A classic album from one of the hippest groups on the UK scene of the 50s – Kenny Graham's excellent Afro-Cubists ensemble – an outfit with a sound as great as its name! There's a fair bit of percussion in the approach here – a sound that's definitely informed by the Cubop experiments of Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, and others on the US scene at the end of the 40s – and the music also features some slightly more exotic touches too, served up with an especially well-arranged approach to the horns. In addition to Graham's strong work on tenor, other players on the date include Stan Tracey on piano and vibes, Joe Hunter on trumpet, and Phil Seamen on drums – on titles that include "I'll Get By", "Olwen's Dream", "Swallowin The Blues", "Cuban Fantasy", "Rockin In Rhythm", and "Bongo Chant". CD features 4 bonus tracks – 2 from the album Tenorama, "Teddy Boy" and "Poinciana" – and 2 more from All The Winners, "Mood Indigo" and "Top Score" – played by the Melody Maker All Stars. CD

With Carlos Vega, Jimmy Johnson, Paulinho Da Costa, Alex Acuna, Harvey Mason, and Abraham Laboriel. LP, Vinyl record album

Don Grusin on piano, keyboards and vocoder, Gary Herbig on saxophone, Oscar Castro-Neves, Lee Ritenour and Michael Sembello on guitar, Michael Boddicker on synth, Abraham Laboriel and Nathan East on bass, Alex Acuna on drums, and Efrain Toro and Steve Forman on percussion with Kate Markowitz on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

A lost bit of 70s fusion from the west coast – a group led by percussionist Manolo Badrena, with lots of nice Brazilian jazz touches! Many of the tracks have lyrics – soulful and sunny, somewhere in between late 70s work by Flora Purim and Seawind – and the overall groove is like some of the excellent 70s work on CTI/Kudu Records – especially the electric session that would bring in some strong percussion on the bottom! The whole thing's really wonderful – with some keyboard lines that almost link the record to early albums by Azymuth – and musicians include Hugo Fattorso on Fender Rhodes and percussion, Abraham Laboriel on bass, and Maria Fatima and Sybil Thomas on vocals. Titles include "Clube Da Esquina", "Got Some", "Canales", "Fly Away", "Yana", "Amor Lejano", and "Claro Que Si". CD

A fantastic 70s album from Gary Burton – a set that definitely has the "new" promised in the title, as it takes off more from some of Gary's work in previous years! The record's got this explosive sense of color that really comes through in Gary's vibes – and in the way the group can leaop into the fray when needed – almost funky at points, but also able to shift into more sensitive modes too – balanced between the guitar of Michael Goodrick,bass of Abraham Laboriel, and drums of Harry Blazer. Burton's got a bit more bite at times than before – pushing even past his Atlantic Records sound and the tunes are a well-chosen array of songs by contemporaries who include Keith Jarrett, Mike Gibbs, Chick Corea, and Carla Bley. Titles include "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly", "Coral", "Tying Up Loose Ends", "Olhos De Gato", and "Mallet Man". LP, Vinyl record album

With Abraham Laboriel on bass, Rick Marotta on drums, Terry Trotter on DX7, and Michael Fisher on percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

With Greg Mathieson on keys, Abraham Laboriel on bass, Jeff Porcaro on Drums, and Paulinho Da Costa on percussion. Titles include "Room 335", "Point It Up", "Rio Samba", "I Apologize", and "Don't Give It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Friendship is Alex Acuna on drums and timbales, Ernie Watts on sax and piccolo, Don Grusin on keys, Abraham Laboriel on bass, Steve Forman on percussion, and Lee Ritenour on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

Mangione plays Arp Soloist, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CS80, and piano, accompanied by Larry Carlton on guitar, Robert Pops Popwell and Abraham Laboriel on bass, Peter Donald and Ralph Humphrey on drums, Jeff Porcaro on drums and percussion, Greg Mathieson on piano, Chuck Findley on trumpets, Bill Reichenbach Jr on trombone, and Vincent DeRosa on french horn. LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of friendship here – some really warm interplay between a well-chosen group of musicians – all of whom come together with the level of quality that always made Lee Ritenour's records stand out from the pack! This isn't easy commercial fusion, but a really soulful, cohesive set by a batch of musicians who are grounded in jazz, and have the best understanding of 70s electric elements – a lineup that includes Don Grusin on keyboards, Ernie Watts on reeds, Abraham Laboriel on bass, Alex Acuna on drums, and Steve Forman on percussion – the last two of whom provide the right snapping, spontaneous funky currents to really keep things sounding wonderful throughout. Titles include "Sea Dance", "Crystal Morning", "Woody Creek", and "Life Is The Song We Sing". LP, Vinyl record album

Instrumental guitar great William Tyler's second album under his own name, and his first for indie powerhouse Merge Records – and it's an exceptionally beautiful piece of work from a player who's really just getting started! Tyler strikes a youthful presense, but he's actually been playing around a lot behind the scenes – as a studio and/or touring guitarist for Lambchop, Candi Staton, Charlie Louvin and others wise enough to record with producer Mark Nevers – who works on this record, too. Tyler is definitely inspired by finger style folk guitarists from the mid 20th Century onward, but he's also got a hypnotic style that feels like it's inspired by more atmospheric country rock and rustic 70s soundtracks. Here he's mixing it all it into a brilliant style all his own, and it's SO good. Guest musicians include fellow youthful Nashville string genius Chris Scruggs, drummer Scott Martin, steel player Luke Schneider and Roy Agee on trombone. Includes "Country Of Illusion", "The Geography Of Nowhere", "Cadillac Desert", "We Can't Go Home Again", "A Portrait Of Sarah", "Hotel Catatonia", "The Last Residents Of Westfall" and "The World Set Free". CD

With Abraham Laboriel on bass, Paul Jackson Jr on guitar, Hubert Laws on flute, Carlos Vega on drums, Paulinho Da Costa on percussion, and George Duke on synthesizer. CD

A who's who of female vocalists, 24 tracks including Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Nancy Wilson, Keely Smith, Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Diana Krall and many others. CD

A fantastic 70s album from Gary Burton – a set that definitely has the "new" promised in the title, as it takes off more from some of Gary's work in previous years! The record's got this explosive sense of color that really comes through in Gary's vibes – and in the way the group can leaop into the fray when needed – almost funky at points, but also able to shift into more sensitive modes too – balanced between the guitar of Michael Goodrick,bass of Abraham Laboriel, and drums of Harry Blazer. Burton's got a bit more bite at times than before – pushing even past his Atlantic Records sound and the tunes are a well-chosen array of songs by contemporaries who include Keith Jarrett, Mike Gibbs, Chick Corea, and Carla Bley. Titles include "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly", "Coral", "Tying Up Loose Ends", "Olhos De Gato", and "Mallet Man". LP, Vinyl record album

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Jeff Baxter, Teddy Castellucci, James Harrah and Buzzy Feiten on guitar. CD

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Featured guests include Garth Hudson on Hammond and accordion, Levon Helm and Brian Blade on drums, and Dolly Parton on vocals. Titles include "Sunrise", "Creepin In", "Carnival Town", "In The Morning", "Be Here To Love Me", and "The Long Way Home". CD

Produced by Just Blaze. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Sarah Vaughan takes on the work of Duke Ellington – almost presented here in a style that's similar to some of the Songbook albums on Verve from the 50s! Billy Byers handles most of the arrangements here – especially on the larger group numbers – but some tracks are also in a small combo mode, and are often the most interesting, because Sarah opens up with a looser feel than on some of the more "respectful" big group tracks. Titles on this first volume include "In A Sentimental Mood", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "I'm Just A Lucky So & So", "Solitude", "Day Dream", "Lush Life", "All Too Soon", and "In A Mellow Tone". LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughn hit a very groovy new style on her handful of records for the Mainstream label in the early 70s – a new approach that offered her amazing voice a way to stretch out with some of the new sophistication of the time! The arrangements are still jazz, but they've taken a direction that other younger singers, like Nancy Wilson, were following as the decade began – maybe more adult themes in the lyrics, and a way of balancing out the larger charts without ever getting in the way of the singer – which is especially important here, in the way that the album demonstrates that phrasing that not only made Sarah so unique at the start, but which got even more amazing as the years moved on. The arrangers are a hip lot who are definitely up to the job – and include Michel Legrand, Peter Matz, and Jack Elliott – on titles that include "Run To Me", "And The Feeling's Good", "Just A Little Lovin", "Deep In The Night", "When You Think Of It", and a nice take on "Easy Evil". LP, Vinyl record album

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Nice one! A whopping 4CD set that brings together 4 of Roland Kirk's best late albums for Atlantic! Left & Right is an undisputed classic, and has Roland leading a large group of musicians through a haunting batch of complicated tracks that clearly illustrate his much-heralded concept of Black Classical Music. Snippets of this conception appear also on the albums Rahsaan Rahsaan and Prepare Thyself – although these also have Roland playing some other odd off-kilter numbers, in his usual insane style. Other Folks Music rounds up the set, and the album's an underrated gem that has a bit straighter sound than other Kirk albums, but also some incredibly warm, lyrical, imaginative jazz – played by Roland and some extremely well-chosen bandmates that include Trudy Pitts, Hilton Ruiz, and Richard Williams. A whopping batch of tracks – and at this price, a great way to get 4 CDs by one of our favorite jazz artists ever! CD

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Sweet slices of work from a hell of a jazz festival – the 1963 Antibes performances, served up here in some incredibly hip material! The set begins with early work from pianist Dollar Brand – whose trio sounds moody and amazing on "Antibes Jam", then gets joined the great vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin on a version of "Prelude To A Kiss". Next up is the soulful sound of tenorist Klaus Doldinger, whose group includes Ingfried Hoffmann on piano – on a sensitive reading of "Like Someone In Love", which really shows off Klaus' under-recorded ballad style. The great trombonist Eje Thelin follows – leading a quintet with Ulf Andersson on tenor and Lars Joesten on piano – on the very long "Antibes Jam". A Polish group follows with another long track – a sharp-edged take on "Well You Needn't", led by tenorist Jan Wroblewski in a quartet with Wojciech Karolak on piano. Last up is singer Sarah Vaughan – working with the Kirk Stewart Trio – on the titles "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "Tenderly", "A Taste Of Honey", and "Bill Bailey". CD

A triple-tenor powerhouse – as Doug Webb invites Walt Weiskopf and Joel Frahm in for the sessions – and things really begin to cook! The trio get this raw, spare accompaniment from Brian Charette on Hammond and Rudy Royston on drums – which leaves the tenors plenty of room to open up, stretch out, and really do their thing – coming together as unified voices on the heads, then breaking out into really well-crafted, well-defined individual solos. The feel is a bit like some of those great Don Patterson albums of the 60s, but even more modern – and titles include "Jazz Car", "Giant Steps", "Three's A Crowd", "Jones", "Pail Blues", and "Triple Play". CD

A record as unique as its title – a set led by saxophonist Devin Brahja Waldman, but done with a soaring ensemble spirit that takes us back to 70s material by Eddie Gale or The Descendants Of Mike & Phoebe! Part of the record's charm is the presence of vocals from Janice Lowe – a singer who rises and falls with the pulsating rhythms of the record, which get a lot of inspiration from the basswork of Luke Stewart, who's got a very spiritual vibe here. The lineup also includes tenor from James Brandon Lewis, who's as powerful here as on any of his dates as a leader – and additional elements include flute, bass clarinet, piano, trumpet, and drums – working in well-crafted arrangements by Brahja, filled with spirit and soul. Titles include "Accessibility Of Soul", "Sorcery Of Terminology", "Querencia", and "Watermelancholia". LP, Vinyl record album

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Two fantastic Roulette Records sessions from Sarah Vaughan – both featuring backings by Benny Carter! CD

One of Sarah Vaughan's best albums from the 50s – a swinging live set caught at Chicago's Mister Kelly's night club – and recorded with very small combo backing! The album's a great contrast to some of Sarah's more fully arranged sets of the era – and it features piano from Jimmy Jones, bass from Richard Davis, and drums from Roy Haynes – all served up in a great blend of sensitive modes on the ballads, and more swinging styles on the upbeat numbers. There's a bit more of the latter, given the swinging feel of the set. The best part of this CD, though, is that it adds 11 extra tracks to the original album – for a whopping 20 tracks of beautiful live jazz vocals. Titles include "September In The Rain", "Alone", "Dancing In The Dark", "Lucky In Love", "Dream", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Just A Gigolo". CD

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Three full albums from this tremendous singer – all in a single set! Morning In Paris is very early work from South African singer Sathima Bea Benjamin – recorded in Paris in 1963, with backing by longtime partner Abdullah Ibrahim, plus additional piano and production by Duke Ellington! The album was cut around the same time as Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) did his famous Reprise album in Paris with Ellington – and it's got a similar mix of modern and moody styles – with Sathima singing in a mellower tone than we're used to from her later records, over extremely spare backing that often has the piano barely stepping in, and which also features some nice plucked violin work from Svend Asmussen – acting almost as the bass on a few tracks! Billy Strayhorn also sits in on this extremely unusual session – and titles include "The Man I Love", "Soon", "Lover Man", "I Should Care", "I Could Write A Book", and "Darn That Dream". Lovelight is always-great work from Sathima Bea Benjamin – one of the hippest jazz vocalists of the 80s, working here in a highly spiritual mode that sounds a lot more like records from many years past! There's a warmly gentle glow to the whole set – thanks to instrumentation from Larry Willis on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Higgins on percussion, and Ricky Ford on tenor sax – all coming together in ways that are filled with unusual rhythms, odd turns of phrases, and just the right sort of unconventional accompaniment to fit the Africanist themes of Sathima's music at its best. A few numbers are more traditional, but even these have a nicely sensitive feel – and offer plenty of room for Willis to solo. Titles include "Winne Mandela Beloved Heroine", "African Songbird", "Gift Of Love – For Duke", "Music", and "You Are My Heart's Delight". Southern Touch is a set that's maybe a bit more of a straight jazz vocal record than some of Sathima Bea Benjamin's earlier material – but that might also be because the great Kenny Barron is part of the group on piano – supporting Sathima's great voice with the help of Buster Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums! Tunes are mostly standards, but it's great to hear them opened up with Benjamin's unique phrasing – that voice that was raised up on more righteous material in earlier years, and which still seems to bring some of that power to tunes that include "Street Of Dreams", "Lush Life", "One Alone", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "I've Heard That Song Before". CD

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

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Haunting solo work from Dollar Brand – recorded live in Copenhagen, with a sound that's full of tone, texture, and subtle beauty! Dollar Brand is one of the few players that can hold us rapt with a session like this – and as with his trio and larger group work, the tunes have an intrinsic sense of rhythm that's really wonderful – a slow-building sound that draws on Brand's African roots, and has the notes cascading over one another in this shifting patterns that are totally great! Titles include "Bra Joe From Kilamanjaro", "Selby That The Eternal Spirit Is The Only Reality", "The Moon", "Xaba", "Sunset In Blue", "Kippy", "Jabulani Easter Joy", and "Tintiyana". CD

A lost treasure on the legendary Palm Records label – that famous French avant jazz imprint owned by pianist Jef Gilson, and which issued some of the most creative albums on the scene in the 70s! This set is maybe one of the most obscure – a record that's noteworthy not only for important early work from later composer Butch Morris on cornet, but also for the really unusual interplay between the musicians – a quartet that features Jean Charles Capon on cello, Philippe Mate on tenor, and Serge Rahoerson on drums! There's a loose, open feel going on – but a vibe that's different than some other piano-less groups of this nature – maybe in part because Capon seems to have a lot of presence with his cello, almost directing the proceedings at times – and also because the layering of elements always seems to have an inherent structure, even when relatively free. Titles include "Complainte", "Mode De Fa/Salegy Drums Solo", "Orly Ivato", "Blues For Guy Labory", and "Spanish Cake Walk". CD

Never-issued live work from British jazz legend Graham Collier – a performance that follows hot on the heels of his classic Down Another Road album, and which continues with a very similar vibe! That album is a modal masterpiece that stands as one of the key moments in British jazz at the end of the 60s – and here, bassist Collier furthers the magic of that wonderful album, but with a freer, more spontaneous sort of live energy – leading a very cool group that features Nick Evans on trombone, Harry Beckett on trumpet and flugelhorn, Stan Sulzman on tenor and alto, Karl Jenkins on piano and oboe, and John Marshall on drums. Collier's basslines alone are worth the price of admission – but there's so many other wonderful touches too – even the oboe work by Jenkins, which echoes some of the exotic tones of Yusef Lateef a few years earlier. Titles include "Molewrenceh", "The Barley Mow", "Aberdeen Angus", "Down Another Road", "Lullaby For A Lonely Child", and "Burblings For Bob". LP, Vinyl record album

A totally wonderful little record – a jazz set with a bit of a Latin vibe – part electric, thanks to some great Fender Rhodes – which is mixed with percussion and a really well-crafted horn section! The tracks are long, and very jazzy – put together with a style that's laidback, but tight at the same time – in a group led by trumpeter Rahdy Montero, with electric piano from Amuni Nacer, tenor from Michael Lawrence, trombone from Tim Sessions, and plenty of percussion too! Titles include a fantastic version of "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" – plus "Mambo Ajeno", "Planeta Pimienta", and "Extasis". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album recorded by Cuban vocal legend Ibrahim Ferrer in the wake of the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon – and maybe the best! Ferrer's vocals are superb throughout – and the production is relatively stripped down, and never too intrusive – even when producer Ry Cooder is getting some time on the tracks on guitar. To our ears, the best musical element may be the bassist Cachaito – whose rock-solid lines ground everything perfectly – on titles that include "No Tiene Telarana", "Naufragio", "Fuiste Cruel", "Boquinene", "Boliviana", and "Hay Que Entrarle A Palos A Ese". This new version features fresh mastering by Ry Cooder, a shifted song order, and unreleased tracks that include "Ojos Malvados", "Me Voy Pa Sibanicu", "Mujer", and "Ven Conmigo Guajira". LP, Vinyl record album

A very famous moment from Dizzy Gillespie – tracks from his famous concert at Salle Pleyel, in Paris, from 1953! Gillespie's in fine form throughout – working in a great mix of bop and modern elements, with a few occasional playful touches to please the crowd – but never in a way that cuts into the integrity of his music at all! Players include Bill Graham on alto and tenor, Wade Legge on piano, Lou Hackney on bass, and Al Jones on drums – and Joe Carroll sings guest vocals on a number of tracks. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "The Champ", "The Bluest Blues", "Birk's Works", "Mon Homme", "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Be", "School Days", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", and "Good Bait". LP, Vinyl record album

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Hanrahan's 3rd LP for American Clave – and slightly more of a confused effort than the first two, although still with a tremendous vision that marks it as an incredibly lucky bit of work to come out of the often-turgid New York scene of the mid 80s! Hanrahan's got no qualms about baring himself in the vocal numbers of the songs – and the range of performers (Milton Cardona, Jack Bruce, Leo Nocentelli, Charles Neville, and many others) he's got to back him up, ensure that his vision is handled with the right degree of professional courtesy. Titles include "Ah Intruder", "Road Song", "The First & Last To Love Me", "American Clave", "Love Is Like A Cigarette", and "A Model Bronx Childhood". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes conventional reggae, but the instrumentation is often nicely different, with ties to some of the more mainstream Mid-East modes of the period, especially on the keyboards – a quality that's also echoed in the lyrics here, which on most tracks are in Libyan Arabic, with phrasing that's miles away from the world of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff! Titles include "Only World", "Tayr Al Salma", "Kesati", "Enti", "Watany Al Kabir", "Tendme", and "Fouhi Ya Nesma". CD

One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes conventional reggae, but the instrumentation is often nicely different, with ties to some of the more mainstream Mid-East modes of the period, especially on the keyboards – a quality that's also echoed in the lyrics here, which on most tracks are in Libyan Arabic, with phrasing that's miles away from the world of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff! Titles include "Only World", "Tayr Al Salma", "Kesati", "Enti", "Watany Al Kabir", "Tendme", and "Fouhi Ya Nesma". LP, Vinyl record album

Art Hirahara is a player who keeps winning us over with each new release – a wonderfully sensitive musician and thoughtful composer, but also one who's got a great way with a soaring, swinging sound as well! Part of that latter quality comes here from the superb accompaniment of Boris Kozlov on bass and Rudy Royston on drums – players who've worked with Hirahara before, and who seem born into his energy with their efforts – rising up as a cohesive whole to bring vision to the album's all original tracks – material penned by Hirahara, with a few by Kozlov as well. Titles include "Ali Blu", "Spider's Dance", "Mia Bella", "Major Waltz", "To The Sky", and "Echo Canyon". CD

Some of the most beautiful work we've ever heard from this legendary pianist – and that's really saying a lot, given how many beautiful records Abdullah Ibrahim has given us over the years! The set expands from Ibrahim's solo performance for Gearbox Records, and takes things into a trio – but a different format than the usual piano trio mode – as bassist Noah Jackson also plays cello, and instead of drums the group's third member is Cleave Guyton Jr, who blows both flute and piccolo in very unique ways! The setup really changes the usual approach that you might know from Abdullah, in a way that shows just how fluid and open his ideas are even at this point in his career – a time when so many others would be content to just rehash the past. All material was recorded live at the Barbican in London – but the first half uses the wide expanse of the room without an audience present, and the second then presents different songs recorded live with a full concert setting. Titles include "Nisa", "The Wedding", "Mindif", "Water From An Ancient Well", "Blue Bolero", "Skippy", "Giant Steps", "Barakat", "Tsakwe", "Krotoa/Crystal Clear", and "Ishmael". LP, Vinyl record album

A larger suite of tracks by Abdullah Ibrahim – performed by a core trio that includes Belden Bullock on bass and George Gray on drums, plus additional orchestral backing arranged by Daniel Schnyder. The feel of the album's quite different than some of Ibrahim's other work – less rhythmically-focused, and more concerned with sound, shape, and tone – in a way that's incredibly captivating, and which makes us love Ibrahim's music even more. Titles include "Mindif", "The Call", "Barakaat", "Aspen", "Tintinyana", "Tsakwe", and "Blanton". CD

Beautiful solo work from pianist Abdullah Ibrahim – a player with a sound so rich and rhythmic, his sessions like this are often every bit as captivating as his trio and group recordings! There's a really special sort of poetry going on here – first in the way that Ibrahim brings out these unusual tones in the piano – a warmth that almost feels like a Fender Rhodes at times, even though the instrument is acoustic – secondly in the structure of the tunes, which are sometimes short and very poetic – packing a lot of meaning into just a very short space in sound! To balance that out, the record has many different selections – twenty in all – some older compositions reworked, some less familiar. Titles include "Sotho Blue", "District 6", "Tokai", "Blues For A Hip King", "In Tempo", "Dreamtime", "Nisa", "Mindiff", "Trieste My Love", and "Signal On The Hill". CD

Really fantastic material from legendary pianist Abdullah Ibrahim – a set cut with a larger group of musicians, which we like even more than Ibrahim's work in a solo or trio format! The group here is his Ekaya ensemble – who flesh out Abdullah's larger musical ideas in a really great way – providing this sensitive soul and spirit for his work on piano – which, after all these years, still echoes the rhythmic impulses that made him such a standout in the 60s – but which also has this matured approach to color and tone that's really wonderful – and beautifully illuminated by the group! Players include Cleave Guyton Jr on alto and flute, Lance Bryant on tenor, Andrea Murchison on trombone, and Marshall McDonald on baritone – and the rhythm section features great work from Will Terrill on drums, and Noah Jackson on bass and cello. Titles include "Jabula", "Tuangu Guru", "ZB2", "Dreamtime", "Nisa", "Tonegawa", and "Devotion". LP, Vinyl record album

Really fantastic material from legendary pianist Abdullah Ibrahim – a set cut with a larger group of musicians, which we like even more than Ibrahim's work in a solo or trio format! The group here is his Ekaya ensemble – who flesh out Abdullah's larger musical ideas in a really great way – providing this sensitive soul and spirit for his work on piano – which, after all these years, still echoes the rhythmic impulses that made him such a standout in the 60s – but which also has this matured approach to color and tone that's really wonderful – and beautifully illuminated by the group! Players include Cleave Guyton Jr on alto and flute, Lance Bryant on tenor, Andrea Murchison on trombone, and Marshall McDonald on baritone – and the rhythm section features great work from Will Terrill on drums, and Noah Jackson on bass and cello. Titles include "Jabula", "Tuangu Guru", "ZB2", "Dreamtime", "Nisa", "Tonegawa", and "Devotion". CD

A trio of later gems from this legendary South African pianist! Mindif is a great set that features Abdullah Ibrahim's soundtrack music for the 1988 Clair Denis film Chocolat – some of his best group recordings of the 80s! The feel here is a bit more African-styled than usual – even for Ibrahim – with strong use of reeds to inflect the tunes with the right degree of color and tone for their use in the film. The ensemble on the record features Ricky Ford on tenor and soprano, Craig Handy on flute and tenor, Benny Powell on trombone, David Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the tracks have a languid groove that recalls some of Dollar Brand's best South African recordings with Kippie Moketsie. Titles include "Earth Bird", "African Market", "Pule", "Star Dance", and "Serenity". African River is one of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". Yarona is a beautifully sensitive set from Abdullah Ibrahim – recorded live at the Village Vanguard, and with an open, lyrical sound that almost seems to recall some of Bill Evans' magical moments in the venue! Ibrahim's quite a different player, of course – but there's an open, exploratory quality to his music that's a bit unusual here – maybe not as rhythmically based as it is balanced between sound and silence – given very respectful company in the bass of Marcus McLaurine and drums of George Johnson. Titles include "Cherry/Mannenberg", "Duke 88", "African River", "Stardance", "Tuang Guru", "Tintinyana", and "African Marketplace". CD

A great look at a really unique moment in fashion – a time when the mainstream trappings of ivy league styles were taken up by African-American cultural figures – a moment of cooption that led was key to a rising sense of pride and power in the postwar years! You'll instantly recognize the look from the image of Miles Davis on the cover – and Davis is one of the figures who gets focus in the book – alongside other jazz musicians like Billy Taylor and Sonny Rollins, writers like Amiri Baraka and James Baldwin, and civil rights icons like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X – all of whom wore button down shirts, well-crafted blazers, and hip skinny ties as they helped forge a whole new identity for black America in the 50s and 60s. The book is beautifully done – and ties together so many images we know from the press and record covers, mixed with others we're seeing here for the first time – all give thoughtful text along the way by British writer Jason Jules. The heavy, hardcover book is 224 pages in all – with color and black and white images throughout. Book

An overlooked gem from Finnish hard rock powerhouse Kalavala – renamed here as an Orchestra, but still working with the lean, sharp sound of their previous two albums! There's a nice evolution here from the earlier sound of the Scandia scene – maybe a bit of northern inspiration thrown into the music, which seems to elevate things to a new level – as does the subtle but sophisticated production! Titles include "Panamanian Red", "Playground", "Highland Temple", "Brown'll Suit You", "Forever Train", "Silver Fish", and "Lighthouse". LP, Vinyl record album

The first Riverside album by Bev Kelly – an obscure ice-blond singer from the late 50s, with a sound that's much more in keeping with some of the vocalists on the Bethlehem label, than the few singers who cut sides for Riverside. Bev's got the great fortune to be working here with Jimmy Jones, who's done some great work for Sarah Vaughn over the years – and the small group backing on the album includes strong players like Kenny Burrell, Jerome Richardson, Milt Hinton, Roy Haynes, and Jones himself. Titles include "My Ship", "Lonelyville", "Lost April", "Love Look Away", "Thursday's Child", "Love Locked Out", and "Gloomy Sunday". A nice sad one – in case you couldn't guess by the titles! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-remembered albums from the Atlantic Records run of the legendary Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a set that stands as Kirk's answer to all the hipper soul currents that were taking place at the time – including some that were being issued by singers on Atlantic Records! The album is mostly instrumental, but Roland has this way of singing through his reeds at times, especially his flute – really bringing an earthy sense of personality to the whole thing – as he mixes his acoustic lines on flute, tenor, and other reeds with work from Richard Tee on electric piano, Mickey Tucker on organ, Billy Butler on guitar, and Dick Griffin on trumpet. There's a few vocal spots from other singers – Cissy Houston sings on two great cuts – and titles include remakes of "Never Can Say Goodbye", "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me", "My Girl", and "Ain't No Sunshine" – plus some other nice originals by Roland, including Blacknuss", "Which Way Is It Going", and "One Nation". LP, Vinyl record album

Great double album live set with Roland leading a tight group through a long and varied set of material, all of which showcases the odd goofy sound of his music, and his offbeat approach to more familiar tracks. He talks a bit, makes the odd joke about being blind, and never ceases to amaze with his playing. A bit of vocals too, but sung in such a heartfelt way that you've gotta love 'em! Tracks include "Pedal Up", "Clickey Clack", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Bright Moments Song", "If I Loved You", and "Jitterbug waltz". CD

The young Roland Kirk at the height of his powers – recording here on the UK scene, long before he added the Rahsaan to his name – and heading up a very cool combo with the legendary Stan Tracey on piano! Stan's presence here is wonderful – as Tracey was in many ways the Thelonious Monk or Herbie Nichols of the London scene – a modernist piano genius whose accompaniment of Roland here is akin to the work of Jaki Byard on some of Kirk's other albums – as the pair move deftly and wonderfully with the mix of imagination and wit that both of them brought to their music! Rhythm accompaniment is wonderful too – deft drums from Ronnie Stephenson and bass from Malcolm Cecil. Kirk blows tenor, stritch, and manzello – sometimes all three at once – and titles include the long tracks "Angelica", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Close Your Eyes", and "Three For The Festival". CD

The young Roland Kirk at the height of his powers – recording here on the UK scene, long before he added the Rahsaan to his name – and heading up a very cool combo with the legendary Stan Tracey on piano! Stan's presence here is wonderful – as Tracey was in many ways the Thelonious Monk or Herbie Nichols of the London scene – a modernist piano genius whose accompaniment of Roland here is akin to the work of Jaki Byard on some of Kirk's other albums – as the pair move deftly and wonderfully with the mix of imagination and wit that both of them brought to their music! Rhythm accompaniment is wonderful too – deft drums from Ronnie Stephenson and bass from Malcolm Cecil. Kirk blows tenor, stritch, and manzello – sometimes all three at once – and titles include the long tracks "Angelica", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Close Your Eyes", and "Three For The Festival". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully spiritual sounds from the great Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a rare, unissued live recording done for French radio at the start of the 70s – superbly recorded, and every bit as great as Kirk's Atlantic Records classics from the time! The tunes are long, and the setting is lean – with a style that echoes the brilliance of his Volunteered Slavery album, but with more of an edge – less of the humor that Rahsaan could bring to the stage, and lot more bite – both on his reeds, and the work of group members Dick Griffin on trombone, Ron Burton on piano, Vernon Martin on bass, Jerome Cooper on drums, and Joe Texidor on percussion. Kirk blows alto, tenor, soprano, flute, stritch, manzello, and clarinet – and titles include "Three For The Festival", "Sweet Fire", "Inflated Tear", "Volunteered Slavery", and "My Cherie Amour". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful late chapter in the jazz journey of Rahsaan Roland Kirk – and an album of subtle genius that's really opened up to us over the years! The setting here isn't as "hit you over the head" as on some of Kirk's Atlantic Records – because at one level, the tunes are mostly straight, and free of gimmicks – yet also still manage to conjure up the warmth, spirit, and soul that Roland brought to his best work. There's a slightly electric vibe running through some of the tunes, thanks to keyboards from Hilton Ruiz – and the album also benefits from organ work by Trudy Pitts and guitar from Billy Butler – both of whom are wonderfully restrained, in a way that matches the subtlety of the entire conception of the set. Titles include "Theme For The Eulipions", which features a great recitation from Betty Neals, plus cool chorus vocals – and other titles include "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", "Giant Steps", "Loving You", and "I'll Be Seeing You". LP, Vinyl record album

A real breakthrough in female soul for the 70s – the initial album from Labelle – a set that's very different material than the group were doing on their girl group singles in the 60s! The trio here is legendary – Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash – three tremendous singers all working together at a level that really sets the standard for bad-rapping female soul in the 70s! We're not sure what happened with Patti and the group between their 60s material and this set – but whatever it was, it was something great – a turn towards a style that would keep them in the record racks for years! Titles include "Too Many Days", "Running Out Of Fools", "When The Sun Comes Shining Through", "Heart Be Still", and a nice version of "Time & Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing collection of work from one of our favorite film composers ever – and a package that showcases as much jazz and vocal material as it does his work for cinema! The design is wonderful – a big-styled package with a huge volume of notes and photos – served up with 20 CDs that each focus on a different theme, many of which are presented in full album reissues of material from Michel Legrand's long and storied career – alongside other work that's always been hard to find on CD! CD1 features early jazz records Legrand Jazz and Plays Richard Rodgers. CD2 and CD3 feature vocal material – the albums Michel Legrand Chante, Serenades Du Xxeme Siecle, Les Moulins De Mon Coeur, and Michel Legrand (1981). CD 4 features nouvelle vague/new wave film work. CD5 features work with director Jacques Demy, including some unusual moments. CD6 is a tribute to Steve McQueen – soundtrack work from Thomas Crown Affair, Le Mans, and The Hunter. CD7 features albums with Stan Getz and Bud Shank. CD8 features 22 vocal songs by French performers. CD9 features 19 tracks by international performers. CD10 features rare work for stage musicals, including the long Monte Cristo soundtrack. CD11 features work for animated films – including Il Etait Une Fois L'Espace, Michel's Bird, and Oum Le Dauphin Blanc. CD12 features a tribute to Alain Delon – the soundtracks for Cercle Rouge and La Piscine, plus a vocal track sung by Delon. CD13 features work for director Jean Paul Rappenau – soundtracks for Le Sauvage, Les Maries De L'An II, and La Vie De Chateau. CD14 features full album collaborations with Phil Woods and Sarah Vaughan. CD15 features collaborations with Stephane Grappelli. CD16 features concert performances – the albums Legrand Cinema and Legrand Concert, plus bonus tracks. CD17 features orchestral works from recent years. CD18 and CD19 feature some material from rare or previously unreleased soundtracks. And CD20 features rare and unusual material – including work for Radio Luxembourg, some jazzy bits, and even a commercial for Heineken! CD

The great Harold Mabern kicks it hard with a key core group – then finds a way to open up with some surprise guest artists as well – including singers Gregory Porter, Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, and Norah Jones! The core of the album features Mabern's piano rocketing out with rhythm from John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums – and getting some strong tenor work from the mighty Eric Alexander – and as the set goes on, the group also brings in Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Peter Bernstein on guitar, and Steve Turre on trombone. But the key force here is the singers – especially Porter and Elling, who seem to find an old school space with the group that really takes them back to their roots. Elling sings on "You Needed Me", "Portrait Of Jennie", and "Billie's Bounce"'; Porter sings on "Afro Blue" and "The Man From Hyde Park"; Monheit sings on "I'll Take Romance" and "My One & Only Love"; and Norah Jones sings on "Don't Misunderstand" and "Fools Rush In". CD also features Alexis Cole on "Such Is Life" – and the instrumental tracks "The Chief", "Mozzin", and "Bobby Benny Jymie Lee Bu". CD