A light and sweet little score by George Duning – penned for this early 60s comedy that starred Sophia Loren and Cary Grant! The album's got a great vocal number – "Bing Bang Bong" – sung by Loren with DeVol orchestrations – and just the right sort of catchy 60s film number that often gets lost in the shuffle of time, due to studio contractual issues. The rest of the music moves from sweet themes to jazzier numbers – the latter of which are pretty great and upbeat, although played by an uncredited group. Titles include "Bing Bang Bong", "Houseboat Jump", "Houseboat Haven", "Cinzia Charleston", "Country Club Dance", "Country Club Swing", and "Cinzia Flips". CD

A magnificent set of two great Booker Ervin sessions recorded in the 60s, and not released until the mid 70s in this great Blue Note two-fer. Record one has also since come out under Horace Parlan's name as "Happy Frame of Mind", and is a great post-Mingus sextet with a tight group that includes Johnny Coles and Grant Green, and featuring some nice Randy Weston material. Record two's a bit more searching, and has Booker with Woody Shaw and Kenny Barron, and was recorded in 1968 – one of the last sessions before his tragic early death! LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest work ever issued by the great Georgie Fame – a 4-track EP that features all instrumental tracks with Georgie on the Hammond – serving up a unique groove that really spoke to the changing London scene of the time! The rhythms here are part of the package, and definitely echo some of the new immigrants and their styles arriving in West London – while Fame's solos on organ also show plenty of influence from American players too, both in the jazz and soul instrumental modes! Titles include "Rik's Tune", "JA Blues", "Orange Street", and "Stop Right Here". 7-inch, Vinyl record

Seminal material from the St Louis scene at the end of the 50s – and a record that's every bit as noteworthy for the tenor work of leader Jimmy Forrest as it is for an early appearance of the great Grant Green on guitar! Green was still working in the area at the time – a few years later, Lou Donaldson would pull him to New York – and although he and Forrest would soon get national placement on bigger labels (Blue Note and Prestige, respectively) – this early date is a great chapter from the start of their careers! The rest of the group is equally interesting – a very young Elvin Jones on drums, the great Harold Mabern on piano, and Gene Ramey on bass – and the vibe here is very much in the Prestige Records mode from the start of the soul jazz years. Titles include "Sunkenfoal", "Laura", "Myra", "Caravan", and "All The Gin Is Gone". CD features the bonus track "You Go To My Head". CD

Great material from the sessions for Jimmy Forrest's album All The Gin Is Gone – recorded by Delmark back in their early days, and done with an underground groove that Jimmy didn't always get on record! The core group on the album features players Jimmy was working with under the leadership of Harry Edison – drummer Elvin Jones, pianist Harold Mabern, and bassist Gene Ramey – and a very young Grant Green sits in on guitar on a few of the album's best numbers. Titles include alternates of tracks from All The Gin, plus other numbers new to the set – and tracks include "Dog It", "Black Forrest", "Sunkefoal", "These Foolish Things", "You Go To My Head", "All The Gin Is Gone", and "What's New". CD also features a previously unissued take of "These Foolish Things". CD

An unlikely contender to the throne of king of electro, this early 80s effort from Eddie Grant helps to prop him up there quite nicely. Heavy synth driven grooves bubble along nicely with that crisp Linn Drum sound, and though this album benefited from some wider pop appeal, there's more than a bit of Eddie's reggae side showing through too! Includes the massive "Electric Avenue", plus "Killer On The Rampage", "Latin Love Affair", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

You know, we can remember a time when Michael Cuscuna used to say that Grant Green's late sessions for Blue Note were just a bunch of throwaway funk records. Now, though, the label seems to be doing everything it can to get behind Green's late 60s/early 70s jazz output – and this compilation of rare breakbeat tracks is total proof of that! The set's got 6 funky guitar groovers, including Grant's version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", plus "The Final Comedown", "Ease Back", "Sookie Sookie", and "Cataloupe Woman". CD

Firey guitar work from one of the all-time greats! Grant Green was one of the most incredible jazz guitarists of all time, and his early Blue Note work has always been some of the best guitar jazz ever recorded. With this great album, Blue Note has finally unearthed an amazing early session by Green – recorded in trio format with drummer Ben Dixon and organist John Patton. Both Patton and Green originally hailed from St. Louis, but were picked up on a tour by Lou Donaldson to join his band – and brought by Donaldson to Blue Note when the group hit New York. This set of tracks, dedicated to their boss, shows Patton and Green in sparkling interplay – trading lines with an ease, confidence, and rawness that would make most other organ/guitar teams weep with joy to achieve! The CD's a perfect one if you're a fan of Green's First Stand or Green Street albums – and it includes the tracks "Blues For Lou", "Big John", "Look At That Girl", and "This Little Girl Of Mine". CD

A rare one from Grant Green – recorded in 1962, but not issued until this first pressing of the material, in 1985. The set's one of Green's early classics recorded with pianist Sonny Clark – a deeply soulful player who really had the right feel for Green's more lyrical soul jazz numbers. The rest of the group includes Ike Quebec on tenor, plus Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. The tracks are laidback and introspective – but still have enough of a groove to fit with Green's best work at the time. Titles include "Count Every Star", "If I Should Lose You", "Born To Be Blue", and "My One And Only Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Grant Green has been getting a lot of attention lately for his heavy-duty funk work of the late 60s, it's the subtly beautiful work of the early 60's that first caught our attention years ago. From the start of his young career, Green was an amazing player who had developed a unique single-note approach to soloing that was positively riveting. And while his appearances on other Blue Note albums were filled with a heavy soul jazz sound that had Green playing next to organ and tenor, material like this gives you a perfect chance to hear how well he could swing a group on his own, with little other accompaniment than a tight rhythm section, and some soulful piano from Sonny Clark. None of this material was issued at the time. Includes material that appeared on the later albums Gooden's Corner, Oleo, Born To Be Blue, and Nigeria – plus tracks from The World Of Jazz Guitar, and Blue & Sentimental by Ike Quebec. LP, Vinyl record album

Although Grant Green has been getting a lot of attention lately for his heavy-duty funk work of the late 60s, it's the subtly beautiful work of the early 60's that first caught our attention years ago. From the start of his young career, Green was an amazing player who had developed a unique single-note approach to soloing that was positively riveting. And while his appearances on other Blue Note albums were filled with a heavy soul jazz sound that had Green playing next to organ and tenor, material like this gives you a perfect chance to hear how well he could swing a group on his own, with little other accompaniment than a tight rhythm section, and some soulful piano from Sonny Clark. None of this material was issued at the time – and even though some of it came out around 1980 as a limited release titled Oleo, the rest of it's only ever been out in Japan. Now, though, this stunning 2CD set brings forth a whopping batch of 19 tracks from the prime of Green's career, and believe us, it's been worth the wait! Tracks include "Hip Funk", "Two For One", "Gooden's Corner", "Shadrack", and "Airegin". CD

Grant Green's last session as a leader – and although the tracks are a bit slicker than earlier work, the album's still pretty darn nice. The tracks are long in a CTI-type funky jazz mode, with arrangements by Mario Sprouse, and a nice little Latin feel to some of the best numbers. Green's solo ability is still quite good – and on the more uptempo tunes, he solos with that versatility and amazing dexterity that you'd find on his best earlier sessions. Other tracks have him in a mellower, more chromatic and Wes Montgomery-inspired mode – and titles include "Empanada", "Three Times A Day", "Nighttime In The Switching Yard", "Easy", and "Wave". LP, Vinyl record album

An early moment of genius from the great Grant Green – a set that's a real standout from his other Blue Note albums of the time – even though all of those are plenty darn great as well! Grant's working here with an unusual group – Yusef Lateef on tenor and flute, making a rare Blue Note appearance, and playing with a very soulful, very hardbop edge – and the excellent Jack McDuff on Hammond – a musician who wouldn't show up more at the label for a few more years! Tracks are nice and long, with an open, loping rhythm that's perfect for all three soloists – thanks to Al Harewood on drums, who really helps open things up for Green. Titles include "Grantstand", "My Funny Valentine", "Blues In Maude's Flat", and "Old Folks" – all done in nicely relaxed takes. LP, Vinyl record album

An early moment of genius from the great Grant Green – a set that's a real standout from his other Blue Note albums of the time – even though all of those are plenty darn great as well! Grant's working here with an unusual group – Yusef Lateef on tenor and flute, making a rare Blue Note appearance, and playing with a very soulful, very hardbop edge – and the excellent Jack McDuff on Hammond – a musician who wouldn't show up more at the label for a few more years! Tracks are nice and long, with an open, loping rhythm that's perfect for all three soloists – thanks to Al Harewood on drums, who really helps open things up for Green. Titles include "Grantstand", "My Funny Valentine", "Blues In Maude's Flat", and "Old Folks" – all done in nicely relaxed takes. CD also features a bonus track – "Green's Greenery". This is the newly remastered version, with crisp sound and additional notes and photos! CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! CD features 2 bonus alternate takes! CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! Also includes two alternate takes. CD

A rare early chapter in the career of guitarist Grant Green – local material, cut in his hometown of St Louis – in the years before Lou Donaldson picked him up and delivered him to Blue Note Records! Amazingly, though, the Grant Green heard here is every bit as great as the guitarist who emerged strongly on his early Blue Note dates as a leader – a smoking soloist with a strong talent for single-line grooving – working here in a hip organ combo that features Sam Lazar on Hammond and Bob Graf on tenor sax! Lazar's got a mean bite to his organ, and pairs beautifully with Green – and together, the players hit a groove that's gritty, yet which has surprisingly strong fidelity – more than enough to make the record an essential piece of Grant's catalog. The CD's hardly a muddy live recording, and instead has surprisingly great fidelity – and lots of long tracks with open solos, on titles that include "Deep", "Blue Train", "Holy Barbarian Blues", "Caramu", "Grovvin High", and "Out Of Nowhere". CD

A warmly melodic session from Blue Note's greatest guitarist! The sound of the set's as evocative as the title – an idle moment of space between the notes, explored by Green's tight single-note work on guitar – and wonderfully supported by a lineup that includes Joe Henderson on tenor, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, and Duke Pearson on piano – all working in a surprising blend of modern ideas and warmer lyricism. Hutcherson and Pearson are always a treat together – bringing out the best exotic side of each other, and crafting a set of spiritually soulful grooves that are really great! The album's got four long tracks – exploratory and open, in the best manner of Green's mid 60s work – and titles include "Nomad", "Idle Moments", and "Jean De Fleur". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare funky treasure – lost live material from Grant Green's hippest years at Blue Note – recorded in the early 70s funky years, but unissued for decades! The set's an incredibly smoking one – with loads of long tracks that really stretch out in a hard-hitting, bottom-heavy funky mode – no surprise, considering that Idris Muhammad's on drums, as part of a lineup that also includes Ronnie Foster on organ, Houston Person on tenor, and the more obscure Clarence Thomas on soprano sax and tenor! The groove here is a bit more Prestige jazz funk than Blue Note – the kind of rough-edged and spontaneous vibe that Rusty Bryant, Leon Spencer, and others cooked up during the early 70s on some of their best classics for that label – but Green's a perfect person to catch the spirit of that wildfire, and jams long and nicely here on 8 tracks that include "Farid", "Jan Jan", "One More Chance", "Patches", "I Am Somebody", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Bottom Of The Barrel", and "Walk On By". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual album from Grant Green – a record that's quite different than his earlier records for Blue Note, but still pretty darn great overall! Grant's working here in a large group – Kudu style – with arrangements by David Matthews, but a sound that's still pretty lean overall! There's a fair bit of great players in the lineup – including Jon Faddis on trumpet, Hubert Laws on flute, and Joe Farrell on tenor – and the horns soar out nicely to set the scene over some tightly stepping backings – all served up with plenty of room for Grant to solo spaciously on guitar! The title track – "The Main Attraction" – is nearly 20 minutes long – and the other two tracks, "Creature" and "Future Feature", both approach the 10 minute mark themselves! LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". CD also features "Nancy" and an alternate of "Airegin". CD

A real standout in the career of guitarist Grant Green – and that's really saying a lot, as every one of his albums is pretty darn special! The set's a trio date, but it's very different than the mode that Grant was using just a few years before – as it's an early pairing with organist Larry Young, and both players take off in all these really wonderful new directions – working with just the drums of Elvin Jones for accompaniment, a player whose Coltrane-trained sense of rhythm brings Green and Young to the height of their early powers! The songs are open and loose, and the set includes two killer early Young compositions – "Talkin About JC" and "Luny Tune" – plus takes on "People", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A real standout in the career of guitarist Grant Green – and that's really saying a lot, as every one of his albums is pretty darn special! The set's a trio date, but it's very different than the mode that Grant was using just a few years before – as it's an early pairing with organist Larry Young, and both players take off in all these really wonderful new directions – working with just the drums of Elvin Jones for accompaniment, a player whose Coltrane-trained sense of rhythm brings Green and Young to the height of their early powers! The songs are open and loose, and the set includes two killer early Young compositions – "Talkin About JC" and "Luny Tune" – plus takes on "People", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A real standout in the career of guitarist Grant Green – and that's really saying a lot, as every one of his albums is pretty darn special! The set's a trio date, but it's very different than the mode that Grant was using just a few years before – as it's an early pairing with organist Larry Young, and both players take off in all these really wonderful new directions – working with just the drums of Elvin Jones for accompaniment, a player whose Coltrane-trained sense of rhythm brings Green and Young to the height of their early powers! The songs are open and loose, and the set includes two killer early Young compositions – "Talkin About JC" and "Luny Tune" – plus takes on "People", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". CD

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great record from French rocker Johnny Hallyday – a great artist who's really letting his style open up here – recording in London, and using some modes that are a bit funky at times, and also touched with some elements that were coming out of the LA scene at the start of the 70s too! Arrangements are mostly by Mickey Jones and Tommy Brown, who'd done some excellent work with Hallyday on earlier records – and the music is kind of a post-Muscle Shoals/Memphis sound, with lots of soulful piano, bubbling organ riffs, riffing guitar, and backings that are generally more in the soul/rock camp than in Hallyday's earlier pop rock style – all of which seems to really bring out some great qualities in Johnny's vocals too! Titles include "La Joi", "L'Autre Motif", "Flagrant Delit", "Fils De Personne", and "Fille De La Nuit". 2LP set features a full bonus record of unissued material from the original sessions – lots of alternate takes, and the unissued tunes "Waterloo" and "Reste". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great record from French rocker Johnny Hallyday – a great artist who's really letting his style open up here – recording in London, and using some modes that are a bit funky at times, and also touched with some elements that were coming out of the LA scene at the start of the 70s too! Arrangements are mostly by Mickey Jones and Tommy Brown, who'd done some excellent work with Hallyday on earlier records – and the music is kind of a post-Muscle Shoals/Memphis sound, with lots of soulful piano, bubbling organ riffs, riffing guitar, and backings that are generally more in the soul/rock camp than in Hallyday's earlier pop rock style – all of which seems to really bring out some great qualities in Johnny's vocals too! Titles include "La Joi", "L'Autre Motif", "Flagrant Delit", "Fils De Personne", and "Fille De La Nuit". This totally cool package is filled with great material – a CD and LP version of the original album, then a bonus CD and LP that features a full bonus record of unissued material from the original sessions – lots of alternate takes, and the unissued tunes "Waterloo" and "Reste". Also features a 3rd CD, with a full Paris live show from September of 1971 – and a 4th CD that features another French live show from August of 1971. Also includes a DVD with an interview with Philippe Labro too. Plus, the whole thing comes in a heavy book-style package with a huge 48 page booklet of images and notes! LP, Vinyl record album

French rocker Johnny Hallyday hits the 70s, with a sound and style that's a bit funky, and a bit touched by some of the crossover American trends coming out of the LA rock scene. This one's arranged mostly by Mickey Jones and Tommy Brown, who'd done some excellent work with Hallyday on earlier records – and the music is kind of a post-Muscle Shoals/Memphis sound, with lots of honky tonk piano, bubbling organ riffs, and backings that are generally more in the soul/rock camp than in Hallyday's earlier pop rock style. Titles include "La Joi", "L'Autre Motif", "Flagrant Delit", "Fils De Personne", and "Fille De La Nuit". CD

Classic Herbie Hancock from the early years – and a great mix of soul jazz and modernist inspiration! The record include a nice groovy "hit" – Herbie's "Blind Man Blind Man" – an obvious follow-up to "Watermelon Man", but still a standout track with a lot of imagination, and a fierce soul jazz hook that just won't quit! The rest of the record, while also groovy, starts to show many more signs of Herbie's far-reaching conception – especially shared with players like Tony Williams on drums, Grachan Moncur on trombone, and Chuck Israels on bass – who all work with Herbie in a larger than usual group that also includes Grant Green on guitar, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Hank Mobley on tenor. The lineup is as great as it sounds on paper – and the larger setting really helps expand Herbie's new ideas – on tunes that include "Blind Man Blind Man", "And What If I Don't", "A Tribute To Someone", "King Cobra", and "The Pleasure Is Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of rare albums from reedman Noah Howard – back to back in a single set! First up is the Noah Howard Quartet album from 1966 – one of the most obscure albums on the ESP label in the 60s – and a brilliant early chapter in the career of reedman Noah Howard! Howard is maybe best known for his contributions to the European scene from the end of the 60s into the 70s – but here, he's already a stunning giant on the New York scene – blowing alto with a sound that's very much all his own, and which makes his performance here as both a soloist and leader a key part of the early ESP label legacy. The group is piano-less – a unique ensemble with Ric Colbeck on trumpet, Scotty Holt on bass, and Dave Grant on percussion – all unknown players, but great partners for Howard on the record – on titles that include "Henry's Street", "Apotheosis", "Apotheosis Extension I", and "And About Love". At Judson Hall features a brilliant live performance from the young Noah Howard – working here at a level that's very much on the most spiritual side of the ESP label spectrum, and which also shows the new level of inventive group structures that were coming into play on the New York scene at the time! The record's got a sense of soulful structure and individual freedom that's a bit like the classics of Archie Shepp at the time – as Howard blows alto alongside trumpeter Ric Colbeck, an unusual player who was also on his quartet studio session for the label. A young Dave Burrell makes a great appearance on piano, alongside the bass of Sirone, cello of Catherine Norris, and percussion of Bobby Kapp – as the group make their way through two side-long tracks, "This Place Called Earth" and "Homage To Coltrane". CD

A session originally issued under the name of Curtis Fuller – titled Boss Of The Soul Stream Trombone! We're not sure what "soul-stream" is as a genre – but given the strength of this record, we'd be more than willing to grant it onto Curtis Fuller all by himself! The record's a gem that's even more obscure than Fuller's already-rare dates for Blue Note at the end of the 50s – a crack set done for the Warwick label, and one that features an all-star group who've got a great blend of modern edges and soulful rhythms. Alongside Fuller's trombone, other players include Yusef Lateef on tenor and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Walter Bishop on piano, Buddy Catlett on bass, and Stu Martin on drums – making a rare early appearance here. Titles include "If I Were A Bell", "Do I Love You", "Chantized", "Flutie", "The Court", and "Mr L". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest lost sessions ever! Legendary vibist Bobby Hutcherson recorded this set of tracks in his early days with Blue Note – but the set's never come out until now, and its release is cause for rejoicing! The material shows Hutcherson playing in a straight-ahead format, tinged with some of the modernist new thing elements of other recordings from the time, but mostly filled with a soulfulness not always heard on his Blue Note albums at the time. The group includes Duke Pearson on piano, whose lovely lyrical approach works perfectly with Hutcherson's vibes. Joe Henderson plays some great hard-edged tenor, cutting nicely through all the tracks – and Grant Green sits in on half of the material, playing some nice spiralling modal lines on guitar. Many of these titles have been recorded in other versions on later Blue Note albums – but they're all in fantastic versions here, including "Bedouin", "The Kicker", "Step Lightly", and "Mirrors". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest lost sessions ever! Legendary vibist Bobby Hutcherson recorded this set of tracks in his early days with Blue Note – but the set's never come out until now, and its release is cause for rejoicing! The material shows Hutcherson playing in a straight-ahead format, tinged with some of the modernist new thing elements of other recordings from the time, but mostly filled with a soulfulness not always heard on his Blue Note albums at the time. The group includes Duke Pearson on piano, whose lovely lyrical approach works perfectly with Hutcherson's vibes. Joe Henderson plays some great hard-edged tenor, cutting nicely through all the tracks – and Grant Green sits in on half of the material, playing some nice spiralling modal lines on guitar. Many of these titles have been recorded in other versions on later Blue Note albums – but they're all in fantastic versions here, including "Bedouin", "The Kicker", "Step Lightly", and "Mirrors". CD

Vibes and orchestrations – a combination that makes for one of the coolest Bobby Hutcherson albums of the 70s – a really magical set that expands the sound of Bobby's work in ways we wouldn't have expected! The style is similar to that used with Grant Green and Lou Donaldson at the time on Blue Note – a style that's clearly trying for the more sophisticated sounds of CTI, and which beautifully balances the modes of presentation – so that there's still plenty of soulful moments and slyly funky bits alongside the strings and woodwinds in the orchestrations – proof that a record like this can be really brilliant if scored properly! Some moments get a bit modern and dark – almost in a William S Fischer kind of way – and titles include the great track "Rain Every Thursday", which begins with an excellent break – plus "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", "Sophisticated Ladies", "When You're Near", "Shirl", and "Lush Life". CD

Three albums from Dutch drummer Eric Ineke – served up in a single set! Dexternity is a tribute to the music of Dexter Gordon, one that's led by drummer Eric Ineke, and which features the reed talents of Sjoerd Dijkhuizen on Dexter's role – blowing both tenor and a bit of soprano sax! The rest of the group features Rik Mol on trumpet, Rob Van Bavel on piano, and Marius Beets on bass – and titles include "The Panther", "Body And Soul", "Soy Califa", "Cheese Cake", "Boston Bernie", and "Fried Bananas". Meets The Tenor Players is a selection of tracks from different sessions, all of which feature drummer Eric Ineke interacting with a range of famous tenorists – including some key American players recording overseas! The set features work from Dexter Gordon, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Clifford Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Lucky Thompson, Goerge Coleman, and Grant Stewart – each of whom play on their own tracks – with piano work from players who include Rein De Graaff, Rob Agerbeek, and Rob Madna. Titles include "Let There Be Life Love & Laughter", "Prayer To The People", "Walkin", "Lady Bird", "Stablemates", and "Wee". Cruisin is a later date from Dutch drummer Eric Ineke, but one that maybe burns with even more fire than some of his earlier albums – thanks to the work of some great musicians in the quintet! At some points, the group takes off in strongly soulful hardbop formation – but at others, they can equally slide into a slightly modern mode, but all without losing their swing at all – a performance that's given plenty of focus from Ineke's drumming, and topped with these warmly lyrical piano lines from Rob Van Bavel, plus trumpet from Rik Mol, tenor and bass clarinet from Sjoerd Dijkhuizen, and bass from Marius Beets. Titles include "Oak City", "When We Were One", "Just A Tune For You", "What Is This", "Cruising", and "Seven On The Richter Scale". CD

A classic bit of London funky guitar from Ronny Jordan – the heir apparent to Grant Green and Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones – and one of the best new players of his generation! The set takes the older funky guitar styles of the 60s soul jazz generation, and fuses it with a 90s nujazz approach – to come up with some tight groovers that have a surprisingly classic feel, yet which also sparkle with the fresher sounds of the time – some of the hip rhythms that were bubbling around in London during the Talking Loud and early Acid Jazz years. Titles include a great remake of "So What", the jazz/hip hop classic "Get To Grips", and the cuts "Cool & Funky", "Summer Smile", "Show Me", "Nite Spice", and "After Hours". CD

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

The third in Led Zeppelin's spectacular run of early albums – each one either matching or topping its predecessor, depending on one's personal favorite – and a record with an influence that's as massive as the sound! The record's got a pair of of Zep's best-remembered songs in "Immigrant Song" and their take on the traditional "Gallows Pole", but the whole thing is great – and a great balance of their earlier bombast with a lot more acoustic moments. Other tracks include "Friends", "Celebration Day", "Tangerine" and "Hats Off (To Roy Harper)". LP, Vinyl record album

The third in Led Zeppelin's spectacular run of early albums – each one either matching or topping its predecessor, depending on one's personal favorite – and a record with an influence that's as massive as the sound! The record's got a pair of of Zep's best-remembered songs in "Immigrant Song" and their take on the traditional "Gallows Pole", but the whole thing is great – and a great balance of their earlier bombast with a lot more acoustic moments. Other tracks include "Friends", "Celebration Day", "Tangerine" and "Hats Off (To Roy Harper)". LP, Vinyl record album

The third in Led Zeppelin's spectacular run of early albums – each one either matching or topping its predecessor, depending on one's personal favorite – and a record with an influence that's as massive as the sound! The record's got a pair of of Zep's best-remembered songs in "Immigrant Song" and their take on the traditional "Gallows Pole", but the whole thing is great – and a great balance of their earlier bombast with a lot more acoustic moments. Other tracks include "Friends", "Celebration Day", "Tangerine" and "Hats Off (To Roy Harper)". LP, Vinyl record album

The third in Led Zeppelin's spectacular run of early albums – each one either matching or topping its predecessor, depending on one's personal favorite – and a record with an influence that's as massive as the sound! The record's got a pair of of Zep's best-remembered songs in "Immigrant Song" and their take on the traditional "Gallows Pole", but the whole thing is great – and a great balance of their earlier bombast with a lot more acoustic moments. Other tracks include "Friends", "Celebration Day", "Tangerine" and "Hats Off (To Roy Harper)". CD

One of the records that put a young Brother Jack McDuff on the map – and a perfect example of the rougher R&B roots that first emerged in his early work on the Hammond! The session's got a much more down-n-dirty feel than some of McDuff's tighter 60s quartet work – and offers a nice bridge between 50s use of the organ in R&B, and the growing soul jazz take on the instrument that McDuff was helping to forge at the time. The group's a real cooker too – with some great work on guitar by a young Grant Green, smoking tenor from Jimmy Forrest, and lyrically dancing drums from the great Ben Dixon. Titles include the great original "Whap!", plus versions of "I Want A Little Girl" and "The Honeydripper" – and an excellent reading of Henry Mancini's "Mr Lucky", virtually worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare second chapter to Mobley's famous Workout album – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until the mid 80s – and even then, only momentarily on vinyl! The session's a great one – a quartet outing with a structure that's similar to Hank's classic Soul Station record, but which is a bit more fluid and free-thinking overall! The long tracks give Mobley plenty of room to open up on his solos – really commanding the record with his deeply soulful tone and strong sense of timing. Other players include Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums (plus Grant Green on one track) – and titles include "Out Of Joe's Bag", "I Should Care", "Getting & Jettin", "Hank's Other Soul", and "Three Coins In A Fountain". LP, Vinyl record album

5 albums from Lee Morgan – one of the coolest cats to ever handle a trumpet for Blue Note! First up is Delightfulee – really unique album from the great Lee Morgan – a set that features the trumpeter in two different settings, but in a way that really works well together! Most of the album has Lee blowing in a very cool quintet – with Joe Henderson on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a group who maybe bring out a slightly hipper vibe that really points the way to the rest of Morgan's direction in the late 60s, when he was really letting some more spiritual currents loose. The other two tracks on the record feature a hip larger band directed by Oliver Nelson – swinging hard in a really soulful style! Nelson's arrangements on these two tracks are great – quite progressive, with a soul jazz big band style that seems to point the way towards the 70s – and the band provides a raging backdrop that lets Lee's trumpet soar over the top in beautiful crystal clear solos. Titles include "Nite Flite", "Delightful Deggie", "Ca-Lee-So", and "Zambia". Also features a few bonus tracks. The Cooker is a very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". Lee Way is an undisputed masterpiece by Lee Morgan – and one of the first records in which he shed his straight bop sensibility, and began evolving into a soulful genius for the 60s! The album's got 4 long tracks that all build beautifully – really extended numbers that break the format of some of Lee's earlier work, and hint a bit at some of the more complicated touches he'd use on later sessions. All players are great – and include fellow Jazz Messengers Bobby Timmons on piano and Art Blakey on drums, plus Jackie McLean on alto and Paul Chambers on bass. Titles include the sublime "These Are Soulful Days" – a perfect model of soulful lyricism – plus "Midtown Blues", "Nakatini Suite", and "The Lion & The Wolff". Rumproller often gets too easily lumped next to The Sidewinder – because of an obvious title and cover similarity to that hit record – but like that one, the album's far more than jazz cliche – and shows Lee Morgan to be one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 60s. The set starts off with the title cut, "The Rumproller" – hard-wailing soul bop, in the manner of Lee's most popular work – but then it easily flows into more sensitive material that has a freer, lyrical feel – like the great original tune "Eclipso" and Wayne Shorter's "Edda" – both of which are superb. Lee is astounding, as always, on trumpet – and the rest of the group includes the great Ronnie Matthews on piano, plus Joe Henderson, Victor Sproles, and Billy Higgins. Search For The New Land is a brilliant album that proves that even at the height of his success, Lee Morgan was one of the freest thinkers on Blue Note – always coming up with fresh ideas that continued to grow his talents! The first cut on the album is keen poof of that fact – the title track "Search For The New Land" – a beautiful 16 minute exploration of modal jazz themes, with an unusual stop/start device as a means of ushering solos by different bandmates – including Wayne Shorter on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, and Herbie Hancock on piano! The approach is unlike anything that Morgan ever did before – and unlike most of other Blue Note as well – and it also benefits from great rhythmic help from Reggie Workman on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Other tunes are a bit more conventional, but still pretty special – like some of Morgan's inventive work on the Rajah albums – with titles that include "The Joker", "Melancholee", "Mr. Kenyatta" and "Morgan The Pirate". CD

A hilarious set of tracks pulled from the early days of the National Lampoon Radio Hour – featuring work by a number of talents who'd go on to rule comedy in the 70s and 80s: Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Christopher Guest, Bryan Doyle & Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Gilda Radner. The tracks are all pretty darn hilarious – with the kind of edge, biting satire, and freewheeling farce that graced the early Saturday Night Live sketches – made all that much better because the tunes were recorded for freeform FM stations at late night hours. Titles include "The Immigrants", "Save The Whales", "Deteriorata", "Kung Fu Christmas", and "I'm A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the sweetest little jazz funk albums of the early 70s – and a masterful blend of vibes, guitar, and organ from this legendary Indianapolis combo! The group are probably best known for their backing work behind Grant Green on some of his funky Blue Note sides – or for vibes player Billy Wooten, who leads the group, and has had a huge influence on his own these days – but even if you've never heard of them, the record will grab you right away – as it's got a sinister funky groove that few other groups could hope to match! There's a really unique blend of vibes, guitar, and organ going on here – and although the record does have a bit of vocals, the main focus here is on the instrumentation – which jams together in ways that are unlike most other funk combos of the time, including a good number of the group's contemporaries at Westbound! Sweet original tracks include "Monkey Hips 'n Rice", "Looking Through The Windows", and "Dark Clouds Risin", plus a stellar cover of "Slippin' Into Darkness". CD

Seminal soulful bop! Horace Parlan's Blue Note sides remain some of the most collectible recordings in the label's discography, and this dynamite collection brings all of the pianists work as a leader into one place! This set includes all of the albums Movin' & Groovin', Us Three, Speakin' My Piece, Headin' South, On The Spur Of The Moment, Up & Down and Happy Frame Of Mind. Sidemen include Stanley and Tommy Turrentine, Booker Ervin, Grant Green, Johnny Coles, George Tucker, Ray Barretto and Al Harewood. There's a total of 52 tracks spread out over 5 discs, with titles that include "Up In Cynthia's Room", "Lady Bird", "Us Three", "Wadin'", "Return Engagement", "Headin' South", "Low Down", "Congalegre", "Borderline", "Rastus", "Speakin' My Piece", "On The Spur Of The Moment", "Skoo Chee", "Al's Tune", "The Book's Beat", "Fugee", "The Other Part Of Town", "Lonely One", "Home Is Africa", "A Tune For Richard", "Back From The Gig", "Dexi", "Kucheza Blues", and "Happy Frame Of Mind". CD

A really unusual album from the mighty Hammond giant John Patton – as the set features two tenor players in the group, both of them great! The tenor's no stranger to the sublime keyboard work of Patton – but here, the great one gets help from both Fred Jackson and Harold Vick – both of whom are at their early 60s soul jazz best, able to play with a hard edge, but also some surprisingly complicated moments too – which really fits into the spirit of Patton's overall groove! The group also features great guitar from Grant Green – one of his key pairings with the organist – plus drums from the wonderful Ben Dixon, who's got a fluid, open approach to rhythm that really works well with John's basslines from the Hammond. Titles include "Gee Gee", "Pig Foots", "Spiffy Diffy", "Along Came John", and the classic modal groover "The Silver Meter". CD

A wonderful package – four full albums by one of the most unique groups of their time! First up is These Things Too – the first Reprise album from Pearls Before Swine – a bit more straight ahead and folksy than their work for ESP – but in a really great way, one that lets you hear the best of Tom Rapp's amazing songs and vocals! The album follows in a tradition that includes Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Leonard Cohen, and Fred Neil – but it's also got a really unique style that's the unique province of Tom Rapp – the main force behind the group, and the voice on all of the tunes. Rapp's vision was quite unique for the time – not nearly as revolutionary or personally preoccupied – more sad at the fading world, and granted with a unique ability to paint any subject in shades of blue. Titles include "Wizard Of Is", "Frog In The Window", "Footnote", "Look Into Her Eyes", "These Things Too", and "Mon Amour". Use Of Ashes is an incredibly beautiful album from Pearls Before Swine – one that uses light orchestrations to create a baroquely folksy sort of feel – easily elevating the album past previous efforts, into classic territory we'd rank with the best from Nick Drake or Leonard Cohen! The whole album's great – with fragile and haunting songs from Tom Rapp, all supported by sparsely arranged instrumentation that includes harpsichord, flute, oboe, cello, and dobro. Genius throughout – and a clear inspiration for music still being made 30 years later – with classic tracks that include "The Jeweler", "Rocket Man", "Song About A Rose", "The Old Man", "When The War Began", and "From The Movie Of The Same Name". Next is Beautiful Lies You Could Live In – one of the most perfectly formed albums ever recorded by Tom Rapp's enigmatic group Pearls Before Swine – a record that does an incredible job of skirting between Rapp's earthy sense of the planet's passing, and his ambitions for larger forums of expression. The core group is lightly folksy – with strong use of acoustic guitar that goes far beyond any folk rock cliches – plus some additional arrangements that feature contributions from the team of Bob Dorough and Stu Scharf, who seem to have a habit of appearing on under-discovered gems like this one, and making them sound all that more hip! The whole thing's great – filled with beautiful songs that should have been as over-recorded as the best by Tim Hardin or Leonard Cohen – with titles that are even better, too! Tracks include "Snow Queen", "A Life", "Butterflies", "Simple Things", "Freedom", "She's Gone", and "Island Lady". Last up is City Of Gold – a return to folksier forms for Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine – working here in territory that's very different than some of the baroque light arrangements used on previous records. Rapp's emerging as a more confident singer/songwriter – recording in an almost Dylan-like setting, but with more of the irony of Leonard Cohen, and as always, working in a timeless idiom that's still beginning to be understood more than 30 years after its inception. Beautiful work throughout – as earthy as it is majestic – and with titles that include "My Father", "The Man", "Once Upon A Time", "City Of Gold", "Nancy", and "Wedding". CD

Notable sidemen include Sonny Clark, Milt Hinton, Art Blakey, Grant Green, Sonny Clark, and Freddie Roach. CD

Moody late night tenor musings by one of Blue Note's greatest talents of the early 60s! The album's a classic through and through – and the tenor of the mighty Ike Quebec is set up nicely in a solid quartet with Grant Green on guitar, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. There's no piano on the album, which really opens things up a lot, and lets the guitar/tenor lines get all snakey and introspective – with just the right dose of "blue" and "sentimental" to sweeten things up without getting all gooey! A seminal bit of Ike Quebec – and proof that he was one of Blue Note's greatest discoveries ever! Titles include "Minor Impulse", "Blues For Charlie", and "Like". CD

A really wonderful album from the height of the exotica years – but a set that's got a fair bit more jazz in the mix than most from that generation too! Gene Rains plays vibes – and moves between moodier moments, ala Martin Denny/Arthur Lyman, and more straightforward jazz styles – which often have some great modal elements in the mix! The Rains group played hotels in Hawaii during the late 50s and early 60s – but are maybe more like a Pacific take on territory of the Quartette Tres Bien, thanks to strong work from Allen Watanabe on drums, Archie Grant on bass, and Byron Peterson on piano. Titles include "Mapuana", "Bancock Cock Fight", "Tiki", "Off Shore", "Shadow Of Love", "Jasmine & Jade", and "Lonely Winter". CD

Rare work from Jimmy Riley – a 70s singer who never fully got his due, but who rubbed shoulders with all the best on the Kingston scene, and made some mighty great music in the process! Jimmy's the father of Taurus Riley – the contemporary vocalist – but may well be a more expressive talent in his own right, as you'll hear in these powerful tracks from the late 70s, which include a number of great protest and political numbers, set to slow-stepping, head-nodding rhythms. A few cuts here are offered up in both original takes and versions, and most are pretty darn obscure, but pulled together with the always-great Pressure Sounds level of care and class. Titles include "Gunman Of JA", "From The Ghetto", "Westcoast", "Five Thanks & Praise", "Tell The Youths The Truth", "Majority Rule", "Bridge The Gap", "Poor Immigrant", and "Everyone Needs Money". CD

With Tony Rizzi on lead guitar and arrangements, Tim May on rhythm guitar, Grant Geissman on second guitar and solos, Bruce Lofgren on third guitar, Michael Rosati on fourth guitar, John Pereti on drums, Wiliam Von Ravensbeg on bass, Tom Ranier on Fender Rhodes, clavinette, and synthesizer, and Doublas Thompson on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

An early gem from Buffy Sainte Marie – still working here in a very stripped-down, folk-based style – one that brings an incredible focus on her vocals and guitar! Buffy's only got a bit of bass backing her up here – which leaves the lady to carry the album mostly by herself, and often with this sense of power that we don't remember as strongly in her later records – a subtle drama to the vocals that might come off cloying in the hands of another singer, but which really hits to the core here. Production is perfect – crystal-clear, but without trying to polish the music at all – and titles include "Groundhog", "Must I Go Bound", "Fixin To Die", "Lazarus", "Many A Mile", "Broke Down Girl", "Welcome Welcome Emigrante", and "The Piney Wood Hills". CD

A fantastic new chapter in music from Cecile McLorin Salvant – a singer who's only been with us for a little more than a decade, has already gotten a Grammy and a MacArthur Genius Grant – yet hasn't let that stop her from being even more creative than ever! Cecile's still very much a jazz singer at the core, but there's also an expressive range here that we might never have guessed on her earlier records – and that's saying a lot, as those albums really blew us away! The singer's really breaking out of just the world of jazz vocals here – rising with star power, ala Gregory Porter or Esperanza Spaulding – but also maybe going deeper at the same time too. Titles include a surprising remake of "Wuthering Heights", plus "Thunderclouds", "Unquiet Grae", "Moon Song", "Trail Mix", "The World Is Mean", "Obligation", "Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying", "I Lost My Mind", and "Dead Popular". CD

A fantastic new chapter in music from Cecile McLorin Salvant – a singer who's only been with us for a little more than a decade, has already gotten a Grammy and a MacArthur Genius Grant – yet hasn't let that stop her from being even more creative than ever! Cecile's still very much a jazz singer at the core, but there's also an expressive range here that we might never have guessed on her earlier records – and that's saying a lot, as those albums really blew us away! The singer's really breaking out of just the world of jazz vocals here – rising with star power, ala Gregory Porter or Esperanza Spaulding – but also maybe going deeper at the same time too. Titles include a surprising remake of "Wuthering Heights", plus "Thunderclouds", "Unquiet Grae", "Moon Song", "Trail Mix", "The World Is Mean", "Obligation", "Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying", "I Lost My Mind", and "Dead Popular". CD

A fantastic new chapter in music from Cecile McLorin Salvant – a singer who's only been with us for a little more than a decade, has already gotten a Grammy and a MacArthur Genius Grant – yet hasn't let that stop her from being even more creative than ever! Cecile's still very much a jazz singer at the core, but there's also an expressive range here that we might never have guessed on her earlier records – and that's saying a lot, as those albums really blew us away! The singer's really breaking out of just the world of jazz vocals here – rising with star power, ala Gregory Porter or Esperanza Spaulding – but also maybe going deeper at the same time too. Titles include a surprising remake of "Wuthering Heights", plus "Thunderclouds", "Unquiet Grae", "Moon Song", "Trail Mix", "The World Is Mean", "Obligation", "Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying", "I Lost My Mind", and "Dead Popular". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of early Boz Scaggs albums – back to back on a single set! My Time is Boz Scaggs at the height of his early powers – still very much in the best blue-eyed soul style that first got him noticed by CBS, but also working with a stronger, richer, prouder sound that's really great! A number of the tracks on the set were recorded in Muscle Shoals, with superb small combo soul backing that Boz seems to respond to tremendously well – hitting a mode that's somewhere between Al Green and Van Morrison, with vocals that are simply mindblowing, and extraordinarily soulful. The rest of the set was recorded in San Francisco, and has a similarly freewheeling sound to Boz debut for CBS – with some great backing vocals by Linda Tillery and Dorothy Morrison as well. Titles include "Dinah Flo", "Slowly In The West", "Full Lock Power Slide", "Old Time Lovin", "Might Have To Cry", "Hello My Lover", "He's A Fool For You", and "Freedom For The Stallion". Slow Dancer is one of Boz Scaggs most soulful albums – thanks to production from Johnny Bristol, and arrangements from HB Barnum! Titles include "Slow Dancer", "I Got Your Number", "Hercules", "Take It For Granted", and "Pain Of Love". CD

A great little trio session – one of Jimmy's hippest, featuring Grant Green on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums. The talents of Green are quite welcome here – as his lighter touch on the strings makes Jimmy open up a bit more than with some of his other compatriots in this format – creating a groove that's less bluesy, with slight modal touches. The set includes a nice long original called "Back Talk", plus the cuts "T'Ain't No Use", "I'm Movin On", and "Hotel Happiness". Cool cover, too, with Jimmy posed in front of the wheel of a Jaguar! CD

Burning work from Lonnie Smith – one of the few players from the 60s Hammond generation who can still grab our ears as strongly as ever! Over the past few decades, Smith's developed a sound that's even freer than before – but still equally groovy – a gliding, open approach to organ jazz that's almost brought in some pages from the Larry Young book, but still comes off with all the swing and soul that Lonnie brought to his best early sides on Blue Note! This session's a brilliant trio date – just Smith's Hammond, the guitar of Jonathan Kreisberg, and drums of Jamire Williams – a wonderful combo who soar beautifully together – hitting modes that remind us of Larry Young/Grant Green collaborations at some points, and Don Patterson/Pat Martino grooves at others. Smith's got a great ear for bottom tones here – and even at quieter points, manages to get our speakers bumping on the shelves – a true testament to the richness of sound you'll hear on cuts that include "Sweet & Lovely", "Spiral", "Beehive", "Sukiyaki", "Frame For The Blues", and "Mellow Mood". CD

A monster from Melvin Sparks – one of his greatest three albums! The set was cut for Prestige during the years when they were expanding the lineup on the albums a bit past the usual soul jazz quintet format – but even with a bigger group, the album's still got a great array of players, including Leon Spencer on organ, Idris Muhammad on drums, Virgil Jones on trumpet, Dave Hubbard on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, and Sonny Fortune on alto. Melvin's single-line guitar work is incredibly great – very much like Grant Green's during the early 70s – and titles include "Love the Life You Live", "Akilah", and "All Wrapped Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A soulful little album from saxophonist Grant Stewart – one that's made even better by the appearance of Eric Alexander on two of the tracks in the set! The core group here features guitar, piano, bass, and drums – with Stewart in the lead, blowing tenor in a deep-toned way that clearly draws on the legacy of Hank Mobley, but which also moves around with a leaner, more fluid sensibility at times. The ballads and mellower numbers are often the best – especially the album's great title reading of "Estate" – but the uptempo tracks move along in a nice hardbop mode too, and titles include "Carving The Rock", "Soul Station", "Jacqueline", and "Cool Struttin". Alexander guests on the titles "3 For Carson" and "Systems" – making for a nice twin-tenor frontline! CD