances from Chicagoans Nicky Hill on tenor, Billy Wallace on piano, and Leo Blevins on guitar. Sonny Rollins makes an early appearance on tenor – and titles include long versions of "Walkin", "Cherokee", "I'll Remember April", and "Woody N You". If you've ever wondered what hard bop sounded like to the average crowd at the time of its popularity, this is the record to dig – and even though the recording quality is sometimes a bit "live", it's still a great document! The 2CD package expands on the original 2LP set – and also features work from Basin Street performances from 1956, and a Copenhagen gig from 1953 – making for a total of 12 tracks in all! CD

A great later document of the power of James Brown in a live setting – an early 80s concert that really cooks strongly all the way through – bubbling over with the sort of non-stop energy that James was bringing to his live albums from the Apollo Theater onward! The group isn't listed on the package, but have all the tightness of the James Brown Band of the late 60s and the JBs of the 70s – and the Godfather is clearly directing them all with his signals from the front of the stage, while he simultaneously knocks it out of the park with his vocals! There's plenty of funky classics throughout – and titles include "I Can't Stand Myself", "Payback", "Jam", "Get On The Good Foot", "Get Up Offa That Thing", "Hot Pants", "Super Bad", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "It's Too Funky In Here", "Gonna Have A Funky Good Time", and "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose". CD

A fantastic illustration of the live music tradition on Brazil – one that really arose on records during the 60s, and blossomed strongly on 70s records like this – which feel almost more like an event than a recorded document! The concert features a magnificent meeting of Chico Buarque and Maria Bethania – both very strong talents on their own, balanced in this really great way amidst larger backings from Maestro Gaya – duetting on tunes that really turn into something special from their performance – never a challenge of egos, but instead a wonderful folding of strong ideals. Terra Trio provide the rhythms – and most numbers are Buarque originals – with titles that include "Flor Da Idade", "Vai Levando", "Bem Querer", "Noite Dos Mascarados", "Tanto Mar", "Gota D'Agua", "Com Acucar E Com Afeto", and "Sem Fantasia". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic illustration of the live music tradition on Brazil – one that really arose on records during the 60s, and blossomed strongly on 70s records like this – which feel almost more like an event than a recorded document! The concert features a magnificent meeting of Chico Buarque and Maria Bethania – both very strong talents on their own, balanced in this really great way amidst larger backings from Maestro Gaya – duetting on tunes that really turn into something special from their performance – never a challenge of egos, but instead a wonderful folding of strong ideals. Terra Trio provide the rhythms – and most numbers are Buarque originals – with titles that include "Flor Da Idade", "Vai Levando", "Bem Querer", "Noite Dos Mascarados", "Tanto Mar", "Gota D'Agua", "Com Acucar E Com Afeto", and "Sem Fantasia". CD

One of the weirdest Don Cherry albums you'll ever hope to hear – and that's saying a lot, given the range of incredible albums the man has given us over the years! The music here was recorded for a French film based on the music, poetry, and "antics" of Cherry – done in the Saravah Records studios in 1969, around the same time as Cherry's albums for the BYG/Actuel label on the Paris scene – but with a much looser, more freewheeling vibe overall! The first side of the record features music done with Karl Berger – in a mix of piano, percussion, wood flutes, electronics, and pocket trumpet – shifting many times in terms of tone and spirit, with Cherry at his most organic. Side two features most of the same music, but with Anthony Braxton joining in – as well as poetry at some parts – in the complete edit that was used in the film. A fantastic document in so many ways – of the musicians, of post-68 Paris, and even of European avant cinema! LP, Vinyl record album

A great document of a really unique slice of 50s jazz – the trad-based jam session recordings led by Buck Clayton in 1953 and 1954! The sessions were originally recorded for Columbia Records by John Hammond – and done in a style that wanted to break from the tighter jam session mode used over at Verve. Clayton was the ostensible leader, but Hammond really directed the sessions – using the famous trumpeter in conjunction with players that included Joe Newman, Urbie Green, Sir Charles Thompson, Joe Thomas, Al Cohn, Jo Jones, and others – all in a mode that had a rougher, more "on the spot" sort of feel. The set brings together 19 tracks on 3CDs – all much longer than usual for the time, especially for Clayton's recordings – and featuring titles that include "Moten Swing", "How Hi The Fi", "Blue Moon", "Lean Baby", "Robbin's Nest", "Undecided", "Blue Lou", and "All The Cats Join In". CD

Leonard Cohen's first live album, featuring material captured in London, Brussels, Paris and Berlin in 1972, plus a couple of recordings from 1970 – including Cohen's legendary appearance at Isle Of Wight! Live Songs never really got its due respect in its day, but it's pretty much an essential document of Cohen's transition from poet turned recording artist into a poet turned guitar wielding troubadour – and excellent stuff even without the slow building cultural relevance. Essential Cohen! Titles include "Passing Thru", "Bird On The Wire", "Nancy", "Improvisation", "Story Of Isaac", "Please Don't Pass Me By", "Tonight Will Be Fine", "Queen Victoria" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing bit of music – and an incredible document of generations of creative jazz energy as well! The legendary Phil Cohran teams up here with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a collective made up of Cohran's sons, who follow strongly in the rich legacy of his own Artistic Heritage group – yet in a very different way! Hypnotic Brass have caught the ear of many during their bright rise to fame – with a fluid, horn-heavy groove that's really amazing – echoes of Sun Ra and other Chicago creative legends – yet played almost entirely on brass instruments, which gives them an even bolder vibe. Here, working with their progenitor brings the group even more depth than before – an excellent sound that really spins things out wonderfully – percussion layered underneath the horns, solos taking jazzy flight, and an overall righteous vibe that holds things together beautifully. The album's way more than the sum of its parts – and those parts are already rich indeed – and titles include "Stateville", "Cuernavaca", "Ancestral", "Spin", "Zincali", "Apsara", and "Frankincense & Myrrh". CD

An amazing bit of music – and an incredible document of generations of creative jazz energy as well! The legendary Phil Cohran teams up here with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a collective made up of Cohran's sons, who follow strongly in the rich legacy of his own Artistic Heritage group – yet in a very different way! Hypnotic Brass have caught the ear of many during their bright rise to fame – with a fluid, horn-heavy groove that's really amazing – echoes of Sun Ra and other Chicago creative legends – yet played almost entirely on brass instruments, which gives them an even bolder vibe. Here, working with their progenitor brings the group even more depth than before – an excellent sound that really spins things out wonderfully – percussion layered underneath the horns, solos taking jazzy flight, and an overall righteous vibe that holds things together beautifully. The album's way more than the sum of its parts – and those parts are already rich indeed – and titles include "Stateville", "Cuernavaca", "Ancestral", "Spin", "Zincali", "Apsara", and "Frankincense & Myrrh". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible document of the live genius of John Coltrane – early 60s recordings done under the supervision of Norman Granz – all of which really show Coltrane and the group stretching out a lot! Includes many unissued tracks, too. CD

A great document of all this famous harmony trio/quartet were able to achieve during their first few years – a masterful reworking of vocal group modes from earlier rock and soul styles, taken forward towards the 70s with a spirit that's still as powerful today as it was back at the time! These tracks saw so much circulation over the years, it's easy to forget how revolutionary they were – especially when coming from artists who had roots in more familiar rock modes, but who somehow really seemed to rise together in the company of each other. Titles include "Deja Vu", "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", "Ohio", "Teach Your Children", "Our House", "Helplessly Hoping", "Wooden Ships", "Woodstock", "Helpless", "Guinnevere", and "Find The Cost Of Freedom". Cassette

A great document of all this famous harmony trio/quartet were able to achieve during their first few years – a masterful reworking of vocal group modes from earlier rock and soul styles, taken forward towards the 70s with a spirit that's still as powerful today as it was back at the time! These tracks saw so much circulation over the years, it's easy to forget how revolutionary they were – especially when coming from artists who had roots in more familiar rock modes, but who somehow really seemed to rise together in the company of each other. Titles include "Deja Vu", "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", "Ohio", "Teach Your Children", "Our House", "Helplessly Hoping", "Wooden Ships", "Woodstock", "Helpless", "Guinnevere", and "Find The Cost Of Freedom". CD

A great document of all this famous harmony trio/quartet were able to achieve during their first few years – a masterful reworking of vocal group modes from earlier rock and soul styles, taken forward towards the 70s with a spirit that's still as powerful today as it was back at the time! These tracks saw so much circulation over the years, it's easy to forget how revolutionary they were – especially when coming from artists who had roots in more familiar rock modes, but who somehow really seemed to rise together in the company of each other. Titles include "Deja Vu", "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", "Ohio", "Teach Your Children", "Our House", "Helplessly Hoping", "Wooden Ships", "Woodstock", "Helpless", "Guinnevere", and "Find The Cost Of Freedom". LP, Vinyl record album

That's quite an image on the cover, and Curly Castro follows through strongly with all the Afro-Futurist expectations it might trigger – not just in his words, but in the way the album comes together – as some sort of a moody, unified document – powerful words in the frontline, but all this sort of darkly shimmering static at the back! The intensity of the record never lets up, and contributions from Billy Woods, Mr Lif, Margel The Sophant, and Breeze Brewin only seem to add fuel to the fire – on tracks that include "Kill Her Priest", "Freehuey Fitteds", "Killmonger Was Right", "Khujo Taught Me", "Bleek Shadows", "F Stands For Hampton", "Black August", "Weapon 13X", and "Raynathan & Romello". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set – cut when Curson was at the height of his youthful powers, and inspired by modernist ideas he'd picked up from Mingus and other contemporary jazz outsiders – including tenorist Bill Barron, who also plays on the LP! The recording is a perfect document of a time when the hard bop was folding into the new thing – in modes that were experimentally, yet never too far out – and always remembering to swing when needed, as in the case of some of Jackie McLean's best Blue Note work of the early 60s! The album's quite an obscure one – given to its original issue on the mostly-pop Old Town label – but it's a real gem in Curson's catalog, and includes the tracks "Antibes", "Nosruc", "Ahma (See Ya)", and "Flatted Fifth", a composition that went on to become one of Curson's classics! CD

A great set – cut when Curson was at the height of his youthful powers, and inspired by modernist ideas he'd picked up from Mingus and other contemporary jazz outsiders – including tenorist Bill Barron, who also plays on the LP! The recording is a perfect document of a time when the hard bop was folding into the new thing – in modes that were experimentally, yet never too far out – and always remembering to swing when needed, as in the case of some of Jackie McLean's best Blue Note work of the early 60s! The album's quite an obscure one – given to its original issue on the mostly-pop Old Town label – but it's a real gem in Curson's catalog, and includes the tracks "Antibes", "Nosruc", "Ahma (See Ya)", and "Flatted Fifth", a composition that went on to become one of Curson's classics! LP, Vinyl record album

A great set – cut when Curson was at the height of his youthful powers, and inspired by modernist ideas he'd picked up from Mingus and other contemporary jazz outsiders – including tenorist Bill Barron, who also plays on the LP! The recording is a perfect document of a time when the hard bop was folding into the new thing – in modes that were experimentally, yet never too far out – and always remembering to swing when needed, as in the case of some of Jackie McLean's best Blue Note work of the early 60s! The album's quite an obscure one – given to its original issue on the mostly-pop Old Town label – but it's a real gem in Curson's catalog, and includes the tracks "Antibes", "Nosruc", "Ahma (See Ya)", and "Flatted Fifth", a composition that went on to become one of Curson's classics! CD

A rare document of this unique project from trumpeter Ted Daniel – one of his strongest contributions to the New York scene of the time, even though the group never left behind much of their legacy on record! The ensemble is a large spiritual avant ensemble – a bit like the Music Inc band of Charles Tolliver, but often a lot more outside overall – with searing solo work from musicians who include Joe Rigby on tenor and sopranino saxes, Chris Capers on trumpet, baritone from Pablo Calogero, and John Betsch on percussion – plus a bit of vocals from Mary Driscoll. The tape of this performance that survived is a bit thin, but the magic of the music really comes through as you let your ears open up – on titles that include great versions of "Upper & Lower Egypt" and "Naima" – plus "Asagyefo", "Greetings", "Song Of The Salsa Spaceman", "Module", and "Dream Deferred". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique document of the struggle and story of Angela Davis – recorded in 1971 by ABC news, and packaged together here as kind of a sonic program by Folkways! The record works like a short news program – starting out with a statement by Angela, then moving to a narrated introduction, then a long interview conducted by Joe Walker of Muhammad Speaks. Side two continues with a panel discussion on the case, then ends with some very cool "man in the street" style interviews! Capped off with a really great cover photo of Angela too! CD

When tenor player Ken Vandermark moved to Chicago in the early 90s, his presence began a set of ripples that ran through the city's jazz scene, and left traces that continue to transform the city to this day! One of those ripples became the DKV trio – a brilliant ensemble featuring Vandermark, bassist Kent Kessler, and percussionist Hamid Drake – a crack avant trio, with no end of imagination and creativity – stepping out here on a flagship recording for the Okka Disk label, maybe the most important force to document Vandermark's mighty talents during these early years! The recording features 5 tracks of varying length, from the 35 minute "Baraka" to the 8 minute "Soft Gamma Ray Repeater" – plus the titles "Figure It Out", "Consequence", and "Double Holiday". CD

When tenor player Ken Vandermark moved to Chicago in the early 90s, his presence began a set of ripples that ran through the city's jazz scene, and left traces that continue to transform the city to this day! One of those ripples became the DKV trio – a brilliant ensemble featuring Vandermark, bassist Kent Kessler, and percussionist Hamid Drake – a crack avant trio, with no end of imagination and creativity – stepping out here on a flagship recording for the Okka Disk label, maybe the most important force to document Vandermark's mighty talents during these early years! The recording features 5 tracks of varying length, from the 35 minute "Baraka" to the 8 minute "Soft Gamma Ray Repeater" – plus the titles "Figure It Out", "Consequence", and "Double Holiday". CD

Rare work from funky Lou – unreleased for years! This is an excellent live set that was recorded in 1970, when Lou was at the height of his Blue Note powers, and working with a group that included Idris Muhammad (drums), Melvin Sparks (guitar), and Leon Spencer (organ). Recorded live at the Cadillac Club in Newark, New Jersey, this set's a perfect document of what a funky lounge gig was like in the era of the organ/tenor combos. The group swings hard and funky, with a sound that's like their best Blue Note recordings, and the track list includes "Peepin", "The Scorpion", "Alligator Boogaloo", and "Footpattin' Time". CD

A really cool document from the contemporary Finnish scene – a large multi-generational group organized by trumpeter Hernik Otto Donner – with lots of original music by Donner and pianist Seppo Kantonen! CD

Bassist Dezron Douglas can be one hell of a leader – especially when he's working with a group and setting as great as this! The album's got that solid punch we love in the Smalls Live series – a way of allowing players to really open up and be themselves, yet also find a cohesiveness as a group that you don't often get in studio sessions – that brilliant magic that can make live jazz performance so wonderful, when it's captured this well – a great document of a musical moment and local expression that might have been missed otherwise. Dezron's bass is very upfront in the performance – and the quintet also features tight trumpet from Josh Evans, bold tenor from Stacy Dillard, sharp piano from David Bryant, and smoking drums from Willie Jones III. Titles include "Nita", "Let's Ride", "The Puppet", "Bish Bash Bop", and "Power Of One". CD

An amazing document from Tomkins Square – and a set that goes even beyond the usual high level of some of the other releases from the label! The set's a beautiful archival project – one that seeks to resurrect the rare music of Arizona Dranes – a gospel pianist and vocalist who recorded briefly in the 20s – on an obscure set of 78rpm releases that were only captured through acoustic technology. Dranes has an incredible approach – both to the piano, which is more bluesy – or almost boogie-woogie at times – and to her vocals, which have an unbridled soul that really comes through, even with the lower level of recording. The set was put together by journalist Michael Corcoran – who spent years looking into Dranes life, and wrote the notes for the 44 pages that come in the book-style package, which also includes some rare photos. 78s were remastered brilliantly – and titles include "He Is My Story", "Just Look", "God's Got A Crown", "My Soul Is A Witness For The Lord", "Don't You Want To Go", and "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go". CD

A fantastic document of a very cool group – one that we're not sure recorded any albums at the time, but who played on Dutch radio, with a lineup that featured some of the hippest cats on the scene at the time! The vibe is a bit like the work of Ruud Bos or Boy's Big Band – a very modern take on large ensemble material – full of life, color, and inventive phrasing – carried off by key soloists who include Ferdinand Povel on tenor, Frans Elsen on piano, Piet Noordijk on alto, Eddie Engels on trumpet, Frans Elsen on guitar, and Herman Schoonderwalt on alto and clarinet! The work is superbly recorded, and the set resonates strongly with the hippest large group material on Saba/MPS at the end of the 60s – very different than the sound of such a group just a few years before, with original material throughout, penned by members of the ensemble. Titles include "Last Moment", "Bluesy Joe", "Hobby Music", "Our Time", "Perka", "Bright Moment", "The Challenger", and "Twenty Four & More". CD

A live document of the mid 70s Rolling Thunder Revue era! The best of it recasts classic Dylan songs as well as ones from the then recent Blood On The Tracks as raucous rock & roll tunes, which might've puzzled a lot of longtime fans, critics, and maybe even casual concertgoers at the time, but like so many initially confusing creative left turns in Dylan's career, it's a lot more fascinating in retrospect. Includes a rave-up version of "Maggie's Farm", plus "Shelter From The Storm", "Idiot Wind", "I Threw It All Away", "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again", "Lay Lady Lay", "You're A Big Girl Now" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Dylan & The Band's legendary Basement Tapes – those amazing late 60s Woodstock recordings – and an album that was a classic long before it was officially released in the mid 70s! Bootleg after bootleg of some these recordings might have sold enough copies on the grey market in the early 70s to go platinum back in the day, so there's little wonder that Columbia would finally get some kind of official release out there – and it lives up to the legend! Dylan's conversational, seemingly spontaneous lyricism stretches over a good portion of it, with some much more soulful numbers, too – and those are all the more effective with The Band's incredible instrumentation, backing and occasional lead vocals. Here for the first time is a 100% officially-sanctioned release of a wealth of the raw, original Woodstock recordings, painstakingly restored from the original master tapes – but without the overdubs, editing and tinkerings of the mid 70s LP versions, and other tracks that never been officially released in any form! A truly vital document of one of the most legendary woodshedding efforts in rock history. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing document of one of the grooviest groups to emerge from the UK at the start of the 80s – not just their three full albums, but almost as much rare bonus material as well! The English Beat came a bit later than the initial wave of Two Tone ska revival groups – and they came with a difference, too – a bit more soul, and a slightly more contemporary approach to their music – one that pushed Jamaican roots into mod London modes – particularly the best sorts that were bubbling up in the post-punk generation! The group really helped revive some warmer sounds in British music – yet without just copying older modes from the other side of the Atlantic, too – and these three great albums definitely went onto set a fire in a host of other groups as well – the first wave of some surprisingly soulful moments from the UK in the 80s. The box set features the full albums I Just Can't Stop It, Wha'ppen, and Special Beat Service – all with bonus tracks not on the original albums. Then, the set also features more bonus material that includes 15 12" and dub versions of album tracks – and three Peel Session recordings from 1979, 1980, and 1982 – plus a live Boston recording from 1982! Comes in a great box, with a 24 page booklet of essays and rare photos! CD

Sublime work from trumpeter Art Farmer – and a key document of the way that he continued to develop his sound in the 70s! Farmer's at the height of his powers here – working in a soulful quartet with Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins – just setting up these beautiful little solos that seem to float out effortlessly from his golden horn. The gentle emotion and light swing of the album give it the surprisingly emotional pull of a sad San Francisco afternoon – as the sun shines brightly, but a strange chill interrupts any easy dreaming that might take place. Includes sublime versions of "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "How Insensitive", "Firm Roots", and Benny Golson's "Yesterday's Thoughts". CD

Sublime work from trumpeter Art Farmer – and a key document of the way that he continued to develop his sound in the 70s! Farmer's at the height of his powers here – working in a soulful quartet with Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins – just setting up these beautiful little solos that seem to float out effortlessly from his golden horn. The gentle emotion and light swing of the album give it the surprisingly emotional pull of a sad San Francisco afternoon – as the sun shines brightly, but a strange chill interrupts any easy dreaming that might take place. Includes sublime versions of "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "How Insensitive", "Firm Roots", and Benny Golson's "Yesterday's Thoughts". CD

An amazing record! By all rights, this shouldn't be so good – but it's an incredible album of haunting tracks that really has us coming back again and again over the years. The formula is simple: Jose plays late 60s pop tunes on acoustic guitar, and sings them in his spacey soulful voice. Backings are by George Tipton, plus a jazz combo made up of Jim Horn, Ray Brown, and Milt Holland – but it's Jose that really makes the whole thing amazing! His style of presentation is like anything else we can describe – filled with sadness and soul, but enough joy to keep moving forward. He takes tracks like "Light My Fire", "In My Life", "Sunny", and "California Dreamin", and transforms them into an amazing document of the darkness hidden behind the sun of southern California. "California Dreamin" is especially amazing – and Jose's version is one of the best soul songs of all time! LP, Vinyl record album

A double disc CD & DVD package showcasing one of our favorite souful acts on the contemporary landscape – Nicolay & Phonte's brilliant and ever-evolving Foreign Exchange project! Dear Friends showcases an acoustic concert performed for a private audience –- the great touring lineup that includes Zo!, Sy Smith, and singer/songwriter Jeanne Jolly. From the get go, we've been impressed by both the original songwriting from Foreign Exchange as well as the way they filter diverse influences into their own unique vibe – and this acoustic setting really gets to the heart and soul of it. This is an essential document for fans of the group, but it's also a fine intro if you're just now coming aboard! The live set includes "Fight For Love", "All Roads", "Take Off The Blues", "Lose Your Way", "Greatest Weapon Of All Time", a nice cover of James Taylor's "Something In The Way She Moves", "Laughing At Your Plans", "Daykeeper", "House Of Cards", Zo!'s "Greatest Weapon Of All Time" and "I Wanna Know". Also includes 2 new studio tracks: "Steal Away" feat vocals by Jeanny Jolly and piano by Zo! and "All The Kisses" feat Amber & Paris Strother of KING. CD

A massive double length set from Funkadelic! As if the group's vision wasn't already expansive enough in their early Westbound years, they really make incredible use of the space of this 2LP set to show off their talent for funky invention, fuzzed-out guitar, and mind-bending look at the world around them – taking off into a heady array of topics and settings that are even more chilling than before. If Maggot Brain can be taken as a document of Detroit after the apocalypse, this set should be read as a wider statement on the climate in America that was leading up to it – all served up with some of the group's funkiest rhythms on record to date! Titles include "You Hit the Nail On the Head", "A Joyful Process", "Loose Booty", "I Call My Baby Pussycat", "Biological Speculation", "Philmore", "We Hurt Too", "Everybody Is Going To Make It This Time", "Miss Lucifer's Love", and "If You Don't Like the Effects Don't Produce the Cause". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive double length set from Funkadelic! As if the group's vision wasn't already expansive enough in their early Westbound years, they really make incredible use of the space of this 2LP set to show off their talent for funky invention, fuzzed-out guitar, and mind-bending look at the world around them – taking off into a heady array of topics and settings that are even more chilling than before. If Maggot Brain can be taken as a document of Detroit after the apocalypse, this set should be read as a wider statement on the climate in America that was leading up to it – all served up with some of the group's funkiest rhythms on record to date! Titles include "You Hit the Nail On the Head", "A Joyful Process", "Loose Booty", "I Call My Baby Pussycat", "Biological Speculation", "Philmore", "We Hurt Too", "Everybody Is Going To Make It This Time", "Miss Lucifer's Love", "and "If You Don't Like the Effects Don't Produce the Cause". And even though the CD presents the full 2LP set on one disc, it's still got room for 2 bonus tracks – 45 rpm versions of "Loose Booty" and "A Joyful Process"! CD

Wonderful stuff – and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here – suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch out!) Although the album was thought of as a no-brainer quickie at the time – and predicted to fail so that Anna wouldn't get any cash from it – the record is an extremely well-crafted one, filled with extremely personal songs that also have a warm soulful finish, in the style of Marvin's work on the LP I Want You (which is kind of a nice bookend to this one – as it was an extended love poem to the young girlfriend that caused him to split up with Anna!) Hard and soulful, the record's a searing testimony to the relationship between Marvin and Anna, and a painful document of the troubles between them – set to some mellow grooves that are easily some of Marvin's greatest of the 70s! The set's filled with great "lost" Marvin Gay songs, too – like "Sparrow", "When Did You Stop Loving Me", "Anger", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You", and "Time to Get it Together". CD

One of the greatest records ever cut by altoist Herb Geller, and one of the few to document the work of his group that included wife Lorraine Geller on piano! Lorraine's quite nice, and the rhythm by Keith Mitchell and Mel Lewis is good too – but the real wonder is Herb's alto, which cuts along in a razor-sharp mode that clearly defines him as one of the best players of his generation on the instrument! The set's one of the few times you can really hear Herb cut loose – unencumbered by overwritten arrangements, or by other players in the group – and its his work on the album that makes this record a treasure! Titles include "The Answer Man", "Patterns", "Suppertime", "The Heather On The Hill", and "Love". CD

Not the famous Verve Records pairing of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker – but instead a more obscure live date from 1947, but one that really lets you hear the genius that happens when both players take the stage! The tunes have this approach that really hits at the most creative side of bop at the time – maybe even more open, expressive, and filled with larger ideas than some of the early singles that were coming out in 1947 – in a way that makes the whole thing a really important document of the complexity that was in the music, right from the start. The pair really stretch out on a fantastic two part reading of "Night In Tunisia (parts 1 & 2)", then soar through "Groovin High (parts 1 & 2)", "Confirmation", and "Dizzy Atmosphere". The second half of the set features some more live material, but just with Dizzy Gillespie in the lead, from 1953 – with Bill Graham on alto and baritone, plus a bit of vocals from Joe Carroll. Titles include "School Days", "Swing Low Sweet Cadillac", and "Tin Tin Deo". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing music from Jimmy Giuffre – and a much-needed document of this under-recorded time in his career! The 2CD set brings together two different live performances – each done two years after his groundbreaking Free Fall album for Columbia, and with a sound that's even more far-reaching than that classic set! The Giuffre heard here is extremely free on his reeds – especially clarinet, which is blown at a level that prefaces countless European free jazz work to come – with an incredible range of sounds, colors, and tones. Giuffre also plays tenor – with more bite and soul than ever before – almost at an ESP sort of level – and the accompaniment on both sessions is very loose and free, too – with Joe Chambers on drums on both concerts – working with Richard Davis on bass on a trio set, and with a quartet that includes Don Friedman on piano and Barre Phillips on bass. The whole thing is mindblowing – a chapter of this amazing musician's career that demands to be heard – and stands as even more of a revelation than other Giuffre releases in recent years. Titles include "Cry Want", "Syncopate", "Drive", "Angles", "Quadrangle", "Crossroads", and "Three Bars In One". CD

An excellent document of two key players on the west coast scene of the late 50s – both of whom passed away at too far young an age! Trumpeter Joe Gordon was one of the most soulful players on the LA scene of the period – almost a Lee Morgan in his sense of timing and space – and Scott LaFaro was hailed by many as one of the most revolutionary talents on the bass at the time, and had a huge influence on the scenes on both coasts, despite his few short years in the jazz business. The set features LaFaro working with Shelly Manne's group that included Joe Gordon, Richie Kamuca, and Russ Freeman – in a long, open, and exploratory approach to jazz – one that's very similar to the excellent live recordings made by the Manne group at The Blackhawk. Kamuca's tenor work is extremely imaginative on the album's longer tracks – at a level that's far far different than most of his LA work of the 50s – and Gordon's solos are a delight throughout, with a voice that is heard here as strongly as on any of his few recordings. The set features 3 long tracks – "Summertime", "Poinciana", and "Our Delight", which is offered in an incomplete take. Plus, the session also features a quartet recording of "It Could Happen To You" by a group with Kamuca, LaFaro, Victor Feldman, and Stan Levey – from 1958. CD

An essential early document of the Grateful Dead – a double-length collection of live material that was one of the first to give the rest of the world a chance to hear what they could provide to their ever-growing concert audiences! The tracks were mostly recorded in New York in early 1971, and have the group really spinning out their special sort of magic in ways that are a nice change from their studio records – looser, more jamming, and maybe more acoustic too – that shift from psych to roots that was already going on, but delivered here with the sort of warmth that would hold their fans in sway for years to come. Tracks vary in length – and the set includes an 18 minute take of "The Other One", plus "Bertha", "Big Railroad Blues", "Playing In The Band", "Me & My Uncle", "Wharf Rat", "Not Fade Away/Goin Down The Road Feeling Bad", and surprisingly great takes on "Mama Tried" and "Me & Bobby McGee". CD

A soaring set from guitarist Grant Green – a really amazing double-length set that caps off his legendary run for Blue Note – done with a vibe that's different than most of his other work for the label! Like some of the other Lighthouse sessions from Blue Note – particularly those from Lee Morgan and Elvin Jones – this one has a very open, free vibe – a way of stretching out on the tracks, yet still staying soulful – all an amazing document of the rich talents of the leader in a live setting! The group's a bit unique, too – and features Gary Coleman on vibes, Shelton Laster on organ, Claude Bartee on tenor and soprano sax, Wilton Felder on bass, and Greg Williams on drums – all players who hit this hip Cali groove with Green – and really take off on cuts that include versions of Donald Byrd's "Fancy Free", Neal Creque's "Windjammer", and The Fabulous Counts' "Jan Jan" – plus the cuts "Flood In Franklin Park", "Walk In The Night", and "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD

A Brazilian tribute to football – but one that's given a distinctly London twist – as core rhythms by Wilson Das Neves, Dom Um Romao, and others are mixed up and augmented by Da Lata, Zero dB, Roc Hunter, Fauna Flash, and Osunlade! The album's got a depth and compelling quality that goes far beyond other records by Grupo Batuque – as tightly-played percussion riffs are mixed with sound effects, crowd noise, and commentary from football games – all in a rich sonic tapestry that goes past simple samba or batucada! The whole thing's almost like an audio document to the greatness of the sport and its importance in Brazilian culture – but thanks to the globe-spanning efforts of Far Out, the added production help should help settle more than a few disputes at the World Cup! Titles include "Torcida Do Flamengo", "E Ruim (Zero dB rmx)", "Ole Ola", "Isto E Samb", "Na Cancao Do Samba", "Ole Ola (Fauna Flash rmx)", "Na Batida Do Agogo (Osunlade rmx)", and "Berimbal Capoeira (Da Lata rmx)". CD

A brilliant testament not just to the bass work of Barry Guy, but to so many other factors as well – the open spirit of the contemporary Polish avant scene, the strength of key improvisers in each others' company, and even the much-lauded efforts of the Not Two label to present material of this nature in the sort of richness it deserves! The first four of the CDs in the package document different performances done over the space of two nights at the Alchemia Club in Krakow – a performance space you'll recognize from other important recordings, and a perfect showcase here for al the greatness that unfolds over the course of the CDs. Guy initially steps in as the bassist in the Aurora Trio, with Agusti Fernandez on piano and Ramon Lopez on drums and percussion – but the performances soon open up into a range of other pairings and groupings that really stretch out. The set has two tracks with Guy in duos with Ken Vandermark on tenor; two more with Guy and Vandermark joined by Paul Lytton on percussion, and Percy Pursglove on trumpet; three trio tracks with Guy on bass, Lopez on drums, and Rafal Mazur on electric bass; three more with Vandermark next to Torben Snekkstad on saxes and reed trumpet, and Mette Rasmussen on saxes; two trio tracks with Lopez, Mazur, and Pursglove; and other pairings that include the above players in different groups! CD5 features a full 57 minute performance recorded for Polish Radio, with Guy leading a large improvising group made up of the other players through a reading of the composition "For To End Yet Again" – in a style that's very similar to his material with the London Jazz Composers Orchestra. CD

The fantastic lost legacy of The Harlots Of 42nd Street – a cross-dressing group who were Manhattan contemporaries of the New York Dolls, but who never got their best shot at fame! If anything, the group's lyrics are grittier than the Dolls – more in the streetwise/street scene mode of early solo Lou Reed, with plenty of tales from the gutter on up – and although their sound may be a little less punkish, their overall approach is still nice and raw, and completely unique! The group only issued one single back in the day, and this set is the first full-length document of their music – with titles that include "S&M", "Refuse To Be Misused", "Cool Dude & Foxy Lady", "Mother Nature", "Polyethylena Purebred", "Spray Paint Bandit", and "Double Bubble Bustin Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album to document a great new chapter in the career of drummer Billy Hart – his ultra-hip quartet with saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson – both younger players who have brought back a real edge to his music! The group has a very different feel than some of the other recent "revival" projects by older jazz drummers – and the focus here is extremely equal, if not even more heavily weighted towards, the younger members of the group. Turner's tenor has all the dark tones and edgey post-Shorter modes heard on his best albums under his own name – and Iverson's angular piano lines revel in a style that's almost in the legacy of Andrew Hill, but more swinging overall. Hart's rhythms are as fluid and complex as ever – making nice use of the cymbals on the fringe, but returning home to the core of the kit when a tighter groove is needed. Titles include "Mellow B", "Lorca", "Irah", "Lullaby For Mike", "Iverson's Odyssey", "Neon", "Charvez", and "Moment's Notice". CD

An incredible collection – the best document you'll ever find of the undeniable genius of Fletcher Henderson! LP, Vinyl record album

Two wonderful albums from Loleatta Holloway – both a strong full-length document of her early genius in the Atlanta studios! First up is the Loleatta album from 1973 – and if you only know Loleatta Holloway as a disco singer, you'll be really amazed at this debut album – because Loleatta emerges first as deep soul singer with a strong southern vibe – very much in the mode the Atlanta scene did best, before picking up the pace a bit more as the 70s moved on! There's a mellow, blue sort of vibe to the record – but still plenty of that pride and power that made Holloway an equally great singer on an upbeat tune – served up here on tunes by Sam Dees, Ashford & Simpson, and other hip songwriters of the period – set to strong arrangements by Mike Terry, who does a great job of bringing out the lady at her best. Titles include "We Did It", "Mother Of Shame", "Only A Fool", "So Can I", "Our Love", and "Love Woke Me Up". Cry To Me is a wonderful album of southern soul from Loleatta Holloway! The record was her last in the deep soul mode – and it's a gem that should have made her as big as her later disco records – a really well-crafted extension of styles that Stax and Atlantic had done in the 60s, but given a smoother, more sophisticated vibe for the 70s! The record was produced by Floyd Smith, and it's got some of the most sophisticated production we've heard on a southern diva album from the 70s – with instrumentation that still boggles us with its brilliance. Case in point is the amazing cut "Cry To Me", which has these insane banks of "weeping" guitar that send chills down our spine! The cut was written by Sam Dees, who also penned some other fine material for the album – and titles include "I Know Where You're Coming From", "Just Be True To Me", "Something About The Way I Feel", and a cover of Ruby Andrews' "Casanova". CD

Classic Chicago blues issued on Vee Jay – recorded by John Lee Hooker in a handful of sessions over the second half of the 50s – an incredible document of Hooker's lonely roots as well as a benchmark for the band based live blues scenes in the years to come! I'm John Lee Hooker was released at the end of the 50s by Vee-Jay – and in features some tunes with Hooker stamping it out solo, and others with rollicking group setting. Wonderful, legendary work! All the songs are Hooker originals and they include his classic crossover track "Boogie Chillun", plus "Dimples", "Baby Lee", "Crawlin King Snake", "I'm So Excited", "Everynight", "Time Is Marching", "I Love You Honey" and more! CD

A once lost gem! Hudson's voice as a producer remains one of the most unique and idiosyncratic of his era, and this first LP issued under his own name stands as a shining document of his genius. Cut very near the time of his classic dub side Pick A Dub, this album shares the haunting mood that runs through the best of Hudson's work, all the while delivering a resounding roots message. The rhythms are fierce, laid down by Leroy Sibbles, Fully Fullwood, Santa Davis, Count Ossie and Augustus Pablo, a dozen mighty tracks in all: "Hunting", "Flesh Of My Skin", "Blood Of My Blood", "Testing Of My Faith", "Fight Your Revolution", "Darkest Night", "Talk Some Sense (Gamma Ray)", "Treasures Of The World", "My Nocturne", "I Shall Be Released", "No Friend Of Mine" and "Stabiliser". CD

Great early work by jazz vibes guru Bobby Hutcherson – recorded early in his tenure in NYC in the early 60s – backed up by trombonist Al Grey and tenor sax man Billy Mitchell! Of course Hutcherson would go on to spin out all those great records for Blue Note, and these early recordings are a great lost document! The personnel on most cuts feature Mitchell's sextet – which at the time included Herman Wright on bass, Earl Washington on piano, and Otis Finch on the cut. These sessions were cut on separate dates in NYC and Chicago in the early 60s, for Argo/Chess albums under Grey's name – and are a complete document of this legendary assemblage of players time together! 18 tracks in all: "Blues In The Night", "Stardust", "Night And Day", Laughing Tonight", "Stand By Me", "Boss Tina", Something's Got A Hold On Me", "R.B.Q.", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Deep Fried" and more! CD

An expanded document of a key live moment in the career of Keith Jarrett – his return to work in a New York club after the space of more than a decade! The group here is Jarrett's fantastic Standards trio – Gary Peacock on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – working with Keith on these longform explorations of tunes that are familiar, but which really transform in that mode that Jarrett brought to his own solo improvisation work of the 70s. The tunes are there, somewhere – but often just as subtle signposts for the direction of the flow from the master's hands on the piano. CD

Powerful live document of Janis with Big Brother live at Winterland in the spring of '68 – with recordings of their biggest and best-remembered numbers, and ones that didn't get nearly as much play over the years! Truly awesome work, with Janis and the band working their inimitable magic – all the more incredible given the potent period in late 60s San Francisco. "Down On Me", "Flower In The Sun", "I Need A Man To Love", "Easy Rider", "Combination Of The Two", "Farewell Song", "Piece Of My Heart", "Catch Me Daddy", "Magic Of Love", "Summertime", "Light Is Faster Than Sound", "Ball And Chain" and "Down On Me". CD

A trio of albums from Junie Morrison, plus bonus tracks too – all to document the genius of the guy who really helped the Ohio Players find their groove! First up is When We Do – the solo debut of Junie – a crazy little album recorded for Westbound in the time after he split company with The Ohio Players – and a set that's definitely got the weirdly wonderful mix of music that group was known for in their pre-Mercury years! Junie effortlessly moves between a number of styles, all with a great degree of wit – still keeping things funky in all the best ways, but also really experimenting with larger sounds and unusual arrangements – which come into play here in a really wonderful way! The album's an overlooked funk treasure from the 70s – far too sophisticated for its own time – and titles include "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Johnny Carson Samba", "Anna", "Loving Arms", "Married Him", and "The Place". Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include "Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". Suzie Super Groupie is a funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrison every came to a concept album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records, there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender", "Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". Set also features rare Junie cuts – including "Junie's Ultimate Departure", "Walt's Second Trip", "Tight Rope (single)", "Loving Arms (mono)", "If You Love Him (single)", "Super J (single)", and "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce (mono)". CD

A great document of the early genius of BB King – a set that brings together material recorded just over the space of a decade for the RPM/Kent label in LA – the company who gave BB a wonderful showcase in the years before he hopped over to a larger label and bigger fame! The material here is fantastic – and often has that light touch of jazz that would come when BB was working with like-minded players – mixing his own raw touches on guitar with sweet piano and tenor lines, the topping the whole thing with that vocal approach that really helped blues evolve more than a few notches, thanks to material like this! The set features 16 tracks in all – and titles include "Woke Up This Morning", "My Own Fault", "Whole Lotta Love", "You Upset Me Baby", "The Jungle", "Your Fool", "You're Breaking My Heart", "3 O'Clock Blues", "My Sometime Baby", and "Sweet Little Angel". CD

A great document of an early all-star jazz concert – recorded at Town Hall by a young Bob Shad – who's clearly working here in the same live territory as producer Norman Granz! There's a great sense of variety going on here – and the record's maybe worth it alone for an excellent performance by a trio with Gene Krupa on drums and Charlie Ventura on tenor – with only piano, and no other instrumentation – a great mode for both players! The album also features work from a quintet led by pianist Teddy Wilson with Flip Phillips on tenor – on the tune "Sweet & Lovely"; a trio with Billy Taylor on piano and Stuff Smith on violin, on "Perdido"; a fantastic duet between Don Byas' tenor and Slam Stewart's bass on "I Got Rhythm"; and a Red Norvo group with Shorty Rogers on trumpet and Flip Phillips on tenor, on the tunes "The Man I Love" and "One Note Jive". LP, Vinyl record album

Reedman Oliver Lake at his most creative – stepping out here on a sublime set of 70s improvisations – all put together with a really spiritual feel! There's a very open, collaborative feel to the music – and the set was recorded in St Louis, at a time when Lake was a key part of that city's scene – and who here also seems able to attract some other musicians from the AACM in Chicago as well! As a result, the album's a wonderful document of the new ideas bursting forth at the start of the 70s – that richly creative moment when local scenes were coming together in various cities to find new ways of jazz beyond Coltrane and Dolphy – giving a player like Lake some of the most imaginative outlets of his career. Oliver plays alto, soprano, flute, and other small instruments – and other players include Baikida Carroll and Floyd Leflore on trumpets, Joseph Bowie on trombone, John Hicks on piano, Clovis Bordeaux on electric piano, Don Officer on bass, Charles Bobo Shaw on drums, and Don Moye on congas too. Titles include "Africa", "Tse Lane", "Eriee", "Zip", and "Electric Freedom". CD

The first album by the second group to call themselves the Last Poets – and as fierce a document of their rich talents as you'll ever find – bursting forth with anger and righteousness at a level as tight as Gil Scott-Heron's first album! The group here is the key second lineup of the ensemble of wordsmiths – comprised of Abiodun Oyewole, Alafia Pudim, and Omar Ben Hassan, plus the percussionist Nilaja – and most cuts feature only spare percussion backing over the spoken protest poetry – delivered with a brutal edge that really sums up the righteous politics of the time. Titles include "Run, N****r", "On The Subway", "When The Revolution Comes", "Jones Comin' Down", "Black Thighs", "N*****s Are Scared Of Revolution", and "Wake Up, N*****s" – all of which should give you a good picture of what's going on with the record! CD

The first album by the second group to call themselves the Last Poets – and as fierce a document of their rich talents as you'll ever find – bursting forth with anger and righteousness at a level as tight as Gil Scott-Heron's first album! The group here is the key second lineup of the ensemble of wordsmiths – comprised of Abiodun Oyewole, Alafia Pudim, and Omar Ben Hassan, plus the percussionist Nilaja – and most cuts feature only spare percussion backing over the spoken protest poetry – delivered with a brutal edge that really sums up the righteous politics of the time. Titles include "Run, N*gger", "On The Subway", "When The Revolution Comes", "Jones Comin' Down", "Black Thighs", "N*ggers Are Scared Of Revolution", and "Wake Up, N*ggers" – all of which should give you a good picture of what's going on with the record! LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set of material from the Bay Area bassist James Leary – a package that brings together one rare album, and a whole host of unreleased recordings as well! The core album is Legacy – originally issued on the tiny Blue Collar label at the start of the 80s, and a wonderful set that features plenty of tenor work from Joe Henderson – a really much-needed document of Joe's tremendous sound during this under-recorded period of his career – and very heavy in those sharp, dark tones he used on the Mirror Mirror album! The rest of the group is great – a core combo with George Cables on piano, Eddie Marshall on drums, and Kenneth Nash on percussion – augmented by some larger backings at times, but always in a relatively subtle way that preserves the energy of the core. Titles from that session include "Twenty Five/Mister X", "Remember To Smile", "Today's Song", "So Far So Good", "Legacy", and "Wajumbe". CD also then features 90s recordings made by Leary with some mighty hip players in the southern Cali scene – a shifting lineup that features vocals from Dwight Trible on two numbers, plus trumpet from James Smith, tenor from George Harper, and piano from Eric Reed. Titles include "Song For My Mother", "Little Birds", "Come & Talk", "Together", and "Expose". CD