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Whatever you may think of Milt Jackson's later work, this stuff from the early 50s, recorded in his pre-MJQ years, shows the vibist as a lively talent, playing head to head with boppers that he'd never dare face in later years. Players include Lou Donaldson, John Lewis, Thelonious Monk, and Shadow Wilson – and Kenny "Pancho" Hagood sings vocals on 2 tracks. Tracks include "On The Scene", "Tahiti", "Lillie", "Epistrophy", and "Misterioso". 17 tracks in all – with some alternate takes, and great remastering! CD

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Whatever you may think of Milt Jackson's later work, this stuff from the early 50s, recorded in his pre-MJQ years, shows the vibist as a lively talent, playing head to head with boppers that he'd never dare face in later years. Players include Lou Donaldson, John Lewis, Thelonious Monk, and Shadow Wilson – and Kenny "Pancho" Hagood sings vocals on 3 tracks. Tracks include "On The Scene", "Tahiti", "Lillie", "Epistrophy", and "Misterioso". 17 tracks in all – with some alternate takes. CD

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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 early moment of brilliance from Vincent Herring – and just the sort of set to make him one of the strongest young talents to emerge in jazz during the 90s! There's a rock-solid feel to the set – an approach that's steeped in classic hardbop modes, but which has traces of modernism too – never too overstated, but some sharper undercurrents that mark Herring's playing nicely as a bit deeper than the usual altoist. The rest of the group should get a good deal of credit, too – as players like Wallace Roney on trumpet and Mulgrew Miller on piano really share this sensibility with Herring. Titles include "I Sing A Song", "Never Forget", "Soul Leo", "Mr Wizard", "Voyage", and "Evidence". CD also features the bonus track "Hindsight". CD

One of our favorite records ever from ESP – a set that's got even more soul and spirit than we usually hear from the label! The album's one of the first (and few) from saxophonist Frank Lowe as a leader – and it's a unique date that also features alto and soprano sax from Joseph Jarman, who's really blowing beautifully here away from the Art Ensemble of Chicago! The set's got a vibe that's almost like the shift towards the loft jazz years the New York scene took after the initial avant wave documented by ESP in the 60s – informed with some of the spiritualism of the post-Coltrane generation on Impulse Records. Other players include a young William Parker on bass, Joseph Jarman on soprano and alto, and The Wizard (aka Raymond Lee Cheng) on violin, and Rashid Sinan on drums. Side one's got a beautiful long track called "In Trane's Name", and side two has "Brother Joseph" and "Thulani". CD

An amazing moment from The Who – and from the UK rock scene in general – as Tommy is one of the most fully-conceived concept albums ever recorded – a masterful effort that's still pretty hard to match all these many years later! Pete Townshend really knocked it out of the park with this one – and pushed the group way way past the simpler songs the were recording just a year before – into this deeply introspective territory, spun out both in the album's words and music. The Tommy tale's been well told many times over the years – so we won't bother with the full narrative – but just let us say that it's hard to go wrong with this one, an essential item in any collection of adventurous rock – classic or otherwise. Titles include "The Acid Queen", "It's A Boy", "Sally Simpson", "Miracle Cure", "Pinball Wizard", "Do You Think It's Alright", "Cousin Kevin", "Christmas", "Tommy's Holiday Camp", "I'm Free", and "We're Not Gonna Take It". CD

Two early classics from drummer Tony Williams – back to back on a single CD! First up is Life Time – a record that represents the pinnacle of Blue Note's "new thing" era! This amazing album was led by drummer Tony Williams (then just a wee lad, playing with Miles Davis, in his legendary 60s quintet) – but it's more of a "roundtable" session that features equal contributions by some of Blue Note's best avant garde players from the time, all of them young firey geniuses like Williams. The configurations of the players change drastically from track to track – and some feature Sam Rivers, Richard Davis, and Gary Peacock playing in a 2-bass and tenor lineup with Williams; others feature Bobby Hutcherson and Herbie Hancock playing heavily percussive vibes and piano solos next to Williams' assorted percussion playing; and one track doesn't even feature Williams at all, but has Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter in a beautifully moody bass and piano duet! The record is a treasure – and it's a landmark recording that's probably one of the greatest that Blue Note (or any other label) released during the 60s! Titles include "Barb's Song to The Wizard", "Memory", and "Two Pieces Of One: Red & Green". Spring is another gem – cut for Blue Note, back when he was just hitting the age of 20, and when he was already blowing the minds of masters like Jackie McLean (who first hired him) and Miles Davis (who stole him from Jackie for his own group!) with an approach to drumming that was freed from usual time constraints. Williams conception was so unique, other young modernists – like the album's Wayne Shorter and Sam Rivers on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, and Gary Peacock on bass – quickly benefited from his presence, as you'll hear in this amazing session that sounds very little like any other Blue Note release. Williams wrote all of the tracks, but the style is much freer than any sense of composition might imply – and the group is shaken up differently from track to track. Titles include "From Before", "Echo", and "Extras". 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

Evocative solo work from John Surman – working here in the lonely setting that seemed to come up more and more as his career went on! In addition to familiar sounds on soprano sax, baritone, and bass clarinet, Surman also plays some recorders as well – mixing in an airy, ethereal sound to the record that really fits the ECM mode. There's also a bit of synth as well – often played with a relatively organic feel, almost woodwind-like qualities that match the reeds nicely. Titles include "Portrait Of A Romantic", "On Hubbard's Hill", "Roundelay", "The Wizard's Song", "Not Love Perhaps", and "Undernote". CD

An amazing moment from The Who – and from the UK rock scene in general – as Tommy is one of the most fully-conceived concept albums ever recorded – a masterful effort that's still pretty hard to match all these many years later! Pete Townshend really knocked it out of the park with this one – and pushed the group way way past the simpler songs the were recording just a year before – into this deeply introspective territory, spun out both in the album's words and music. The Tommy tale's been well told many times over the years – so we won't bother with the full narrative – but just let us say that it's hard to go wrong with this one, an essential item in any collection of adventurous rock – classic or otherwise. Titles include "The Acid Queen", "It's A Boy", "Sally Simpson", "Miracle Cure", "Pinball Wizard", "Do You Think It's Alright", "Cousin Kevin", "Christmas", "Tommy's Holiday Camp", "I'm Free", and "We're Not Gonna Take It". CD

The pinnacle of Blue Note's "new thing" era! This amazing album was led by drummer Tony Williams (then just a wee lad, playing with Miles Davis, in his legendary 60s quintet) – but it's more of a "roundtable" session that features equal contributions by some of Blue Note's best avant garde players from the time, all of them young firey geniuses like Williams. The configurations of the players change drastically from track to track – and some feature Sam Rivers, Richard Davis, and Gary Peacock playing in a 2-bass and tenor lineup with Williams; others feature Bobby Hutcherson and Herbie Hancock playing heavily percussive vibes and piano solos next to Williams' assorted percussion playing; and one track doesn't even feature Williams at all, but has Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter in a beautifully moody bass and piano duet! The record is a treasure – and it's a landmark recording that's probably one of the greatest that Blue Note (or any other label) released during the 60s! Titles include "Barb's Song to The Wizard", "Memory", and "Two Pieces Of One: Red & Green". CD

Huge, dark, and heavy – an album of mythical proportions, and that's a lot to say for a mainstream album – especially one that crossed over as big as this one! It would be hard to imagine the modern rock landscape without this album or group, who provided the template for so much music to follow – and the soundtrack to many bong-fueled excursions to the dark side – a huge legacy in sound, but one that may well still be best begun on this landmark self-titled album! Titles include "Black Sabbath", "The Wizard", "Behind The Wall Of Sleep", "NIB", "Wicked World", and "Warning". CD

Lots of dark guitar from Bill Frisell, and some dark guitar synth too – played with a colder sound than usual for ECM, but in ways that make a nice change for the label! Some of the songs have a stop/start sort of feel – almost as if they're trying to find themselves – and Frisell's joined by Kenny Wheeler on trumpet and cornet, Bob Stewart on tuba, Jerome Harris on electric bass, and Paul Motian on drums. Titles include "Resistor", "Wizard Of Odds", "Tone", "Music I Heard", and "When We Go". CD

A stone classic from the legendary Hawkwind – a set that's steeped in all their best space rock modes of the 70s – yet which also has a wonderfully sharp sort of focus too! Keyboards, guitars, and drums soar to the skies right from the start – prefacing an intensity that so many others would later cop from the group, but never get this right – quite possibly because the simple 70s production really helps bring all the best elements right down on the money! In ways, the set almost echoes earlier psych performance and production – yet there's also a cleaner, clearer vibe going on – one that magically steps around the overindulgence of prog and the thinness of some of the later psych of the next decade. Titles include "The Demented Man", "Magnu", "Standing At The Edge", "Warriors", "Kings Of Speed", and "The Wizard Blew His Horn". CD

The female member of the X Clan posse weighs in with the title track, "Face The Bass", "Great Pimpstress", "Wizard of Optics", "State of Mind" and 6 others. CD

A hip hop masterpiece from Prince Paul – his second album as a solo act, but one that builds on years of top-shelf experience in the east coast scene – including his roots with Stetsasonic and production of De La Soul! The record came up at a time when there seemed to be a new sense of self-awareness in hip hop – maybe not a postmodern sensibility, but a gentle play between the real role of the artist and imagined pop presence – handled here by Paul with a lot more care than most, and presented in a concept album format that's full of great surprises along the way! Breeze Brewin of Jugganauts handles the main lyrics, but the story has lots of famous guests along the way – almost a Wizard Of Oz sort of journey that includes Kool Keith, Big Daddy Kane, Chubb Rock, Biz Markie, and many others. Titles include "MC Hustler", "The Other Line", "Pain", "Steady Slobbin", "War Party", "Weapon World", "Handle Your Time", "The Men In Blue", and "Mood For Love". CD

Titles include "Godzilla", "The Ring", "Follow Your Heart", "The Mirror Of Galadriel", and "The Wizard". CD

An amazing run of music – some of the hippest, most creative pop ever recorded – all records that helped forever cement the genius of Todd Rundgren, and all packaged here in one totally great collection! The first five albums here are especially wonderful – the genius debut of Runt, the follow up Runt The Ballad Of Todd Rundgren, the double length pop masterpiece Something/Anything, the weirder A Wizard A True Star, and the double experimental set Todd – followed by records that continue to mix Rundgren's studio experimentation with his amazing ear for a catchy tune – on albums that include Initiation, Faithful, Hermit Of Mink Hollow, Healing, and The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect – as well as the 2LP live set Back To The Bars. 13 CDs, each packaged in a tiny LP-style sleeve – within a larger box set! CD

An amazing moment from The Who – and from the UK rock scene in general – as Tommy is one of the most fully-conceived concept albums ever recorded – a masterful effort that's still pretty hard to match all these many years later! Pete Townshend really knocked it out of the park with this one – and pushed the group way way past the simpler songs the were recording just a year before – into this deeply introspective territory, spun out both in the album's words and music. The Tommy tale's been well told many times over the years – so we won't bother with the full narrative – but just let us say that it's hard to go wrong with this one, an essential item in any collection of adventurous rock – classic or otherwise. Titles include "The Acid Queen", "It's A Boy", "Sally Simpson", "Miracle Cure", "Pinball Wizard", "Do You Think It's Alright", "Cousin Kevin", "Christmas", "Tommy's Holiday Camp", "I'm Free", and "We're Not Gonna Take It". CD

An amazing moment from The Who – and from the UK rock scene in general – as Tommy is one of the most fully-conceived concept albums ever recorded – a masterful effort that's still pretty hard to match all these many years later! Pete Townshend really knocked it out of the park with this one – and pushed the group way way past the simpler songs the were recording just a year before – into this deeply introspective territory, spun out both in the album's words and music. The Tommy tale's been well told many times over the years – so we won't bother with the full narrative – but just let us say that it's hard to go wrong with this one, an essential item in any collection of adventurous rock – classic or otherwise. Titles include "The Acid Queen", "It's A Boy", "Sally Simpson", "Miracle Cure", "Pinball Wizard", "Do You Think It's Alright", "Cousin Kevin", "Christmas", "Tommy's Holiday Camp", "I'm Free", and "We're Not Gonna Take It". 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

Titles include "Qliphoth Chokehold", "Exaltation", "Kheter Ascension", "Father... Our Pain", and "Your Bliss My Joy". CD

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Includes work with Jimmy Blythe's Owls, the Beale Street Washboard Band, and Jimmy Bertrand's Washboard Wizards featuring Louis Armstrong, and his own group the Black Bottom Stompers. 16 cuts in all. CD

Miles Davis' last studio session before a few years of seclusion – and a really monumental effort, probably the baddest of the electric period! The album does a great job of capturing the energy of the frenzied live sets from that time, and matching it with Teo Macero's cut and paste editing, and wizardry at the mixing console. The side long piece "He Loved Him Madly" is a minimalist epic, while "Calypso Frelimo" alternates between mad afro-percussion driven jams and spacey wah-wah trumpet interludes. The rest of the album is divided up into more succinct shorter funky pieces, like classic "Rated X", with Miles basically just leaning on an electric organ over a hyper funk beat, and the bluesy "Honky Tonk" which opens with an incredibly funky burping electric piano break! CD

The deepest jazz funk material Madlib has ever laid down – possibly the best album yet from Yesterday's New Quintet – featuring turns at freewheeling avant funk, electro jazz groove, furious sound library styles, a few chill moments, and a boundless sound overall! Yesterday's Universe features 15 unique tracks – purportedly played by 10 acts (The Last Electro, The Jahari Massamba Unit, The Eddie Prince Fusion Band, Young Jazz Rebels, etc), but in truth it's all from the feverishly talented mind of Madlib – with special guests including drummer Karriem Riggins and Azymuth precussionist Mamao! It's heavily steeped in fusion funk, but we're equally impressed by the cooler, slightly straighter moments – which display just how wide of a grasp Madlib has on the deepest, darkest corners of the spectrum. The wide range of influences flows naturally – amazing work from one of the most talented wizards in the game! Titles include a heady adaptation of "Bitches Brew", "Umoja (Unity)", "Slave Riot", "One For The Monica Lingas Band", "Street Talkin'", "Marcus, Martin & Malcolm", "Two For Strata East", "Cold Nights And Rainy Days", "Mtume's Song", "Vibes From The Tribes Suite (For Phil)", "Upa Neguinho" and more. CD

Miles Davis' last studio session before a few years of seclusion – and a really monumental effort, probably the baddest of the electric period! The album does a great job of capturing the energy of the frenzied live sets from that time, and matching it with Teo Macero's cut and paste editing, and wizardry at the mixing console. The side long piece "He Loved Him Madly" is a minimalist epic, while "Calypso Frelimo" alternates between mad afro-percussion driven jams and spacey wah-wah trumpet interludes. The rest of the album is divided up into more succinct shorter funky pieces, like classic "Rated X", with Miles basically just leaning on an electric organ over a hyper funk beat, and the bluesy "Honky Tonk" which opens with an incredibly funky burping electric piano break! CD

Miles Davis' last studio session before a few years of seclusion – and a really monumental effort, probably the baddest of the electric period! The album does a great job of capturing the energy of the frenzied live sets from that time, and matching it with Teo Macero's cut and paste editing, and wizardry at the mixing console. The side long piece "He Loved Him Madly" is a minimalist epic, while "Calypso Frelimo" alternates between mad afro-percussion driven jams and spacey wah-wah trumpet interludes. The rest of the album is divided up into more succinct shorter funky pieces, like classic "Rated X", with Miles basically just leaning on an electric organ over a hyper funk beat, and the bluesy "Honky Tonk" which opens with an incredibly funky burping electric piano break! CD

A classic set of sample-heavy wizardry from Edan – and a record that's every bit as psychedelic as you might expect from the cover! There's plenty of great psych flourishes in the samples, grounded in some heavy breakbeats that keep things on tracks – while the rhythms mix touches of madness and genius, with tongue twists that pay homage and blast forward simultaneously. Guests include Mr Lif, Insight, and Percee-P – and titles include "Funky Voltron", "I See Colours", "Torture Chamber", "Promised Land", "Time Outt", "Fumbling Over Words That Rhyme", "Making Planets", "Murder Mystery", "Rock & Roll", and "Smile". CD

The Warp debut from the Boards of Canada, and only the second full length LP from the duo, though they had issued numerous CDs up to this point in their career. Warm electronics that transcends the IDM tag, and elevates them above the crowded peerage of bedroom laptop wizards. 17 tracks in all, including "Wildlife Analysis", "An Eagle In Your Mind", "The Color Of The Fire", "Telephasic Workshop", "Triangles & Rhombuses", "Sixtyten", "Kaini Industries", "Bocuma", "Roygbiv", "Rue The Whirl", "Aquarius", "Olson", "Pete Standing Alone", "Smoke Quantity", "Open The Light" and "One Very Important Thought". Includes the bonus track "Happy Cycling". CD

Overlooked recordings from the Chicago via New Orleans pianist Richard M Jones. This is the second of two volumes and collects work with his groups the Jazz Wizards and the Chicago Cosmopolitans. Tracks include "Canal Street Blues", "29th & Dearborn", "Hot & Ready", "Joe Louis Chant", "Trouble In Mind", "Blue Reefer Blues", and "Tickle Britches Blues". CD

Amazing sounds from Frank Zappa – and a record that showed the world that he was also one hell of an arranger too! The album's got all the offbeat, tripped-out qualities that you'd expect from late 60s Zappa – but at times, it's also got this tightness that's really amazing – almost as if Frank's showing the world that he can easily do the same things as the studio wizards of LA pop – but chooses to keep most of his efforts on the wrong side of the tracks! There's plenty of larger backings at points – handled by some of the cream of the crop of the LA studio and jazz scene – but other moments are pretty darn raw, and have a gritty, almost homemade sound collage feel. CD

Amazing sounds from Frank Zappa – and a record that showed the world that he was also one hell of an arranger too! The album's got all the offbeat, tripped-out qualities that you'd expect from late 60s Zappa – but at times, it's also got this tightness that's really amazing – almost as if Frank's showing the world that he can easily do the same things as the studio wizards of LA pop – but chooses to keep most of his efforts on the wrong side of the tracks! There's plenty of larger backings at points – handled by some of the cream of the crop of the LA studio and jazz scene – but other moments are pretty darn raw, and have a gritty, almost homemade sound collage feel. CD

Wonderfully tripped-out pop from the late 60s – served up by a few famous names and an even better band of lesser-knowns – all of whom recorded for Warner Brothers and related labels at the time! The package does a great job of showing the "pop" side of psychedelia – a sound that's a lot harder than the Sunshine Pop end of the spectrum, but which also shares a similar love of groovy themes, sweet vocals, and cool production techniques! A few of the tunes get a bit way out, but most of the numbers manage to pack a whole trip's punch within a short little 3 or 4 minute song – leaving us to marvel even more at the deft economy in the studio, and the wonderful quality this kind of music had before it succumbed to too many of its own excesses. Titles include "Her Name Is A Melody" by Adrian Pride, "It's Love" by The Misty Wizards, "Break Away" by Next Exit, "Hallucinations" by Baker Knight & The Knightmares, "That's The Way It's Gonna Be" by Lee Mallory, "Wildflowers" by The Holy Mackerel, "Smell Of Incense" by West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, "My Mind Goes High" by MC2, "Straight Aero" by Jeff Thomas, and "The White Pony" by Ellen Margulies. CD