A rich legacy of music from David McWilliams – a UK artist with a sound that's based in folk music, but set to these magnificent larger arrangements that really send things over the top! There's a soaring majesty to the music – maybe somewhere in the Scott Walker camp, in part because of the sense of self-importance that McWilliams brings to the delivery of the songs, which is tremendous – a quality that would be cloying a few steps to the side, but which is perfect all the way through on these cuts! Mike Leander provides some wonderful arrangements on these tracks, David's voice is recorded with a nicely moody style, and the whole blend of modes here is incredible. Some of McWilliams' music from this time has been issued before, but this package brings together all his albums for the Major/Minor label – Singing Songs By David McWilliams, David McWilliams Vol 2, and David McWilliams Vol 3 – plus bonus tracks from a variety of singles too, and a great set of notes! CD

A really wonderful album from Quarteto Em Cy – the Brazilian vocal quartet who first rose to prominence during the bossa nova years, but soon moved into even more sophisticated material during the 70s! The approach of this set is telegraphed in the title – as the group take on songs penned by Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, and Gonzaguinha – the new MPB generation of the 70s, whose music turns out to be perfect for the growing talents of the girls – topped off with some beautiful arrangements from Octavio Burnier, whose work really rises to the level of the vocals! The whole thing's great – a magnificent journey in sound – and titles include "Idolatrada", "Barco Fantasma", "Antes De Seja Tarde", "O Ultimo Trem", "Um Dia", "Ponta De Areia", "Gira Girou", "Ciranda Menina", and "Abandonado". LP, Vinyl record album

An essential chapter of Miami soul – even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul – but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own – served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect – Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene – and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. But even above the 20 great tracks on the CD, the package is amazing too – filled with notes on each group, a special appendix on Miami soul, a rare indie label discography, and a wealth of great images and photos – all layered lovingly into a full-color, 32 page booklet! Numero have really outdone themselves with this one – and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package – more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers. CD

Groovy, moddish, magnificent and sunny girl pop from The Land Of The Rising Sun – pummeling drums, jumping arrangements and groovy vocals from the mid-to-late 60s Japanese scene! This is fantastic stuff, any kitch or novelty appeal you might be expecting is kind of muted by the exceptional quality and excellent performances – but it is flat out fun! As the title states, strains of pop, beat & bossa – plus mod & psychedelic fuzz – and the vocals girl group vocals are bright, rocking, playful or sultry or innocent depending on the groove! 25 tracks in all: "Black Room by Jun Mayuzumi, Sharock No 1" by Mie Nakao, "Nagisa No Tenshi" by Mieko Hirota, "Hatsu Koi No Letter" by Miki Obata, "Bazazz Tengoku" by The Cupids, "Aeba Suki Suki" by Margaret With Bunnys, "Nukui Aitsu" by Mika Nohira, "Kiiro No Sekai" by J Girls and more. CD

A massively expanded version of a legendary album – presented here as a 2CD set, with 22 tracks that appear on CD for the first time ever! At the core is the original Dubbing With The Observer album, the first-ever dub album from Niney The Observer – based around rhythms he'd cooked up for Dennis Brown, Max Romeo, and Delroy Wilson – all transformed completely in the studio by King Tubby! The sounds here are often very abstract – light years away from the originals – and given these spacey, repetitive cycles that seem to trip out even more than conventional dub! A landmark little record, and one that sounds even darker all these many years later – with cuts that include "Casanova Dub", "Rebel Dance", "Jam Down", "Parade Dub", "Turntable Dub", "Corn Man", "Mister D Brown Skank", and "Youth Man". The set then goes way way deep, with 37 more bonus tracks, that really take off as a magnificent demonstration of Niney's skills in the studio – all presented here with very detailed notes that really get at this important moment of genius in the history of dub! CD

Warm, wonderful harmony work from The Tymes – a set that features lots of familiar tunes, but redone in really great ways by the group! The harmonies are the key here – as the group's vocals are totally sublime – cascading magnificently amidst some fuller arrangements that might have been aimed at a crossover market, but which hardly ever dampen their soul at all. Jimmy Wisner handled production, and brings in a gentle swing to some of the tunes – a groove that's certainly made one track, their title version of "People", a big fave down in the Carolinas over the years. Other tracks include "City", "For Love Of Ivy", "Look Of Love", "God Bless The Child", "Make Someone Happy", "The Love That You're Looking For", and "The Way Of The Crowd". LP, Vinyl record album

Magnificent stuff – an a treasure trove of lost harmony soul! This is the kind of compilation that really gets us going – 24 super-mellow soul tracks from the late 60s and early 70s, all of them done by male harmony groups with a stellar vocal approach. Some of the groups are ones you'll know, singing in a style that you may not recognize from their earlier years – and others are obscure ensembles, the kind we treasure even more on a set like this! Vocals are wonderful throughout – smooth, yet deeply soulful – and often with the kind of sad and honest quality that we look for in harmony soul. Titles include "What Did I Do Wrong" by The Mayberry Movement, "I've Been Trying" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "Friends Or Lovers" by Act One, "Hearts Were Made To Love" by The Pretenders, "Please Don't Leave" by Tuxedo, "Baby It's You" by The Masqueraders, "You Send Me" by Ponderosa Twins Plus One, "I Am So Glad I Took My Time" by the Floaters, "Let Your Heart Be The Judge" by Gods Gift To Women, "What Am I Guilty Of" by The New Cymbals, and "Maybe So Maybe No" by The New Holidays. CD

One of the most unusual albums we've ever heard from Japanese bassist Hideto Kanai – maybe the only one to feature his King's Roar group, a magnificent spiritual avant ensemble who work through two side-long tracks with plenty of amazing moments! There seems to be a nice blend of structure and improvisation going on here – as Kanai's bass is well up in the mix, and at the helm of a fantastic lineup that includes Hideo Miyata on tenor, soprano sax, and flute; Kenji Mori on bass clarinet, alto, and flute; Teruyuki Fukushima on trumpet, Yasukazu Amemiya on percussion, and Shoji Nakayama on percussion and drums – moving in ways that almost feel like some American west coast group from the LA underground, really finding their own individual spirits on the two long tracks – "Ode To Birds" and "One For Charlie". CD

A soaringly joyous album from British trumpeter Kenny Wheeler – one that has him leading a larger group in a style that resonates with similar projects of the time from artists like Mike Westbrook or Michael Gibbs! Wheeler delivers some magnificent trumpet and flugelhorn solos – very much at the more straightforward, soulful side of his range – and the ensemble is overflowing with work from top-shelf contemporaries – including Mike Taylor on some key electric piano lines, next to Mike Osborne on alto, Tony Roberts on tenor, Ian Hamer on trumpet, Bobby Lamb and Keith Chrsitie on trombones, Alan Branscombe on acoustic piano, Ron Mathewson on bass, and Tony Oxley on drums and percussion. The feel of the record is great – very much like better-known sessions where some of the top-shelf UK talents come together in a unified voice – and the set also features guest tenor from Evan Parker, trombone from Chris Pyne, and vocals from Norma Winstone. Winstone sings on "Song For Someone" – and other instrumental tracks include "Mikei", "Some Days Are Better", and "CP EP". CD

A sparkling collection of club tracks from the contemporary underground – music that spans the Atlantic, but is nicely unified in a mix of thoughtful, well-crafted grooves! There's a quality here that might be thought of as post-broken beat – tracks that know all the best qualities of the previous generation, but also warm things up a bit with jazzy currents and a really magnificent sense of flow! The whole thing is very cohesive, and feels very different than a much more scattered compilation – with tracks that include "Mental Feelings" by Rick The Goldson Wilhite & Jon Easley, "Real Time" by Boo Williams, "PCM" by The Mechanical Man, "Surface" by Nemanja Krstic, "Tribute To The Sound" by Life Recorder, "Space Rele" by Gene Hunt, and "Escape Two" by Dan Piu. LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent 2nd volume to this killer set of tracks pulled from the Warner and Atlantic catalogs during the glory days of their soul and funk years! This volume's even more interesting than the first one – and features a huge bunch of cuts that have never been reissued, either on proper or improper reissues (if you know what we mean, wink wink!) As with the first volume, this one focuses on funky material that can or should be sampled – and there's plenty of nice breaks to go around for everyone! Tracks include "Wanaoh" by Black Heat, "Rien Ne Va Plus" by Funk Factory, "Right On" by Clarence Wheeler & the Enforcers, "Giggin Down 103rd" by Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, "Sandy's Love" by Harold Alexander, "Funky" by Freddie King, "South Street Soul" by Freddie Hubbard, "It's Your Thing" by Shirley Scott, "Magnificent Sanctuary Band" by Donny Hathaway, "Teasin" by King Curtis, "Almendra" by Macondo, "Soul Flow" by Paul Kelly, "Gang Bang" by Oscar Brown Jr, and "Get Ready" by Ella Fitzgerald. CD

Unissued live material from a great stretch in the career of Count Basie – that time when he was turning in some excellent concert performances for Roulette Records, material that's got very similar charms to the music on this set! As with most of Roulette Basie, that revived sense of timing from Neal Hefti is very strongly in play – that magnificent sense of space between the notes that made this period of the Count's ensemble such a great one – with a rhythmic focus that's brilliant, and which opens up with even more excitement when a key soloist steps in! Players include Thad Jones and Snooky young on trumpets, Henry Coker and Benny Powell on trombones, Frank Foster and Eric Dixon on tenors, Freddie Green on guitar, Marshall Royal on alto, and Frank Wess on flute and alto – and there's a bit of vocals on a few tracks from later soul singers OC Smith and Irene Reid. Titles include "Segue In C", "Why Not", "Easy Money", "Backwater Blues", "Lil Darlin", "Easin It", "April In Paris", and "Cute". CD

Kurt Elling has been one of the greatest jazz singers of the past few decades, yet he's always pushing his music too – moving past the overdone styles that tend to hold back other singers, with an ear that's very open to new settings, and new possibilities for his magnificent voice! Here, he works alongside guitarist Charlie Hunter – in a quartet that also features DJ Harrison on keyboards and Corey Fonville – in a style that's plenty jazzy, but which has some nice funky currents at times – elements that really help Kurt change things up in these really amazing ways! Titles include a remake of the Bob Dorough/Multiplication Rock classic "Naughty Number Nine", Joni Mitchell's "Black Crow", and a transformation of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – plus original tunes "Bounce It", "Little Fairy Carpenter", and "Not Here Not Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunningly soulful setting for the magnificent voice of Kurt Elling – set up here in a lean trio with Nate Smith on drums and Fender Rhodes, and Charlie Hunter on guitar – or rather, his own unique "hybrid guitar" variation of the instrument! Elling just seems to get better and better in his mature years – using that trademark rasp in his vocals in ways that are even more expressive and soulful, especially in this setting – where the Superblue presentation and production treat him in very different ways than some of his straighter jazz records – letting Kurt really knock it out of the park on a set of surprisingly great covers that include "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", "Sticking To My Guns", "Baby Hold On", "Bounce", "Boogie Down", and "Wrap It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A magnificent decade of music from Duke Ellington – the bulk of his fifties recordings for Columbia Records – all albums that really show the Duke stretching forth and greatly developing his style! The scope of performances here is breathtaking – as Ellington works with key sidemen of the postwar years, and moves into much longer-form recordings that before – tracks that help him deeply express his new ideas, and also make way for a few guest performers too. Each album comes in a tiny LP-styled sleeve, replicating the original record – and the box features the albums Masterpieces By Ellington, Ellington Uptown, A Drum Is A Woman, Such Sweet Thunder, Ellington Indigos, The Cosmic Scene, and At The Bal Masque – plus the Black Brown & Beige suite with Mahalia Jackson, and the Blue Rose album with vocals by Rosemary Clooney! CD

A further chapter in the big band years of JJ Johnson – heard here at a point when JJ was pushing his ensemble even more than before, with a fluid groove that almost matches the energy of similar groups on MPS at the time! There's a real undercurrent of hipness going on in the record – a quality that's not content to ape bigger band modes of earlier years, and instead finds a whole new space in sound – a relatively lean quality, but one that still uses the added players to create some magnificent qualities in sound – all to support the well-blown lead solo work by Johnson. There's a nice groove on most numbers, and the album features some especially nice reeds from Jerome Richardson and Frank Wess. Johnson handled arrangements, and titles include "Short Cake", "Space Walk", "Little Dave", and "Euro #1". LP, Vinyl record album

Magnificent work from European jazz vocalist Karin Krog – a landmark album that shows why she sings like no other singer! On this 1974 session, Karin moves far beyond the standard jazz of her roots – into territory that's spacey, cosmic, and filled with the best influences bubbling underground in the Euro scene of the 70s. The backing group features Steve Kuhn on keyboards, Steve Swallow on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums – all working out these beautiful modal patterns that unlock Karin's cool and icy vocals. The tunes are all pretty incredible too – vocal versions of originals by Kuhn, like "Meaning Of Love", "Sometime To Go", and "Raindrops Raindrops"; a very cool version of Joni Mitchell's "All I Want", a rare Jon Hendricks' lyrical version of JJ Johnson's "Lament", and a sweet and breezy take on the Michel Colombier tune "We Could Be Flying"! CD

The magnificent voice of Gregory Porter is a wonderful fit for the Holiday season – full of feeling, and coming across with a sense of honest, human emotion that really makes the music come alive! Gregory's definitely in more of the soul side of his spectrum than the jazz of his roots – but he delivers things with a mature, sophisticated vibe that's balanced nicely between the two at most moments – with a sense of care that makes most of the album resonate with Christmas classics from artists like Donny Hathaway, Bill Withers, and Luther! Titles include the great "Everything's Not Lost", plus "Purple Snowflakes", "Christmas Waltz", "Someday At Christmas", "Christmas Wish", "Do You Hear What I Hear", and "Heart For Christmas". CD

The magnificent voice of Gregory Porter is a wonderful fit for the Holiday season – full of feeling, and coming across with a sense of honest, human emotion that really makes the music come alive! Gregory's definitely in more of the soul side of his spectrum than the jazz of his roots – but he delivers things with a mature, sophisticated vibe that's balanced nicely between the two at most moments – with a sense of care that makes most of the album resonate with Christmas classics from artists like Donny Hathaway, Bill Withers, and Luther! Titles include the great "Everything's Not Lost", plus "Purple Snowflakes", "Christmas Waltz", "Someday At Christmas", "Christmas Wish", "Do You Hear What I Hear", and "Heart For Christmas". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue debut as a leader from reedman Knoel Scott – a player most know for his work in the Sun Ra Arkestra, stepping out here in a magnificent quintet session that also features the great Marshal Allen from that famous ensemble! Scott plays alto and flute – often with a spiritual, modal vibe that's both in early Arkestra territory, and some of the modes that Yusef Lateef was expressing in his early years – matched with alto work from Allen, who also blows the very cool electronic wind instrument! The rest of the lineup features Charlie Stacey on piano, Chris Henderson on drums, and Mikele Montolli on bass – and titles include "Conversation With The Cosmos", "Makanda", "Blu Blues", "Celestial", and "Les Funambules". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one, and a strange batch of instrumental grooves played by what is billed as an early version of War – with Lonnie Jordan on piano and organ, Harold Brown on drums, Magnificent Montague on congas, and Bobby Womack on guitar! The liner notes lists the group as being made up of members of The Packers, The Romeos, and The Soul Runners – and if you know those groups from their funky 45's, then you'll get a feeling of the funky instrumental sound of this album. It's not really like War at all, but it's a great batch of lost funky tracks from the LA scene, with titles like "On Fire", "La Chanson", "Blusing Tears", "Moving Along", "Cup Of Soul", "Time Is Tight", and "The Bamboche". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from pianist Jack Wilson – a set that really showcases his magnificent sense of sound and space – while mixing in some larger ideas as well! The record features full arrangements from Billy Byers – who creates this seductive blend of jazz and strings that still retains those modal elements and sly grooves of Wilson's small combo material – but gives the whole thing a very different twist! Many numbers feature vibes in the mix – either by Tommy Vig, Stan Levey, or Victor Feldman – echoing some of Wilson's previous sounds with Roy Ayers – and the rhythmic elements are really sharp, in a way that balances beautifully with the strings. Titles include "Song For My Daughter", "Imagine", "Herman's Helmet", "Scarborough Fair", "Night Creature", and "Eighty One". LP, Vinyl record album

Magnificent stuff – an a treasure trove of lost harmony soul! This is the kind of compilation that really gets us going – 24 super-mellow soul tracks from the late 60s and early 70s, all of them done by male harmony groups with a stellar vocal approach. Some of the groups are ones you'll know, singing in a style that you may not recognize from their earlier years – and others are obscure ensembles, the kind we treasure even more on a set like this! Vocals are wonderful throughout – smooth, yet deeply soulful – and often with the kind of sad and honest quality that we look for in harmony soul. Titles include "What Did I Do Wrong" by The Mayberry Movement, "I've Been Trying" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "Friends Or Lovers" by Act One, "Hearts Were Made To Love" by The Pretenders, "Please Don't Leave" by Tuxedo, "Baby It's You" by The Masqueraders, "You Send Me" by Ponderosa Twins Plus One, "I Am So Glad I Took My Time" by the Floaters, "Let Your Heart Be The Judge" by Gods Gift To Women, "What Am I Guilty Of" by The New Cymbals, and "Maybe So Maybe No" by The New Holidays. CD

Magnificent work from European jazz vocalist Karin Krog – a landmark album that shows why she sings like no other singer! On this 1974 session, Karin moves far beyond the standard jazz of her roots – into territory that's spacey, cosmic, and filled with the best influences bubbling underground in the Euro scene of the 70s. The backing group features Steve Kuhn on keyboards, Steve Swallow on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums – all working out these beautiful modal patterns that unlock Karin's cool and icy vocals. The tunes are all pretty incredible too – vocal versions of originals by Kuhn, like "Meaning Of Love", "Sometime To Go", and "Raindrops Raindrops"; a very cool version of Joni Mitchell's "All I Want", a rare Jon Hendricks' lyrical version of JJ Johnson's "Lament", and a sweet and breezy take on the Michel Colombier tune "We Could Be Flying"! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 9 bonus tracks! CD

Sublime soul from the great Thom Bell – one of our favorite arranger, producer, songwriters of all time – and a talent who really helped push the Philly soul scene much farther than most during the 70s! Bell was trained as a classical pianist as a kid – which might explain part of his ear for a special sort of tune – but by the time of this work, he was neck-deep in the soul scene – and working with a fantastic track record for bringing the best out of a very wide variety of artists! Bell was especially great with groups – he helped more than a few really stretch out their wings and grow – but as you'll hear here, Thom also handled a fantastic range of music in Philly studios – all with magnificent touches that really set the tunes apart from the rest – French horns, harpsichord, and especially that twangy sitar sound that worked so well with a harmony ballad. The set's got 23 tracks in all, and a massive set of notes on the man and his music – with titles that include "What I See" by Three Degrees, "Here I Go Again" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "You've Been Untrue" by The Delfonics, "Moody Woman" by Jerry Butler, "Something For Nothing" by MFSB, "One Man Band" by Ronnie Dyson, "Close The Door" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Life Is A Song Worth Singing" by Johnny Mathis, "Look The Other Way" by Lesley Gore, "What Kind Of Lady" by Dee Dee Sharp, "It's The Same Old Love" by The Courtship, "Do You Remember Yesterday" by The Intruders, "Track Of The Cat" by Dionne Warwick, and "I Wanna Be A Free Girl" by Dusty Springfield. CD

Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach – because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's greatest tunes ever – all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect – a true high point in the career of all parties involved – and a tremendous recasting of Bacharach's original brilliance – taking his key compositions into the most sophisticated styles of the Chicago soul scene in the 70s! There's a sense of timing and phrasing here that's quite unique – hardly simple covers of Dionne Warwick's approach to these hits – and Stepney's backings feature his own Fender Rhodes, guitar from Phil Upchurch, percussion from members of The Pharoahs, and some fuller horns, harp, and strings. The Dells are equally great too – and serve up some of the best vocals of their career – really magnificent harmonies, and soaring solo parts that seem to even go beyond their best-known hits. Titles include "Walk On By", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Wives & Lovers", "Close To You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", and "A House Is Not A Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set from bassist Brandon Lopez – a younger player, but one who's already becoming a real standout for solo performances like this – working at a level that's completely breathtaking, and which seems to unlock all these new elements and sound in this once-familiar instrument! Stretching out at a solo level isn't an easy task on the bass – but Lopez has a way of matching a very short list of important improvisers from years past, really finding his own voice in the way he resonates all the qualities of the instrument at once, often with a cyclical sort of energy that just has the performance growing and flowing in all these magnificent ways. Titles include "Billie", "Piri", "Realbadvibes", "Como El Filo Del Machete", "PonceNewYork", and "The Real Bad Vibe". CD

A great little album of Latiny tunes from Henry Mancini – played by a very hip lineup of west coast jazzmen! The rhythms have a great mix of Latin influences and Mancini magic – the kind of grooves you'd hear on his 60s soundtracks at the time, played by a lineup that includes Bud Shank and Tom Scott on reeds, Buddy Childers and Pete Candoli on trumpets, Ray Brown on acoustic bass, Max Bennett on fender bass, Larry Bunker on percussion, and Shelly Manne on drums. The vibe is nice and relaxed – a bit more upbeat than bossa, but not as all-out as other RCA Latin sessions – thanks to Mancini's nice sense of warmth and space in the arrangements. Titles include some pretty darn cool takes on "Mission Impossible", "Fistful Of Dollars", "Magnificent Seven", "Touch Of Evil", and "Springtime For Hitler", from the film The Producers. Other titles include "Patricia", "Zacatecas", and "Las Cruces". LP, Vinyl record album

Four early 80s classics from Johnny Mathis – presented here in a single 2CD package! Different Kinda Different is a tremendous start to the 80s for Johnny Mathis – and a set that really continues that strong shift into soul-based territory he begun in the 70s! Gene Page handles a lot of the arrangements here, and gives the whole thing that strong blend of strings and soul that he worked on other 70s classics for different artists – a perfect approach for that magnificent Mathis voice, especially when the tunes have a bit of a groove! Two of the best numbers here – "Different Kind Of Different" and "I'll Do It All For You" – are duets with Paulette McWilliams, who'd recorded on her own, but who really seems to hit her stride with Johnny, and in a way that's different than any of his other soul partners in duets. Other titles include "Never Givin Up On You", "With You I'm Born Again", "I Will Survive", "The Lights Of Rio", and "Love Without Words". Friends In Love is mature 80s work from Johnny Mathis – a set that features two duets with Dionne Warwick, plus some other nice material that shows that Johnny wasn't going to be left behind in the shadows of his older work! At some level, the approach of the 80s, and the rise of a new sort of adult contemporary scene, really helped Mathis find a new audience – especially when teaming with Dionne, who was also having a rebirth at the time! Titles include the classic duet title cut "Friends In Love", and another duet on "Got You Where I Want You" – plus other titles that include "What Do You Do With The Love", "When The Lovin Goes Out Of The Lovin", "I Remember You & Me", and "Somethin's Goin On". Special Part Of Me is a sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. Live is a later live album from Johnny Mathis, and one that brings together classics, newer cuts, and a few titles he'd never sang before – all served up with a sound that shows the continuing strengths of the legendary singer! There's a variety of arrangers used on the set – including Gene Page and Michel Colombier – and titles include "Orange Colored Sky", "When A Child Is Born", "Begin The Beguine", "I Believe In Love", "Fly Away", "99 Miles From LA", and "A Certain Smile". CD

The third installment in one of the greatest doo wop series we've ever heard – a really wonderful collection of material recorded for Vee Jay Records in Chicago – but one that goes way past the hits, to include a flurry of rare 78 and 45rpm singles that were among some of the label's best R&B group material! This well-annotated 25 track set is overflowing with goodies – and titles include "Ozeta" and "Rosebud" by The Magnificents, "Be Mine" by Preston Jackson & The Rhythm Aces, "Sugar Girl" by The Orioles, "The Convention" and "I'm Gonna Be Glad" by The Delegates, "Time Makes You Change" and "Dance Dance Dance" by The Dells, "I Pray For Your Love" by Danny Cobb with the Magnificents, "A Rose For My Darling" by The Eldorados, "I Wonder Why" and "That's My Sugar" by The Rhythm Aces, "I'll Pray For You" by The Midnighters, and "My Only Love" and "Stop" by The Lyrics & The Falcons. CD

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". 2LP version features 7 more alternate takes – some very different! LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of great records from the production hands of Prince Jammy – back to back on a single CD! First up is Bitter Sweet – one of those key records that helped Sugar Minott earn the sweet reputation that really echoed his name – as the set's got these easygoing grooves that are perfect for his warmly crackling vocals – richly expressive, but without every sounding overdone – all set up in these great instrumental elements produced and arranged by Prince Jammy! The groove is different than some of the sharper modes that were creeping in during the digital generation – very casual, with a quality that has the easygoing vocals from Minott stepping out nicely on cuts that include "I'm Not For Sale", "Give The People", "Never Too Young", "Be Careful", "Right Track", "Can't Get Over", "Save The Children", and "This World". Reggae On Broadway is a gem from Johnny Osbourne – hardly the kind of album with polish and glam that you'd expect from a Broadway title, and instead this mellow, laidback session that really showcases the genius of Prince Jammy in the studio! Given the date of the recording, things could be a lot more commercial, or a lot cleaner in a digital way – but Jammy keeps the proceedings casual and cool, which lets those magnificent vocals of Osbourne flow out in a really great way. Titles include "Let Me Your Chopper", "Live Right", "Folly Ranking", "Water Pumping", "Reggae On Broadway", "Mr Walker", "Sing Along", and "Can't Leave Jah". Great Doctor Bird package – excellent sound, and very detailed notes! CD

The title's a great hint at the energy going on here – as reedman Nat Birchall soars out into infinite space on a set of spiritual explorations that are completely sublime! The record's got a very personal, soulful sort of vibe – maybe in part because Nat handles all the instruments himself – blowing saxes over his own work on percussion and keyboards, but never in a way that feels gimmicky at all – as the end result is much more like that of a live group working together in the studio, with no sense of trickery to the listener – and in a way, Birchall seems to be responding to his own internal rhythms on each instrument – which makes the flow of the whole thing really magnificent, and easily makes the record one of Nat's best. Titles include "Kalaparusha Arha Difda", "Spirals", "Celestial Harmony", "Metagalactic", "Cosmic Dawn", and "Heart Spirit Love", LP, Vinyl record album

Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach – because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's greatest tunes ever – all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect – a true high point in the career of all parties involved – and a tremendous recasting of Bacharach's original brilliance – taking his key compositions into the most sophisticated styles of the Chicago soul scene in the 70s! There's a sense of timing and phrasing here that's quite unique – hardly simple covers of Dionne Warwick's approach to these hits – and Stepney's backings feature his own Fender Rhodes, guitar from Phil Upchurch, percussion from members of The Pharoahs, and some fuller horns, harp, and strings. The Dells are equally great too – and serve up some of the best vocals of their career – really magnificent harmonies, and soaring solo parts that seem to even go beyond their best-known hits. Titles include "Walk On By", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Wives & Lovers", "Close To You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", and "A House Is Not A Home". CD

A stunning set from bassist Brandon Lopez – a younger player, but one who's already becoming a real standout for solo performances like this – working at a level that's completely breathtaking, and which seems to unlock all these new elements and sound in this once-familiar instrument! Stretching out at a solo level isn't an easy task on the bass – but Lopez has a way of matching a very short list of important improvisers from years past, really finding his own voice in the way he resonates all the qualities of the instrument at once, often with a cyclical sort of energy that just has the performance growing and flowing in all these magnificent ways. Titles include "Billie", "Piri", "Realbadvibes", "Como El Filo Del Machete", "PonceNewYork", and "The Real Bad Vibe". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary work – featuring Charles Mingus' great and chaotic Town Hall concert, one of those special events that achieved legendary status before it even started – not just because of the range of great musicians involved, but because the whole set was barely off the ground by the time it began! The set features a brilliant set of arrangements that Mingus barely copied and handed around before the show started – but that hardly stopped the music from being great, because everyone plays magnificently, especially Jerome Richardson and Charles McPherson, who was hitting a really great period here with Mingus. Tracks include "Epitaph", "Clark in the Dark", "Freedom", and "My Search". The CD also features the first full version of the concert – with many previously unissued tracks! CD

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

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

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". CD

A legendary work – featuring Charles Mingus' great and chaotic Town Hall concert, one of those special events that achieved legendary status before it even started – not just because of the range of great musicians involved, but because the whole set was barely off the ground by the time it began! The set features a brilliant set of arrangements that Mingus barely copied and handed around before the show started – but that hardly stopped the music from being great, because everyone plays magnificently, especially Jerome Richardson and Charles McPherson, who was hitting a really great period here with Mingus. Tracks include "Epitaph", "Clark in the Dark", "Freedom", and "My Search". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from Freda Payne – a set recorded after her bigger fame years for Invictus/Hot Wax – but a record that's done with an even deeper feel overall! The album features some key contributions from Lamont Dozier – who wasn't credited on the original record, due to his continuing contract with HDH – and his bold, righteous approach in the studio is definitely felt here – as he gives Freda the same great groove he'd hit on his own ABC albums! As with those, McKinley Jackson handles the arrangements – which work perfectly with the punctuated groove of Dozier's production – and Payne really sparkles in the setting, stretching out with these magnificent vocals that go way beyond what you might expect. The tunes are impeccable – as well-written as those on other Dozier projects of the time – loads of original numbers that include "Didn't I Tell You", "It's Yours To Have", "I Get Carried Away", "Run For Your Life", "Shadows On The Wall", and "Don't Wanna Be Left Out" – plus versions of "A Song For You" and "I Won't Last A Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Less funk than the title might imply, but still plenty darn great – thanks to a strong helping of work from Ann Peebles legendary years at Hi Records! Back in the 70s, Ann's work for Hi was second only to labelmate Al Green – and like Green, she worked in a similar slow-burning style that set a whole new sound for southern soul – one that updated an older Memphis mode into a more sophisticated, more adult groove that made tremendous use of Peebles' magnificent vocals! This 21 track package features some of the best tunes from those years – a great overview that includes "I Can't Stand The Rain", "99 LBs", "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down", "Come To Mama", "Beware", "Slipped Tripped & Fell In Love", and "I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home". CD

Great bold arrangements from Frank Hunter – perfect for the magnificent voice of Joe Williams! LP, Vinyl record album

The alto sax of Arthur Blythe finds a great way to stretch out in this classic album from the mid 80s – a set that mixes some of the sharper edges of Blythe's earlier records with a few more contemporary touches – but always at a level that still has the reedman standing far from the mainstream! The core group here features Olu Dara on trumpet, Cecil McBee on bass, John Hicks on piano, and Bobby Battle on drums – and on the acoustic tracks, there's some great energy between them that soars with a soulful spirit birthed in the loft jazz years, maybe swung a bit straighter than before. A few other tunes add in some extra elements – an electric bass on one number, some light strings on another – but the core of the album still has a magnificent focus on that tone that Blythe had only perfected even more on records like this, especially on the more laidback numbers, which come as a real surprise, and reflect a ballad style we might not have guessed in the early days. Titles include "Odessa", "Esquinas", "After Paris", "Crescent", and "Break Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". 2CD version features 7 more alternate takes – some very different! CD