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DVD includes an inside look at Old 97's through interviews with the band members and producer, fly-on-the-wall shots of them recording their new album, lead singer Rhett Miller narrating a tour of locales significant to the group's history and 5 live, in-studio performances. CD

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An insane collection of work – one that hugely expands the two-album legacy of this legendary American group! The box first includes their debut, Gyrate – overlooked genius from the scene in Athens, GA – served up by a group who also borrow plenty of influences from the UK post-punk world too! Pylon are heavy on bass that might be borrowed from Young Marble Giants, but then turned up in sound and speed – matched with these great guitar lines that are complex in sound, but right on the money in terms of placement – all topped with the vocals of Vanessa Biscoe Hay – a singer who's nicely understated, and as much a part of the sonic mix as the other elements in the group! Titles include "Feast On My Heart", "Precaution", "Driving School", "Gravity", "Working Is No Problem", "Stop It", "Danger", and "Read A Book". Next, the set features the album Chomp – a fantastic record from the Athens, GA scene of the early 80s – served up by a group who maybe never hit the fame of REM or B-52s, but who are maybe even groovier overall! Pylon have a strong bassline that almost seems borrowed from the Brit post-punk years, but also mix it with some catchier lyrics by a female singer – but one who's often nicely down in the mix, right alongside the jagged guitars and splashy drums – all of which create a sound that's like the best of the indie underworld of the period! The group almost feel like they would have been right at home on Factory or Rough Trade – which is partly why they maybe got more attention overseas than here – and the titles include "Italian Movie Theme", "Spider", "Yo Yo", "Buzz", "No Clocks", "Altitude", and "M Train". The set also features the rare Razz Tape – Pylon's first recordings, a set of 13 tracks that were unreleased at the time, and which predate their first 7" single! Then, the set also features the Extra CD – with 11 more tracks including some pre-Pylon work, the rare song "Recent Title", the original mix of "Crazy", and some other unreleased studio and live tracks. PLUS, the whole thing comes with a huge 12" square, hardbound book – 216 pages of notes and images, all in color – with a huge amount of essays, interviews, and other material on the group. CD

In his later years, Leonard Bernstein became one of the most-respected conductors in the world of classical music – but at the start, he was working in more popular territory, mixing some of his more ambitious musical ideas with the more down-to-earth form of the music – mostly working in New York, where a series of productions really helped define the city on the rise in the postwar years! This package brings together all those important early Bernstein creations – including two different recordings of the "Fancy Free" ballet, both the songs and the ballet from "On The Town", plus the 1960 recording of the musical – plus "Wonderful Town", "West Side Story", and the "On The Waterfront" symphonic suite – as well as lots of other jazz interpretations of some of these themes – work by Frank Sinatra, Bill Evans, Blossom Dearie, Billie Holiday, Stan Kenton, Dave Brubeck, and others. CD

Reissue includes Symphonic Dancees – Leonard Bernstein's reworking of his original score, performed by the New York Philharmonic. CD

A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". CD

A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". LP, Vinyl record album

Initially the only album ever issued by Blahzay Blahzay – a set that came out right in the middle of a real golden age of 90s hip hop – and right up there with some of the best of the New York scene! Outloud handles the lyrics, PF Cuttin delivers the beats and scratches – and the whole thing's got the kind of rock-solid, double-length quality of some of the best Payday releases of the same time – just the right balance between street toughness and a more thoughtful current that balances things out – really tempering any of the posturing on some of the cuts – that special subtle style the east coast could do so well in contrast to rising scenes west. Titles include "Danger (parts 1 & 2)", "Blah Blah Blah", "Don't Let This Rap Sh*t Fool You", "Pain I Feel", "Posse Jumpa", "Sendin Dem Back", "Long Winded", "Jackpot", and "Good Cop Bad Cop". LP, Vinyl record album

A hard-swinging cooker from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – recorded during the landmark year of 1957 – when Blakey's group was open to recording for a number of different labels, in a number of different settings! The set was originally done for the west coast stalwart Pacific Jazz, but it's got a sound that's much more in the hardbop mode of the New York scene – all the fire and intensity that Blakey first cooked up for Blue Note, cast out with a slight sense of openness here in the less iconic setting. Players include Jackie McLean on alto, Bill Hardman on trumpet, and Sam Dockery on piano – and the album's right up there with Vik/RCA, Savoy, and Chess material they cut at the time. Tracks include "Touche", "Sam's Tune", "Once Upon A Groove", and "Wake Up". CD

Four lost albums from David Blue – a really compelling singer/songwriter, ripe for rediscovery! First up is These 23 Days In September, recorded for Reprise – a really moody little record from David Blue – a folksy singer who's got a style that definitely lives up to the melancholy promise of his name! Blue's definitely an artist with a difference – working in the familiar mode of vocals and acoustic guitar, but with an edge and distinctness that really sets him apart from the folkies of a few year before – that sense of different that really set apart a new wave of contemporaries, like Leonard Cohen, Fred Neill, or Tom Rapp. Titles include "These 23 Days In September", "The Sailor's Lament", "Scales For A Window Thief", "You Will Come Back Again", "Slow & Easy", and "The Grand Hotel". Stories is an overlooked early set on Asylum – the kind of really special singer/songwriter material that really set the label apart at the start of the 70s! David Blue has this compelling vocal style that's moody, but down to earth – inflected here and there with guitar contributions from Ry Cooder, who's understated, but really brings out some special qualities in the tunes. Jack Nitzsche adds in some light strings at points – but overall, things are pretty spare and personal – and titles include "Looking For A Friend", "Another One Like Me", "Sister Rose", "The Blues", "Come On John", "Marianne", and "Fire In The Morning". Nice Baby & The Angel shows David Blue really starting to get some star power in his mix – a fuller set, produced by Graham Nash – with work from Nash on guitar, plus more guitar from Dave Mason and David Lindley – in a nice mix of roots elements, but which never overwhelm that unique sense of songwriting and vocals that set David Blue apart from the rest. Titles include "Darlin Jenny", "Troubadour Song", "Train To Anaheim", "True To You", "On Sunday Any Sunday", and "Outlaw Man". On the cover of Cupid's Arrow, David Blue might look a bit cheesy, what with his open shirt and all – but he's definitely the real deal, and very down to earth in his singer/songwriter approach – with a quality that's only underscored by the lineup on the set – a group that features Levon Helm on drums, Jesse Ed Davis on guitar, David Lindley on mandolin and slide, and Barry Goldberg on piano and organ, and also handling production of the album too. The shift from David's roots is a bit like that taken by other contemporaries who once started in more folksy territory, then found a new way to grow in the west coast singer/songwriter scene – and that means that things are more electrified, but still quite far from mainstream music – with original tunes from Blue throughout, and titles that include "I Feel Bad", "Maria Maria", "Primeval Tune", She's Got You", "Tom's Song", and "Run Run Run". CD

Amazing music from one of our most-treasured stretches of David Bowie's career – that creatively-fertile time when he escaped to West Berlin, hid from the mainstream, and made some groundbreaking records with Brian Eno – then returned to the limelight to remind us all that he was still a hell of a force to be reckoned with! The set includes everything post-Thin White Duke, and pre-Let's Dance – a run of music that's still shaping new sounds on this planet all these many years later. The set begins with Low – the mix of experimental instrumentals and subtle vocal tracks that was a complete change from Ziggy Stardust – and follows with Heroes, Lodger, and Scary Monsters & Super Creeps – all albums that reintroduce some sense of song and lyrical interplay, but at a level that clearly indicates how important Bowie was to the generation of post-punk and new wave as his earlier work was to psych, prog, and glam! But the package isn't just a standard collection of albums – because along with those four studio records, it also features the live album Stage, presented here in two different full mixes – plus a new 2017 mix of Lodger, which really increases the edge. There's also a special Heroes EP, with all the different language versions of the song – and a very cool Re:Call 3 album – which features all the singles that were issued at the time, plus other rare material – and Bowie's very unique take on Bertolt Brecht's Baal. Titles on this album include "Alabama Song", "Crystal Japan", "Under Pressure", "Remembering Marie A", "The Drowned Girl", "The Dirty Song", "Cat People", and even his "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy" duet with Bing Crosby. As with other entries in this complete Bowie series, the presentation is wonderful – album sleeve replicas, great packaging, and lots of notes – kind of a treasure, even if you already own some of the records! CD

Cecil's smoking on the cover, and he's smoking on the record too – really cooking things up in the best old school soul jazz style of his Muse Records years! The album was recorded live in New Jersey, and it's proof that plenty of great jazz was still coming from west of the Hudson in the early 90s – a time not nearly as documented as earlier years on the Jersey scene, but still a time of great players and hip local nightspots like the Trumpets club in which the album was recorded. Brooks' tight work on drums is very firmly at the helm of the set, and other players include Antonio Hart on alto, Ravi Coltrane on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, Stephen Scott on piano, and Lonnie Plaxico on bass – working with Cecil in a set that also includes a fair bit of original numbers by the group. Titles include "Gordon's Maze", "Fried Bananas", "And Another Thang", "2AM In The Village", "The Third", and "Montclair". CD

Not west coast, but "best coast" jazz – a prime example of the way the Clifford Brown/Max Roach team helped to cook up the intensity of the LA scene of the 50s by infusing it with a bit of New York fire! The album takes off in the extended mode of Clifford's All Stars album – and like that one, features Max Roach on drums alongside a lineup of players that includes Herb Geller and Joe Maini on alto saxes, Walter Benton on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, and Curtis Counce on bass – all jamming together in really extended, side-long tracks that have plenty of space for creative solo work and free-flowing improvisation! The format's a very unusual one for the 50s – and a great side-stream to the better-known Brown/Roach albums – with the 2 long tracks "Coronado" and "You Go To My Head". CD also features a shorter rehearsal take of "Coronado". CD

Not west coast, but "best coast" jazz – a prime example of the way the Clifford Brown/Max Roach team helped to cook up the intensity of the LA scene of the 50s by infusing it with a bit of New York fire! The album takes off in the extended mode of Clifford's All Stars album – and like that one, features Max Roach on drums alongside a lineup of players that includes Herb Geller and Joe Maini on alto saxes, Walter Benton on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, and Curtis Counce on bass – all jamming together in really extended, side-long tracks that have plenty of space for creative solo work and free-flowing improvisation! The format's a very unusual one for the 50s – and a great side-stream to the better-known Brown/Roach albums – with the 2 long tracks "Coronado" and "You Go To My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

An unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful lineage of avant talent in the 60s, stated boldly here, given Brown's amazing talent on the record! The album's filled with hard, soulful playing that goes out, but never too far – like Shepp in his best sixties moments – and Brown's working with a great lineup of players that includes Grachan Moncur on trombone, Beaver Harris on drums, and Stanley Cowell on piano! The tunes include three Marion Brown originals on side one, plus three tracks by Shepp on side two. "Spooks" alone will leave you loving this album for years to come – and other tracks include "West India", "Delicado", "New Blue", and "Fortunato". A brilliant blend of 60s "new thing" playing and 70s underground jazz! CD

An unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful lineage of avant talent in the 60s, stated boldly here, given Brown's amazing talent on the record! The album's filled with hard, soulful playing that goes out, but never too far – like Shepp in his best sixties moments – and Brown's working with a great lineup of players that includes Grachan Moncur on trombone, Beaver Harris on drums, and Stanley Cowell on piano! The tunes include three Marion Brown originals on side one, plus three tracks by Shepp on side two. "Spooks" alone will leave you loving this album for years to come – and other tracks include "West India", "Delicado", "New Blue", and "Fortunato". A brilliant blend of 60s "new thing" playing and 70s underground jazz! CD

An unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful lineage of avant talent in the 60s, stated boldly here, given Brown's amazing talent on the record! The album's filled with hard, soulful playing that goes out, but never too far – like Shepp in his best sixties moments – and Brown's working with a great lineup of players that includes Grachan Moncur on trombone, Beaver Harris on drums, and Stanley Cowell on piano! The tunes include three Marion Brown originals on side one, plus three tracks by Shepp on side two. "Spooks" alone will leave you loving this album for years to come – and other tracks include "West India", "Delicado", "New Blue", and "Fortunato". A brilliant blend of 60s "new thing" playing and 70s underground jazz! CD

An unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful lineage of avant talent in the 60s, stated boldly here, given Brown's amazing talent on the record! The album's filled with hard, soulful playing that goes out, but never too far – like Shepp in his best sixties moments – and Brown's working with a great lineup of players that includes Grachan Moncur on trombone, Beaver Harris on drums, and Stanley Cowell on piano! The tunes include three Marion Brown originals on side one, plus three tracks by Shepp on side two. "Spooks" alone will leave you loving this album for years to come – and other tracks include "West India", "Delicado", "New Blue", and "Fortunato". A brilliant blend of 60s "new thing" playing and 70s underground jazz! LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of rare records by Sidiku Buari – issued back to back on a single CD! Feelings is a record that was issued on the tiny Precious label – home to only two Buari albums in its tiny catalog – and the set follows strongly on the work that Sidiku recorded in New York during the 70s, records that were initially issued just under his last name! The groove on some tracks is full of early 80s NYC touches – sweet electro keyboards that provide some great middle-ground shocks to the tunes – while beats crackle crispy at the bottom, and Buari sings these slinky soul vocals that are a lot more American than you'd guess from the Ghanaian recording of the album. But other numbers have more of a West Africa vibe – that updating of older modes that was taking place in Nigeria too. Titles include "Music", "Feelings", "Anowar", and "Yayo Papa". Sidiku Buari & His Jam Busters has a groove that definitely lives up to its name – a sweet 80s crackle with lots of tunes that jam in an old school funk style – keyboards, basslines, and rhythms right on the money – in a great Transatlantic bridge between Ghana and New York City! The set begins with the super-funky "Let's Go To Funky Town" – a tune with a break on the intro to rival some of the best funky club work of the time – and the vibe continues strongly through the rest of the set, on titles that include "Sophisticated Jammer", "Power To My People", "Rhythm Of Africa", "Minsumobo", and "Karambani". CD

A pair of rare records by Sidiku Buari – issued back to back on a single CD! Feelings is a record that was issued on the tiny Precious label – home to only two Buari albums in its tiny catalog – and the set follows strongly on the work that Sidiku recorded in New York during the 70s, records that were initially issued just under his last name! The groove on some tracks is full of early 80s NYC touches – sweet electro keyboards that provide some great middle-ground shocks to the tunes – while beats crackle crispy at the bottom, and Buari sings these slinky soul vocals that are a lot more American than you'd guess from the Ghanaian recording of the album. But other numbers have more of a West Africa vibe – that updating of older modes that was taking place in Nigeria too. Titles include "Music", "Feelings", "Anowar", and "Yayo Papa". Sidiku Buari & His Jam Busters has a groove that definitely lives up to its name – a sweet 80s crackle with lots of tunes that jam in an old school funk style – keyboards, basslines, and rhythms right on the money – in a great Transatlantic bridge between Ghana and New York City! The set begins with the super-funky "Let's Go To Funky Town" – a tune with a break on the intro to rival some of the best funky club work of the time – and the vibe continues strongly through the rest of the set, on titles that include "Sophisticated Jammer", "Power To My People", "Rhythm Of Africa", "Minsumobo", and "Karambani". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest records ever issued by Sidiku Buari – the Ghanian musician who also recorded just as Buari – stepping out here in a very unusual performance recorded live at a club in New York at the end of the 70s! Side one begins with this great crowd frenzy and very cool energy as Buari's group take off running – mixing West African modes with more American boogie and funk elements – in a blend that has lots of riffing guitar and some especially groovy keyboard parts! Side two features studio material, but still pretty darn great – and maybe touched with a slight inspiration from Jamaica in some of the dubbier rhythms. There's some nicely weird sounds that are a bit hard to identify, and which cut against some of the sweeter vocal moments – on titles that include "Together We Can Rebuild It", "Revolution", "Keep The Rhythm Going", "Ofey Karambani", "This Is Music", and "Disco Soccer". CD

One of the coolest records ever issued by Sidiku Buari – the Ghanian musician who also recorded just as Buari – stepping out here in a very unusual performance recorded live at a club in New York at the end of the 70s! Side one begins with this great crowd frenzy and very cool energy as Buari's group take off running – mixing West African modes with more American boogie and funk elements – in a blend that has lots of riffing guitar and some especially groovy keyboard parts! Side two features studio material, but still pretty darn great – and maybe touched with a slight inspiration from Jamaica in some of the dubbier rhythms. There's some nicely weird sounds that are a bit hard to identify, and which cut against some of the sweeter vocal moments – on titles that include "Together We Can Rebuild It", "Revolution", "Keep The Rhythm Going", "Ofey Karambani", "This Is Music", and "Disco Soccer". LP, Vinyl record album

That's a real Roger Dean-styled image on the cover, which maybe heralds the sound that's going on here for the Budos Band – an approach that's even heavier than before, with maybe stronger guitar and bass at times – yet a vibe that still bristles with the group's great use of percussion and horns! There's maybe a new sort of majesty going on here – as if someone whispered to the band that they could be at the top of the deep funk spectrum if they stepped on the gas a bit more – which they definitely do on this super-sharp set, delivering a half-dozen tunes that are completely smoking throughout! Titles include "Devil Doesn't Dance", "Kritn", "Crescent Blue", "Passage To Ashinol", "Curled Steel", and "Frontier's Edge". CD

That's a real Roger Dean-styled image on the cover, which maybe heralds the sound that's going on here for the Budos Band – an approach that's even heavier than before, with maybe stronger guitar and bass at times – yet a vibe that still bristles with the group's great use of percussion and horns! There's maybe a new sort of majesty going on here – as if someone whispered to the band that they could be at the top of the deep funk spectrum if they stepped on the gas a bit more – which they definitely do on this super-sharp set, delivering a half-dozen tunes that are completely smoking throughout! Titles include "Devil Doesn't Dance", "Kritn", "Crescent Blue", "Passage To Ashinol", "Curled Steel", and "Frontier's Edge". LP, Vinyl record album

The birth of a legend – a smoking double-length collection of early work from Paul Butterfield and his Blues Band – a group that forever changed the sound of rock in the 70s, thanks to the way in which they really pushed their blues influences into great new territory for the psych and harder rock crowd! Butterfield was the real deal, right from the start – a young kid playing in Chicago blues bars on the south side, which gave him plenty of experience by the time he banded together with the key musicians who'd help him forge his groove – Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop, both masters of guitar whose work alongside Butterfield's vocals and harmonica really helped the music cook. Other players come into the mix along the way too, including the great Nick Gravenites – and the group sometimes add in more horns to further expand the soulful sound of their music. Titles include "Look Over Yonder's Wall", "Walkin Blues", "East West", "Spoonful", "One More Mile", "Mary Mary", "Born In Chicago", "Love March", "Last Hope's Gone", and "One More Heartbeat". CD

A brilliant tribute to one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of the 50s – featuring 3 full albums of material, plus some bonus tracks as well! Conte Candoli is a name that's appeared on countless sessions as a sideman or studio player, but here, Conte really sparkles as a leader – setting fire amidst some great small group lineups that include the players Bill Holman, Lou Levy, Lawrence Marable, Leroy Vinnegar, Max Bennett, Stan Levey, and Ira Sullivan. The set features material from 2 Bethlehem albums by Conte – Sincerely Conte and Powerhouse Trumpet – plus an Atlantic album, West Coast Wailers – and a rare 78rpm session for the Chicago-based Chance label, and a few additional tunes from a New York session in 1956 with Hank Jones! Conte's never sounded better – and with all this material in one place, the 2CD set is a great bargain overall. 30 tracks in all – with titles that include "Mambo Junior", "Flamingo", "TNT", "Thank You Judge", "Comes Love", "Tune For Tex", "Fine & Dandy", "Night Flight", "Toot Sweet", "Jazz City Blues", "Four", "Groovin Higher", "Lover Man", "Pete's Alibi", "Cheremoya", and "Jordu". CD

Brilliant modern soul from Jean Carn – 2 of her greatest albums for Philly International, back to back on one CD! Jean first got her start singing righteous jazz with husband Doug Carn for the Black Jazz label – but by the time of these albums, she was out on her own and working with the Gamble & Huff team in a whole new groove! Jean's jazz experience served her well at Philly – giving her a sense of maturity and vocal depth that made her one of the best female singers on label – as you'll hear from these 2 excellent albums. The CD features 17 tracks in all, including classics like "Don't Let It Go To Your Head", "Free Love", "I'm In Love Once Again", "Happy To Be With You", and her remake of "Revelation/Infant Eyes". CD

An amazing debut from the John Carter/Bobby Bradford New Art Jazz Ensemble – one of the most powerful voices in jazz on the west coast at the end of the 60s! In a way, the quartet's sound is a culmination of the underground changes that had been bubbling under during most of the 60s on the LA scene – new ways of conceiving jazz after Ornette and Dolphy had first set the scene on fire at the start of the decade, but styles that weren't receiving nearly the exposure as some of the better-known avant work on the Chicago, New York, or European scenes. The style here definitely owes something of a legacy to Ornette in the way it reconceives rhythm and melody – and a bit to Dolphy in its freewheeling, free-thinking work on clarinet, flute, and alto by John Carter. Bobby Bradford's bracing trumpet lines really give the album a tremendous punch – and the rest of the group features Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman (brother of George and Von!) on drums. Titles include "Seeking", "The Village Dancers", "Sticks & Stones", "In The Vineyard", "Karen On Monday", and "Song For The Unsung". CD

A killer guitar and Hammond session with a really sublime sort of sound – a groove that's wonderfully free of cliche – and which has an open, spacious quality that few artists can match! Given the instrumentation, the album's steeped in tradition, but never tries to just rehash an older Prestige Records vibe – and instead guitarist Ed Cherry and organist Kyle Koehler find a way of soaring out in their own spirits – opening up strongly in a bass-less trio that only features the drums of Anwar Marshall to keep things snapping along. The pairing is perfect – on the level of Grant Green with Larry Young, or Pat Martino with Don Patterson – yet very much with its own spirit, too. Cherry's arrangements are great, too – providing very fresh takes on familiar tunes, alongside his own compositions. Titles include "Central Park West", "A New Blue", "Rachel's Step", "Ode To Angela", "Little Sunflower", "Little Girl Big Girl", and "Peace". CD

Vic Chesnutt's debut, produced by Vic fan and champion Michael Stipe of REM, who smartly puts Vic's distinctive drawl and unvarnished guitar strumming front-and-center! His voice and these songs might not be conventionally pretty, but they sure are beautiful in their one-of-a-kind, uncompromising approach to the singer-songwriter genre. Recorded in a single day, Little is a defining early effort that would set the stage for a remarkable run of wonderful recordings by Vic, who lived to see his work loved and appreciated by peers and devoted fanbase, if never coming close to a mainstream breakthrough. Vic's voice, guitar, and the pictures they paint are the main thing here, with some occasional, spare bits of keyboards and backing vocals, adding just a bit of texture. You either "get" Vic or you don't. We we think he was a genius. Includes "Isadora Duncan", "Danny Carlisle", "Mr. Reilly", "Rabbit Box", "Speed Racer", "Soft Picasso", "Geppetto", "Bakersfield" and more. This great 2016 pressing on New West has 5 bonus tracks: "Bernadette", "Vernon", "Acting So Bad", "Miss Mary" and "Elberton Fair". CD

A tight little no-nonsense set from Al Cohn – the kind of record that he seemed to cut perfectly at the time, in a mold that he was helping trademark as the RCA 50s approach to jazz! The tunes are all quite short, and mostly familiar numbers – but they're arranged with a west coast-ish sort of flair, and played with more of a New York sense of swing – letting Al get in plenty of nice licks next to bandmates that include Joe Newman, Freddie Green, Nat Pierce, and Thad Jones. There's almost a Basie undercurrent to the set at times – as you'd guess from the players – and tracks include "That Old Feeling", "Sweet & Lovely", "Soft As Spring","I'll Be Around", "Honey Blonde", "Willow Weep For Me", and "In A Mellow Tone". CD

A really great little live jazz date from the mid 50s – one that features a unique pairing of east and west coast players, working together as part of a Birdland Stars package tour! The group's an exceptionally balanced one – with players who are all strong enough to work together seamlessly, but who each bring together something different to the date – especially in the blend of west coast cool and east coast hot that comes up during some of the horn passages! Trumpets are by Kenny Dorham and Conte Candoli, tenor by Al Cohn, alto by Phil Woods, piano by Hank Jones, bass by John Simmons, and drums by Kenny Clarke – and with a balance like that, there's probably a bit more "east" than "west" on the set – but that's ok with us! The style is similar to some of the RCA work cut by Cohn or Woods, but a lot more open overall – tracks that are looser and less arranged, with some really great room for solos. CD features volumes 1 and 2 of the albums – 14 titles that include "Phil Er Up", "Roulette", "Last Lap", "Hip Boots", "For Kicks Only", "Playboy", "Ah Funky New Baby", Birdland Fantasy", and "Minorin The Blues". Tracks are all originals by Manny Albam and Ernie Wilkins! CD

Fantastic work from the Atlantic Records years of John Coltrane – a time when he was really finding his sound, and branching out strongly from his early Prestige Recordings! Before these sides, Trane was a hardbop player who was starting to do something new – but at Atlantic, he really developed his overall conception, sense of phrasing, and songwriting skills – really pushing forward to the Impulse years – on titles that include "Syeeda's Flute Song", "Aisha", "Countdown", "Mr. Knight", "My Shining Hour", Blues To Bechet", "The Invisible", "My Favorite Things", "Giant Steps", "Central Park West", "Like Sonny", and "Body & Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD features an alternate take of "Body & Soul", plus the track "26-2". CD

Fantastic work from a lost chapter of Coltrane's career! Sure, you may know his early work with Miles Davis, or his groundbreaking later recordings on Atlantic and Impulse – but in the late 50s, 'Trane recorded some fantastic sides with trumpeter Wilbur Harden for Savoy Records, and the material is unlike anything he ever did for other labels. (We should state that for some incredibly odd reason, the CD lists the work as being recorded for Mainstream Records – but the titles are the same as those in the Harden/Coltrane sides for Savoy.) In a way, the Harden tunes are similar to Yusef Lateef's work for Savoy – hardbop at the core, but with touches of exoticism and spiritualism that brings out whole new modes of playing from the musicians. Most tracks are long and modal, a perfect platform for Coltrane's new ideas of soloing that were beginning to take shape at the time. Harden's a much different horn player than Miles Davis ever was – with a fiercer approach to rhythm that kind of drives Coltrane along in a more souful groove than ever before. The 2CD set features 19 tracks from the Savoy Sessions – lovingly packaged in a way that really helps you navigate the confusing structure of the LP releases. Titles include "Gold Coast", "Dial Africa", "BJ", "Once In A While", "Tanganyika Strut", "West 42nd Street", and "Rhodamagnetics" – and the CD includes alternate versions of some tracks. CD

Fantastic work from a lost chapter of Coltrane's career! Sure, you may know his early work with Miles Davis, or his groundbreaking later recordings on Atlantic and Impulse – but in the late 50s, 'Trane recorded some fantastic sides with trumpeter Wilbur Harden for Savoy Records, and the material is unlike anything he ever did for other labels. (We should state that for some incredibly odd reason, the CD lists the work as being recorded for Mainstream Records – but the titles are the same as those in the Harden/Coltrane sides for Savoy.) In a way, the Harden tunes are similar to Yusef Lateef's work for Savoy – hardbop at the core, but with touches of exoticism and spiritualism that brings out whole new modes of playing from the musicians. Most tracks are long and modal, a perfect platform for Coltrane's new ideas of soloing that were beginning to take shape at the time. Harden's a much different horn player than Miles Davis ever was – with a fiercer approach to rhythm that kind of drives Coltrane along in a more souful groove than ever before. The 2CD set features 19 tracks from the Savoy Sessions – lovingly packaged in a way that really helps you navigate the confusing structure of the LP releases. Titles include "Gold Coast", "Dial Africa", "BJ", "Once In A While", "Tanganyika Strut", "West 42nd Street", and "Rhodamagnetics" – and the CD includes alternate versions of some tracks. CD

The fantastic third album from Common – the record that really catapulted him on his way to stardom, yet a set that still retains all the best aspects of his early days in Chicago! Part of that quality comes from the superb production of No ID, who gets a bit of local help from Dug Infinite and Twilite Tone – all talents who have that special, sophisticated vibe that was really starting to flow from Chicago out to the rest of the world – and which here is perfect for the well-crafted lyrics from Common! The balance is great – never too hard or heavy, yet also not trying to ape either a west coast quirky or New York native tongues approach. This time around, there's also plenty of guests on board, of the sort that Common would soon be rubbing shoulders with on a regular basis – a lineup that includes The Roots, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, Canibus, Black Thought, Lauryn Hill, and De La Soul. Yet throughout, the vibe is Common's and Chicago's – something that's always made us very proud to be from the same scene at the same time. Titles include "1 2 Many", "Reminding Me Of Sef", "Invocation", "Stolen Moments", "My City", "Real Nigga Quotes", and "Retrospect For Life". CD

The fantastic third album from Common – the record that really catapulted him on his way to stardom, yet a set that still retains all the best aspects of his early days in Chicago! Part of that quality comes from the superb production of No ID, who gets a bit of local help from Dug Infinite and Twilite Tone – all talents who have that special, sophisticated vibe that was really starting to flow from Chicago out to the rest of the world – and which here is perfect for the well-crafted lyrics from Common! The balance is great – never too hard or heavy, yet also not trying to ape either a west coast quirky or New York native tongues approach. This time around, there's also plenty of guests on board, of the sort that Common would soon be rubbing shoulders with on a regular basis – a lineup that includes The Roots, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, Canibus, Black Thought, Lauryn Hill, and De La Soul. Yet throughout, the vibe is Common's and Chicago's – something that's always made us very proud to be from the same scene at the same time. Titles include "1 2 Many", "Reminding Me Of Sef", "Invocation", "Stolen Moments", "My City", "Real Nigga Quotes", and "Retrospect For Life". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic third album from Common – the record that really catapulted him on his way to stardom, yet a set that still retains all the best aspects of his early days in Chicago! Part of that quality comes from the superb production of No ID, who gets a bit of local help from Dug Infinite and Twilite Tone – all talents who have that special, sophisticated vibe that was really starting to flow from Chicago out to the rest of the world – and which here is perfect for the well-crafted lyrics from Common! The balance is great – never too hard or heavy, yet also not trying to ape either a west coast quirky or New York native tongues approach. This time around, there's also plenty of guests on board, of the sort that Common would soon be rubbing shoulders with on a regular basis – a lineup that includes The Roots, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, Canibus, Black Thought, Lauryn Hill, and De La Soul. Yet throughout, the vibe is Common's and Chicago's – something that's always made us very proud to be from the same scene at the same time. Titles include "1 2 Many", "Reminding Me Of Sef", "Invocation", "Stolen Moments", "My City", "Real Nigga Quotes", and "Retrospect For Life". LP, Vinyl record album

The magnificent voice of Chris Connelly serves up a sublime tribute to the work of Nico – a set that's not a reworking of just her key classics, but which also includes a huge amount of original new songs by Chris as well! Connelly put together the double length set after being inspired by the book on Nico, You Are Beautiful & You Are Alone – and the spirit of that well-penned biography really moves throughout the tracks, as Chris balances his own originals with really different takes on the Nico tunes – all at a level that really comes across like some modern day masterpiece that feels like it was years in the making! If you've never heard Connelly sing, you'll be blown away – and the setting of the whole project really seems to have him at his best – in a selection of two dozen songs that include "Ripcord Ripcord", "The Last Mile", "Union Square West", "Eulogy To Lenny Bruce", "I Cannot Care For You", "The Falconer", "The Black Rooms Of Richeleiu", "Reims 12/74", "A Slow Jones In New York", "Running Pure", and "Andy Incidentally". CD

The fantastic first album by one of the most unique funk groups of all time! A key part of the crumbling British colonial network that produced some excellent music in the postwar years, Cymande was comprised mostly of West Indians who'd emigrated to England in the 60s, eventually meeting up under a shared musical vision – a completely new blend of funk, dub, jazz, and soul that was unlike anything else that had been recorded before, save for the work of a few other Brit groups of a similar nature. This first album's one of their greatest – and it's a refreshing batch of tunes that mix together heavy basslines, laidback drumming, and a righteous soul vocal style that's got a bit of a stoner touch. The album includes the group's massive cut "The Message", a bit of a minor hit when it was released (and later sampled quite famously) – plus the funky classics "Dove", "Zion I", "Listen", "Bra", and "Rickshaw". Pick this up, and sample one of the 70's most unique funk groups! LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic first album by one of the most unique funk groups of all time! A key part of the crumbling British colonial network that produced some excellent music in the postwar years, Cymande was comprised mostly of West Indians who'd emigrated to England in the 60s, eventually meeting up under a shared musical vision – a completely new blend of funk, dub, jazz, and soul that was unlike anything else that had been recorded before, save for the work of a few other Brit groups of a similar nature. This first album's one of their greatest – and it's a refreshing batch of tunes that mix together heavy basslines, laidback drumming, and a righteous soul vocal style that's got a bit of a stoner touch. The album includes the group's massive cut "The Message", a bit of a minor hit when it was released (and later sampled quite famously) – plus the funky classics "Dove", "Zion I", "Listen", "Bra", and "Rickshaw". Pick this up, and sample one of the 70's most unique funk groups! LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic first album by one of the most unique funk groups of all time! A key part of the crumbling British colonial network that produced some excellent music in the postwar years, Cymande was comprised mostly of West Indians who'd emigrated to England in the 60s, eventually meeting up under a shared musical vision – a completely new blend of funk, dub, jazz, and soul that was unlike anything else that had been recorded before, save for the work of a few other Brit groups of a similar nature. This first album's one of their greatest – and it's a refreshing batch of tunes that mix together heavy basslines, laidback drumming, and a righteous soul vocal style that's got a bit of a stoner touch. The album includes the group's massive cut "The Message", a bit of a minor hit when it was released (and later sampled quite famously) – plus the funky classics "Dove", "Zion I", "Listen", "Bra", and "Rickshaw". Pick this up, and sample one of the 70's most unique funk groups! LP, Vinyl record album

New work from Togolese music legend Roger Damawuzan – but a set that feels as fierce and funky as if it were recorded in the 70s! The group is super-tight throughout – more inspired by the James Brown Band of the late 60s than other West African groups – and tracks are short, funky, and bristle with a quality that's more like that of a set of funky 45s than it is the longer jams you might find on other records. The whole thing's got as much appeal as a deep funk record than as an African one – and Roger sings in English throughout, with really raspy and soulful charm – on titles that include "Fine Fine", "Paris", "Shut Up", "Mama", "I'm Crying", "Juliana", "Need My Money", "What Time Is It", and "Why Why". CD

New work from Togolese music legend Roger Damawuzan – but a set that feels as fierce and funky as if it were recorded in the 70s! The group is super-tight throughout – more inspired by the James Brown Band of the late 60s than other West African groups – and tracks are short, funky, and bristle with a quality that's more like that of a set of funky 45s than it is the longer jams you might find on other records. The whole thing's got as much appeal as a deep funk record than as an African one – and Roger sings in English throughout, with really raspy and soulful charm – on titles that include "Fine Fine", "Paris", "Shut Up", "Mama", "I'm Crying", "Juliana", "Need My Money", "What Time Is It", and "Why Why". LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! Expanded edition contains a second bonus CD packed with alternate versions and rare 12" single remixes! CD

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more. CD

Two classic Eric Dolphy albums – back to back in a single set! First up us Outward Bound – Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". Out There is Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". LP, Vinyl record album

Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". CD

Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". LP, Vinyl record album

Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". CD

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". CD

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". CD

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". LP, Vinyl record album