Very weird bit of stoner rock with a slight soul edge, and kind of a rock version of the Isaac Hayes baroque approach to pop covers. Danny Cox performs a number of Dylan and Beatles tunes – like "Dear Prudence", "My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Baby Blue", "Hey Jude", "Just Like A Woman", and "Day In The Life" – all with small group backing on guitars and steel guitar, and kind of a "back to the country" rock approach. Not really a soul record, or really our bag, but an obscure oddity, and produced and arranged by Gary Usher. LP, Vinyl record album

A South African jazz set from the end of the 60s, but one with a different vibe than some of the rest – as the group have a lean style that still also seems to mix a fair bit of Township elements in with the jazz – which makes for tracks that have a wonderfully playful mix of modes, and a great sense of energy throughout! The group features Clifford Moses on lead guitar and a bit of vocals – the latter of which have a lightly raspy charm that's really unique – as he steps out next to core work from Richard Schilder on piano, Basil Moses on bass, and Billy Bowers on drums. The set also features some excellent guest work from the legendary Basil Coetzee on flute and alto – on titles that include "Seven Steps Lament", "Katrina", "Interim", "Up From Slavery", "Wells Square", and "Don't Close Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

As you like it – and we like it plenty! The album's a stunner from pianist Friedrich Gulda – one that still shows plenty of his high-powered, high-technique roots – but one that also really has him opening up a bit, too – almost bringing in a dose of soul jazz from the American scene, mixed up in really nice ways with the MPS ethos of the time! The group's a trio, with killer drums from Klaus Weiss and bass from JA Rettenbacher – but Gulda really dominates most tracks, playing with this fluid, open vibe that's mighty nice – extremely creative and compelling, and light years more compelling than some of the Oscar Peterson records cut for MPS during the same period. Titles include "Light My Fire", "Blues For HG", "All Blues", "East Of The Sun", and "I Only Have Eyes For You". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of very stripped-down albums from John Lee Hooker – issued together in this 70s set! First up is Country Blues Of John Lee Hooker – featuring the legendary John Lee Hooker, heard here in one of his more obscure recordings from the late 50s – at least in contrast to his famous sides for Vee Jay Records! This set's an unusual date – recorded in Detroit, despite the claim of the title – and featuring Hooker on acoustic guitar and vocals, without any other instrumentation at all – pitched much more towards the growing folk blues scene than some of his more familiar Chicago recordings. Tracks are short, but pack plenty of punch – and titles include "Black Snake", "I Rowed A Little Boat", "Bundle Up & Go", "Behind The Plow", "Water Boy", "Tupelo Blues", and "Pea Vine Special". That's My Story is from 1960, and features great rootsy blues from John Lee Hooker – and an unusual session that has him getting backup help from jazz players Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums! Jones and Hayes only play on a handful of tracks, and most of the focus is on Hooker's damn-great vocals, and acoustic guitar – spun out nicely over a set of tracks that includes "I Need Some Money", a controversial clash with early Motown – plus "One Of These Days", "Gonna Use My Rod", "I Want To Talk About You", "Democrat Man", and "I'm Wanderin". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early work from Jethro Tull – a formative set that really has the group deepening both their themes and their music! There's still a bit of blues rock at the core – but also some richer, more lyrical modes too – and Ian Anderson does a perfect job of bridging both worlds with his sublime work on flute – an instrument that must have seemed like an odd lead for a rock group at the time, but which is no surprise in the same generation that artists like Herbie Mann and Roland Kirk were making their own hip records – not to mention the great Harold McNair, who was a UK contemporary of Andreson. The whole thing's great – a record that's ripe for rediscovery, and which really gives back year after year – and titles include "A New Day Yesterday", "Back To The Family", "Fat Man", "Reasons For Waiting", "Nothing Is Easy", and the classic instrumental "Bouree". LP, Vinyl record album

It's always something nice when Etta Jones makes a record – but this one is especially so, thanks to some intimate small group backing from players who include Oliver Nelson, Lem Winchester, Wally Richardson, and Richard Wyands! The style is relatively intimate throughout – more late nite than some of Jones' other records, in a way that really works well for her vocals, and takes her away from some of the crossover pop modes of her albums that sound a bit more like Gloria Lynne. Titles include "Easy Living", "Through A Long And Sleepless Night", "My Heart Tells Me", "I Only Have Eyes For You", "That's All There Is To That", "Love Is The Thing", and "Canadian Sunset". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic 50s work from vocalist Abbe Lane – and a record that's made all the better by some great arrangements from Tito Puente! Abbe's getting past the sexy tricks of other records here – and singing in a dusky tone that works perfect with Tito's tight, choppy, and highly percussive arrangements. The set's got a wonderful blend of Latin and torch – with tracks that include "Take It Easy", "Green Eyes", "The River Seine", "Babalu", "Pan, Amore & Cha Cha Cha", "Noche De Ronda", and "Whatever Lola Wants". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best records we've ever heard from pianist Lou Levy – a record that steps past the simple format of earlier records, into a style that's slightly modern, and very cool – thanks to the addition of vibes to his usual trio format. Larry Bunker plays vibes on the record, and rhythm's by Stan Levy and Leroy Vinnegar – both of whom hip things up nicely, and give the album a soulful bottom that offsets Levy's sprightly piano lines in a wonderful way. A real delight, even on the familiar tunes – and titles include "Gray Fox", "Tune Up", "Without You", "Wail Street", "Star Eyes", "Imagination", and "Indiana". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty darn cool stuff from one of the greatest jazz singers around! This one was Mark's first album, cut a long time ago when he was a wee lad – as you'll see by the photo on the cover. The arrangements are by Ralph Burns, and they're pretty darn hip – and although the style is more traditional than some of Mark's later records, it's amazing to hear how well-developed his vocal style is even at this early age. Many of the tracks remind us of some of the harder swinging work that Murphy cut in London and Europe during the late 60s – and tracks include "I've Got Two Eyes", "You Mustn't Kick It Around", "Exactly Like You", "Give It Back To The Indians", and "Fascinating Rhythm". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a few great vocal jazz records cut by singer Kim Parker in the early 80s – a spare set that features backing by Mal Waldron on piano, Isla Eckinger on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. The tunes are all pretty hip – well chosen, with some good obscure numbers – and Kim's tone here is a bit lighter than on other albums, languidly drifting along with the gentle style of the set. Titles include "Devil May Care", "Angel Eyes", "Wistful Samba", "Pretty Girl", "Fiesta In Blue", and "Singing Dancing (On My Way)". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer quartet session by Brit trumpeter Dizzy Reece, recorded as one of his three American albums for Blue Note during the late 50s! Unlike the other records, which featured larger groups, this album's done with a quartet – which gives Reece a chance to really take over on his solos – blowing with a sense of warm and lyricism that's not heard as strongly on the other records – really getting some great support from a rhythm trio that includes Walter Bishop Jr on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Quite different from some of Dizzy's London work of the time – and with tracks that include "A Ghost Of A Chance", "Our Love Is Here To Stay", "Blue Streak", "Eb Pob", and a nice version of "Yesterdays". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant little comeback album for Roxy Music – their first album in 4 years after Siren, and a well-done departure that takes off from older records without losing any of their greatness! In a way, the set's almost the group's Lodger – a similar effort to Bowie's record from the same time that reflects a move away from heavier styles of earlier years, but never loses the edge of the group's best work. Manifesto also reflects some of the lessons learned by Bryan Ferry on his solo records – a bit leaner and cleaner presentation of the songs – but the album itself is also strongly a group production effort, and certainly feels that way in its use of Phil Manzenera's great guitars and Andy Mackay's horn arrangements. Titles include "Ain't That So", "Stranger Through The Years", "Trash", "Manifesto", "Angel Eyes", "Spin Me Round", "Cry Cry Cry", and "My Little Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the sweetest singer-songwriter records of the mid 70s country rock era – beloved by fans, but largely unknown to the masses after all these years! Black Rose is JD Souther's second record, and it's a thing a beauty – produced by Peter Asher and featuring a who's who Souther's famous friends and lot of the great California session musicians of the time, but it's really about the intimate songcraft and the warmth of Souther's voice. Really beautiful stuff and it sounds as great as ever! Includes "Banging My Head Against The Moon", "If You Have Crying Eyes", "Your Turn Now", "Faithless Love", "Baby Come Home", "Silver Blue", "Midnight Prowl", "Doors Swing Open", "Black Rose" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Spooky Tooth have grown their hair since the cover of their first album – and they've also grown their sound a bit too – into a brew that's even headier and more powerful than before! The album's still got an undercurrent of soul – and begins with a fantastic drumbreak on the first cut – but these guys are also swirling their basslines, guitars, and keyboards into territory that's unabashedly hard rock – a mode that really has singer Gary Wright opening up with soaring vocals on most of the tracks! The album really represents that full turning of the UK scene from beat group modes into badass territory that's completely unique – a sound that Island Records was perfect to usher in for the group – and the whole thing's got an instant classic sort of vibe, and we've always wondered why it never had a greater place in the rock canon of the period. Titles include "That Was Only Yesterday", "Waiting For The Wind", "Feelin Bad", "Evil Woman", "Lost In My Dream", and "Hangman Hang My Shell On A Tree". LP, Vinyl record album

A perfect title for a perfect album from Sarah Vaughan – one of those wonderful dates from the singer's second chapter of her career – a time when she was finding newly sophisticated ways to spin out her songs! The music here is arranged by Jimmy Jones – who makes things lush, but never too much so – this beautiful balance he brought to other records of the time, such as his work with Basie – in a way that has Vaughan very much out front in the mix, working her voice with effortless ease, announcing to the world that she's one of the all-time greats, but never has to hit anyone over the head to prove it! Harry Sweets Edison provides some great trumpet lines to underscore the jazz in the music – and titles include "Dreamy", "Hands Across The Table", "Moon Over Miami", "I'll Be Seeing You", "Star Eyes", "Trees", and "Crazy He Calls Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Tom Waits's follow-up to Rain Dogs – and a batch of songs that do double duty as a straight-up, stand alone record from his wild years at Island Records – and also as the musical accompaniment to a play he co-wrote with wife Kathleen Brennan! (As Chicagoans, we have a special fondness for that side of the project, since the play premiered here with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.) It's a prime batch of Waits songcraft from this most amazing creative peak period – with the trademark gritty, howled vocals, primal drums, pre-rock horns. Titles include "More Than Rain", "Way Down In The Hole", "Straight To The Top", "Telephone Call From Istanbul", "Train Song", "Cold Cold Ground", "I'll Be Gone", "Yesterday Is Here", "Blow Wind Blow", and "Hang On St Christopher". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the nice records made by Joe during his funky comeback of the late 60s/early 70s. He's singing here in a setting that's decidedly hipper than on earlier albums – with the early 70s Nat/Cannonball Adderley collective that includes George Duke on piano, Carol Kaye on bass, and production work by David Axelrod. Titles include "Heritage", "Sad Song", "Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow", and "Who She Do". LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Williams was really reviving his career as a vocalist at this point – working with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band on a few well-selling records, and on this smoother set with arrangements by Horace Ott. The overall feel is kind of in a swinging Grady Tate mode, with jazziness underneath larger orchestrations that have more of a popish quality to them – and Joe stretches his style to work on songs like Milton Nascimento's "Bridges", plus "Didn't We", "You Send Me", "I Hold No Grudge", "Oh Darling", and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Lester Young – an Imperial Records collection of early material from the 78rpm days of Aladdin Records! The work is a great bridge between swing and pop – and Lester Young's tone is superb throughout – on titles that include "One O'Clock Jump", "Easy Does It", "East Of The Sun", "No Eyes Blues", "The Sheik Of Araby", "Confessin' That I Love You", "Something To Remember You By", "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "Jumpin' At Mesners", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Lover Come Back To Me" and "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid". LP, Vinyl record album

Cosmic grooves and spacey post disco compiled by Dompteur Mooner – a great third volume of the Elaste series from Compost Records! The soul if disco splintered in the cosmos in the early 80s, soaring strings giving way to funky synths, proto-techno programming and all around galactic feel in the clubs of Europe and pretty much all around the world – and this set pulls together the widest range yet! Definitely not disco in a conventional set, but spacey synth funk and influential club grooves from the early 80s underground that sounds great today! Includes "Take A Chance (Dompteur Mooner Edit)" by Queen Samantha, "Urth" by Mobius, "Beats of Love" by Nacht Und Nebel, "Allein (Original Version)" by Tabu, "Beuys Boys" by Pollyester, "Jamacia Running" by The Pool, "Powerslide" by Mythos, "Africa (Dub Mix)" by Key Of Dreams and more. Includes "Take A Chance (Dopmteur Mooner Edit)" by Queen Samantha, "Urth" by Mobius, "Beats of Love" by Nacht Und Nebel, "Allein (Original Version)" by Tabu, "Beuys Boys" by Pollyester, "Jamacia Running" by The Pool and more. 10 tracks on 2LP for the vinyl version. LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary live set from the 60s all-stars of Stax Records – a performance in London in the late 60s, as the label follows Motown's lead on taking its big names overseas! The lineup is legendary, and most of the tunes are familiar by the artists, but get nice fresh versions here – sometimes a bit quicker, and sometimes a bit rougher – both of which makes a nice change from the iconic classics. Titles include "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MGs, "Philly Dog" by The Mark-Keys, "Knock On Wood" and "If I Had A Hammer" by Eddie Floyd, "Hold On I'm Comin" and "I Take What I Want" by Sam & Dave, "Shake" by Otis Redding, and "Yesterday" by Carla Thomas. LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classic early 60s modern jazz sets – back to back in this great 70s package! First up is the album Far Cry from Eric Dolphy – Eric Dolphy's first meeting in the studio with trumpeter Booker Little – a brilliant batch of modernism that's easily one of the hippest records Little ever worked on! The Dolphy heard here is Eric at his most inventive – sharp-edged and angular one minute, then spiritually lyrical the next – playing flute, bass clarinet, and alto sax equally well on the record – and somehow managing to get Little to share his inspiration perfectly on every number. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a rhythm team whose abilities are a big part of the success of the record – and titles include "Far Cry", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "Left Alone", "Ode To Charlie Parker", and "Miss Ann". Next is Where – a haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early album from the 10" LP years of Blue Note Records – Kenny Drew's entry in the label's excellent "new faces" series – and one that really shows the pianist at his best! We like the work here even better than some of Drew's slightly-later sides for the Riverside label – as he's got this wonderful mix of bop tightness with the lyricism that would grace his music in years to come – getting superb support in a trio that features Curley Russell on bass and Art Blakey on drums. Titles include "Gloria", "Be My Love", "Yesterdays", "Everything Happens To Me", "Stella By Starlight", and "Drew's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that's often overlooked amidst some of the bigger "songbook" Verve sessions by Ella Fitzgerald – yet a really special record that shows off a side of Ella that's not ever captured this well on other records! The record was also initially billed as tied into the book and film Let No Man Write My Epitaph – but there's nothing soundtrack-like at all about the performance, as Fitzgerald works with only backing from pianist Paul Smith – a player who sounds wonderful next to the singer, and brings just the right sort of inflections to open up Ella's vocals for the date! There's a spare quality that's completely captivating – proof that Fitzgerald was a hell of a jazz singer at the core, even when her star was rising on the international scene – maybe even more compelling without any large arrangements at all, as she takes on superb material that includes versions of "Misty", "Black Coffee", "Angel Eyes", "I Cried For You", "Who's Sorry Now", "September Song", "Then You've Never Been Blue", and "Reach For Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

The incredible third album from The Velvet Underground – and maybe our favorite of all their albums together – even though this one is far less weird or experimental than the rest! After their initial foray with Nico, and their bombastic sonic experiments on White Light/White Heat, the VU hit this wonderfully subtle territory here – these really personal, moody songs that still have all the knowledge of the wilder sounds of previous records, but which take those farther reaches and bring them back to more focused songwriting – with results that are completely sublime! There's no side-long jams, nor any fuzzy freakouts – but instead, the album's filled with these wonderful songs that really show Lou Reed really honing his craft – able to touch on all the seamy edges of late 60s counterculture, without ever having to hit you over the head – and likewise, the band's instrumentation has this way of using all their wider knowledge of noise and sound in these really refined ways – at a level that opened the door for so many other generations to come. The result is a masterpiece all the way through – and every track is a landmark of dark genius – on titles that include "Pale Blue Eyes", "After Hours", "I'm Set Free", "That's The Story Of My Life", "Candy Says", "What Goes On", and "Jesus". LP, Vinyl record album

A very earthy set of piano tracks, recorded by LA pianist Roosevelt Wardell – who was one of the ultra-hip discoveries that Cannonball Adderley brought to Riverside Records during the early 60s! Wardell's got a heck of a lot of blues in his playing, but overall he's a jazz player – working with Sam Jones and Louis Hayes to craft some tunes that almost out "soul jazz" Cannonball's own work! Titles include "The Revelation", "Elijah Is Here", "Lazarus", "Like Someone In Love", and "Max The Maximum". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever by one of the greatest bands ever! The tracks of Who's Next are the stuff of legend – classics like "Baba O'Riley", "Bargain", "Going Mobile", "Behind Blue Eyes", and "Won't Get Fooled Again", tracks that show the group growing tremendously beyond their roots as mod rockers. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best early work by Prez – all recorded in small combo sessions for Aladdin Records during the years 1945 through 1948. The album's one of the few chances you can get to hear Prez blowing clear and free from the time, in that amazing tone which inspired generations of players, which works perfectly in groupings with players that include Dodo Marmarosa, Willie Smith, Curtis Counce, Chico Hamilton, Irving Ashby, and Roy Haynes. Titles include "No Eyes Blues", "DB Blues", "Jumpin At Mesners", "Lester's Be Bop", "Lester Leaps In", "East Of The Sun", "Just Cooling", and "Lester Smooths It Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark double-live album that was easily one of the most important soul record moments of the 70s! The concert was an all-star event held in LA to celebrate the anniversary of the Watts riots – but it features a killer lineup of talent from the roster of Stax Records – by then a proud independent with more than enough power to spread a nationwide message from Memphis to Los Angeles without any trouble! The record is nicely segmented – so that it offers up mini "sets" by each artist – really recreating the feel of the event, at a level that lived on in countless living rooms long after the concert was over. Titles include "Son Of Shaft/Feel It" and "I Can't Turn You Loose" by The Bar-Kays; "Ain't No Sunshine" by Isaac Hayes, "I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To" and "Hearsay" by The Soul Children, "I Like What You're Doing To Me" and "Gee Whiz" by Carla Thomas; "The Breakdown" and "Do The Funky Penguin" by Rufus Thomas, "Killing Floor" and "Angel Of Mercy" by Albert King"; "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There" by The Staple Singers; and "Knock On Wood" by Eddie Floyd. Also includes 2 studio tracks recorded after the show – "Oh La De Da" by The Staple Singers, and "Lay Your Loving On Me" by Eddie Floyd. LP, Vinyl record album

A hip little set from Ruth Brown – miles away from her earlier R&B for Atlantic, and much more in the adult, righteous, and contemporary mode you'd expect from the title! The session's one of the key sides from the late 60s Skye Records catalog – and like others on the label, it features Gary McFarland production, and some great small group backings by a group that includes Richard Tee on organ, Billy Butler on guitar, and Herbie Lovelle on drums. Ruth's trials and tribulations are listed in detail inside the notes – and the record was one of the first re-discovery efforts that Brown undertook – a session that was trying to help her pay her dues, and expose her to the same sort of audiences that were lapping up Aretha Franklin at the time, but not giving as much attention to older singers. Tracks are a mix of (then) contemporary numbers and updated older tunes – with titles that include "Yesterday", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "Lookin Back", "Try Me & See", "Miss Brown's Blues", "My Prayer", and "This Bitter Earth". LP, Vinyl record album

Two excellent Bryant sets, recorded for Prestige, though he's more well known for his Cadet sides. The first disc of the set is a very striking album – one of Bryant's most noteworthy of the time! The album features Ray playing solo piano – quite unusual for the period, as most piano jazz records, especially his, were at least cut in a trio format. Ray's wonderfully unfettered here – hitting grooves with a level of expression and sophistication that far surpasses most of his other records. The intimate time on the keys never gets hokey or overindulgent – but it does let Ray open up and show a side that we've rarely heard on wax. Titles include "Stocking Feet", "Blues #3", "Joy", "Me & The Blues", and "My Blues". The Ray Bryant Trio is another wonderful early side, featuring Ike Isaacs and Specs Wright in a trio alongside Bryant, performing sparkling renditions of standards and a couple originals, that are still infused with his bluesy groove. Titles include "Golden Earrings", "Angel Eyes", "Blues Changes", "Splittin'", "Django", "The Thrill Is Gone", "Daahoud" and "Sonar". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic 70s album from Gary Burton – a set that definitely has the "new" promised in the title, as it takes off more from some of Gary's work in previous years! The record's got this explosive sense of color that really comes through in Gary's vibes – and in the way the group can leaop into the fray when needed – almost funky at points, but also able to shift into more sensitive modes too – balanced between the guitar of Michael Goodrick,bass of Abraham Laboriel, and drums of Harry Blazer. Burton's got a bit more bite at times than before – pushing even past his Atlantic Records sound and the tunes are a well-chosen array of songs by contemporaries who include Keith Jarrett, Mike Gibbs, Chick Corea, and Carla Bley. Titles include "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly", "Coral", "Tying Up Loose Ends", "Olhos De Gato", and "Mallet Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Jean's classic Philly albums, recorded after she left Doug Carn, and started to make records as a solo artist. The record's got stellar production by Gamble & Huff and Dexter Wansel, and features a nice mix of up-tempo cuts and mellow ones. With the monster "Don't Let it Go to Your Head", and the mix of "Revelation" and "Infant Eyes" that she recorded earlier with Doug Carn. Other cuts include "(No, No) You Can't Come Back Now", "Together Once Again", and "I Bet She Won't Love You Like I Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early album from the 10" LP years of Blue Note Records – Kenny Drew's entry in the label's excellent "new faces" series – and one that really shows the pianist at his best! We like the work here even better than some of Drew's slightly-later sides for the Riverside label – as he's got this wonderful mix of bop tightness with the lyricism that would grace his music in years to come – getting superb support in a trio that features Curley Russell on bass and Art Blakey on drums. Titles include "Gloria", "Be My Love", "Yesterdays", "Everything Happens To Me", "Stella By Starlight", and "Drew's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of George Duke's best albums for the MPS label – and a set that has a sound that's a little bit more soul than before! The album uses a fair bit of vocals alongside Duke's funky keyboards – but in a way that's not nearly as smooth as some of his albums for Epic, and which still retains all the best spacey and cosmic bits of his roots! The record's got a strong west coast soul feel – with elements of some of the jazzy funk of the Fantasy Records/Bay Area scene, and elements of the electric funk that was starting to come out of LA at the time – and there's a huge host of guest stars on the record, including Johnny Guitar Watson (who sings on one track), Emil Richards (who plays marimba), and Flora Purim (who does her usual thing!) Titles include "Chariot", "Someday", "That's What She Said", "Sister Serene", "Prepare Yourself", "Rokkinrowl", and "Look Into Her Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark late 50s album on Prestige Records – one of the label's key efforts to bring together some of the best talents in the hardbop business, and really let them loose on the kind of extended passages that weren't being recorded a few years before! The Cats here are all quite hip ones – an all-star sextet effort that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, John Coltrane on tenor, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are long, and open – and although each player is really at their best on their solos, there's still a sense of group unity that makes the record stand out from other efforts of its type – enough so that it's often cited as a key early entry in the Coltrane catalog. Titles include "Eclypso", "Solacium", "Tommy's Tune", and "Minor Mishap". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice session – one with a date that might make you a bit skeptical, but with a sound that's still very much in the pocket, thanks to good handling of the effort by the Bee Hive records team! Curtis blows here with a quintet that includes Sal Nistico, Walter Bishop Jr, Sam Jones, and Freddie Waits – all very hip players, and well chosen for the spirit of the session. Titles include "The Egyptian Two", "Ballade For Gabe Wells", "Minor's Holiday", and "Yesterdays". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite monster from Herbie Hancock – one of those great records from Hancock's second chapter at Columbia Records – a time when he was really evolving as an artist, and able to take on the world of soul as well as he did with jazz and fusion! The groove is a great fusion of the funky elements that Herbie created on some of his wilder earlier records, and the tighter style of funky soul at the time – a mode that's much hipper than disco, with almost a CTI current at times – but qualities that are even groovier in the hands of Herbie! The set's got some vocals – leads by Gavin Christopher, and backup by The Waters – and there's plenty of sweet keyboard lines as well – at a level that still blows away all the younger cats who were trying to horn in on Herbie's action. Includes the funky classic "Stars In Your Eyes" – which has a bassline that just won't quit – a sweet stepper called "Making Love", and the cuts "It All Comes Round", "Don't Hold It", and "Saturday Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful little record – a real standout in both the careers of Milt Jackson and Coleman Hawkins! The album captures Hawk during his great later years – that time when his sound was even more soulful and inventive than ever – with lots of odd modern undercurrents that really work nicely with the album's slight Latin inflections – a bit like those you might hear on some of Hawkins' Impulse Records material from the same generation. Milt Jackson's vibes are great too – chromatic and edgey, and set up with rhythm support from Kenny Burrell on guitar, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Jones on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Titles include "Indian Blues", "Don't Take Your Love From Me", "Sandra's Blues", "Stuffy", and "Close Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark meeting from one of the two greatest talents in jazz on the 70s European scene – vocalist Karin Krog and saxophonist Archie Shepp – both coming together in an extremely evocative session! The work has a very moody feel – as Krog's singing in a spacious tone that allows for plenty of tenor work by Shepp – done in a mode that colors in the spaces between the words, and made all that much better by support from his regular group members Charles Greenlee and Beaver Harris. Shepp was hitting a more traditional tone at this point in his career – but as with his other recordings of the same time, there's still a strongly modernist undercurrent that shines through nicely. Combined with Krog's vocals, the result is a beautiful approach that really opens up jazz standards like "Soul Eyes", "Solitude", and "Hi Fly" – and which is matched perfectly for Shepp's "Steam" and Carla Bley's "Sing Me Softly Of the Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible piece of percussive work by the always-enigmatic Liquid Liquid! The record is one of their sparest, and has more hard drumming than others – less of a dance-oriented groove, and a very experimental vibe that reminds us of the group's unique role on the New York scene! There's lots of New York downtown elements running through here – from percussion breaks, to ESG-like jamming, to bits of post-prog, Can-like drumming – which stretches out in this really cool, really dark way. Instrumentation includes marimba, roto toms, sawblades, metalphones, berimbau, and even a bit of bass clarinet from Elliott Sharp. Possibly the best of their records – with the cuts "Push", "Eyes Sharp", "Zero Leg", and the 2-part "Lock Groove". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy McGriff is tearing it up on the Hammond organ here – really hitting hard in that smoking soul jazz vein that made all of his albums for Sue Records instant classics! The group on this set is nice and small, nice and tight – featuring a young (pre-Black Jazz) Rudolph Johnson on tenor, Jimmy Smith (not the organist) on drums, and Larry (the "Lar" with the "Flair") Frazier on guitar – a really raw-toned player whose work often had a sound like that of George Freeman! Includes the single "Kiko", plus raw soulful versions of tracks like "Close Your Eyes", "All Day Long", and "That's All". LP, Vinyl record album

Proof that at his start, Jimmy Smith had a greatness that knew no bounds – as the album's one of a few that Blue Note recorded in the late 50s, but never issued until many years later – even though they had already released so many amazing records from this period! The set has Jimmy really cooking away – playing live at Small's Paradise, in a group that has Lou Donaldson's alto on just about every track, and tenor from Tina Brooks on most of the others too. Tunes are tighter and shorter than on the more jam session albums, which makes for a nice change – and titles include "Groovin At Smalls", "Dark Eyes", "Cool Blues", and "A Night In Tunisia" – which begins with an announcement from Babs Gonzales! LP, Vinyl record album

Johnnie Taylor's first album for Stax – and a tremendous little set that easily stands as one of his greatest records ever! Sure, we love Johnnie in all his incarnations – but there's a special sort of something here – a rawness and earnestness – that makes the whole thing shine right from the start – a crispy sort of Memphis vibe that has the Stax Records team really hitting their stride. The set's filled with great tunes from the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter – including "I Got To Love Somebody's Baby", "Toe Hold", "Outside Love", "Little Bluebird", and "I Had A Dream" – and also features great versions of "Watermelon Man", "Ain't That Loving You", and "Where Can A Man Go From Here". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best early work by Prez – all recorded in small combo sessions for Aladdin Records during the years 1947 through 1948. The album's one of the few chances you can get to hear Prez blowing clear and free from the time, in that amazing tone which inspired generations of players, which works perfectly in groupings with players that include Roy Haynes, Fred Lacey, Shorty McConnell, Curley Russell, and Tiny Kahn. Titles include "Sunday", "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", "No Eyes Blues", "OnThe Sunny Side Of The Street", "Jumpin' At The Woodside", "One O'Clock Jump", "Easy Does It", "Confessin'", "Sax O Be Bop", "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon", "Sheik Of Araby", "Something To Remember You By" and "Just Cooling". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking live material from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – a set recorded at Birdland, aka The Jazz Corner Of The World – home to a number of key performances by the group! The lineup here features a key transitional version of the group – with the younger Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, already setting the combo on fire with their new ideas and very bold work on solos – and the great Hank Mobley on tenor, who'd worked with Blakey for a few years at this time – and provides this deeply soulful grounding that's as great as his own records, but maybe even a bit more open in the live setting. The great Jymie Merritt is on bass – one of Art's secret weapons over the years – and the set list of this first volume includes "Hipsippy Blues", "Justice", "Just Coolin", and a nice version of "Close Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most cooking work of the 70s from Dexter Gordon – and that's saying a lot, given all his overseas sessions and late-life work for Columbia Records! The format here is different than both of those, though – in that it's both a sharp hardbop set, with a real back-to-basics vibe – but also one that has much more of an overall group feel, instead of some of the longer-form solo vehicles that Gordon recorded for Steeplechase Records. There's definitely a blowing session vibe – tracks are long, and there's multiple soloists who each get extended time in the spotlight – but there's also a careful sense of structure, brought to the record no doubt by producer Don Schlitten – who'd handled classic dates in the past for Prestige. The group features both Gordon and Al Cohn on tenors, Blue Mitchell and Sam Noto on trumpets, Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – a hell of a lineup that really makes magic on "Lady Bird", "How Deep Is The Ocean", and "True Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of heavy love here – a wonderful sense of rapport between the great tenorist Al Cohn and piano genius Jimmy Rowles! Both musicians were still recording heavily at the time of this album, but the record seems to capture them in a really special space that still stands strongly on its own – a mode that's much more relaxes than some of the Pablo Records sessions of the time, and which has Cohn in an especially striking mode – really hitting these openly-blown, often-angular lines that are dripping with soul – more heart and feeling than we might normally expect from him, matched equally by Jimmy Rowles' wonderful phrasing on piano – very much here at the top shelf level he delivered with Stan Getz on The Peacocks album. Titles include "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Bar Talk", "These Foolish Things", "Them There Eyes", and "Sweet & Lovely". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most cooking work of the 70s from Dexter Gordon – and that's saying a lot, given all his overseas sessions and late-life work for Columbia Records! The format here is different than both of those, though – in that it's both a sharp hardbop set, with a real back-to-basics vibe – but also one that has much more of an overall group feel, instead of some of the longer-form solo vehicles that Gordon recorded for Steeplechase Records. There's definitely a blowing session vibe – tracks are long, and there's multiple soloists who each get extended time in the spotlight – but there's also a careful sense of structure, brought to the record no doubt by producer Don Schlitten – who'd handled classic dates in the past for Prestige. The group features both Gordon and Al Cohn on tenors, Blue Mitchell and Sam Noto on trumpets, Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – a hell of a lineup that really makes magic on "On The Trail", "Allen's Alley", and "Silver Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

One of John Coltrane's best early albums for Impulse – a warm set of modally grooving tracks, and one that picks up where My Favorite Things left off! The group here features McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really magical rhythm section that pulsates with life throughout, and propels Coltrane with a lot more soaring energy than he was getting on records a few years before! Coltrane plays both tenor and soprano sax – the latter of which is especially great, again in ways that have a My Favorite Things sort of feel – edgey, almost exotic at times, with a snakey sublime quality. The album includes wonderful readings of "The Inch Worm" and "Out Of This World" – plus the tracks "Soul Eyes", "Tunji", and "Miles' Mode". Great stuff – and an essential album for any jazz collection! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few 70s albums as a leader from reedman Ronnie Cuber – a player who'd already been making some great appearances on studio sessions with giants like George Benson, Mongo Santamria, and Lonnie Smith – as well as even a few Steely Dan records! But despite that ability to sound tight in the studio, Ronnie really shows a completely different side of his talents here – a hard-burning approach to baritone sax, with a deftness that rivals Pepper Adams in a similar setting – a quality that almost feels like a tenor at times, given Cuber's dexterity and speed of improvisation. The rest of the group's great, too – and includes Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – who really provide the right amount of soulful hardbop to keep things crackling. Titles include "Star Eyes", "Rifftide", "Tin Tin Deo", "Samba D'Orfeo", "Misty", "Sudwest Funk", and "Prince Albert". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Al Di Meola works here to really live up to the "splendido" title of the album – majestically bringing together all the best elements and influences he worked with in the 70s – including his love of Spanish guitar! The album's got this great balance of acoustic and electric elements – that combination of soaring energy and intimacy that made some of Al's 70s records so great – and he works here with a nice mix of contributors, including Philippe Saisse and Chick Corea on keyboards, Mingo Lewis on percussion, and even an appearance on one track from guitar legend Les Paul. Titles include "Alien Chase On Arabian Desert", "Silent Story In Her Eyes", "Two To Tango", "I Can Tell", "Spanish Eyes", and "Bianca's Midnight Lullaby". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from this legendary group – one of the few rock acts to record for the avant jazz powerhouse ESP Records – with titles that include "Soon The Moon", "Squeek", "Radar Eyes", "Travelin Salesman", and "Permanent Green Light". LP, Vinyl record album

A great assortment of some of the great jazz recorded during the short-lived run of Vee Jay Records – titles that include "Exodus" by Eddie Harris, "Awful Mean" by Paul Chambers, "Wrinkles" by Wynton Kelly, "Bye Bye Blackbird" by Bill Henderson, "Hazing" by Louis Hayes, "I'm A Fool To Want You" by Lee Morgan, "Jim Dog" by Bennie Green, and "Sleepy" by The MJT + 3. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent collection of Billie's 30s work for Columbia Records – featuring 3LPs worth of material, represented with much better sound than the original 78 rpm release of the songs. Billie's in the company of a host of great jazzmen – including Count Basie, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, Charlie Shavers, Artie Shaw, Cozy Cole, Roy Eldridge, Red Allen, and countless others. 48 tracks in all – with titles that include "Your Mother's Son In Law", "Riffin The Scotch", "Them There Eyes", "Without Your Love", "Swing Brother Swing", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "You Go To My Head", "Long Gone Blues", "I Can't Get Started", "All Of Me", "God Bless The Child", and "Gloomy Sunday". LP, Vinyl record album

The crowning achievement of a young Elton John – and the record that took an already-great run of earlier records, and pushed it even further with a new depth of songwriting and imagination! The double-length set isn't exactly a concept album – at least not one with a unified narrative – but it works beautifully as a set of little pictures of the world seen through the eyes of Elton and Bernie Taupin – both at the height of their powers, and able to balance catchy commercial tunes with some grittier undercurrents. The set's filled with classics – and titles include "Candle In The Wind", "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", "Bennie & The Jets", "Social Disease", "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", "Harmony", "Jamaica Jerk-Off", and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant 70s album from bassist Sam Jones – a player who rose to fame with Cannonball Adderley at the start of the 60s, and worked on his own as a leader too – but who really seemed to take off during the time of this recording! Sam's sense of groove and arranging is very strongly in place here – a sense of fire that was no doubt developed with Cannonball, but given a much wider vision on Jones' 70s albums like this – records that might well be some of the few to find a new space forward in the decade for a 60s soul jazz aesthetic! Sam's bass is right out front, and gets some good exposure on a few of the tunes' intros, too – and the rest of the lineup is excellent – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Bob Berg on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, Barry Harris on piano, and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Miss Morgan", "Laverne Walk", "Sam's Things", "Trane's Changes", "Blue's", and "Stablemates". LP, Vinyl record album

A live album from the mighty Frankie Beverly and Maze – and a set that's every bit as important as their studio classics for Capitol Records! It's always a sign of how huge Frankie Beverly was during the 80s that Capitol let him cut not one, but two double live albums during the early part of the decade – and this one, his first, has the band grooving wonderfully before a crowd going mad in the Crescent City – while the group keep all the perfection, sharp grooves, and sophisticated soul that they had on record! The songs retain all the charm of the studio renditions – and are stretched out a bit more in the live setting, with some really nice interplay with the crowd – who are clearly going nuts in the presence of the group. Titles include the famous live version of "Joy & Pain" – sampled heavily back in the day – plus other classics that include live takes on "Happy Feelins", "Southern Girl", "Look At California", "Before I Let Go", "We Need Love To Love", "The Look In Your Eyes", "Running Away", "Reason", "Feel That You're Fallin", "You", and "Changing Times". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful little record from Pat Metheny – quite possibly our favorite by the man, thanks to some really inventive sounds that still resonate strongly in the groove scene today! Pat's skirting nicely here between the sound-based quality of earlier records, and some of the more fluid and Brazilian-influenced song structures that were emerging in his work – using the percussion of Nana Vasconcelos to give the tracks a nice earthy undercurrent, but still also managing to slide around wonderfully in that fluid groove he was building with keyboardist Lyle Mayes. Includes the great cut "Are You Going With Me?", plus "The Bat", "James", "Barcarole", and "Eighteen". LP, Vinyl record album

Janelle Monae took a bit of a rest between this album and her last – but given the results, it feels like she's really recharged her groove in that surprisingly long stretch! Not that Janelle needed recharging at all – but there's something here that sets the record apart from earlier chapters in her career – and not in a commercial way, or something that feels like a sidestep – maybe just a bit like Sade after the first few records – able to space out her creative activity, and always keep us wanting more! There's maybe a more down to earth approach here than before – but at a level that makes the whole thing feel more heavenly overall – and Monae works with guests who include Sister Nancy, Seun Kuti, and Grace Jones – on titles that include "The Rush", "The French 75", "Float", "Black Sugar Beach", "Phenomenal", "Ooh La La", "Lipstick Lover", "Paid In Pleasure", "A Dry Red", and "Only Have Eyes 42". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Flora Purim's last albums for Milestone – and much less of a straight Brazilian fusion session than some of her other records – more in the soul style she'd explore in years to come! Flora's singing in English a bit more than before, and some of the tunes have a nice dose of R&B in the mix – sliding in nicely with fusion-inspired instrumentation from a lineup of players that includes George Duke on keyboards, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, Alphonso Johnson on bass, and Ndugu Chancler on drums. Flora's vocals are as heavenly as ever – and she soars over the top of the tunes with all the grace of her earlier sessions! Titles include "Look Into His Eyes", "Juicy", "What Can I Say", "That's What She Said", and "You Are My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the all-time great ones from Bobby Womack – and a set that definitely helped push the singer into the mainstream of soul in the 70s! Bobby says thanks to Sly Stone on the back of this album – and it's clear that he's gotten a good dose of Sly's funky soul to kick things up a bit from earlier records! Part of the record was cut in Muscle Shoals, and it's still got that rootsy southern style of Bobby's late 60s work – but there's also a tighter LA funk sound in the mix, with lots of electric guitar solos and funky electric keyboards – a blend that really helps Womack stretch past his southern soul roots, and find an even broader audience, yet without sounding commercial or cliched at all. Titles include the righteous "Communication", plus "That's The Way I Feel About 'Cha", "Everything Is Beautiful", "Come L'Amore", and a monologue-heavy version of "Close To You" that's a bit on the Isaac Hayes tip. And hey, Pam Grier's on backup vocals, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff from Stax Records – a BEAUTIFUL package that features 10 singles in original label sleeves, in a custom made, magnetic flip-top box – which also contains an 84 page book, and a free download for all the songs included! The music here is some of the best work from the second half of Stax – the kinds of singles that are prizes in our funky 45 collection – although there's a here we've never found at all! Titles include "The Dryer (parts 1 & 2)" by Roy Lee Johnson & The Villagers, "The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy" by John Gary Williams, "Running Out" by Mable John, "Cool Strut (parts 1 & 2)" by Bernie Hayes, "Them Hot Pants (parts 1 & 2)" by Lee Sain, "Hijackin Love" by Johnny Taylor, "Sweetback's Theme" by Melvin Van Peebles, "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Itch & Scratch (parts 1 & 2)" by Rufus Thomas, and "Gone The Promises Of Yesterday" by The Mad Lads. Special treat – 15 random boxes include autographed photos! 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of those few classic cases where a compilation of tracks was maybe even more influential than the original music itself – as this early 70s collection of 60s material turned out to shape and influence generations for decades to come! Guitar genius Lenny Kaye put the set together famously for Elektra Records in 1972 – as a reminder that, just a few years before, there were some amazing sounds that were not only brewing up in local indie scenes around the country, but also on the radio as well – even though most of those groups had been pushed into relative obscurity by the rise of soft rock, hard rock, and classic rock of the early 70s! The package is a return to the pre-prog years, with an especially strong ear for garage-tuned tracks that would go on to shape later punk, 80s indie, and lots more underground sounds in the future. Titles include "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" by Electric Prunes, "Dirty Water" by the Standells, "Respect" by Vagrants, "No Time Like The Right Time" by Blues Project, "Invitation To Cry" by Magicians, "You're Gonna Miss Me" by Thirteenth Floor Elevators, "Psychotic Reaction" by Count Five, "Baby Please Don't Go" by Amboy Dukes, "My World Fell Down" by Sagittarius, "Open My Eyes" by Nazz, "It's A Happening" by The Magic Mushrooms, "Lies" by The Knickerbockers, "Oh Yeah" by Shadows Of Knight, "Sit Down I Think I Love You" by The Mojo Men, "Just Like Romeo & Juliet" by Michael & The Messengers, "Hey Joe" by The Leaves, and "Farmer John" by The Premiers. LP, Vinyl record album