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An all-star set for Hawk – one that has him blowing with backing from the Oscar Peterson Trio, plus some additional work by Hank Jones, and guest trumpet from Roy Eldridge, and even a bit of additional tenor from Ben Webster! Phew, with all those players on the set, you might expect the album to feature a lot of head-butting – but it's actually one of Hawk's best later sides, and was recorded in a nicely open-ended mode that lets most of the players get in some good moments without having to bump elbows. Titles include "Nabob", "Honey Flower", "Maria", and "Hanid". CD features two bonus tracks "Cocktails For Two" & "Honey Flower (alternate)". CD

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Daniel Erdmann on saxophone, Frank Mobus on guitar, Vincent Courtois on cello, and Samuel Rohrer on drums. CD

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Maybe one of the most wonderful things to come out of the Buena Visa Social Club project of Ry Cooder – a record that introduced many Americans to the voice of Cuban singer Ibrahim Ferrer – a talent from back in the day, but one whose route to US audiences was closed for decades because of politics! We were always a bit skeptical of the sepia-toned attitude of Cooder's project, but this album really stands out – as the warmly sentimental approach works perfectly for Ibrahim's vocals, giving them the right sort of life to cross oceans and boundaries – on titles that include "Silencio", "Herido De Sombras", "Bruca Manigua", "Mami Me Gusto", and "Que Bueno Baila Usted". CD

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". CD

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Thomas Heberer on trumpet, Joe Fonda on bass, and Joe Hertenstein on drums. CD

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A key moment in the career of Hungarian guitarist Gabor Szabo – a player who'd already been making some great music in the group of Chico Hamilton, but who really cemented his reputation with the sound on this set! Right from the start, Gabor was always a guitarist with something very new, very fresh to offer – an approach that was partly steeped in older European gypsy guitar sounds, but also inflected electrically towards a trippier, more modal, more psychedelic quality – something he'd explore strongly on this sweet little set. The album begins in a bossa mode, then really trips out – as a second guitar weaves lines around Gabor's own – and drums and bass provide a very cool modal groove. Titles include "Los Matodoros", "Corcovado", "O Barquinho", "The Beat Goes On", "Lou-ise", "Space", and "Mizrab". CD

Stunning work from Michael Angelo – a little-known singer/songwriter from the Kansas City scene of the late 70s – one with a style that's totally great, but way too off the era's chronological expectations to get much notice at the time! Michael's music has a real late 60s vibe – some of the trippier folk modes of someone like Donovan, but mixed with the more complete songwriting of an artist like Nilsson or some of the hipper LA writers of the late 60s – all recorded in this laidback, understated way – especially for the 70s – with acoustic guitar most strongly in the mix, and a few other light rhythm touches and keyboards. The production's sharper than folk, but not much more so – and the music here is a great reminder that while we can look at the rock and roll timeline, and think that the punk explosion of the mid 70s was changing everything at once – out in the hinterlands there were still folks like Angelo who were dedicated to refining an older craft. The CD features a huge amount of material – the full original self-titled album, more tracks from those sessions, and a full second album recorded around the same time. 32 tracks on 2CDs, with lots of notes too – and titles that include "Field Of Lonely Eyes", "Future", "Journey To Find Who We Are", "Russian Lament", "Nubian Queen", "This Is The Night", "Love Is Too High", "Spirits Of Mercury", and "SOS Titanic". CD

Another bold new direction for the legendary Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that has some of the angular styles of earlier albums, but also a bit more of the flowing grace to come in the electric years! A key illustration of this is the leadoff track "Prince Of Darkness" – which has a fluid sensibility that still never fails to floor us, even all these many decades later! The rest of the tracks are equally great – even when subtle – and by this point, the group of Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams were well earning their acclaim as one of the most groundbreaking groups in jazz. Titles include "Prince Of Darkness", "Masqualero", "The Sorcerer", "Pee Wee", and "Vonetta" – plus the odd inclusion of a vocal version of "Nothing Like You" – recorded 5 years before with singer Bob Dorough and arranger Gil Evans! The tune's an odd cap to this otherwise cohesive set – but we love it plenty too, and it somehow oddly fits! CD reissue features alternate takes of the tracks "Masqualero" and "Limbo"! CD

One jazz legend pays tribute to another – as percussionist Kahil El Zabar leads his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble through a set of tracks that really take on the wide-spanning legacy of the great Don Cherry – from his early years with Ornette Coleman, to his European world jazz experiments, to his enduring sonic creations over the years! Kahil is every bit as much of a musical experimentalist as Cherry – and his leadership here is perfect – pulling together contributions from Corey Wilkes on trumpet, David Ornette Cherry on piano, Alex Harding on baritone, and Dwight Trible on voice – all players who also pick up percussion and other instruments, in the best Cherry tradition. Kahil handles a wide array of percussion, including balafon and kalimba – and also adds some of his great vocalizations to the proceedings – in a set of tracks that includes "Degi Degi", "Sketches Of A Love Supreme", "Lonely Woman", "Harvest Time", "Spirit Gatherer", "Holy Man", and "Evocation". CD

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Fantastic female soul – and an incredible collection of work from the young Betty Lavette – easily one of our favorite female soul singers of the time! The set brings together late 60s tracks recorded for the Calla and Silver Fox label – and as great as her later work might be, this is the stuff that will really blow you away – the real deal, right-on-the-money sort of tracks that made Betty a legend right from the get-go! Backings are often nicely funky, and production has that great gritty way of unlocking the full depth of Lavette's vocals without going for any easy soul cliches – a kind of purity that's really kept these tracks at the top of our stack over the years. The set features a great book-style cover, with notes on the music – and the CD also features a few duets with Hank Ballard, too! Titles include "He Made a Woman Out of Me", "Do Your Duty", "We Got to Slip Around", "Love's Made a Fool of Me", "Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go", "Hello Sunshine", "My Train's Coming In", "Nearer To You", and "I'm In Love". CD

With Nuno Torres on alto saxophone. CD

Includes tracks by Gene Harris, Jack McDuff, Stanely Turrentine, Kenny Burrell, and others. CD

Three full albums from this great Dutch pianist! Miss Dee is a heck of a set from Dutch pianist Rob Agerbeek – easily one of the most soulful European pianists of the 70s, even in an acoustic setting like this! Rob's got a bite on the keys that reminds us a lot more of American players from the 60s – not a straight soul jazz groove, but a style that definitely draws from that mode – then opens up into some more lyrical elements that are more in keeping with overseas expression in the 70s. The trio matches his energy nicely – especially on the upbeat numbers that rule the set – with bass from Harry Emmery and drums from Eric Ineke – on titles that include "Little Miss Dee", "Cup Bearers", "Birk's Works", "Caravan", and "Out Of This World". Second Opinion is a trio set from the great Rob Agerbeek – one that lets him open up on familiar tunes, but with a sense of imagination that really packs a lot into a small space! The lineup features Paul Berner on bass and Ben Schroeder on drums – and titles include "Summertime", "East Of The Sun", "Lover Man", "Besame Mucho", "Mad About The Boy", "Girl Talk", "As Time Goes By", and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be". Lock Stock & Barrell is a relatively recent set from Dutch piano Rob Agerbeek – who locks it up nicely, in a trio with Erik Albjerg on bass and Tjeerd Klapwijk on drums! Titles include "Lock Stock & Barrel", "A Child Is Born", "Round Midnight", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Thora's Dance", "Cubano Chant", "Nearest & Dearest", and "Footprints". CD

A stunning celebration of one of the greatest pairings in Brazilian music – and in American music as well, given that both Airto Moreira and Flora Purim recorded plenty of these cuts up in our neck of the woods! Airto's percussion is the stuff of legend – a key force in Brazilian recordings in the late 60s, and then equally important in American jazz – in famous recordings with Miles Davis and other artists, and plenty of great records on his own! Flora's vocals are equally crucial – a soaring, fluid approach that forever changed the way that female singers approached jazz – bred in 60s bossa, but instantly something new by the time the 70s came along – especially when Airto was supporting her with great grooves! This huge package brings together material that both artists recorded – often under the name of one or the other, but often with the other artist present on the recording – with a heavy batch of work from the 70s and 80s, but also crucial cuts from other years too! 3CD set features 37 tracks and a really great package – with titles that include "Love Lock", "The Happy People", "Hungry On Arriva", "The Road Is Hard", "Samba De Flora", "O Canto Da Sereia", "Jeito Bom De Sofrer", "Papo Furado", "Xibaba", "Back Streets Of Havana", "Vera Cruz", "Flora's Song", "When Angels Crie", "Celebration Suite", "Casa Forte", "Black Narcissus", "A Secret From The Sea", "O Cantador/I Just Want To Be Here", "Jump", and "Hot Sand". CD

Don't let the "alternate" in the title fool you, because it's not like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago are getting all alt-rock or anything – nor is the album a set of alternate takes! Instead, the album's one of their best from the time – a well-crafted set of tunes, recorded in very familiar company in Chicago – issued only for the Japanese market by DIW. There's a richly organic quality to some of the tunes – as many of the numbers are sparer, more thoughtful tracks that focus on spare percussion and instrumental interplay between members of the group. The album also features the longer tune "Kush", which gets fairly outside at times – plus shorter numbers that include "Imaginary Situations", "And There Was Peace", "Whatever Happens", and "Alternate Express". CD

A brilliant new vision for the legendary Banda Black Rio – the pioneering samba, soul and funk combo that broke so much ground in the 70s and remain vital to this day – led here by William Magalhaes, in a mode that celebrates decades of the best Brazilian music, while fearlessly moving it forward! William's father Oberdan Magalhaes was a driving force behind the original Banda Black Rio, and we couldn't really imagine a more appropriate new vision for the group than his son's. William wrote or co-wrote each track and he sings, plays keys and synth, guitar, bass, drums and more. The expansive group brings a depth of percussion, horns, strings and vocals – delivering timeless and dexterous jazzy Brazilian funk and dancefloor soul. The guest list includes classic and contemporary greats like Seu Jorge, Elza Soares, Marcio Local, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and others! Includes "Louis Lane" with Seu Jorge & Mano Brown, "Super Nova Samba Funk (9 No Samba)", "America Do Sul", "Isabela" feat Elza Soares and Cesar Camargo Mariano, "Samba Nova", "Quem Vem La" feat Marcio Local, "Deixa Estar" feat Aleh, "Lindos Olhos" feat Seu Jorge and Don Pixote, "Paname" feat Pyroman, "Final Feliz", "Irere" feat Gilberto Gil, "Aos Pes Do Redentor" feat Caetano Veloso and more. 16 tracks on the CD version. CD

A sprawling anthology of 60s and 70s Joe Barry recordings – a performer who was instrumental, early on, in putting Louisiana on the map for R&B-indebted rockers – even if he never busted out in a big way nationwide! This great 2CD set from Ace sure makes a great case for Mr. Barry. It covers his best recordings he made in the early 60s, plus some rarer stuff from the 70s. The earlier tunes have a great rockin' R&B style to them, while later on are some rare swampy rock & country material that's pretty damn strong! 51 tracks on 2CDs: Includes "I Got A Feeling", "Try Rock 'N' Roll", "You Belong To My Heart", "Beg Your Pardon", "Don't Close That Door", "Yonder Comes A Sucker", "Secret Love", "Any Old Time", "Heartbroken Love", "A Fool Such As I", "I Almost Lost My Mind", "Lucky Morning", "Come What May", "Bouquet Of Roses" and many more! CD

One of the best sessions as a leader ever cut by Lester Bowie – and one of the few to really share the warmth and imagination of his work with the Art Ensemble! The session features Bowie on trumpet, Arthur Blyteh on alto, Amina Myers on piano and voice, Malachi Favors on bass, and Phillip Wilson on drums – working in a set of modes that replicates the sparer and more creative passages of Art Ensemble work of the early 70s. Some of the tunes are introspective, some are freer, and one number features a gospelly approach. Titles include "The 5th Power", "God Has Smiled On Me", "Sardegna Amore", and "BBB". CD

A great reworking of the extended Solar Suite by Chicago saxophonist David Boykin – issued many years back in a studio version, and presented here in a bold new take done at the same 63rd Street Beach House that used to host performances by Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Boykin is tremendous here as a key soloist – and the group is led by Renee Baker as part of the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project – although the ensemble here is just a septet, with work from Joshua Abrams on bass, Jim Baker on keyboards, Alex Wing on guitar, Tony Herrera on trombone, Quentin Coaxum on trumpet, and Marcus Evans on drums! The set's worth it alone for Boykin's wonderful tenor work, but the whole group is fantastic as well – soaring up with a mighty spirit that lives up the legacy of the storied space of the recording – on titles that include "Midnight & Sunrise", "Midday", "Sunset", and "Enocturnal Sun". CD

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One of the most formative periods of Miles Davis' career, with lots of new ideas taking shape – including Fender Rhodes from Herbie Hancock, guitar from George Benson and Joe Beck, and plenty of great tenor from Wayne Shorter, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Tony Williams! Includes material that appeared on the albums Miles Smiles, ESP, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, Water Babies, Miles In The Sky, and Filles De Kilimanjaro – as well as unreleased tracks, alternates, and material that showed up on Directions and Circle In The Round. CD

Amazing live documents of Miles Davis and his incredible mid-to-late 60s quintet – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – complete concert recordings from Antwerp, Copenhagen and Paris on 3CDs seeing release for the first time ever, plus a DVD featuring the only known video footage of this group from the period! CD 1 features material from 10/28/68 in Antwerp, CD 2 on 11/2/67 in Copenhagen and 11/6/67 in Paris, with the latter concert continued on CD 3. This is landmark stuff here – a surprisingly rare opportunity to hear first rate live recordings of legendary material from the ESP, Miles Smiles, Sorcerer and Nefertiti albums – as well as brilliant revisits of vital earlier material. Includes live takes on "Agitation", "Foot Prints", "No Blues", "Gingerbread Boy", "On Green Dolphin Street", "The Theme", "Footprints", "Masqualero", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Walkin'" and more. The DVD starts with five numbers recorded on 11/7/67 in Karlzruhe, Germany: "Agitation", "Footprints", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". It concludes with material in Stockholm on 10/31/67: "Agitation", "Footprints", "'Round Midnight", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". CD

One of the moddest soundtracks of the 60s Italian scene – a great blend of jazzy riffing, bassy bouncing, and some occasional cool vocal touches – all put together in a way that features lots of short tunes all grooving around one another! The approach often has the music coming out in short snapshots – little tracks that change mood quickly, but all often feature some odd variation on the main theme – slightly redone instrumentally, sometimes giving way to sparer percussion or vibes – while at other times picking up the pace to hit a far groovier mode! The work was composed and conducted mostly by Francesco DeMasi, but Alessandro Alessandroni helped out on the famous "Tema Di Londra" – and also conducted I Cantori Moderni on a number of tracks! 28 titles in all – including "Tema Di Londra", "Double Gaming", "Goldsmith", "Pianochain", "Madrid Theme", "Mister Owen's Suit", "Chasing The Spy", "Get An End", "The Game Is Going To", and "Il Mondo Va Cosi". CD

A set that definitely takes the title seriously – as it brings together lots and lots of upbeat groovers from Dion – a few early cuts with The Belmonts, and a lot more from his excellent solo years of the 60s! That stretch of Dion's career is often given focus as a time when DiMucci moved into more serious singer-songwriter modes – but at the same time, he was also still able to deliver the kind of catchy groovers that he first pioneered with The Belmonts – as you'll hear on this overstuffed collection that also features copious notes on this point in his career. CD features 29 tracks in all – with titles that include "The Majestic", "Unloved Unwanted Me", "I Got The Blues", "Lonely Teenager", "Little Diane", "Sweet Sweet Baby", "Shout", "Lovers Who Wander", "North End Of The Corner", "Flim Flam", "The Wanderer", and "Come Go With Me". CD

The best collection we've ever seen of the work of funky soul legends Dyke & The Blazers – a double-length set that features full, unedited versions of their classics – plus a whopping batch of previously unreleased tunes! Dyke & The Blazers had a groove that was mighty solid back in the late 60s – a hard-vamping, tightly rhythmic groove that easily matched the best early funk of the time from Charles Wright, Sly Stone, or James Brown – and which was often served up with a rougher edge, and an overall sound that was a lot more dangerous! However, many of the group's singles really trimmed down their performances – shaving off key instrumental moments that are lovingly re-attached here, and combining them with some even rarer tracks that never saw the light of day back in the 60s. The whole thing's amazing – and the 2CD set features a whopping 33 tracks in all, split into one disc of material recorded in Phoenix, and one more of tracks from Hollywood! Titles include "Black Boy", "Stuff", "Moon", "Booga Jivin", "Runaway People", "Funky Broadway Time (parts 1 & 2)", "Swamp Walk", "Extra Funk", "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man", "Soul Cake", "She Knows It", "Let's Do It Together", "Bring It On Back", "Funky Walk (parts 1 & 2)", and "Triple Funk". CD

Some of the finest Peruvian grooves of the 60s and 70s – served up by three different groups headed by reedman Nilo Espinosa, plus a few other combos as well! Nilo's got a way with a groove that's totally unique – a bit soul jazz a times, influenced by bossa at others, and sometimes even moving into sweet electric fusion – always with a very pronounced sense of rhythm that makes nearly all of his numbers into the kind of groovers that can easily traverse the globe far from their roots in the Peruvian scene! The package features work from the mid 60s Los Hilton's, the early 70s Bossa 70, and the mid 70s Nil's Jazz Ensemble – the last of whom have been favorites for years with crate-diggers, due to their use of electric keyboards and very tasty drums! Titles include "Here Come The Hilton's" and "Sherezade" by Los Hilton's; "El Gato", "Think", "Get Out Of My Way", and "Las Mariopsas" by Bossa 70; "Reflexiones", "Summer Love", "Hard Work", "Looking For A Blues", and "Somos Nada" by Nil's Jazz Ensemble; "El Bueno El Feo Y El Malo" by Nilo Espinosa Con Los 007; "Light My Fire" by Charlie Guerrero; "Gotas De Miel" by Nilo Espinosa Y Orquesta; and "People Got To Be Free" by Charlie & Many. CD

Sublime live material from pianist Bill Evans – recorded in the very familiar setting of the Village Vanguard, with work from Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morrell on drums! Titles include "Since We Met", "See Saw", "Sareen Jurer", "Time Remembered", and "Midnight Mood". CD

Bill Evans is reunited with singer Monica Zetterlund – in a live date done more than a decade after their classic Waltz For Debby album! The first side of the record features Evans in a trio mode – working instrumentally, without Monica, in a group that features the great Eddie Gomez on bass and Eliot Zigmund on drums – easily some of the better-recorded European live material by Bill from the 70s, caught in a way that really shows his new sensitivity in the later decade. Evans' piano is breathtaking here – a subtle symphony of shades and tones that delights the ears at each new twist and turn – recorded in some slightly longish takes on tunes that include "Sugar Plum", "Sareen Jurer", "Very Early", and "Gloria's Step". Bill continues the feeling of the first side wonderfully on the flip – as Zetterlund joins the group, and shows how much she's matured as well since here last meeting with Evans. Most of the tunes are standards, but they've got a sensitivity that goes way beyond familiar readings – carried off wonderfully by Monica in some beautifully dark-toned vocals. Titles include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "The Second Time Around", "Once Upon A Summertime", "What's New", and the lovely "Samba". CD

Lovely lyrical sounds from Tommy Flanagan – a pianist who can be as deft as a bopper, but also bring in some richer currents of soul as well! Case in point is this great album from the late 70s – a time when Flanagan wasn't as much in the recording spotlight as the decade before, but a period when he'd actually matured a lot more as a player – able to step effortlessly between both his inclinations, especially when working with a group this great – a trio that features George Mraz on bass and Elvin Jones on drums! Tommy's got a touch on the keys that's subtle at times, but extremely powerful – a knowledge of notes and colors that's never overstated, but always right on the money. Titles include a great reading of the Tom McIntosh tune "Cup Bearers", plus "Maybe September", "Confirmation", "50 21", and "It Never Entered My Mind". CD

A sweetly swinging seventies set from pianist Tommy Flanagan – one of those records that's a perfect balance between the bop-inspired dexterity of his work on the keyboard, and that undeniable warmth he always brought to his best recordings! Tommy's got maybe a bit more bite on the keys, especially when moving at a quicker pace – and backing is by George Mraz on bass, whose round tones emphasize the warmer elements, and Elvin Jones on drums – who may well be part of the reason for the bite! The set features a number of bop classic tunes – like "Oleo", "Confirmation", and "Relaxin At Camarillo" – plus the great title cut "Eclypso", and a moody reading of Tom McIntosh's excellent "The Cup Bearers". CD

Dizzy Gillespie caught live at Monterey – recorded with a great group during one of our favorite stretches in his career! The combo's kind of a post-Lalo Schifrin quintet, but still shares plenty of the bossa-inspired elements of his tenure with Diz – long tracks, bits of Latin rhythms, and a hip swing that's just right for the 60s! James Moody's in the group on alto, flute, and tenor, Kenny Barron plays piano, Chris White is on bass, and Rudy Collins is on drums – and Jon Hendricks joins the group on vocals for one cut too! Titles include "Morning Of The Carnival", "Dizzy Atmosphere", "Vote Dizzy", "Desafinado", "No More Blues", and "The Cup Bearers". CD

A wonderful Herbie Hancock session from the 60s – a Blue Note album that's sometimes overlooked, but which really shows Herbie taking off – as he adds a nice dose of lyricism into his usual soul jazz approach from the 60s! The sound's a bit farther-reaching than on some of Hancock's smaller group sessions – and the record features a sextet that includes Jerry Dodgion on flute, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, and Peter Phillips on bass trombone – an instrument that combines wonderfully with Thad's horn, to create all these cool, compressed elements. Herbie plays piano alongside Ron Carter on bass and the great Mickey Roker on drums. The harder-hitting soul jazz riffs and hooks of Herbie's first few records are nicely replaced by more thoughtful lines that get a bit deeper, soulfully – and nearly all tracks on the set are originals by Hancock! The album's filled with great moments – and tracks include "The Sorcerer", "Riot", and "Goodbye To Childhood". CD

A wonderful Herbie Hancock session from the 60s – a Blue Note album that's sometimes overlooked, but which really shows Herbie taking off – as he adds a nice dose of lyricism into his usual soul jazz approach from the 60s! The sound's a bit farther-reaching than on some of Hancock's smaller group sessions – and the record features a sextet that includes Jerry Dodgion on flute, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, and Peter Phillips on bass trombone – an instrument that combines wonderfully with Thad's horn, to create all these cool, compressed elements. Herbie plays piano alongside Ron Carter on bass and the great Mickey Roker on drums. The harder-hitting soul jazz riffs and hooks of Herbie's first few records are nicely replaced by more thoughtful lines that get a bit deeper, soulfully – and nearly all tracks on the set are originals by Hancock! The album's filled with great moments – and tracks include "The Sorcerer", "Riot", and "Goodbye To Childhood". CD features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

A wonderful Herbie Hancock session from the 60s – a Blue Note album that's sometimes overlooked, but which really shows Herbie taking off – as he adds a nice dose of lyricism into his usual soul jazz approach from the 60s! The sound's a bit farther-reaching than on some of Hancock's smaller group sessions – and the record features a sextet that includes Jerry Dodgion on flute, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, and Peter Phillips on bass trombone – an instrument that combines wonderfully with Thad's horn, to create all these cool, compressed elements. Herbie plays piano alongside Ron Carter on bass and the great Mickey Roker on drums. The harder-hitting soul jazz riffs and hooks of Herbie's first few records are nicely replaced by more thoughtful lines that get a bit deeper, soulfully – and nearly all tracks on the set are originals by Hancock! The album's filled with great moments – and tracks include "The Sorcerer", "Riot", and "Goodbye To Childhood". Features bonus tracks – two takes of "Riot", and an alternate of "Goodbye To Childhood". CD

Clasic toasting and freestyling from I- Roy, one of the most heavyweight DJs of all time! Riding some of the finest rhythms of Buny Lee & Keith Hudson mixed by dub master King Tubby & Errol Thompson, this collection features boasts and more conscious topics, too: "Hot Stuff", "Black Talk", "Sufferer's Psalm", "Superfly" and "Straight to Heathen Head". CD

A surprisingly wonderful set from deep soul diva Bettye Lavette – a record that's actually as good as most of her older work, and that's something we didn't expect! We'll be honest in saying that we're always pretty darn suspicious of comeback albums by older soul singers – and usually, we find them lacking in spirit compared to the older work, thanks to bad production and song selection choices. Here, though, Lavette actually seems to sound even stronger than before – stepping out on some numbers with especially raw backings that have guitar ripping alongside her heartfelt vocals – in a groove that almost recalls 70s work by Betty Davis. Other tunes are sparer, or mellower – but Bettye's vocals burn strongly throughout – and the album's easily set a new standard for this sort of session! Titles include "Down To Zero", "The High Road", "On The Surface", "Little Sparrow", "Just Say So", "How Am I Different", and "Only Time Will Tell Me". CD

A famous album – but for good reason! The set's something of a landmark in spiritual jazz from the 60s – and it features a classic live performance from Charles Lloyd, recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival – almost as a distillation and popularization of ideas that were brewing in the music of John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, and others! The group here features a young Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all flowing magnificently with Lloyd's work on tenor and flute – in an open-ended groove that draws on modal rhythms for inspiration, and which features solos that stretch out, but never go "outside"! The classic performances of "Forest Flower" takes up all of side one – with a dreamy drifting quality that has Jarrett at his best – and side two features a version of his "Sorcery", plus McBee's "Song Of Her", and a version of "East Of The Sun". Soundtrack features a similar line-up with Lloyd on tenor and flute, Keith Jarrett on piano, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – adding Ron McClure in place of Cecil McBee on bass. Titles include "Forest Flower 69", "Pre-Dawn", "Sombrero Sam", and "Voice In The Night". CD

Ever-adventurous composer, arranger and coronet player Rob Mazurek teams up with similarly creative wanderer Emmett Kelly (Cairo Gang, Josh Abrams Natural Information Society and more)! Alien Flower Sutra finds the duo and their guest players crafting a pretty awesome mix of interstellar psych-jazz-folk with vocals and guitar – with lots of fuzzier, jazzier instrumental passages. Very cool stuff on International Anthem, which has quickly become one of Chicago's best indie labels for free thinking creative output! Mazurek handles the electronic treatments, synths and coronet, with Kelly's lyrics, voice and guitars, and accompanied by Guilherme Granado, Carlos Issam Thomas Rohrer and Brittany Mazurek. Includes "Back To The Ocean, Back To The Sea", "Android Love Cry", "Blackout", "Bright Nights Havoc", "I Untied My Wrists", "Of Time Wasted", "Remember Nothing", "Embryo Genesis", "We Are One" and "Overture Towards The Beginning Of The End Of Time". CD

A series of duet and trio pieces recorded live by pianist Misha Mengelberg – in the company of saxophonist Steve Potts, trumpeter Thomas Herberer, tuba player Michel Godard, and percussionist Achim Kremer – all in ways that are often spare, and graced with the strong feeling of each player staking out their individual space! The overall quality of the record is perhaps a bit more academic than some of Mengelberg's other recordings, but the overall result is still quite nice – and Misha's own piano often breaks through some of the too-contemplative moments with a stronger sense of spirit. Performance features 9 titles in all – each numbered versions of "IC Root". CD

A rare and exceptional vocal jazz LP – cut by the obscure Marilyn Moore, then the wife of Al Cohn – who's pictured in profile on the cover of the record! Marilyn's got a style that's somewhat raspy – clearly inspired by Billie Holiday at times, and not what you'd expect in comparison to some of the cooler, clearer female singers who worked on Bethlehem in the 50s. The backing is in a small group mode – with Cohn on tenor and bass clarinet, plus Don Abney on piano, Joe Wilder on trumpet, Barry Galbraith on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums – all in a nicely relaxed mode to fit the mellow, moody sound of the record. There's a nice sense of darkness throughout – a bit more edge than you might expect – and titles include "Trouble Is A Man", "Ill Wind", "Born To Blow The Blues", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "You're Driving Me Crazy". CD

Lovely work from Clara Moreno – a set that's much more laidback than some of her earlier dancefloor work, and one that's filled with bossa instrumentation throughout! Joyce co-produced the set, and you can really hear some of her acoustic soul in the music – a warm blend of snapping percussion, skipping guitar lines, and occasional bits of keyboards and horns – used in ways that still really let Moreno stay in the lead, captivating our ears with her wonderful vocals! Clara's style has a breathy undercurrent, which is a nice change from some of the too-polished contemporary bossa sets – and guests on the record include Orlandivo on vocals and Joao Donato on piano – both folks we'd welcome on any album. Titles include "Mestico", "Bebete", "Balanco Zona Sul", "Bruxaria", "Brincando De Samba", "Jeito Bom De Sofrer", "Samba De Negro", and "Uala Ualala". CD

The great reedman Mark Whitecage is a player who never fully got his due – a really unique talent in terms of phrasing and rhythm, finally given one last chance at the spotlight here on this final recording with The Nu Band, a group in which he played for many years! All four players here are great – Thomas Heberer on quarter tone trumpet, Joe Fonda on bass, and Lou Grassi on drums and percussion – but it also feels as if there's a special sort of focus on the very personal, very expressive sounds that Whitecage can create – as he plays here on alto, flute, and clarinet. There's a mixture of modern structure and free improvisation here – that great legacy of the group, which is there way of bringing forward some of the new thing ideas of the 60s with more personal contemporary improv modes. Titles include "Christophe & Ornette", "Five O'Clock Blues", "The Closer You Are The Further It Gets", "Prayer For The Water Protectors", and "Minor Madness". CD

More killer work from Senegal's legendary Orchestra Baobab! This CD collects music from two of the band's best late-period albums, Mouhamadou Bamba (1980) and Sibou Odia (1981), both cut prior to the band's celebrated Pirate's Choice sessions. All of the group's trademarks are present – the rollicking Afro-Cuban grooves and the gorgeous Mandinkan and Wolof melodies sung with muezzin-like soul by Thione Seck, Rudy Gomis, and Balla Sidibe. Still, it's the utterly sublime lead guitar by the brilliant Barthelemy Attisso that captivates us most. A number of the tracks were later rerecorded for Baobab's comeback album Specialist in All Styles, but there's something about the beautifully murky aura here that's lost on the slicker remade versions. Really, you can't go wrong with anything waxed by Baobad. Ten great tracks including "Boulmamine", "Doomou Baaye", "Bon Bon 1", "Autorail", "Sou Sedhiou", and "Ndiambaane". CD

Wonderful later work from Brazilian guitar legend Baden Powell – an artist whose sound just deepened and got more complex as the years went on! Here, Baden's just playing solo, but with a vibrancy that's amazing – fingers moving across the strings of the guitar in this amazing way, spinning out rhythm and melody at once – and often topped with some vocals by Powell himself – a light-voiced singer with a sound that adds this special sort of personal sparkle to the music! There's plenty of jazz influence at work here, and Baden's got a strong sense of improvisation as well – on titles that include "Odeon", "Vento Vadio", "Garota De Ipanema", "Para Nao Sofrer", "Tributo Ao Meira", "Na Baixa Do Sapateiro", "Samba Do Aviao", "Bolina De Papel/A Premiera Vez", and "Interrogando". CD

A spare and subtle tribute to the original Afro-Sambas project from guitarist Baden Powell and poet Vinicius De Moraes – done here by the duet of Monica Salmaso on vocals and Paulo Bellinati on guitar! The instrumentation is even sparer than the original version – and Monica's vocals really sound wonderful in the setting – more musical, more melodic, more compelling than ever before – and Bellinati's guitar playing is a little more subdued than Powell's, but in ways that seem to bring up the vocals even more. Titles include "Canto De Ossanha", "Tristeza E Solidao", "Labareda", "Consolacao", "Canto De Pedra Preta", "Canto De Imanja", and "Canto De Xango". CD

A timeless mix of heart tuggingly intimate strings and beautiful vocals by Esperanza Spalding – a set that feels deep down close to the heart, and in turns, quite soaring – all the while wonderful! The aspects we loved so dearly on Esperanza's previous albums are also done here – touching on soulful Brazilian, soul jazz and chamber pop & soul influences, lovely wordless vocals as well as sweeter singing, and beautiful performances by the players. Ms Spalding is on bass and vocals with Leo Genovese on piano, Rhodes & melodica, Terri Lyne Carrington on drums and Quintino Cinalli on percussion. The great Milton Nasciemento guests on "Apple Blossom", and other titles include "Little Fly", "Knowledge Of Good And Evil", "Really Very Small", "Chacarera", "Wild Is The Wind", "Apple Blossom" and "Short And Sweet". CD

A record that's graced by a fantastic 70s cover by Hipnosis, and one that's got exactly the kind of groovy UK sound that you might expect! Stackridge have this blend of hard rock elements with some of the tighter, more compressed production that was coming into play in British studios – which makes for an especially great, very cool touch on the vocals as they mix with the guitars and larger arrangements – almost a touch of Jeff Lynne or Godley & Creme at times, with some cool harmony vocals at points that really send the record strongly! Titles include "Percy The Penguin", "Marigold Conjunction", "32 West Mall", "Slark", "Let There Be Lids", "Dora The Female Explorer", and "Grande Piano". CD features bonus tracks – "Everyman", "Let There Be Lids", and BBC recordings of "Slark" and "The Three Legged Table (part 3)". CD

A record that's as melancholic as its cover and title – definitely one of the more sensitive efforts we've ever heard from pianist Bobo Stenson – and a set that also really showcases some great contributions from bassist Anders Jormin as well! Jormin composed a few of the most beautiful tunes on the set, and also really wins us over with his solo moments on the set – in a trio that also features Jon Christensen on drums, working in his usual very open, very loose approach. Titles include "Sediment", "All My Life", "War Orphans", "Natt", "Eleventh Of January", "Bengali Blue", and "Oleo De Mujer Con Sombrero". CD

A rare and beautiful set from the Japanese scene of the 70s – a record that features tenor and soprano sax from Hideyasu Terekawa, and vibes from Hiroshi Fujii – a wonderful combination, and a pair of players who really open up in the live setting of the record! The tunes are mostly jazz numbers penned by others, but the pair really make them their own – thanks in part to some warm rhythms from drummer Aki Hiro Nakaya and bassist Tetsuo Miura, the latter of whom has this great way of wrapping around the performance and guiding it gently. Things are nice and open at times, with plenty of room for solos – and titles include "Black Nile", "Simone", "Rerev", "I Remember Clifford", and "Stella By Starlight". CD

Trombone Shorty continues to charismatically do away with genre definitions of all kinds as well as defying convential expectations New Orleans brass band jazz, soul or jazzy soul – he's been doing that for years and it's still his way on For True! Trombone Shorty is also B-3 Shorty, Drums Shorty, Piano Shorty, Bass Shorty , Singer Shorty and Percussion Shorty – the fella does it all in some cases – with some accompaniment on guitar, bass, drums, percussion and sax. Some famous admirers join, too, including Rebirth Brass Band, Warren Haynes (on a song co-written by Shorty & Lamont Dozier) and others. Includes "Buckjump", "Encore", "For True", "Do To Me", "The Craziest Thing", "Dumaine St", "Mrs. Orleans", "Nervis", "Roses", "Big 12", "There There Was You" and "Lagniappe" (Pts 1 & 2). CD

A really great look at a key year in British punk – a time when the music really broke open, and artists from a wide range of scenes began to make music in a punk rock vein! The set has way more variety than you might expect – not just the big names and new acts that were helping define the music, but also surprising entries from hard rock, pub rock, and other styles – all really embracing the short, sharp shocks of punk – and showing just how influential the new sound was to the larger British music scene. Punk never grabbed the mainstream the same way over here – and the 3CD set is a fantastic representation of the big bang the music made in the UK in 1977 – presented with the kind of detailed notes and other information that always makes these collections from Cherry Red so great. The package features a massive 87 tracks in all – with work by The Heartbreakers, Eater, Chartreuse, The Rings, Models, Buzzocks, Vibrators, Deaf School, The Damned, Gorillas, The Jam, Britzkrieg Bop, Cock Sparrer, Motorhead, Only Ones, Johnny Moped, Rezillos, Slaughter & The Dogs, Wreckless Eric, Boomtown Rats, Sham 69, Radiators From Space, Doctors Of Madness, Generation X, Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias, Zeros, Tom Robinson Band, X-Ray Spex, Tyla Gang, Jerks, Spider, Alternative TV, John Cooler Clarke, Graham Parker, The Doll, Ultravox, Chelsea, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Raped, Norman & The Hoolians, Drug Squad, and many others. CD

A completely different side of Colombian music than you'd know from Discos Fuentes and some of the other mainstream outlets from that scene – as the tracks here are all from the contemporary underground, and represent a really rich flowering of creative grooves and soulful modes! In truth, most of this work might hail from any hip spot in the global underground – save for the fact that the lyrics are often in Spanish, and many tunes have some slight reference to older musical modes – sometimes an acoustic element mixed in with more electronic instrumentation, sometimes a more direct reference! The quality of the tracks is wonderful – a really strong surprise to our ears, as we never would have discovered this music otherwise – and it represents a really great alternative so some of the more staid, often boring attempts to create a global fusion of elements in the mainstream. Titles include "Cada Paso" by Liannia, "Cumbia Lobina (ext mix)" by Dragao featuring Nidia Gongora, "Aquazero" by Systema Solar featuring Pedro Ramaya, "Oyele" by Jimena Angel, "Cuando Canto Grito" by Cerrero featuring Lucia Pulido, "El Leopardo" by El Leopardo, "Mujer Divina" by Salsangroove, "Gualayo" by Radio Rebelde Soundsystem, "La Negra Y El Fantasma" by Bareto, "Nunca Termina" by David Caneva Akle, "Manana Sera" by Ruzto, and "De Donde Vengo Yo" by Los Transatlanticos featuring Pilar Matarola. CD

An incredible document of a key genre in 50s jazz on record – the jam session tradition, recorded beautifully for Verve records by the legendary Norman Granz! The idea of a jam session was nothing new at the time, of course, but it was mostly a live phenomenon – known to players from concerts and club dates, or presented on vinyl by Granz, in his celebrated Jazz At The Philharmonic sessions. These dates mark a move into the studio by Granz – one that captures the same sort of energy and unique pairings of musicians that went down in the live sessions, with the added benefit of studio technology to make the work sound even clearer, and more intimate. The 5CD set brings together all 9 Jam Session albums – packaged beautifully in a slipcase with original album cover art, and a full 72 page booklet on the musicians, sessions, and titles included. Players include nearly everyone who might have worked for Verve in the 50s – Benny Carter, Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Buddy DeFranco, and countless others – and titles include "Jam Blues", "Funky Blues", "Apple Jam", "Blues For The Count", "Jamming For Clef", "Rose Room", "Blue Lou", and "Lullaby In Rhythm" – all in very long versions! CD

A really incredible compilation, and one that's a great reminder of why we love the Analog Africa record label so much! Sure, there's been collections of Congolese music before – but this one's got that special something extra that Analog Africa can bring to play – an ear for just the right tracks that have enough funk and soul to open the ears of listeners who might not normally be digging deep into African music – yet will also pack plenty of punch to listeners who do! You can dive right into the collection and listen – the music will take you on a mighty great journey, even if you know nothing about the scene. But, in the best tradition of the label, there's also plenty of notes inside, should you want to learn more – as you're digging fantastic tunes that include "Mfuur Ma" by Groupe Minzolo Ya Zaire, "Tembe Na Tembe Ya Nini" by Orchestre Celi Bitshou, "Nganga" by Les Freres Soki, "Ngantsie Soul" by Les Bantous De La Capitale, "Fiancee Laya" by GO Malebo, "Sungu Lubuka" by Petelo Vicka Et Son Nzazi, and "MBT's Sound" by MBTs. CD

Tremendous work from the Spanish scene of the 60s and early 70s – way more than just a batch of obscure jazz cuts, and instead a true testament to this very vibrant musical community! The package brings together some really special tracks from Spanish labels like Edigsa, Ensayo, Hispavox, and others – and really shows that in Spain at the time, there was musical growth that was every bit as strong as in better-known scenes in Germany, France, and Italy – a really rich step forward from American inspiration of the postwar years – into a world of freshly inventive rhythms, really imaginative solos, and some key local touches that really made the music sparkle! Not all players here are of Spanish origin, as the set also shows the key crossroads the scene was offering at the time – a wealth of wonderful hardbop, soul jazz, and modal numbers that include "El Cant Dels Ocells" by Catalonia Jazz Quartet, "Movimiento" by Lou Bennett, "Psique" by Juan Carlos Calderon, "Tema Per Alicia" by Jazz Group, "Asteriscs" by Nits De Jazz Al Jamboree, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, "Israel" by Modern Jazz Sextet, "Rememberance To Madrid" by Elia Fleta, "Marcha De Los Dioses" by Tino Contreras, and "Laberinto (2nd part)" by Vlady Bas. CD

The deepest sound of the legendary TK Records label in the 70s – music that shows the way the company was really helping to transform the sound of southern soul in the decade, and also open the door to a whole new range of styles too! The tracks here definitely have a mellow groove, but they're never sleepy – just set apart from the more disco-oriented hits on TK, thanks to a sophisticated approach to instrumentation and arrangements – at a level that still makes most of these cuts stand head and shoulder above mainstream soul of the time! You'll know a few artists from earlier, straighter material – and will discover a number of other rarer, much more obscure TK talents – in a great set list that includes "Confusion" by Leno Phillips, "Keep Her Happy" by Phillip Wright, "I Got Bills To Pay" by Johnny K, "Thousand Years" by Brand New, "If You Want My Love" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "You Can Be A Lady" by JP Robinson, "Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do" by Betty Wright, "Sleep On Dream On" by Raphael Munnings, "Tears Of The World" by Robert Moore, "The Silence That You Keep" by Milton Wright, "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower, and "Love Insurance" by Gwen McCrae. CD

A great little package, and way more than just the familiar exotica moments on mainstream compilations – as your guides here are Lux Interior and Poison Ivy of The Cramps – two folks who know more than plenty about the music of the farther reaches of the postwar years! And although their other collections for this label have gone way out to pull in some totally obscure material, the blend here is more measured – so that you'll get great cuts by some of the bigger exotica names, mixed with other numbers that are more unusual – and some that we wouldn't have even thought to include in such a package – all awash in sounds from the islands, tropical percussion, and even a few birdcalls and chants along the way! The 2CD set features a great range of material – and titles include "The Twisters" by Mel Henke, "Hampi" by Yma Sumac, "Mystery Of Love" by Olatunji, "Jardin De La Noche" by Robert Drasnin, "Mood For You" by Phil Moore, "Alegres Conga" by Cal Tlader, Envy" by Bill Russo, "Kele Kele" by Johnny Richards, "African Bossa Nova" by Ahmed Abdul Malik, "Tabu" by Augie Colon, "Pua Carnaeon" by Arthur Lyman, "Adventures In Paradise" by Leo Addeo, "Dance Of The Nustas" by Elisabeth Waldo, "Pagan Love Song" by Alex Stordal, "Balikpapan" by Jimmy Namaro Trio, and "Train To Ranchipur" by Markko Polo Adventurers. CD