Super-groovy work from The Bluebells – a Scottish group who should have been one of the bigger acts from the British Isles in the 80s, but who broke up before ever getting the shot they deserved! There's plenty of smart songwriting here – and a production approach that's in the territory of Prefab Sprout or some of their better contemporaries – nicely understated at times, so that the tunes can cross over, but also aren't destined to get overplayed on mainstream radio. If you dig 80s UK pop, you'll find plenty here to discover – a real overlooked legacy that includes the tracks "Learn To Love", "Young At Heart", "I'm Falling", "Cath", "Red Guitars", "Syracuse University", "South Atlantic Way", and "The Patriot Game". 2CD edition is overflowing with bonus material – 22 bonus cuts that include non-LP singles, b-sides, extended versions, and five never-issued tunes! Bonus titles include "Holland", "Tender Mercy", "Smalltown Martyr", "All I Ever Said", "Fall From Grace", "Happy Birthday Turn Gold", and "Forevermore". CD

A great showcase for the alto talents of Arthur Blythe – a set that's maybe a bit more stripped-down than some of his bigger label albums of the 80s, but in a way that really lets you focus on his strength of tone and phrasing! The group's a quartet, working in an open live setting – John Hicks on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Bobby Battle on drums – and while all players certainly know how to go inside, they keep things swinging and relatively straight at the core – while Blythe waxes beautifully on the alto, with these sharp edges that mix nicely with more lyrical moments. Titles include "Jana's Delight", "JB Blues", "Lenox Avenue Breakdown", "Faceless Woman", and "Peacemaker". CD

Late 60s psyche pop on Atco from Bo Grumpus – a Boston group who only ever cut this one LP that we know of – and it's a groovy one! The sound has kind of tight pop combo groove with catchy melodies – fleshed out into trippier territory with some keys, trumpet, and overall bigger arrangements – some of which was done by Felix Pappalardi, who would go onto to bigger things with Mountain! Titles include "Sparrow Tune", "Think Twice", "Yesterday's Street", "The Breath O'Love", "A Knowing Young Touch", "Ragtimey Love", "Travelin In The Dark", "Brooklyn", "The Moon Will Rise" and "If I Came To You". LP, Vinyl record album

The classic Scott La Rock tribute album – with BDP classics and remixes – originally issued as a 2LP set that was put together following the South Bronx-repping hip hop pioneer's shooting death. Alternate versions, remixes and BDP medley's from their most classic late 80s period. 15 tracks in all: "Advance", "D Nice Rocks The House", "Red Alert (Criminal Minded)", 'Doc Mix (Criminal Minded)", "Super Hoe #4", "Word From Our Sponsor #8", "BDP Medley #5", "Poetry" (#s 1, 2 & 3)" and lots more! CD

A really burning live set from Argentine tenorist Chivo Borraro – a set that features very extended performances that capture Borraro and his group at their most modern! Chivo burns here in a way you don't always hear on other sessions – very relaxed and opening up in the comfortable confines of the Cricket night club in Buenos Aries – with help from Fernando Gelbard on piano, Jorge Lopez Luis on bass, and Pocho Lapouble on drums – keeping things swinging, but in a loose way that really lets the leader go where he wants! The extended format and bold energy put the record in territory that's similar to, but more avant than, some of the Dexter Gordon live sets coming from the European scene of the time – and titles include "Africa", "Minor Key", "Blues Con Amague" and "Lover Man". CD

Pressure Sounds does it again, with another fine collection of mighty, mighty dub! A much needed Blackbeard retrospective collecting 16 hard to get cuts from British dubmeister Dennis Bovell, rare dubs and instrumentals, plus a couple of outstanding vocal tracks from the man at the epicenter of the British reggae scene. Focusing on Bovell's early work, this collection brings some of his heaviest productions out for the first time since their original release in the mid-seventies, all propelled by his chubby bass playing and rounded out by his deft touch on the console. 16 tracks in all: "The Grunwick Affair", "Harmoniser Dub", "Dominion Dub", "Rowing (12" version)", "Zombie Zones", "Zion Dub", "Higher Ranking", "Ranking High", "Scientific", "Shi-cago", "None Jah Jah Children (Melodica version)", "Uganda Crisis", "Ah Fi Wi Dis", "Entebbe", "Blood Ah Go Run" and "Dub'er". As always, a wonderful package, with new liner notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

The brilliant consummation of Bowie's late 70s years in Berlin – a record that showed he could take the experiments in sound he was crafting with Brian Eno, and turn them back into the kind of creepily catchy rock tunes that first made him a legend! Eno's help on the record is still quite strong – heard very well in the record's use of odd electronics and exotic themes – of a sort that Eno would later explore on his own with David Byrne. But the real charm here is pure Bowie – with an unabashed flair for a dramatic lyric, a well-chosen use of a heavier guitar, and a sense of personality and poise that makes the record one of his most unified ever! Titles include "Red Sails", "Look Back In Anger", "Repetition", "Boys Keep Swinging", "Red Money", "Yassassin", and "DJ". LP, Vinyl record album

The brilliant consummation of Bowie's late 70s years in Berlin – a record that showed he could take the experiments in sound he was crafting with Brian Eno, and turn them back into the kind of creepily catchy rock tunes that first made him a legend! Eno's help on the record is still quite strong – heard very well in the record's use of odd electronics and exotic themes – of a sort that Eno would later explore on his own with David Byrne. But the real charm here is pure Bowie – with an unabashed flair for a dramatic lyric, a well-chosen use of a heavier guitar, and a sense of personality and poise that makes the record one of his most unified ever! Titles include "Red Sails", "Look Back In Anger", "Repetition", "Boys Keep Swinging", "Red Money", "Yassassin", and "DJ". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work as a leader from Don Braden – a set that was one of his last before moving onto bigger-label fame, and one that's very firmly rooted in the soul jazz underground! Don's got a really classic sound on his tenor – blowing with focus, poise, and a hell of a lot of soul – at times taking us back to older Houston Person records from a few decades before, but also burning with more fire too – especially on the numbers that leap strongly forward with some great rhythms from Kevin Hays on piano, Joris Teepe on bass, and Cecil Brooks III on drums. Brooks produced the set, keeping all edges sharp – and titles include "The Break", "Hillside", "A Blue Spree", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Landing Zone", "Nightline", and "Amsterdam Jam". CD

A surprising organ/tenor gem from the 90s – and a really standout set in the career of Don Braden! The set's on a major label, but it's got a soulfully produced groove that makes it feel like some of the best soul jazz on the Muse imprint – really open and flowing, with a sound that shows that the New Jersey sound was alive and well into the 90s! Braden's on tenor, working alongside some guest tenor by David Newman – and the rest of the group features organ by either Jack McDuff or Larry Goldings – plus trumpet by Tom Harrell, guitar by Russell Malone, and some super-solid drum work by either Cecil Brooks or Winard Harper. Titles include "Walkin The Dog", "Brighter Days", "Cousin Esau", "Twister", "Belief", "Organic", and "Saving All My Love For You". CD

A huge book on the equally-huge creative legacy of bassist William Parker – a musician who first arose in the loft jazz scene in New York during the 70s, but who's gone on to be one of its greatest surviving players, and one who's transformed the inspirations of that world into so many different modes of expression over the decades! Author Cisco Bradley really digs deep – following Parker from his southern roots to his childhood in the South Bronx, to his strong contributions to avant scenes, first in New York, then around the globe – all with a sensitivity to community and context that shows that Parker isn't just some genius musician, but both an evolving participant in creative activity, and one whose contributions have transformed the landscape as well! The book is softcover, 402 pages, and has copious notes, a discography, and even some black and white images as well. Book

A pretty great album of mellow jazz tracks – recorded in a very spare setting that has trumpeter Ruby Braff playing with pianist Ellis Larkins, and no other accompaniment! The setting's quite unusual for the time, and it makes for a relaxed intimate meeting between two strong talents that really differs from the work that either of them were recording elsewhere. But even more incredible is the way that the two players come together without additional support – working beautifully in a format that would have others faltering – always swinging the tunes despite the lack of bass or drums, and clearly very at home here with the extra space that lets both of them open up creatively! Titles include "Where Or When", "I Could Write A Book", "The Girl Friend", "Little Girl Blue", and "Thou Swell". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of trad jazz grooves from the Boston scene of the 50s – recorded with an easygoing groove that's totally great, and put together by George Wein in the same spirit as some of his better-known live events of the time! Players include Ruby Braff on trumpet, Vic Dickenson and Dick Lefave on trombones, Al Drootin on clarinet, Sam Margolis on tenor, Buzzy Drootin on drums, and Wein himself on piano – and the tunes are open-ended swing-based numbers, with titles that include "High Society", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Swinging The Blues", "At The Jazz Band Ball", and "After You've Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

The baritone sax of German musician Helmut Brandt is at the helm– but the album's equally noteworthy for its strong use of American players Benny Bailey on trumpet, Nat Peck on trombone, and Herb Geller on alto! The concert is one of those wonderful meetings of American and European jazz talents in a large group setting – the kind of mode that cooked up most famously in the Clark Boland Big Band of the 60s – but which also was simmering all over Europe in the decade – as it does here with additional work from Europeans Ack Van Rooyen on trumpet, Stefan Von Dobrzynski on tenor and flute, Gunter Meier on piano, and Siegfried Schmidt on trombone. The tunes are mostly hard-swinging, and exploding with colors – very much in a mid 60s MPS/Saba mode – with a nice balance between individuality and group sound. Titles include "Berlin Calling", "Boris", "Opus C-Moll 794", "Trifi", "Boogie Waltz", and the long "Ferien Suite". CD

Wonderful work from Anthony Braxton – an album that has him playing straight ahead jazz – but at a time when he was also making some of his most complex recordings of the 70s! The approach here is sublime – as Braxton's reputation has ears already anticipating some far-out playing, but then marvel at his restraint – his care for keeping alto and bass clarinet work inside a straight jazz tradition, yet always hinting at the modern inflections he can bring to his music! Tunes are almost all jazz standards, blown beautifully – with a tone that's crisp, cool, and very inviting – surprisingly soulful, and never cold at all – matched well with the rhythm trio of Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", "Ornithology", and "Marshmallow". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of later jazzy vocal LP gems by Teresa Brewer, both backed by jazz greats – Songs Of Bessie Smith with Count Basie and Thad Jones, and It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing with Duke Ellington – both released by Flying Dutchman in 1973! Teresa's popularity peaked a couple decades earlier as a girlish pop singer, and she succeeds strongly on both records – not just because of the jazz heavies in the band, but because she has the pipes and genuine affection for the material to pull it off. It's lovely stuff! Songs Of Bessie Smith have the bluesy overtones necessary to make it work, without trying the hide Teresa's naturally softer approach. Basie on piano throughout, with arrangements by Jones, and a great big band on half and more intimate arrangements on the other half. It Don't Mean A Thing. . .works just as wel, with Duke Ellington and Ernie Wilkins arrangements, and great Flying Dutchman players that include Bernard Purdie, Joe Beck and Mtume. 20 tracks in all, including "Trombone Cholly", "Gmme A Pigfoot", "I Ain't Got Nobody", "St Louis Blues", "I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues", "Mood Indigo", "I'm Beginning To See The Light", "I've Got To Be A Rug Cutter", "Tulip Or Turnip", "I'ts Kinda Lonesome Out Tonight" and more. CD

A surprising sort of set, one in which Dee Dee Bridgewater pays tribute to Ella Fitzgerald – a link we might never have expected in her style! Dee Dee's not totally copping Ella here, though – although she does sing a good number of tunes from the Fitzgerald songbook – and as usual for Bridgewater, there's a pretty unique flavor to most of the material, something that comes through strongly with help from arrangers Lou Levy, Slide Hampton, and Cecil Bridgewater! The band's upbeat and groovy on most numbers – and titles include the Kenny Burrell-penned "Dear Ella", done as a duet, plus "How High The Moon", "Mack The Knife", "A Tisket A Tasket", "Midnight Sun", "Undecided", "Oh Lady Be Good", and "If You Can't Sing It You'll Have To Swing It (aka Mr Paganini)". CD

A modern classic from Dee Dee Bridgewater – one of her hippest albums of the later years, thanks to a great choice of material, and some really wonderful execution! The album's a beautiful set of straight jazz vocal readings of some of Horace Silver's best compositions, and it also features guest appearances by Silver and Jimmy Smith – both players who still had plenty going on at the time of the sessions. The real strength, though, is Dee Dee – as she proves once and for all that she's one of the best female true jazz singers of this era, capable of rich emotion on ballad tracks, and swinging free vocalese on more uptempo numbers. Titles include "Nica's Dream", "Pretty Eyes", "St. Vitus Dance", "Soulville", "Lonely Woman", and "Tokyo Blues". One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of the past 10 years! CD

An obscure Polish date from the great Gustav Brom – the Czech bandleader known for his great grooves for MPS and Supraphon! The styles here are something of a mixed bag – with some tunes that are straight swinging big band, mixed with a few others that show more of the jazz rock influence that Brom's become famous for over the years. Obviously, these latter tracks are the ones that really catch our ears – especially the funky "U Jazu Pod Mostem", which has a real MPS-like feel, and some great funky piano and sax – or "Malovane Sane", which has lots of electric guitar jamming around at the bottom of the groove! Other tracks include "American Patrol", "Chanson D'Amour", "Bogdan Boogie", and "Mahalia". CD

An incredible collection of work from Bob Brookmeyer – tracing the development of his sound in the 50s through a variety of different settings! The package begins with material from an original 10" LP session in 1954 – featuring Brookmeyer on trombone with backing by the John Williams trio. The set then expands to feature tracks recorded by Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, and Jimmy Giuffre as material that was originally issued on the album Traditionalism Revisited, but which also features tracks from that session that came out on other more obscure sources, including a Playboy jazz album and a Brookmeyer LP on Crown. The set then follows with a beautiful guitar/trombone session that features Jim Hall, Jimy Raney, and Brookmeyer – originally issued as The Street Swingers. Next up is material from a bluesy 1958 set, recorded with vocalist Big Miller, as well as Paul Quinichette, Al Cohn, and Jim Hall – for the album Kansas City Revisited. The set's completed by material from the beautiful UA album Stretching Out – which featured Zoot Sims, Harry Edison, and Al Cohn – and the whole thing's packaged with a great booklet that gives notes on the material. 37 tracks in all – in a limited, numbered set! CD

Beautiful takes on Monkish tunes – a record that's a bit warmer than the usual tribute to Thelonious, thanks to the round sound and deep soul of guitarist Bobby Broom! The group here is just a trio, and Bobby really gets plenty done in the small space of the set – romping around the Monk compositions in ways that really open them up – almost like he's using his instrument like a piano on one number, a sax on the next, and so on. As with most of Broom's best work, there's a chromatic warmth to the record that really holds things together – and, once again, makes us wonder why the hell this guy isn't hailed as one of the greatest living guitarists in mainstream jazz. Titles include "Reflections", "Lulu's Back In Town", "Ask Me Now", "Evidence", "Ruby My Dear", "In Walked Bud", and "Bemsha Swing". CD

A fantastic entry in the late-life partnership that reedman Peter Brotzmann has formed with steel guitar player Heather Leigh – the kind of instrumentalist that Brotzmann never would have played with back in the day – but who seems to really open him up with an unheard range of color and tone! At times, Peter is maybe even more soulful than usual – blowing almost straight, to match the more colorful modes of the steel – which itself can be more abstract from a sonic perspective – creating a shift in the expected sensibilities you might have with a record from Brotzmann. Leigh really uses her instrument in wonderful ways – and Brotzmann blows a variety of clarinets, plus alto, tenor, and bass saxophone – on titles that include "It's Almost Dark", "This Word Love", "Summer Rain", "All Of Us", "River Of Sorrow", "My Empty Heart", and "The Longer We're Apart". CD

A set of unreleased improvisations between these two fantastic free jazz musicians – intended as a session in which, according to Paal Nilssen-Love, "we agreed to bring all the metal we could bring"! That means that Peter Brotzmann is blowing a wide variety of reed instruments, and Paal is handling lots of percussion and gongs next to his drums – yet all elements are used in these very spare styles, almost more loft jazz than you'd guess from the legacy of intensity from both of the musicians – which makes for yet another great late life surprise in the final years of Brotzmann – proof that he never stopped reinventing and opening doors to new avenues of creation! Titles include "Dancing Octopus", "Move On Over", "South Of No Return", "Butterfly Mushroom", "Found The Cabin But No People", and "Five Of Them Survived The Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A 10th Anniversary performance by the Chicago Tentet – a wonderful group that's become the fruitful union of saxophonist Peter Brotzmann with a younger generation of players who were working heavily on the Chicago scene at the time! Back when the group first started, it was something of an experiment – but over the following decade, the ensemble won great attention for their playing, and for good reason too – considering the solo contributions of players like Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson on reeds, Joe McPhee on trumpet and tenor, Johannes Bauer on trombone, Kent Kessler on bass, and Paal Nilssen Love on drums – all working under the visionary leadership of Peter Brotzmann! The tracks are all somewhat long and open-ended – almost more spacious than on other Chicago Tentet records, with a freely improvised feel. Titles include "Ten By Ten", "Little By Little", and "Step By Step". CD

A key record in the evolution of the free jazz spirit on the German scene – one that not only has the Machine Gun generation allowing for a bit of extra space and moments of contemplation in their music, but which also opens itself up to work from a slightly older member of the scene as well! The group is great – with Peter Brotzmann on clarinet, alto, tenor, and baritone – plus Fred Van Hove on piano, and Han Bennink on drums, self-made clarinet, and "homemade junk" – joined by trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff, who almost feels as if he's been waiting for the chance to really open up and experiment with the other improvisers – showing sounds that are maybe even more mindblowing than on his own records of the time! Titles include "Serienze Serie", "Boogie Fur Fred", and "Der Spaziegang". LP, Vinyl record album

A great full length collection of work by Memphis singer Barbara Brown – a vocalist who appeared both as a solo act, and with her sisters – on a variety of singles for labels like Cadet, Atlantic, Tower, and MGM in the late 60s and early 70s! Barbara's got a deep, rich voice that's clearly schooled in gospel, but pointed towards more secular ends – an approach that's very much in keeping with the best late 60s wave of soul from Atlantic Records, and which is carried off here with a sharpness and precision that's simply mindblowing! Why Brown never scored bigger is a real mystery to us, because these tunes come off like the cream of the crop of southern soul at the end of the 60s – not just obscurities for obscurity sake, but some of the highest level of soul a female soul singer could hope for at the time! Titles include "Can't Find No Happiness", "Plenty Of Room", "A Great Big Thing", "Things Have Gone To Pieces", "Man Around The House", "Play Thing", "I'm Gonna Start A War", "I Don't Want To Have To Wait", "It Hurts Me So Much", "Got To Be Somebody", "There's A Look On Your Face", and "If I Can't Run To You I'll Crawl". LP, Vinyl record album

A key slice of Clifford Brown from the 50s – two long tracks both recorded in an open-ended jam session format, showing a side of Brown's powers that's even bolder and more inventive than some of his previous studio work! The album soars along beautifully – with Brownie in the lead amongst an unusual, but well-chosen batch of players that includes Herb Geller and Joe Maini on alto saxes, Walter Benton on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Curtis Counce on bass, and Max Roach on drums – all grooving alongside Clifford on the album's nicely extended tracks. The album was released after Brown's death in 1956, features the side-long tracks "Caravan" and "Autumn In New York". CD also features a bonus take on "Caravan" – much shorter, called "Caravan (The Boss Man)". CD

A classic "with strings" session from Clifford Brown – nearly as well-done and perfect as some of Charlie Parker's sides for Verve, handled here with perhaps a slightly sweeter touch, as Neal Hefti's the man on arrangements. The core group's the Brown/Roach combo, augmented by a smallish string section – and Clifford's right up front blowing warm and glistening solos, with titles that include "Willow Weep For Me", "Yesterdays", "Laura", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Portrait Of Jennie". CD

A classic "with strings" session from Clifford Brown – nearly as well-done and perfect as some of Charlie Parker's sides for Verve, handled here with perhaps a slightly sweeter touch, as Neal Hefti's the man on arrangements. The core group's the Brown/Roach combo, augmented by a smallish string section – and Clifford's right up front blowing warm and glistening solos, with titles that include "Willow Weep For Me", "Yesterdays", "Laura", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Portrait Of Jennie". LP, Vinyl record album

Absolutely burning live recording of Brownie's group co led with Max Roach, and also featuring Sony Rollins. This set features some the group's best playing, limited only by the mediocre sound quality of the recording. Great extended takes on "I'll Remember April", 'What's New", "Daahoud", "Lover Man" and "52nd Street Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

The musical legacy of saxophonist Marion Brown knows no bounds – and although he gave the world some key studio records that helped define his role in the late 60s and early 70s, his live performances on this planet were an equally important demonstration of the righteous power he brought to his music! This rare 1969 concert from Germany is a key addition to that legacy of important Brown performances – and features the alto saxophonist in a very cool group with Ed Kroeger on trombone, blowing all these soulful lines next to Brown's alto – very spiritual throughout, at a level that really makes us which we knew more about his work. There's no piano in the group at all – just excellent bass from Sigi Busch, and drums from a young AACM hero Steve McCall – on titles that include "Ode To Coltrane", "Mary Ann", "Juba Lee", "Study For Four Instruments", "Modus Rhythmicus", and "Exhibition". CD

One of the few albums ever as a leader from alto saxophonist Pete Brown – a less-remembered talent of his times, but a key link between the generations of bop and swing! The set was only issued as a 10" LP, but packs the full punch of most longer albums – sublime alto from Brown with a crisp tone firmly in place – sitting somewhere between older bop players and some of the emerging Tristano-ites from the east coast – a vibe that's almost like Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson in their best younger years, but with a bit more soul too. The group's a hip sextet – with trumpet from Joe Wilder, guitar from Wally Richardson, and piano by Wadde Legge – and the album includes a great version of "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise", plus the nice originals "Delta Blues" and "Used Blues". CD

The Lester in the title here is Lester Koenig, the legendary owner of Contemporary Records – for whom Ray Brown made this rare session as a leader shortly before his death! Ray had recorded often for Koenig in the 50s – probably most famously in the Poll Winners trio – but this session is a very different record indeed, and makes tremendous use of the piano of Cedar Walton and drums of Elvin Jones – in a way that's got the flowing, fluid, soulful energy of Walton's own best trio recordings of the 70s! Titles include the Walton originals "Ojos De Rojo" and "Something In Common", the Brown number "Slippery", and versions of "Sister Sadie", "Love Walked In", and "Little Girl Blue". CD

A really hip record from the team of bassist Ray Brown and vibist Milt Jackson – a swinging large group record that has them fronting arrangements from Oliver Nelson and Jimmy Heath! Nelson and Heath are both mighty hip cats at this point in their career – and bring a soulful swing to the record that really takes off – a groove that's lively, but tuned with lots of cool colors and tones too – shifting effortlessly while things move forward – but always with the right soulful appeal for older fans of both leaders. Milt's especially great in this setting – even more on fire than some of his other collaborations with Brown – and titles include "Dew & Mud", "Lined With A Groove", "Lazy Theme", "In A Crowd", and "Now Hear My Meaning". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not normally great fans of the Ray Brown Trio, but this album's a corker – thanks to some great tenor work by Ralph Moore! Moore's a the height of his powers here – blowing with an easy soulfulness that recalls the classic late 50s work of Hank Mobley. His presence on the set really opens things up – and althoguh Brown's trio is more than fine, and Gene Harris' piano is always a treat, it's really Moore's tenor work that makes this album a gem. Titles are mostly standards, but done with imagination – and titles include "The Champ", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Like Someone In Love", "Quasimoto", "Ralph's Boogie", and "SOS". CD

Alto saxophonist Rob Brown really shines in a setting like this – a record with a very open-ended vibe, as Brown improvises freely in tandem with Juan Pablo Carletti on the drums – spinning things out over two very long tracks that are full of delightful surprises at every twist and turn! Brown has a really great way of handling his horn – blowing freely, but almost with an inherent sense of structure – not playing changes, or hitting a rhythm, but creating these patterns that really hold the whole thing together – still the farther side of tuneful, but almost there at times. Titles include "6BC" and "Children's Magical Garden" – both nice and long! CD

An easy-going, openly-swinging set from British reedman Sandy Brown – long live tracks that feature lots of deft clarinet work from Sandy, plus some tightly swinging rhythms from a combo that includes Ray Crane on trumpet, Brian Lemon on piano, Phil Bates on bass, and Mike Scott on drums! There's certainly trad roots to the music, but the execution is much more bop-inflected overall – especially given the long tracks that allow plenty of room for solo work – which almost gives the record the feel of a Buddy DeFranco appearance in a Verve Jam Session! Titles include "Splanky", "In The Evenin", "I Got It Bad", "Royal Garden Blues", and "Roll Em Pete". LP, Vinyl record album

Solo recordings of original compositions for piano, with titles including "Swing Bells", "Walkin' Line", "Two-Part Contention", "Weep No More", "When I Was Young", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album from San Francisco pianist Dave Brubeck – recorded at Oberlin College, the mid-Ohio haven of bohemiana, and a growing hotbed of jazz activity centered around students in the college's conservatory of music at the time of the recording! Dave and crew made the trip at the request of the kids – breaking from their mostly San Francisco-based recording career to cut what would end up becoming a very successful album in Dave's catalog, and begin a whole "at" or "goes to" series in his career – followed up at many other locations. The group's the early quartet with Paul Desmond on alto, Ron Crotty on bass, and Lloyd Davis on drums – and tunes include long and jamming versions of "The Way You Look Tonight", "How High The Moon", and "Stardust". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set – unissued material from the same concert that gave us the original College Of The Pacific album! Classic early live material from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums. CD

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". 2CD version features a set of previously unreleased Dave Brubeck material recorded at Newport in the early 60s – 8 rare bonus tracks on a separate CD – plus a DVD that features an interview with Dave on Time Out, historic Brubeck performance footage, a piano lesson, and a photo grallery too! CD

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Brubeck side project – featuring music by Dave and lyrics by Iola Brubeck – kind of a reworking of the Gilbert & Sullivan musical, but with a hip 60s swinging jazz vibe – and a story about the importance of American jazz musicians as cultural ambassadors in the postwar years! There's some especially great vocal numbers from Lambert Hendricks & Ross – and Carmen McRae sings a bit in a mode that's similar to her Brubeck albums. And even Louis Armstrong is pretty charming, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Exactly the kind of record that makes us love sound library records so much – and definitely the sort that sets the style apart from anything else we can think of! Both Sandro Brugnolini and Giorgio Carnini turn in some great work here – a mindblowing mix of modes over the space of ten short tracks – some tunes a cascading array of instrumentation, in a hip groove that's neither American jazz or soundtrack funk, but a special space of its own! Other tunes use an electronic approach that's years ahead of its time – as groovy as 60s analogue, but a lot darker, too – in ways that the rest of the world might not touch until the German new wave. The balance is almost even between swinging groovers and darker electronic cuts – and titles include "Grinta", "Azione CIA", "Scalo Clandestino", "Alambicco Cibernetico", "Strutture Generative", "Omicido Bianco", and "CIA Massacre". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer record from bassist Paul Brusger – a set that features plenty of great work from Eric Alexander on tenor and alto – the latter an instrument that he's really begun to embrace in recent years! The rest of the group is wonderful too – Steve Davis on trombone, Rick Germanson on piano, and Willie Jones III on drums – a combo with a hard-swinging energy, and lots of individual identity in the way each member expresses themselves within the group – no egos getting in the way of the groove, even though the musicians themselves are an all-star group! Yet credit should really be given to Brusger for not only pulling the whole thing together, but also composing most of the material for the set – really great tunes that bristle with fresh life and vision, on selections that include "A Slice Of Gryce", "Just A Tadd More Please", "Do Dreams Really Matter", "The Sugar Glider", and "Blues For Another Time". CD

One of Chico's strongest albums of the late 70s – a masterful set of sophisticated tunes, recorded with some great guest help from Milton Nascimento, Zizi Possi, and Elba Ramalho! The album's got a slightly melancholy feel overall – not completely somber, but a slightly world-weary sound that makes the album a bit different and more mature than some of Chico's earlier work – and which beautifully unlocks a new chapter in his tremendous talents. The style is great – perfect for Buarque's growing international fame at the time, but not in a way that's ever too commercial. Titles include "Calice", "Feijoada Completa", "Tanto Mar", "Apesar De Voce", "Pequena Serenata Diurna", and "Ate O Fim". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest albums ever from Harold Budd – an artist who'd later rise to great ambient fame in the following decade, but who's maybe at his most sophisticated here! The set has all the hallmark of the new musical experiments that Brian Eno was showcasing on his Obscure Music label – where the set first appeared – and Budd plays electric piano with a very cool set of contemporary musicians – a lineup that includes alto sax from Marion Brown, harp from Maggie Thomas, marimba from Michael Nyman and John White, and glockenspiel from Gavin Bryars. Brian Eno produced the record, and vocalizes slightly – and tracks have a long-spun, almost spiritual vibe – on titles that include "Bismallahi Rrahmani Rrahmani", "Two Songs (Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord/Butterfly Sunday)", "Madrigals Of The Rose Angel", and "Juno". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing minimalism from the legendary Sandy Bull – an artist who might have had acoustic roots in folk music, but who was instantly turning his music into something else – drawing on modal styles of Eastern music, European generations of expression on guitar, jazz-based improvisation – and maybe even prefiguring work to come from composers like Terry Riley and La Monte Young! This album's one of Bull's first, and it's pure genius right from the start – with a side-long performance on the incredible "Blend", which features slight drums from jazz musician Billy Higgins – which Sandy extrapolates these long passages on acoustic guitar. Side two features the fantastic "Carmina Burana Fantasy" on banjo – a kind of trans-historical performance that's right up there with John Fahey's best of the decade – alongside equally mindblowing "Non Nobis Domine" and "Little Maggie" – and the closing electric guitar genius of "Gospel Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius – pure genius! Solomon Burke is one of those soul singers you always hear folks about, but who you never seem to get to hear as much as folks like Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, or any of his other label-mates on Atlantic. This excellent 2CD set will correct that problem – as it brings together 41 tracks from Solomon's glory days at Atlantic, and the selection of material is fantastic all the way through. Solomon's voice is indescribably majestic – soaring over the top of the tightly-woven arrangements that were some of Atlantic's first real forays into soul music. The set does a good job of showing the full range of his talents during the 60s – and it moves way past the few hits he had, which always seem to get repeated endlessly when anyone brings up his name. Tracks include "Save It", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Detroit City", "Take Me (Just As I Am)", "When She Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters)", "Looking For My Baby", "I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You", "Cry To Me", "If You Need Me", "The Price", "You're Good For Me", "Words", "It's Been A Change", "Time Is A Thief", "Stupidity", and "Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do". CD

Wonderfully righteous work from Burnt Sugar Arkestra – a group who've been giving us great records for years, but who are maybe even more important to the scene than ever before! The core of the record is the long title track – a very jazzy tune that builds up over loops set down by composer Greg Tate, with a flowing, snakey vibe that allows for plenty of long trumpet, tenor, flute, and alto solos over the guitars and Fender Rhodes that work the rhythms – maybe almost in electric Miles territory, but more laidback. That tune is then reworked on a number of variations that are very different – mostly instrumental, as the main track – but finishing up with a bit of vocals near the end of the record – a great contribution from singer Lisala Beatty! Titles include "Angels Over Oakanda", "Repatriation Of The Midnight Moores", "Oakanda Overdrive", and "Lisala Oer Inna Oakanda". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of Kenny's best recordings – especially from the early days! The albums contained on this 2CD set feature Kenny in the company of some of the best late 50's players at Blue Note. Junior Cook and Tina Brooks are on tenor, Duke Jordan or Bobby Timmons play piano, Louis Smith plays trumpet on some tracks, Sam Jones is on bass, and Art Blakey is on drums throughout. The cuts have a very open-ended blowing session feel, and Kenny comes through surprisingly well, really picking up steam on a way you don't always hear in more restrained recordings. The 2-in-1 combo is a nice idea, too – and it gives you all 9 long tracks from these two rare albums, including "Rock Salt", "Chuckin", "Scotch Blues", and "Phinupi". CD

The legendary Kenny Burrell played often at the Village Vanguard over the years – and this sweet set from later years has the guitarist really stretching out in the familiar setting – hitting some surprisingly deep, strong lines throughout – all with effortless ease! The record's a great reminder that Burrell kept on growing over the decades, and never seemed to lose his power as both a leader and a soloist – something we've been reminded of in his many records after this early 90s set – and the younger combo here really seems to bring out a fresh fire in Kenny, with work from James Williams on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums. Titles include the originals "Then Along Came You", "Good News Blues", and "Maya's Dance" – plus "Fungi Mama", "Lament", and "Black & Tan Fantasy". CD

A hip live date from Kenny Burrell – recorded with a trio that includes Richard Davis on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – both of whom help Kenny find a groove that's a bit lighter and more fluid than usual! The rhythms here are quite gentle, almost spare at times – and always touched with Haynes' great sense of lyricism. Kenny's guitar lines are right out front, freely flowing with plenty of warm chromatic hues, and styles that echo a bit more modernism than we've heard in other work of his from the late 50s. Titles include "Well You Needn't", "Trio", "All Night Long", and "Soft Winds". CD

A hip live date from Kenny Burrell – recorded with a trio that includes Richard Davis on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – both of whom help Kenny find a groove that's a bit lighter and more fluid than usual! The rhythms here are quite gentle, almost spare at times – and always touched with Haynes' great sense of lyricism. Kenny's guitar lines are right out front, freely flowing with plenty of warm chromatic hues, and styles that echo a bit more modernism than we've heard in other work of his from the late 50s. Titles include "Well You Needn't", "Trio", "All Night Long", and "Soft Winds". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful book of images – not just for record lovers, but for all fans of sonic delights – as the author starts from the earliest days of recorded sound, then moves up through decades of representation – following images of record players, radios, cassette tapes, albums, 78 record sleeves, and dozens of other variations on the way that sound and music is presented! The heavy volume is an artbook first, but also has plenty of history in the mix – and the author presents images from around the world, in a way that really gets away from the Anglo-centric evolution of the record industry – coming up with all sorts of weird images of record scenes in so many different locations, mixed with stark photographs, blueprints, and other images too. The book is a visual delight throughout – even in final pages that deal with the digital generation – and this heavy hardcover volume is 350 pages, with full color images throughout! Book

The retro-styled font on the cover is a tipoff to the sound of this set – as Tre Burt steps back into the past a bit more and channels some strong influences from 70s soul, while still offering up that more contemporary blend of rock and R&B influences you'd know from his previous records! Production is nice and warm – again maybe nodding back to the past, especially early 70s Hi Records, but with more contemporary execution – on titles that include "Play Stevie Wonder", "Win My Heart", "I'm Aight Pops Just Tired", "Santiago", "Wings For A Butterfly", "To Be A River", "2 For Tha Show", and "Told Ya Then". CD

The retro-styled font on the cover is a tipoff to the sound of this set – as Tre Burt steps back into the past a bit more and channels some strong influences from 70s soul, while still offering up that more contemporary blend of rock and R&B influences you'd know from his previous records! Production is nice and warm – again maybe nodding back to the past, especially early 70s Hi Records, but with more contemporary execution – on titles that include "Play Stevie Wonder", "Win My Heart", "I'm Aight Pops Just Tired", "Santiago", "Wings For A Butterfly", "To Be A River", "2 For Tha Show", and "Told Ya Then". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Gary Burton's more free-flowing albums of the 70s – a bit more fusion than some of his other work of the time, with key guitar contributions from Mick Goodrick and a young Pat Metheney! The album's still filled with plenty of Burton's great work on vibes, but the guitars also soar out strongly too – bringing in a sense of pulse that's matched by the basses of Steve Swallow and Eberhard Weber, and percussion by Bob Moses. The groove's still a bit softer-edged than traditional fusion sides of the time – thanks to a mellower ECM approach – but there's also a bit more dynamic energy on some of the tracks than you might be used to hearing from the label. Titles include "Silent Spring", "The Colours Of Chloe", "Intrude", "Unfinished Symphony", "Tunnel Of Love", and "Mevlevia". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work by one of our favorite soul singers of all time! Jerry first came to fame with The Impressions and on his own in the early 60s – singing dark moody easy tunes that well earned him the nickname of "Iceman". In the late 60s, though, he moved onto Mercury where he broke through even bigger with some excellent early production by Gamble & Huff, which took Jerry to a whole new level, and which gave his work a swinging soul groove that worked great with his vocals. This set compiles some of the best moments of the Mercury years – including "Never Give You Up", "Lost", "Moody Woman", "Mr Dream Merchant", "Hey Western Union Man", and "Only The Strong Survive". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work by Chicago Iceman soulster Jerry Butler! Jerry's moving past the harmony formula of his earlier years with The Impressions, into a sophisticated style that would forever change the sound of male vocal soul. Jerry's a wonder with this material – delivering heartfelt tearjerkers in a mature style that had hardly ever been explored in the R&B market, yet still swinging with a good raw quality wherever the nature of the material called for it. Titles include "How Beautifully You Lie", "Such A Feeling", "Isle Of Sirens", "You Can Run But You Can't Hide", "Make It Easy On Yourself", "Message To Martha", "You Can Run (But You Can't Hide)", "Giving Up On Love", and "Whatever You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

Jaki Byard brings plenty to the table here – playing both tenor and alto sax, in addition to his usual piano – and showing once again that he's not just a multi-instrumentalist, but also one of the most multi-voiced talents in jazz! Byard seems to bring a similar spirit of multiplicity to his players on the date – as Major Holly plays tuba and Fender bass, as well as his usual acoustic bass – and drummer Warren Smith also picks up a bit of tympani and vibes as well, especially on the tracks that feature added drummer JR Mitchell. Side one of the record features shorter tunes that showcase Byard's ear for many generations of jazz at once – titles that include "Ballad To Louise", "Just Rollin Along", and "LH Gateway Rag". Side two features part of Jaki's "Family Suite", which is a much more modern number overall – filled with beautiful little pictures in sound! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing (and often forgotten!) quartet session that brings together the enigmatic pianist Jaki Byard and the mind-blowing multi-reed player Roland Kirk! Kirk and Byard had played together previously – most notably on some of Kirk's Mercury recordings – and they fit together perfectly in this mad session of off-kilter jazz that takes off beautifully from the very first note! Rhythm is by the crack team of Alan Dawson on drums and Richard Davis on bass – a pair who can open up creatively when needed, but also return the record to a soulful swing when it's getting too far out. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Evidence", "Memories Of You", and "Hazy Eve". CD

Incredible work from Bobby Byrd – the man who was literally standing in the shadow of James Brown during the 60s – given how many times Bobby appeared with James on stage, and worked with him in the studio! Yet despite that near-lifetime association with The Godfather, Bobby's a hell of a singer on his own – definitely in the JB mold, but with a voice that can sometimes sweetly crackle in a very personal style – and also open up into different themes that sometimes move his music more towards Stax or Atlantic than some of James' King Records material from the time! All that range and plenty more is presented here – in an overlooked side of Bobby's career – all the wonderfully strong solo tracks he recorded with James Brown as a producer – issued in the mid 60s by the Smash and King Records labels, and a hell of a discography on its own. In fact, had Byrd not worked with James, we'd maybe guess that he would have hit even bigger fame on his own with these singles – such is the quality in both the vocals and overall presentation. This is the first time this material has ever been pulled together like this – and most of it has never been reissued at all – and the 24 track CD is overflowing with great notes that also give Bobby his due. Titles include "Write Me A Letter", "I Found Out", "Ain't No Use", "I'm Just A Nobody (parts 1 & 2)", "Lost In The Mood Of Changes", "You're Gonna Need My Lovin", "Let Me Know", "Time Will Make A Change", "No One Like My Baby", "Funky Soul (parts 1 & 2)", "You Gave Me Heart A Song To Sing", "My Concerto", and "I'm Lonely". CD

A live set that follows the great format first set out by the trio of guitarists Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessel, and Herb Ellis – a pretty airy approach to jazz guitar swinging that also features a bit of bass from Joe Byrd and some drums from Chuck Redd! As before, the approach seems to work best on older swing-styled numbers – letting one guitar play rhythm while another solos strongly – on titles that include "Where Or When", "New Orleans", "Change Partners", "Opus One", "Get Happy", and "Danielle". CD

A jazz guitar double-header – two older albums from the classic Great Guitars series packaged in a single set! First up is Great Guitars At The Winery – a date that has a sweet trio of guitarists – Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessel, and Herb Ellis – swinging in easygoing, open-ended formation that allows for plenty of fast string interplay! Rhythm is from Joe Byrd on bass and Jimmie Smith on drums, and at times, the guitar-driven approach is almost in the mode of gypsy swing – but with a lot more of a contemporary feel overall. Titles include "So Danco Samba", "Sheik Of Araby", "Broadway", "Air Mail Special", and "Talk Of The Town". Great Guitars At Charlies Georgetown follows the great format first set out by the trio of guitarists Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessel, and Herb Ellis – a pretty airy approach to jazz guitar swinging that also features a bit of bass from Joe Byrd and some drums from Chuck Redd! As before, the approach seems to work best on older swing-styled numbers – letting one guitar play rhythm while another solos strongly – on titles that include "Where Or When", "New Orleans", "Change Partners", "Opus One", "Get Happy", and "Danielle". CD

One of the best of Donald Byrd's early Blue Note albums – a sparkling set of hardbop tunes with a really souful edge! The album's one of a few that feature Byrd working with baritonist Pepper Adams – a frequent partner on his best recording dates of the late 50s, of which this set is one of the best. The rest of the group includes a rhythm section of Walter Davis, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor – all grooving nice and hard – plus tenor work by the great Charlie Rouse, whose raspy tone really gives the set a tremendous amount of depth. Tracks are a good blend of originals by Byrd and Davis, swinging with the lyrical beauty of a Horace Silver set of tracks – and titles include "Devil Whip", "Bronze Dance", "Clarion Calls", and "The Injuns". CD

One of the best of Donald Byrd's early Blue Note albums – a sparkling set of hardbop tunes with a really souful edge! The album's one of a few that feature Byrd working with baritonist Pepper Adams – a frequent partner on his best recording dates of the late 50s, of which this set is one of the best. The rest of the group includes a rhythm section of Walter Davis, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor – all grooving nice and hard – plus tenor work by the great Charlie Rouse, whose raspy tone really gives the set a tremendous amount of depth. Tracks are a good blend of originals by Byrd and Davis, swinging with the lyrical beauty of a Horace Silver set of tracks – and titles include "Devil Whip", "Bronze Dance", "Clarion Calls", and "The Injuns". LP, Vinyl record album

Early in his career, Donald Byrd spent some time in Paris – where he not only got a chance to work in a whole new setting with some really great players, but he also got to record some fantastic sides that still stand as some of his best hardbop work! This rare album was originally issued on the French Brunswick label – and it features a quintet that includes Bobby Jaspar on tenor, Walter Davis Jr on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The set was recorded live – and the tracks are all quite long – really giving the group ample room to stretch out on hard-blowing solos with a lot of soul. Titles include "Ray's Idea", "Flute Blues", "Paul's Pal", "Dear Old Stockholm", and "The Blues Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

A rock-solid set from Donald Byrd and a great group of players – a record that's got the same sharp edges and dark undercurrents of late 60s classics like Black Jack, Mustang, and Slow Drag! As with those gems, this album's got Donald really experimenting a bit more – especially with the rhythms – which are put forth by a hip trio that features Chick Corea on piano, Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums! But almost even better is the frontline – with Sonny Red making one of his sublime appearances with Byrd, blowing alto with an edge that's amazing – and frequent partner Pepper Adams, adding plenty of baritone on the deep end. The whole thing's great – oddly unreleased until the start of the 80s – and titles include "Samba Yanta", "I Will Wait For You", "Blues Medium Rare", "The Creeper", "Chico-San", "Early Sunday Morning", and "Blues Well Done". CD

A really early nugget from the Detroit jazz scene of the 50s – and a record that marks a key moment for players who would soon become huge on a variety of different labels! The group here features a very young Donald Byrd on trumpet, with Yusef Lateef on tenor, Barry Harris on piano, Alvin Jackson on bass, and Frank Gant on drums – plus Bernard McKinney blowing euphonium – an instrument he would use on a number of other important recordings over the years to really deepen their sound. The date was originally issued by the Transition label, and very quickly disappeared when they quickly closed up show – brought back over the years in a few variations by Delmark, to keep the memory of this moment alive. Tracks include "Yusef", "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Blues", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Tortion Level". CD

An essential bit of 70s jazz funk – one of the key Blue Note collaborations between trumpeter Donald Byrd and producer/arranger Larry Mizell – the man who helped set a whole new standard for soulful sounds at the time! The approach here is quite similar to the pair's work on Places & Spaces – tight, but loose at the same time – with Donald delivering solos that are very different than his work from the 60s, while Mizell finds this way to mix together all sorts of instruments, at so many different levels – but with a clarity that's mindblowing. Most tracks have a nice groove, a few points feature a touch of vocals – and titles include the classic, and oft-sampled "Think Twice" – plus "We're Together", "Makin It", "Rock & Roll Again", "I Love The Girl", and "You Are The World". CD

Incredible work from the team of Donald Byrd and Gigi Gryce – crisp modern jazz, filled with soul, and never failing to swing! During the time of these recordings, Gryce was one hell of an arranger – with a tight ensemble approach that worked magic in a small combo setting. He was also a tremendous alto player – with a tone that was unlike any other musician at the time, magically sharp, with a sound that always seemed to inspire a great deal of energy from his bandmates. He gets plenty of that here from trumpeter Donald Byrd – sounding better on these sides than on most of his other 50s recordings – thanks also to some great accompanists, who include Tommy Flanagan, Wendell Marshall, and Art Taylor. Some tunes feature additional horn work from players that include Benny Powell, Julius Watkins, and Sahib Shihab. Volume 1 in this Lonehill's Complete Jazz Lab Studio Sessions mixes 13 tracks originally released on the LPs Jazz Lab, Modern Jazz Perspective, plus mutual tracks with the rare compilation Jazz Omnibus. Titles include "Nica's Tempo", "Smoke Signal", "Over The Rainbow", "Sans Souci", "Speculation", "Stablemates", "Steppin Out", "Social Call", "Satellite", "An Evening In Casablanca" and more! CD

Incredible work from the team of Donald Byrd and Gigi Gryce – crisp modern jazz, filled with soul, and never failing to swing! During the time of these recordings, Gryce was one hell of an arranger – with a tight ensemble approach that worked magic in a small combo setting. He was also a tremendous alto player – with a tone that was unlike any other musician at the time, magically sharp, with a sound that always seemed to inspire a great deal of energy from his bandmates. He gets plenty of that here from trumpeter Donald Byrd – sounding better on these sides than on most of his other 50s recordings – thanks also to some great accompanists, who include Tommy Flanagan, Wendell Marshall, and Art Taylor. Jackie Paris also joins the group on vocals for a few tunes – "Early Morning Blues" and "Elgy" – and some tunes feature additional horn work from players that include Benny Powell, Julius Watkins, and Sahib Shihab. Other tracks include "Sans Souci", "Speculation", "Stablemates", "Steppin Out", "Social Call", and "Satellite". LP reissues the albums Jazz Lab and Modern Jazz Perspective. LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime late 50s hardbop – recorded in the best Prestige blowing session mode! The record has an incredibly open-ended feel – as you might probably guess from the track "All Night Long", which runs for all of side one, and gives all the players included plenty of room to work out their best solo moments! Members of the group here include Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Mobley on tenor, Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Mal Waldron on piano – really holding the whole thing together with his dark lines on the keys! The groove is laidback, but never sloppy – and the spaciousness of side one is matched by 3 shorter tracks on side two – "Boo Lu", "Flickers", and "Little Hankie". CD

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD

A young player, but one with a really tremendous sound – easily poised to become one of the most impressive European saxophone talents of the next few years! Pescara plays alto, but with a depth that makes him sound like a classic player from many years back – a sense of fullness and focus that's really amazing, and which never slips up for a minute. A few tracks here have him really soaring out with unbridled energy – while others hit a calmer, more sensitive side – and all tracks here are originals by Cafiso, showing a nascent writing skill that definitely bears watching. The group's a quartet, and titles include "Louisiana", "Happy Time", "Sir Charles", "She Loves Me", "Blues For Angel", "Goodbye Elvin", and "The Bear". CD

The first release of a groundbreaking performance – David Tudor's 1956 recording of "Music Of Changes" – one of John Cage's first experiments of writing based around the I Ching! The work is based heavily on chance – following charts of possibilities put together by Cage, and extrapolated dramatically by Tudor – who was, at the time, one of the few pianists who really understood Cage's impulses – and could bring them to fruition with a performance like this! CD

Jazzy folk soul survivor Terry Callier returns to Mr Bongo with Hidden Conversations – with Terry's soul searching lyricism, warm vocals, and mood setting acoustic guitar paired with laidback production by trip hop pioneer Robert Del Naha of Massive Attack! The styles work pretty well together – Terry's way with a song and his performances are built ready to soar, even at their most stripped down and spare, and his voice and guitar are leading lights of the production, over spacey keys and trippy beats. Terry sings, speaks, scats, and tells stories wonderfully, and we're as proud as ever to have him as our Chicago-to-the-cosmos soul sage! Titles include "Wings", "Sunset Boulevard", "Hidden Conversations", "The Hood I Left Behind", "Once I Dreamed Of Heaven", "Fool Em I Fool R U", "Rice And Beans – Grace", "Jessie And Alice", "John Lee Hooker" and "Live With Me". CD

The genius of Terry Callier – remixed! One of the greatest things to happen to Chicago soul legend Callier in recent years was his discovery by a host of cutting edge producers and DJs on the European scene – important talents who took his work to a whole new audience, by fusing Terry's original grooves with some more ambitious rhythmic progressions, keyboard lines, and other studio touches. And while you might fear that such knob-twiddling would muddy the waters and dampen Callier's spirit, such was not the case – as work in this vein only seemed to inspire Terry further, to stretch out his wings and reach new musical horizons. The tracks on this set offer a number of recent Callier recordings, remixed by the cream of the current UK and European scene – all as proof of how great this format is when applied to Callier's work. Titles include "Monuments Of Mars (Hopper mix)", "Running Around (Fug city mix)", "Love Theme From Spartacus (4 Hero No Skins mix)", "Sierra Leone (Block 16 mix)", "Darker Than A Shadow (Mitchell & Dewbury mix)", "Love Theme (Zero 7 rmx)", "Imagine A Nation (Funky Lowlives mix)", and "Just My Imagination (Tom Findlay & Keeling Lee mix)". CD

Not everyone digs the later Captain and crew, but the early 80s efforts have finally gotten their just props after all these years – and we'll we'll come right out and say that this second to last album before Don Van Vliet hung up the music for painting has always sounded great to us! The Magic Band is incredible as always – with Jeff Morris Tepper, Drumbo French and Eric Drew Feldman's antics under the Captain's idiosyncratic vocalese. With "Hot Head", "Ashtray Heart", "A Carrot Is As Close As A Rabbit Gets To A Diamond", "Run Paint Run Run", "Sue Egypt", "Brickbats", "Dirty Blue Gene", "Best Batch Yet", "Telephone", "Flavor Bud Living", "Sherriff Of Hong Kong" and "Making Love To A Vampire With A Monkey On My Knee". LP, Vinyl record album