A wonderful little record from pianist Joanne Brackeen – unlike anything the artist ever recorded, as it's just a set of duets with guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, who brings in some really beautiful elements to the mix! Ryo plays an acoustic nylon string guitar, but with a dexterity that most other players would use on electric – and the balance of his instrument with Brackeen's piano is sublime – full of colors and imaginative tones, but also a fair degree of rhythmic impulses too – which guide the duo in ways that are completely refreshing throughout! And yes, Ryo could be slick on other records, but he's definitely not here – and instead finds a special space alongside those choppy blocks of sound that Joanne plays so well. Titles include a great reading of Kawasaki's "Trinkets & Things" – plus "Shadowbrook Air", "Spring Of Things", "Fair Weather", "Whim Within", and "Winnie & Woodstock". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few American releases by this legendary Japanese fusion artist – and a pretty funky little record as well! Ryo Kawasaki plays lead guitar and the very cool "string synthesizer" on the set – making for a sweet mix of electric grooves that has some really great spacey touches! Tracks have a core funky base at the bottom – grooving in a mode that's tight, but never too slick – and which allows just the right amount of space to make the album work in equal parts electric jazz and funky fusion. The whole thing's great, and tracks include the great sample cut "Bamboo Child", the nice break cut "Raisins", plus other nice groovers like "East Side Boogie", and "El Toro". CD

One of the few American releases by this legendary Japanese fusion artist – and a pretty funky little record as well! Ryo Kawasaki plays lead guitar and the very cool "string synthesizer" on the set – making for a sweet mix of electric grooves that has some really great spacey touches! Tracks have a core funky base at the bottom – grooving in a mode that's tight, but never too slick – and which allows just the right amount of space to make the album work in equal parts electric jazz and funky fusion. The whole thing's great, and tracks include the great sample cut "Bamboo Child", the nice break cut "Raisins", plus other nice groovers like "East Side Boogie", and "El Toro". LP, Vinyl record album

Really great work from pianist Joanne Brackeen – a player who's always got plenty to offer, but who really seems to find a special space here – working in a unique trio that features Clint Houston on bass and Ryo Kawasaki on guitar! Houston's bass is wonderful – full, rich, and very well-rounded – an element that brings so much depth to the record that both Ryo and Joanne can really take off – Kawasaki on these colorful lines that have a bit more bite than his more fusiony guitar albums as a leader, and Brackeen with these incredibly deft, incredibly well-spun lines on piano. The balance of sounds is wonderful – very fresh and unique – and titles include "Aft", "Haiti B", "Dreamers", and "Winter Is Here". LP, Vinyl record album

Drummer Elvin Jones is listed as the main force on the cover – but as with all of his 70s albums, the whole outing is very much a strong group affair – thanks to a killer core quartet that features Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, Pat LaBarbera on reeds and Dave Williams on bass – working with a great blend of sax and guitar that really helps refine the Elvin Jones sound of the 70s! As with other records by Elvin, there's some great guest work too – reeds from a shifting lineup that includes Dave Liebman, Frank Foster, and Steve Grossman – providing that wailing intensity that Elvin sought after the passing of Coltrane, but in a fresh new way – and Albert Dailey also adds in some sweet keyboards as well. Titles include "Salty Iron", "Sweet Mama", "Mini Modes", "Philomene", and "Song Of Rejoicing After Returning From A Hunt". CD

Gil plays Jimi? Sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off pretty darn great – and it helps you forgive him for trying to convince the kids that he's not as old as his grey hair might make you think! As always with Evans, the key to the album is a beautiful balance between the strength of the players and vision of the arrangements – a hip mix of musicians who include Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, and both Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie on guitars! Arrangements are great too – handled by Tom Malone, Warren Smith, and Howard Johnson – all of whom make the album way more than just an instrumental reading of Jimi Hendrix tunes – and instead a great platform for improvisation that uses tunes that include "Up From The Skies", "Foxy Lady", "Gypsy Eyes", "Voodoo Chile", "Angel", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Castles Made of Sand". CD

A pretty great 70s album from Gil Evans – a set that's got some great use of electric instrumentation, and a mighty groove on the best cuts! The overall approach is different than the early modernist sound of Gil Evans, but still very striking – a 70s equivalent to Gil's famous 60s work – and as always with Evans, the players in the ensemble are impeccably well-chosen – as the lineup includes Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Billy Harper on tenor, Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, and a young Dave Sanborn handling the solos. Includes the odd spacey Tony Williams number "There Comes A Time", plus a cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing" – both of which have vocals by Peterson. Other tracks include "Aftermath Of The Fourth Movement Children Of The Fire", "Anita's Dance", and "Makes Her Move". CD

Gil plays Jimi? Sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off pretty darn great – and it helps you forgive him for trying to convince the kids that he's not as old as his grey hair might make you think! As always with Evans, the key to the album is a beautiful balance between the strength of the players and vision of the arrangements – a hip mix of musicians who include Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, and both Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie on guitars! Arrangements are great too – handled by Tom Malone, Warren Smith, and Howard Johnson – all of whom make the album way more than just an instrumental reading of Jimi Hendrix tunes – and instead a great platform for improvisation that uses tunes that include "Up From The Skies", "Foxy Lady", "Gypsy Eyes", "Voodoo Chile", "Angel", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Castles Made of Sand". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty great 70s album from Gil Evans – a set that's got some great use of electric instrumentation, and a mighty groove on the best cuts! The overall approach is different than the early modernist sound of Gil Evans, but still very striking – a 70s equivalent to Gil's famous 60s work – and as always with Evans, the players in the ensemble are impeccably well-chosen – as the lineup includes Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Billy Harper on tenor, Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, and a young Dave Sanborn handling the solos. Includes the odd spacey Tony Williams number "There Comes A Time", plus a cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing" – both of which have vocals by Peterson. Other tracks include "Aftermath Of The Fourth Movement Children Of The Fire", "Anita's Dance", and "Makes Her Move". LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful fusion from the mighty Tarika Blue – a group who recorded for the Chiaroscuro label around the same time that James Mason gave the imprint his classic Rhythm Of Life album – recording here in a sound that's not only a bit like James, but which also features his guitar on a number of tracks! The group's way different than the standard fusion acts of the time – as they blend together spiritual currents that allow for breezier instrumentation – sounds that take off to the skies, while still grooving at the core – thanks to an excellent lineup that also includes guitar from Ryo Kawasaki and soprano sax from Justo Almario! The core of the group features Philip Clendeninn on Fender Rhodes and Arp, with bass from Barry Coleman and drums from Kevin Atkins – and the record's got some very James Mason-like vocals at some points, from singers Dolores Smith and Irene Datcher. Titles include "Jimi", "My Love Is So Free", "Love It", "Dreamflower", "Things Spring", "Truth Is The Key", and "Charlie". LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful fusion from the mighty Tarika Blue – a group who recorded for the Chiaroscuro label around the same time that James Mason gave the imprint his classic Rhythm Of Life album – recording here in a sound that's not only a bit like James, but which also features his guitar on a number of tracks! The group's way different than the standard fusion acts of the time – as they blend together spiritual currents that allow for breezier instrumentation – sounds that take off to the skies, while still grooving at the core – thanks to an excellent lineup that also includes guitar from Ryo Kawasaki and soprano sax from Justo Almario! The core of the group features Philip Clendeninn on Fender Rhodes and Arp, with bass from Barry Coleman and drums from Kevin Atkins – and the record's got some very James Mason-like vocals at some points, from singers Dolores Smith and Irene Datcher. Titles include "Jimi", "My Love Is So Free", "Love It", "Dreamflower", "Things Spring", "Truth Is The Key", and "Charlie". LP, Vinyl record album

A real revelation from pianist Cedar Walton – an unusual electric album from the 70s – quite a surprise, given the mostly-acoustic sound of most of Cedar's other records! The album's a killer, though – and has this fresh, full take on funky jazz for the time – not the usual CTI copycat mode, and instead this compelling hybrid of elements that includes lots of Fender Rhodes from Walton, sweet guitar likes from Ryo Kawasaki, and lots of rootsy percussion from Ray Mantilla and Omar Clay – two players who really make the album nice and earthy at the bottom. The rest of the group is wonderful, too – and includes tenor from Frank Foster, alto and baritone from Charles Davis, and trumpet from Roy Burrowes – all fresh players who open up a big can of soul for the set – on titles that include a classic break version of "Off Minor", plus "Blue Trane", "Soho", and "Road Island Red". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the freshest funky compilations we've heard in ages – and a must-own set that's filled with wonderful grooves! The set starts out with a European bent – obscure gems from the 70s jazz and funk scene that's always been so out of reach to American ears – and adds in some other gems from points even more distant, to come up with a mindblowing approach to funk that sums up all that's great about the never-ending world of groovy grooves! Titles include "Name Of The Game" by Alan Hawkshaw, "Ocells Del Mes Enlla" by Jordi Sabates, "Bamboo Child" by Ryo Kawasaki, "Music Makes You Happy" by Blo, "Sonet" by Dan Mindrila, "Knast Funk" by Embryo, "Aurora Borealis" by Jukka Tolonen, "Turtle Soup" by Chakachas, "5 Nach Halb 7" by Modern Soul Band, "Probuzeni" by Jazz Celula, and "Windy Wendy" by Gian Piero Reverberi. Really really great! CD