An essential bit of 70s soul jazz – a real standout in both the catalogs of tenorist Clifford Jordan, and the Stata East label! This is one of those few records where every element is perfect, and all players rise together to a new level of expression – and we'd easily rank this one right up there with John Coltrane's Love Supreme or Pharoah Sanders' Kharma for sheer magnitude of sound and message! Clifford Jordan is at the height of his tenor powers – cutting sharp lines, stretching out his notes, and hitting all these dark edges that had never appeared in his work – and the rest of the group is great too – with Stanley Cowell on piano, Bill Lee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Higgins is amazing, and gives the set a sort of lyrical freeplay that makes Jordan's hard solos come alive in a magical way – and Cedar Walton also plays piano on a few numbers, pushing things forward with the sense of warmth and imagination that always made him a treat in the 70s! Every cut's a winner, and the set list includes "John Coltrane", "Alias Buster Henry", "Glass Bead Games", "Biskit", and "Bridgework". Great stuff, and a huge amount of music! LP, Vinyl record album

An essential bit of 70s soul jazz – a real standout in both the catalogs of tenorist Clifford Jordan, and the Stata East label! This is one of those few records where every element is perfect, and all players rise together to a new level of expression – and we'd easily rank this one right up there with John Coltrane's Love Supreme or Pharoah Sanders' Kharma for sheer magnitude of sound and message! Clifford Jordan is at the height of his tenor powers – cutting sharp lines, stretching out his notes, and hitting all these dark edges that had never appeared in his work – and the rest of the group is great too – with Stanley Cowell on piano, Bill Lee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Higgins is amazing, and gives the set a sort of lyrical freeplay that makes Jordan's hard solos come alive in a magical way – and Cedar Walton also plays piano on a few numbers, pushing things forward with the sense of warmth and imagination that always made him a treat in the 70s! Every cut's a winner, and the set list includes "John Coltrane", "Alias Buster Henry", "Glass Bead Games", "Biskit", and "Bridgework". Great stuff, and a huge amount of music! CD

An essential bit of 70s soul jazz – a real standout in both the catalogs of tenorist Clifford Jordan, and the Stata East label! This is one of those few records where every element is perfect, and all players rise together to a new level of expression – and we'd easily rank this one right up there with John Coltrane's Love Supreme or Pharoah Sanders' Kharma for sheer magnitude of sound and message! Clifford Jordan is at the height of his tenor powers – cutting sharp lines, stretching out his notes, and hitting all these dark edges that had never appeared in his work – and the rest of the group is great too – with Stanley Cowell on piano, Bill Lee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Higgins is amazing, and gives the set a sort of lyrical freeplay that makes Jordan's hard solos come alive in a magical way – and Cedar Walton also plays piano on a few numbers, pushing things forward with the sense of warmth and imagination that always made him a treat in the 70s! Every cut's a winner, and the set list includes "John Coltrane", "Alias Buster Henry", "Glass Bead Games", "Biskit", and "Bridgework". Great stuff, and a huge amount of music! LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing set of work from tenorist Clifford Jordan – a player who first rose to fame in the hardbop scene of the late 50s, but who moved into tremendous new territory with these Strata East recordings of the late 60s and early 70s! Jordan was a Chicago contemporary of players like Johnny Griffin and Von Freeman, but he was never content to rest on his laurels – and stretched out on these records with a spiritual vibe that he'd never expressed before – and which would go onto inspire countless other musicians in years to come! This set brings together all the Dolphy Series recordings that Jordan recorded – either as an artist or producer – two of which were never issued on record at the time. Jordan's own albums for the label are wonderful enough – the double-length Glass Bead Games, one of our favorite records ever – and the killer In The World, which is great too. But this set also adds in other Strata East albums that really help illustrate the scene in which Jordan was working – including the excellent Pharoah Sanders non-Impulse session, Izipho Zam; the modern music of Charles Brackeen on Rhythm X, with Don Cherry on trumpet and Brackeen on tenor; and the great Cecil Payne album Zodiac, which has some of the last trumpet work ever from Kenny Dorham. Plus, the set also features two extremely rare albums – the never-issued Shades Of Edward Blackwell – led by the drummer, with Don Cherry on trumpet and Luqman Lateef on tenor, plus a bit of log drum from Jordan – and the obscure Super Bass album from Wilbur Ware, which features Jordan on tenor, in a quartet with Ware on bass, Don Cherry on trumpet, and Ed Blackwell on drums! These two albums are worth the price of the package alone – even if you have other Strata East albums in your collection – and the whole thing features the usual sublime Mosaic package and booklet. CD

An essential bit of 70s soul jazz – a real standout in both the catalogs of tenorist Clifford Jordan, and the Stata East label! This is one of those few records where every element is perfect, and all players rise together to a new level of expression – and we'd easily rank this one right up there with John Coltrane's Love Supreme or Pharoah Sanders' Kharma for sheer magnitude of sound and message! Clifford Jordan is at the height of his tenor powers – cutting sharp lines, stretching out his notes, and hitting all these dark edges that had never appeared in his work – and the rest of the group is great too – with Stanley Cowell on piano, Bill Lee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Higgins is amazing, and gives the set a sort of lyrical freeplay that makes Jordan's hard solos come alive in a magical way – and Cedar Walton also plays piano on a few numbers, pushing things forward with the sense of warmth and imagination that always made him a treat in the 70s! Every cut's a winner, and the set list includes "John Coltrane", "Alias Buster Henry", "Glass Bead Games", "Biskit", and "Bridgework". Great stuff, and a huge amount of music! CD

An essential bit of 70s soul jazz – a real standout in both the catalogs of tenorist Clifford Jordan, and the Stata East label! This is one of those few records where every element is perfect, and all players rise together to a new level of expression – and we'd easily rank this one right up there with John Coltrane's Love Supreme or Pharoah Sanders' Kharma for sheer magnitude of sound and message! Clifford Jordan is at the height of his tenor powers – cutting sharp lines, stretching out his notes, and hitting all these dark edges that had never appeared in his work – and the rest of the group is great too – with Stanley Cowell on piano, Bill Lee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Higgins is amazing, and gives the set a sort of lyrical freeplay that makes Jordan's hard solos come alive in a magical way – and Cedar Walton also plays piano on a few numbers, pushing things forward with the sense of warmth and imagination that always made him a treat in the 70s! Every cut's a winner, and the set list includes "John Coltrane", "Alias Buster Henry", "Glass Bead Games", "Biskit", and "Bridgework". Great stuff, and a huge amount of music! CD

An overlooked gem from the British free jazz scene of the 70s – a set issued on the Bead Records label, and one that got very little circulation at the time – but which is equally as mindblowing as work from the period on labels like Ictus and Ogun! The duo here features Roy Ashbury on drums and percussion, and Larry Stabbins on soprano and tenor – working in this free, open space, but on tracks that are often shorter than album-length improvisations – which allows the players to stop a minute, take a breath, and move into these nicely varied moments of spontaneous creation! You might know Stabbins from later 80s work on more groove-oriented records – but here, he's a tremendousimproviser, with a sense for creative reedwork that might well rival his contemporary Evan Parker. Titles include "Puff", "Formants Of The Deep", "Wych Elm", "Fire Without Bricks", "Rough Cut", and "Maldoror". CD

A real moment of genius for Joe Henderson from the 80s – a spare trio session, recorded live at the Village Vanguard, in a mode that recalls Sonny Rollins classic sets there for Blue Note! And while Sonny often performed heavily in a trio setting, unfettered by chords in the rhythm section – this is a unique date for Joe, and he sounds brilliant throughout! Ron Carter and Al Foster provide a crisp but elastic foundation for Henderson's burnished melodies and solos in a very spacious setting. CD features 14 tracks from both volumes of the LP releases – including "The Bead Game", "Soulville", "Portrait", "Beatrice", "Friday The Thirteenth", "Happy Reunion", "Loose Change", "Ask Me Now" and "Isotope". CD

Nice reissue of this rare Clifford Jordan session from the mid 70s, recorded for "Dolphy Productions" in Paris, and with a feel and a spirit very similar to his Jordan's Strata East albums from the same time – like Glass Bead Games and In The World! The group is similar to those recordings too, and features Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins – all working with Jordan in a wonderfully exploratory groove that still has a deep and rhythmic swing. Tracks are nice and long, and there's a great take on the Strata fave "John Coltrane", plus other nice ones that include "Midnight Waltz","One For Amos", and "Highest Mountain". CD

A totally fantastic record from tenorist Clifford Jordan – maybe his most sophisticated session ever, and an album that was originally intended for release on Strata East in the mid 70s, but which has never seen the light of day before! Here, Jordan expands on the spiritual modes of classics like In The World and Glass Bead Games – working with a larger lineup that also brings in some vocals at points – all set to incredible arrangements from bassist Bill Lee! Given the vocals, there's an approach here that's a bit like Lee's Descendants Of Mike & Phoebe album, but there's also a great lineup of hip Strata musicians too – including Stanley Cowell on piano, Dick Griffin on trombone, Bill Hardman on trumpet, and Charlie Rouse on bass clarinet – a group that's every bit as great as you might expect. Main vocals are handled by Donna Jordan Harris and David Smyrl – and titles include "Witch Doctor's Chant", "Drink Plenty Water & Walk Slow", "The Highest Mountain", "I've Got A Feeling For You", "My Papa's Coming Home", and "Talking Blues". CD

A great one by Clifford Jordan! The LP was originally recorded for "Dolphy Productions" in Paris, and with a feel and a spirit very similar to his classic Strata East albums from the same time, like Glass Bead Games and In The World. The group is similar to those recordings too, and features Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins. Tracks are nice and long, and there's a great take on the Strata fave "John Coltrane", plus other nice ones that include "Midnight Waltz","One For Amos", and "Highest Mountain". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely sublime collection of spiritual jazz numbers from the 70s – put together by the legendary Kev Beadle, one of the first cats to spin the music with Gilles Peterson on the UK scene! The package is a great mix of essentials from years back, plus some under-discovered nuggets from the American underground – all with a nice emphasis on the grooves and rhythms – in a way that you might have heard back at Dingwalls on a Sunday afternoon! The set's a great reminder that music can be progressive and groovy at the same time – and the whole thing's overflowing with righteous treasures. Vinyl version features some exclusive tracks not on the CD – "Safari" by Frank Walton, "Padali" by Chuck Flores, and "I See Chano Pozo" by Jayne Cortez & The Firespitters – plus "In Every Way" by Reverie, "Open Your Mind" by Southern Energy Ensemble, "Brotherhood" by Kamal Abdul Alim, and "Freedom Road" by The Pharoahs. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

An overdue look at the great range of sounds that came from Inner City Records at the end of the 70s – a hip American indie with a strong specialty in soulful fusion, hip vocalists, and a range of other great styles too – all brought together here by London DJ Kev Beadle! Inner City's often a bit overlooked – as the label flourished most strongly in the years after some of the better-known soulful imprints of the 70s – and the label always had a great ear for new sounds, fresh ideas, and the kind of compelling global elements that often led them to license key tracks from overseas, and bring them to the US market. This collection's heavy on singers – the kind of cool, underground jazz vocalists that Inner City captured so well – and it's also got a nice mix of funky fusion, modal numbers, and spiritual currents – on titles that include "The Other World" by Judy Roberts, "Hunt Up Wind" by Hiroshi Fukumura, "Vera Cruz" by Helen Merrill, "Lucky Southern" by Tom Lellis, "Quickie Nirvana" by Kellis Ethridge, "Samba De La Cruz" by Terumasa Hino, "So High" by Janet Lawson, "The Samba" by Jeff Lorber, "Return Of The Prodigal Son" by Joe Lee Wilson, "Shenkansen" by Urszula Dudziak, "To An Elfin Princess" by Charlie Mariano, "Pandora" by Carlos Franzetti, and "Jennine" by Eddie Jefferson. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Kev Beadle dips into his private collection, and comes up with a stunning batch of jazzy tracks in the process! The grooves here aren't as locked up as the cover might imply – because some of these cuts are ones the global scene has dug for years – but they're definitely the kind of tracks that really need reviving, especially in a wonderful collection like this – where each new cut seems to bring out the best of the others! All tracks are nice and long, and most have some sort of vocals – blended with modal rhythms, Brazilian touches, and strong soulful solos throughout. 12 tracks on the CD version: "Song For Mozambique" by Archie Shepp, "I'mTrying To Find A Way" by Stanley Cowell, "Dreams Can Be" by Janet Lawson Quintet, "Wilpan's Walk" by Chico Freeman, "He Loves You" by Seawind, "Yours Is The Light" by Paz, "Carnaval" by Cortijo & His Time Machine, "=Autumn Song" by Appendix and more. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

The title says "jazz", but there's a lot more going on here – a range of groundbreaking sounds and styles from the 70s, with some sweet electric modes, occasional Latin rhythms, currents of soul, and even a bit of Brazilian too! The package really takes us back to the kind of rare tracks we first started digging decades ago – when collectors from London and Tokyo were really helping us appreciate the kinds of records we might have passed by in the racks – the lesser names, the smaller labels, and even the more globally expansive range of releases that could sometimes be missed if you were only digging for American jazz! That range of music is really represented here in a great way – with tunes that soar strongly and bristle with energy throughout – sometimes in modes that might echo a label like MPS or Strata East, but often in very unique styles of their own. Titles include "Maryke" by John Thomas & Lifeforce, "La Em Guayaquil" by Banda Metalurgia, "Samba For A Cold Warrior" by Belair, "Samba De Amor" by Francisco Mora Catlett, "Little Sunflower" by Louis Hayes with Leon Thomas, "The World Is A Ghetto" by Lee Willhite, "No Other Love But You" by Clarice Labbe & Charlie Hampton, "Misturada" by Finn Savery Trio, "Kingdom Within You" by Ira Sullivan, and "Latinetta" by Ronald Snijders. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

An obscure late 50s gem from Pepper – a stripped-down quartet session that has him blowing in a very open-ended mode – quite a difference from some of his more tightly arranged sets! The feel's a bit like Pepper's work with Donald Byrd, but even more openly swinging – played by a quintet that includes Stu Williamson on trumpet, Carl Perkins on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. Tracks are all long and fresh – and the record's almost got the feel of a great Prestige blowing session from the time. Pepper's work on baritone is jaw-dropping throughout – and titles include "Unforgettable", "Baubles Bangles & Beads", "Freddie Froo", and "Muezzin". CD

CTI Records meets that Brazilian fusion sound of the 70s – served up here on two classic albums! Fingers is one of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! Flora Purim joins in here on both vocals and percussion – and the rest of the group features Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards and harmonica, Jorgte Fattoruso on drums, and David Amaro on both electric and acoustic guitars – shifting nicely between both instruments in a way that further underscores the blended vibe of the record! Most of these tracks are Airto classics – like "Tombo in 7/4", "San Francisco River", "Romance Of Death", "Ringers", and "Wind Chant" – and the record has a very sweet CTI production style, but is still rough enough around the edges to keep things nice and real! Deodato In Concert is an excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as tight and funky as his studio albums, and possibly even more interesting because he manages to pull it off equally well in a live setting! The record features percussion by Airto, guitar by John Tropea, and vocals by Flora Purim – and those are just the marquee names of a large and amazing grew of great musicians! All tracks are long and complicated, for very hynotic feel throughout. The funkiest number is "Tropea", which has a nice long 8 minute groove – and the set also features a cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", plus the tracks "Parana", "Branches", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and "Skyscraper". Amazing! (Brazil, Jazz) CD

A legendary album from the 70s funk scene – and one of the crowning achievements of keyboard maestro Eumir Deodato! Deodato got his start during the bossa years of the 60s – where his sophisticated charts were already enough to make his career a landmark – but in the following decade he picked up the Fender Rhodes, and really took off in a great new direction with classic records like this! The set's a wonderful blend of larger charts and jazzy soloing – with sublime Rhodes lines from the leader, plus a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in the best CTI mode – underscored by percussion from both Ray Barretto and Airto. The features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as tight and funky as his studio albums, and possibly even more interesting because he manages to pull it off equally well in a live setting! The record features percussion by Airto, guitar by John Tropea, and vocals by Flora Purim – and those are just the marquee names of a large and amazing grew of great musicians! All tracks are long and complicated, for very hynotic feel throughout. The funkiest number is "Tropea", which has a nice long 8 minute groove – and the set also features a cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", plus the tracks "Parana", "Branches", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and "Skyscraper". Amazing! LP, Vinyl record album

Completely sublime work from Beverly Glenn Copeland – a really unique artist who's almost a genre unto herself – and who sings here in a mix of folk, jazz, and soul – maybe resonant with work at the time by Terry Callier or Nina Simone, but every bit as individual as the best from those two giants too! The performance was recorded by CBC at a key moment in Beverly's career – after a time she'd spent on the scene in Montreal, really soaking up different influences and exploring musical pathways away from her American roots – to a point where she emerges here as a very righteous, yet very personal singer – clearly not immediately interested in chart success, even though she's got the power of a young Roberta Flack. Titles include "Northwind", "Swords Of Gold", "Don't Despair", "Nothing Beautiful", "Song From Beads", "Untitled", "Interval", "Reflections", and "Durocher". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty darn important album for Wes – as it was his first session with the sort of larger arrangements that would later make him huge! Although Montgomery was mostly recording for Riverside in small combos, this session has him playing in front of larger backings by Jimmy Jones – not as sublime as later work by Don Sebesky or Gil Evans, but done in a way that definitely shows that Wes can do a lot with the guitar when freed from the need to stick with the rhythm strongly. Titles include "All The Way", "Pretty Blue", "Somewhere", "God Bless The Child", "Tune Up", and "Baubles Bangles & Beads". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut by Ernie Wilkins as a leader – despite his presence as an arranger on countless jazz sessions of the 50s and 60s! Ernie's got a real flair for a tight bounce at the bottom and unusual horn formations at the top – a style that reminds us a lot of Oliver Nelson at his best, and which, like Nelson, often comes across with a more soulful approach than most of his contemporaries! The Wilkins groove is often playful, but never over-indulgent – joyously reveling in its own sharpness, but open enough to let the strong talents in the group do their own thing. Titles include "The Continental", "Broadway", "Gone With The Wind", "Baubles Bangles & Beads", "Somebody Loves Me", "All Of You", and "Gone With The Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool Japanese-only collection, overflowing with CTI keyboard gems from Deodato – including "Super Strut", "Spirit Of Summer", "2001", "Baubles Bangles & Beads", "Prelude To Afternoon Of A Faun", "September", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", and "Rhapsody In Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from tenor legend Budd Johnson – and a record that nicely updates his sound by pairing him with a hip 60s-styled group! The album's got a jaunty feel that's like the best soul jazz sessions on Impulse at the time – taking Budd's tenor and placing it next to trumpet by Joe Newman, piano by Albert Dailey, bass from Richard Davis, and drums by Grady Tate. Upbeat tracks bounce along in a swinging take on mainstream soul jazz – and the mellower cuts feature some really wonderful blowing from Budd – done with a raspy tone that's got a nice earthy quality! Includes the jazz dancer "Off The Wall", the samba-styled "Strange Music", a snapping take on "Baubles Bangles & Beads", and the syncopated groover "Playin' My Hunch". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare treat from Zoot Sims – an album of soprano sax material, recorded in striking contrast to his more familiar tenor! The sound is oddly more traditional than usual – and unlike many other players in the 70s, Sims doesn't use the soprano in a Coltrane-inspired mode, but in a way that takes it back to its roots in jazz from earlier years. And when we say "traditional", we don't really mean trad jazz, because Zoot's phrasing and overall use of the instrument still has a relatively modern feel – augmented certainly by the excellent recording quality of the album. The rest of the group features Ray Bryant on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Grady Tate on drums – and titles include "Wrap Up", "Bloos For Louise", "Someday Sweetheart", "Baubles Bangles & Beads", and "Willow Weep For Me". CD

Features Gary Valente, Lew Soloff, Andy Sheppard, and Wolfgang Puschnig. Tracks include "Beads", "Permanent Wave", "Setting Calvin's Waltz" and "Who Will Rescue You?". CD

A legendary album from the 70s funk scene – and one of the crowning achievements of keyboard maestro Eumir Deodato! Deodato got his start during the bossa years of the 60s – where his sophisticated charts were already enough to make his career a landmark – but in the following decade he picked up the Fender Rhodes, and really took off in a great new direction with classic records like this! The set's a wonderful blend of larger charts and jazzy soloing – with sublime Rhodes lines from the leader, plus a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in the best CTI mode – underscored by percussion from both Ray Barretto and Airto. The features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole". CD

A pair of classics from Deodato – back to back on a single high-quality CD! First up is Prelude – a legendary album from the 70s funk scene – and one of the crowning achievements of keyboard maestro Eumir Deodato! Deodato got his start during the bossa years of the 60s – where his sophisticated charts were already enough to make his career a landmark – but in the following decade he picked up the Fender Rhodes, and really took off in a great new direction with classic records like this! The set's a wonderful blend of larger charts and jazzy soloing – with sublime Rhodes lines from the leader, plus a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in the best CTI mode – underscored by percussion from both Ray Barretto and Airto. The features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole". Deodato 2 is filled with funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin". Plus, this CD reissue features 3 bonus tracks – "Venus", "Do It Again", and "Latin Flute"! CD

Never-heard studio work from the great Bill Evans – not another one of those many (and great) live performances from overseas – but a well-conceived, beautifully recorded set of tracks that were done for MPS Records in their famous studios in the Black Forest! The group here is Evans sublime trio with the great Eddie Gomez on bass and a young Jack DeJohnette on drums – perfect players for completely reworking the sound of the jazz piano trio, with all the new ideas that Bill had bursting forth at the time – and this material is the only studio session by the group, recorded right after their famous live appearance at Montreux in 1968 (documented on a well-known album on Verve.) The set's a double-length outing – recorded with the kind of crisp, clear sound that MPS brought to its other classic piano albums of the time by artists like Hampton Hawes or Tete Montoliu. The whole thing's wonderful – and Gomez has a wonderful presence in the mix – as the trio really shines on titles that include "Wonder Why", "Green Dolphin Street", "These Foolish Things", "Walkin Up", "Turn Out The Stars", "Very Early", "You Go To My Head", "Lover Man", and "Baubles Bangles & Beads". CD

An underground classic from Beverly Glenn-Copeland – an artist who was later known more as a keyboard player, but who here works in this amazing blend of folk, jazz, and soul! The album's vaguely in the territory of Terry Callier on early 70s Cadet Records, but also has its own special vibe too – deeper, darker sound overall – with subtle blending of acoustic elements that are mixed with Beverly's vocals in a way that's unlike anything we can really describe! The singer has a subtle power – a style that could be too dramatic in the wrong setting, but which is fitted here with musical elements that really help the songs flower in the best sort of way – instrumentation that includes contributions from Jeremy Steig on flute, Don Thompson on piano, and Lenny Breau on guitar. Titles include the fantastic long groover "Erzili", plus "Cumberland Passing", "Song From Beads", "Colors Of Anyhow", "Ghost House", "Swords Of Cold", and "My Old Rag Or Hysterical Virgin". LP, Vinyl record album

Dark work from the quartet Bass Desires – a combo that draws heavily on the rumbling sounds of bassist Marc Johnson, then fills in the spaces with twin guitars from Bill Frisell and John Scofield, and also features a bit of drums from Peter Erskine! Some of the sounds here echo more abstract experiments in the left side of the jazz spectrum during the 80s – but they're taken into a bit stronger, straighter focus here – and recorded with enough ECM touches to make Johnson's music cross over in surprising ways. A few tracks are surprisingly tuneful, and titles include "Small Hands", "Thrill Seekers", "1951", "Prayer Beads", and "Sweet Soul". LP, Vinyl record album