A smoking little set – an album of jazz takes on Curtis Mayfield classics, played by a hip combo that includes a few musicians from Mayfield's old band! The album's a straight jazz effort all the way through – and the interpretations are so soulful and swinging on their own, you might even forget that Curtis provided the inspiration for the tunes – thanks to work from Wallace Roney on trumpet, Ernie Watts on saxes, Phil Upchurch on guitar, Russ Ferrante on piano, Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, and Henry Gibson on congas! The album's one of the last that Gibson ever cut, and his percussion really helps the whole thing find its groove – providing a nice kick to the work of Roney, Watts, and Upchurch over the top. Titles include "Freddie's Dead", "Superfly", "Beautiful Brother Of Mine", "People Get Ready", "Amen", "Gypsy Woman", and "It's All Right". CD

A really unusual album from bassist William Parker – an artist whose musical world is usually quite far from the 70s soul of Curtis Mayfield – even though both Mayfield and Parker are pretty darn righteous individuals! Yet here, Curtis and William come together in a stunning way – as Parker reworks classic Mayfield songs, and transforms them into fantastic vehicles for spiritual jazz expression! The group has a warmly collaborative vibe, and energy that feels like some lost indie jazz project from the 70s – all held together by Parker's bold acoustic bass and masterful leadership – in a lineup that includes vocals from Leena Conquest, piano from Dave Burrell, saxes and flute from Sabir Mateen, tenor and soprano from Darryl Foster, trumpet from Lewis Barnes, drums from Hamid Drake, and poetry and voice from Amari Baraka. With a lineup like that, you can already guess the vibe – and we can promise that the whole is even better than you might have hoped! Titles include "I Plan To Stay A Believer", "If There's A Hell Below", "This Is My Country", "People Get Ready/The Inside Song", "It's Alright", "Freddie's Dead", "New World Order", and a great 17 minute take on "We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue". CD

A stunner from Kenny Burrell – one of his most sophisticated and soulful sessions of the 60s! Kenny's working here with the ultra-cool arranger Johnny Pate – best known for his work with Curtis Mayfield, and his 70s soundtrack fame – but a heck of a creative talent when it comes to a jazz session like this! For the record, Pate's created these spare little backdrops – not nearly as full as those penned by Don Sebesky or Claus Ogerman – and with a gentle sort of grooving quality that really pushes Kenny along nicely. Burrell's guitar is very strongly upfront in the mix – working chromatic magic at a level hardly ever matched again on record! Side one features the extended "Asphalt Canyon Suite" – a magnificent tune that's simply sublime – and side two features 5 shorter tracks, "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "Going To Jim & Andy's", and "Sugar Hill". CD

An overlooked funky gem from Lou Donaldson – a later date for Blue Note, done in a style that's a bit expanded from his small combo sets of the 60s – but still filled with plenty of soul and groove! The lineup features core key players Leon Spencer on Hammond, Melvin Sparks on guitar, and Idris Muhammad on drums – but there's also some added percussion, trumpet from Ed Williams, and a bit of vocals from the group Essence – who slide in with this slinky soul groove that's mighty nice! Lou plays alto sax – both electric and acoustic – and the tunes include the great originals "The Caterpillar" and "Caracas" – plus a sublime remake of Curtis Mayfield's "If There's A Hell Below (We're All Going To Go)", and a sweet take on "I'll Be There". CD

An excellent lost funky soundtrack on Blue Note – their only one for years, and Grant Green's entry into the blacksploitation genre! The whole thing bristles with the kind of chunky, thumping percussive feel as the best funky soundtracks of the era – informed by the work of Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes, but with the deeper jazz feel that Green brings from his other Blue Note sides of the time! Some cuts are quite funky, particularly the opener, "Past, Present, and Future" with it's crisp trap, chicken scratch guitar and bongo driven beat. Others have more of a stripped-down dope instrumental feel – there's some sweet funky flute work on "Fathers Lament", and even a slight bossa groove creeps into the title track! The whole album's very nice, and it's very different than any of Grant Green's other work! Other titles include "Afro Party", Luana's Theme", "Slight Fear And Terror", and "Battle Scene". LP, Vinyl record album

A great combo, in a really great setting – the trio of organist Delvon Lamarr, captured in a sweet live radio performance! The tunes are long and open – very much in the group's killer blend of soul jazz and deep funk – with plenty of room for Delvon to soar out on the keys of the Hammond, and remind us again what a massive younger talent he is on the instrument! If you like the group's funky 45s, you'll find yourself really loving this live set – and the whole thing's only got us eager to keep on following the great growth of this group. Titles include a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield tune "Move On Up" – plus "Concussion", "I Don't Want To Play That", "Tacoma Block Party", "South Leo St Stomp", and "Memphis". (Deep Funk, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from one of the greatest talents on the Chicago soul scene of the late 60s – guitarist Phil Upchurch, a player with an amazing sound! Phil could work in worlds that were equal parts soul and psychedelia – making his guitar a perfect accompaniment for the best Chicago soul of Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, Minnie Riperton, and other greats of the time. This album's easily one of Phil's best – a mindblowing set of arrangements put together by the groundbreaking producer Charles Stepney – bringing together bits of jazz, rock, soul, and funk – all providing the perfect genre-blending space for Upchurch to solo! Given that there's no singer on the set, Phil's work on guitar is a lot freer than you're used to hearing – in a really great way, one that puts him in a space somewhere between Shuggie Otis and Jimi Hendrix! Brilliant all the way through, with tracks that include "Adam & Charlene", "You Wouldn't You Couldn't Be True", "Crosstown Traffic", "More & More", "Black Gold", "America", and "As You Said". (Soul, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

The last-ever album from this legendary duo – and a set that's maybe their funkiest record too! Of course, that's probably no surprise, given that they're playing the Curtis Mayfield tunes from Superfly here – great tracks that make for a really wonderful setting for the pair's highly rhythmic style – Eldee Young on bass and Isaac Redd Holt on drums – plus great Fender Rhodes lines from pianist Ken Chaney! The set also features a bit of congas from Derf Reklaw, and organ and guitar as well – and the whole thing's a long overdue follow up to the funky electric jazz style of their earlier album Oh Girl, on Atlantic. Titles include great takes on "Freddie's Dead", "Give Me Your Love", "Pusher Man", and "Superfly" – plus a few of the group's own numbers, like "Hey Pancho" and "Mystical Man" – as well as a super-dope cover of "People Make the World Go Round". (Soul, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

The last-ever album from this legendary duo – and a set that's maybe their funkiest record too! Of course, that's probably no surprise, given that they're playing the Curtis Mayfield tunes from Superfly here – great tracks that make for a really wonderful setting for the pair's highly rhythmic style – Eldee Young on bass and Isaac Redd Holt on drums – plus great Fender Rhodes lines from pianist Ken Chaney! The set also features a bit of congas from Derf Reklaw, and organ and guitar as well – and the whole thing's a long overdue follow up to the funky electric jazz style of their earlier album Oh Girl, on Atlantic. Titles include great takes on "Freddie's Dead", "Give Me Your Love", "Pusher Man", and "Superfly" – plus a few of the group's own numbers, like "Hey Pancho" and "Mystical Man" – as well as a super-dope cover of "People Make the World Go Round". (Soul, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Jimmy Smith, Billy Eckstine, Curtis Mayfield, BB King, Herbie Mann, Les McCann and Roberta Flack. CD

Hip live material – featuring work by Roberta Flack, BB King, Curtis Mayfield, LesMcCann, Billy Eckstine, and Herbie Mann! (Soul, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent box set that brings together all of the material recorded at the unique Newport Festival in 1972 – the historic shift to New York City after the previous year's effort in Rhode Island was shut down by demonstrators! The package features a whopping 6 albums in all – 4 of which are Jam session volumes, with material from players who include Charles Mingus, Jimmy Owens, Charles McPherson, Buddy Tate, Big Black, Milt Jackson, Max Roach, Jaki Byard, Nat Adderley, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, and many others – all playing long, open, live tracks. LP 5 features "The Jimmy Smith Jam" – a very jamming set of work by Smith, with help from Kenny Burrell on guitar and Zoot Sims on tenor. LP 6 is "The Soul Sessions" – featuring soul material from Roberta Flack, Curtis Mayfield, Les McCann, and Herbie Mann. LP, Vinyl record album