Gregory Porter live at London's Royal Albert Hall – backed not only by his excellent core band, but also the 60+ piece London Studio Orchestra – really pulling off a masterstroke in the way he can bring out all the lush promise of the orchestral setting while staying rooted in intimate soul! Credit conductor and arranger Vince Mendoza for the subtle finesse of the orchestra – never getting too big and lush for the sake of bigness – but it's the warmth of Gregory Porter's voice at the center that gives this such a real vibe, steering free of nostalgia on songs from his Nat King Cole & Me project while bringing grander instrumentation, but no less intimate of a vibe to songs from Porter's own songbook. Includes "Mona Lisa", "Don't Lose Your Steam", "Hey Laura", "Smile", "In Heaven", "The Lonely One", "Ballerina", "Miss Otis Regrets", "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas", "Nature Boy", "But Beautiful", "Ballerina", "For All We Know", "When Love Was King", "I Wonder Who My Daddy Is" and more. and more. 19 tracks on the CD – and it comes with the DVD of the performance, too! CD

Tracks include "Just You, Just Me", "Sunday", "I Cover The Waterfront", "Lester's Bebop Boogie", "The Man I Love", and "I Cried For You". 16 tracks total. CD

A 60s remastering of early Ray Charles gems for Atlantic Records – titles that include "Carrying That Load", "Tell Me How Do You Feel", "I'm Movin On", "You Be My Baby", "Early In The Mornin", "I Believe To My Soul", and "I Had A Dream". (Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

We want to hate this guy! Why? Well, because years ago, when he was still just a divinity grad student at the University of Chicago, we used to catch him sitting in on sessions all over the south side. At the time, his vocal stylings used to make us wince – but those years in the trenches definitely did something right, as Elling has emerged to be one of the freshest male vocalists that jazz has seen in 25 years. Sure, he does have an unfortunate habit for doing this annoying "jazz hipster" monologues – some of which are on these record, and which are a bit unbearable – but when he sings, really sings, he's got a way of putting over a song that can match the best of the elite (and small) group of true male jazz vocalists of the past 25 years (like Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, and Cleveland Watkiss). This is his first album, and it's still our favorite. Well worth having if you're into jazz vocals, and with great readings of "Close Your Eyes", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", and "Wait Till You See Her" – plus Elling's own catchy composition "Never Say Goodbye". CD

Think what you may about this groove-patched hipster – we still think he's one of the best jazz vocalists of our time! Kurt Elling's carrying a torch that few other singers could handle – a direct line back to the genius male jazz vocal work of singers like Mark Murphy and Jon Hendricks, armed with the confident emotionality and freely expressive style of the former, and the jazz-based virtuosity and sense of humor of the latter. This recent Blue Note session is very much in Elling's best mode – a bit too sweet in parts, but filled with some great numbers that show him always pushing the envelope, not content to just be a "modern classic" vocalist, as might be said for some of his female contemporaries in the jazz vocal realm. Titles include "Say It", "While You Are Mine", "I'm Thru With Love", "Orange Blossoms In Summertime", "Detour Ahead", "Lil Darlin", and "Easy Living". And sure, we wish there were more original compositions – as on other albums – but Elling really still does a great job with the standards! CD

One of the best studio albums in years from Kurt Elling – the much-overlooked Blue Note vocalist who's truly one of the greatest singers of his generation! The album returns Elling to a format that we really love – a setting in which he's able to craft his own lyrics to tunes – either jazz classics by Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Joe Zawinul, and others, or original tunes written in collaboration with players on the album. More than ever, Elling displays a tremendous understanding of jazz in all its shapes and forms – pushing the boundaries of jazz vocals farther than anyone we've heard since Mark Murphy in the 70s, and giving us hope for the future of singers in jazz! There's no warmed-over standards or easy classics here – but really incredible tunes that show that at least there's one person out there willing to do more than just provide a soundtrack to Starbucks. Titles include great versions of Coltrane's "Resolutions" and Herbie Hancock's "A Secret I", plus the tunes "Higher Vibe", "All Is Quiet", "Minuano", "In The Winelight", "Time To Say Goodbye", and "The More I Have You". CD

Early genius from Kurt Elling – one of Blue Note's best vocal signings of the 90s, and a richly talented singer who's still not well understood by many audiences! The set's got Kurt doing a bit of everything he does great – completely transforming old standards like "Nature Boy" and "April In Paris"; coming up with new lyrics for harder jazz numbers, like Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy" or Donald Byrd's "Tanya Jean"; and working through compelling original material that includes "It's Just A Thing", "Endless", and "The Messenger". CD

Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass return to the studio just a few years after their initial meeting – once again to work in a stripped-down duet format that's completely sublime! The spare setting is one that Ella never got in the older days – and there's an intimacy here that almost makes it like we're hearing a new singer entirely – one who's not surging over bigger band arrangements, but laying back and singing in a mode that's almost more torchy than we could have ever expected. Pass' guitar is acoustic, and gentle – and titles include "All Too Soon", "One Note Samba", "Rain", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "That Old Feeling", "I've Got The World On A String", and "Nature Boy". CD

Ella Fitzgerald swings it nicely with the Tommy Flanagan Trio – a small group on the date for backup, but one who give this Montreux performance almost as much bounce as Ella's 70s live dates with a bigger ensemble! Tommy seems to have a bit more punch in his piano than usual, and Fitzgerald really makes great use of that quality – hanging her groove on his bold lines nicely, with support from Keter Betts on bass and Bobby Durham on drums. Titles include "Day By Day", "Billie's Bounce", "Too Close For Comfort", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "One Note Samba", and "Ordinary Fool". CD

Really great stuff from Babs Gonzales – a whole host of rare singles, compiled into one excellent collection! CD

One of the rare few albums cut by vocalist Dodo Greene – best known for her obscure Blue Note session – and even that one's pretty darn rare! Dodo's a hell of a singer, and one that never fully got her due (although we can testify to seeing her years ago in a wonderful small club set on the Buffalo scene!) She's quite soulful, and has a unique phrasing that's partly some of the personally-tinged energy of the Billy Holiday generation, and partly the fuller mode of the sorts of late 40s singers who had to work in front of larger, more romping groups – a balance that she strikes well here, on the album's nice balance of jazz instrumentation and larger arrangements. Backings are by Slide Hampton – so you can bet that they're pretty darn hip – and titles include "Manhattan", "Ain't What You Do", "Don't Cry Baby", "Black Coffee", "The Breeze", and "It's A Pity To Say Goodnight". CD also features material from a bonus rare single – "Tell Me" and "Hold On". CD

Wonderful early recordings from Al Jarreau – cut years before his bigger commercial fame in the 70s, but still with a sublime vocal approach that shows that he was light years ahead of most other singers in the 60s! The date's a rare one – done in Rock Island, IL – with a combo that features Cal Bezemer on piano, Gary Allen on bass, and Joe Abodeely on drums – who'd also played a bit with JR Monterose. The style's jazzy, but really takes off with those magnificently soaring modes we love from Jarreau – and titles include a killer version of "My Favorite Things", plus "One Note Samba", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "A Sleepin Bee", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Joey Joey Joey". (Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the only two vocal jazz albums that the Blue Note label recorded back in the day – and a haunting batch of tracks from a young Sheila Jordan! The style here is quite different than that of Jordan's later, more experimental records – and this early session shows her as an extremely talented young vocalist, with a unique approach that adds a sparkling modernist touch to familiar tunes – yet which still keeps things in a relatively more straightforward fashion. There's a great mixing of older and newer visions in the set – not just in Jordan's vocals, but also in the small combo backing by the trio of Barry Galbraith on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Denzil Best on drums. Titles include great versions of "Baltimore Oriole", "Dat Dere", and "Hum Drum Blues" – plus the tunes "I'm A Fool To Want You", "Am I Blue", "Laugh Clown Laugh", and "Who Can I Turn To?". CD

The rarest of three albums that King Pleasure ever recorded – and pretty darn hard to find, too. The set was recorded after King's earlier sides for the Prestige and HiFi jazz labels, but it's in a very similar style, with some wonderful vocalese-ing done in Pleasure's landmark style. He's really one of the greatest jazz singers of the 20th century, and it's unfortunate that apart from the big hit fame of "Moody's Mood For Love" (recorded here once again), King never got strong recognition as a richly talented singer. A number of cuts on here are re-recordings of earlier work – like "Don't Get Scared" and "Sometimes I'm Happy" – and other tracks include "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "Old Black Magic". Plus, this CD reissue also expands the original album with a lot of bonus cuts, including some great unreleased numbers – a total of 18 tracks in all, and a treasure trove of work by King Pleasure! CD

2 slices of Peggy Lee – one classic pop, one adult contemporary! I'm A Woman was a landmark album in Peggy's career – one that featured some wonderful crossover hits that broke her into a whole new audience in the 60s – and which really helped cement Peggy's relationship with Capitol Records. Benny Carter and Dick Hazard arranged the set with a gentle bouncing swing – still jazzy enough to keep Peggy's sophisticated side in place, but buoyant enough to hit that syncopated groove that was helping singers like Sinatra and Sammy D find new chart success at the time. Titles include "The Alley Cat Song", "I'm Walkin", "Mack The Knife", "I'm A Woman", "One Note Samba", and "There Ain't No Sweet Man". Norma Deloris Egstrom is quite a different album altogether, but equally memorable – as Peggy's working here in that wonderful later style she used at Capitol – a truly adult approach to pop that was less concerned with chart placement than it was with getting over a more sophisticated level of expression. Peggy turned out to be wonderfully well suited for this mode – a deeply emotive singer by this point, capable of bringing a deeper sense of life into younger tunes of the time, fleshing them out with the newer freedoms of the time, yet without going overboard. There's almost a Robert Altman sense of poise and adult grace to these tunes – arranged by Artie Butler with a careful simplicity, and sung by Peggy with some of the truest emotion of her days on record. Titles include "Love Song", "Razor", "When I Found You", "A Song For You", "It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone", "Someone Who Cares", and "Just For A Thrill". CD

Meshell Ndegeocello just seems to grow more and more with each new record – quite a feat, given how unique she was at the start! Yet this record clearly marks a new chapter in her wonderful legacy – effortlessly weaving together soul, funk, and plenty of jazzy inspiration – all with an approach that's complex, but with a very down to earth appeal – and served up with all sorts of great guests on the sessions – including Brandee Younger on harp, Joel Ross on vibes, Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, and Jeff Parker on guitar! Yet it's Meshell who's clearly the leader, the visionary, and the artist who's never content to stay in one lane – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Clear Water", "ASR", "Good Good", "Omnipuss", "An Invitation", "Call The Tune", "Georgia Ave", "Virgo", "Perceptions", "Towers", and "Tha King". (Neo Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

One of a few great vocal jazz records cut by singer Kim Parker in the early 80s – a spare set that features backing by Mal Waldron on piano, Isla Eckinger on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. The tunes are all pretty hip – well chosen, with some good obscure numbers – and Kim's tone here is a bit lighter than on other albums, languidly drifting along with the gentle style of the set. Titles include "Devil May Care", "Angel Eyes", "Wistful Samba", "Pretty Girl", "Fiesta In Blue", and "Singing Dancing (On My Way)". LP, Vinyl record album

The greatness of Gregory Porter continues to grow and grow – as the vocalist keeps moving past the straighter jazz of his roots, into a role as one of the greatest soul singers of the 21st Century! Porter's got a depth and maturity that few folks have had in recent years – especially in the realm of male vocals – very much that manner of important 70s singers like Bill Withers, Billy Paul, or Al Jarreau – who were schooled in jazz, but worked more in soulful styles that gave them a wider reach, and helped them to find a very personal voice in the process! We'd easily place Gregory in that legacy – one that he's definitely earned by this point – and he sounds arguably even better here than on his debut for Blue Note – working with arrangements from co-producer Kamau Kenyatta, who mixes in just the right current of jazz to keep things on track with the energy we first loved in Porter's first records – while still really letting his new energy open up and soar. Titles include "Holding On", "Insanity", "Don't Lose Your Steam", "Daydream", "Don't Be A Fool", "More Than A Woman", and "French African Queen". Also features different versions of two songs, with guest appearances – "Holding On" with Kem, and "Insanity" with Lalah Hathaway. CD

Terrible! But pretty darn wonderful, too – at least if you dig The Odd Couple! Considering their roots in Broadway, Randall and Klugman should be pretty decent singers – but instead, they decide to camp it up for this one, as they spend a lot of time arguing about and during sweet old-fashioned tunes like "The Inch Worm", "Johnny One Note", "Brush Up Your Shakespeare", and "Together Wherever We Go" – plus a very groovy version of "You're So Vain". The record also features the extended "Odd Couple Opera", the track "Friendship', and "Applause, Applause". Arrangements by Brit Roland Shaw – probably because nobody in America would touch the record, and an Englishman like Shaw hadn't heard of the show yet! In a great gatefold cover, too. (Comedy, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

A classic! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Marlena Shaw – and it's a tremendous live set that really lives up to the righteous promise of her earlier work on Cadet Records! The album was cut with a small combo, and the overall feel is incredibly hip – a mixture of jazz and soul, much more open-ended than some of Marlena's other albums, and with a more sophisticated feeling that was probably part of the way that she was presented to the crowd at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The highlight of the set is a 10 minute long re-working of her classic "Woman Of The Ghetto" – done in an incredible way, with lots of extra lyrics, and a great jazzy groove that's been sampled more than once over the years. Also features an excellent reading of Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus the cuts "Twisted", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "The Show Has Begun", and "But For Now". (Soul, Vocalists) CD

A classic! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Marlena Shaw – and it's a tremendous live set that really lives up to the righteous promise of her earlier work on Cadet Records! The album was cut with a small combo, and the overall feel is incredibly hip – a mixture of jazz and soul, much more open-ended than some of Marlena's other albums, and with a more sophisticated feeling that was probably part of the way that she was presented to the crowd at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The highlight of the set is a 10 minute long re-working of her classic "Woman Of The Ghetto" – done in an incredible way, with lots of extra lyrics, and a great jazzy groove that's been sampled more than once over the years. Also features an excellent reading of Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus the cuts "Twisted", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "The Show Has Begun", and "But For Now". (Soul, Vocalists) CD