Brilliant work by Terry Callier – and his greatest album in years! If you, like us, have loved Terry's older work, but been a bit disappointed by the heavy production of recent albums, then you'll probably love this excellent live set – recorded recently at London's Jazz Cafe, with small combo jazz backing that really brings out the best of Terry's sound! The group's got a warmly soulful sound that really adds a lot to Terry's vocals – yet which also lets them stand out in all their jazzy folksy brilliance. The mix of electric piano, guitar, and saxes is some of the best support Terry could hope to have in recent years – and it returns him to the glory of his classic years at Cadet, like no other recent recording we've heard. Songs are great, production is wonderful, and the album's one you'll proudly stack with your classic work by this legendary Chicago soul singer! Titles include "People Get Ready", "Step Into The Light", "Lament For The Late AD", "Timepiece", "African Violet", "Ordinary Joe", "Dancing Girl", "You're Gonna Miss Your Candy Man", and "I Don't Wanna See Myself". (Soul, Vocalists) CD

A really fantastic chapter in the career of the legendary Bill Fay – material that might have formed a lost third album, had any record company chosen to respond at the time – and which, presented here, really serves to illuminate a lost chapter in Bill's musical lineage! The set has Fay working with a small group of younger musicians who were originally fans who were disappointed that Decca never released another album after Bill's first two – so they got in touch, and set about helping Fay find a new vision in his music with their help! The sound is often stark and lean, with more of an edge than Fay's first two records – still graced with those enigmatic vocals and really haunting songwriting, but with moodier elements that really give the music some bite. The original batch of recordings has been expanded out here by a number of other rare recordings from the same time – really unique bits of varying length – and if you love Fay's music, you'll find plenty to love within! (Rock, Vocalists) CD

A really fantastic chapter in the career of the legendary Bill Fay – material that might have formed a lost third album, had any record company chosen to respond at the time – and which, presented here, really serves to illuminate a lost chapter in Bill's musical lineage! The set has Fay working with a small group of younger musicians who were originally fans who were disappointed that Decca never released another album after Bill's first two – so they got in touch, and set about helping Fay find a new vision in his music with their help! The sound is often stark and lean, with more of an edge than Fay's first two records – still graced with those enigmatic vocals and really haunting songwriting, but with moodier elements that really give the music some bite. The original batch of recordings has been expanded out here by a number of other rare recordings from the same time – really unique bits of varying length – and if you love Fay's music, you'll find plenty to love within! (Rock, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully understated album from Morgana King – one that has her working with familiar arranger Torrie Zito, but in a style that's a bit more laidback than before! There's a bit of strings on the album, but they really just shade in the sound from the back – leaving plenty of space not only for Morgana's vocals, but also for some great keyboard lines from Don Rebic and guitar from Joe Puma! King's vocals could almost carry the record alone, even without the other instrumentation – but the warmth of the keyboards and well-pointed lines from Puma really help things open up – and subtle use of percussion from Ray Mantilla and Sue Evans makes for some surprising sounds in the background that further the charm of the set. Titles include "Gentleman Friend", "Time After Time", "Dearly Beloved", "Lilac Wine", "With You I'm Born Again", "Through The Eyes Of Love", and "I Wished On The Moon". CD

Great later work from Abbey Lincoln – music from that time when she's found just the right setting for the magnificent instrument that was her maturing voice! Abbey always had one of the most distinct styles of any jazz singer around – but in later years, the slight rasp that came in was even more present – adding almost this sort of wisdom that made the lyrics feel even more pointed, especially at some of the more understated moments. The vibe here is nicely laidback – work from a core trio that features Brandon McCune on piano – and guest performances from Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet and Joe Lovano on tenor. Titles include "Tender As Rose", "Windmills Of Your Mind", "Lucky To Be Me", "I'm Not Supposed To Know", "I Could Sing It For A Song", "A Heart Is Not A Toy", "Blackberry Blossoms", and "Somos Novios". CD

Great later work from Abbey Lincoln – music from that time when she's found just the right setting for the magnificent instrument that was her maturing voice! Abbey always had one of the most distinct styles of any jazz singer around – but in later years, the slight rasp that came in was even more present – adding almost this sort of wisdom that made the lyrics feel even more pointed, especially at some of the more understated moments. The vibe here is nicely laidback – work from a core trio that features Brandon McCune on piano – and guest performances from Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet and Joe Lovano on tenor. Titles include "Tender As Rose", "Windmills Of Your Mind", "Lucky To Be Me", "I'm Not Supposed To Know", "I Could Sing It For A Song", "A Heart Is Not A Toy", "Blackberry Blossoms", and "Somos Novios". LP, Vinyl record album

Gregory Porter arrives on Blue Note Records – and the result is Porter's most fully-formed set so far – just the kind of album that will push him firmly into the limelight – a place that we've felt he's deserved for quite a few years! Porter's a hell of a singer, and a hell of a songwriter too – and although his roots are in jazz, he's got a rare ability to step between genres with plenty of soul – a special space that belongs to a very rare few – like Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, or Gil Scott-Heron! Gregory's voice is amazing, his lyrics are both personal and pointed – and he does so much here with so little, the album should be handed out to the hundreds of mis-directed vocalists who think that a few extra tweaks in the studio is all they really need. Most numbers just feature small combo backing, with wonderfully warm piano from Chip Crawford – and the whole thing's got a timeless feel that makes us think this is the beginning of a rich new season for Porter. Titles include "Free", "Water Under Bridges", "Lonesome Lover", "Liquid Spirit", "No Love Dying", "Brown Grass", "When Love Was King", and "Wind Song". CD

Gregory Porter arrives on Blue Note Records – and the result is Porter's most fully-formed set so far – just the kind of album that will push him firmly into the limelight – a place that we've felt he's deserved for quite a few years! Porter's a hell of a singer, and a hell of a songwriter too – and although his roots are in jazz, he's got a rare ability to step between genres with plenty of soul – a special space that belongs to a very rare few – like Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, or Gil Scott-Heron! Gregory's voice is amazing, his lyrics are both personal and pointed – and he does so much here with so little, the album should be handed out to the hundreds of mis-directed vocalists who think that a few extra tweaks in the studio is all they really need. Most numbers just feature small combo backing, with wonderfully warm piano from Chip Crawford – and the whole thing's got a timeless feel that makes us think this is the beginning of a rich new season for Porter. Titles include "Free", "Water Under Bridges", "Lonesome Lover", "Liquid Spirit", "No Love Dying", "Brown Grass", "When Love Was King", and "Wind Song". This great 3LP deluxe version features special guest bonus tracks on the fifth side – Water Under The Bridge" with Laura Mvula, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" with Jamie Cullum and "Grandma's Hands" with Ben L'Oncle Soul – plus Rainer & Grimm, Claptone, 20syl, St Germain and Knuckle G remixes on the sixth side! LP, Vinyl record album

The cover's got an image of Frank Sinatra from later years, but the music here is all from the singer's early days as a solo act on Columbia Records – material that has the great one really reinventing the role of the male voice in American music, especially on well-crafted ballads and love songs like these! Sinatra's already amazingly mature for the time – a master of pointed understatement who blows away just about all of his 40s competition – on Columbia classics that include "I Dream Of You", "I Have But One Heart", "The Girl That I Marry", "Lost In The Stars", "If I Forget You", "Mam'Selle", "Put Your Dreams Away", and "It Never Entered My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

With Helen Reddy, Johnny Cash, Pointer Sisters, Judy Collins, Madeline Kahn, Ray Charles, Lena Horne, and Jose Feliciano. (Children's, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album