Quite an unusual record for Sonny Rollins – but a great one too! At first glance the concept is a strange one – almost a crazy decision to pair modernist tenorist Sonny Rollins with a set of large brassy arrangements – but oddly, the idea works, and works nicely – as Rollins' edgey solos cut through the heavy arrangements with ease, creating some angular counterpoint and a tight little space to make his own sound. The group was conducted by Ernie Wilkins, and the flipside of the album features Rollins playing in a small trio with the great Henry Grimes on bass (who also played with Rollins on some of his best sessions from the time!) and Charles Wright on drums. Titles include "Manhattan", "If You Were The Only Girl In the World", "Who Cares?", and "Far Out East". Originally issued on MGM/Metro – but this is the Verve pressing. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Sonny Rollins – the first of his tremendous Blue Note albums – and a record that really shows him taking off at the time! The record captures Rollins at a key turning point – emerging from his firey bop years, moving into a much more complicated, introspective tenor style that was a perfect showcase for his developing genius for improvisation – not as far out as in a few years to come, but already awash in imagination and creativity. The group here includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Max Roach on drums – but as with all Rollins Blue Note sessions, his tenor is the dominant force. Titles include "Bluesnote", "Plain Jane", "Sonnysphere", and "Decision". CD

The second major label set from The Roots, and what many consider their first and definitely not their last) irrefutable classic! We could make the case for the debut Do You Want More? as a bonafide classic, too, but this is certainly the tone certainly the one that cemented their status and one of the greatest live-tested hip hop bands. Given how strong and far reaching The Roots pedigree would become over the years, this one's all the more amazing to revisit – and it's fresh and distinctive to this day. 20 tracks including intro & outro, with "Respond/React", "Clones", "No Alibi", "No Great Pretender" "Universe At War" (featuring Common while he was still Common Sense), "What They Do", "Ital (The Universal Side)", Concerto Of The Desparado", "The Adventures In Wonderland" and more. CD

Diana Ross really finds a way to remake her groove here – a sweet new sound that fits her revamped look in the Andy Warhol image on the cover! Although Ross could sparkle strongly during the disco years, the best cuts here are some of the more midtempo moments – nicely spaced out in ways that allow the singer to modulate her approach, and never push things too far, or get overly dramatic. There's definitely a few of those later modes here – both on ballads and more upbeat numbers – but the core of the record lingers nicely in the silky electric style promised in the title – especially on the great cut "Muscles", which was written for the record by Michael Jackson. Other titles include "So Close", "Still In Love", "Who", "Love Lies", "In Your Arms", and "I Am Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Diana Ross really finds a way to remake her groove here – a sweet new sound that fits her revamped look in the Andy Warhol image on the cover! Although Ross could sparkle strongly during the disco years, the best cuts here are some of the more midtempo moments – nicely spaced out in ways that allow the singer to modulate her approach, and never push things too far, or get overly dramatic. There's definitely a few of those later modes here – both on ballads and more upbeat numbers – but the core of the record lingers nicely in the silky electric style promised in the title – especially on the great cut "Muscles", which was written for the record by Michael Jackson. Other titles include "So Close", "Still In Love", "Who", "Love Lies", "In Your Arms", and "I Am Me". CD features three bonus mixes of "Muscles", plus an extended version of "I Am Me". CD

An incredible batch of work – the complete Black Saint/Soul Note recordings of George Russell – easily his greatest uninteruppted stretch of albums ever! Some of the material here is from the late 60s – owned by George and licensed to Soul Note – and the rest was done for the label, almost as an expansion of the ideas that Russell first explored in the earlier period. Together, the records make for an amazing batch of music – much more experimental and far-reaching than George's better-known US sides of the 50s and early 60s – really taking off in the freedoms of the European scene, with help from an array of European and American avant players! The 9CD set features mini-LP sleeve versions of albums that include Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature 1980, Othello Ballet Suite/Electronic Organ Sonata No 1, Vertical Form, Listen To The Silence, Trip To Prillarguri, Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature 1968, New York Big Band, Essence Of George Russell, and Live In An American Time Spiral. CD

A fantastic album by Pharoah Sanders – one of his later albums for Impulse, but one of his best! The record has Pharoah grooving in a strongly modal style – working up long passages of rhythm, piano, and percussion that really build on the promise delivered in earlier tunes on records like Jewels Of Thought and Tauhid – that strong sense of flow that was possibly Sanders' greatest contribution to the world of spiritual jazz – over and above his own work on tenor sax! The tunes never go too far out, and have a really joyous feel that we totally love – opening Pharoah up with that bright spirit that makes some of his 70s work so great, really pushing him past the darkness of the immediate post-Coltrane years. Other players include Joe Bonner on piano, Calvin Hill on bass, Michael White on violin, and Michael Carvin on drums – and titles include the tremendous track "Greeting To Saud", plus "Elevation", "Spiritual Blessing", "Ore Se Re", and "The Gathering". CD

A fantastic album by Pharoah Sanders – one of his later albums for Impulse, but one of his best! The record has Pharoah grooving in a strongly modal style – working up long passages of rhythm, piano, and percussion that really build on the promise delivered in earlier tunes on records like Jewels Of Thought and Tauhid – that strong sense of flow that was possibly Sanders' greatest contribution to the world of spiritual jazz – over and above his own work on tenor sax! The tunes never go too far out, and have a really joyous feel that we totally love – opening Pharoah up with that bright spirit that makes some of his 70s work so great, really pushing him past the darkness of the immediate post-Coltrane years. Other players include Joe Bonner on piano, Calvin Hill on bass, Michael White on violin, and Michael Carvin on drums – and titles include the tremendous track "Greeting To Saud", plus "Elevation", "Spiritual Blessing", "Ore Se Re", and "The Gathering". CD

A killer set from Italian jazz gurus Cicci Santucci & Enzo Scoppa – an early 70s quartet effort that has a more fiery and overall freer sound than other Santucci Scoppa efforts of the era! This is one of those records that challenges our expectations of a combo, or in this case a pair, of artists that we've loved over the years, and their work is never predictable, but this one moves them in a more exciting and improvisational realm that works masterfully. Trumpet player Santucci and tenor sax player Scoppa work with an intuitive harmony together as always, but the vibe is far reaching a frenetic here in away that moves them away from their more hard bop rooted sounds. Many tense moments, but never far out, or compromising the fluid interplay. The quartet on this record includes a pair of Brunos – Tommaso on bass and Biriaco on drums. There's a Titles include "Colpi Di Flash", "Inumanity", "Tensione", "Toward The Peace", "Dalle Nostre Isole", "Routine", "Integration", "Liveri" and "A Free Way Of Life". CD

Stunning sounds from the Japanese jazz scene of the 70s – one of those key records that show how the scene was really moving forward with older jazz formats, and definitely finding new voices and styles in the process! The New Herd group here has nothing to do with older American big bands of years past – as they use the larger lineup of saxes, trumpets, and trombones to unlock all these insane colors next to the electric piano of Masahiko Sato – who guests with the group here, composing new material – and really taking things into some very heady territory! The record has breakout sonic passages that go out, but never too far – as things come back with a more standard swing from time to time – yet the overall structure is still quite loose too, very much its own thing – with maybe just a very slight comparison to the territory that Gil Evans might explore at his most avant 70s. Titles include "Ichi", "Ni", and "San". LP, Vinyl record album

There never was a second volume of work from Robert Savage – but maybe that's because he has enough musical adventures on this set to last him a lifetime! Savage is better known as Bobby Arlin, who started out with The Leaves – and his guitar here is far more searing than his work on the LA scene of the late 60s – certainly informed by the rise of British hard rock at the time, but with a boldness that's all its own! The odd cover is hardly a hint at what's inside – as Bobby works with a lean trio of just bass and drums, and none of the trappings that prog-like image might make you expect – qualities that are underscored with some occasional rootsy inflections, and a nice sort of attitude in the vocals. Titles include "Seven Days Drunk", "Don't Run & Hide", "Beaver Baby", "Milk Run", "Save Us From The Cyclops", and "Road Apples". CD

A tremendous pairing of talents – the piano of Irene Schweizer and drums of Louis Moholo – set loose here in a style that's free, but never too far to swing – so that there's a sense of focus and energy that really brings out the best in both musicians! Schweizer has a very rhythmic approach when she's in some of her most compelling modes – and the approach works here very well alongside Moholo, who also vocalizes a bit in this really unusual way. The whole set has strong echoes of Louis' South African roots – in both the titles and overall progressions of the songs – and titles include "Angel", "Mra", "Free Mandela", and "Exile". CD

One of our favorite records ever on the legendary Nimbus label – a special home to spiritual jazz on the west coast at the end of the 70s – and crucial for giving us some really unique talents like this! Adele Sebastian may have only ever cut this one album as a leader, but she's a hell of a flute player with a very deep, spiritual vibe – these sublime lines that soar and stretch out over modal rhythms – played by a totally hip group that includes Rickey Kelley on vibes, Roberto Miranda on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums and a bit of gembreh – a string instrument that brings a nicely exotic vibe to the record. The group's rounded out by Bobby West on piano and Daoude Woods on percussion – and the songs have this open flow that's wonderful – never too far out, but always searching – as the group soar through a version of McCoy Tyner's "Man From Tanganyika", plus the tracks "Desert Fairy Princess", "Belize", "Prayer For The People", and "Day Dreamer". LP, Vinyl record album

A fuzzy, freaked-out classic from one of the coolest groups to work on the Chicago scene of the 60s – the mighty Shadows Of Knight, easily one of the best garage acts of their time! The album's got a raw power that's undeniable – a gritty sound that almost beats the Boston, Texas, and Sunset Strip scenes at their own game – as sharp guitars, weird Hammond, and plenty of feedback come together to blow away the listener right from the start – all with a sound that's a lot more heady than the group's better-known "Gloria" hit, with a far-reaching vibe that makes us wish these guys had kept on recording a few more years longer – because they might have given some of the best European psych acts a real run for their money! Titles include "Bad Little Woman", "The Behemoth", "Three For Love", "Peepin & Hidin", "Gospel Zone", "High Blood Pressure", and "Tomorrow's Going To Be Another Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful later work from Woody Shaw – perfectly honed, in the soaring, stretching, soulful exploratory style of his best work in the 70s! The group's a quartet with Mulgrew Miller on piano, Stafford James on bass, Tony Reedus on drums, and Steve Turre joining Woody in the frontline – and the excellent work of the rhythm section provides a lively forum for the soloists to stretch out wonderfully, without going too far, or getting overindulgent and trapped in designs of their own making. The set sparkles with 5 original tunes – Turre's "Lotus Flower", James' "Game", Miller's "Eastern Joy Dance", and "Song Of Songs" and "Rahsan's Run", both by Shaw. CD

Fantastic stuff – easily one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums, and certainly one of the pivotal points of 60s avant garde jazz! The album features Shepp leading a crack "new thing" line up that includes Ted Curson on trumpet, Marion Brown on alto, Joe Chambers on drums, Reggie Johnson on bass, and the lesser-known Joseph Orange on trombone – all playing in a beautifully poised manner, never too far out and free, but with all the dynamic energy of the best jazz changes of the 60s! There's a vibe here that's similar to some of the Blue Note "new thing" work by players like Grachan Moncur, Jackie McLean, and Tony Williams from the time – but there's a vision that's also wider and deeper, too, given the size of the group and the way they interact. Titles include "Hambone", "Los Olvidados", "Malcolm Malcolm–Semper Malcolm", and an insane cover of "Girl From Ipanema". You can't go wrong with this one – trust us! CD also features a bonus live version of "Hambone"! CD

One of the most perfectly-realized early Archie Shepp albums on Impulse Records – a set that brilliantly brings together all the different influences that inspired his sense of creation, but with a lean energy that takes everything far from its roots – and puts the music firmly in the best "new thing" territory of the mid 60s! The players shift around a bit from track to track – that sense of creative combination that really marked this moment in avant jazz expression – and about half the record features Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, in a lineup that also includes Henry Grimes and Barre Phillips on bass, and David Izenzon, Rashied Ali, and Joe Chambers on drums and percussion! Shepp contributed some of his most haunting compositions to the set – including "On This Night", "The Mac Man", and "The Pickaninny" – and the whole thing's amazing enough to make you an Archie Shepp convert for life! CD

Rare Canadian funk from the 70s – played by a hip little group who've also got a jazzy flavor too! The Sidewinders are a bit like American ensemble funk acts of the time – in that they can have an upbeat, tight approach to the groove when they want – but they also have a great ear for some gentler moments too, and sparkle almost even more on some of the ballad numbers on the set. Even the fuller groovers have some great standout elements – including sax bits that soar nicely out of the larger horn section – and overall, the album's got a great sense of character and personality, and is far more than just a few cats from up north trying to copy an American groove. Titles include "I Like Your Stuff", "A Voyage", "I Like To Dance", "Time For Loving", "Flat Foot Hustlin", "Can't You Feel The Fire", and "Gift To The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from Nina Simone – a set that really pushes her far past just the standard realm of jazz vocals, and which also helped really establish her role as one of the most righteous singers of the 60s! The set's maybe extremely noteworthy for Nina's original tune "Four Women" – a righteous portrait of four different women and their struggles – unique for its time, and a key part of the early Women's Liberation movement! The rest of the album has a similar political undercurrent – sometimes subtle, but there nonetheless – as Nina works magic on tunes that include "Break Down & Let It All Out", "Either Way I Lose", "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair", and "That's All I Ask". CD

Rootsy blues from the 78rpm years – a collection of well-recorded Specialty Records material by Frankie Lee Sims – an artist who was born in New Orleans, but was also a Texas-raised cousin of Lightnin Hopkins too! Sims' music here has lots of the styles we love in Hopkins' work of the time – kind of an evolution of blues past the delta years, but not too far either – mostly acoustic instrumentation, including bold lines by Sims that accompany his lyrics – and a stark sense of recording that really lets the simple elements come through. Titles include "Married Woman", "Lucy Mae Blues", "Don't Take It Out On Me", "I'm So Glad", "Jelly Roll Baker", and "Wine & Gin Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

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Maybe the grooviest collection of work we've ever seen from the lovely Nancy Sinatra – a set that features some of her hits, but also includes a lot more material that's much more obscure – and which shows that Nancy was a hell of a song stylist, far from the charts! The core of the work features Sinatra's fantastic collaborations with Lee Hazlewood – the producer who created a darkness in her sound that moved her far from simple pop – and who sometimes joined her in duets, with a mature, adult quality that was dripping with sensuality! The set also features some post-Hazlewood material, too – still very cool, and very groovy – a sublime blend of Cali 60s elements and slight country touches. Titles include "So Long Babe", "Sugar Town", "Kind Of Woman", "Machine Gun Kelly", "Arkansas Coal", "Down From Dover", "How Are Things In California", "Some Velvet Morning", "Hello LA Bye Bye Birmingham", "Hook & Ladder", "Happy", "You Only Live Twice", "Sand", "Lightning's Girl", "How Does That Grab You", "Paris Summer", "Jackson", "Lady Bird", and, of course, "These Boots Are Made For Walking". CD

A nice little set for Sister Sledge – their first post Nile Rodgers album of the 80s – with production this time out by Narada Michael Walden – with a crisp, uptempo vibe the does a great job of balancing the righteous post disco club groove with the sing-a-long chorus vocals and catchier compositions that made the Sisters famous! Narada doesn't stray too far from the Chic-styled sound of the previous couple of records – with some really catchy songs that hint at the cleaner pop sound of later records with retaining the dancefloor groove. Sweet stuff from Sister Sledge! The sequencing of the record is top notch, each track floating into the next, with the tunes "All American Girls", "He's Just A Runaway", "If You Really Want Me", "Next Time You'll Know", "Happy Feeling", "Ooh, You Caught My Heart", "Make A Move", "Don't You Let Me Lose It", "Mais Makes Me Feel Good" and "I Don't Want To Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy heady funk from the 70s Nigerian scene – a wicked little record that's unlike anything else we've heard before! SJOB is a combo made from ex-members of the group of Sonny Okosuns – all top-shelf players who've clearly got their chops down in the groove department, but are also really willing to experiment with their sound as well! There's some hip spacey elements to the music – cool keyboards that weave in and out of the guitar and tighter rhythms – creating a sense of darkness that's totally great, even when things are still pretty funky. The structure of the tunes is far from familiar Afro Funk too – pretty offbeat and jagged – familiar rhythms one minute, then fresh ones the next! Titles include "Countrylove", "No One Cares", "Stone Funk", "Omo Oloro", and "You Only Live Once". LP, Vinyl record album

Lost legendary work from Guy Skornik – a heady set from early 70s France, and proof that there's a hell of a lot of greatness to discover on that scene! The album's got a blend of psych fuzz and deeper ideas that's not that far from Serge Gainsbourg – although the overall presentation is more cerebral, and influenced by the ideas of GI Gurdjieff, carried out by Skornik in this sublime blend of acoustic elements and larger orchestrations directed by jazzman Ivan Jullien! Like some of the best French work of this time, the album has a wonderful balance between the personal and professional – the intimate and the ambitious – which really makes things exciting and fresh, and very different than anything you might have been digging on this side of the Atlantic at the time. Titles include "Realite", "L'Ile De Paques", "Fulcanni", "Je Vois Ce Que Je Crois", "Quest Ce Que Le Dream", and "Je Ne Sais Pas Je Ne Sais Plus Rien". CD

A mighty pairing of Jimmy Smith and Oliver Nelson – one that has the heavy Hammond of Smith set up in some sparkling jazz backdrops from Nelson! The sound here has some bluesy undercurrents, as you might guess from the title – but Oliver's charts keep things hip throughout, and ensure that the record stays far from any 60s cliches in the music – and always keeps one ear out for the sharper edges that always makes Nelson's arrangements a great match for Smith. The horns are full at times, but Jimmy's organ bursts right out over the top – gliding along a great groove with a really inherent sense of rhythm. Titles include a shimmering bossa take on "Meditation", plus "Hobo Flats", "Walk Right In", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "The Preacher". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever American release from French pianist Martial Solal – and one of the few, too – which is a real surprise, considering the huge recorded legacy he had overseas! The legendary European modernist is caught live at Newport, with backing by an American rhythm section of Teddy Kotick and Paul Motian – and although the tracks are mostly jazz standards – like "Stella By Starlight", "Round Midnight", "Boplicity", and "Poinciana" – but the album also features Solal's incredible "Suite Pour Une Frise", an extended work that is a perfect example of the kind of far-reaching piano work that was coming out of France at the time! LP, Vinyl record album

Sonic Youth near the end of the 90s – once again in creative ascension! After flirting with mainstream appeal a bit earlier in the 90s – without going too far out of their alt noise comfort zone – they seemed to lean more and more towards their slow-building exploratory facets as the years went on. A Thousand Leaves is probably their boldest Geffen record to that point ,with longer songs that are just "out" enough. Includes "Contre Le Sexism", "Sunday", "Female Mechanic Now On Duty", "Wildflower Soul", "Hoarfrost", "French Tickler", "Hits Of Sunshine (For Allen Ginsberg)", "Karen Koltrane", "The Ineffable Me", "Snare, Girl" and "Heather Angel". CD

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A fantastic CD collection – one that brings together all five volumes of Stereolab's Switched On albums in one set – a huge collection of unusual material and rare singles! On the original Switched On record, moog, fuzz, and farfisa have never sounded so great together – and although these guys drank deep of the well of 60s pop magic before making this modern-day classic – they also come off sounding pretty darn original on their own! When this gem of a record first hit the world, it was as if all of us were hearing music from the cosmos for years, but could never find a way to make it part of our everyday lives. Then along come Tim Gane, Laetitia Sadier, and crew – and completely change the world for the better! An album that no home should be without – with titles that include "Contact", "Super-Electric", "Doubt", "Brittle", "Au Grand Jour", "The Way Will Be Opening", and "Changer". Refried Ectoplasm is the second in the holy trinity of "switched on" albums from Stereolab – a set that collects together all the unusual recordings and other side bits the group were doing in the early years of their career – standing strong as a testament to their non-stop efforts to forever push the boundaries of electric fuzzy pop! The vocals Laetitia Sadier are completely sublime – almost a bridge between the darker modes of the previous pop generation and all the new ideas of the world to come – when the rest of rock music would finally catch up to these guys, and realize that the best path to the future is through the past! Titles include "Farfisa", "John Cage Bubblegum", "Tempter", "Exploding Head Movie", "French Disko", "Harmonium", "Revox", "Mountain", and "Sadistic". By the time of Aluminum Tunes (Switched On Vol 3) – it had only been a few years since the previous Switched On set, but Stereolab had already created so much musical magic, they needed a double-length record to keep the whole thing intact! The sound here is somehow getting even more dreamy and wonderful – definitely showing their work with the mighty Sean O'Hagan, and also really opening up into all the many musical ideas that Tim Gane was picking up from his never-ending search for unusual records! The 60s swirl through time and space, and make the future sound even better than we could have imagined it – while the Channel is drained, and England and France become one in a genius marriage of pure pop modes. Titles include "The Extension Trip", "How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight", "Space Moment", "Iron Man", "The Long Hair Of Death", "One Note Samba/Surfboard", "Percolations", "1000 Miles An Hour", "Klang Tone", and a great take on the theme to "Get Carter". Switched On 4 is full of fantastic sounds from Stereolab – an assortment of rare singles and other unusual recordings that were mostly issued on their own Duophonic label, and which are far more obscure than their bigger label albums during the same period! Even though Stereolab gave the world some undeniable classics in the late 90s and early 00s, they were also working endlessly, and seemed to record more than they could ever fit on a full length set – which resulted in all the cool singles, limited releases, and other material included here – not dusty tapes pulled from the archives, but beautiful work that often returns the group to all the space age charms of their first few records! The package is huge – 25 tracks in all, of varying length – and titles include "Barok Plastik", "Calimero", "Fried Monkey Eggs (voc)", "Solar Throw Away", "Variation One", "Monkey Jelly", "Explosante Fixe", "Jump Drive Shut Out", "The Super-It", "L'Exotisme Interieur", "Pandora's Box Of Worms", "Retrograde Mirror Form", "Nomus E Phusis", "I Feel The Air Of Another Planet", "Outer Bongolia", and "Intervals". Includes tracks from Duophonic 45s, Underground Is Coming EP, Moog, First Of The Microbe Hunters, and work from compilations, unreleased tracks, and even a collaboration with Brigitte Fontaine! Switched On 5 is maybe the coolest entry so far in this really wonderful series – a set that's overflowing with rare and unusual work from Stereolab – most of it done at a time when the group were riding high on a major label, but still managed to issued a huge amount of music on their own, and work in a variety of collaborative settings too! One of our favorite is their work with Nurse With Wound, and tracks from that partnership begin this set – which then moves into rare singles, work with artists, compilation contributions, and plenty more – all with the usual Stereolab charm, but often with a nicely different vibe too! Titles include "Simple Headphone Mind", "Symbolic Logic Of Now", "Magne Music", "Forensic Itch", "Spool Of Collusion", "Robot Riot", "Trippin With The Birds", "Cybele's Reverie (live)", "Nth Degrees, "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse (Autechre Feebate mix)", and "Plastic Mile (original version)". CD

Quite a compelling album from the great and sometimes-overlooked Al Stewart – a set that really showcases the evolution in both his songwriting and subject matter – all at a level that seems wonderfully unconcerned with any sort of chart hit or commercial crossover! At this point, Al's kind of the perfect step beyond the earlier version of Brit singer/songwriters you would have found on labels like Harvest or Vertigo – steeped both in a creative sense of subject matter that seems influenced by Dylan, with an ability to spin out narratively unusual tunes that also get way past folksy cliches too – and which are delivered here with well-arranged, well-produced backings – but again, at a level that seems quite far from chartbound. Al's wonderful vocal style is a big part of the album's strength – really individual, and a sound we can fall in love with, no matter what the setting. Titles include "Warren Harding", "Roads To Moscow", "Last Day Of June 1934", "Nostradamus", and "Post World War Two Blues". CD

A 70s gem from singer/songwriter Al Stewart – a set that was part of his long-overdue rise to global fame – after quietly giving the world a number of great and overlooked albums from the UK scene! The vibe here is similar to the preceding set – the classic Year Of The Cat – in that Al's got all of his sharp songwriting and very unique vocal phrasing intact – all set to sharp production that brings out the real strengths of his catchier moments, and certainly pushes Al far past the more Dylan-inspired territory of his earliest years. Titles include the wonderful title cut "Time Passages" – plus "Song On The Radio", "Life In Dark Water", "Valentina Way", "A Man For All Seasons", "Almost Lucy", "The Palace Of Versailles", and "Timeless Skies". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge run of records from Yma Sumac – presented here in a box that collects just about everything she recorded for Capitol Records in the 50s! First up is Voice Of The Xtaby – legendary vocal work from the postwar years – some of the earliest recordings from the enigmatic Yma Sumac – an artist whose records really laid the groundwork for an entire generation of exotica records to come! Sumac's authenticity has been debated over the years – but there's no denying that she's got this incredible vocal range – a many-octave approach that almost makes her sound like a human theremin – as she works with exotic backings from Les Baxter to offer up a take on Peruvian roots, styled towards a 50s bachelor pad listener! Titles include "Xtaby", "Wayra", "Taita Inty", "Monos", and "Tumpa". Legend Of The Sun is early work from Yma Sumac – with that moody mix of other worldly vocals and semi-Latin instrumentation that made her a popular one with the early exotic crowd. Yma runs up and down the vocal scale, while Moises Vivanco leads the band in a set of crashing dramatic orchestrations with a Peruvian feel. Tracks include "Sunray Surita", "Mamallayi", "No Es Vida", "Ccori Canastitay", and "Kon Tiki". The package features selections from the album Flahooley – one of the more obscure Yma Sumac albums from the 50s – a Broadway production with a larger cast – and much more of a musical than Sumac's other records. Yma really stands out in the show, though – singing a few special numbers with music by Moises Vivanco – but the rest is familiar Broadway modes of the early 50s, penned by Sammy Fain & EY Harburg. Sumac titles include "Najala's Song Of Joy", "Najala's Lament", and "Come Back Little Genie Birds". Mambo is quite possibly our favorite album ever by the enigmatic Yma Sumac – thanks to some lively arrangements by Billy May, who gives the set a swinging jazzy groove! As you might guess from the cover, the style here is more in a Latin jazz mode than some of Yma's other more ethereal work – and that style turns out to be a wonderful fit for Sumac's incredible vocals – creating a batch of driving tunes that swing nicely, yet still have a spooky exotic sound on the top! Titles include "Bo Mambo", "Taki Rari", "Goomba Boomba", "Malambo No 1", and "Five Bottles Mambo". Inca Taqui is an early 10" LP – on which Yma Sumac sings chants of the Andes – and authentic or not, the sound's pretty darn great! The record's in the same format as her other early work for Capitol – tunes written by Moises Vivanco, who also conducts the backings in a dramatic early 50s style that's perfect for Yma's wonderful voice! And whether or not these tunes are actually the ones that all the cats in Peru were singing up in the mountains, they still sound pretty darn great as a key part of postwar exotica! Titles include "Incachao", "Llulla Mak'Ta", "Chuncho", "K'Arawi", and "Cumbe-Maita". Legend Of The Jivaro is one of Yma's more "historical" records – and the notes say that the album is "the rare plum of authenticity". We don't know if we'd go that far, but we can tell you that the record features Yma performing songs of the legendary Jivaro headhunters! Supposedly, Yma learned them in her "South American jungle-home", but we keep wondering why the headhunters took the time to teach her, when they could have been shrinking her head. Tracks include "Yawar", "Shou Condor", "Aullay", "Sumac Soratena", and "Hampi". Last up is Fuego Del Ande – one of the most obscure albums by vocalist Yma Sumac – and one of the most compelling too! The album has Yma working in the Andean style of her earlier 10" albums for Capitol – working with Moises Vivanco on a set of tunes that have a much more traditional and almost folkloric style than some of her work with Les Baxter. Titles include "Clamor", "Dale Que Dale", "Llora Corazon", "Gallito Caliente", "La Molina", and "Flor De Canela". CD

A big crossover moment for Donna Summer in the 80s – a set that features lots of keyboard-heavy arrangements from Michael Omartin – who produced the record at a level that really gets the most out of Summer's hook-heavy style! Donna's way past the drama of the disco years here – and does a great job of getting right down to business on most of the tunes – never pushing things too far past her vocal range, but adding just the right sort of punch to the lyrics alongside Omartin's catchy keyboards. Titles include "Eyes", "Supernatural Love", "Cats Without Claws", "Suzanna", "It's Not The Way", "There Goes My Baby", and "I'm Free". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful lost slice of British jazz, recorded during the crucial period before some of the scene's players went too far off the deep end! John Surman partners here with composer/leader John Warren, for a large group recording that sounds similar to some of the best early Mike Westbrook recordings. The album's comprised of a suite of 5 tracks, all played by a large group in a style that shows the best British modernist tradition of the 60's. The ensemble playing is dark and moody – but always tight at all moments. The group's soloists – like Surman, Mike Osborne, Barre Phillips, Kenny Wheeler, and others – soar out of the arrangements in tightly constructed, brilliantly realized solos that stand as some of their best work. Titles include "With Terry's Help", "We'll Make It", "The Dandelion", "The Picture Tree", and the "Tales Of The Algonquin" suite. LP, Vinyl record album

Warm, soulful fusion from Steve Swallow – one of his most full-realized albums for ECM in years! There's no tricks or gimmicks here, no too-surprising turns – and instead, Swallow works in a mode that's surprisingly soul-based at most points – yet handled in ways that are quite far from the too-smooth fusion modes that were hitting the mainstream at the time! Instead, the record's almost a throwback to the most laidback electric modes of the 70s – flowing easily, and opening up in these gentle grooves that are mighty nice – thanks to help from a lineup that includes Steve Kuhn on piano, Carla Bley on organ, Karen Mantler on keyboards, Hiram Bullock on guitar, Gary Burton on vibes, and John Scofield on guitar – all players hip enough to keep things from ever sounding cloying. Titles include "Soca Symphony", "Slender Thread", "Thrills & Spills", "Playing With Water", "Thirty Five", and "William & Mary". CD

Simply incredible work from Swing Out Sister – a group who left the charts decades ago, it seems, but who sound better and better with each passing year! This album may well be their best so far – a swirling blend of soul, jazz, bossa, and 60s mod touches – put together with an amazing approach to songwriting that takes the album far beyond any sort of simple reference to its influences. Singer Corinne Drewey has one of those voices that grabs you instantly, and holds your attention again and again with lyrics that are surprisingly fresh, never cliched, and show an evolution in the group that's simply astounding. The album's one that had us hitting "repeat" as soon as it was finished – and every track's a delight! Titles include "Capirinha", "From My Window", "Where Our Love Grows", "Love Won't Let You Down", "Happy Ending", "La Source", "We'll Find A Place", and "Let The Stars Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible run of music from this legendary group that was the first musical step for singer Van Morrison – a group so great, Van would still have had one hell of a career, even if he didn't do anything else! Right from the start, Them were a very special group – as steeped in American soul and R&B influences as many of their British contemporaries, but gifted with a rare ear to match the deepness of the originals with a flavor of their own – yet one that was also very individual as well! Morrison's singing is a big part of that approach – much more raw than in later years – but the overall conception is very important too – as Them never tries to rock too hard, or push things too far – and instead finds the way to lay back in the groove, and really let their tunes open up with a lot of soul. This excellent 3CD set features everything the group recorded in their short span – all the material from their two full albums, lots of singles as well, and even a full disc of mostly-unreleased rare tracks – including demos, alternates, and BBC performances. 69 tracks in all, with a big booklet of notes – and titles that include "I Gave My Love A Diamond", "Gloria", "My Lonely Sad Eyes", "I Got A Woman", "Could You Would You", "Something You Got", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "The Story Of Them (parts 1 & 2)", "Half As Much", "Don't Start Crying Now", "One Two Brown Eyes", "Richard Cory", "Friday's Child", "Bring Em On In", "Hey Girl", "Out Of Sight", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", and "I'm Gonna Dress In Black". CD

Two great albums from Lucky Thompson! First up is Plays Jerome Kern – wonderful work from that early 60s moment when Lucky Thompson was really opening up with a newly soulful sound – and mixing in some great soprano sax work with his tenor! The tunes are familiar, but the execution is wonderful – Lucky blowing easily in a quartet with Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums – the last of whom really keeps things moving, even when mellow. Titles include " Long Ago And Far Away", "Lovely To Look At", "No More", "Look For The Silver Lining", "Who", "Dearly Beloved", "Why Do I Love You", "Why Was I Born", and "They Didn't Believe Me". Happy Days is an overlooked gem from Lucky Thompson's mid 60s years – that wonderful time when he'd returned to the fold even stronger than ever – filled with hip new musical ideas, and a great command for the soprano sax! This set's got Lucky working on both soprano and tenor, both of which are handled with these angular, soulful tones that are totally great – right at home in a group that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums – all marvelously sensitive rhythm accompanists. Jack Melady adds harp on 2 tracks on the set – a very nice touch – and titles include "Safari", "Cry Me A River", "People", "You Don't Know What Love Is", and "As Time Goes By". CD

One of the greatest all-star groups in jazz – a short lived sextet that featured some of the best players working for Timeless Records – and a group that recalls the brilliance of the early recordings of Harold Land and Bobby Hutcherson! Both Hutcherson and Land are part of the group – as are Cedar Walton, Curtis Fuller, Buster Williams, and Billy Higgins – and the amazing thing about the set is the way that such top-shelf players can come together, yet manage to work in a mode that's far greater than the sum of its equally great parts! CD

Guitars from the desert by Tinariwen – a group with Malian roots, and a sound that's all their own – certainly one of the most distinct approaches in the global music scene of the early 21st Century! The album's got production that's tighter than some of their previous efforts, but a feel that's far from slick – just a haunting, hypnotic blend of the band's many guitars – built up into wonderful rhythms that start slow, then really take off – which then seems to have the guitars sounding even more wonderful than at the start! Almost all numbers have vocals, which slide into the blend beautifully – and titles include "Assouf", "Mano Dayak", "Cler Achel", "Soixante Trois", "Awa Didjen", "Imidiwan Winakalin", and "Izarharh Tenere". CD

An overlooked gem from trumpeter Charles Tolliver – not as well known as his Strata East sessions with Music Inc, but equally great! The sound here is a bit different than some of Tolliver's other albums of the 70s – as the group features the guitar of Nathan Page in place of the usual piano – working with an incredible rhythm duo of Steve Novosel on bass and Alvin Queen on drums, both players who gel together beautifully here, making the album a rhythmic delight throughout! Page's guitar often has these weird little edgey moments, which seems to bring out the same in Tolliver – adding in a new complexity to his well-known style of far-reaching lines on trumpet. The album's got 4 long tracks, nicely hung together with a sound that's searching, but never too loose to swing – and titles include "Earl's World", "Impact", "Truth", and "Compassion". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from trumpeter Charles Tolliver – not as well known as his Strata East sessions with Music Inc, but equally great! The sound here is a bit different than some of Tolliver's other albums of the 70s – as the group features the guitar of Nathan Page in place of the usual piano – working with an incredible rhythm duo of Steve Novosel on bass and Alvin Queen on drums, both players who gel together beautifully here, making the album a rhythmic delight throughout! Page's guitar often has these weird little edgey moments, which seems to bring out the same in Tolliver – adding in a new complexity to his well-known style of far-reaching lines on trumpet. The album's got 4 long tracks, nicely hung together with a sound that's searching, but never too loose to swing – and titles include "Earl's World", "Impact", "Truth", and "Compassion". CD

A wonderfully intimate set from Allen Toussaint – one that features Toussaint at the piano, working in a live setting, and serving up new versions of his own famous compositions – often with some great pre-song patter that gives a bit of background on the tunes! The performance is a great back to basics moment for Allen – one that's far rootsier than most of his other recent projects, and which has this sense of history that's quite strong – a great reminder of the many years he's been setting the world on fire with his music. Titles include "It's Raining", "Lipstick Traces", "Holy Cow", "With You In Mind", "It's A New Orleans Thing", "Southern Nights", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", and "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further". Deluxe version features more audio tracks than are on the regular CD – plus a bonus video of the performance, too – with other material that includes backstage interviews too! CD

The final album from Trapeze – and a set that has them stepping out as a super-heavy trio who should have been huge! Glenn Hughes handles bass and all the lead vocals – with the best qualities he would soon bring to Deep Purple – and the drums from David Holland are fantastic – full of all the right sort of power and drive to make the lean lineup work so well! Guitarist Mel Galley has really grown a lot since the start – and turns out some solos and leads here that should have made him one of the bigger acts of the growing hard rock generation from the UK – save for the fact that he's also got a wonderful ear for more sensitive moments, which makes this record far more deep than just a standard rocker. Titles include "Loser", "You Are The Music", "Way Back To The Bone", "Keepin Time", "Coast To Coast", "Will Our Love End", and "Feelin So Much Better Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A crazy idea for a book, but a great one too – and maybe the coolest so far from Jonny Trunk, the man who's given us lots of visual pleasure with his volumes on record store bags, candy bar wrappers, and automobile advertisements! This really beautiful book features four decades' worth of images used to promote stereos, turntables, and all things audio – tracing shifts in both style and technology, and advertising modes as well – all presented with an eye for the sensuous, as you might guess from the title! The ad selection is totally cool, and includes images from the US and UK, plus some key European audio companies too – all of whom are introduced with a bit of historical text that really helps you understand their contributions to the field. But even without that, this is still one hell of a book – like pulling all the best pages out of forty years of stereo magazines, and putting them together. Softcover, 239 pages, and full color throughout! Book

An incredible guide to sound library music around the world – one that features artwork from countless different labels, and brief notes on their history and output! The package is quite unique – not really a discography, not really an art book – but kind of a mix of both – and the only resource so far we've seen for tracking down the elusive musical gems that have come out of sound library sources of the 50s, 60s, and 70s! The book lists hundreds of records from 230 different labels – each presented alphabetically, with information and history on each label – alongside a huge amount of color images of the covers that are as beautiful as the music contained within. Trunk Records head Jonny Trunk put the whole thing together – and this huge second edition is twice as big as the first – really showing the full scope of new information on some of the more obscure labels that have come into play in recent years. 248 pages, hardcover, full color – and beautiful! Book

Brilliant work as a leader from McCoy Tyner – and easily one of his most righteous albums ever – a true batch of spiritual gems that really takes the John Coltrane legacy one step further! Most numbers build with a modal vibe that's more Impulse Records than Blue Note – and players on the set include Alice Coltrane on harp, Gary Bartz on alto, Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a wonderful lineup that really holds tightly to the soaring, soulful energy that Tyner spins from his piano – a mode that's never too far out or avant, yet which stretches to the skies with a heavenly vision. The whole thing's wonderful – and tracks include "Message From The Nile", "The Wanderer", "Survival Blues", and "His Blessings". CD

Brilliant work as a leader from McCoy Tyner – and easily one of his most righteous albums ever – a true batch of spiritual gems that really takes the John Coltrane legacy one step further! Most numbers build with a modal vibe that's more Impulse Records than Blue Note – and players on the set include Alice Coltrane on harp, Gary Bartz on alto, Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a wonderful lineup that really holds tightly to the soaring, soulful energy that Tyner spins from his piano – a mode that's never too far out or avant, yet which stretches to the skies with a heavenly vision. The whole thing's wonderful – and tracks include "Message From The Nile", "The Wanderer", "Survival Blues", and "His Blessings". LP, Vinyl record album

Although "Newport" can often mean "hokey" or "pandering" in the context of live jazz performances – this set is a cooker, one of Tyner's best for Impulse, and a really far-reaching set that has him showing sides he never expressed with Coltrane! The group on the album features Clark Terry, Bob Cranshaw, Mickey Roker, and the always-great Charlie Mariano – and it's the influence of players like these (the angular edge of Mariano's alto, the fast rhythmic bounce of Cranshaw and Roker's rhythm) that makes the set so wonderful. Most tunes are jazz standards – including "My Funny Valentine", "Woody N You", and "Monk's Blues" – but the group plays with an open-handed freeness that really makes them sparkle! CD

The title says it all – as McCoy works his way through a nicely restrained trio set of material that features bass by Steve Davis and drums by Lex Humphries! The tracks are perhaps not as spiritual and far-reaching as Tyner's later work – but they're handled with that richly expressive style that presses a lot of feeling out of the material nonetheless – and which makes for a record that's quite different from the usual piano trio session of the time! Titles include "Round Midnight", "For Heaven's Sake", "Star Eyes", "Blue Monk", and "Groove Waltz". CD

A great debut from Japanese tenorist Takao Uematsu – a player who blows here with a wonderful sense of tone right from the start – almost an inherent sense of spiritualism that he still manages bring to tunes with a straight ahead swing! The approach is a bit like Archie Shepp in that cool 70s stretch when he was stepping away from the outside – and Uematsu's clearly a player who knows the far reaches, but often just hints at them in his music – while moving through these long-blown lines spurred on by a really wonderful group! The combo features excellent Fender Rhodes from Sadayasu Fuji – who stretches out on the long tracks on the set – plus trombone from Takashi Imai, bass from Yoshio Suzuki, and drums from George Otsuka. Titles include "TI", "Sleep My Love", "Stella By Starlight", and "Inside Parts". CD

A pair of late Motown albums from Undisputed Truth – both issued here back to back, as they originally appeared for the label! First up is Cosmic Truth – a fantastic 70s album from Undisputed Truth – and the first to fully feature the new version of the lineup, after the Magictones had been recruited to form the second version of the group! The sound here is even funkier and more guitar-based than before – a fully-realized take on the Norman Whitfield modes that had been brewing up since his late 60s work with The Temptations – almost as tripped-out at times as early 70s Funkadelic – as if Undisputed Truth were being put forth as a Detroit challenge to the George Clinton universe! Production and arrangements are great – very far-reaching at times, with some bigger ideas in the mix – although all the tight funky soul elements that always made these guys so great. Titles include "1990", "Squeeze Me Tease Me", "Earthquake Snake", "Spaced Out", "Lil Red Ridin Hood", "Got To Get Me Some Lovin", and the great cut "UFO's". Higher Than High is a great later Motown effort from the Undisputed Truth – working in a groove that's a bit tighter and more upbeat than before, but still plenty darn great! Norman Whitfield is still very firmly in charge of the group's sound on the record – arranging, producing, and writing most of the cuts on the album – and he's doing a great job of keeping his sound fresh here – not just sticking in the bass-heavy styles of previous years, and instead moving into some fresher territory that has the group continuing to grow nicely. In a way, the whole thing's almost a precursor for the grooves to come on Norman's own Whitfield label – a great batch of well-crafted titles that include "Overload", "Higher Than High", "Poontang", "I Saw YOu When You Met Her", "Help Yourself (second version)", "I'm In The Red Zone", "Boogie Bump Boogie", and "Ma". CD

A nicely grooving album from Cuban jazz piano great Chucho Valdes – sounding as lively and vital as he has in years on Chucho's Steps! There's an invigorating blend of far reaching influences throughout the set, played masterfully by a combo that includes "Juan Carlos Rojas Castro on drums, Lazaro Rivero Alarcon on bass, Carlos Miyares Hernandez on tenor, Reynaldo Melian Alvarez on trumpet, precussionist Yaroldy Abreu Robles and others. Includes "Zawinul's Mambo", "Danzon", "Both Sides", "Begin To Be Good", "Yansa", "Julian" and "Chucho's Steps". CD

One of the most far-out, freaked-out albums ever from the Velvet Underground – easily the most experimental set the group ever recorded! The album's awash in really unusual sounds and styles – from the sonic blast of the title cut "White Light/White Heat", to the 17 minute garage/psych jam of "Sister Ray" to the very odd "The Gift" – which is a creepy story about cuckolding, told with voice and instrumentation split over different stereo channels! Other tunes offset the darkness with an eerie touch of sweet – and include "Here She Comes Now", "Lady Godiva's Operation", and "I Heard Her Call My Name". Arguably one of the Velvets' most influential moments – even if it's also one of their least commercially successful! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most far-out, freaked-out albums ever from the Velvet Underground – easily the most experimental set the group ever recorded! The album's awash in really unusual sounds and styles – from the sonic blast of the title cut "White Light/White Heat", to the 17 minute garage/psych jam of "Sister Ray" to the very odd "The Gift" – which is a creepy story about cuckolding, told with voice and instrumentation split over different stereo channels! Other tunes offset the darkness with an eerie touch of sweet – and include "Here She Comes Now", "Lady Godiva's Operation", and "I Heard Her Call My Name". Arguably one of the Velvets' most influential moments – even if it's also one of their least commercially successful! This great 3CD package features loads of sweet extra bits – including a 7 track Live At The Gymnasium performance from 1967, with versions of "Run Run Run", "Booker T", "I'm Not A Young Man Anymore", "I'm Waiting For The Man", "Sister Ray", and "Guess I'm Falling In Love" – plus "I Heard Her Call My Name (alternate)", "Hey Mr Rain (version one)", "Temptation Inside Your Heart (original mix)", "Stephanie Says (orig mix)", "Beginning To See The Light (early version)", "Hey Mr Rain (version two)", and "Guess I'm Falling In Love (instrumental)". Also features a full mono version of the album, plus "White Light White Heat (mono single)", "Here She Comes Now (mono single)", and previously-unseparated vocal and instrumental versions of "The Gift". Comes in a really great 10" square, hardbound book – with 60 pages of full color notes, photos, and images of cool artifacts too! CD

Free jazz from the Finnish scene of the early 70s – an exploratory trio that features Edward Vesala on drums, Arild Andersen on bass, and Juhani Aaltonen on on tenor and soprano sax! As with many Scandinavian free trio sides from the time, there's a clear inspiration here from the ESP scene in the US – as tracks are out, but never too far enough to have a sense of their own presence – not nearly as hard-blown as the Brotzmann generation, but nicely searching, especially on Aaltonen's soprano work. Titles include "Alhambra Mood", "Nana", "Joiku", "Fill In", "Gamma", "Albatros" and "My B". CD

A rare bit of modern jazz from Italy – featuring a group led by soprano/tenor sax player Eraldo Volante, and featuring trumpet, trombone, drums, and a piano-less double-bass rhythm team that gives the record a really unique sound! At some level, the feeling of the material is like ESP avant jamming – except for the fact that the freedom of the players is also firmly tethered to an ability to swing, as one of the bassists always seems to be working the rhythm, even when the other soloists are going quite far out. Tracks are all long – and titles include "Six For Arpo", "Free & Loose", "Dialogue", and "For Gaslini". CD

Far-reaching and incredibly soulful work from Mal Waldron and Gary Peacock! Both players are at the height of their powers here, and have a warmth and sense of interplay that makes the session one of the best they did alone or together during the time. The group's a trio, with Hiroshi Murakami added in on bass – and the overall feel is similar to some of the best Japanese trio sessions of the early 70s, with great recording, long drawn-out introspective songs, and free unbridled playing that you don't always get on American sessions by the same players. Titles include "Walking Way", "What's That", "She Walks In Beauty", and "The Heart Of The Matter". LP, Vinyl record album

Far-reaching and incredibly soulful work from Mal Waldron and Gary Peacock! Both players are at the height of their powers here, and have a warmth and sense of interplay that makes the session one of the best they did alone or together during the time. The group's a trio, with Hiroshi Murakami added in on bass – and the overall feel is similar to some of the best Japanese trio sessions of the early 70s, with great recording, long drawn-out introspective songs, and free unbridled playing that you don't always get on American sessions by the same players. Titles include "Walking Way", "What's That", "She Walks In Beauty", and "The Heart Of The Matter". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem from T Bone Walker – one of the few hip sides he cut in Europe at the end of the 60s – and very different than his more traditional work! The set was put together by Robin Hemmingway – who also handled the hip Hal Singer record from the same time – and the players here include Bernard Estardy on organ, Michel Sardaby on piano, and Manu Dibango on saxophone – all of whom make for a groove that's far more than traditional blues. Sure, the record's plenty bluesy – but it's also got a funky groove on many numbers – really cooking along in a way that's even cooler than most funky American blues. And given that Walker's guitar style was a key influence on most funky guitar players in jazz, his own work here is a really great fit for the setting! Titles include "Vacation", "Long Lost Lover", "Woman You Must Be Crazy", "I Wonder Why", "Poontang", "Reconsider", "Sail On Little Girl", and "When I Grow Up". CD

An incredible gem from Walter Wanderley's years in Brazil – a Quarteto Bossamba recording that features Wanderley on both piano and organ, often overdubbed at the same time for a very cool sound! The style is quite different from most of Wanderley's better-known records in the US – and the heavier bossa tones on piano provide a nicely soulful counterpoint to lighter grooves on Hammond – really fleshing out the tunes with an array of jazzy sounds and colors! Wanderley's work on the piano is almost far more expressive than his more familiar organ – as he hits the acoustic keys with a sense of lyrical grace and depth of feeling that's really striking. Titles include an excellent version of "Canto De Ossanha", plus "Chuva", "Cheganca", "Vivo Sonhando", "Maria Moita", and "Verdade Em Paz". LP, Vinyl record album

Searingly spiritual work from David S Ware – a set that definitely draws on the gospel reference in the title, but in ways that are far from any sort of easy cliches! Ware blows tenor boldly here – drawing on a rich legacy from John Coltrane through Billy Harper, all focused sharply into his own dynamic musical vision – and that of his classic quartet with Matthew Shipp on piano and William Parker on bass! Ware's tones really dominate the record – especially given that the production brilliantly brings out all their sharpest edges and raspier moments – but Shipp's elliptical piano is a treat too, and nicely offsets some of Ware's sense of freedom. Susie Ibarra completes the group on drums – and titles include "Wisdomsphere", "Inner Temple", "The Stargazers", "Wisdom Through Time", and "Eternal Faces Of Braham". CD

Nick Waterhouse keeps winning us over again and again with his music – which seems to get better and better with each new release! This album might be Nick's most compelling so far – a nicely gritty set that almost takes us back to that hip London stretch in the 60s, when British singers were effortlessly blending together American styles from soul, jazz, and blues – into a hip-stepping mode that was completely outta sight! Not that Nick's a retro artist trying for an old-styled sound – just that he's one of the few in decades who can get such a clear, focused groove out of all the right elements – and all without making it sound forced at all. A record you can easily file next to classics by Bobby Scott, George Fame, and Zoot Money – with titles that include "Stanyan Street", "The Old Place", "Katchi", "Tracy", "LA Turnaround", "It's Time", and "I Had Some Money". LP, Vinyl record album

One of 2 ESP sessions by Patty Waters – one of the most groundbreaking vocalists of the 60s, and a singer with a style that mixed equal parts jazz and folk! In a way, Patty's got a sound that's somewhat like Nina Simone at her best – in that she dominates a tune completely, singing as if she's speaking – and infusing it with a raspily personal mode that goes far deeper than simple interpretation. The difference, of course, is that most of Waters' material is all original, so the themes aren't nearly as restrictive as some of the covers that Simone had to re-interpret – but there's certainly a mode here that explores freedoms within limits, and which should have made Waters a much bigger influence in her generation. All material on the set was recorded during a 1966 tour of the state colleges of New York – with backings by Burton Greene on piano, Steve Tintweiss on bass, and Tom Price on percussion – and titles include "Moon Don't Come Up Tonight", "Why Can't I Come To You", "You Thrill Me", "Sad Am I Glad Am I", and "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair". CD

Wax Poetics is pulling out a big talent roster this time around – covers with Raury and Gary Clark Jr – and inside articles on Leon Bridges, Boz Scaggs, Marilyn McLeod, Kamasi Washington, Onra, John Simon, and others! As usual, the coverage is as eclectic as the artists included – great features on talents both classic and contemporary, but who are often sometimes a bit far from the spotlight – and brought to light with the crate-digging commitment that's always made WP so great! Photos are great, text is rich, and there's hardly any ads in the magazine either! Magazine

The great Donald Byrd is on the cover this time around – and gets a great feature on his key jazz funk years for Blue Note on the inside! And as always, We Jazz really knocks it out of the park – with a mix of writing and artwork that's far beyond jazz magazines of years past – all in service of artists who include Lonnie Liston Smith, Billy Harper, Ralph Towner, Muffins, Domi & JD Beck, Anoushka Shankar, Charles Gayle, and Anni Kiviniemi! There's also the regular Discaholic column from Mats Gustafsson, a look at the Odysseus Festival, and reviews – plus a very cool photo essay on the rare Vogel Records label. Done in a beautiful book-style format – and full color throughout! Magazine

Some of the first recordings ever from Chicago legend Junior Wells – made for the small States label in the Windy City, many years before Wells exploded out with much greater national fame! The music here has Junior stepping into the same early electric space that Chess Records was cutting at the time – and given the presence of Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and Willie Dixon on some of these sides – the group's also not far off either! Wells is the main star throughout, though – alternating bold young vocals and razor-sharp harmonica lines – in the company of players who include Louis Myers, Elmore James, and Muddy Waters on guitar, Johnnie Jones and Otis Spann on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, and Odie Payne on drums. Titles include "Hoodoo Man", "Tomorrow Night", "Eagle Rock", "Junior's Wail", "Throw This Poor Dog A Bone", "So All Alone", "Blues Hit Big Town", and "Lovin Blues". CD features six previously unissued tracks! CD

Some of the first recordings ever from Chicago legend Junior Wells – made for the small States label in the Windy City, many years before Wells exploded out with much greater national fame! The music here has Junior stepping into the same early electric space that Chess Records was cutting at the time – and given the presence of Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and Willie Dixon on some of these sides – the group's also not far off either! Wells is the main star throughout, though – alternating bold young vocals and razor-sharp harmonica lines – in the company of players who include Louis Myers, Elmore James, and Muddy Waters on guitar, Johnnie Jones and Otis Spann on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, and Odie Payne on drums. Titles include "Hoodoo Man", "Tomorrow Night", "Eagle Rock", "Junior's Wail", "Throw This Poor Dog A Bone", "So All Alone", "Blues Hit Big Town", and "Lovin Blues". CD

A trio of wonderful albums from The Whispers – with a bit of bonus tracks too! First up is One For The Money – one of our favorite Whispers albums of the 70s – thanks to wonderful work from Philly soul maestro Norman Harris! Harris produced the record, and also played guitar on the set – giving the group this Sigma Sound-styled backdrop that almost puts the west coast harmony quintet in the territory of Gamble & Huff's work for Philly International! There's plenty of grooves on the set, but also plenty of deeper soul elements too – balanced beautifully with a richness that makes this Whispers album every bit as rewarding as work by some of their east coast contemporaries. Tracks include the sublime mellow cut "Living Together (In Sin)" – plus "One For The Money", "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are", "Sounds Like A Love Song", and "In My Heart". On Open Up Your Love, The Whispers are really riding high on the Soul Train – perfectly set up with production help from the team of Don Cornelius and Dick Griffey – who really help the group make the best of their harmonies, both on mellow cuts and upbeat groovers! The latter cuts are what The Whispers are sometimes remembered most for at this time in their career – but we really love the more laidback cuts too – as they seem to have an even more magical approach, with this floating style that really does wonders for the vocals. Titles include "Open Up Your Love", "You Are Number One", "I'm Gonna Make You My Wife", "Love Is A Dream", "I Fell In Love Last Night", and "Chocolate Girl". Headlights is sublime stuff from The Whispers – a record that features some wonderfully easy-drifting harmony vocals, put together in a careful way that preserves the smooth mellow tip that always made the group sound best! There's a maturity to the record that takes the quintet far past their early harmony soul roots, and even past some of the more clubby styles they were using during the 70s – almost the mix of sophistication that some of the hipper groups at Philly International would reach during the same stretch. The set's definitely got a few groovers, but the mellower steppers are the most wonderful – including the fantastic cut "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out", a sweet little groover with a hook that's undeniably catchy. Other tracks include "The Planets Of Life", "Disco Melody", "Children Of Tomorrow", "All The Way", and "You're A Special Part Of My Life". CD features bonus tracks – "Sounds Like A Love Song (7" version)" and "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are (7" version)". CD

Beautiful work from Michael White – one of the few musicians who can actually make us love the sound of the violin in jazz! White's working here in a style that's very much in line with some of the post-Coltrane spiritual soul jazz in Impulse in the early 70s – an approach that's free-thinking, yet never as far outside as some of the avant work on the label during the 60s. Instead, there's a gentle, almost contemplative groove here – one that has echoes of some of Alice Coltrane's more meditative recordings, yet which also breaks out with some of the more modal jazz of Michael White's roots. Players on the album include Prince Lasha on reeds, Ed Kelly on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Kenneth Nash on percussion – and the album's filled with organic textures and beautifully flowing grooves! Titles include the beautiful "Land Of Spirit & Light" suite in three parts, plus "Fatima's Garden", "Fiesta Dominical", "O Ancient One" and "Lament (Mankind)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best later albums by French tenor genius Barney Wilen – a true gem that's far better than the title might indicate! The tunes, as you might guess, are all themes from French films – stretching back to the late 50s jazz/new wave days, when Wilen recorded on a few brilliant soundtracks with Miles Davis and Art Blakey – and moving forward into later years to include a few great tunes from the 60s French scene. The group on the set is Mal Waldron's excellent trio with Stafford James on bass and Eddie Moore on drums – the three of them rounding out the tunes with a strong degree of soul, and lots of open notes and space, which lets Wilen do some incredible work on both tenor and soprano saxes. Tunes are all quite long, and really depart from the original structures – and titles include "Un Homme Et Une Femme", "Les Parapluies De Cherbourg", "Manha De Carnaval", "No Problem", and "Julien Dans L'Ascenseur". CD

A brilliant session of modernist hardbop – one of the few records ever cut as a leader by trumpeter Richard Williams! Williams was a key part of the Charles Mingus group for a few years – and his soulful approach ranks with Ted Curson as some of the most compelling underground trumpet work of the early 60s. The set features Williams in a great group – with Leo Wright on alto, Reggie Workman on bass, Richard Wyands on piano, and Bobby Thomas on drums – and they're playing material that isn't too far out, but which does have significantly modern tendencies. Williams solos are fantastic, and the album is proof that he was one of the 60s great under-recognized talents! Titles include "Ferris Wheel", "Blues In A Quandry", "Raucous Notes", and "Renita's Bounce". CD

A brilliant session of modernist hardbop – one of the few records ever cut as a leader by trumpeter Richard Williams! Williams was a key part of the Charles Mingus group for a few years – and his soulful approach ranks with Ted Curson as some of the most compelling underground trumpet work of the early 60s. The set features Williams in a great group – with Leo Wright on alto, Reggie Workman on bass, Richard Wyands on piano, and Bobby Thomas on drums – and they're playing material that isn't too far out, but which does have significantly modern tendencies. Williams solos are fantastic, and the album is proof that he was one of the 60s great under-recognized talents! Titles include "Ferris Wheel", "Blues In A Quandry", "Raucous Notes", and "Renita's Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal jazz rock statement from drummer Tony Williams – one that has him stepping out quite far from his original "new thing" recordings of the mid 60s! The album's got a genre-forming sound that's incredibly fierce – a power trio churning of Williams drums, John McLaughlin's guitar, and Larry Young's free-thinking work on organ. The tunes are long and jamming, but also have a tight rhythmic focus that never gets too sloppy – and which virtually set the stage for a whole generation of 70s fusion players in years to come! Young and McLaughlin are especially great – working here with Williams to pound out sheets of sound in a cosmic trippy maze of riffs and grooves, certainly enough to inspire the most addled rocker to head over to the jazz section! Though this set was released as two separate volumes, this double LP version has both albums, and features 8 tracks in all "Emergency", "Beyond Games", "Where", "Vashkar", "Sangria For Three", "Something Spiritual", "Spectrum", and "Via The Spectrum Road". CD

A seminal jazz rock statement from drummer Tony Williams – one that has him stepping out quite far from his original "new thing" recordings of the mid 60s! The album's got a genre-forming sound that's incredibly fierce – a power trio churning of Williams drums, John McLaughlin's guitar, and Larry Young's free-thinking work on organ. The tunes are long and jamming, but also have a tight rhythmic focus that never gets too sloppy – and which virtually set the stage for a whole generation of 70s fusion players in years to come! Young and McLaughlin are especially great – working here with Williams to pound out sheets of sound in a cosmic trippy maze of riffs and grooves, certainly enough to inspire the most addled rocker to head over to the jazz section! Though this set was released as two separate volumes, this double LP version has both albums, and features 8 tracks in all "Emergency", "Beyond Games", "Where", "Vashkar", "Sangria For Three", "Something Spiritual", "Spectrum", and "Via The Spectrum Road". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Tony Williams started out as one of the most subtle drummers of the 60s, this album has him coming a long way from his "new thing" Blue Note recordings – and taking off with enough power to reach the moon! The group featured is Williams classic Lifetime lineup – with John McLaughlin and Larry Young, who was also reaching far past his Blue Note groove here – and bassist Jack Bruce, who was working his jazz chops strongly after his years in Cream. There's a raw power here that cannot be denied – a ferocity that must have been incredibly fresh at the time, and which is still, today, one of the clearest visions of a jazz rock fusion that was soon muddied too quickly in the heady waters of 70s jazz. Titles include "To Whom It May Concern", "Right On", "This Night This Song", and "Allah Be Praised". LP, Vinyl record album

Long tracks and plenty of room to groove – a really great little session from Japanese pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, and one with some added conga to boot! Don't confuse this one with Yamamoto's other 70s date with Misty in the name, because this album's a live one – and it comes across with a good deal of energy, even when things are a bit mellow – a sense of freedom on the keys that rolls out from the very first note of the record, yet never takes things too far into the hinterland of sound. There's a nice pulse on most numbers, thanks in part to the congas – and titles include "Moanin", "Dark Eyes", "The Loving Touch", and "Sweet Georgia Brown". CD

A 2CD set of music designed to accompany Japanese animation that starred "the little Norse Prince Valiant" – the cut lil' guy pictured on the cover, who gets some very action-packed accompaniment here! Most tunes are short and lively, and almost echo an older cartoon mode that you might have heard in the US in the 30s and 40s – not exactly Merrie Melodies or Raymond Scott, but not that far away either – as there's all sorts of playful arrangements, unusual horns, offbeat rhythms, and other things that really make the orchestrations sparkle! As with other titles in this series, the whole thing is very well done, but with all notes and titles in Japanese – a 2CD set with 54 tracks in all. CD

One of the best Larry Young albums for Blue Note – and a record that really gets at his unique conception and style in the 60s! The session's a key bridge between Larry's soul jazz roots and his more far-reaching experimental work – filled with deep, heavy grooves – yet mixed with playful, personal touches on the Hammond – some of the most unique sounds coming from Blue Note at the time! The group features a nicely different lineup from the usual label Hammond date – Tyrone Washington and Herbert Morgan on tenor, and Hank White on flugelhorn – and the ensemble is augmented by some congas, and vocals by Larry's wife Althea on one track. The sound is great – more inside than Love & Peace, but with a similar righteous energy – and titles include "Evening", "Majestic Soul", "Tender Feelings", "Wild Is The Wind" and "Means Happiness". CD