A great set that brings together Eddie Lockjaw Davis' early Cookbook sessions – cut for Prestige in a key transitional moment, when Lock was trying to break past the R&B roots of earlier years, and emerge as a more sophisticated jazz soloist, capable of carrying an idea way past the short format of singles and jukebox sides. The sessions provide a perfect format for such an effort – as the tracks are long and open-ended, and match Eddie with a great quintet that includes Shirley Scott on organ and Jerome Richardon on flute. Includes the classic "The Rev", plus "Stardust", "The Chef", "In The Kitchen", "Three Deuces", "Skillet", and "The Broilers". CD

The title's a bit hokey, but the group's a great one – a saxophone quartet, led by Elton Dean and augmented by bass and drums, for a very unique sound! The style here is quite different than that of the over-used 80s sax quartet style – as the bass and drums propel the group into a much stronger groove, and relieve the other sax parts of any rhythm keeping, yet still allow them to be relatively free without any piano in the group. Dean plays both alto and saxello – and is joined by Trevor Watts on alto, Simon Pickard on tenor sax, and Paul Dunmall on tenor and baritone saxes – all coming together in a style that swings wonderfully, yet still has plenty of modern moments – with sounds that almost recall the greatness of Roland Kirk or George Braith! Titles include "Unda", "Rising", "Seven For Lee", "Small Strides", and "Fall In Free". CD

One of the biggest records ever from Deele – thanks to the presence of LA and Babyface – who were a key part of the group at the time! The heavier funk styles of previous records are left behind – and the group have realized that they really shine best in mellower modes – the kind of ballads and love songs that still had a nice punch at the bottom, thanks to the LA/Babyface style – but which also really made the best use of Dee's sweet vocal approach! The shift tuned out to be a great one for the group – the start of bigger soul trends to come – and titles include "Two Occasions", "Shoot Em Up Movies", "Eyes Of A Stranger", "Can U Dance", "She Wanted", "So Many Thangs", and "Hip Chic". CD

A record that's virtually impossible to describe in words – partly because it's got a trans-historical, trans-spatial sort of vibe – effortlessly filtering together the best roots of older French pop music, and combining them with a range of underground pop elements that reach out to the farther reaches of the globe! Jean Emmanuel Deluxe sings lead – often with a raspy style that's partly sung, partly spoken – but never in a Serge Gainsbourg mode. Instead, he gets lots of spacey support on keyboards, echoey drums, and other instrumentation that feels like reworked 60s modes – ala Stereolab, High Llamas, or Pearlfishers. Yet the record is nothing like any of those references at all – even though Sean O'Hagan provides some guest work – as does Bertrand Burgalat, Misawa Masanori, and drummer Werner "Zappi" Diermaier of Faust. Titles include "Lushy Life", "The Girl Who Was Talking In Reverse", "Claire", "La Gourveneur De California", "Hollywood Parties", and "Comme Une Video Star". LP, Vinyl record album

A full length, CD-only package that brings together material scattered over 4 different 12" singles from The Dining Rooms – remixes that sprung up in the wake of their excellent Experiments In Ambient Soul album, handled by a range of talents who really expand the grooves! Many of the cuts here benefit from additional instrumental or vocal touches that change things up considerably – simple elements that work powerful magic on the cuts – and in some cases make them even better than the original album versions! The package is a way better deal than buying all the singles on their own – and it features 13 tracks that include "Forever's Not (Incognito Traveller rmx)", "Milano Calibro 9 (Madrid De Los Austrias mix)", "Afrolicious (Boozoo Bajou rmx)", "Ocean (orig mix)", "White Riot", "World She Made (Yam Who rework)", "Destination Moon (Parov Stelar rmx)", "No Problem (7 Samurai voc mix)", "Experiments In Ambient Soul (Koom.h rework)", and "Thin Ice (Paolo Fedreghini & Marco Bianchi rmx)". CD

A nicely evolved groove from Lee Dorsey – still working with tremendous production from Allen Toussaint, the man who brought him into stardom in the 60s – but with a warmer sound that's more 70s modern overall! The shift here is almost like that of Lamont Dozier's in the 70s – as Lee moves into a fuller, richer sound – one that shows that he's got a lot of different aspects to his music that hadn't showed up on previous albums, and which nicely brings him out of the Crescent City soul ghetto. There's till some nice Nola rhythms going down on the set, and all the tracks are originals by Toussaint – but honestly, the smoothest cuts are almost the best – and offer a great chance to hear Dorsey's great vocals in a whole new mode. Tracks include "Soul Mine", "Night People", "Can I Be The One", "Say It Again", and "Keep On Doing It To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Paquito D'Rivera – not nearly as gimmicky as you might expect from the title, and a soulful set that's right in line with some of his first few gems as a leader in the US many years back! There's definitely some tango quality to some of the tunes – but it's mostly just a bit of bandoneon used lightly in the instrumentation – leaving most of the work here to sparkle in that Havana-influenced blend of jazz and Latin roots that's always made D'Rivera's music so great. Paquito plays alto and clarinet, alongside trumpet and valve trombone from Diego Urcola, piano from Ed Simon and Alon Yavanai, bass from Oscar Stagnaro, and drums from Mark Walker. Hector Del Curto plays bandoneon on the record – and tracks include "Milonga 10", "What About That", "Pere", "Revirado", "Funk Tango", "Mariela's Dream", "Como Un Bolero", and "Giant Steps". CD

A pivotal moment for Bob Dylan – and maybe one of THE albums of the 60s! The newly-electrified Dylan really takes off here – putting more punch and bit into his already-strong lyrical approach – and twisting things in amazing ways that still leave us breathless all these many years later! And sure, the album gave Bob a few hits – which are nestled in here next to headier tunes that work together perfectly. Titles include "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ballad Of A Thin Man", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "From A Buick 6", "Desolation Row", "Highway 61 Revisited", and "Queen Jane Approximately". Cassette

A pivotal moment for Bob Dylan – and maybe one of THE albums of the 60s! The newly-electrified Dylan really takes off here – putting more punch and bit into his already-strong lyrical approach – and twisting things in amazing ways that still leave us breathless all these many years later! And sure, the album gave Bob a few hits – which are nestled in here next to headier tunes that work together perfectly. Titles include "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ballad Of A Thin Man", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "From A Buick 6", "Desolation Row", "Highway 61 Revisited", and "Queen Jane Approximately". CD

A pivotal moment for Bob Dylan – and maybe one of THE albums of the 60s! The newly-electrified Dylan really takes off here – putting more punch and bit into his already-strong lyrical approach – and twisting things in amazing ways that still leave us breathless all these many years later! And sure, the album gave Bob a few hits – which are nestled in here next to headier tunes that work together perfectly. Titles include "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ballad Of A Thin Man", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "From A Buick 6", "Desolation Row", "Highway 61 Revisited", and "Queen Jane Approximately". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal moment for Bob Dylan – and maybe one of THE albums of the 60s! The newly-electrified Dylan really takes off here – putting more punch and bit into his already-strong lyrical approach – and twisting things in amazing ways that still leave us breathless all these many years later! And sure, the album gave Bob a few hits – which are nestled in here next to headier tunes that work together perfectly. Titles include "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ballad Of A Thin Man", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "From A Buick 6", "Desolation Row", "Highway 61 Revisited", and "Queen Jane Approximately". CD

A great second adventure from Dynasty – the kind of set that shows why the group went on to become one of the strongest things going in the second chapter of the Solar Records soul empire from LA! The album begins with a rock-solid punch, then continues strongly throughout – basslines, guitar riffs, and funky drums all right on the money – used in a way that's somehow fresher than most of the larger funk groups of the time – and with a nice balance between mellower moments that still seem to have a gentle kind of groove. The energy is wonderful throughout – and titles include "Give It Up For Love", "Love In The Fast Lane", "Revenge", "Here I Am", "A Man In Love", and "You're My Angel". LP, Vinyl record album

A great second adventure from Dynasty – the kind of set that shows why the group went on to become one of the strongest things going in the second chapter of the Solar Records soul empire from LA! The album begins with a rock-solid punch, then continues strongly throughout – basslines, guitar riffs, and funky drums all right on the money – used in a way that's somehow fresher than most of the larger funk groups of the time – and with a nice balance between mellower moments that still seem to have a gentle kind of groove. The energy is wonderful throughout – and titles include "Give It Up For Love", "Love In The Fast Lane", "Revenge", "Here I Am", "A Man In Love", and "You're My Angel". CD features bonus tracks – the previously unreleased "Mustang Movin On", plus single versions of "Here I Am" and "Love In The Fast Lane". CD

Fantastic work from EABS – a combo who continue to amaze us with the diversity of sounds they create, and the depth of feeling they can get from a mix of acoustic and electric instruments! There's maybe an even deeper spiritual vibe going on here than previous records – music that's not afraid to borrow some currents from the world of contemporary soul, yet still stays strongly in jazz territory overall – electric rhythms at some points, acoustic at others – blended with a range of wonderful keyboards from Marek Latarnik Pedziwiatr, next to trumpet from Jakub Kurek, and tenor and soprano sax from Olaf Wegier. The great tenorist Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski guests on the track "A Farewell To Mother Earth" – and other tracks include "Lucifer", "Dead Silence", "Mystery Of Monolith", "Global Warning", "Ain't No Mercy", and "The Odyssey Of Dr Heywood Floyd". CD

Fantastic work from EABS – a combo who continue to amaze us with the diversity of sounds they create, and the depth of feeling they can get from a mix of acoustic and electric instruments! There's maybe an even deeper spiritual vibe going on here than previous records – music that's not afraid to borrow some currents from the world of contemporary soul, yet still stays strongly in jazz territory overall – electric rhythms at some points, acoustic at others – blended with a range of wonderful keyboards from Marek Latarnik Pedziwiatr, next to trumpet from Jakub Kurek, and tenor and soprano sax from Olaf Wegier. The great tenorist Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski guests on the track "A Farewell To Mother Earth" – and other tracks include "Lucifer", "Dead Silence", "Mystery Of Monolith", "Global Warning", "Ain't No Mercy", and "The Odyssey Of Dr Heywood Floyd". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously-unknown recording of two giant Verve Records stars of the 50s – captured here in a European performance, but not as part of the regular Jazz At The Philharmonic touring package! The set begins with two long tracks that are a superb showcase for the trumpet of Roy Eldridge – as Roy blows with a crisp muted style that has plenty of room to open up – with backing from the quartet of Herb Ellis on guitar, Lou Levy on piano, Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Gus Johnson on drums – players who continue to then back up Ella Fitzgerald for the remaining nine tracks on the album! There's a nicely intimate, less iconic presentation of Fitzgerald here – still as great as her famous Verve dates, but maybe slightly more relaxed too. Eldridge blows "Soft Winds" and "Roy's Riff" – and Ella's tracks include "Whatever Lola Wants", "All I Need Is You", "I Loves You Porgy", "Lady Be Good", "How High The Moon", and a nice take on "Alright Okay You Win". CD

Featuring Theo Ceccaldi on violin and viola and Jim Hart on vibraphone. CD

Magical trio recordings from the classic trio that featured Bill Evans on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – a massive 3CD set of music, and one that brings together the complete June 1961 Village Vanguard recordings! The revolutionary bass work of LaFaro, and free-thinking rhythms of Motian really helped open up Evans' work on piano at the time – and their influence is heard to best effect on this spontaneous live set, spread out over the course of 22 tunes, recorded throughout the afternoon and evening on June 25, 1961. The package features one newly-discovered take, plus a number of alternates, spoken bits from Bill, and even a few final bars of music. Titles include "Solar", "Milestones", "All Of You", "Gloria's Step", "My Man's Gone Now", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", and "Waltz For Debby". CD

Magical trio recordings from the classic trio that featured Bill Evans on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – a massive 3CD set of music, and one that brings together the complete June 1961 Village Vanguard recordings! The revolutionary bass work of LaFaro, and free-thinking rhythms of Motian really helped open up Evans' work on piano at the time – and their influence is heard to best effect on this spontaneous live set, spread out over the course of 22 tunes, recorded throughout the afternoon and evening on June 25, 1961. The package features one newly-discovered take, plus a number of alternates, spoken bits from Bill, and even a few final bars of music. Titles include "Solar", "Milestones", "All Of You", "Gloria's Step", "My Man's Gone Now", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", and "Waltz For Debby". Special box is on 180 gram vinyl, with new liner notes, limited poster, and even recording sheets with original producer notes! LP, Vinyl record album

Avram Fefer on alto and tenor saxophone, Eric Revis on bass, and Chad Taylor on drums. CD

A killer batch of large ensemble numbers – very much in the mode of the Clarke-Boland Big Band, or some of the other groups on MPS at the time! The group's led by Jerry Van Rooyen, the Dutch jazzman and composer who did some excellent funky soundtrack work over the years – a fact that certainly shows up in the tracks on the set – which have a sweetly grooving feel mixed in with the large ensemble jazz – a great approach that would have been right at home in some hip Euro film score from the time! Van Rooyen gives the material a soulful feel that's a lot like some of Quincy Jones' best scoring from the 60s – blending together work on organ, Fender Rhodes, and piano (played by Frans Elsen, Rob Madna, and Rob Franken) – with breakaway horn solos by players like Benny Bailey on trumpet and Rolf Ericson on trumpets, Ake Persson and Jiggs Whigham on trombones, and Herb Geller, Ferdinand Povel, and Tony Coe on reeds – most of whom are players who've sparked great notes previously on sets with the Clarke-Boland Big Band, or other hip MPS ensemble projects. Titles include "Sonlite", "Because I Love You", "Some Blues", "For Nathalie", "The Runners", "JBW", "Green", and "Whirligig". LP, Vinyl record album

Ella Fitzgerald sings Broadway – but in a way that makes the tunes completely her own! Marty Paich turns in some great jazzy arrangements for the set – and the tunes are far more swinging than the usual showtunes you might expect – stripped of all their stage-bound drama, and retooled by Paich as these tight little vehicles for Ella's amazing vocals! The album's arguably more expressive than even some of Fitzgerald's previous songbook sessions – even though most work comes from the same American stage mode – titles that include "Hernando's Hideaway", "I Could Have Danced All Night", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Guys and Dolls", "If I Were A Bell", "No Other Love", and "Steam Heat". CD

One of the most unusual "best of" collections you'll ever own – given that it features material pulled together from seven different albums by Ben LaMar Gay – none of which were ever released! The package is more of a debut than anything else – and a hell of a musical statement, too – as Ben's music is almost completely without referent – and that's saying a lot, given the already genre-busting nature of other releases on the International Anthem label! We might list the music under jazz – as it does feature some jazz instrumentation – but there's also lots of electronic elements too, often used in these shape-shifting ways that criss cross with other elements – like bass clarinet, flute, viola, and voice – all kind of crashing together in waves of sonic energy that embrace multiple genres at once, but never have the hokey result of other music that might try to do such a thing. Instead, imagine Ben's voice as being this bold cut-up experiment (in the original William S Burroughs mode) – but one that might have been taken across the scope of an entire record collection, sweeping up snatches of jazz, electronica, orchestral music, folk, hip hop, and lots more – all with results that are as revolutionary as Burroughs' writing. Titles include "Muhal", "Music For 18 Hairdressers – Braids & Friends", "7th Stanza", "Gator Teeth", "Swim Swim", "Kunni", "Oh No Not Again", "Jubilee", and "A Seasoning Called Primavera". CD

Ben LaMar Gay might well be one of the most creatively intense artists on the International Anthem label – and that's saying a lot, given all of the groundbreaking talents who've come to record for the company in recent years! And while Ben's previous record was completely mindblowing, this set really pushes things over the top – and has the artist at the helm of a large assemblage of musicians who provide all these different sonic elements to augment the intensity of his vision – as the leader handles cornet, organ, and a host of other instruments – while singing on most cuts, but in a way that's majestic and very much his own – neither soul, nor jazz – at least in familiar ways. The lineup features voices of many others – and instrumentation that includes Tomeka Reid on cello, Matthew Davis on trombone, Johanna Brock on viola, and Rob Frye on flute – mixed with spoken and sung passages from a number of others, including Angel Bat Dawid. Incredibly beautiful throughout – with titles that include "Hood Rich Happy", "I Once Carried A Blossom", "Slightly Before The Dawn", "Be Loving Me Some Of You", "We Gon Win", "S'Phisticated Lady", "In Tongues & Droves", and "Touch Don't Scroll". CD

Ben LaMar Gay might well be one of the most creatively intense artists on the International Anthem label – and that's saying a lot, given all of the groundbreaking talents who've come to record for the company in recent years! And while Ben's previous record was completely mindblowing, this set really pushes things over the top – and has the artist at the helm of a large assemblage of musicians who provide all these different sonic elements to augment the intensity of his vision – as the leader handles cornet, organ, and a host of other instruments – while singing on most cuts, but in a way that's majestic and very much his own – neither soul, nor jazz – at least in familiar ways. The lineup features voices of many others – and instrumentation that includes Tomeka Reid on cello, Matthew Davis on trombone, Johanna Brock on viola, and Rob Frye on flute – mixed with spoken and sung passages from a number of others, including Angel Bat Dawid. Incredibly beautiful throughout – with titles that include "Hood Rich Happy", "I Once Carried A Blossom", "Slightly Before The Dawn", "Be Loving Me Some Of You", "We Gon Win", "S'Phisticated Lady", "In Tongues & Droves", and "Touch Don't Scroll". LP, Vinyl record album

Ben LaMar Gay might well be one of the most creatively intense artists on the International Anthem label – and that's saying a lot, given all of the groundbreaking talents who've come to record for the company in recent years! And while Ben's previous record was completely mindblowing, this set really pushes things over the top – and has the artist at the helm of a large assemblage of musicians who provide all these different sonic elements to augment the intensity of his vision – as the leader handles cornet, organ, and a host of other instruments – while singing on most cuts, but in a way that's majestic and very much his own – neither soul, nor jazz – at least in familiar ways. The lineup features voices of many others – and instrumentation that includes Tomeka Reid on cello, Matthew Davis on trombone, Johanna Brock on viola, and Rob Frye on flute – mixed with spoken and sung passages from a number of others, including Angel Bat Dawid. Incredibly beautiful throughout – with titles that include "Hood Rich Happy", "I Once Carried A Blossom", "Slightly Before The Dawn", "Be Loving Me Some Of You", "We Gon Win", "S'Phisticated Lady", "In Tongues & Droves", and "Touch Don't Scroll". LP, Vinyl record album

A really majestic album from this mighty nice group – a set that references older space-themed albums from the postwar years, but which serves up the sound in the best style of the Ghost Funk Orchestra! There's cool use of NASA dialogue between some tracks – and rather than burst out in a countdown of rocket fuel, the music moves slowly, almost dreamily at times – really reveling in laidback funk and fuzz, while also coming across with a slightly cinematic vibe that the group's never had before! A few tracks really rise above the usual, sometimes with really great vocals or jazz solos – and titles include "Casadastra", "Space Walk", "A Solar Wind", "Helios", "Nova", "To The Moon", "Eyes Of Love", and "Infinite Dark". CD

A really majestic album from this mighty nice group – a set that references older space-themed albums from the postwar years, but which serves up the sound in the best style of the Ghost Funk Orchestra! There's cool use of NASA dialogue between some tracks – and rather than burst out in a countdown of rocket fuel, the music moves slowly, almost dreamily at times – really reveling in laidback funk and fuzz, while also coming across with a slightly cinematic vibe that the group's never had before! A few tracks really rise above the usual, sometimes with really great vocals or jazz solos – and titles include "Casadastra", "Space Walk", "A Solar Wind", "Helios", "Nova", "To The Moon", "Eyes Of Love", and "Infinite Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic unreleased work from one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene from the late 50s onward – and one of the few players who could match the depth and soul of American jazzmen on the instrument! Dusko Goykovich has given us so much great music over the years – in small groups as a leader, in unusual projects as a sideman, and even as a soloist in bigger bands – and here, we capture the trumpet giant at the earliest stage of his career – on some beautiful German radio studio recordings from the end of the 50s and start of the 60s – tight, soulful, boppish material with a slight modern edge – recorded on all tracks with Derek Humble on alto, Karl Drevo (Drewo) on tenor, Franciso Coppieters on piano, and Jonny Fischer on bass. Some tracks feature Kenny Clarke on drums, the rest feature Stuff Combe on the kit – and titles include "Mile Dave", "Omricon", "Perhaps", "Quicksilver", "Solar", "Les Copains", "Salud To Birdland", and "On Green Dolphin Street". CD

Larry Graham and crew are definitely going for a fuller sound on this set – starting off the record with a funky marching band, in Tusk-like fashion – then rolling into some bass-heavy funk that tops even their previous records for tightness! The groove is a key element in the growth of west coast funk in the 70s – bass in the lead, but keyboards percolating in all over the place, in a style that's almost got touches of jazz – and which sets the stage for many of the Zapp-sounding projects of the future! A surprisingly great little record – and one we like almost better than the first few! Titles include "Love", "Mirror", "Entrow", "Do Yah", "Save Me", and "I Got A Reason". CD

Larry Graham and crew are definitely going for a fuller sound on this set – starting off the record with a funky marching band, in Tusk-like fashion – then rolling into some bass-heavy funk that tops even their previous records for tightness! The groove is a key element in the growth of west coast funk in the 70s – bass in the lead, but keyboards percolating in all over the place, in a style that's almost got touches of jazz – and which sets the stage for many of the Zapp-sounding projects of the future. Titles include "Love", "Mirror", "Entrow", "Do Yah", "Save Me", and "I Got A Reason". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album issued by the Grateful Dead on their own label – a setting that might make you think they'd act with less control than when at Warner Brothers, but which actually seems to have them doing the reverse! The whole thing's a great back-to-basics effort – sharp songs, rootsy instrumentation, and this nicely compact presentation of all the best ideas they'd been percolating for the past five years – maybe expanded a bit on the longer "Weather Report Suite" that ends the record, but tight and sing-songy on most of the rest – titles that include "Row Jimmy", "Stella Blue", "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away", "Eyes Of The World", and "Here Comes Sunshine". CD

The first album issued by the Grateful Dead on their own label – a setting that might make you think they'd act with less control than when at Warner Brothers, but which actually seems to have them doing the reverse! The whole thing's a great back-to-basics effort – sharp songs, rootsy instrumentation, and this nicely compact presentation of all the best ideas they'd been percolating for the past five years – maybe expanded a bit on the longer "Weather Report Suite" that ends the record, but tight and sing-songy on most of the rest – titles that include "Row Jimmy", "Stella Blue", "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away", "Eyes Of The World", and "Here Comes Sunshine". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album issued by the Grateful Dead on their own label – a setting that might make you think they'd act with less control than when at Warner Brothers, but which actually seems to have them doing the reverse! The whole thing's a great back-to-basics effort – sharp songs, rootsy instrumentation, and this nicely compact presentation of all the best ideas they'd been percolating for the past five years – maybe expanded a bit on the longer "Weather Report Suite" that ends the record, but tight and sing-songy on most of the rest – titles that include "Row Jimmy", "Stella Blue", "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away", "Eyes Of The World", and "Here Comes Sunshine". This 50th Anniversary is loaded with bonus material, too – with demo versions of "Eyes Of The World" and Here Comes Sunshine" – plus a second CD featuring previously unreleased live material recorded at Northwestern University's McGaw Hall, on November 1, 1973 – with their "Weather Report Suite" and more! CD

The first album issued by the Grateful Dead on their own label – a setting that might make you think they'd act with less control than when at Warner Brothers, but which actually seems to have them doing the reverse! The whole thing's a great back-to-basics effort – sharp songs, rootsy instrumentation, and this nicely compact presentation of all the best ideas they'd been percolating for the past five years – maybe expanded a bit on the longer "Weather Report Suite" that ends the record, but tight and sing-songy on most of the rest – titles that include "Row Jimmy", "Stella Blue", "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away", "Eyes Of The World", and "Here Comes Sunshine". LP, Vinyl record album

Shame about the cover, but cheescake nudie image aside, the album's got all the poise, class, and grace you'd expect in some other classics from pianist Roland Hanna – a player who already attained majesty in his music, long before he started adding "Sir" to his name! There's a fair bit of classical numbers here, used as surprising vehicles for jazz expression by Hanna – not the usual "jazz meets classical" vibe that stays very faithful to the structure of the original compositions – but more just a basic inspiration for improvisational melodies, played by the trio in a way that has Roland's piano strongly out in the lead, with subtle accompaniment from Ron Carter on bass and Grady Tate on drums. Titles include "Prelude", "Like Grains Of Sand", "Serenade", "Apres Un Reve", "Based On Gustav", and "Going Home". CD

After working for years in the Crusaders, then honing his production skills with excellent work for Fantasy and Mercury, Wayne Henderson put out this album of his own, which drew on a lot of the work he'd been doing during the mid 70s. The album's a showcase for his At Home productions team, and it features work by Bobby Lyle, Roland Bautista, Ronnie Laws, and others. Henderson plays trombone, but he also gets in the way a bit with some hipster vocalizing that doesn't quite work. Titles include "Lady Bug", "Foot Stompin Music", "I'm Staying Forever", and a version of the great stepper "Keep On Keepin On". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool change for the great keyboardist Ino Hidefumi – set that's still as spare and funky as previous releases, but in some very different ways! The keyboard groove here shifts a bit from the early 70s vibe of his start, into more of a spacey 80s sort of way – not tinny or dance oriented, but creatively adapted to some laidback rhythms that are really wonderful. Percolating beats, slow-stepping grooves, and other hip bits that make the spare tunes bristle with their own unique sort of electricity. The keyboards are still quite warm, and titles include "Ants Funeral Procession", "Innocent Devil", "Golden Ripples", "Cosmocology", "Ultramarine Circle", and "Space Butterfly". CD

High Pulp have some pretty heavy jazz guests this time around – a killer lineup that includes work from Jeff Parker, Kurt Rosenwinkel, James Brandon Lewis, and Brandee Younger – all musicians who definitely deepen the sound, while still letting the core combo bristle with all the funky edges of their previous work! The jazz soloists are working in a territory that's not strictly jazz – more the post-styles of labels like Brownswood or International Anthem – but also given a different sort of spin in the manner we've come to expect from High Pulp. Titles include "Dirtmouth", "Never In My Short Sweet Life", "Robert Pollard", "Solanin", "Unified Dakotas", "Fatigue", and "Bad Infinity". CD

High Pulp have some pretty heavy jazz guests this time around – a killer lineup that includes work from Jeff Parker, Kurt Rosenwinkel, James Brandon Lewis, and Brandee Younger – all musicians who definitely deepen the sound, while still letting the core combo bristle with all the funky edges of their previous work! The jazz soloists are working in a territory that's not strictly jazz – more the post-styles of labels like Brownswood or International Anthem – but also given a different sort of spin in the manner we've come to expect from High Pulp. Titles include "Dirtmouth", "Never In My Short Sweet Life", "Robert Pollard", "Solanin", "Unified Dakotas", "Fatigue", and "Bad Infinity". LP, Vinyl record album

A full package of work from the mighty Bill Holman – 2CDs worth of music – including three full albums plus bonus tracks! First up is material from the 1957 Coral album The Fabulous Bill Holman – a record that's got a maturity of expression that pushes Holman way past his Kenton years! The tracks are all larger ensemble ones, arranged and partially written by Bill, and played by the group in a broad chromatic style that's very nice – certainly Kenton-esque, but with a style that's somehow a bit more personal. Players include Charlie Mariano, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, Conte Cantoli, Stu Williamson, and Holman himself – and titles include "Evil Eyes", "You & I", "Bright Eyes", and the extended "The Big Street" – a great 17 minute tune! Next Is In A Jazz Orbit – a set that has Holman in a great mode that bridges the large group styles of the swing years and the changes in big band sounds that would take place in the 60s – and he's almost prefacing the style of the Clarke Boland Big Band by writing charts here that pack a real punch on the ensemble passages, yet which also rely very strongly on breakaway horn solos to tear up the tunes! The strength of the players is a key factor in the success of the album – as soloists include Frank Rosolino, Jack Sheldon, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, and Holman himself – on titles that include "Kissin Bug", "You Go To My Head", "Far Down Below", "Aura", "Theme & Variation #2", and "No Heat". Bill Holman's Great Big Band is a session from 1960 that has Bill Holman still sitting nicely at the top of the west coast large group format from the 50s! As with previous dates of this nature, Holman's got a way around the charts that few can match – a way of swinging the whole ensemble strongly, yet never in ways that are cloying, commercial, or cliched. All the right players find a space for expression – and the lineup includes Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenor sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all players who really sparkle nicely when they step out from the larger group. Titles include "Stereoso", "Shadrack", "Quickstep", "Aura", "The Moon Is Blue", "June Is Busting Out All Over", and "Spinuet". CD features 10 more bonus tracks – tunes from Holman's Kenton Presents sessions for Capitol in 1954 – octet material done with Don Fagerquist, Bob Eneveldsen, and Stu Williamson providing full brass support on trumpet and trombones – while Holman, Herb Geller, and Bob Gordon cut some broader lines themselves on saxes. Tunes are all great originals by Holman – extremely inventive in both melody and structure – with titles that include "Sparkle", "Tanglefoot", "Song Without Words", "Cousin Jack", "Back To Minors", and "Jughaid". CD

Previously-unheard material from Freddie Hubbard – great live sides recorded in Europe during 1969, all with a stretched-out sound that really points the way to some of Freddie's growth in the 70s! The feel here is a bit like Hubbard's excellent Hub Of Hubbard album recorded for MPS around the same time – tracks that have a very spacious sound, much more so than some of his late 60s studio work – but which also are free of the electric modes that Freddie would begin to use at CTI. The balance is almost a bit like that of Hubbard's excellent post-electric sides of the early 80s, but with even more bite at times – played by a killer quartet that features Roland Hanna on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Space Track", "Without A Song", "Hub Tones", "The Things We Did Last Summer", "Body & Soul", and "Blues By Five". CD

A great early trio moment from Keith Jarrett – a set that steps off some of his previous Standards albums for ECM, but which also has more of a personal flavor as well! The group here is that great combo with Gary Peacock on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – both really open, fluid players who make the music really sparkle alongside Jarrett's piano – offering up tunes that are mostly standards, but in really unique variations! The album's a tribute to key musical heroes – Lee Konitz, Jim Hall, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, and others – but the overall sound is pure Jarrett all the way through, on titles that include "Lover Man", "Solar", "Sun Prayer", "Little Girl Blue", "U Dance", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", and "All The Things You Are". CD

The Keith Jarrett trio can take just about any tune and make it their own – as you'll hear in this wonderful set that has the group still going strong, well into the 21st Century! As with some of their previous outings, the tunes here are mostly familiar standards, but played with a fluid, open quality that's really unique – Keith himself blocking out these waves of sound that approximate the melody, but really extrapolate from it – Gary Peacock handling the bass with these round, extended tones that seem to wrap up the whole group together – and Jack DeJohnette as a master of understatement, yet making these really important inflections all the time as well. Titles include "Shawnuff", "Yesterdays", "Strollin", "A Sleepin Bee", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Stella By Starlight". CD

A heck of a comeback for Jay-Z – and a record that definitely stands as the blueprint promised in the title – not just for Jay-Z's career in years to come, but also for that of Kanye West and Just Blaze – who both contribute key work here on the production tip! The set's a long one, but it's also very focused – not padded out with lots of skits, party tracks, or guest appearances (only one feature on the whole thing – with Eminem) – and instead really bringing back a level of lyrical skill that Jay-Z had been lagging a bit on previous albums. Certainly a great start to a decade of renewed importance – with titles that include "Takeover", "The Ruler's Back", "Izzo (HOVA)", "Girls Girls Girls", "U Don't Know", "Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)", "Renegade", "Blueprint", "Hola Hovito", and "Song Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the fiercest work we've ever heard from this legendary Czech fusion outfit – a previously-unreleased live performance from 1980, and one that may well blow away some of their classic studio records from the 70s! The tunes are long, and have a sense of darkness that we're not sure we've heard this strongly before – as keyboardist Martin Kratochvil plays Fender Rhodes and moog to really set the stage for most tunes at the start – then opening the door to bolder work on guitar from Frantisek Francl. There's as much prog going on here as jazz – and the lean quartet setting allows for plenty of longspun work from keys and guitar – on titles that include "Pecet", "Pralesni Pisen", "Trhanec", "Az Se Ucho Utrhne", and "Madona". CD

Some of the fiercest work we've ever heard from this legendary Czech fusion outfit – a previously-unreleased live performance from 1980, and one that may well blow away some of their classic studio records from the 70s! The tunes are long, and have a sense of darkness that we're not sure we've heard this strongly before – as keyboardist Martin Kratochvil plays Fender Rhodes and moog to really set the stage for most tunes at the start – then opening the door to bolder work on guitar from Frantisek Francl. There's as much prog going on here as jazz – and the lean quartet setting allows for plenty of longspun work from keys and guitar – on titles that include "Pecet", "Pralesni Pisen", "Trhanec", "Az Se Ucho Utrhne", and "Madona". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime mix of tunes put together by Jazzanova to celebrate the 5th anniversary of their groundbreaking radio show – one that features 6 completely exclusive tunes, plus a wealth of other great bits from a variety of different artists! The vibe here is laidback and mellow, yet still plenty soulful – almost in the Secret Love territory explored by Jazzanova in earlier years, but with a fair bit more electricity overall, and a really global sort of consciousness in the soulful vocals on the tunes! Even when things get a bit abstract, they're still plenty funky – and there's a crisp, crackling sensibility that unites all the different tracks in the mix. 20 tracks in all – including "Just A Lil Lovin" by Jazzanova & Outlines, "In The Remix (Starship interpretation)" by Capital A, "Candlelight" by Wahoo, "Or At Least" by The Slapped Eyeballers, "Excelsior" by Ame, "Intermission" by Soulphiction, "Flashback (Jazzanova's mashed bag)" by Fat Freddy's Drop, "Skitsophrenic (part 2)" by Leroy & Darnell, "Nowhere (Atjazz Astro Black mix)" by Clara Hill, "My Vision (Dixon edit)" by Agora Rhythm, "Sun Of A Beach (London mix)" by Pharoah Roche, "Beatzeps" by Jaslopski, "Step Off" by Arken, "I Just Wanna Sing For You" by Norman Weeks & The Revelations, "So Long" by Nicola Kramer, and "No Memory Of Time (reggae version)" by Eva Be with Joe Dukie. CD

Way earlier than the "acid jazz" you might expect from the title – but a great set of classic soul jazz, featuring two rare albums on Prestige! First up is Enough Said, a heavy set of hard-wailing soul jazz – a real lost treasure recorded by guitarist Bill Jennings (formerly "Wild" Bill Jennings during his R&B years), in a lean quintet format with help from organist Jack McDuff! Jennings and McDuff were playing together heavily at the time – and the feel here is quite similar to some of Jack's earliest albums on Prestige – particularly in the way the organ stops are set, with that wide-ranging sound that was quite popular at the end of the 50s – before the changes of the next decade had the instrument tightened up a bit more. Other members of the group include Al Jennings on additional guitar, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Al Johnson on drums – and titles include "Enough Said", "Tough Gain", "Volare", "Blue Jams", and "Dig Uncle Will". Glide On is a groovy glide from the mighty Bill Jennings – making a key transition here from earlier R&B into hipper soul jazz – thanks to the help of organist Jack McDuff! Bill was Jack's guitarist on a few of his key early Prestige dates, but the roles are reversed here – with Jennings as the leader, and McDuff as the sideman – playing some incredible Hammond in a variety of tones and timings that really help keep things cool throughout! Bill's lean guitar lines are out front on all tunes, but Jack's organ follows strongly in second place – alongside other instrumentation that includes vibes from Al Jennings, bass from Wendell Marshall, and drums from Alvin Johnson. Titles include "Azur-Te", "Hey Mrs Jones", "Cole Slaw", "Glide On", "Billin & Burnin", and "Fiddlin". CD

Pretty nice later work from Grace! Although we prefer the percolating disco meets reggae records Grace Jones cut with Sly & Robbie to this later effort – but there's no denying that on a couple of numbers she really clicks with producer Trevor Horn's slick sheen. With "Ladies & Gentlemen: Miss Grace Jones", "Jones The Rhythm", "The Fashion Show", "The Frog & The Princess" and "Slave To The Rhythm". CD

Pretty nice later work from Grace! Although we prefer the percolating disco meets reggae records Grace Jones cut with Sly & Robbie to this later effort – but there's no denying that on a couple of numbers she really clicks with producer Trevor Horn's slick sheen. With "Ladies & Gentlemen: Miss Grace Jones", "Jones The Rhythm", "The Fashion Show", "The Frog & The Princess" and "Slave To The Rhythm". LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a record of Latin Jazz – recorded in the UK, but with a vibe that puts the whole thing right up there with some of the most inventive American albums of a few years before – such as Latin jazz classics by Sabu Martinez, Cal Tjader, or Eddie Palmieri! Robin Jones is the leader, and plays drums and timbales here – and the group are a tight sextet who work with no vocals at all – just flutes and saxes from Olaf Vas, a great talent who really shades in the sound – plus piano and Rhodes from Ian Henry, bass from Percy Borthwick, and percussion from Simon Morton and Tony Uter. Given the lack of other instrumentation, there's a fantastic focus on the percussion, reeds, and piano – and the whole thing's a cracker through and through, with titles that include "Africa Revisited", "Urubu", "Con Fuego", "Denga", and "Sucio Mambo". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that maybe marked the close of one chapter of The Kinks, and the start of another – music that still holds on to some of the best elements of their late 60s Village Green era, but which also moves the group into some of the headier territory of their Muswell Hill/RCA years too! Ray Davies has never sounded more earnest – still able to pull off wit when needed, but also more down to earth – and because of the massive title hit, the set was also one that put the group in front of the ears or more folks than had been hearing them in previous years. Titles include, of course, the mega-hit "Lola" – plus "This Time Tomorrow", "Apeman", "Strangers", "The Contenders", "Long Way From Home", "Rats", and "Top Of The Pops". CD

An album that maybe marked the close of one chapter of The Kinks, and the start of another – music that still holds on to some of the best elements of their late 60s Village Green era, but which also moves the group into some of the headier territory of their Muswell Hill/RCA years too! Ray Davies has never sounded more earnest – still able to pull off wit when needed, but also more down to earth – and because of the massive title hit, the set was also one that put the group in front of the ears or more folks than had been hearing them in previous years. Titles include, of course, the mega-hit "Lola" – plus "This Time Tomorrow", "Apeman", "Strangers", "The Contenders", "Long Way From Home", "Rats", and "Top Of The Pops". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that maybe marked the close of one chapter of The Kinks, and the start of another – music that still holds on to some of the best elements of their late 60s Village Green era, but which also moves the group into some of the headier territory of their Muswell Hill/RCA years too! Ray Davies has never sounded more earnest – still able to pull off wit when needed, but also more down to earth – and because of the massive title hit, the set was also one that put the group in front of the ears or more folks than had been hearing them in previous years. Titles include, of course, the mega-hit "Lola" – plus "This Time Tomorrow", "Apeman", "Strangers", "The Contenders", "Long Way From Home", "Rats", and "Top Of The Pops". CD

An album that maybe marked the close of one chapter of The Kinks, and the start of another – music that still holds on to some of the best elements of their late 60s Village Green era, but which also moves the group into some of the headier territory of their Muswell Hill/RCA years too! Ray Davies has never sounded more earnest – still able to pull off wit when needed, but also more down to earth – and because of the massive title hit, the set was also one that put the group in front of the ears or more folks than had been hearing them in previous years. Titles include, of course, the mega-hit "Lola" – plus "This Time Tomorrow", "Apeman", "Strangers", "The Contenders", "Long Way From Home", "Rats", and "Top Of The Pops". CD

A surprisingly sunny project from John Carroll Kirby – a set that's jazzier and warmer than most of his previous work – almost in this very cool blend of 70s jazz funk and instrumental AOR! The rhythms have some 80s elements at times, but not in the colder sound of the electro generation – as all the other instrumental parts, especially the keyboards, are tuned up with a nice sort of glow, and really make the album sparkle – not all-out jazz, but with all the organic elements of soulful fusion, yet tilted a bit more towards a contemporary Cali vibe that you'd expect from Stones Throw. Titles include "Hotel Jonny Chingas", "Sun Go Down", "Flying Cat", "Oropendola", "Mates", "The Takedown", and "Vertigo" – plus three bonus dub tracks too! CD

A surprisingly sunny project from John Carroll Kirby – a set that's jazzier and warmer than most of his previous work – almost in this very cool blend of 70s jazz funk and instrumental AOR! The rhythms have some 80s elements at times, but not in the colder sound of the electro generation – as all the other instrumental parts, especially the keyboards, are tuned up with a nice sort of glow, and really make the album sparkle – not all-out jazz, but with all the organic elements of soulful fusion, yet tilted a bit more towards a contemporary Cali vibe that you'd expect from Stones Throw. Titles include "Hotel Jonny Chingas", "Sun Go Down", "Flying Cat", "Oropendola", "Mates", "The Takedown", and "Vertigo" – plus three bonus dub tracks too! LP, Vinyl record album

Previously unreleased live material by Rahsaan Roland Kirk – recorded during his headiest years at Atlantic records! Kirk in the studio is already plenty darn great – with an extremely inventive approach to rhythm, song structure, and soloing – but in a live setting, he opens up even more, and often lets his most playful spirit come in and really transform the tunes! The style here is similar to Roland's Bright Moments live date for Atlantic, but with less talking and more music overall – a sometimes straighter jazz approach that features tenor, flute, manzello, stritch, and clarinet from Kirk – plus piano by Ron Burton, bass by Henry Pete Pearson, drums by Richie Goldberg, and added percussion by Joe Texidor. Recording quality is quite strong, despite the "unreleased" nature of the tapes – and there's a very strong Coltrane vibe running through some of the tracks. Titles include a 17 minute reading of "Blue Trane", plus "Seasons/Serenade To A Cuckoo", "Pedal Up", "Lush Life", "Afro Blue", "Make It With You", "Rahsaan's Spirit", and "Like Sonny". CD

One of the greatest contributions made by the 32 Jazz label so far has been the rich amount of classic Roland Kirk material they've released on the market. The best of Kirk's work has been out of print for years, and like the folks at 32 Jazz, we think that's a darn shame – which is why we're extra-excited about a set like this! This nicely (and strangely) packaged 3 CD set features 2 CDs worth of previously unreleased live material – recorded in the years 1964 to 1975, by jazz recordist/archivist George Bonafacio. The material is amazing, and definitely gives proof to the claim that Kirk's live sets were even more amazing than his studio recordings. There's a wealth of great stuff here that really opens up an understanding of Kirk's 60s and early 70s years – and titles include "Rahsaantalk", "Misterioso", "Jammin With A Wolf", "Sister Sadie", "Blues For Alice", and a very groovy "Multi-Horn Medley". And if that's not enough, the 3rd CD of the set features the totally rare Natural Black Inventions album, which Kirk recorded for Atlantic. The record's got an amazing sound: Roland plays solo (mostly), and without the aid of overdubbing, to create these amazing soundscapes of multiple horns and circular breathing. It's filled with these fantastic throbbing pulsating reed lines, with one horn blowing rhythm, and one playing an adventurous solo – and both being blown live a the same time! Tracks include "Black Root", "Raped Voices", "Day Dream", and "Something For Trane That Trane Could Have Said". 3 great CDs of material by one of our favorite-ever reed players – and nicely priced, if we do say so ourselves! CD

One of Roland Kirk's moodiest albums – and a record that really helped him find a big new audience in the 60s! The approach here is a bit different than some of Kirk's more bombastic jazz albums from previous years – gentle, and almost spiritual at times – thanks to heavy use of flute, which Kirk explores with a deeply personal tone – easing out gentle lines that really foreshadow the use of the instrument in the post-Coltrane generation! The record has a dark somber tone at times, and a sweetly redemptive one at others – and the other players include Horace Parlan on piano, Bobby Moses on vibes, Michael Fleming on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums – and the album also features a bit of vocals from Crystal-Joy Albert. Titles include "Ruined Castles", "Trees", "I Talk With The Spirits", and Roland's classic "Serenade To A Cuckoo". CD

Nice 2-in-1 set that reissues 2 hard to find albums by Roland Kirk! Kirk's Work is a strange and tasty album that Kirk made with organist Jack McDuff in the early 60s. The album's also been issued under the title Funk Underneath – but this is the original version. Kirk's tenor, manzello, stritch, and flute sound great next to Brother Jack's organ, and his sense of humor matches that of the great keyboardist. They swing hard, and have a lot of fun, especially on tracks like "Kirk's Work", "Three for Dizzy", and "Doin' the Sixty-Eight". The second album was cut under Jaki Byard's name – and is an amazing (and often forgotten) quartet session that brings together the enigmatic pianist and the mind-blowing multi-reed player. Kirk and Byard had played together previously, most notably on some of Kirk's Mercury recordings, and they fit together perfectly in this mad session of off-kilter jazz. The two of them are backed by Alan Dawson on drums and Richard Davis on bass, and the group's as tight as a drum. Titles include "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Evidence", "Memories Of You", and "Hazy Eve". CD

A great one – and the kind of European jazz album that kicks like a Clarke/Boland Big Band album! Hans Koller directs a large-scale swinging big band of some of the best European and American expatriot players of the time – like Sahib Shihab, Benny Bailey, Donald Byrd, Johnny Griffin, and Albert Mangelsdorff – and the set screams with intense solos, and a tight groove that pushes past any of the cliches you could imagine for a set like this. One of the things that makes the session great is some groovy organ, played by Infried Hoffman, the German player who was in Klaus Doldinger's early group. Doldinger's also on here, and his sound is way better than on his 70's work. Titles include "Hip Hit", "Revelation", "Conversation", "Knodel-Waltzer", and "Blazy Bones Revisited". LP, Vinyl record album

Very moody work from Polish keyboardist Wladyslaw Komendarek – an unreleased album from 1990, and one that features a whole host of Korg, Casio, and Yamaha Keyboards – all creating a dark soundscape that's very much in keeping with the image on the cover! This isn't playful robot music, as you might find in the work of Der Plan at the start of the previous decade – and instead, Komendarek crafts a very dystopic sort of record – each track longer than the next, and creating a world where it really seems like the robots have won the war! Titles include "Zadanie", "Inwazja", "Korekta Inteligencji", and "Milosc Robotow". The set also features two bonus tracks added to the record – "Synergia" and "Kepler 1649C". CD

Seminal work from Steve Lacy – a set that was recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until the mid 70s – when it quickly became one of THE key records for understanding Lacy's sound and style! The set's based on the work of Thelonious Monk – and like Lacy's early Prestige album, Reflections, it features these wonderful angular extrapolations on Monk's modern ideals – really taken to the next level, and in a way that's even more far-reaching than Lacy's previous recordings of Monk. The group here is a key part of the album's strength – with Lacy on soprano sax, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Henry Grimes on bass, and Dennis Charles on drums – and titles include "Bye Ya", "Monk's Mood", "Brilliant Corners", and "Skippy". CD

The gangster image on the cover might be a tipoff to the sound here – as Lakeside help forge the roots of g-funk with their classic bass-heavy sound on the album! The record's great – every bit as funky as previous Lakeside work in all the right parts, but also showing a greater development of the group past their funk roots – able to mix mellower moments with groovers, at that sublime level that Fatback hit when the 80s began! There's plenty of greatness here for everyone – and titles include "Real Love", "Untouchable", "So Let's Love", "Turn The Music Up", and "Raid". LP, Vinyl record album

A Round Two KO from Timo Lassey – modern jazzy sounds with classic resonance from the Finnish saxophonist and his killer combo – featuring a couple of standout vocal numbers featuring Jose James and with sharp production by Teddy Rok! The group delivers timeless jazz with passion and verve – no mere revivalists here, this is a group that drives deeply grooving swing, bop, Latin jazz and other classic influences with contemporary swagger. Jose James is one of our favorite contemporary vocalists and he always exudes a jazz depth, but to hear him in a setting where can go all in with it is wonderful – but those numbers don't steal any fire from the instrumental grooves that are the heart & soul of the set. Tenor & baritone sax man Timo Lassey is backed alto Ari Jokelainen, the always excellent Jukka Eskola oin trumpet, Mikko Mustonen on trombone,Georgios Kontrafouris on keys, Antti Kotjonen on bass, Teppo Makynen on drums and Abdissa Assefa on percussion. Includes "The More I Look At You", "Shifting Winds", "Ya Dig", "Some Love", "Deeper Into", "Fooling Rosetta", "Backyard Puma" and "Buzz Beater Stomp". CD

The storm here is a gentle one – as it reverberates from the double acoustic basswork of Joelle Leandre and Vinicius Cajadao – sounding really wonderful here without any other instrumentation at all! Each track is a titled "dance" – but there's less of a sense of rhythm, than a way of the players moving together – each a very well-trained master of the more complicated sonic textures of their instruments, at a level that really elevates Cajado to a territory that we normally just expect from such a unique musician as Leandre! The sounds are free, but never without thoughtfulness and some sort of narrative capability – and the set features six improvisations overall, each a numbered "dance". CD

A quadruple-header from Ramsey Lewis – four albums from his great 70s electric period on Columbia Records! First up is Funky Serenity – sweet electric funk from Ramsey Lewis! The album's one of his best from the 70s – and it's got Ramsey on Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and other keyboards, grooving away in an open-ended 70s mode that still retains all the heavy soul of his classic work for Chess. Morris Jennings adds in some very nice percussion with his drum work, and Cleveland Eaton's on funky bass, giving the set a strong bottom groove. Features the sublime sample cut "My Love For You", a great version of "Knights In White Satin" that's done with a weird spacey groove, plus the tracks "Kufany Mapenzi (Making Love)", "Serene Funk", "What It Is!", and "Dreams". Golden Hits isn't a "best of", but instead has Ramsey and his funky mid 70s trio with Morris Jennings and Cleveland Eaton revisiting some of his best loved material from the Cadet years, but with the groovy Rhodes and wah wah sound that we dig so much about his CBS recordings. Unlike some of the other records from this period, the group's nice and stripped down, just the electric piano, bass and drums, so the groove's nice and wide open, Ramsey and company popping along with the sanctified soulful vibe of his 60s work, but updating their sound with some nice electric touches. 9 numbers in all: "Hang On Sloopy", "Blues For The Night Owl", "Hi-Heel Sneakers", "Carmen", "Delilah", "Wade In The Water", "Slippin' Into Darkness", "Somethin' You Got", and "The In Crowd". Solar Wind was cut smack dab in the middle of Ramsey's glory days at Columbia Records – with great production help and work on bass from the mighty Cleveland Eaton! The style is nice and lean, with just some occasional fuller touches – and Ramsey plays plenty of Fender Rhodes, in addition to bits of Arp and moog too – in a setting that's mostly trio, with a few guest players stepping into the mix from track to track! There's a nice degree of fuzz at points, thanks to added help from Steve Cropper – and titles include a great funky version of "Summer Breeze", plus "Solar Wind", "Come Down In Time", "Love for A Day", "Hummingbird", "Jamaican Marketplace", and "Sweet & Tender You". Sun Goddess is one of our favorite Ramsey Lewis albums ever – and a perfect summation of the genius that was brewing on the Chicago scene in the late 60s and early 70s! The album has Ramsey working strongly with Earth Wind & Fire – no surprise, given his close ties to Maurice White, who was the drummer in Ramsey's trio before starting his own group – and the shared relationship both artists had with producer Charles Stepney! The three were all key parts of the late 60s sound at Chess Records – but here, they've brought the same soulful energy to Columbia – working in a wider, more mature groove for the 70s – one that has Lewis' wicked Fender Rhodes lines stretching out strongly over tight, compressed, funky lines from EWF! The centerpiece of the set is the massive 7 minute "Sun Goddess", but there's lots of other nice ones like "Living For The City", "Gemini Rising", and "Jungle Strut". Funky, electric, and sublimely wonderful all the way through! CD

A great little record, filled with loads of cross-cultural influences that make for one of the most exotic Herbie Mann albums of the 60s! The group's billed as the Afro-Jazz Sextet– but has a strong Latin vibe as well – a bit of an echo of the experiments Herbie Mann did with Latin jazz previously on labels like Verve and United Artists – but given a bit more of the Atlantic-era punch here as well! The group features some wonderful vibes from John Rae – whose tones ring out beautifully on some of the best numbers – plus a mix of Latin and African-styled percussion from Ray Barretto, Olatunjii, and Ray Mantilla – who really make the record cook. A few tunes feature an added trumpet group, and the rest are mostly just flute and percussion – on titles that include "St Thomas", "Walkin", "Uhuru", "High Life", and "Sawa Sawa De". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous third album from MC Solaar – an artist with such a sense of flow, you might not even realize that he's speaking in French! The album's longer than before, but has a wonderfully unified feel – lots of Boom Bass/La Funk Mob production – at a level that not only revels in the new turns the French funk scene was taking, but which also brings in a bit more soul than before – a quality that really helped Solaar become something of a global star with this record, and not just a novelty hip hop act rhyming in French! The whole thing's rock-solid – and titles include "Gangster Moderne", "Tournicoti", "Zoom", "Daydreamin", "Wonderbra", "Dakota", "La 5eme Saison", "Galaktika", "Les Songes", and "Les Temps Changent". CD

A new record by the legendary Sergio Mendes – bursting into the 21st century on a catchy wave of Will I Am production – reworking gems from the Brazilian songbook and more with guest appearances by Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, India Arie, Black Thought, Chali 2Na, Marcelo D2, John Legend and others! Will I Am has been annoying hip hop purists for years thanks to the relentless candy-coated pop gloss of recent Black Eyed Peas records – but he brings an intelligent, reverent and educated approach to the Brazilian keys legend Sergio Mendes – whose familiar grooves are a lovely accomplice to the sparkling hip hop/pop background. The guest stars seem to be here out of genuine love of the music – and provide far more graceful appearances than we would have expected! A very sweet surprise with bright, warm, and lovely moments – almost good enough for us to forgive Will I Am for "My Humps"! Tracks include "Mas Que Nada" feat Black Eyed Peas, "Berimbau/Consolacao" feat Stevie Wonder & Gracinha Leporace, "That Heat" feat Erykah Badu & Will I Am, "Let Me" feat Jill Scott & Will I Am, "Please Baby Don't" feat John Legend, "Samba Da Bencao" feat Marcelo D2, "Yes, Yes, Y'All" feat Black Thought, Chali 2Na & others and much more! CD

Sweet beats and plenty of grooves – an 80s funk classic from Midnight Star, and one that seems to have the group picking up a bit of energy from the hip hop scene as well! The album's still got the electro soul vibe of previous records, but maybe is even beat-heavier overall – almost showcasing a style that would later emerge as new jack in the hands of some younger artists within the next few years – but still perfect for the kind of playful interplay that made the Midnight groove so great! Titles include "Midas Touch", "Stay Here By My Side", "Close To Midnight", "Searching For Love", "Close Encounter", "Dead End", "Get Dressed", "Engine No 9", and "Headlines". CD