Brilliant late work from spiritual saxophone genius Albert Ayler – one of his last truly great albums! The session has none of the jazz-meets-other music feel of some of the other Impulse albums – and is more in the straight expressive style of the ESP recordings. Tracks are more reined in here – with some short themes that are almost a distillation of the freedom Ayler had been expressing for a few years, summed up beautifully in tunes that have a plaintive cry, filled with as much soul and love as Ayler could muster into his horn! Players include Donald Ayler on trumpet, Cal Cobbs on harpsichord, Alan Silva on bass, and Milford Graves on drums – and titles include "Zion Hill", "Love Flower", "Love Cry", "Ghosts", "Omega", and "Dancing Flowers". CD also includes some extra bonus material! CD

Brilliant late work from Ayler – 2 albums in a single set! The Love Cry session has none of the jazz-meets-other music feel of some of the other Impulse albums – and is more in the straight expressive style of the ESP recordings. Tracks are more reined in here – with some short themes that are almost a distillation of the freedom Ayler had been expressing for a few years, summed up beautifully in tunes that have a plaintive cry, filled with as much soul and love as Ayler could muster into his horn! Players include Don Ayler, Cal Cobbs, Alan Silva, and Milford Graves – and titles include "Zion Hill", "Love Flower", "Love Cry", "Ghosts", "Omega", and "Dancing Flowers". That's followed by Ayler's last album ever – and an incredibly strange batch of tracks that shows perfectly the kind of stylistic and emotional struggle he was going through in the final years of his life. Like the albums New Grass and Love Cry, this one shows Ayler toying with influences from other genres – like rock and soul – in order to better communicate his message to the masses. And while there's some strange odd moments that don't really work, there's others that have a gutsiness that's stunning – especially from the otherwise serious (by this point) NY underground. Players include Bobby Few, Muhammad Ali, and Stafford James – and tracks include "Untitled Duet", "Again Comes The Rising Of The Sun", "Toiling", "Birth Of Mirth", and "Desert Blood". CD

The only album ever by The Barrino Brothers – a stellar early 70s harmony group, and one who could sing with the best of the east coast scene of the time! The whole set's got a feel that's very much in the best mode of groups like The Modulations, Soul Generation, and even The O'Jays – as the group's got a deeper, more solid sound than some of the more fragile outfits of their era. Production is very strong – thanks to the Holland-Dozier-Holland powerhouse sound of the time – and the group's vocals are supported on a full groove that really helps send the whole thing over the top! The title cut "Livin High Off The Goodness Of Your Love" is a stone classic – and other nice tracks include "Rain", "I Had it All", and "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way". Loads of bonus tracks too – including "Trapped In A Love", "I Had It All (single)", "I Shall Not Be Moved", "Livin High Off The Goodness Of Your Love (inst)", "Livin High Off The Goodness Of Your Love (single)", "Born On The Wild (voc)", and "Born On The Wild (inst)". CD

Supreme love fest in action – and Brian's back at the production helm. Proof that therapy has some effect on the world – and with the tracks "Roller Skating Child", "Good Time", "Johnny Carson", "Night Was So Young", and "Airplane". CD

Disco grooves, but with a definite difference – given that Jo Bisso had previously worked on the Parisian club scene, and brings a special flourish to this American album from the late 70s! Jo sings lead vocals on the side-long "Love Somebody" – a tune that builds strongly as Bisso gets answered by a trio of lovely ladies who really brighten up the sound – and who then seem to take over even more on the flipside working with singer Claudia Ferrari. This second side is even better than the first – as things get a bit more spare and stripped-down – snaking out on the smooth stepper "Your Love", getting some funky moogy touches on the P&P-like "Let's Keep It Together", and warming up on the mellow disco number "Thank You Baby". Special bonus – CD features a fifth track – not titled or credited at all! CD

A landmark album that had one of the best versions of the Jazz Messengers taking a big step forward – thanks to some increased songwriting by the group's young tenor genius – Wayne Shorter! Shorter's tunes take up all of the second half of the record, and all of them have gone onto become classics – "Giantis", "Sleeping Dancer Sleep On", and "Noise In The Attic" – all tunes that hint at the modernism that was to come in Wayne's music, and which especially seem to push his tenor and the trumpet of Lee Morgan into the range of more mature colors and tones that would grace their music as the 60s moved on. Meanwhile, there's a rock-solid rhythm drive at the core – Art Blakey on drums, Jymie Merritt on bass, and the great Bobby Timmons on piano – still making a strong contribution to the group. Lee Morgan wrote the nine minute tune "Johnny's Blue" on side one – which also includes a beautiful version of "Like Someone In Love" – a masterpiece in soulful lyricism! CD features one bonus alternate track, too! CD

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Features Antonio Hart on alto, Steve Turre on trombone, Mark Taylor on French horn, Roland Hanna on piano, and Michael Carvin on drums – plus a guest drums from Max Roach! CD

A modern classic from Dee Dee Bridgewater – one of her hippest albums of the later years, thanks to a great choice of material, and some really wonderful execution! The album's a beautiful set of straight jazz vocal readings of some of Horace Silver's best compositions, and it also features guest appearances by Silver and Jimmy Smith – both players who still had plenty going on at the time of the sessions. The real strength, though, is Dee Dee – as she proves once and for all that she's one of the best female true jazz singers of this era, capable of rich emotion on ballad tracks, and swinging free vocalese on more uptempo numbers. Titles include "Nica's Dream", "Pretty Eyes", "St. Vitus Dance", "Soulville", "Lonely Woman", and "Tokyo Blues". One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of the past 10 years! CD

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A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". CD

The legendary Kenny Burrell played often at the Village Vanguard over the years – and this sweet set from later years has the guitarist really stretching out in the familiar setting – hitting some surprisingly deep, strong lines throughout – all with effortless ease! The record's a great reminder that Burrell kept on growing over the decades, and never seemed to lose his power as both a leader and a soloist – something we've been reminded of in his many records after this early 90s set – and the younger combo here really seems to bring out a fresh fire in Kenny, with work from James Williams on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums. Titles include the originals "Then Along Came You", "Good News Blues", and "Maya's Dance" – plus "Fungi Mama", "Lament", and "Black & Tan Fantasy". CD

Tracks include "My Old Faded Rose", "I Walk The Line", "Ring Of Fire", "The Greatest Cowboy Of Them All", "Redemption", "Why Me Lord", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Cocaine Blues", "The Long Black Veil", and more – 48 tracks total. CD

Four classic albums from UK singer Tina Charles – an artist who mixes older vocal touches with the swirling sounds of the legendary Biddu – in a groove that's got a heck of a lot to offer! Tina never was one of the most underground singers of her generation – but it's her confidence in that fact that makes this music so great – an unabashed love of the poppier sounds of the dancefloor, in a way that beautifully mixes together 70s AM sensibilities with the growing sounds of the disco movement. Biddu's a great choice for the project – as the use of light strings and disco grooves resonates with his own solo work, but also maybe has more of a crossover focus, thanks to Tina's poppy vocals in the lead! The 2CD set features the full albums I Love To Love, Dance Little Lady, Heart N Soul, and Just One Smile – with a total of 40 tracks in all. CD

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Lots of heavy love here – a wonderful sense of rapport between the great tenorist Al Cohn and piano genius Jimmy Rowles! Both musicians were still recording heavily at the time of this album, but the record seems to capture them in a really special space that still stands strongly on its own – a mode that's much more relaxes than some of the Pablo Records sessions of the time, and which has Cohn in an especially striking mode – really hitting these openly-blown, often-angular lines that are dripping with soul – more heart and feeling than we might normally expect from him, matched equally by Jimmy Rowles' wonderful phrasing on piano – very much here at the top shelf level he delivered with Stan Getz on The Peacocks album. Titles include "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Bar Talk", "These Foolish Things", "Them There Eyes", and "Sweet & Lovely". Features the bonus track "For All We Know". CD

Two rare European records from Freddy Cole – best known to most of us in the US as a jazz singer! One More Love Song is surprisingly soulful set from Freddy – quite different than some of the straighter jazz vocals he's cut over the years! This rare gem was recorded in The Netherlands in the mid 70s – and features backings from Jerry Van Rooyen and Tony Noite, both of whom mix jazzy inflections with fuller orchestrations – helping to bring Cole's rich background into a whole new light! Freddy's voice still has that wonderful trademark rasp – familiar to, yet quite different than brother Nat – and the use of some smoother soul modes makes for a really great contrast. Titles include "One More Love Song", "I Loved You", "I Need You So", "Still Wanna Be With You", "Isn't She Lovely", and "Here Is Where Your Love Belongs". Right From The Heart has Freddy Cole taking on a mix of adult ballads and some groovier numbers – set to arrangements by John Gally, Hennie Bekker, and Steve Gray – and recorded in London with a nicely mature feel. There's a bit of polish to the production, especially on the more upbeat cuts – but the mellower numbers still have Cole singing in a great old school mode. Titles include "The Girl From The Piano Bar", "To Be With You", "Teach Me Tonight", "Summer Love", "Somewhere Down The Line", and "Right From The Start". CD

An unforgettable album from Natalie Cole – a record that came at a time when her R&B career was faltering slightly, and a set that not only helped Natalie reach a new level of sophistication in her music – but also find a huge new audience too! If the title sounds familiar, it's because it's the name of a huge hit for Natalie's dad, the great Nat King Cole – who makes a surprising appearance here via the magic of technology, as he duets with his daughter on the album's hit title track. There's a jazzy vibe to the whole set – thanks in part to some piano work by Ike Cole too – and titles include "The Very Thought Of You", "Paper Moon", "Mona Lisa", 'This Can't Be Love", "Lush Life", "That Sunday That Summer", "Avalon", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "Nature Boy", "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup", "Thou Swell", and "Unforgettable". CD

A really great late 60s session from Ornette Coleman – one that shows is increasing expansion in sounds and styles, and which also offers a bridge between avant jazz generations too! That bridge comes in the presence of Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – a surprising Coltrane rhythm duo, working here with Ornette's mindblowing work on alto sax, and tenor from a young Dewey Redman – already a crucially intense player here next to Coleman, as both are set free in a group without any piano – that Ornette melding of rhythm and melody, but with a very different vibe than the Atlantic years! Coleman blows trumpet on one tune – and titles include "Love Call", "Airborne", "Check Out Time", and "Open To The Public". CD includes 3 bonus alternate takes, too! CD

Beautiful work from Adegoke Steve Colson – a warmly grooving set cut with vocalist Iqua Colson – possibly one of Steve's straightest records ever, but one of his most soulful, too! Iqua's got a fluid vocal approach that's mighty nice – and the Colson combo swings in a mix of modal moments and soul jazz roots – with work from TK Blue on soprano and alto sax, Andy McCloud on bass, and Reggie Nicholson on drums. Most titles are originals, with a really fresh feel – the kind of hopeful, optimistic spirit of jazz vocals, if you still no where to look – and titles include "Hope For Love", "At The Church Steps", "Picante", "Regina's Lament", "South Of The Border Serenade", and "After Revelation's Ease". CD

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". Plus, this new version of the set features a huge amount of bonus material – a long live version of the whole suite, recorded in 1965 in Antibes, alternate takes of tracks on the original session – and the fantastic sextet reading of "Acknowledgement", with playing by Archie Shepp! Movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". CD

Laurence Cook on drums and Jim Hobbs on alto saxophone. CD

An overlooked gem on Stax Records – one of the only records ever cut by Bettye Crutcher – also a songwriter with the label, but a hell of a singer on her own! Bettye's got a style here that's very unique – still in a Stax mode, but a bit more sophisticated too – with a subtle groove that almost feels like some of the best female soul singers coming out of the Chicago scene at the time! Sir Mack Rice co-wrote most of the tunes with Bettye – and they've got a vibe that's really great – and which has made the record a real standout from Stax over the years – really unified, and really deep – in a way that goes past any easy hit modes or cliches. Titles include the sublime track "Sunday Morning's Gonna Find Us In Love" – plus "Long As You Love Me", "A Little Bit More Won't Hurt", "Passion", "Call Me When All Else Fails", and "Up For A Let Down". CD features lots of bonus tracks too – all previously unissued – including "So Glad To Have You", "Don't You Think It's About Time", "We've Got Love On Our Side", "Make A Joyful Noise", and demo versions of "Walk On To Your New Love" and "I Forgive You". CD

One of the most righteous albums to come out of the Kingston scene in the early 70s – a set that's driven by the new spirit of the Rastafarian generation, but which also pushes the music much more than some of the commercial efforts of the time! The style of the music here is almost to mainstream reggae what spiritual jazz was to 70s funk – richer, deeper, more thoughtful, driven by message, and carried forth through instrumentation and production – a heady brew cooked up by Lloyd Charmers in the studio, with work from Willie London on guitar, Lloyd Parks on bass, and Charmers himself on organ, piano, and lots of earthy percussion. Of course, the vocals of Ras Michael are the real driving forces of the record – again very different than any mainstream singers, as he stretches out on these long, hypnotic tracks that include "Run Come Rally", "Seventy Two Nations", "Zion Land", and "Know How You Stand". This killer 2CD version features a full bonus CD – 22 more Lloyd Charmers dub tracks from the mid 70s, all of which have never been on CD before! CD

Eddie Daniels on clarinet, Fred Hersch and Roger Kellaway on paino, John Patitucci on bass, and Al Foster on drums. CD

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". CD

Four classic albums from Jackie DeShannon – all in a single set! First up is Me About You – sophisticated Jackie at her best – working with great arrangements from Jack Nitzsche and Nick DeCaro – both cats from the California scene we can really trust for "cut-above" pop work like this – music that goes way past the simple sounds of DeShannon's start – into cool adult territory that really makes the album great. Jackie's vocals are surprisingly soulful in the setting – even more so than before – and the tunes include lots of gems, including versions of Van Dyke Parks' "High Coin", John Sebastian's "Didn't Want To Have To Do It", and Tim Hardin's "Baby Close Its Eyes". Also includes "I Keep Wanting You", "Me About You", and "Nicole". Next is Laurel Canyon – heady work from Jackie DeShannon's later years in 60s pop – an album with themes and styles that go way beyond her earlier recordings – as you might guess from the hip Laurel Canyon reference in the title! Jackie's working here in a mode that's much more strongly in a singer-songwriter style than before – with arrangements and backings that are a lot more organic, and less pop-tuned than ever – almost in a Laura Nyro approach on some numbers. As usual, a good portion of the tracks were written by Jackie herself – including "Holly Would", "Come & Stay With Me", "LA", "Too Close", and "Laurel Canyon" – and the album also features a few well chosen tracks by other writers too, like "Bitter Honey" by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols, "I Got My Reason" by Barry White, and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson. Put A Little Love In Your Heart is quite possibly the last great hit from singer Jackie DeShannon – an album built around the righteous spirit of the title track – filled with really wonderful original tunes penned by Jackie and soul singer Jimmy Holiday! The album may well be the best to explore the space between pop and soul that often characterized Jackie's work – and the overall sound is somewhat similar to some of Dusty Springfield's best pop/soul work from the same stretch. 10 of the album's 12 tracks are originals by Holiday and DeShannon – all set to soaring orchestrations by James Langeford, which often have a pronounced influence from the sound of Atlantic Records in the late 60s! Titles include "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "You Are The Real Thing", "River Of Love", "Movin", "You Can Come To Me", "You Have A Way With Me", and "I Let Go Completely". To Be Free is an interesting little record – with kind of a crossover California soul feel overall – recorded with Rene Hall arrangements that echo a few rootsy modes at times, mixed in with fuller orchestrations that step a bit back towards Jackie's earlier years on Imperial – a surprisingly nice blend, with a fresh sound for the 70s. The album features a number of great tracks co-written with Jimmy Holiday – a fellow Imperial talent – and titles include "Mediterranean Sky", "Sooner Or Later", "What Was Your Day Like", "Livin On The Easy Side", "Brighton Hill", and "When Morning Comes Again". CD

A stone pop soul winner from DeBarge – the kind of record that made the group a heck of a lot of money back in the 80s, and which sounds surprisingly great to our ears today! The record features lots of electro arrangements – fuzzy keyboards and bass pedals grooving around in a way that's got traces of "street" electro, mixed with some super-smooth LA production, and used brilliantly by the group in a family-based pop harmony way that stretches back to some of the great 70s groups of the same style – like The Sylvers or the Stairsteps. A heck of a lot nicer than we remember, and pretty great all the way through – with tracks that include "I Like It", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "All This Love", "I'm In Love With You", "Can't Stop", "It's Getting Stronger", and "Life Begins With You". CD

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Maybe the most sensitive work we've ever heard from this Italian duo – a group who can sometimes be clubby, but who here lay back a bit more in the pacing of their rhythms, which allows for more introspection and careful consideration in the music! There's a range of different singers on the album – Chiara Castello, Egeeno, and labelmate Toco on different cuts – plus two different spoken word tracks too – all set amidst warm keyboards, guitar, and nice use of samples and beats. Titles include "Genova Nervi", "La Verita", "Common Questions", "A Song To Make Love To", "Just A Child", "Melancolia", "No Fun", and "Nun Tengo Chiu A Te". CD

Tight trio work by Kenny Drew – featuring his great group with Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums! CD

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". CD

A really beautiful album of harmony soul – and a set that we'd already love for its music, even if the group didn't have an interesting story! Edge Of Daybreak are part of a small sub-culture of 70s soul groups – an ensemble who existed behind prison bars, like Power Of Attorney or The Escorts – and like both of those groups, they've got an amazingly strong sound – one that goes way beyond their incarcerated status, and which should have made them (like the other two) worthy of greater attention in the outside world! The material was recorded in 1979, but it's got a fragile early 70s vibe – maybe because that was the last time these guys heard work in the mainstream – and the voices come together with a style that's proud, but quite heartbreaking at times too – a bit like The Whatnauts on their best ballad material. If you dig harmony soul, you'll find plenty to love here – especially if you like early 70s material from Philly and New Jersey – and don't even worry about the behind bars gimmick, because the record has way more to offer than that! Titles include "Let Us", "Eyes Of Love", "I Wanna Dance With You", "Bring Me Down", "Edge Of Daybreak", and "Your Destiny". CD

With Rodney Jones on guitar, Marc Johnson and Christian McBride on bass, and Jack DeJohnette and Carl Allen on drums. CD

Titles include "My Foolish Heart", "She's Funny That Way", "Where I Belong", "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing", and "Freddie's Yen For Jen". CD

13 love songs from this fantastic group – titles that include "Blessed", "Flowers", "Key To My Heart", "Don't Ask My Neighbors", "God Will Take Care Of You", "Special Part", "The Movie", and "Ain't No Doubt About It". CD

One of the last great soul albums on the Westbound label – the Detroit funk powerhouse known for famous records by Funkadelic, The Counts, and the Detroit Emeralds! Eramus Hall have a vague P-Funk connection – and according to legend, the band were given their name by George Clinton, who had seen a building in Chicago named Eramus Hall – but the sound is a lot smoother than any of the P-Funk projects of the time, and the group's strongest point is their smooth soul groove, augmented by a tight jazz funk style on the best cuts. In a way, they're sort of like a morphed version of late Parliament – with a funk sound that's nicely compressed, but still a lot more true than any of the countless other bands on the market who were aping P-Funk at the time. Highlights include the groovers "Your Love Is My Desire" and "She Shined A Light", both with nice sample moments – and other tracks include "Stuck In The Mudd", "Funk Permit", and "Think Positively". CD

A mighty nice soul group from the 70s – one that features early work from Zulema before she went solo, and who come across here with a slightly righteous style that you might guess from the cover! Vocals soar at all the right moments, and there's some hipper-than-usual production that's very much in keeping with the Sussex label at the time – different than some of the more polished chart-styled work that similar groups were doing at the time, and which often helps underscore some gospel-influence righteousness in the way the vocals come across! In fact, there's points where the vocals sound much more like those coming from a larger group than a trio – a great testament to the power of the lineup – and titles include "God Bless The World", "I Worship The Very Ground You Walk On", "Heavy Love", "I Was There", and "We Can Change The World". CD

Never-issued music from a really legendary group – titled in a way that's similar to their famous 60s record for Atlantic Records – but a batch of live material recorded in Sweden with an equally sublime sort of feel! Art Farmer works here on flugelhorn alongside guitarist Jim Hall – a brief but important pairing in 60s modern jazz – especially when combined with the talents of Steve Swallow on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – four artists who make for a really revolutionary quartet, as they explore the space of sound, and the space between the notes, in ways that still sound as revolutionary now as they did when recorded back in 1964! Titles include "Theme For Jobim", "Sometime Ago", "Waltz Hot", "Birk's Works", "I Love You", and "Bilbao Song". CD

A pretty sweet 70s set from Art Farmer – ostensibly a tribute to Duke Ellington, but really more of a gently soulful session in the mode of Art's best work of the decade! The group is the Cedar Walton trio with Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all matching Art's lyrical work beautifully, in a soulfully swinging way that transforms familiar Ellington numbers into new vehicles for creative expression. Farmer's at the height of his powers, and tracks include "Love You Madly", "Lush Life", "In A Sentimental Mood", and "The Star Crossed Lovers". CD

A really unique little album that features jazz versions of themes from Swedish folk music – all served up by a sublime quartet that features Art Farmer on flugelhorn and Jim Hall on guitar! The exploration of folk roots in jazz is not a new one – and a number of the postwar Swedish modernists were especially strong in their love of folk music for inspiration. But the genre's never been handled this well before, and Farmer's warmly lyrical sensibilities really transform the tunes – opening up a timeless sense of expression in their melodies, yet still keeping things strongly in a modern jazz vein with his timing and phrasing. The other members of the piano-less quartet certainly help in this respect – Steve Swallow on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – and Jim Hall's guitar is always a treat in a stripped-down session like this. The sound of the record is both warm and eerie at the same time – and titles include "Va Da Du?", "De Salde Sina Hemman", "Kristallen Den Fina", and "Visa Vid Midsommartid". CD

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With Thomas White on drums. CD

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One of the great Pablo Records efforts to revisit the jazz sound of the 50s – but in fresh new ways allowed by the freer recording modes of the 70s! The album features Ella Fitgerald and Joe Pass, plus nobody else – just voice and guitar coming together in quiet, introspective ways that are completely sublime, and a very nice change from some of Ella's fuller band recordings of the few years before this album. And far from being sleepy, the intimacy of the record almost seems to set a new kind of fire – one that comes from the gentle persona of Ella, which is a far cry from the glass-breaking singer that she'd come to be known as in the mainstream! Titles include "Take Love Easy", "Once I Loved", "Lush Life", "You're Blase", "A Foggy Day", "I Want To Talk About You", and "You Go To My Head". CD

A fantastic record from vibist David Friedman – spare, hip, modern, and very moody! Friedman's playing vibes and marimba alongside David Samuels, who plays the same – and this twin-vibes approach sounds fantastic – especially as the record has no drums, just additional bass, plus flute by Hubert Laws – a very loose, open style that comes across with a completely unique sound! The approach is super-dope for any fan of laidback 70s vibes – and the tracks are never too free or way out, just gliding with this airy quality that's really wonderful – one of the best demonstrations of Friedman's great talents on record. Titles include "Truce", "Nyack", "Brite Piece", "Island", and "Saraband". CD

With Danilo Perez on piano, George Mraz on bass, Lewis Nash, and Kenny Washington on drums. CD

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The title's a wonderful one – given the warmth and great spirit of this legendary trio – a near-perfect assemblage of the talents of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums! Both Carter and Williams help Hank to hit the hipper side of his talents for the 70s – and together, they work as one – with a well-rounded, well-crafted style that's a great testament to the group's strong appeal at the time. Titles include "Freedom Jazz Dance", "A Child Is Born", "Mr PC", "All Blues", and "Doom". CD

A bit of a change for The Great Jazz Trio, but a great one too – given that Buster Williams is on bass here, instead of the usual Ron Carter – working with drummer Tony Williams and pianist Hank Jones to really make things sparkle! Buster's bass is always a treat, and this album's no exception – a set that's filled with some surprisingly soulful moments on the bottom, which really seems to push the group nicely on the longer tracks in the set. Jones sounds a bit different here than before – in a good way – and titles include versions of "Love For Sale", "Secret Love", "Autumn Leaves", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". CD

A very cool idea for a collection – a set that takes all the classic early Al Green material for Hi Records, and adds in some larger orchestrations – all at a level that's way better than you might expect, and with a sound that's very faithful to the originals! The larger charts are dropped in with a nicely subtle touch – so that Al's vocals aren't impinged at all, and the strings are used to sweeten up the tunes in all the right ways – very much as if the original recordings might have been given a bit of an Arif Mardin touch over at Atlantic Records, while still retaining the Memphis sound at the core. Titles include "Look What You Done For Me", "Take Me To The River", "Tired Of Being Alone", "Call Me", "Let's Stay Together", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Here I Am", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "Sha La La", "I Can't Get Next To You", and "Let's Get Married". CD

A pair of charmers from legendary producer Lloyd Charmers – served up here with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is the classic Sweet Bitter Love from Marcia Griffiths – a set that helped cement her reputation as one of the most soulful female singers in Jamaican music at the time – and one that really helps bridge worlds by serving up some great reggae-styled takes on American soul music! Marcia serves up sublime takes on tunes by Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Roberta Flack, and others – completely reworked by Charmers' instrumentation – which also includes some wonderful keyboards! Titles include "Play Me", "Gypsy Man", "Sweet Bitter Love", "Green Grasshopper", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", and "Everything I Own". Far & Distant features wicked guitar work from Willie Lindo – spun out here over an all-instrumental set that almost feels more like Jamaican records of the late 60s than you'd guess from the mid 70s date of the album! The grooves are definitely more 70s – certainly with a strong reggae current – but the spare, stripped-down manner of presentation takes us back more to some of the instrumental rocksteady records – especially in the way the production allows for lots of focus on the core musician – which means you really get to hear all the wicked, trippy currents of Lindo's instrument – used in a heady style that almost makes him come across like the Phil Upchurch of the Jamaican scene! Lloyd Charmers produced, and also plays piano and organ – and titles include "Drum Song", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Midnight train To Georgia", "Samba Pati", "Chopper", "Hear I Am Baby", "Charmers Mood", "Mystic Mood", "Breezing", and "Holly Holy". 2CD edition features 20 more bonus tracks – 17 of which are new to CD – a full alternate mix of the Marcia Griffiths album, the tune "Midnight & You" by Willie Lindo, and more Lloyd Charmer productions from rare 7" singles – work by Big Youth, Drifting Blenders, Bob Andy, BB Seaton, Errol Thomas, and others. CD

Pretty great stuff from Russell Gunn – a jazz musician who's always bringing something soulful to the table! This time around, there's some great keyboards in the mix – played by Orrin Evans, and used in ways that are sometimes funky, sometimes spacey – and always a great mix with Gunn's laidback trumpet lines. Production is a bit polished on some of the set, but there's enough dark corners to keep the record away from straight smooth jazz – and the album also features guest work from Kirk Whalum on tenor on most tracks. Titles include "All You Need Is Love", "Love Requiem", "Ghandi's Love", "Bitch You Don't Love Me", "I'm In Love With A Stripper", "He Loves Me", and "Because I Love You". CD

Great later work from Wendell Harrison – a set that has the Tribe Records giant of the 70s taking the sound of the Detroit underground into a whole new vibe! The record takes the spiritual post-Coltrane jazz of Harrison's earlier days, and infuses it with some warmer, electric modes – a way of pushing spiritual jazz currents into other territory, a bit like Gary Bartz did with some of his work in the late 70s! Tracks are shorter and slightly less political than before – but the overall vibe is equally soulful in an 80s indie jazz style – and proof that Harrison was still keeping strong after the early days of the Tribe movement. There's some nice dark edges to the record that really keep things interesting – maybe imagine Larry Mizell producing some of the more off-beat albums on Strata East – and there's a bit of vocals on the set, which also features work from Phil Ranelin on trombone. Tracks include "Where Am I", "Sea Minor Blues", "Take Time Out", and "Dreams Of A Love Supreme". CD

Dan Hartman cut some big records in the late 70s disco years, but this set has him returning to more of the blue-eyed soul of his debut – music that's well-produced and tight, and at times almost an update of older rockish modes through the lens of 70s AOR! There's a really well-crafted approach to the record – music that might have hit the heights of AM radio a few years before, had Dan put this one out instead of his clubbier music – and most tracks have warm production on the vocals, often overdubbed slightly – so that Dan harmonizes with himself in a great way. Titles include "Forever In A Moment", "It Hurts To Be In Love", "All I Need", "Heaven In Your Arms", "My Desire", "Letting In A Song", and "Hello Again". CD features bonus tracks – "Rejection" and "Go Go". CD

An odd little album on Savoy – one that collects material from 4 different pianists, packaged with a sexy title, and a cover that has a lusty redhead really "loving" the piano! The best material on here, in our opinion, is the Herbie Nichols work – rare non-Blue Note/Bethlehem work that has him supposedly working with a quartet (although we only hear three instruments on the session!), on tunes that include "Nichols & Dimes", "Who's Blues", and "S'Wonderful". Other tunes include "Jumpin Jacques" and "Thou Swell" by Hampton Hawes; "Blues Too Much" and "Thou Swell" (again!) by John Mehegan; and "Together" and "Apart" by Paul Smith. CD

Some of our favorite work ever from the mighty Lee Hazlewood – material recorded under his own name for Reprise Records – during a stretch when he was also producing for the label with Nancy Sinatra and Dean Martin! The 2CD set features 3 full albums, plus great bonus tracks too – and the assembled lot is as great of a tribute to Hazlewood's genius as we've ever seen! First up is The NSVIPs – a set that follows up the same sort of "story song" format that Lee laid down on his wonderful Trouble album for Mercury – but done here with themes that are a bit hipper, and more wry – in keeping with his Reprise persona. Next is Friday's Child, which has some of Hazlewood's most beautifully-penned tunes – tracks that mix the whimsy of his bigger hits with some great darker elements. Last up is the amazing Love & Other Crimes – one of our favorite albums of the 60s, magically recorded in Paris with a very unique sound – and a style that's a bit different than some of Hazlewood's other records. Titles include "First Street Blues", "I Had A Friend", "Everybody Calls Me Something", "Me & Charlie", "A Real Live Fool", "Hutchinson Jail", "By The Way", "Houston", "Morning Dew", "The House Song", "Love & Other Crimes", "Pour Man", and "Wait & See". Bonus tracks are great too – and include Hazlewood tracks "Ode To Billie Joe", "Rainbow Woman", "I Am You Are", and "Charlie Bill Nelson" – plus other gems that include "Just Bluesin" and "Houston" by Sanford Clark, "A Stranger In Town" by The Vanguards, "The Whisk" by The Whisk Kids, "Zapata" by Jack Nitzsche, "What Are We Gonna Do In 64" by The Wildcats, "Our Man Flint" by The Ring A Dings, and "This Town" by Duane Eddy. 55 tracks in all. CD

Performed by Renee Fleming, Sylvia McNair, Jennifer Larmore, Frederica Non Stade, Nicolle Foland, Zheng Cao, Kristin Clayton, Carol Vaness, and Brian Asawa with Jake Heggie on piano and Emil Miland on cello. CD

Loads of rare work from the great Clarence Frogman Henry – a New Orleans singer with a really unusual voice – as you might guess from his name! The set includes Henry's big hit "Ain't Got No Home" but then spins out to include a wealth of under-exposed singles from later years – titles issued on the Dial and Parrot labels, as well as nine never-issued tracks which appear here for the first time ever! As the title indicates, the style stretches past the core New Orleans groove of Clarence's roots – although that rolling rhythm is almost always in place, as it seems to really encourage Henry's vocal approach to hit its heights. Titles include "Long Lost & Worried", "Looking Back", "Cajun Honey", "You Made Me Love You", "Think It Over", "Mathilda", "You can Have Her", "Hummin A Heartache", "This Time", "That's When I Guessed", and "The Glory Of Love". CD

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One of our favorite soul singers on the LA scene of the 60s – served up here in a complete run of his legendary singles for the Minit label! Jimmy Holiday never fully got his due back in the day – partly because he was a successful songwriter who was often working behind the scenes – but he's a hell of a singer with a style that's rooted in the south, but given some hipper, more sophisticated touches on the west coast – with almost the same mix of the rough and the smooth you'd find in the best Minit label recordings by the young Bobby Womack! Jimmy's very much his own man, though – a standout talent that really gets his due here in a mindblowing batch of music. The b-sides are every bit as wonderful as the a-sides – and given Holiday's knowledge of a tune from the ground up, he really has a great way of putting over the lyrics. The package features two duets with female singer Clydie King – "Ready Willing & Able" and "We Got A Good Thing Goin" – plus 24 more tracks that include "I'm In Love With You", "Baby I Love You", "Turning Point", "The Beauty Of A Girl In Love", "Spread Your Love", "Everything Is Love", "Yesterday Died", "A Man Ain't Nothin Without A Woman", "I'm Gonna Move To The City", "In The Eyes Of My Girl", "Everybody Needs Help", "Baby Boy's In Love",a nd "I Wanna Help Hurry My Brothers Home". CD

The complete solo Capitol singles and Motown recordings by Patrice Holloway – the latter of which are seeing light of day for the first time ever! Patrice has a wonderful voice and tje material throughout this set, both mid 60s Capitol numbers and the sadly overlooked Motown recordings, is top notch and hit worthy to say the least. Patrice may be overshadowed by her sister Brenda, but the little we've been lucky enough to hear over the years suggested that she was just a twist of fate away from stardom – and this excellent set certainly confirms that! 25 tracks in all: "Stolen Hours", "Lucky, My Boy", "Evidence", "Black Mother Goose", "For The Love Of Mike", "Stevie", "Come Into My Place" (Brenda & Patrice Holloway), "All That's Good", "Love Walked Right In", "Crying", "Face In The Crowd", "(He Is) The Boy Of My Dreams", "The Go Gang" and more. CD

A wicked set of groovers from Jimmy Bo Horne – produced with a snapping KC & The Sunshine Band groove, and proof that the Miami sound could still burn strong at the end of the 70s! The tunes are a mix of mellow numbers and funkier tracks that have a snapping "spank" sort of rhythm – that percolated approach to rhythm that TK first started laying down in the mid 70s, but which was given a bit more of an open-ended sound here. Jimmy's vocals are much better than the usual singer for this sort of set – sweetly crackling on the mellow tunes, but hitting with a deeper soul on the groovers. Titles include a long remake of "I Get Lifted", "You Get Me Hot", "Goin Home For Love", "Spank", and "Without You". CD

An excellent 70s set by Jackie & Roy – very different than their work of the 50s and 60s, with an approach that's much more far-reaching and complicated – a style that opens up their vocal talents majestically! Gone are the simpler ditties of earlier years, and in their place are warmly gliding numbers that open up to really unique vocal interplay – sometimes with Jackie in the lead, but other times trading back and forth with all the kind of complicated inflections you'd expect from early 70s CTI! Don Sebesky handled the arrangements with a great mix of spacey and breezy sounds – some slight electric touches at the bottom, but never in a way that makes the record too slick or smooth. Titles include a great version of "Bachinas Brasileiras #5", plus "Heading", "Summer Song", and "Lazy Afternoon". CD

An excellent 70s set by Jackie & Roy – very different than their work of the 50s and 60s, with an approach that's much more far-reaching and complicated – a style that opens up their vocal talents majestically! Gone are the simpler ditties of earlier years, and in their place are warmly gliding numbers that open up to really unique vocal interplay – sometimes with Jackie in the lead, but other times trading back and forth with all the kind of complicated inflections you'd expect from early 70s CTI! Don Sebesky handled the arrangements with a great mix of spacey and breezy sounds – some slight electric touches at the bottom, but never in a way that makes the record too slick or smooth. Titles include a great version of "Bachinas Brasileiras #5", plus "Heading", "Summer Song", and "Lazy Afternoon". CD

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A really unusual album from the TK Records Miami Soul empire – a set that feels like that label's attempt to go head to head with the sound of Sylvia Robinson! Like Sylvia, Regina James is a singer with a very sexy approach to 70s soul – not afraid to let her desire ooze out into the grooves, which are a really well-crafted batch of Miami rhythms handled by Clarence Reid – who also produced and wrote most of the songs in the set. And also like Sylvia, Regina may not be the best soul singer in the world, but she more than makes up for that with her personality – which comes through loud and clear in the album's very unique "Kitty Kat Pussy Cat Medley" – and on other tunes that include "Alfie", "Tribute To Music", "Primitive", and "Dancin In The Flames Of Love". CD

Curtis Fowlkes on trombone, Brad Jones on bass, Roy Nathanson on sax, EJ Rodriguez on percussion, Bill Ware on vibes & Jim Nolet on violin. CD

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With Rob Bargad on Hammond organ and vocals. CD

A bouncy little set from France Joli – moving quite far here from her initial disco groove, and getting some nice 80s groove elements from producer George Duke! Joli's definitely going for a crossover approach here – especially given the hook-heavy sound of some of the best tunes – numbers that have enough of a bounce to work on the dancefloor, but memorable moments that might work on radio as well. France also brings in some ballads, too – but given her resume, she's definitely best suited for groovers. Titles include "Does He Dance", "Give Me Your Love", "Party Lights", "Love Always Finds A Way", "In The Darkness", and "Attitude". CD features 2 bonus tracks – Shep Pettibone remixes of "Does He Dance" – one a dance mix, another a dub! CD

Man, these guys just keep on getting better – and this time around, Durand Jones & The Indications deliver a record that's way more than just another funk band with a lead singer! Instead, there's a depth and complexity to this set that takes us back to our favorite indie soul albums at the start of the 70s – particularly ultra-hip work from the Philly and New Jersey scenes, where sweet and funky soul modes could exist in equal space – and come up with results that are every bit as great! The core funky instrumentation from the group is still in place - but there's also larger arrangements with a bit of strings and vocals – really opening up the tunes, and somehow underscoring their more righteous currents in a way that smaller instrumentation would never do. Jones sounds better than ever – as if he's been waiting for a chance like this to really take off – and titles include "Morning In America", "Circles", "True Love", "Walk Away", "Long Way Home", "Sea Gets Hotter", "How Can I Be Sure", "Listen To Your Heart", and "Court Of Love". CD

A wonderful later album from these two Coltrane bandmembers – reunited here in the early 80s, working in a mode that's very much in keeping with their rich spiritual jazz legacy! The group on the album's a quintet – with Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Richard Davis on bass, and Jean-Paul Bourelly on electric guitar. Sanders' majestic tenor solos really make the album sparkle – as he's blowing in a mode that feels a lot like Coltrane, circa 1963, touched with some of his own raspy soul, which makes for a different edge. Titles include "Little Rock's Blues", 'Hip Jones", "For Tomorrow", "Korina", and "Origin". CD

Features Houston Person and Cedar Walton. CD

A rare Japanese-only session – one that has vocalist Salena Jones joining the fusion supergroup Stuff – in a set that's easily one of the most soulful outings from both artists involved! Although Jones mostly worked overseas, she's got a slinky style here that really fits the groove of the American group – a slow-stepping approach that wraps nicely around keyboards from Richard Tee, and twin guitars from Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree. Steve Gadd's drums keep a nice undercurrent of funk, even when things are mellow – and Tee's arrangements are tight, but never slick or overdone. Titles include "Loving Arms", "My Love", "Everyday", "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me", "Help Me Make It Through The Night", and "Lately". CD

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One of our favorite Japanese pianists of the 70s, working here with two younger players who really help preserve the mix of lyricism and groove that made his earlier records so great! Fumio Karashima plays both acoustic piano and keyboards here – the latter in the range of a Fender Rhodes, if not exactly that instrument – alongside the snapping drums of Nobuyuki Komatsu, and quick-stepping bass of Satuski Kusui, both of whom come into especially strong focus on the more upbeat numbers. The gentler cuts allow Fumio to really hit those poetic, introspective modes we love on the piano – and titles include "Who Cares", "Sun Rise", "Late Autumn", "Mr JH", and "Head Start". CD

Never-heard music from guitarist Calvin Keys – recorded in a number of different settings over the past decade or two, and issued here together to make for one of his most satisfying records in years! While we've liked the Wide Hive material Keys has recorded during his comeback, we're even more stunned by these tracks – as they've got an even more solid jazz basis overall – as Calvin plays in modes that run from group performances with varied artists who include pianist Elmer Gibson, tenorist Dawan Muhammad, and flute player Art Maxwell – to one solo number that shows an especially beautiful side of Key's music! The whole thing's put together wonderfully – not a scattered batch of tracks, but a record with a surprisingly unified feel – in the manner of the other excellent work we love on this label – and titles include "Emily", "The Last One To Be Loved", "Seems To Be", "Dolphin Dance"," Blues For Ahmed", and "Satchmo's Song". CD