Joe McPhee on alto saxophone and pocket trumpet, Fred Longberg-Holm on cello and electronics, and Michael Zerang on percussion. CD

Trombonist Steve Swell works here in a shifting set of groups, all recorded during a festival performance in Poland – with smaller group outings on the first CD, and much larger ensemble expressions on the final two discs! Swell is a hell of an improviser, but here he's clearly stepping into a huge role as a visionary leader in free jazz – as great as you'd know in smaller groupings, and majestically elevated to the level of a Barry Guy or Misha Mengelberg as he creates incredible sounds with the larger group. Other players include Gebhard Ullman on bass clarinet and tenor, Niklas Barno on trumpet, Signe Emmeluth on alto, Hanne De Backer on baritone, Per Ake Holmlander on tuba, Elisabeth Coudoux on cello, Jon Rune Strome on bass, and Paal Nilssen Love on drums and percussion – all players who seem to find explosive new energy in their company together here! CD

With John Hebert on bass, Gebhard Ullmann on bass clarinet & tenor sax, Gerald Cleaver on drums, Julian Arguelles on soprano & baritone sax & Steve Swell on trombone. CD

A nice complement to Ken Vandermark's much larger box set Alchemia – and an album that was formulated during the Alchemia stay, but recorded later with Polish players Marcin Oles on bass and Barttomiej Brat Oles on drums. Vandermark's tone here is a bit different than some of his other work – a bit more tentative, but in a good way – as he explores new territory with the Oles, and delivers some especially nice work on clarinet, in addition to his more familiar tenor and baritone sax. Titles include "One", "Uncle B", "West Coast", "Tightrope", "Sonus", and "Drumsax Country". CD

Improvisations between two very playful artists here – each of whom do a great job of balancing between their core instruments and sounds from some other slight sources as well! Mars Williams handles saxes, and Vasco Trilla plays drums – but the latter opens up all these other percussion instruments too, while Williams uses toy instruments in very inventive ways – all with results that make the record very different than just a standard set of improvisations between drums and saxes! There's a sonic quality to the record that's very much its own – as you'll hear on long tracks that include "Fogo", "The Tongue Set Free", "Thin Air", "Critical Mass", and "The Shaking Hand That Leaves A Mark". CD

A double-length set that brings together 2 key early live sets by Albert Ayler – both recorded on the New York scene of the mid 60s! Bells was an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that hardly leaves room for complaints about the shortness of the album! The single track "Bells" was performed at Town Hall by Ayler with a group that includes Donald Ayler on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Sunny Murray on percussion – all coming together in a raw, real sense of freedom – beautifully explored here without ever getting too overindulgent. The tune may well be one of the greatest illustrations of the ESP format at its best – as Ayler and company never stray too far, but carve out some incredibly imaginative space through their starkly-blown horn solos! Prophecy is longer – a full album that was recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after Ayler's untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". CD

A double-length set that brings together 2 key early live sets by Albert Ayler – both recorded on the New York scene of the mid 60s! Bells was an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that hardly leaves room for complaints about the shortness of the album! The single track "Bells" was performed at Town Hall by Ayler with a group that includes Donald Ayler on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Sunny Murray on percussion – all coming together in a raw, real sense of freedom – beautifully explored here without ever getting too overindulgent. The tune may well be one of the greatest illustrations of the ESP format at its best – as Ayler and company never stray too far, but carve out some incredibly imaginative space through their starkly-blown horn solos! Prophecy is longer – a full album that was recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after Ayler's untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". And then, if that's not enough, the 2CD package also features more material from the Prophecy sessions – 6 more tracks originally issued on the Albert Smiles With Sunny album – with titles that include "Saints", "Children", "Ghosts", "Spirits", and "Wizard" – all in different versions. CD

First Base is the first record from these UK jazz rockers who might have been forgotten forever, were it not for "The Mexican", a wonderful jazzy break track on this album, sampled very, very early in the history of hip hop, and still quite nice today! You can also find "Wells Fargo", the biggest hit in the band's short-lived career, on this record. Other tracks include "The Runaways", "King Kong", "Cool Jerk", "Gimme Some Leg", "Amar Caballero", and "We Are Holding On" – and the CD features the band's first two albums back to back. CD

A beautiful and rare recording – both for singer Alice Babs, and Duke Ellington himself! The session was cut in Paris in 1963 – and it's a moody, intimate album that features Duke backing up Alice with arrangements that are quieter and more subtle than those used with most other Ellington-related singers. Alice is extremely great on the set – and often sings in weird wordless vocals – not really scatting, but more of a horn based-style that's very icy and cool. The whole thing's great – much greater even than the sum of its two famous parts – and titles include "Serenade To Sweden", "Stoona", "La De Doody Doo", "Strange Visitor", "Come Sunday", "Babsie", and "Untitled Lullaby". CD

One of Burt Bacharach's finest moments, and a soundtrack that we never tire of hearing! Burt wrote all the tunes – and the album's a wonderful romp, with lots of odd twists and turns that are quite different from Burt's usual bag (baby!), but which still have all of the charm of his best work. A few performances on the set are by Herb Albert & The Tijuana Brass, who do the completely chaotic "Casino Royale Theme" – and the lovely Dusty Springfield sings a versions of "Look Of Love" that has to be the best ever recorded! Other tracks include "Home James, Don't Spare The Horses", "Money Penny Goes For Broke", "The Venerable Sir James Bond", and "Hi There Miss Goodthighs". But even better is this cool version – which features the original LP presentation at the end, but begins with 34 tracks that replicate the film presentation of the music – and which include numbers not on the original album, and variations on the tunes too! Even includes two vocal numbers by Mike Redway – "Seven Bond In Heaven" and "Dream On James You're Winning". Plus, there's even an amazing 64 page color booklet – filled with great notes and photos! CD

The second chapter of Erykah Badu's New Amerykah – recorded for the most part, quite incredibly, during the same period and with the same collaborators as the mind-altering, murky and righteous hip hop funk experimentalism that was Part One – some months that must be among the most dizzyingly creative in Badu's career! We're reluctant to call Return Of The The Ankh a lighter listen than its predecessor, but, it's a less dense and outwardly experimental batch in the sonic realm – the emotionalism and the head nodding warmth is at the forefront, yet she's as uncompromising and real as ever. The sound is still innovative, unique and her own on all fronts, but the songs chosen for Part Two are ones you want to approach and embrace from the opening seconds – there's not as much of a tripped out overall vibe and you don't need to acclimate from a distance – these songs pull you right in! Includes collaborations with James Poyser, Shafiq Husayn, Ta'Raach, Karriem Riggins, Madlib and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Includes "20 Feet Tall", "Window Seat", "Agitation", "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long", "Love", "Out My Mind, Just In Time" and more. CD

The second chapter of Erykah Badu's New Amerykah – recorded for the most part, quite incredibly, during the same period and with the same collaborators as the mind-altering, murky and righteous hip hop funk experimentalism that was Part One – some months that must be among the most dizzyingly creative in Badu's career! We're reluctant to call Return Of The The Ankh a lighter listen than its predecessor, but, it's a less dense and outwardly experimental batch in the sonic realm – the emotionalism and the head nodding warmth is at the forefront, yet she's as uncompromising and real as ever. The sound is still innovative, unique and her own on all fronts, but the songs chosen for Part Two are ones you want to approach and embrace from the opening seconds – there's not as much of a tripped out overall vibe and you don't need to acclimate from a distance – these songs pull you right in! Includes collaborations with James Poyser, Shafiq Husayn, Ta'Raach, Karriem Riggins, Madlib and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Includes "20 Feet Tall", "Window Seat", "Agitation", "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long", "Love", "Out My Mind, Just In Time" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The second chapter of Erykah Badu's New Amerykah – recorded for the most part, quite incredibly, during the same period and with the same collaborators as the mind-altering, murky and righteous hip hop funk experimentalism that was Part One – some months that must be among the most dizzyingly creative in Badu's career! We're reluctant to call Return Of The The Ankh a lighter listen than its predecessor, but, it's a less dense and outwardly experimental batch in the sonic realm – the emotionalism and the head nodding warmth is at the forefront, yet she's as uncompromising and real as ever. The sound is still innovative, unique and her own on all fronts, but the songs chosen for Part Two are ones you want to approach and embrace from the opening seconds – there's not as much of a tripped out overall vibe and you don't need to acclimate from a distance – these songs pull you right in! Includes collaborations with James Poyser, Shafiq Husayn, Ta'Raach, Karriem Riggins, Madlib and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Includes "20 Feet Tall", "Window Seat", "Agitation", "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long", "Love", "Out My Mind, Just In Time" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album that's a perfect document of the strong impact that Quincy Jones had in the transatlantic jazz scene of the late 50s and early 60s! The set was recorded in 1960, and features two players that Quincy would leave behind in Europe to have a huge influence on the scene. Trumpeter Benny Bailey is the greatest of these – and his impact on jazz in Germany and Sweden during the 60s and 70s cannot be discounted. The other is drummer Joe Harris, who does excellent work here in a group that includes Arne Domnerus on sax, Ake Persson on trombone, and Gunnar Svensson on piano – all Swedes that Quincy picked up after touring the country heavily during the late 50s. The set grooves with the best of Jones' work on Mercury from the time – and although Quincy's not listed in the credits, it's probably only because of contractual reasons. Titles are all Jones originals – including "Meet Benny Bailey", "Plenty, Plenty Soul", "Fallen Feathers", and "The Midnight Sun Never Sets". CD

One of the better-known sessions from Chet's time in Italy at the end of the 50s – a really beautiful album that has Chet working with a string orchestra in a set of lush arrangements that really bring a lot to his sound! The album really sounds great – not sleepy, but warm and beautiful, in a style that was perfect for Chet's fading romanticism. A few cuts have Chet taking a vocal chorus or two, but mostly, the focus is on trumpet solos. Titles include "Violets For Your Furs", "Goodbye", "Angel Eyes", "I Should Care", and "The Song Is You". Plus, the set also features 4 bonus tracks by Chet with a sextet that includes Gianni Basso on tenor – on titles that include "Line For Lyons", "Tune Up", and "Cheryl Blues". CD

Later work from Chet Baker – served up here in a 3CD package! The first 2CDs feature the Sesjun Radio Shows albums – rare radio material from Chet Baker – all recorded in the Netherlands, with wonderful sound – and brought together here in a two volume series that offers up some excellent unreleased material from his later years! The tunes and performances are maybe a bit different than some of the looser live dates that Baker recorded for other labels – although many of the performances are quite long, and showcase that advance solo approach that makes Chet's later work so different than the shorter tracks on his early albums. Titles include "Chet's Theme", "Lady Bird", "Just Friends", "Blue N Boogie", "Ray's Idea", "This Is Always", and "I'm Old Fashioned". Straight From The Heart is material from the last concert Chet Baker ever recorded – a surprisingly tight session that has the trumpeter blowing solos in front of the NDR Big Band. The setting is relatively relaxed – not a blasting big band session, but one that colors in the space between Baker's notes with gentle shades of sound – really respecting his role as a soloist, and providing just the right amount of gentle accompaniment to flesh out the sound of the set. Chet sings on 2 numbers – "My Funny Valentine" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" – and other tracks include "Sippin At Bells", "Conception", "Look For The Silver Lining", and "Tenderly". Herb Geller also solos on 2 numbers too! CD

Great later work from Chet Baker – one of the key sides in marking out his new, more open approach to the trumpet – with long tracks overall. The setting here is spare – with backing by Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and Chet's mostly blowing on trumpet, but also gets in some sad vocals on two tunes – "But Not For Me" and "The Touch Of Your Lips". Other tracks include "I Waited For You", "Blue Room", and "Star Eyes". CD

Great later work from Chet Baker – one of the key sides in marking out his new, more open approach to the trumpet – with long tracks overall. The setting here is spare – with backing by Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and Chet's mostly blowing on trumpet, but also gets in some sad vocals on two tunes – "But Not For Me" and "The Touch Of Your Lips". Other tracks include "I Waited For You", "Blue Room", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Two of the coolest trumpeters from the LA scene of the 50s – reunited here in a never-issued album from the start of the 70s! At the time of the set, Jack Sheldon was the real star of the date – big on TV, and a very confident, cool player – as well as a singer with a wonderfully distinct sound (which some folks might remember from Schoolhouse Rock or The Merv Griffin Show!) Jack started out in the mellow modes shared by Chet Baker during his early years – but by the time of this set, he was a nicely different player – which makes the pairing with Baker so great – especially as this was a time when Chet was really laying low, and hardly recording at all. The rest of the group features Jack Marshall on guitar, Dave Frishberg on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Nick Ceroli on drums – a very sprightly combo who add a lot to the record – and both Chet and Jack sing on the record, in addition to serving up trumpet solos too. The record is an especially great one for Sheldon – very confident vocally, and really at the height of his powers here as both a singer and instrumentalist – with that wry approach that we love so much. Titles include "Evil Blues", "You Fascinate Me", "Once I Loved", "Too Blue", "Just Friends", "But Not For Me", "I Cried For You", and "Historia De Un Amor". CD

Two of the coolest trumpeters from the LA scene of the 50s – reunited here in a never-issued album from the start of the 70s! At the time of the set, Jack Sheldon was the real star of the date – big on TV, and a very confident, cool player – as well as a singer with a wonderfully distinct sound (which some folks might remember from Schoolhouse Rock or The Merv Griffin Show!) Jack started out in the mellow modes shared by Chet Baker during his early years – but by the time of this set, he was a nicely different player – which makes the pairing with Baker so great – especially as this was a time when Chet was really laying low, and hardly recording at all. The rest of the group features Jack Marshall on guitar, Dave Frishberg on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Nick Ceroli on drums – a very sprightly combo who add a lot to the record – and both Chet and Jack sing on the record, in addition to serving up trumpet solos too. The record is an especially great one for Sheldon – very confident vocally, and really at the height of his powers here as both a singer and instrumentalist – with that wry approach that we love so much. Titles include "Evil Blues", "You Fascinate Me", "Once I Loved", "Too Blue", "Just Friends", "But Not For Me", "I Cried For You", and "Historia De Un Amor". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning European meeting of two great North American talents – the piano of Paul Bley and the trumpet of Chet Baker – coming together here without any other instrumentation in the mix! Bley is at a point where he's bringing back a bit more warmth to his music after so many years in both avant and colder territory – and Baker has that beautifully meditative tone of his late life recordings – which seems to encourage a sensitivity out of Bley's piano that you might not expect – making for a wonderful session throughout! Chet sings a bit, but his trumpet is his main voice – and titles include "Pent Up House", "If I Should Lose You"- "Diane", "Little Girl Blue", and "Skidadidlin". LP, Vinyl record album

Well, it's not Jaws – but it's still pretty darn groovy – a very cool set of tracks that features some long, lush orchestrations from the great John Barry – plus some sublime disco sounds from Donna Summer! The first half of the record features Barry's extended "Return To The Sea – 2033 AD" – a side-long track that really builds nicely, and has John finding some even more expressive modes than in other mid 70s soundtracks. Then side two really lets loose with the great "Theme From The Deep (Down Deep Inside)" by Donna Summer – a tune that's got this beautifully building groove that's almost like her best early cuts, ala "I Feel Love" – a great use of Summer's vocals on a nicely funky groove. The set also features a slower Donna Summer vocal take on the cut – billed as "A Love Song" – with these cool keyboard lines that feel like they're lifted from an Italian 70s soundtrack – and Barry also turns in his own instrumental version as well. Beckett sings the funky "Disco Calypso" tune too! LP, Vinyl record album

US 2-fer CD that brings together two of Gary Bartz's harder to find LPs on one CD – Juju Street Songs and Follow The Medicine Man. Both LPs feature a lineup that includes Hubert Eaves on electric piano, Stafford James on bass, and Andy Bey on vocals; and the material is pivotal stuff for Gary as he moves from his straight jazz spiritual stuff into a vein that is slightly more electric – but not too electric. Lots of nice funky moments with a righteous vibe, and the track list includes "Dr. Follow's Dance", "Standin' On The Corner", "Sing Me A Song Today", "Black Maybe", "Sifa Zote", and "Africans Unite". CD

It certainly was the band of distinction – especially at this point, when the group featured players like Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Ernie Wilkins, Marshall Royal, Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Bennie Powell, and Freddie Green. And hey, let's not forget Basie himself! Titles include "Two Franks", "Ska Di Didle Dee Bee Doo", "Rails", "Blues Backstage", and "Perdido" – and there's a very strong focus on the best soloists in the group! LP, Vinyl record album

Two great Eurpoean performances – with a lineup that features Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell, Frank Wess, Snooky Young, and Freddie Green. Tracks include "Why Not", "Easy Money", "A Little Tempo Please", "Jumpin' At The Woodside", "Blee Blop Blues", and "Stella By Starlight". 30 tracks total. CD

Genius work from Les Baxter – two of his best albums for Capitol, back to back on one CD! Ritual Of The Savage is one of those must-have albums from the 50s – a super-huge record upon its initial release, and an album that pushed the genre of exotica far further than most others at the time! Before this record, most attempts at exotica were simple instrumental pop, colored with slight worldly instrumentation – or too-dreamy recordings, putting over a sleepy version of life on the islands. Enter Les Baxter, who had an amazing ear for sounds, rhythms, and arrangements – one that was the first to record this sort of music in a way that was sonically evocative, and could stand on its own without other referents. Instrumentation is often conventional, but used oddly here – and Baxter's original compositions are all pretty darn great – playful without being goofy, and nicely mixing Latin and Pacific rhythms at the bottom. Titles include "Busy Port", "The Ritual", "Coronation", "Jungle Jalopy", and Les' original version of "Quiet Village". Heck, even the cover is gorgeous – with a brilliant blue illustration of some guy putting the moves on a woman amidst spooky tribal relics! The Passions is a really obscure box set recording – done as Les Baxter's classic exploitation of "a woman's passions", using vocalist Bas Sheva in the role of the tormented female! Shiva's got a bold, evocative style that's not unlike Yma Sumac – and she sings here wordlessly, as an added instrument on top of Baxter's orchestrations – playing the role of the inner psyche of woman, on titles that include "Lust", "Terror", "Joy", "Hate", "Ecstasy", and "Despair"! The whole thing's a mini docu-drama in sound – beautifully recorded in a flurry of red, blue, and other chromatic hues – not as exotic as Baxter's other work from the 50s, but equally great as a modern sonic psychoanalytic text! CD

A mighty fresh debut from Domi and JD Beck – a duo who mix together keyboards and drums at a level that channels lots of styles from the global underground of the past decade or so, but with a jazzier sort of warmth, and a nicely soulful current throughout! The pair first got attention on a track by Anderson Paak, who appears here alongside a list of other luminaries who include Thundercat, Busta Rhymes, Herbie Hancock, Snoop Dogg, and Mac DeMarco – all guests who are maybe more at home in the groove of Domi and JD, than trying to push their own agenda! Anderson signed the duo himself – and titles include "Pilot", "Moon", "Duke", "Take A Chance", "Whatup", "Smile", "Bowling", "Not Tight", "Two Shrimps", and "U Don't Have To Rob Me". CD

A mighty fresh debut from Domi and JD Beck – a duo who mix together keyboards and drums at a level that channels lots of styles from the global underground of the past decade or so, but with a jazzier sort of warmth, and a nicely soulful current throughout! The pair first got attention on a track by Anderson Paak, who appears here alongside a list of other luminaries who include Thundercat, Busta Rhymes, Herbie Hancock, Snoop Dogg, and Mac DeMarco – all guests who are maybe more at home in the groove of Domi and JD, than trying to push their own agenda! Anderson signed the duo himself – and titles include "Pilot", "Moon", "Duke", "Take A Chance", "Whatup", "Smile", "Bowling", "Not Tight", "Two Shrimps", and "U Don't Have To Rob Me". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible run of music from one of the grooviest soul groups of all time – a combo who started out down in the Texas scene with some very upbeat dancing soul singles in the 60s, who then moved to work in the Philly studios in the 70s, where they really opened up their groove! The set features work from both the group's early albums for Atlantic Records and their great second chapter at Philadelphia International – quite a career, given that they recorded for two of the greatest soul labels of the 60s and 70s – in a massive batch of work that's included here, with bonus material too! The Atlantic work starts out nice and raw, and pretty funky too – then gets warmed up in the best way possible as the label has them working with Gamble & Huff, before then leaving to record for the Philly duo's own International label in the 70s. The huge box features the full albums Tighten Up, I Can't Stop Dancing, There's Gonna Be A Showdown, Dance Your Troubles Away, Where Will You Go When The Party's Over, Hard Not To Like It, and Strategy – and CD5 is a full set of bonus tracks, with titles that include "Dog Eat Dog", "Deal With Him", "A World Without Music", "Love At First Sight", "Archie's In Love", "Wrap It Up", "I Wish", "Get It From The Bottom", "Old People", "Let The World Know You Got Soul", and "I Can't Face You Baby". Box features 79 tracks in all – and a big booklet of notes! CD

A fantastic early album from Jorge Ben – and one that's also a bit obscure, given that it was one of the few that he didn't cut for Philips Records during the first decade of his career! The album's one of Jorge's most upbeat, most lively – with the kind of ebullient mix of samba and soul influences that he brought to his first big hits – but recorded here in a way that's maybe even more frenetic, especially when piano lines spin out quickly next to his incredible vocals – with a style that's almost soul jazz at times! The whole thing's wonderful – a record that matches, if not tops any of his other 60s albums – and titles include the killer "A Jovem Samba" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Nascimento De Um Principe Africando", "Menina Gata Augusta", "Si Wanda", "Rosa Mas Que Nada", "Amor De Carnaval", and "Todo Colorida". LP, Vinyl record album

Gene Bertoncini on guitar and Michael Moore on bass. Titles include "It Had To Be You", "The Bad And The Beautiful", "Wonderful Girl", "I'm All Smiles", "Whisper Not", and "Killer Joe". CD

A great package – one that features some wildly experimental work from French electronics whiz Philippe Besombes! First up is the album Libra – tripped out electronics meet progressive rock jamming – all in a weird and wonderful film score from the early 70s! The record's one of the best by French experimentalist Philippe Besombes from the time – and it's got a style that sort of starts in the territory of Francois De Roubaix similar electronic work for film – but gets a lot darker and noisier right away! There's a textural depth here that's really great – almost a pre-industrial music exploration of sounds – but the work's also not that over-indulgent, either – and Besombes always has a great way of getting back to a tune, especially on the shorter tracks. Titles include "La Plage", "Rugby", "Ceremonie", "Hache 06", "La Ville", "Les Cosmonautes", "Tis A Song", "Boogimmick", and "PJF 261". Next is the record Esombeso – also release as Ceci Est Cela – a strange mix of sound library electronics and much more experimental work from Philippe Besombes – a set that carries echoes of some of the best Italian soundtrack electronics of the 70s, but which also features much darker, more turgid moments as well! The album collects some of Besombes' performances for ballet and other settings – and stands as an even starker document of his talents than some of the other albums issued under his name in the 70s. Titles include "Pawa"," Geant", "Seul", and "Ceci Est Cela". Next are two more albums done under the name Hydravion – both of which show Besombes turning his electronics into tighter, more song-based territory – although not without some noise from time to time – shorter tracks that sometimes get a bit tuneful, but which are still light years from mainstream music of the period. CD set also features bonus tracks for the first two albums – 8 more numbers that include "L'Or Des Fous", "Traversee", "Trio", "Piano Prepare", "Orgue Hache", and "Chocolate Cream". CD

An explosive session from an expanded edition of the Jazz Messengers – recorded at a key point when Art Blakey moved the group up to six members instead of five! Although bigger than the group on most Jazz Messenger Blue Notes, the sextet have an energy that's almost tighter – a sense of poise, focus, and vision that's not just driven by Blakey's drum kit alone – but by the kind of unique magic that only happens during rare groupings in classic jazz. A key part of the energy here comes from pianist Cedar Walton – who's replacing the Bobby Timmons soul jazz mode with a sound that's a bit more expansive and visionary. But equally important is the three horn lineup of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Wayne Shorter on tenor – a two-brass frontline that's used far differently than other groups – bold one minute, but personal and sensitive the next. There's a mixture of warmth and driving energy here that's simply incredible – a prime example of Blakey taking things to the next level, when it would have been easy enough for him to sit on his laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again! Includes classic readings of Cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis", and Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" – as well as Shorter's excellent "Children Of The Night". CD

An explosive session from an expanded edition of the Jazz Messengers – recorded at a key point when Art Blakey moved the group up to six members instead of five! Although bigger than the group on most Jazz Messenger Blue Notes, the sextet have an energy that's almost tighter – a sense of poise, focus, and vision that's not just driven by Blakey's drum kit alone – but by the kind of unique magic that only happens during rare groupings in classic jazz. A key part of the energy here comes from pianist Cedar Walton – who's replacing the Bobby Timmons soul jazz mode with a sound that's a bit more expansive and visionary. But equally important is the three horn lineup of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Wayne Shorter on tenor – a two-brass frontline that's used far differently than other groups – bold one minute, but personal and sensitive the next. There's a mixture of warmth and driving energy here that's simply incredible – a prime example of Blakey taking things to the next level, when it would have been easy enough for him to sit on his laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again! Includes classic readings of Cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis", and Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" – as well as Shorter's excellent "Children Of The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

An explosive session from an expanded edition of the Jazz Messengers – recorded at a key point when Art Blakey moved the group up to six members instead of five! Although bigger than the group on most Jazz Messenger Blue Notes, the sextet have an energy that's almost tighter – a sense of poise, focus, and vision that's not just driven by Blakey's drum kit alone – but by the kind of unique magic that only happens during rare groupings in classic jazz. A key part of the energy here comes from pianist Cedar Walton – who's replacing the Bobby Timmons soul jazz mode with a sound that's a bit more expansive and visionary. But equally important is the three horn lineup of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Wayne Shorter on tenor – a two-brass frontline that's used far differently than other groups – bold one minute, but personal and sensitive the next. There's a mixture of warmth and driving energy here that's simply incredible – a prime example of Blakey taking things to the next level, when it would have been easy enough for him to sit on his laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again! Includes classic readings of Cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis", and Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" – as well as Shorter's excellent "Children Of The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

An explosive session from an expanded edition of the Jazz Messengers – recorded at a key point when Art Blakey moved the group up to six members instead of five! Although bigger than the group on most Jazz Messenger Blue Notes, the sextet have an energy that's almost tighter – a sense of poise, focus, and vision that's not just driven by Blakey's drum kit alone – but by the kind of unique magic that only happens during rare groupings in classic jazz. A key part of the energy here comes from pianist Cedar Walton – who's replacing the Bobby Timmons soul jazz mode with a sound that's a bit more expansive and visionary. But equally important is the three horn lineup of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Wayne Shorter on tenor – a two-brass frontline that's used far differently than other groups – bold one minute, but personal and sensitive the next. There's a mixture of warmth and driving energy here that's simply incredible – a prime example of Blakey taking things to the next level, when it would have been easy enough for him to sit on his laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again! Includes classic readings of Cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis", and Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" – as well as Shorter's excellent "Children Of The Night". CD

A wonderfully hard-storming set – and a record that not only firmly put the Jazz Messengers on the map, but also set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The group here is the early version of the Messengers – almost co-led by drummer Art Blakey with pianist Horace Silver – and featuring Clifford Brown on trumpet, just a few months before his early death – plus Lou Donaldson on alto and Curley Russell on bass. The presence of alto instead of tenor makes the sound slightly different than later incarnations of the group – and the overall approach is one that virtually defines the shift from straight bop to hardbop in the 50s – a mode that both Blakey and Silver were key in creating. Tracks include "Wee Dot", "Quicksilver" (alternate), "Now's The Time", and "Confirmation". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record from Bobby Blue Bland – and quite possibly the greatest one he ever made! The set's got an amazing something special that's unlike most other material of the time – a bit blues, but a lot of soul too – still with some echoes of R&B in the jazzier charts used for the backdrop, but presented with a rock-solid style that definitely points the way towards many sounds and styles to come in the 60s. And although Bland recorded many of these tracks as separate singles, there's a way they're put together here that makes the whole thing sound completely marvelous together – a really well-conceived track list that shows that Bobby's an even greater artist in the space of a full record. The arrangements are perfect, and Bobby's rough soulful voice is blended in this amazing way with killer horn arrangements that are far more sophisticated than most stuff that ever came after this, and which never get in the way, but only back up his deep emotion. The album's a motherlode of classics by the man, with gems that include "Two Steps From The Blues", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Don't Want No Woman", "I'm Not Ashamed", "Don't Cry No More", "Lead Me On", and "I Pity The Fool". And hell, even his version of "St James Infirmary" is pretty wonderful – something we never thought we'd say about that song. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record from Bobby Blue Bland – and quite possibly the greatest one he ever made! The set's got an amazing something special that's unlike most other material of the time – a bit blues, but a lot of soul too – still with some echoes of R&B in the jazzier charts used for the backdrop, but presented with a rock-solid style that definitely points the way towards many sounds and styles to come in the 60s. And although Bland recorded many of these tracks as separate singles, there's a way they're put together here that makes the whole thing sound completely marvelous together – a really well-conceived track list that shows that Bobby's an even greater artist in the space of a full record. The arrangements are perfect, and Bobby's rough soulful voice is blended in this amazing way with killer horn arrangements that are far more sophisticated than most stuff that ever came after this, and which never get in the way, but only back up his deep emotion. The album's a motherlode of classics by the man, with gems that include "Two Steps From The Blues", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Don't Want No Woman", "I'm Not Ashamed", "Don't Cry No More", "Lead Me On", and "I Pity The Fool". And hell, even his version of "St James Infirmary" is pretty wonderful – something we never thought we'd say about that song. CD

A killer bit of early funk from the great Hamilton Bohannon – and quite possibly his greatest album ever – a really unique approach to funky rhythms, with a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The album's got a slower funk sound than Bohannon's later disco groove a few years later – and the wonderful rhythms mix together scattershot drums with funky wah wah guitar, organ, and hard-plugging basslines – all in a blend that's pretty mindblowing not just for its instrumental dexterity, but also for the way it brings complex patterns together in a really hypnotic way! All cuts are instrumentals, save for a few chorus vocals – and players on the album include Wah Wah Watson, Ray Parker, Travis Biggs, and Mose Davis. Bohannon's on drums and percussion – and titles include "The Pimp Walk", "Stop & Go", "Getting to the Other Side", "It's Time For Peace", "Save Their Souls", and "Singing a Song for My Mother". CD features two bonus tracks – "Run It On Down Mr DJ (parts 1 & 2)". CD

Unreleased material from the farther reaches of David Bowie's 90s years – some surprisingly great work that really stands out! The set features two great live tracks recorded at the Shakespeare Festival in New York in 1995 – "My Death" and "A Small Plot Of Land" – plus an alternate single mix of "I Have Not Been To Oxford Town", and the early song "Johnny Downloader" – which later transformed into "I'm Afraid Of Americans". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of work from a group who are very near and dear to our hearts – a soulful combo who emerged from the UK scene at the end of the 80s, and really helped bring back a classic sort of warmth to soul music! Brand New Heavies were a funk combo at the core, but they were also graced with two great female singers – initially Jay Ella Ruth, then the mighty N'Dea Davenport, the singer who really helped the group soar over here on the US scene! These days, well-crafted, non-programmed soul music is a common thing – but were it not for BNH, and their contemporaries Incognito, the style might have fallen out of favor altogether – especially during that early 90s era when R&B was still pretty heavy on keyboards, samples, and beats! This double-length set is filled with classics from the group – titles that include "Spend Some Time", "Don't Let It Go To Your Head", "Never Stop", "Dream Come True", "Saturday Nite", "People Get Ready", "You Are The Universe", "Midnight At The Oasis", "Mind Trips", "You Can Do It", "Brother Sister", and their great take on "Apparently Nothin" – and their hip hop cut "Bonafied Funk" with Main Source and Large Professor. 2CD set comes with a full bonus disc of remixes including "Stay This Way (Bob Sinclar rmx)", "Dream Come True (Heavies mix)", "Back To Love (GP club mix)", "Close To You (Masters At Work rmx)", "Saturday Nite (full intention club)", "You Are The Universe (Tuff Jam's 2 in 1 rmx)", and "Sometimes (Monsieur D's underground behavior mix)". CD

A killer collection of work from a group who are very near and dear to our hearts – a soulful combo who emerged from the UK scene at the end of the 80s, and really helped bring back a classic sort of warmth to soul music! Brand New Heavies were a funk combo at the core, but they were also graced with two great female singers – initially Jay Ella Ruth, then the mighty N'Dea Davenport, the singer who really helped the group soar over here on the US scene! These days, well-crafted, non-programmed soul music is a common thing – but were it not for BNH, and their contemporaries Incognito, the style might have fallen out of favor altogether – especially during that early 90s era when R&B was still pretty heavy on keyboards, samples, and beats! This double-length set is filled with classics from the group – titles that include "Spend Some Time", "Don't Let It Go To Your Head", "Never Stop", "Dream Come True", "Saturday Nite", "People Get Ready", "You Are The Universe", "Midnight At The Oasis", "Mind Trips", "You Can Do It", "Brother Sister", and their great take on "Apparently Nothin" – and their hip hop cut "Bonafied Funk" with Main Source and Large Professor. LP, Vinyl record album

The rich tones of Muhal's piano provide a perfect foil for Braxton, and one that gets him playing a wide range of styles on sopranino, clarinet, bass clarinet, and alto. The whole album resonates with a soulfulness that's not always apparent in Braxton's other work from the time – and the melding of these two giant talents from the AACM is a rare treat. Titles include "Nickie", Dolphy's "Miss Ann", and a few of those squiggle Braxton titles! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark set from a group who only ever gave the world two albums – but who've gone on to have a huge influence over the years! This initial offering from Breakwater is a masterful blend of jazzy fusion and mellower soul – a sound sifted together so perfectly, it really tops the rest of the combo's contemporaries – hitting a careful balance that never gets too cheesy or commercial, and which still manages to glow as strongly into the 21st century as it did when first released back in the day! The sound here is sublime – warm, but never sleepy – jazzy, but never cliched – and mixed in such a way that the vocals and instruments almost get center stage in the spotlight without trying to crowd one another out. Titles include the incredible "Work it Out" – worth the price of the record alone – plus "No Limit", "That's Not What We Came Here For", "Free Yourself", "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot", and "Feel Your Way". CD

A landmark set from a group who only ever gave the world two albums – but who've gone on to have a huge influence over the years! This initial offering from Breakwater is a masterful blend of jazzy fusion and mellower soul – a sound sifted together so perfectly, it really tops the rest of the combo's contemporaries – hitting a careful balance that never gets too cheesy or commercial, and which still manages to glow as strongly into the 21st century as it did when first released back in the day! The sound here is sublime – warm, but never sleepy – jazzy, but never cliched – and mixed in such a way that the vocals and instruments almost get center stage in the spotlight without trying to crowd one another out. Titles include the incredible "Work it Out" – worth the price of the record alone – plus "No Limit", "That's Not What We Came Here For", "Free Yourself", "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot", and "Feel Your Way". LP, Vinyl record album

The alto and tenor of Peter Brotzmann get some fantastic accompaniment here – work from Heather Leigh on pedal steel and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello – two instruments that really create this amazing sonic space next to the saxophones! Although Brotzmann recorded these performances as part of a series of 80th birthday concerts, he's got an incredibly powerful, youthful sound throughout – really barreling past the more spacious sounds of the other two instruments – not in a way that shrugs them aside, but which instead seems to use them for sonic springboards as new inspiration. Titles include the very long title track, "Naked Nudes" – plus "Flower Flaps" and "Johnny Anaconda". CD

A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out grooves as the album rolls on will pull you even further into the fold. Most tracks roll on with that improvised studio jamming style that James was hitting at the time – a pre-JBs mode that's not as long as later years, but which still makes you feel that there probably was plenty more recorded on the dates that didn't make it into the two-part versions of the tracks! And although James is singing on most numbers, the real focus is more on the band – hitting hard, vamping sharp, and grooving massively under shouted calls and directions from Brown. Titles include two great instrumentals – "Popcorn With a Feeling" and "Top of the Stack" – plus "Little Groove Maker Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Mother Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Mashed Potato Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Any Day Now", "You're Still Out Of Sight", and "I'm Shook" – as well as the great mellower number "If I Ruled The World" – redone here as an African-American anthem of pride and power! LP, Vinyl record album

Further genius from James Brown at the start of the 70s – a record that's starting to show some of the more open-ended grooves he'd explore with the JBs on their own albums – longer, stretched-out tracks that are way more than simple funk and soul! There's a sense of freewheeling energy here that's totally great – dynamic, powerful calls from James at the top of most tunes – and incredibly sharp work on horns and rhythm from the band – cutting grooves and turning lines like no other combo in the business, all with a great mix of deep soul and hard funk! The album features the 7 minute killer version of "Let a Man Come In & Do The Popcorn", plus "World (parts 1 & 2)", "It's A New Day (parts 1 & 2)", "Give It Up or Turn It Loose", "If I Ruled The World", "The Man In The Glass (part 1)", and "I'm Not Demanding (part 1)". A treasure trove of funk and soul! LP, Vinyl record album

Two long titles, both of them nice! "Tit For Tat" has a great back-forth kind of groove – not really funky, but pretty darn catchy, and with some raw soulful vocals from brother James! "Believers" is an instrumental with some very nice organ work – James on the keys, playing in that weird noodly way that he always used on his best tracks of this type! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A CD that brings together some important early work from altoist Marion Brown – two long tracks from the sessions for his Quartet album on ESP – and a later album issued only overseas! The set begins with the long tracks "Capricorn Moon" and "Mephistopheles" from Marion Brown Quartet – one of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – a rhythmic, soulful, early session by Marion Brown – recorded before his own albums on Impulse, but with a similar feel to the best new thing sessions of that label at the time! The group is superb – with Benny Maupin on sax, Alan Shorter on trumpet, Rashied Ali on drums, and Ronnie Boykins on bass, often playing in tandem with Reggie Johnson – for a unique double-pulsing feel that makes for a nice rhythmic thrust. Next are the tracks "Juba Lee" and "Iditus", from the album Juba Lee – brilliant work from Marion Brown – one of his first albums, and a great set of tracks that have a fragile New York avant style – almost ESP, but not as raw, and with the kind of soulful emotion that's always made Brown's work stand out from the rest of his crowd. The group on the album is a septet, with Beaver Harris on drums, Dave Burrell on piano, Bennie Maupin on tenor, Alan Shorter on trumpet, and Grachan Moncour III on trombone. CD

Alto saxophonist Rob Brown really shines in a setting like this – a record with a very open-ended vibe, as Brown improvises freely in tandem with Juan Pablo Carletti on the drums – spinning things out over two very long tracks that are full of delightful surprises at every twist and turn! Brown has a really great way of handling his horn – blowing freely, but almost with an inherent sense of structure – not playing changes, or hitting a rhythm, but creating these patterns that really hold the whole thing together – still the farther side of tuneful, but almost there at times. Titles include "6BC" and "Children's Magical Garden" – both nice and long! CD

An early gem from trumpeter Tom Browne – a set that not only firmly established Browne as one of the best young players of his generation, but which also paved the way for a whole new direction for jazz funk in the 80s! The record is a perfect example of how great the mix of R&B rhythms and jazz fusion instrumentation could be – groovy enough to capture a whole new audience from the soul market, but still more than respectful of the solo talents of the leader – but all without any attempt at smooth jazz commercialism at all! There's some great hard funk moments on the set – and Browne approaches the music in a way that's nicely different than Donald Byrd or Freddie Hubbard, two older players who first helped forge this sound in the 70s – and whose path Tom's clearly taking, but with new directions of his own. There's almost more of a street-worthy vibe to the set – quite a surprise if you only know later records on the GRP label – and the arrangements are by Tom, Weldon Irvine, Lesette Wilson, and Dave Grusin. Titles include the funky classic "Funkin' For Jamaica", plus "Her Silent Smile", "Moon Rise", "Nocturne", "Forever More", and "Weak In The Knees". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare material from the sessions for one of the greatest jazz albums ever – the legendary 1959 Time Out album by the Dave Brubeck quartet – expanded here with unreleased outtakes from the recording date, which include two tracks that were not even on the original record! The sound of the group is legendary – the crisp alto of Paul Desmond next to the ever-shifting, always-rhythmic piano of Brubeck – the man who brought modern jazz to the masses – aided with the fantastic bass of Eugene Wright and razor-sharp drum work of Joe Morello – every bit as great here as on the album that was released! The first five tracks are pretty close to the originals, with slight variations – a testament to the well-rehearsed nature of the group – but the added tunes really show the record in formation, as does the extra banter between the band that's included at the end. New titles include "Watusi Jam" and "I'm In A Dancing Mood" – alongside alternate takes of "Blue Rondo A La Turk", "Take Five", "Cathy's Waltz", "Three To Get Ready", and "Strange Meadowlark". CD

Although organist Milt Bucker's recordings for MPS were often part of the label's more trad output, this one sounds pretty darn nice, and has a swinging groove that's a lot better than some of Buckner's other albums, even those cut in the us. Part of this is because of a very swinging rhythm section – Jimmy Woode and Kenny Clare (not Clarke) – both of whom add a lot of punch to the stripped-down tracks, and who free Buckner from his usual heavy rhythmic chores, and let him groove around the keyboard a lot more. Titles include "Glady's Dance", "Willi's Blues", "Blues For Anita", and a nice cover of "Sunny". Side one is all piano, and side two is all piano. LP, Vinyl record album

Mighty High features sweet and slow-burning organ from the great Milt Buckner – a really simple session overall, but one with lots of magical touches! Milt plays with a tone that's much lighter than a lot of his contemporaries on the Hammond – not as many tricks as Jimmy Smith, and perhaps more integrated into a group sound than the usual organ soloist. The album features lots of short tracks, played by a quintet with Buckner on organ, Jimmy Campbell on alto sax, and Kenny Burrell on guitar. Titles include "DTs", "Burnt Out", "Castle Rock", "Haunting Me", "After Hours", "Two Flights Up", and "Teach Me Tonight". The liner notes describe Midnight Mood as "music for squares, for hippies and for square hippies" and it has "mood pattern after mood pattern". Milt Buckner plays the organ and is joined by Johhny Pate on bass and Maurice Sinclaire on drums. Tracks include "Almost Lost My Mind", "If I Should Lose You", "Love Is The Thing", "Bouncing At Dawn", "Little White Lies", "One For My Baby", and "Baby Baby All The Time". CD

A stunner from Kenny Burrell – one of his most sophisticated and soulful sessions of the 60s! Kenny's working here with the ultra-cool arranger Johnny Pate – best known for his work with Curtis Mayfield, and his 70s soundtrack fame – but a heck of a creative talent when it comes to a jazz session like this! For the record, Pate's created these spare little backdrops – not nearly as full as those penned by Don Sebesky or Claus Ogerman – and with a gentle sort of grooving quality that really pushes Kenny along nicely. Burrell's guitar is very strongly upfront in the mix – working chromatic magic at a level hardly ever matched again on record! Side one features the extended "Asphalt Canyon Suite" – a magnificent tune that's simply sublime – and side two features 5 shorter tracks, "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "Going To Jim & Andy's", and "Sugar Hill". CD

Some of Kenny Burrell's best early work! The album catches Kenny in the perfect Blue Note jam session mode of the late 50s – one used also with Jimmy Smith, and which features a number of the label's star players hitting hard with the main soloist. Players on the two volume set include Duke Jordan or Bobby Timmons piano, Junior Cook and Tina Brooks tenor, Louis Smith trumpet, and Art Blakey on Drums. The cuts have a very open-ended blowing session feel, and Kenny comes through surprisingly well, really picking up steam on a way you don't always hear in more restrained recordings. Titles on this volume include "Rock Salt", "Chuckin", and "Phinupi". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful Chess/Cadet session from the 60s – not the bop-styled record you might expect from the 52nd Street reference in the title! Instead, the whole thing's more of a cool Chicago take on soul jazz – with these great large arrangements from Richard Evans, backing strong solos in the lead from guitarist Kenny Burrell – sounding wonderful here, almost in a Verve Records 60s mode – floating over the top of a variety of material, both mellow and upbeat, all very groovy! Side one features the extended "Suite For Guitar & Orchestra" – and side two features "I Want My Baby Back", "Soulero", "Con Alma", and "Blues Fuse". LP, Vinyl record album