We totally loved Reel People's Seven Ways To Wonder album – and this special remix set is equally great – a package of wonderful new versions that features work from a host of hip producers! The set has all the soulful spirit of the original album, but also takes off in some more spaciously soaring modes too – a mix of British cosmic touches and classic instrumental roots – both of which really show up in some of the mixes here! Vocals are by Omar, Tony Momrelle, and Tasita D'Mour – and titles include "Outta Love (4 Hero rmx)", "It Will Be (Kyoto Jazz Massive rmx)", "Love Is Where You Are (The Realm rmx)", "Alibi (Rasmus Faber rmx)", "Amazing (Jon Cutler's distant music mix)", "Upside (Bugz upside mix)", "Upside (Pete Kuszma rmx)", "Love Is Where You Are (Orto rmx)", and "Anything You Want (Domu rmx)". 12 tracks in all! CD

An amazing unissued live set from drummer Roy Brooks – done at that moment when he was hitting the 70s with some very righteous energy, of the sort that only saw brief exposure on albums like The Free Slave, or some of Roy's own self-released titles! This album is a much-needed addition to that tiny catalog of spiritual avant gems – and it may well be the best of the bunch, as the live setting allows for long tracks that pack a hell of a punch all the way through – not just from Roy's work on drums, but also from this amazing quintet that includes Woody Shaw on trumpet, Carlos Garnett on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, and Cecil McBee on bass! All players are at the height of their powers – often playing with even more edge than you might expect – and the album's as much a tribute to the genius of Shaw, Garnett, and Mabern as it is to the visionary leadership of Brooks. Titles include "Understanding", "Zoltan", "Taurus Woman", "The Theme", "Billie's Bounce", and "Prelude To Understanding" – all very long. CD

An amazing unissued live set from drummer Roy Brooks – done at that moment when he was hitting the 70s with some very righteous energy, of the sort that only saw brief exposure on albums like The Free Slave, or some of Roy's own self-released titles! This album is a much-needed addition to that tiny catalog of spiritual avant gems – and it may well be the best of the bunch, as the live setting allows for long tracks that pack a hell of a punch all the way through – not just from Roy's work on drums, but also from this amazing quintet that includes Woody Shaw on trumpet, Carlos Garnett on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, and Cecil McBee on bass! All players are at the height of their powers – often playing with even more edge than you might expect – and the album's as much a tribute to the genius of Shaw, Garnett, and Mabern as it is to the visionary leadership of Brooks. Titles include "Understanding", "Zoltan", "Taurus Woman", "The Theme", "Billie's Bounce", and "Prelude To Understanding" – all very long. CD

A fantastic addition to the too-small catalog of work from the wonderful Harold Land – the west coast tenorist whose sound was maybe more of a bridge to the New York scene in the 50s and 60s – as you'll hear in this collection of well-recorded and unreleased material from his key years on the scene! All the cuts were recorded in Seattle, not LA – and Land is in top formation throughout – working in a few different groups with excellent players – including the mighty trumpeter Carmell Jones on two of the album's tracks, maybe worth the price of the record alone – plus Hampton Hawes and Buddy Montgomery on piano, Monk Montgomery on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Titles include "Triplin The Groove", "Vendetta", "Beepdurple", "Beauty", "Blue N Boogie", "Who Can I Turn To", and "Happily Dancing/Deep Harmonies Falling". CD

A really great duo set – alto from Bob Mover and piano from Walter Davis Jr – playing together here in a relaxed live setting that really has both players at the top of their game! Mover is an especially great surprise – and blows here with this openly flowing sense of imagination that's mindblowing – a raspy edge on the alto that hearkens back to some of the players who inspired him, but with this very personal quality that's at a level that was only captured on a rare few of his other albums. Davis is the piano giant you'd expect – with that masterful sense of tone and timing that resonated especially well on some of his overseas dates of the 70s – and the recording quality has this nice sense of room that only further underscores the intimacy of the two players working together, and which seems to do especially nice things for Mover's horn. Titles include long creative takes on "Star Eyes", "Bird Feathers", "A Nightingale Sang In Barkley Square", "Donna Lee", "Nica's Tempo", and "All The Things You Are/Prince Albert". CD

An overlooked moment of genius from Canadian bassist Neil Swainson – maybe the only album of his we've seen as a leader, and a tremendous showcase for the talents of Joe Henderson on tenor and Woody Shaw on trumpet! The album's a beautiful burner – filled with original songs by Neil, and handled by the group with some of the soulful flow you'd find on the best Woody Shaw albums for Muse Records in the 70s – a mode that's very much out of time, especially as the whole thing was issued on the Concord label, which isn't usually such a strong showcase for material as soulful and expressive as this! The rest of the combo features Jerry Fuller on drums and Gary Williamson on piano – and titles include "Don't Hurt Yourself", "49th Parallel", "Port Of Spain", "On The Lam", "Labyrinth", and "Southern Exposure". CD

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Sublime second generation soul from Brenda & The Tabulations – a sweet set of Philly grooves, recorded at Sigma sound with help from Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, and John Davis! The album's every bit as groove-heavy as you'd expect from work by those dancefloor heavyweights – and the record's a great change from the earlier style of Brenda and the group – more positive and progressive, yet still with a few of the fragile ballads that first got them noticed! There's a great sense of class and poise to the record – a progression from the early years that's similar to that which many other Philly artists experienced with Gamble & Huff – almost more surprising here, given that sometimes a Casablanca record didn't come out with the same sort of care. Titles include "Superstar", "Home To Myself", "I Keep Coming Back For More", "Let's Go All The Way Down", "Leave Me Alone", and "Everybody's Fool". CD also features a bonus 12" mix of "Let's Go All The Way Down" – and an excellent Reel Music job of mastering and liner notes! CD

A mighty impressive box set of previously unreleased Can – incredible stuff captured throughout their groundbreaking run from the late 60s to mid 70s – culled from hours and hours of tapes of the sessions that could have just as easily wound up on any of their classic records of the period! We figured that this would almost certainly be a solid companion piece to their initial run of classic albums – but the best thing about it is that out stands up really well on its own. Can pretty famously let the tapes run while they worked things out and let the magic happen spontaneously, so it stands to reason a lot of brilliant stuff was left on those tapes! We're surprised it took so long to pour through it and assemble some of the best of the "lost" material, but better late than never! Since it covers the full late 60s & early 70s periods, it's got bits with Mooney and Suzuki, hypnotic live takes, slow-building tension, moody lulls and violent bursts of sound – it's Can, alright! 30 tracks sequenced brilliantly over 3CDs – and it comes a reel-to-reel style box with a 10-inch booklet. Titles include "Millionenspiel", "Waiting For The Street Car", "Evening All Day", "Deadly Doris", "Bubble Rap", "Your Friendly Neighborhood Whore", "Bilnd Mirror Sur", "Bubble Rap", "Godzilla Fragment", "Barnacles", "The Agreement", "The Loop", "A Swan Is Born" and more. CD

One of the most obscure albums ever issued by exotica king Chaino – a set that was originally only released as a reel to reel tape, and which maybe shows an even wider sonic palette that was designed for that format! All the percussion we love on other Chaino records is firmly in place, but the orchestrations and arrangements are also richer and jazzier – almost more in an RCA Living Stereo mode, and we mean that in the best way possible – as the whole thing is really a top-shelf instrumental exotica album from the bachelor pad generation! There's a few Martin Denny elements here and there, but again the sound is wider and fuller overall – on titles that include "Mambo Italiano", "Mambo Inn", "Cuban Caper", "Caravan", "Cool Mambo", "Temptation", "Eso Es El Amor", and "An Occasional Man". CD

Chicago finally gets its due – in this great series that previously gave us the Philadelphia Experiment and Detroit Experiment projects! This time around, though, the lineup is even more top-shelf – filled with the kind of artists who really make us proud to be part of the Windy City – many of them players with slightly different styles and approaches, which is what makes the record such a great break from the usual! Pianist Greg Spero heads up the group, and the septet features work from Makaya McCraven on drums, Jeff Parker on guitar, Joel Ross on vibes, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Darryl Jones on bass, and Irvin Pierce on tenor – working together with a style that's nicely unified, and which has some of the soulful currents of other projects in this series from Ropeadope. That mode is maybe a bit different than you're used to hearing from McCraven, is a perfect showcase for the more soulful side of Parker's talents, and is right on the money for Marquis Hill – on tunes that include "The Chant", "Sizzle Reel", "Cloud Jam", "Always Be", "Double Take", "Maxwell Street", "For Too", "Straight Shooter", and "Tiny Beat". CD

Awe-inspiring solo guitar from Mark Fosson – brilliant stuff that rivals Fahey, Peter Lang and any other folk guitar geniuses who influenced him – recorded direct to reel-to-reel in Fosson's living room in 1976! Fosson's 12-string, the tape recorder and a rented microphone are all that went into the "production" – but the sound is impeccable, as is Fosson's playing! This is as wonderful as any rare folk guitar music we've been introduced to in quite a while! Includes "Quarter Moon" (plus and alternate take), "Arrival Of The Grand Picayune", "Cosmic Hiccup", "Frozen Fingers" (also with an alternate take), "Gorilla Mountain", "Nancy's Waltz", "Sky Piece" and the only non-original, "Back In The Saddle Again", which is a great, non-nostalgic take on the Gene Autry song. CD

One of those classic late 90s hip hop albums that initially got lost in the shuffle of record label politics and other issues – finally out for the rest of the world in the following century! The record's from a time when King Tee was allied strongly with Dr Dre – who produces part of the set, and also makes an appearance alongside other Cali all-stars – like MC Ren, DJ Quik, and Too $hort – royalty, for sure – but don't forget that King Tee was also on the scene pretty early himself! And while there were some issues that may have held the record back, the set's still a key part of that legacy that Tee brought to the west – with titles that include "Speak On It", "Stay Down", "Skweez Ya Ballz", "Monay", "Da'kron", "Big Boys", "Let's Make AV", "Tha Game", "Reel Raw", "2Gs from Compton", "Shake Da Pot", "Nna Moenin", "Step On By", "Big Ballin", "The Original", "Nuthin Has Changed", and "Where's T". CD

Massive work from the great Cheryl Lynn – and a key bridge between late 70s disco and the newer grooves of the 80s club scene! The album's a mix of midtempo groovers with a few mellower tracks – and it's got a tight, slightly jazzy sound that was very fresh at the time, and which still holds up incredibly well today – really a cut above most of Cheryl's contemporaries, and most of her later work too! The standout cut on the record is the landmark groover "Got To Be Real" – but there's loads of other great ones, like "Star Love", "Daybreak (Storybook Children)", "Give My Love To You", "All My Lovin", "You Saved My Day", and "Come In From The Rain". Features bonus tracks – "Got To Be Real (7" version – with different vocals)" and "You Saved My Day (12" version)". CD

Amazing rare soul from Gwen McCrae – little-known material recorded for Columbia records in the years before her later 70s fame at TK! The style here is nice and rootsy – very southern soul in its approach, even more so than Gwen's earliest work at TK – thanks, perhaps, to less of a club or pop crossover need in the production. Yet there's also a key link with the TK years, too – production by Steve Alaimo, who's really finding his way here in a great way – borrowing bits from other southern soul modes, moving them down to Miami, and helping forge a whole new chapter in southern soul for the 70s. Gwen's vocals are incredible – arguably even deeper and more hard-hitting than on some of her bigger hits – and the freshness of the material further makes the set great. Plus, since Columbia never issued a full album of this work in the US (although there was one rare record of the singles in Europe in the 70s), this package makes the first-ever full length Columbia album from Gwen – put together with stunning sound, very detailed notes, and some great vintage images. Titles include "Leave The Driving To Us", "Ain't Nothing You Can Do", "Lay It On Me", "Lead Me On", "Lovin In The Lay A Way", "I'm Losing The Feeling", and "Been So Long". CD

One of the deepest soul sets from Esther Phillips' 70s years on Kudu Records – a set with some nicely gritty grooves and a surprisingly earthy feel at times – especially when compared to some of her other albums of the time! Backings are by James Brown's old reedman, Pee Wee Ellis – and although there's some of the usual Kudu electric funk in the mix, there's also some deeper soul elements too – a vibe that's often a bit laidback and open, almost more Atlantic Records at points – which is a mighty good fit for Esther's wonderful voice! As usual for Kudu, the players are an all-star lineup – one that includes Richard Tee on keyboards, George Benson on guitar, Maceo Parker on tenor, and Bernard Purdie and Billy Cobham on drums – and Don Sebesky's also on deck a bit, to sweeten a few tracks up with light strings. The album's got a great version of Bill Withers' "Use Me" that features a tasty break in the intro – and other titles include a great version of "Alone Again (Naturally)", plus the cuts "Let's Move & Groove", "Cherry Red", "Let Me In Your Life", and "You & Me Together". CD

Crucial rare work from Danish piano genius Tom Prehn – a player who's only known for a handful of rare records from the 60s, and some unissued material that has come out in more recent years! This set falls somewhere between the space of both of those points – as the material had been released, but only on reel to reel format – making it even rarer than Prehn's vintage vinyl, and clearly able to use the extended format of the tape to let the group improvise in ways that they couldn't even do on a single record at the time! Case in point is the amazing 44 minute track "Centrifuga" – a cut that seems to have Prehn playing piano that sounds prepared, ala John Cage – mixed with equally unusual sounds from the bass of Poul Elders, some striking sounds from the drums of Finn Slumstrup, and this amazing raw tenor from Fritz Krogh – a player we don't know at all, but who's very much in the best mode of the early free jazz world on the European scene! The second part of the record features four shorter pieces, each numbered variations of "Solherv" – recorded six months after the first track, and with this open sonic sensibility that recalls much more contemporary improv work – such as recordings by Mats Gustafsson, who actually contributed the notes to the set. CD

The Reel People collective is back in action, and maybe sounding even better than on their first Love album – thanks to a sublime array of guest vocalists – including Eric Roberson, Raheem DeVaughn, Chante Cann, Paula, Michael Champion, and others! The vibe is great – uplifting and positive, with a style that's a nice change from both mainstream soul and club – that special sort of vibe we've always loved from the sort of underground work like this – which seems to be harder and harder to find as the years go on! In a world of stray digital cuts, we're even more grateful than ever for a full length set like this – as Reel People definitely deliver the goods, on titles that include "I Never Knew", "Save A Lil Love", "Everything's So Crazy", "If I Was Your Man", "Fly", "Deja Vu", "Dance In Her Eyes", and "Vibe". CD

A great little album from Jeannie Reynolds – and her lasting contribution to underground soul! Jeannie's vocals are nice and deep – with hints of southern diva phrasing, filtered through some of the tighter soul styles coming out of Chicago and other points north at the time! Detroit talents LJ Reynolds, Tony Hester, and Don Davis produce – save for one song by Michael Henderson – and the big highlight is the slow groover "The Fruit Song", a sly seductive stepper of a track, with rolling congas, sweeping strings, and a very catchy hook from Jeannie. That number runs for about 7 minutes long – and the album also includes a number of nice shorter cuts, like "I've Still Got My Pride", "The Feelin' Ain't There", and "You Want To Get Your Hands On A Woman" – all wonderful numbers that will have you loving Jeannie as one of your favorite new discoveries in 70s soul! CD also features 4 non-LP bonus cuts – "Phone's Been Jumping All Day", "Unwanted Company", "Lay Some Lovin On Me", and "Love Don't Come Easy For Me". CD

Four classics from this legendary Motown group – including 2 albums on CD for the first time ever! First up is What Love Has Joined Together – excellent work by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – recorded with a super-heavy vibe that's very different than his sweeter 60s work! The record has an amazingly large conception of arrangements – mostly handled by Smokey, and done in a complicated baroque harmony style that points forward towards his later Quiet Storm sound – but which isn't as laidback and compressed. Most tracks are covers, but they're redone fantastically – with better vocals than you could imagine – and titles include "What Love Has Joined Together", "My Cherie Amour", "If This World Were Mine", "This Guy's In Love", and "And I Love Her". Pocket Full Of Miracles is a great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "The Reel Of Time", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". Also features a great medley of "Something" and "Something You Got". One Dozen Roses is an early 70s set from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – and a set that mixes great new material with a few older gems from the previous decade too! The new cuts are fantastic – and have Smokey and the group continuing that mellower, more laidback harmony style that really knocks it out of the park – almost as if The Miracles were trying to challenge some of the younger sweet soul acts who were coming onto the scene. Titles include the older cuts "Tears Of A Clown" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" – plus "I Don't Blame You At All", "That Girl", "I Love You Dear", "No Wonder Love's A Wonder", and "When Sundown Comes". Flying High Together is excellent 70s work by Smokey and crew – sort of their way of showing the emerging east coast vocal stars how much talent they still had! The record has a sweet, slightly modern sound – with an approach that hints at Smokey's later Quiet Storm sound, but maybe a bit more laidback overall – set up with really great arrangements from both David Van De Pitte and HB Barnum. Titles include a killer reading of Stevie Wonder's "We Had A Love So Strong", plus "Got To Be There", "You Ain't Livin 'Till You're Lovin", "Flying High Together", "It Will Be Alright", and a cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD features bonus tracks "You've Got Me Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" and "Paper People". CD

An overlooked Sonny Rollins set from the early 80s – one that has him recording with a fair bit of guitar, but still staying very much in his best form as an improviser! The group here features both Bobby Broom on electric guitar, and Yoshiaki Masuo on acoustic and electric – both players who get in plenty of sound during the set, but always as a follow-up to Rollins' bold tenor voice in the lead. Remaining group members include Bob Cranshaw on electric bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and although the electric strings might normally make for a smooth sort of record, Sonny's sharper sound still brings plenty of edge – even when the rhythms of a few tunes get a bit bright. Titles include "My Little Brown Book", "Reel Life", "McGhee", "Rosita's Best Friend", and "Best Wishes". CD

Wonderfully rich sounds from composer/arranger David Sanford – a tribute to the late Lester Bowie, of Art Ensemble fame – presented here with some trumpet contributions from Hugh Ragin, who does a might good job of stepping into Lester's mighty large shadow! Yet Ragin is only one of a number of strong soloists here – in a lineup that also includes work from Ted Levine on alto, Jim Messbauer and Mike Christianson on trombone, Ana Webber and Geoff Vidal on tenor, and Dave Fabris on guitar – just a handful of the musicians who step out and provide their own voices amidst the darkly-shaded pieces in the set, which work together to provide a sonic tapestry that seems to take us from Bowie's early years, to his time in the AACM, to some of his better-known projects of later years too. Titles include "Soldier & The CEO", "V Reel", "Popit", "Woman In Shadows", "Subtraf", and "Full Immersion". CD

The incredible lost album from the group Sisters Love – material slated for release in the early 70s, but never saw the light of day, save for a handful of singles – a mix of rootsier southern soul and impeccable west coast funk styles, finally brought to light and with bonus tracks, to boot! Sisters Love came to Motown/MoWest at a transitional time for the label(s), who sent the group on tour, released a rare few singles in the US & UK, but didn't get the group over into the public consciousness the way it deserved. Great songs that were written, produced & arranged by the cream of the crop of soulful talents – Willie Hutch, Hal Davis, Gene Page, Gloria Jones & Pamela Sawyer – but this is the Sisters Love show, and they shine brilliantly! Titles include the amazing "Fast Mack" (purportedly submitted for the soundtrack to The Mack – and it's funky enough!), "Communication", "Mr Fix-It Man", "You've Got My Mind", "Just A Little Understanding", "I'm Learning To Trust My Man", "Giving Up", "Do What You Gotta Do","You've Got To Make Your Choice", "Sweet Inspiration", "Give Me Your Love" and "Turn On Your Love Light". CD

Drummer Chad Taylor is one of our secret heroes in jazz – a player we've loved for years, and who always brings something special to a session when he's a sideman – yet an artist who hardly ever gets to record as a leader in a setting like this! And if you think Chad's great on other people's albums, he's really fantastic here – leading a trio with Neil Podgurski on piano and Brian Settles on saxes – all at a level that's very different than other lineups of this nature! Given Taylor's tremendous talents on the kit, the record is much more drum-forward than others like this – not letting the reeds or piano dominate too much – yet also at a level that's not a bombastic drum session, as Taylor's always a master of subtle, sensitive sounds on the familiar instrument. The quality is hard to describe in words, but comes through instantly on the record – a gem of a set, with titles that include "Delta", "Subterfuge", "Moon Tone Shift", "Julia's Groove", "Concentric", and "The Reel". CD

Drummer Chad Taylor is one of our secret heroes in jazz – a player we've loved for years, and who always brings something special to a session when he's a sideman – yet an artist who hardly ever gets to record as a leader in a setting like this! And if you think Chad's great on other people's albums, he's really fantastic here – leading a trio with Neil Podgurski on piano and Brian Settles on saxes – all at a level that's very different than other lineups of this nature! Given Taylor's tremendous talents on the kit, the record is much more drum-forward than others like this – not letting the reeds or piano dominate too much – yet also at a level that's not a bombastic drum session, as Taylor's always a master of subtle, sensitive sounds on the familiar instrument. The quality is hard to describe in words, but comes through instantly on the record – a gem of a set, with titles that include "Delta", "Subterfuge", "Moon Tone Shift", "Julia's Groove", "Concentric", and "The Reel". CD

One of the deepest soul records ever issued by Chess Records – and the album wasn't even done in Chicago! The album's the only full effort issued under the name of Kim Tolliver – a singer who'd worked previously for Fantasy as Kimberley Briggs – and it's a sublime effort from Tolliver and husband Fred Briggs, who'd worked together previously on work for Stax by Margie Joseph! The style here is quite unique – a mix of Kim's southern soul-styled vocals with some fuller, richer touches – almost in the same way that Gloria Scott comes across on her classic album with Barry White – but a bit more rough around the edges overall. The production is amazing – with a great sense of space and style – and some key use of echo that really underscores the emotion of the tunes. A good part of the album was recorded in Miami – with echoes of the TK modes of the time – but other recording was also done in Cleveland, which might account for the more unique aspects of the set. Regardless of location, though, the album's a tremendously individual effort – a bold, raw statement from Tolliver – filled with emotion that few of her contemporaries could match, and free of any crossover soul cliches that were really bogging down other artists at the time. Most tracks here are original – as original in conception as the sound of the record – and titles include "The Other Side Of Town", "The Way He Used To", "She Don't Know You Like I Do", "Takin A Woman's Stand", "I'm Losing The Feeling", "Learn To Get Along Without You", and "I Need You/Drop Whatever You're Doing". CD

One of the coolest collections ever put out by The Numero Group – and that's saying a lot, given the hipness of the label! Downriver Revival chronicles the story of a unique studio in Michigan – Double U Sound, a custom recording spot that captured a wonderful range of soul, funk, gospel, and other sounds from the local community – beautifully presented here in a full CD, plus a bonus DVD that features the near-complete 200 song archive of the studio! The DVD's really unique – so we'll talk about it first: Done with an interactive menu that lets you literally comb through the boxes of tapes in the Double U vault – selecting each reel recorded by the studio, and sampling the rich array of wonderful sounds from this untapped Michigan scene – a huge amount of music, far more than you'd ever find on a CD compilation. The DVD also features a documentary on the studio and Downriver Revial project – and that alone would be worth the price of admission – but the CD then features 24 key numbers pulled from the vaults – tracks that were either issued on rare 45s, or never issued at all – and which represent a wonderful array of soulful sounds that definitely lives up to the Numero standard! Titles include "There's A Light" by Shirley Ann Lee, "Take Care Of Us" by The Revelations, "Untitled Jam" by Bobby Cook & The Explosions, "Foot Stumping (alt)" by Organics, "While You Were Gone" by Combinations, "Heaven" by Deliverance Echoes, "Untitled" by Burgess Band, "Round N Round" by Junior Mays Group, and "Walk With Me" by Calvin Cooke. CD

One of the best albums ever by this legendary Chicago trio – a great example of the way that records on the Nessa label can really get to the heart of artists' intentions! The trio of Henry Threadgill on reeds, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on percussion have never sounded better – and have this intimate, soulful interplay that's sometimes missing from other efforts – that special kind of energy that makes the AACM so great when it's really clicking this well – as deeply spiritual as it is freely expressive! Threadgill plays alto, tenor, bass flute, and the compelling hubkaphone – and titles include "I'll Be Right Here Waiting", "No 2", "GvE", "Subtraction", and "Keep Right On Playing Thru The Mirror Over The Water". CD

This tenor giant gets better and better with each new album! Eric Alexander is one of our favorite new jazz artists of the past decade – still a relatively young player, but with a sound that's incredible, steeped in years of tradition, yet freely creative in his own unique way. His tenor solos on this set stand up to some of our favorite older work by players like Clifford Jordan or Sonny Rollins, and if anything, the backing may be some of the best he's ever received on record. Alexander's playing here with longtime friend and musical partner Harold Mabern – who's as sympathetic to Alexander's sound as he once was to that of Frank Strozier – and the other players in the group include trumpeter Nicholas Payton, John Webber, and Joe Farnsworth. Titles include "Andre's Turn", "After The Rain", "This Girl's In Love With You", "A House Is Not A Home", and "Summit Meeting". CD

A rare meeting of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago and the late pianist Don Pullen – recorded at the Frankfurt Jazz Festival in 1991, and easily one of the group's greatest sessions from this period! There's a freely creative spirit here that reminds us a lot of the Art Ensemble's best European performances of years back – especially on the 20 minute opening reading of "People In Sorrow", which has an ethereal sound built up from percussion, in a way that's almost more haunting than the original. Pullen's piano takes on a bit more presence on the tracks "Song For Atala" and "Fundamental Destiny" – both of which show the skill for more tightly arranged horn parts that the Ensemble picked up during the 80s – but still delivered here with enough loose, spontaneous energy to stand apart from some of their studio work of the decade. Pullen delivers a strong pulse on the latter track especially – and continues into a straighter, soaring jazz groove on "Odwalla/The Theme", which closes the set. Lester Bowie plays trumpet, Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell are on woodwinds and percussion, Malachi Favors on bass, Don Moye on Sun percussion, and Don Pullen on piano. CD

A really beautiful combination of reeds and synthesizer – one done in a spare, moody style that's extremely evocative! Austin's saxophone work here would be great enough on its own – soulful, fluid, and freely searching, but never too outside. Yet the added synth and percussion from Gallivan really makes the record something special – because Joe never overdoes his contributions, and instead keeps things really even handed – often going for a style that matches the lyrical beauty of Austin's work perfectly. And unlike other projects of this type, this one is never sleepy, or too "atmospheric" – as each tune here has a good structure and sense of economy – letting us know that Gallivan and Austin aren't just putting down sloppy soundscapes. Titles include "Quassia", "Perfect Reality", "Essence Of Purity", "As Above So Below", "Intimate Oasis", and "Subtle Actuation". CD

An expanded, remastered version of the album Prophecy – early work by Albert Ayler, recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after his untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". Newly remastered version of the full concert – with 10 tracks in all! CD

An expanded, remastered version of the album Prophecy – early work by Albert Ayler, recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after his untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". Newly remastered version of the full concert – with 10 tracks in all! CD

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

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

Three very rare slices of work from the great Albert Ayler – all of them pretty darn mindblowing! The set begins with Ayler's appearance at the 1967 Newport Jazz Festival – a set that must have been a shock to audience members who'd seen some of the more staid work at the event – as Ayler really lets loose on alto, tenor, and soprano sax – working with a very freely improvising quartet that includes Michel Samson on violin, Bill Folwell on bass, and Milford Graves on drums – really going to town on the titles "Japan/Universal Indians", "Our Prayer", and "Truth Is Marching In/Omega". Next is a single track that was recorded at the funeral of John Coltrane – a spiritual blend of "Love Cry/Truth Is Marching In/Our Prayer" – blown by Ayler on tenor, with Don Ayler on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Milford Graves on drums. The last track is the earliest on the set – and very early for recorded Albert Ayler as well – a captivating performance recorded in Copenhagen in 1962 – as Ayler's tenor joins the work of the Cecil Taylor trio – with Taylor on piano, Jimmy Lyons on alto, and Sunny Murray on drums – as the group soar on a 21 minute reading of "Four". CD

A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, tenor against bass and drums, working freely with less rhythmic constraints than before, searching for new sounds and new modes of expression, working through changes in a style first proposed by Sonny Rollins, but taken to new intensity by the New York underground of the 60s. That sound is summed up here perfectly by Ayler, Gary Peacock, and Sunny Murray – working together with an edgey brilliance, on classic tracks that include "Ghosts: First Variation", "Ghosts: Second Variation", "The Wizard", and "Spirits". CD

A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, tenor against bass and drums, working freely with less rhythmic constraints than before, searching for new sounds and new modes of expression, working through changes in a style first proposed by Sonny Rollins, but taken to new intensity by the New York underground of the 60s. That sound is summed up here perfectly by Ayler, Gary Peacock, and Sunny Murray – working together with an edgey brilliance, on classic tracks that include "Ghosts: First Variation", "Ghosts: Second Variation", "The Wizard", and "Spirits". CD

One of the most compelling modern groups in jazz does it again – taking the simple piano trio format and giving it a spin that's sure to catch even the most wary of ears! These guys aren't exactly funky, but they play in a freely rhythmic style that brings new life to anything they touch – and honestly, they're one of the few groups in jazz who could cover recent pop material and actually make us like it! There's an approach here that's almost in the mode of Medeski Martin & Wood – with open and experimental, yet still rhythmic and swinging – and always a fresh delight overall. Titles include "1979 Semi-Finalist", "Street Woman", "Frog & Toad", "Velouria", "Iron Man", "Neptune", and "Dirty Blonde". CD

Not as "adult" as you might think – at least given the way the word is used today – but pretty great work by Pearl nonetheless! The tunes themselves are a bit "blue" in terms of subject matter – tales of girls with hot pants, loose love, and the kind of backroom hijinks that weren't always talked about so freely in the torch singer era. But given the time, and the setting, the tunes are still pretty soft on the subjects – and get the themes across through clever turns of phrase, slight innuendo, and just the right intonation at the right time – a style that makes Pearl Bailey perfect for the work! The set features 21 tracks in all, and titles include "I Want A Man", "She Had To Go & Lose It At The Astor", "The Physician", "Westport", "One Man Ain't Quite Enough", "Aggravatin Papa", and "Nobody's Chasing Me". CD

Fantastic French material from Chet Baker – one of his legendary albums recorded for the Barclay label in Paris – and a set that's noteworthy for also featuring work from modern jazz pianist Richard (Dick) Twardzik – who passed away shortly after the sessions! The pairing of Baker and Twardzik is one of the best of Chet's 50s years – and the group here is rounded out by the excellent Jimmy Bond on bass, and Peter Littman on drums. There's a nice bite to the set – a bit more than some of Baker's west coast material from the year or two before – and there's also an undercurrent of some of the soul that would emerge in his solos in coming years. Titles include "Rondette", "Piece Caprice", "Sad Walk", "Mid Forte", "The Girl From Greeland", "Just Duo", and "Pomp" CD

There's a bit of reverie here, but it's usually the swinging kind instead of the sleepy variety – thanks to a well-formed groove from Richie Beirach on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! The tunes certainly include a few ballads, but Richie usually takes them with a freely fresh sound that gets past any obvious standard-heavy cliches – inspired, no doubt, by the inventive changes of Mraz and Hart, who seem to spur him on strongly, especially on the more upbeat tracks. Titles include "Manhattan Reverie", "Transition", "Veils", "Etude", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "Footprints". CD

Includes the songs "Maybellene", "30 Days", "You Can't Catch Me", "Too Much Monkey Business", "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Havana Moon", "School Days", "Rock And Roll Music", "Oh Baby Doll", "Reelin' & Rockin'", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Johnny B. Goode", "Around And Around", "Carol", "Beautiful Delilah", "Memphis", "Sweet Little Rock And Roller", "Little Queenie", "Almost Grown", "Back In The USA", "Let It Rock", "Bye Bye Johnny", "I'm Talking About You", "Come On", "Nadine", "No Particular Place To Go", and "I Want To Be Your Driver". CD

Pounding! This is the long-awaited re-release of a lost session that Blakey recorded in 1958, with a triple-drum rhythm group that included himself, Philly Joe Jones, and Roy Haynes – plus some additional conga work by Ray Barretto. Unlike other Blakey "drum orgy" sessions, though, this one's got a much straighter jazz feel – with plenty of solo space for trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Bobby Timmons. The drums work together in fantastic interplay – with Haynes' lyricism, Blakey's crackle, and Jones' raw power all providing perfect complement to each other while Morgan solos freely out front as the only horn (a role that he rarely ever got to take!) The set also includes 2 amazing other tracks that feature only bass and drum (not drum n bass!) interplay between Blakey and the late Paul Chambers – making for a total of 8 incredible tracks in all, with titles that include "Lee's Tune", "Blakey's Blues", "Lover", and "Drums In the Rain". Great stuff, and with notes by Kenny Washington, too! CD

Killer work by Art Blakey from the last years of his life – and proof that the drummer still had an amazing ear for the best young talent in jazz! The session's got Art working with (then) up-and-comers Steve Davis on trombone, Brian Lynch on trumpet, Geoff Keezer on piano, and Javon Jackson on tenor sax – giving them all the same space to write, arrange, and solo freely with the same sort of limelight placement Blakey gave Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, and Bobby Timmons in earlier years! Art's still more than holding his own on drums, but as with much of his excellent later work, the real strength of the set is the way in which the younger players hold the set together with a fluid sense of soul. Titles include "Bunyip", "Logarhythms", "I'll Wait & Pray", "Green Is Mean", "Accidentally Yours", "One For All", and "Theme For Penny". CD

A trio that really lives up to its name – given that the lineup features three of the most dynamic figures in free jazz over the past few decades! The set was recorded in Chicago, and has a sound that really lives up to that city's embrace of a power trio like this – with completely frenetic work on reeds by Mars Williams, next to tumultuous drums from Paal Nilssen-Love, and some boldly propulsive bass from Kent Kessler – all spun out here over the course of three very long, freely-improvised tracks! Williams plays a few toy instruments, and Nilssen-Love handles some percussion too – both of which make for some slightly more introspective passages, which are soon balanced by more dynamic energy. Titles include "Miakoda", "Lovin The Buzz", and "Echo Clang". CD

"Expanse" is a mighty big name for the group that David Boykin uses on this record – especially given that the combo's only a quintet – but that's ok with us, because the sound here is more than large enough to warrant the name! Boykin's working with a great batch of players from the Chicago scene here – including frequent musical partner Nicole Mitchell on flute, sliding wonderfully alongside David's saxophones – plus Jim Baker on piano, Josh Abrams on bass, and Mike Reed on drums. The album features two longish tracks, both composed by Boykin with a vision that's freely expressive, yet never too free – a perfect balance that reigns things in wonderfully, and which shows him to be one of the key current heirs to a Chicago tradition that runs back to the early AACM and Sun Ra! Titles include "Nuance" and "47th Street Ghost". CD