Features the Gil Evans Orchestra and the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band – in a live performance conducted by Quincy Jones. Features key contributions from Wallace Roney on trumpet and Kenny Garrett on alto sax. CD

Perhaps THE greatest Quincy Jones album of the 60s – a hard-swinging batch of big band bossa tunes – and one of the greatest American takes on the bossa sound ever! Quincy really brings a lot of soul to the set – syncopating the bottom end of the tunes to really bring out the rhythms, and working with a jazzy flourish of horns that creates all these quick and clever little turns in the tunes! The sound's been heard most famously on the incredible track "Soul Bossa Nova" – an original by Quincy for the set, which has gone onto much greater fame through its use in the film Austin Powers, and a bazillion TV commercials! But the whole album's great too – and other tracks include "Serenata", "Lalo Bossa Nova", "Boogie Bossa Nova", and "Chega De Saudade". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A super-huge album from Quincy Jones – a record that's almost like Quincy's trying to show the whole younger generation that an older master like himself can still deliver the goods! The set was delivered right after Quincy helped out Michael Jackson on Off The Wall – and while it's got a few of the soulful touches of that set, it's also marked more deeply by the kind of work that Jones was turning out in the 70s – nicely focused with soulful vocals on most cuts, including some especially nice work from Patti Austin – a singer whose sophisticated style works perfectly for Quincy's groove. Titles include the killer "Ai No Corrida", plus "Razzamatazz", "Just Once", "Something Special", "Turn On The Action", "The Dude", "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me", "Velas", and "One Hundred Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Quincy Jones – 2 ABC big band sessions, back to back on one CD! First up is This Is How I Feel About Jazz – a set that has Jones working in some of his hippest settings of the 50s – scoring longish versions of jazz tunes for groups that include players like Lucky Thompson, Art Farmer, Gene Quill, Charles Mingus, Phil Woods, and Hank Jones. There's a sublime 10 minute version of "Walkin" that kicks off the album with a great soulful groove – plus original tunes "Evening In Paris", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Boo's Blues", as well as a version of Cannonball Adderley's "Sermonette". Next up is Go West – a set in which Quincy turns his arranging style to a band filled with West Coast players – getting them to groove a lot more than you'd expect! Players include Herb Geller, Art Pepper, Charlie Mariano, Bill Perkins, and Walter Benton. The tracks are short, with tight solo space, and most of them were written and arranged by West Coasters like Jimmy Giuffre, Lennie Niehaus, and Johnny Mandel. Titles include "Be My Guest", "London Derriere", "Kings Road Blues", "The Oom Is Blues", and "Bright Moon". CD

An unusual Japanese-only live album from Quincy Jones – with vocals by Patti Austin and James Ingram – plus harmonica from Toots Thielemans, keyboards from Greg Phillinganes and Rod Temperton, and backings from the Japanese Sharps and Flats group of Nobuo Hara! Includes versions of "Ironsides", "Just Once", "Manteca", "Razzamatazz", "Bluesett", "Stuff Like That", and "Ai No Corrida". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great, oft-overlooked album from the best period of Quincy Jones! This album is quite possibly Quincy's most farthest-reaching – as he works in an array of styles that really shows his growing genius in the studio – not just jazz and soundtrack modes, but more soul-based ones, handled with work from a great array of guest stars who really expand the sound. There's loads of nice bits – like a version of "My Cherie Amour", done with vocals by Leon Ware and Minnie Riperton; a new take on "Bluesette", redone with Toots Thielemans; and the original "Beautiful Black Girl", which features rapping by The Watts Prophets! Other tracks include "Paranoid", "Cry Baby", "Tryin To Find Out About You", and "Listen (What It Is)". LP, Vinyl record album

A very soulful set of big band material from Quincy Jones – recorded during that tight early 60s period when his arrangements just couldn't fail! The album's his only session for Impulse, and it's got a slightly deeper style than his work from the time for Mercury – a bit more sophisticated, with nice modern touches that take the tunes in surprising directions. Part of the greatness of the set lies in the players – as the album features work by Curtis Fuller, Thad Jones, Stu Martin, Freddie Hubbard, Patty Brown, Phil Woods, and Jerome Richardson – and titles include "Robot Portrait", "Hard Sock Dance", "The Twitch", and "For Lena & Lennie". CD

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more. CD

Starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor. Soundtrack features work by Toots Thielemans, Jerome Richardson, Eric Gale, and Michael Brecker, with compostions by Ashford & Simpson and Luther Vandross. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky Q for the 70s – easily one of the coolest albums ever from Quincy Jones! The album's got a very heavy electric vibe – one that's kind of a laidback take on the styles that Jones was forging in some of his 70s soundtrack work – served up with massive work on the keyboards from Dave Grusin and Bob James, the latter of whom brings some of his own CTI vibe strongly into play! The basslines are great too – often dipping, stepping, and turning wonderfully – keeping things laidback and mellow, but always making for some sort of a groove, even on the slower tracks too. There's just a bit of vocals on the record – handled by Valerie Simpson on two tracks, and Quincy on another – but the main focus here is on the instrumentation, which is completely sublime. Titles include Quincy's great remake of "Summer In The City", an oft-sought sample track – plus versions of "Superstition", "Daydreaming", and "You've Got It Bad Girl" – and the great originals "Chump Change", "Love Theme From The Getaway", "Eyes Of Love", and "Sanford & Son Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

Really great material from Andy Williams – some of the grooviest sounds we've ever heard from the singer, thanks to backings from Quincy Jones! The set features live sides cut for the Let's Go To Town show issued for radio by the National Guard – and the album's got a similar feel to the great Williams/Jones album on Cadence from the same time, but with a vibe that's even more jazz-based overall! Andy's a hell of a singer in the right setting – and this album's even more sublime than his studio album with Quincy – as it offers up a fair bit of instrumental tracks from Jones' great ensemble of the time, which means even more great work on some of the solo passages. Dave Grusin plays piano on a few tracks, too – and titles include "Pleasingly Plump", "Gwan Train", "Boum", "The Midnight Sun Will Never Set", "Domino", "Air Mail Special", "Lester Leaps In", "Mademoiselle De Paris", and "Clap Yo Hands/I Won't Dance". CD

A hard to find soundtrack for this famous TV show – featuring Quincy Jones' great theme to the show, offered up here in a 50 second version, plus lots of little bits taken straight off the TV. Titles include "Lamont's Wedding", "That's Poor", "Fred's Birthday", "Social Security", "Ugly White Woman", and "We Were Robbed". Nice cover image, too! LP, Vinyl record album

A genius jazzy number from Quincy Jones – Latinized fusion, produced with a bit of an 80s groove bounce and some really sweet touches on vocals! The tune's got an anthemic feel that made it one of the greatest tunes from The Dude– and proof that the Q was alive and well into the 80s! The tune is paired here with an older numbers – "There's A Train Leavin"for release on this 7" single. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Perhaps THE greatest Quincy Jones album of the 60s – a hard-swinging batch of big band bossa tunes – and one of the greatest American takes on the bossa sound ever! Quincy really brings a lot of soul to the set – syncopating the bottom end of the tunes to really bring out the rhythms, and working with a jazzy flourish of horns that creates all these quick and clever little turns in the tunes! The sound's been heard most famously on the incredible track "Soul Bossa Nova" – an original by Quincy for the set, which has gone onto much greater fame through its use in the film Austin Powers, and a bazillion TV commercials! But the whole album's great too – and other tracks include "Serenata", "Lalo Bossa Nova", "Boogie Bossa Nova", and "Chega De Saudade". CD

We've never seen an original pressing of "Volume 2" of this LP, so we're assuming this is a Japanese-only vinyl issue of outtakes from those sessions. The original side's a very swingin', very groovy early album from Quincy – a big band recording, but handled with soulful touches that really set it apart from the genre! The band is a great one all the way through, featuring solos by Zoot Sims, Sahib Shihab, Phil Woods, Clark Terry and Kenny Burrell. A number of tracks are in a soul jazz mode, others more straight ahead – 11 tracks, including "Moanin", "Daylie Double", "Syncopated Clock", "A Parisian Thoroughfare", "G'Wan Train" and "The Preacher". CD includes 3 bonus tracks, "The Hucklebuck", "Blues In The Night", and "After Hours". CD

A killer set from those magical 70s years when Quincy Jones was effortlessly blending jazz, soul, and contemporary R&B – all to come up with a genre that's almost completely his own! In the early 70s, Quincy Jones surrounded himself with some of the best young soul and jazz talent he could find, plus a few older pros – and the result was a great series of albums that spanned genres and created a whole new approach to modern R&B. This gem of an album was put together with a young Leon Ware and an older Ray Brown – and it features some killer mellow soul tracks that rank with Quincy's best work – with especially strong contributions from Ware, who'd yet to really shine on his own! Titles include the sublime version of "If I Ever Lose This Heaven", plus "Body Heat", "Soul Saga", "Everything Must Change", "One Track Mind", and "Along Came Betty". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed look at an overlooked side of the genius of Quincy Jones – not his jazz work, not his productions for famous soul artists, but instead his huge legacy of soundtrack material – a part of Q's career that really took off in the 60s! By the time he started working in films, Jones had already had a decade under his belt as one of the hippest arrangers, leaders, and composers in jazz – and the film business really respected those talents, and allowed Quincy to bring some really fresh styles into play – modes that really opened up the vibe of American cinema, and also paved the way for the funky styles of the 70s! As that decade approached, Jones left behind the cinema to take on some more higher-profile records of his own – but all the charms of those great albums can be found here at their roots – in this stunning collection of soundtrack material, some of which has never been on CD. The package is way more than just a sampler – and includes an album's worth of material from the films The Pawnbroker, Slender Thread, Mirage, The Deadly Affair, In The Heat Of The Night, In Cold Blood, Walk Don't Run, The Italian Job, Lost Man, and John & Mary – plus two versions of the love theme from The Getaway, and a bonus CD with 18 tracks – titled Q's highlights, and featuring tracks from his Mercury records – plus more by Billy Preston, Arthur Prysock, Bill Cosby, Shirley Horn, Letta Mbulu, Toots Thielemans, and others. Even features the "Sanford & Son" and "Ironside" themes! CD

A much-needed look at an overlooked side of the genius of Quincy Jones – not his jazz work, not his productions for famous soul artists, but instead his huge legacy of soundtrack material – a part of Q's career that really took off in the 60s! By the time he started working in films, Jones had already had a decade under his belt as one of the hippest arrangers, leaders, and composers in jazz – and the film business really respected those talents, and allowed Quincy to bring some really fresh styles into play – modes that really opened up the vibe of American cinema, and also paved the way for the funky styles of the 70s! As that decade approached, Jones left behind the cinema to take on some more higher-profile records of his own – but all the charms of those great albums can be found here at their roots – in this stunning collection of soundtrack material, some of which has never been on CD. The package is way more than just a sampler – and includes an album's worth of material from the films The Pawnbroker, Slender Thread, Mirage, The Deadly Affair, In The Heat Of The Night, In Cold Blood, Walk Don't Run, The Italian Job, Lost Man, and John & Mary – plus two versions of the love theme from The Getaway, and a bonus CD with 18 tracks – titled Q's highlights, and featuring tracks from his Mercury records – plus more by Billy Preston, Arthur Prysock, Bill Cosby, Shirley Horn, Letta Mbulu, Toots Thielemans, and others. Even features the "Sanford & Son" and "Ironside" themes! CD

One of Quincy Jones' best soundtracks of the 70s – a massively funky record that's full of the kind of hip electric grooves you always look for on some of his other albums, but don't always find in such strong supply! The lineup here is great – wicked guitar lines from Arthur Adams and David T Walker, keyboards from Clare Fischer, and heavy drums from the great Paul Humphrey – and the whole thing follows nicely in a "Hicky Burr" sort of mode – with some especially nice Fender Rhodes moments in the mix! There's a few more complicated cuts that really round out the sound wonderfully – and the whole thing has had a heck of a lot more staying power than the film! Heck, even the appearance of Little Richard on vocals at a few points sounds surprisingly great – and titles include the classic sample cut "Snow Creatures", which has an amazing intro and a very dark mood – next to other cuts that include "Passin The Buck", "Rubber Ducky", "Money Is", "Do It Do It", and "Money Runner". CD

One of Quincy Jones' best soundtracks of the 70s – a massively funky record that's full of the kind of hip electric grooves you always look for on some of his other albums, but don't always find in such strong supply! The lineup here is great – wicked guitar lines from Arthur Adams and David T Walker, keyboards from Clare Fischer, and heavy drums from the great Paul Humphrey – and the whole thing follows nicely in a "Hicky Burr" sort of mode – with some especially nice Fender Rhodes moments in the mix! There's a few more complicated cuts that really round out the sound wonderfully – and the whole thing has had a heck of a lot more staying power than the film! Heck, even the appearance of Little Richard on vocals at a few points sounds surprisingly great – and titles include the classic sample cut "Snow Creatures", which has an amazing intro and a very dark mood – next to other cuts that include "Passin The Buck", "Rubber Ducky", "Money Is", "Do It Do It", and "Money Runner". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really great, oft-overlooked album from the best period of Quincy Jones! This album is quite possibly Quincy's most farthest-reaching – as he works in an array of styles that really shows his growing genius in the studio – not just jazz and soundtrack modes, but more soul-based ones, handled with work from a great array of guest stars who really expand the sound. There's loads of nice bits – like a version of "My Cherie Amour", done with vocals by Leon Ware and Minnie Riperton; a new take on "Bluesette", redone with Toots Thielemans; and the original "Beautiful Black Girl", which features rapping by The Watts Prophets! Other tracks include "Paranoid", "Cry Baby", "Tryin To Find Out About You", and "Listen (What It Is)". CD

A nice one by Quincy! Although the material here isn't funky like his 70's work, it does show Quincy as a strong composer of serious thriller-type material – working in a style that produces a nice amount of tension and mood, and which still has some nice touches of jazz. The group is filled with strong jazz players like Freddie Hubbard, Anthony Ortega, Oliver Nelson, Elvin Jones, and others – and the album features a vocal version of the theme by Marc Allen, plus a crazy spoken bit from the movie, by Rod Steiger! Other titles include "Harlem Drive", "Naked Truth", "Rack 'Em Up", and "Death Scene". LP, Vinyl record album

Notable sidemen include Julius Watkins on French horn, Les Spann on guitar and flute, Phil Woods and Sahib Shihab on saxophones, Melba Liston on trombones, and Clark Terry on trumpet. CD

One of Quincy Jones' best for Mercury Records in the 60s – a very groovy record that was done with a feel that's somewhere in between his Big Band Bossa album and his best 60s soundtrack work! The format is simple – Quincy picks a sweet batch of jazz semi-hits from the early 60s, plays them with a nice mix of soul jazz arrangements, and works with a great ensemble filled with wonderful players – including Roland Kirk, Budd Johnson, Seldon Powell, James Moody, and Jerome Richardson on reeds; Lalo Schifrin and Patti Brown on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Melba Liston on trombone – plus lots of great percussion at the bottom, helping bring some Latin energy to the grooves at points. Tunes are familiar, but all given a great Quincy Jones twist – and titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Jive Samba", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Bossa Nova USA", and "Watermelon Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Very groovy stuff from Quincy – a mix of jazz, soundtrack, and popular themes, all done in that soulful swinging style that Quincy virtually helped invent back in the 60s! The album's got plenty of great groovers that take a popular tune and kind of turn it on its ear – takes on tracks like "What's New Pussycat", "Non-Stop To Brazil", "The In Crowd", "Mack The Knife", "The Gentle Rain", and "Satisfaction" – all of which are souped-up by Quincy, and done in a rhythmic style that takes them past familiar versions you might know. The album also features the very groovy "Blues For Trumpet & Koto" – a slightly exotic number that we really like! LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy set of short jazzy numbers from Quincy – a consummate expression of all the work he'd forged in the 60s on soundtracks and other jazz sides for Mercury! The album features Quincy working through a lot of soul numbers – jamming on them instrumentally with players that include Jerome Richardson, Bobby Bryant, Plas Johnson, Ray Charles, Carol Kaye, and Ben Tucker – plus a nice brace of percussion from Ray Bryant and Gary Coleman. Titles include "Boss Bird", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)", "Mohair Sam", and "Baby Cakes". LP, Vinyl record album

The Dude at the height of his powers – serving up a smooth blend of soul and jazz that set the standard for an entire generation! As with some of his other 70s albums, Quincy's working here with a host of great talents that make the record sizzle – guests that include Hubert Laws, Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Luther Vandross, Gwen Guthrie, Eric Gale, and others – all of whom put their egos aside, and bring their best bits to the table working under Quincy's guidance! The album includes a great version of "Superwoman", plus the tracks "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Love Me By Name", and "Love, I Never Had it So Good". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Fantastic – and an important early album from Quincy Jones! Q's working here in some of his hippest settings of the 50s – scoring longish versions of jazz tunes for groups that include players like Lucky Thompson on tenor, Herbie Mann on flute, Art Farmer on trumpet, Phil Woods and Gene Quill on alto sax, Hank Jones on piano, and even Charles Mingus on bass! As with most Jones albums of the time, Quincy has a way of making a bigger group sound nice and lean – hitting some especially nice edges along with the rhythms, and really showing the way towards a new soulful sound for a bigger band. Titles include a sublime 10 minute version of "Walkin" that kicks off the album with a great soulful groove – plus original tunes "Evening In Paris", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Boo's Blues", as well as a version of Cannonball Adderley's "Sermonette". Also includes some great bonus tracks from the Go West album too! CD

A pivotal album not just in the career of Quincy Jones, but in the development of the CTI Records sound as well – as this all-star effort is a perfect blend of all the hippest currents that were cooking up in the scene at the time! At one level, the record has Quincy taking back some of the sophisticated currents he was developing in soundtrack work of the 60s, but moving back to jazz – more groove than before, and more of a sense of space and timing – which is carried off by an excellent lineup that features plenty of electric piano from Bob James, plus work from Hubert Laws on flute, Eric Gale on guitar, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Toots Thielemans on guitar and harmonica. There's also added soulful vocals at a few points too – more chorus than lyrics, at a level that hints at the jazz/soul crossovers that Quincy would do in the 70s – on a set of tracks that's completely sublime, with titles that include "Killer Joe", "Dead End", "Walking In Space", and "Love & Peace". CD

A pivotal album not just in the career of Quincy Jones, but in the development of the CTI Records sound as well – as this all-star effort is a perfect blend of all the hippest currents that were cooking up in the scene at the time! At one level, the record has Quincy taking back some of the sophisticated currents he was developing in soundtrack work of the 60s, but moving back to jazz – more groove than before, and more of a sense of space and timing – which is carried off by an excellent lineup that features plenty of electric piano from Bob James, plus work from Hubert Laws on flute, Eric Gale on guitar, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Toots Thielemans on guitar and harmonica. There's also added soulful vocals at a few points too – more chorus than lyrics, at a level that hints at the jazz/soul crossovers that Quincy would do in the 70s – on a set of tracks that's completely sublime, with titles that include "Killer Joe", "Dead End", "Walking In Space", and "Love & Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard swinging big band material from Sweden – a great little set that features the big band of Harry Arnold arranged by Quincy Jones! Quincy was spending a lot of time in Sweden during the mid 50s – bringing with him a host of great players that would soon become big names on the European scene – the biggest of whom was Benny Bailey, who plays some good solos here with a mostly-Swedish group that includes Arne Domnerus, Bengt Hallberg, Ake Persson, and Bengt-Arne Wallin. The style of the work, and its trans-Atlantic jazz orientation, is a direct precursor of later work by the Clarke-Boland Big Band – of whom Bailey was a big part – and the titles all swing nicely, with plenty of room for breakout solos! Titles include "The Midnight Sun Never Sets", "Doodlin", "Room 608", "Quincy's Home Again", "Brief Encounter", and "Meet Benny Bailey". LP, Vinyl record album

Great old school sounds from Quincy Jones – the kind of smoking big band album we'd know from his early years on ABC or Mercury Records! The Q's done many great things in the years since those albums – including great work in the soul music and soundtrack fields – but it's great to know he can still turn out a jazz cooker like this when he wants – thanks in part to great help as a co-leader from reedman Sammy Nestico! The horns are totally tight – that great old Quincy way of coming on strong, then letting individual voices break out of the pack – and players include Ernie Watts, Gerald Albright, and Gary Foster on saxes; Oscar Brashear and Wane Bergeron on trumpets; George Bohannon and Bill Watrous on trombones – all great players who really make the record kick. The set also features guest solo work by Hubert Laws on flute, and Kirk Whalum on tenor and soprano sax – and Emil Richards even turns in a bit of vibes, too. Titles include "Grace", "Jelly Roll", "The Joy Of Cookin", "Ya Gotta Try Harder", "Lisett", and "No Time Like The Present". CD

A super-huge album from Quincy Jones – a record that's almost like Quincy's trying to show the whole younger generation that an older master like himself can still deliver the goods! The set was delivered right after Quincy helped out Michael Jackson on Off The Wall – and while it's got a few of the soulful touches of that set, it's also marked more deeply by the kind of work that Jones was turning out in the 70s – nicely focused with soulful vocals on most cuts, including some especially nice work from Patti Austin – a singer whose sophisticated style works perfectly for Quincy's groove. Titles include the killer "Ai No Corrida", plus "Razzamatazz", "Just Once", "Something Special", "Turn On The Action", "The Dude", "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me", "Velas", and "One Hundred Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

Quincy's world is great and wide indeed – and even at this early point in his career, he was displaying a wonderful talent for bringing in bits from all sources! The album's essentially a straight jazz set, but it's got some great exotic touches that are in keeping with the "world" theme and the globe-trotting titles on the set. The group's excellent too – with players that include Sahib Shihab, Budd Johnson, Les Spann, Lee Morgan, and Phil Woods – all working through hip arrangements by Al Cohn, Bill Potts, and Ernie Wilkins. Titles include "Ghana", "Air Mail Special", "Chant Of The Weed", "Eesom", and "I Never Has Seen Snow". LP, Vinyl record album

A real step forward for Quincy Jones – a record that really shows the jazzman moving into sophisticated new territory – a sound that's just right for the CTI generation! The album's got a vibe that's a bit similar to Quincy's Walking In Space album, but it's a lot deeper too – touched with some of the African elements you might guess from the title – arranged in ways that are often quite spacious, so that the tunes really take some time to find just the right groove! Backings are large, but show the leaner elements that Jones was bringing to his soundtrack work – and instrumentation includes vibes from Milt Jackson, marimba from Don Elliott, flute from Hubert Laws, soprano sax from Jerome Richardson, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, trombone from Al Grey, and guitar from Eric Gale. Keyboards figure strongly – played by Herbie Hancock and Bob James – and special features include a bit of guitar and whistling from Toots Thielemans, plus some soulful vocals from Valerie Simpson. "Gula Matari" is an incredible 12 minute tribal groove – and other titles include a killer take on Nat Adderley's "Hummin", plus "Walkin" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". LP, Vinyl record album

A delicious smorgasbord of rare Swedish recordings by Quincy Jones – captured here with Harry Arnold and the Swedish Radio Studio Orchestra, with Clifford Brown and Art Farmer, and in an obscure soundtrack set for Arne Sucksdorff's 1961 film The Boy In The Tree. CD

A very soulful set of big band material from Quincy Jones – recorded during that tight early 60s period when his arrangements just couldn't fail! The album's his only session for Impulse, and it's got a slightly deeper style than his work from the time for Mercury – a bit more sophisticated, with nice modern touches that take the tunes in surprising directions. Part of the greatness of the set lies in the players – as the album features work by Curtis Fuller, Thad Jones, Stu Martin, Freddie Hubbard, Patty Brown, Phil Woods, and Jerome Richardson – and titles include "Robot Portrait", "Hard Sock Dance", "The Twitch", and "For Lena & Lennie". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Japanese-only collection, with some of the excellent early 70s funky tracks from Quincy Jones – including "Sanford & Son (Hicky Burr)", "Chump Change", "Summer In The City", "Ironside", "Soul Saga", "Eyes Of Love", and "If I Ever Lose This Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

With Ndugu Chancler on persussion, Bill Kanengiser on guitar, and Bob Magnusson on bass on "New Earth Sonata"; and with John Beasley on Yamaha DX7 and Dorothy Ashby on harp on "Amazing Grace". 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

... CD

Rare US issue of this amazing album by the legendary French vocal group Les Double Six. The group included a core of the early Swingle Singers, and featured members Ward Swingle and Christine Legrand, two of France's best jazz vocalists at the time. On this LP, the group runs through a tightly swinging set of vocalese versions of Quincy Jones compositions and arrangements – including classics like "Doodlin", "Meet Benny Bailey", "French Rat Race", and "Boo's Bloos". The whole thing never stops swinging, and the harmony vocals are amazing! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful setting for the vibes of Milt Jackson – a record that has his sublime chromatic sound stepping out in front of fuller orchestrations from Quincy Jones – never overdone, but with just the right sort of soulful focus to send Milt over the top! The album's an early example of the great solo path that Jackson would pursue more strongly in the 60s – work away from the MJQ that showed that he may well have been the most multi-faceted member of that group. Barry Galbraith plays guitar on many tracks – and his light hues are a perfect complement to the vibes – on titles that include "The Cylinder", "Makin Whoopee", "Alone Together", "Tenderly", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Nuages", "Deep In A Dream", "I'm A Fool To Want You", "The Midnight Will Never Set", and "Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

Early early work by Bob James – recorded years before his classic 70s sides on electric piano, and in a brightly modern mode that recalls the spirit of Steve Kuhn and Paul Bley at the time! The set's a trio session – produced by Quincy Jones, who'd heard the young James and rushed him into the studio. Bob's playing in a group that includes Ron Brooks on bass, and the great Bob Pozar on drums – who went onto do some of his own excellent avant work in later years. The tracks are relatively straight, but have some nice jagged edges at times – and light experimentation that makes the set way more than just a standard piano trio session! Titles include "My Love", "Moment's Notice", "Quest", "Trilogy", "Nardis", and "Birk's Works". LP, Vinyl record album

BB King at his late 60s best – working here in the company of producers Johnny Pate and Quincy Jones, and serving up a great blend of blues and soul in the process! The set's less a "best of", than a collection of ABC work that doesn't seem to be on the other full albums of the time – mostly produced by Johnny Pate, with those great Chicago soul touches that helped his work with King really cross new boundaries – and finally give BB the kind of full, forceful approach that Bobby Blue Bland had been getting for years. The Quincy Jones cuts are two from the soundtrack to For Love Of Ivy – both pretty groovy, with a socking soul punch – and titles on the full album include "Tired Of Your Jive", "Don't Answer The Door", "The BB Jones", "Paying The Cost To Be The Boss", "All Over Again", "I Don't Want You Cutting Off Your Hair", "Sweet Sixteen", "Meet My Happiness", and "You Put It On Me". CD

Kind of a reprise of earlier days – one that reunites Krupa with Anita O'Day and Roy Eldridge, as the group runs through some material from earlier years. Arrangements are by Quincy Jones, Billy Byers, and Nat Pierce – and the set actually swings more cleanly than some of Krupa's material from the 40s. Titles include "Drummin Man", "Drum Boogie", "Slow Down", "Wire Brush Stomp", "That's What You Think", "Rockin Chair", and "Opus 1". LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely different album than some of Peggy Lee's other albums for Capitol Records – a set of sophisticated arrangements, handled by Quincy Jones – which really give Lee the kind of setting to remind the world that she can be as compelling of a jazz singer as she can a vocalist on upbeat groovers! Jones here is coming off of work by his larger groups of the late 50s, and has a wonderful sense of tone and shading – creating this richness that's as deeply blue as the image on the cover, and which really works on the more melancholy currents that Peggy could hit at the right moments – those qualities that would get explored a bit more in later years, but which really find their way to open up here. The group features nice work from Benny Carter on alto and Victor Feldman on vibes – and there's a sense of loss and longing to the record that almost rivals that on the Sinatra album Wee Small Hours. Titles include "As Time Goes By", "If You Go", "I Wish I Didn't Love You So", "I Get Along Without You Very Well", "When I Was A Child", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "I'm Gonna Laugh You Out Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Superb! The first full length album by Les Hommes is well worth waiting for – as the group spent a few years in the trenches, coming up with a uniquely groovy modern bossa sound – laid out over a handful of excellent 12" singles, finally getting the chance to take full shape on this great debut album. The sound here is inspired by Lalo Schifrin, Walter Wanderley, and Quincy Jones in the 60s – vibes, organ, moog, and snare drum – all dancing around with a tremendously catchy appeal – both atmospheric and melodic, with all the classic appeal of a rare bossa tune from a classic 60s soundtrack! Titles include "WeeGee", "Pousada Do Amor", "The Fourth Homme", "Vista Do Mar", "Hommage", "The Way Out", and "Boogaloogalick". CD

A delightful little jukebox EP from one of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! Frank's backed here by the orchestra of Count Basie, with some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. The move seems to be an unintentional way of covering for Frank's slightly failing pipes – but it also picks up on a seminal beat change in 60s pop, the same sort of gentle snapping groove that you'd find in the best work by Bacharach, a shift that really infuses Frank's vocals with a whole new sound, one that shows that he's ready to keep on growing and growing after being stuck in a Nelson Riddle rut. All tracks are superb – hip 60s pop and showtunes, like "Fly Me To the Moon", "More", "The Good Life", and "I Wanna Be Around". 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great new chapter for Donna Summer – a set that has her working with the legendary Quincy Jones as producer – who gives the whole album a very different sound! There's still plenty of the catchy, bouncy styles you'd know from Summer's late 70s work – but Jones also brings in some jazzy flair from time to time – using elements like keyboards from Greg Phillinganes or tenor from Ernie Watts to create a broader palette of color and sound than some of Donna's disco records. The rhythms change things up nicely too – reaching for a bit more than before – and titles include "Protection", which has a guitar solo from Bruce Springsteen – plus "Livin In America", "Love Is In Control", "State Of Independence", "Lush Life", and "Love Is Just A Breath Away". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner – and one of Clark Terry's finest moments ever! The record has a rawness and groove that you'd hardly expect from his later albums – no surprise, though, considering that it was cut during that really hip time at Emarcy, when the label was working in a mode that was darker and more challenging than many of the smaller labels at the time. Credit is also due to arranger Quincy Jones – who pulls together a group that includes Horace Silver, Jimmy Cleveland, Cecil Payne, and Art Blakey, all into a fiercely grooving sound that recalls some of his most adventurous work of the 50s. The album kicks off with the stunning "Swahili", a tune that will instantly make you happy you bought the record – and other tracks include "Coop", "Chuckles", "Tuma", "Kitten", and "The Countess". CD

A treasure trove of barely-heard music from two of the most unique players on the European scene of the 70s – Fender Rhodes giant Rob Franken, and harmonica jazz maestro Toots Thielemans – two players who sound better here in the company of each other than they do on their own! Thielemans had been making music for many years before these sessions – but as the 70s hit, the electric piano really opened up new colors and tones in his instrument – heard most famously on his performances with Quincy Jones, and some of his soundtrack material – but actually even more amazing here alongside Franken – as the combination of chromatic harmonica and Fender Rhodes is completely sublime! The tracks were recorded as part of a series of sound library sessions that Rob organized – titled Functional Music – and the huge set features material from a number of different sessions done under that aegis. CD1 features 20 tracks under the heading of Nature Boy from 1981 and 1982 – with Franken on Rhodes, Toots on harmonica, Theo De Jong on bass, and Bruno Castellucci on drums. CD2 is titled Absorbed Love – and features six tracks from 1978 with Toots and Franken – and James Leary on bass, Eddie Marshall on drums, and tenor and flute on a few cuts from the great Ferdinand Povel – followed by fifteen more titles from 1974 with a different Thielemans/Franken lineup that features Joop Scholten on guitar, Wim Essed on bass, and Peter Ypma on drums. CD3 is titled Together, from 1973 – and mostly features Thielemans on guitar and harmonica, Franken on Fender Rhodes, Rob Langereis on bass, and Eric Ineke on drums. 59 tracks in all – and a detailed book of notes! CD

Sarah Vaughan gets some great backings here from Quincy Jones – who brings a nice sort of punch to the record, and makes it one of her grooviest from the early 60s! The style's still somewhat traditional – not as much in moddish Jones modes from a few years later – but there's already that strong sense of syncopation that really sets Quincy's charts apart, the same sort of rhythms he brought to his Reprise arrangements for Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, although not as Basie-bombastic overall. Vaughan's vocals are still beautifully smooth in the setting, and titles include "I Could Write A Book", "Maria", "Baubles Bangles & Beads", "So Long", "You're Mine You", "Fly Me To The Moon", "Moonglow", and "Invitation". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "One Mint Julep" and "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean". CD

An incredibly cool collection – one that offers up all sorts of weird and wonderful soul music covers of mainstream mellow 70s hits – new versions of the famous tunes that pull them strongly over to the world of R&B, often with results that are better than the original versions! The set is both a great demonstration of how much soul there was lurking in the original AOR productions of the mid 70s, and how strongly those currents could be unlocked even more in the right hands – as you'll hear in these sublime takes on tunes by Hall & Oates, Toto, Seals & Crofts, The Doobie Brothers, and other 70s pop giants. Titles include "Dirty Work" by Pointer Sisters, "Minute By Minute" by Peabo Bryson, "Georgie Porgy" by Side Effect, "He's Gone" by Dee Dee Bridgewater, "Summer Breeze" by Main Ingredient, "Lazy Nina" by Greg Phillinganes, "In The Way" by Brothers Johnson, "This Is It" by Millie Jackson, "Takin It To The Streets" by Quincy Jones, "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me" by Tavares, "God Only Knows" by Betty Lavette, "Let Em In" by Billy Paul, and "A Love Of Your Own" by The Ebonys. CD

Written by Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie, with Quincy Jones producing! Includes the all-star title track plus selections by Chicago, Huey Lewis & The News, Steve Perry, The Pointer Sisters, Prince & The Revolution, Kenny Rogers, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collection of Stevie Wonder cover versions – different versions of familiar tunes, but ones that really manage to sparkle with all the righteous soul of the Stevie himself! It's been over a decade since DJ Spinna brought us the last version of his Wonder Of Stevie series – and during that time, he's managed to come up with a huge amount of great tracks that make the whole thing go way way deeper than before – not just cuts that copy the Wonder mode, but which seem to draw strong inspiration from its genius, and really soar to the skies! Much of the music here resonates with a charm that's located around the years of albums like Music Of My Mind and Innervisions, with all the jazzy currents that might imply – and some cuts are 70s vintage, others are more contemporary. Titles include "Bird Of Beauty" by US Atlantic First Navy Show Band, "It's My Pleasure" by Billy Preston, "Love's In Need Of Love Today" by John Minnis Big Bone Band, "As" by Tony Sherman, "Buttercup" by Jackson 5, "Have A Talk With God" by East St Louis Gospelettes, "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me" by Quincy Jones, "Golden Lady" by Reel People with Tony Momrelle, "If You Don't Love Me" by GC Cameron, "If She Breaks Your Heart Again" by Foreign Exchange, "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" by Black Sugar, "Go Home" by Jrod Indigo, and "Make My Water Boil" by David Ruffin. 2CDs – one of the cuts unmixed, one with the tracks in a continuous mix by Spinna! CD