A pair of great American albums from Dexter Gordon – back to back in a single set! First up is Tower Of Power – recorded at a time when Dexter Gordon certainly was a tower of power – as his lengthy 60s stay in Europe helped him to work work work, and season his playing considerably – to a point at which he emerged as a masterful soloist far beyond the limits of his early bop recordings! This session features Dexter back with an American group – one that features Barry Harris on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums – plus a very welcome James Moody on tenor on one track, "Monmartre", blowing in that raspier tone of the late 60s we love so much! Other titles include "Stanley The Steamer", "The Rainbow People", and "Those Were The Days" – all nice and long! More Power is one of Dex's few great group sessions from the late 60's. Unlike a lot of other records from the time – in which he solos long and meanderingly with a piano trio backing him up, on standards he's played a million times – this one has him playing with a tight group that includes James Moody, Barry Harris, Buster Williams, and Albert Heath, on a set of nice original material with titles like "Fried Bananas", "Boston Bernie", and "Sticky Wicket". There's also 2 jazz standards – "Lady Bird" and "Meditation" – but they're both taken in a nice tight way, and in keeping with the rest of the album. LP, Vinyl record album

Dexter Gordon certainly was a tower of power by this point – as his lengthy 60s stay in Europe helped him to work work work, and season his playing considerably – to a point at which he emerged as a masterful soloist far beyond the limits of his early bop recordings! This session features Dexter back with an American group – one that features Barry Harris on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums – plus a very welcome James Moody on tenor on one track, "Monmartre", blowing in that raspier tone of the late 60s we love so much! Other titles include "Stanley The Steamer", "The Rainbow People", and "Those Were The Days" – all nice and long! LP, Vinyl record album

A real gem from that key moment in Japanese fusion when some of the nation's best artists were hopping over to the American scene – cutting records like this, which often beat the American soul fusion scene at its own game – thanks to the help of a big array of all-star players! Masayoshi Takanaka plays guitar solos throughout, but also gets some help from Lee Ritenour on the electric strings – in a group that also has arrangements from Greg Adams of Tower Of Power, who brings in the rest of the TOP horns too – plus keyboards from Patrice Rushen, bass from Chuck Rainey, and drums from the great Harvey Mason – a rhythm combo that really keeps things groovy throughout. There's two vocal tracks on the set – which feature work from Jim Gilstrap, Maxi Anderson, and The Waters – on titles that include "Malibu", "ESP", "Sexy Dance", "Sundrops", "Good Bad Old Days", and the title track "Insatiable High". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few solo albums ever cut by organist Chester Thompson – a player who's known to most as the keyboardist in Tower Of Power, but one who's also remembered by a select funky few for this killer record for the Black Jazz label! The album's a stripped-down quartet session – with labelmate Rudolph Johnson on tenor, blowing some beautiful lines alongside long, drawn-out Hammond solos from Thompson! The overall feel is similar to some of the great late 60s Prestige sessions – especially Don Patterson dates – with the group free swinging away in a very live format, just like you might have heard if you caught them in some hip southside club. Other players include Al Hall Jr on trombone and Ray Pounds on drums – and the album features four long jamming tracks, with titles that include "Mr T", "Trip One", "Weird Harold", and "Powerhouse". CD

One of the few solo albums ever cut by organist Chester Thompson – a player who's known to most as the keyboardist in Tower Of Power, but one who's also remembered by a select funky few for this killer record for the Black Jazz label! The album's a stripped-down quartet session – with labelmate Rudolph Johnson on tenor, blowing some beautiful lines alongside long, drawn-out Hammond solos from Thompson! The overall feel is similar to some of the great late 60s Prestige sessions – especially Don Patterson dates – with the group free swinging away in a very live format, just like you might have heard if you caught them in some hip southside club. Other players include Al Hall Jr on trombone and Ray Pounds on drums – and the album features four long jamming tracks, with titles that include "Mr T", "Trip One", "Weird Harold", and "Powerhouse". LP, Vinyl record album

Elvin Jones towers above his bandmates on the cover of this 70s classic – and really leads them onward to some great sounds within! The record has a bit more focus and soul than some of Jones' other albums of the period – still quite powerful and dynamic, but with a good adherence to melody, and plenty of room for the group members to open up and make some beautiful sounds – including Pat LaBarbera and Michael Stuart on soprano and tenor sax, and Roland Prince on guitar! The twin reed players are wonderful – and work together in ways that are different than some of Elvin's records at the start of the 70s – and titles include "Kalima", "Section 8", "Giraffe", and "Familiar Ground". CD