The mighty Prince is on the cover this time around – heralding a series of well-penned articles inside, including pieces by Ann Powers and Greil Marcus! There's plenty more too – as the issue is overflowing with other cool topics – including a look at the Helter Stupid fiasco in the career of Negativland, Brooklyn hip hopper Paula Perry, LA harpist Mary Lattimore, women at Factory Records, UK comic Stewart Lee, Boston's High Risk Group from the 80s, a comic on the tune "Lee Remick" by the Go-Betweens, and the artwork of Marcel Duchamp, remixed! As always, the presentation is great – full color throughout, and a lot more contents than ads. Magazine

One of the best records ever from reedman John Stubblefield – a set that balances his spiritual roots with a more wide-reaching sense of soul! The tunes here are some of the best that Stubblefield ever penned – proud, righteous numbers that have this great sense of energy – offered up not just in the leader's own work on tenor and soprano sax, but also in the keyboards of Geri Allen, bass of Charnett Moffett, drums of Victor Lewis, and percussion of Mino Cinelu. Things are electric, but never at a level that's crossover fusion at all – and the whole album rings out with that new sense of pride that came to jazz like this as the previous spiritual generation found more acceptance in the 80s. Cinelu sings a bit on the record, and titles include "Bushman Song", "Serenade To The Mother Land", "Some Things Never Change", "East Side West Side", and "Mwe Malad O". LP, Vinyl record album

Tony Allen never lets us down – and even though he recorded this set well into the first decade of his "comeback" years, an album like this still has the same sort of fresh, urgent feel that got him noticed again by a whole new generation of fans! There's definitely lots of Allen's roots with Fela in the music – the kind of Afrobeat grooves that Tony first helped invent back in the 70s – but as with some of his other recent records, there's also a strong willingness to play with tradition, too – mixing in unusual sounds and patterns that really keep things interesting, and which show why Allen's probably been the best ambassador of Afrobeat styles in the 21st Century! Vocals are by Allen and a few other singers over the course of the set – and the band's a super-tight combo with some especially great keyboards from Claude Dibongue. Titles include "Secret Agent", "Ijo", "Switch", "Celebrate", "Ayenlo", "Pariwo", "Nina Lowo", "Atuwaba", and "Alutere". LP, Vinyl record album

British saxophonist Art Themen played on some killer records back in the day – including modern classics from Stan Tracey and Graham Collier – and here, he brings his legendary sound to a project with the younger Greg Foat – an artist who's always doing great things to open up the boundaries of the music, and provided a wonderful showcase for Themen's well-crafted lines! The album's got some of the sunny sparkle you might guess from the cover, but it's definitely a jazz record at the core, and not some sort of advertisement for a vacation in Aspen – glistening with all the hip keyboard lines and electronics we love in Foat's other music, and warmed up nicely by saxophone lines from Art that give the whole thing plenty of soul. Titles include "Fresh Snow", "Off Piste", "Sis No Hyp", "Yrsno", "Apres Ski", and "La Partida". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic package of work – material that not only helped kick off the career of the legendary Howlin Wolf, but also the Memphis powerhouse Sun Records too! The material here was all cut in the Sun Studios right at the start of its famous run – material recorded by Sam Phillips long before Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis – at a time when he was deeply interested in the shifts taking place in southern blues at the time, and was willing to take a chance on the mighty talents of Howlin Wolf! Wolf was no newcomer to the scene, but hadn't gotten recorded much before – especially not at this level, which brings out qualities that really ignited a long stretch of important 50s sessions after Sun licensed a few key tracks to other labels before they got their own imprint up and running. This very cool 10" package features titles not issued at the time – ten great tracks that were in the Sun Records vaults for years – presented here in a very cool vintage-styled LP. Titles on this second volume include "Color & Kind", "My Baby Walked Off", "Baby Ride With Me", "Smile At Me", "California Blues", "Well That's All Right", "Mr Highway Man/Cadillac Daddy", "Decoration Day Blues", "Dorothy Mae #2", and "CV Wine Blues/Drinkin CV Wine". LP, Vinyl record album

The funkiest album that Syl Johnson ever recorded – filled with short, tight cuts that play more like a stack of funky 45s than the standard soul album of the time! The record draws from the great run of singles that Syl cut for Twinight Records at the end of the 60s – some of the hardest soul coming out of Chicago at the time, with a gritty feel that's right up there with some of James Brown's best late 60s work – or even better, some of the other obscure acts working in the American underground at the time. A few tunes are familiar from their popularity as classic 45s – but the album's got lots more wonderful numbers that are lesser-known – and all of them are great! Titles include the classic Syl Johnson sample cut "Different Strokes" – plus "Dresses Too Short", "I Can Take Care of Business", "Soul Drippin", "Sorry Bout Dat", "Same Kind Of Thing", and "Come On Sock It To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet Atlantic soul groover from Brother Jack McDuff – and a set that has him tightening up his Hammond sound from his earlier years at Prestige Records! The tunes here are short and punched-up – almost instrumental soul numbers in their construction, but still filled with plenty of jazz – thanks to Jack's mad solos on organ, and some killer drums from Joe Dukes and Bernard Purdie! Other players include George Coleman on tenor, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and Buddy Lucas on baritone sax – and arrangements are by JJ Jackson and Jack himself. Titles include "Hotcha", "Down In the Valley", "Same Old Same Old", "No Tears", "What'd I Say", "Gonna Hang Me Up A Sign", and "Minha Saudade". LP, Vinyl record album

The never-issued second set from this ultra-hip supergroup of the Krautrock generation – a set that was recorded right ever their amazing debut, but which was never issued at the time! If anything, this record is maybe even more of a cosmic exploration than the first – with fantastic electronics used in all these amazing ways – almost predicting the shift that would take place on the German scene in the big Sky Records years, from a time when artists like this learned that sometimes less is more – and more effective too! A few playful moments almost hit at the AtaTak new wave to come too – and titles include "Tarot", "Psi", "Tutenchanamun", "Leonardo", and "Cagliostro". CD

Prime 80s work from Tears For Fears – a duo who manage to mix new romantic charms with some surprisingly strong electro pop styles! This set has the group rivalling Human League on their first few tuneful records – with maybe even some darker echoes around the edges – and though the album was part of a big flurry of electric UK pop that was coming out over the space of a few short years, it's also got more depth than most – which has given the album a surprisingly strong run over the decades. Titles include Change", "Mad World", and "Pale Shelter" – plus "Watch Me Bleed", "The Prisoner", "The Hurting", "Suffer The Children", "Ideas As Opiates", and "Start Of The Breakdown". LP, Vinyl record album

You may not recognize the name of Deniece Chandler in soul music, but you'll definitely know her by her later name of Deniece Williams and her many hits of the 70s and 80s for Columbia Records! Yet here, while still Chandler, the young singer comes across in a very different way – serving up some excellent early material from the Chicago scene – perfect for the higher-voiced style she used at the start – really wonderful tunes that also echo some of the more sophisticated ways that Chicago cooking up at the time. The set features a host of early singles that Chandler recorded for the Toddlin Town label, plus some unreleased material, and even some bonus tracks too – including two duets with Lee Sain. Titles include "Yes I'm Ready", "Love Is Tears", "I'm Walking Away", "Come On Home To Me Baby", "Goodbye Cruel World", "Mama I Wish I Stayed At Home", "Just One Time", "Glorious Feeling", "Hey Baby", "Shy Boy", and "I'm Not Like The Others". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the tighter late albums from trumpet legend Chet Baker – done during the last few years of his life, at a time when he was going for a sound that was a bit more back to basics than some of his more longer-winded records from a few years before! The group here is a quartet – Harold Danko on piano, Jon Burr on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – and Baker blows in this cool, compressed style that showcases all the sonic lessons learned from the late 70s/early 80s experiments, brought more in focus with territory that resonates with more familiar recordings. Titles include "Swing Shifting", "Round Midnight", "Caravelle", "For All We Know", "Blue Moon", and "My Foolish Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of Mercury Records gems from the Bar-Kays – back to back in a single set! First up is Too Hot To Stop – a pivotal album from The Bar-Kays – a key post-Stax set, but one that's still very firmly grounded in Memphis funk! The groove definitely shows a bit more polish than before – the same sort of shift the Ohio Players made after moving to Mercury Records – but as with the Players at their best, there's still plenty of sharp edges and deeply funky moments on the record – and if anything, the shift has really given The Bar-Kays a way to evolve their sound past some of the heavier modes of the early days, without losing any of the appeal of their groove! Some cuts have some great keyboards – almost producing a spacey funk feel at points – and titles include "Too Hot To Stop (part 1)", "You're So Sexy", "Cozy", "Spellbound", "Whitehouseorgy", and the nice mellow track "Summer Of Our Love". Flying High is a killer too – a great step forward for The Bar-Kays – an album that actually has them taking on a few mellower moments, amidst the heavy funk you might expect – yet all without softening their groove at all! The album's very much in the best spirit of the group's Mercury debut – still recorded in Memphis, with production that's tight, but never uptight – enough to firmly put the group at the top of the funk superstar scene of the mid 70s, yet never sell out the rich Memphis groove that first got them going! Titles include "You Can't Run Away", "Let's Have Some Fun", "Can't Keep My Hands Off You", "Whatever It Is", and "Shut the Funk Up". CD

A pretty wonderful ECM package that puts together 4 records by the Peter Erskine/John Taylor/Palle Danielsson trio made throughout the 1990s – You Never Know, Time Being, As It Is, and Juni – excellent work that holds up incredibly well! It's really lovely, melodic material – done in a more nuanced, lyrical realm than you might expect from the drummer Erskine if you're mostly familiar with him from Weather Report. His intuitive interplay with bassist Palle Daniesson is great, but the pianist John Taylor deserves a ton of credit for the mood here – especially on his own compositions, which are arguably the heart and soul of the trio's work together. Great stuff – and it's all the easier to appreciate how consistent it is when collected here in a 4CD box set! Nice little booklet of notes, too. CD

The debut album of The Fallen Angels – one of those great late 60s psych groups who were signed up in a big mid-decade frenzy, got a chance to record some superb work, then were almost completely ignored by their record label! The group have a vibe that's right on the same cusp that the LA scene was hitting at the time – clearly band members with earlier garage, blues, and maybe even a bit of folk experience – coming together in headier territory with plenty of fuzz on the guitar, mixed with all sorts of other weird touches along the way – including sitar, vibes, celeste, kazoo, and even a bit of soft shoe! There's clearly a nice sense of wit in the proceedings – and even though mostly-pop Roulette Records didn't do a thing with the record, it's gone on to become a well-deserved underground treasure over the years. Titles include "Painted Bird", "Introspective Looking Glass", "Your Mother's Homesick Too", "You Have Changed", "No Way Out", "Room At The top", and "Your Friends Here In Dunderville". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful musical gift from Mammal Hands – and, like their previous records, a set that's instrumental, but only partly in the world of jazz – as the group have a fantastic ear for a melody, and and create this really magical flow that illuminates the lovely tunes at the core! Drummer Jesse Barret is light and cyclical on the kit – never bombasting, but creating these cascading lines that are woven with these warm piano lines from Nick Smart, then balanced with nicely angular saxophone parts from Jordan Smart. The approach is great – hypnotic and lovely, and titles include "Nightingale", "Riser", "The Spinner", "Kernel", "Dimu", and "Deep Within Mountains". CD

A beautiful musical gift from Mammal Hands – and, like their previous records, a set that's instrumental, but only partly in the world of jazz – as the group have a fantastic ear for a melody, and and create this really magical flow that illuminates the lovely tunes at the core! Drummer Jesse Barret is light and cyclical on the kit – never bombasting, but creating these cascading lines that are woven with these warm piano lines from Nick Smart, then balanced with nicely angular saxophone parts from Jordan Smart. The approach is great – hypnotic and lovely, and titles include "Nightingale", "Riser", "The Spinner", "Kernel", "Dimu", and "Deep Within Mountains". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest female soul records over! The album's a gem all the way through – and probably our favorite (and the rarest album) cut by southern soul diva Ann Sexton – produced with a smooth style that's a lot different than some of her other work! It's got great arrangements by Clayton Ivey, who gives the set the compressed bubbling soul feel of Gloria Scott's classic album for Casabalanca – a nice mix of modern and rootsy styles, one that steps strongly past even the best of the southern soul scene of the time. Includes the incredible track "I'm His Wife (You're Just A Friend)", plus "Who's Gonna Love You", "I Had A Fight With Love", "Be Serious", "I Want To Be Loved", "You've Been Doing Me Wrong For So Long", and "You Can't Lose With the Stuff I Use". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of classic material from the Philips Records years of Nina Simone – a key 60s moment when she was moving way past her roots as a jazz singer, to embrace all sorts of righteous new styles – and set a tone for singers that's held strong for decades! The music here is bubbling over with a new sense of pride and power for the 60s – a style that certainly ruffled some feathers at the time, but which really came to be that which established the legacy of Nina Simone after earlier periods recording for the Bethlehem and Colpix labels. The choice of cuts is great – and titles include "Four Women", "See Line Woman", "Wild Is The Wind", "Take Care Of Business", "Tell Me More & More & Then Some", "Ne Me Quitte Pas", "Feeling Good", "I Put A Spell On You", and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" – plus live versions of "Mississippi Goddam" and "I Loves You Porgy". LP, Vinyl record album

The never-issued second set from this ultra-hip supergroup of the Krautrock generation – a set that was recorded right ever their amazing debut, but which was never issued at the time! If anything, this record is maybe even more of a cosmic exploration than the first – with fantastic electronics used in all these amazing ways – almost predicting the shift that would take place on the German scene in the big Sky Records years, from a time when artists like this learned that sometimes less is more – and more effective too! A few playful moments almost hit at the AtaTak new wave to come too – and titles include "Tarot", "Psi", "Tutenchanamun", "Leonardo", and "Cagliostro". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great return to form from Angie Stone – a singer that we maybe have taken for granted a bit over the years, but who can still really knock it out of the park with a record like this! The set's a great example of mainstream R&B at its best – tunes that are heartfelt and captivating, and wonderfully well put-together – music that's a key part of the rich legacy served up on Angie's other records, but which has a freshness that makes it more than worth the wait since her last album too! Musiq Soulchild makes a great guest appearance on "The Gym" – and other cuts include "Kiss You", "Love Is Real", "Good Man", "All I Need", "High", "Love The Feeling", and "Old Thang Back". CD

A groundbreaking album by soul singer Lewis Taylor – his first self-released album, issued on his own after parting company from Island Records! The album's incredible – every bit as great as the albums Lewis Taylor 1 & 2 – and in fact even better, as Lewis has a lot more freedom here to explore his own ideas. The sound is a blend of compressed rhythm and keys, filtered with Lewis' excellent vocals – deeply soulful, and instantly captivating, steeped in a tradition that stretches back to Marvin Gaye, and which makes him one of the best underground soul singers alive today. Songs are sweet, slow, slinky, and seductive – coming off amazingly well, with a deeply soulful production style that's handled a heck of a lot better than the cover! In fact, if the silly cover art's making you worry that the album won't be great, even if you're a fan of Lewis' other work – don't worry, because the music is the thing that really matters, and the whole album here is top-shelf! Titles include "Send Me An Angel", "Stoned", "Shame", "Til The Morning Light", "Positively Beautiful", "Lovelight", and "Sheneverdid". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the greatest full length set ever recorded by vocalist Little Johnny Taylor – a solid set all the way through, mostly recorded at Muscle Shoals with a groove that's a bit tighter than other sessions at the time from Ronn Records! Johnny's got a groove here that's bluesy, but also filled with a good deal of soul – on one hand speaking with a down home frankness about relationships and life, but also doing so with a bit of poise, and an approach that's never too narcissistically self-indulgent. Miles Grayson arranged and produced the album, and tracks include a two-part version of "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing", plus "It's My Fault Darling", "Sweet Soul Woman", "How Are You Fixed For Love", and "Baby Get Hip To Yourself". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the tightest, sharpest records of the late 70s punk years in the British Isles – a set that's got all the same hook-heavy power of the Buzzcocks on Singles Going Steady – with song after song that seem almost effortless – very punky, but extremely catchy too – at a level that also has the record rivaling some of the best classics by The Ramones as well! The whole thing's a treasure – and titles include "Family Entertainment", "Male Model", "Teenage Kicks", "Jump Boys", "Here Comes The Summer", "Get Over You", "Jimmy Jimmy", "(She's A) Runaround", "I Know A Girl", and "Listening In". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the only records ever recorded as a leader by alto player Monty Waters – a hip New York altoist who's appeared on records with Joe Lee Wilson, but rarely got the chance to lead a group on his own. This Japanese-only set from 1975 features Waters working with a quartet that includes Ronnie Boykins on bass, George Avaloz on drums, and Yoshiaki Masuio on guitar – playing together in a mode that's almost a lyrical take on some of Ornette's harmelodic recordings from the same time, a style that we evoke mostly because of the way that the guitar comps in behind the rhythm in parts, letting Waters blow over the top in solo formation. At other times, the guitar's in a more tradition role – but the lack of a piano in the group means that there's still quite a bit of freedom, although the group always manages to swing soulfully. Titles include "Modesto", "The Black Cat", "RPM", "J Love March", and "Apt #2H". CD

A stunning return to form for Witch – aka We Intend To Caus Havoc – a legendary group from the Zambian scene of the 70s, and one whose presence in the studio is as great for music as it was a surprise to the rest of the world when it was first announced! Witch have gotten huge attention for their older records in recent years, thanks to some key reissues – but it's still a bit of a surprise to hear them back in action, and sounding as great as they do – refining some of the older elements in their music, and really making the best of more contemporary studio elements – yet never in a way that sounds as if they're throwing away their core or sounding too commercial. The balance is just right here – there's something new and fresh going on, which is also an extension of the sinister sound of the group's classics – served up on titles that include "Stop The Rot", "By The Time You Realize", "These Eyes Of Mine", "Malango", "Streets Of Lusaka", and "Avalanche Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning return to form for Witch – aka We Intend To Caus Havoc – a legendary group from the Zambian scene of the 70s, and one whose presence in the studio is as great for music as it was a surprise to the rest of the world when it was first announced! Witch have gotten huge attention for their older records in recent years, thanks to some key reissues – but it's still a bit of a surprise to hear them back in action, and sounding as great as they do – refining some of the older elements in their music, and really making the best of more contemporary studio elements – yet never in a way that sounds as if they're throwing away their core or sounding too commercial. The balance is just right here – there's something new and fresh going on, which is also an extension of the sinister sound of the group's classics – served up on titles that include "Stop The Rot", "By The Time You Realize", "These Eyes Of Mine", "Malango", "Streets Of Lusaka", and "Avalanche Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Sacred sounds from the Chilean scene – music that's delivered mostly with just a voice and guitar, in a stripped-down sense of expression that's very personal overall! There's often a blue tinge to the vocals, and in some way, the tracks here almost resonate with Appalachian acoustic music, especially of the more spiritual variety! As with other Mississippi Records packages, we might never have heard these sounds otherwise – and the whole thing comes with a big booklet of notes that really illuminates the sounds within – on tracks that include "Por Muerto" by Ivan Saavedra, "Por Noe" by Jose Millahuino Castro, "Por Nascimento" by Honorio Quila, "Por Jose" by Alfonso Rubio, "Por Sodoma Y Gomorra" by Ema Madariaga, and "Por Despedimiento De Angelito" by Javier Salinas. LP, Vinyl record album

A really heady collection of cuts – one that starts with jazz, and moves into a whole host of other righteous styles too – all to sum up a 70s mode that's as much about empowerment as it is peace! Think of the cuts here as being in the much farther reaches past the styles initiated by Impulse Records and the Coltrane generation – to a point where the artists here aren't just copying modal and spiritual jazz styles, but infusing them with all sorts of new inflections of their own – at a level that makes the whole collection a really wonderful discovery! As with previous volumes, there's titles here we never would have heard otherwise – and tracks on this LP for Vol 5 include "Little Boogum" by Federico Cervantes, "No Outlet" by Beaver College Modern Jazz Orchestra, "Night Eagle" by Cleveland Jazz All Stars, "Zimbabwe" by Ron Wilson Trio, "Shanti" by Jazz Yatra Sextett, "One More For The Road" by Dahle Scott, and "Downey Street" by Rex Davis. LP, Vinyl record album

A really heady collection of cuts – one that starts with jazz, and moves into a whole host of other righteous styles too – all to sum up a 70s mode that's as much about empowerment as it is peace! Think of the cuts here as being in the much farther reaches past the styles initiated by Impulse Records and the Coltrane generation – to a point where the artists here aren't just copying modal and spiritual jazz styles, but infusing them with all sorts of new inflections of their own – at a level that makes the whole collection a really wonderful discovery! As with previous volumes, there's titles here we never would have heard otherwise – and tracks on this LP for Vol 6 include "Algunas" by Jimmy McGary, "Bless Your Soul" by Lucky Brown & The SGs, "Night In Tunisia" by A La Ala, "Cataracts" by Musica Orbis, "History" by Charles Lamont, "Januschka" by Frederic Rabold, and "Savior's Waltz" by New Day. LP, Vinyl record album

A great overview of a really fantastic label for jazz and avant garde material in the late 70s – the Japanese-only Why Not imprint, which was briefly a great home for some of the best work by key American players from both the AACM and the loft jazz generation! The label only issued a small amount of albums, most of which never saw release in the US – records that provided a key bridge for important artists in the years between earlier material for labels like Demark or Strata East, and some of the new wave of jazz recordings that would take place in Europe during the 80s. The quality level here is top-shelf all the way – and the tracks are some of the best by these artists from the period – a selection of 16 titles that include "To Yaisa & Wanda With Luv" by Donald Smith, "Ted Tempo" by Ted Curson, "Re-Entry" by Charles Sullivan, "Pepe's Samba" by Chico Freeman, "Mode For Trane" by Joe Lee Wilson, "Triangle" by Joe Bonner, "Gratitude" by Don Pullen, "On Green Dolphin Street" by Manhattan Graffiti Four, "Raindrops" by Andrew Cyrille, "Tell Us Only The Beautiful Things" by Walt Dickerson, "The Black Cat" by Monty Waters, and "Invitation" by Sonny Fortune. CD

An incredible tribute to the legendary Strata Records in Detroit – performed by Jazzanova with a host of other guests – and at a level that's maybe the greatest thing the group has ever given us on record! The vibe here is a lot more Strata and spiritual than the style you'd expect from Jazzanova – as they take on tunes by label legends like Lyman Woodard, Kenny Cox, Sam Sanders, Maulawi, and other talents from the same Motor City underground of the 70s that gave the world Tribe Records. Instrumentation is a blend of Fender Rhodes and lots of live jazz work on flute, tenor, trombone, and trumpet – sometimes topped with vocals from Sean Haefeli, who really helps open up the soulful side of the tunes! Wonderful throughout, better than we might have even guessed – with titles that include "Joy Road", "Face At My Window", "Ortotundes", "Loser", "Scorpio's Child", "Creative Musicians", "Lost My Love", "Inside Ourselves", and "Saturday Night Special". CD

Includes selections by Groove Armada, Tutto Matto, Cousin Grizzly, Los Chicharrons, Organic Audio, Crackpot, and Patrick Dawes. CD

Fantastic funk from South African saxophone legend Winston Mankuku Ngozi – working here in the group The Cliffs, who serve up a sweet 70s vibe for his solos! The instrumentation is great – a rougher-edged take on American jazz funk of the time – almost as if the aesthetic of 60s Prestige Records soul jazz moved forward, but without the same sort of polish – perfect for bringing out the edge in Ngozi's alto, as he blows in a group with Stompie Manana and George Tyefumani on trumpets, Roger Khoza on organ, and Allen Kwela on guitar. Titles include "Revelation", "Ever Green", "Over The Cliff", "Alex Express", and "Gu Gu Lethu". LP, Vinyl record album

A spiritual jazz classic from Detroit – and one of the few records from this important Motor City group! The Contemporary Jazz Quintet were a groundbreaking ensemble that mixed together hardbop and modernist playing – sometimes with a keen ear for Miles Davis' experiments of the late 60s, but also with an underground Detroit flavor that's well in keeping with that city's rich traditions! The group was ostensibly led by pianist Kenny Cox – and it's his name that their two Blue Note albums were issued under – but on this rare third set from the Detroit-based Strata label, the group appears more as a larger collective with an even more freewheeling vibe – a lineup that includes Cox on piano, Charles Moore on trumpet, Leon Henderson on tenor, Ron Brooks on bass, Charles Eubanks on electric piano, and Ron English on guitar. Tracks are long, with a stretched-out pre-Bitches Brew sound – plus some freer avant jamming – and titles include "Noh Word", "Bang", "Tao", and "Nguzo Saba". CD

One of the darkest albums ever recorded by Astrud Gilberto – her 60s last session for Verve Records, and a batch of beautifully moody tunes throughout! Arrangements are by Albert Gorgoni, who'd handled Gilberto's previous September 69 album – but the style here is a bit mellower, a bit sadder – touched with more adult themes of love, life, and loss – and very much in keeping with Astrud's tear-stained image on the cover! There's a sound here that almost mixes Gilberto's earlier bossa with the more baroque modes of Scott Walker at the end of the 60s – and as with Scott Walker's classic solo sets, the album shows a side of Astrud's talents that we never would have expected a few years earlier! Titles include "Wailing Of The Willow", "Where's The Love", "Wee Small Hours", "If", "Without Him", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "The Sea Is My Soil", and "Didn't We?". CD

Twin-tenor magic from South African saxophonists Winston Mankunku Ngozi and Mike Makhalemele – working together here with backing from a sweet electric combo that features Trevor Rabin on guitar! The groove is open and fluid – the band just vamping and opening things up, to let Ngozi and Makhalemele spin out these long solos that have plenty to say – which is maybe why both artists are listed on the cover as "voices" in the credits! The vibe is different than Ngozi's early records, and much more in the style of Makhalemele's music – and the set features the side-long track "Rainy Day", plus "Snowfall" and "Togetherness" – all great mellow jazz funk numbers! LP, Vinyl record album

Divine may best be known for her stunning early performances in the films of John Waters – but the 80s also saw the actress emerging as a surprisingly big force in the clubs, too – coming on strong in a post-disco mode, and really helping keep a campy club spirit alive and well at the time! Many of these tracks have more of an electro vibe – kind of a pre-house style that works perfectly for Divine – as the grooves are so powerful, it doesn't matter if she speaks or sings – which occasionally results in some great monologue moments on the tracks! Production is mostly by Bobby Orlando, or by the team of Stock/Aiken/Waterman – and titles include "Jungle Jezebel", "Native Love", "Shoot Your Shot", "Shake It Up", "Love Reaction", "T-Shirt & Tight Blue Jeans", "Psychedelic Shack", "You Think You're A (medley)", "I'm So Beautiful (12" mix)", "Divine Madness", "Alphabet Rap", "Hard Magic", "Walk Like A Man/Man Talk", "Twistin The Night Away", and "You Think You're A Man". CD

One of the grooviest records ever from the lovely Astrud Gilberto – a session that beautifully mixes her usual bossa nova with bits of Sunshine Pop and other hip late 60s grooves – all in a mode that really takes off a lot more than other Gilberto albums on Verve! The style here is really wonderful – upbeat, soaring, and joyous on most of the best numbers – a real transformation of Astrud's usual groove, and a great departure from too familiar bossa nova material. The record's been a little bit lost to the shifting sands of time – possibly because it's not as iconic as it might be – but we totally love it, and really consider it one of Gilberto's best moments ever in the studio. Arrangements are by Albert Gorgoni – and titles include a fantastic long jamming version of the track "Beginnings" that sounds completely different from the Chicago hit, and which is a stunning dancefloor groover! The album also includes an English version of "Canto De Osshana" called "Let's Go", plus a groovy uptempo version of the Bee Gee's "Holiday", and the great cut "Love Is Stronger Than We" from the soundtrack to A Man & A Woman. Other tracks include "Think Of Rain", "A Million Miles Away Behind The Door", "Don't Leave Me Baby", and "Summer Sweet (part 1, part 2 to be continued)". CD

That's a mighty classy truck stop on the cover of this album – and the set's a mighty classy batch of trucker-themed tunes from the catalog of Starday Records! These aren't the shlocky truck country tunes of the 70s, but instead some great material from the postwar years – a time when the interstates were really opening up, and the role of the truck was about to surpass the role of the train. The tunes here all mark the new challenges of the time, sometimes with a good deal of humor – and titles include "Gears" by Johnny Bond, "Man Behind The Wheel" by George Morgan, "Long Haul Weekend" by The Willis Brothers, "Big Footed Dan" by Benny Martin, "Big Rig Guitar" by Joe Maphis, "Truck Driving Buddy" by Frankie Miller, "Sleeper Cab Blues" by Tom O'Neal, and "Pinball Machine" by Lonnie Irving. CD

One of Kenny Dorham's best records ever – and one of his rarest too! The set was cut for the short-lived Jaro label, home to a few great jazz sides during its short-lived American tenure – and the set features Kenny grooving at a level that's extremely tight, very much in the best spirit of his work for Blue Note or Prestige – and recorded here with equally top-shelf sound! The record shows Kenny at his lyrical best – working alongside the piano of Tommy Flangan, who really helps enforce this side of his music – and also getting some help from Charles Davis on baritone, who brings in some darker edges to the record. Other players include Butch Warren on bass and Buddy Enlow on drums – on tracks that include the original entitled "Stage West", plus another sweet tune by Davis entitled "Turbo" – as well as the numbers "Butch's Blues", "Six Bits", and "Stella By Starlight". CD

Four classic albums from this hip British soul group – issued here in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is New Religion – a record that was also released in America by Atlantic Records. Although they were a UK soul act, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds were a perfect match for the Atlantic soul stable of the 60s. The group had a smooth group style that was partly uptown, partly northern soul – as clearly illustrated in this album, which is divided up into a "mood red: you feel like leaping" side, and a "mood blue: you feel like digging deeper" side. The band chose some good material that really helps them maintain a solid socking soul sound – including "The Entertainer" and "Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud" by Tony Clarke, "Ain't No Big Thing" and "I'm Just A Fool For You Girl" by Gerald Sims, and "Little Boy Blue" and "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield. Also features "Come To Me Softly", a sweet dreamy ballad by Jimmy, and kind of a bit crossover hit for the boys. London Swings is two-sided monster – as the album was originally split with work from the Alan Bown Set too! Here, the CD features just the live material from the soul group – a smoking performance from Jimmy James & The Vagabonds – one that goes way past the sweetness of their hits, and which has a crowd-pleasing, party-hearty approach to soul that's really great! Jimmy and the group serve up versions of "Sock It To Em JB", "That Driving Beat", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "You Don't Know Like I Know", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". This Is Jimmy James & The Vagabonds is a record that featured some crossover tracks with New Religion – but the set here just features the exclusive cuts – including "I Feel Alright", "I Can't Get Back Home To My Baby", "Never Like This Before", "I Don't Wanna Cry", and "You Showed Me The Way". Open Up Your Soul is a record with a really wonderful sound – the deeply soulful vocals of Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, mixed with rich arrangements handled by Nicky Welsh, and produced to perfection by Brit maestro John Schroeder! The record's got the sophistication of some of the Richard Evans productions over at Chess/Cadet at the same time – and, no surprise, the group lead off with a great cover of The Dells "Wear It On Our Face" – then roll into cuts that include "Cry Like A Baby", "Good Day Sunshine", "Four Walls", "Everybody Loves A Winner", "If You're Gonna Love Me", and "Open Up Your Soul". CD also features 7 more bonus tracks from singles – including "Why", "Bumper To Bumper", "Close The Door", "Give Us A Light", "I Wanna Be your Everything", "Hungry For Love", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". CD

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". CD

A fantastic later album from Gil Scott-Heron – a set that came out in the mid 90s, at a time when Gil had been away from the studio for many years – but definitely hadn't lost any of the qualities that made him so great in the first place! Despite the space of a decade, the album picks up right where the Arista records left off – and in fact, maybe even gives things a deeper, jazzy current after the last few – just the right sort of production to support both Gil's message in his lyrics, and the jazz vocal style that always makes that message come across so well. The album's got a nice extended track called "The Other Side", plus nice ones like "Don't Give Up", "Spirits Past", and "Spirits". CD

An overlooked moment of genius from Canadian bassist Neil Swainson – maybe the only album of his we've seen as a leader, and a tremendous showcase for the talents of Joe Henderson on tenor and Woody Shaw on trumpet! The album's a beautiful burner – filled with original songs by Neil, and handled by the group with some of the soulful flow you'd find on the best Woody Shaw albums for Muse Records in the 70s – a mode that's very much out of time, especially as the whole thing was issued on the Concord label, which isn't usually such a strong showcase for material as soulful and expressive as this! The rest of the combo features Jerry Fuller on drums and Gary Williamson on piano – and titles include "Don't Hurt Yourself", "49th Parallel", "Port Of Spain", "On The Lam", "Labyrinth", and "Southern Exposure". CD

A wealth of wonderful work from the key years of the British Invasion – including a fair bit of groups who never really crossed the Atlantic to invade our shores at the time! Liverpool is best known as the home of The Beatles, but during the early 60s, the city was host to a huge wave of creative activity – as were nearby cities in the north of England – and as you'll hear in this set, there was no end to the range of groups making killer records over the space of number of years! Some of the work here will ring your ears with familiar tones from UK 60s rock, yet in ways that are different than the mod styles down in London, there's plenty of overlooked gems here to discover – and given that the box set goes well into the second half of the 60s, there's plenty of tracks here that are way different than just the work that grew up in the shadows of the fab four! The package has that fantastic presentation we love from the Grapefruit/Strawberry label – really well-chosen cuts, supported by very detailed notes – a massive 93 tracks in all, with work from The Perishers, Quotations, Satin Bells, Cilla Black, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, Wimple Witch, Selftons, 23rd Turnoff, Tony Jackson & The Vibrations, The Mojos, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Wailing Howie Casey & The Seniors, Lee Curtis & The All-Stars, The Big Three, The Kinsleys, Wellington Wade, and dozens of others! CD

It's definitely a bossa nova world when Laurindo Almeida's around – given that the player first got the whole sound going in the 50s, then returned the favor in the 60s with some great albums like this for Capitol Records! The set's a bright blend of LA jazz and bossa rhythms – played by a group that also features Howard Roberts on electric guitar, Jimmy Rowles on organ, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Bob Cooper on tenor, and Shelly Manne, Victor Feldman, and Chico Guererro on lots of percussion! Almeida plays guitar and cavaquinho on the session – and titles include "Rio Bonito", "Lisbon Antigua", "More", "Danke Shoen", "Till Then", "Say Wonderful Things", and "Sukiyaki". CD

Never-issued work from this very cool Swiss combo from the 70s – a legendary combo, even though they only recorded a handful of records – and very well-known for the way they mix together Fender Rhodes and the great tenor and flute of Raymond Therace! This live set has the group stretching out even more than on their studio records, and there's some especially great use of congas in the lineup too – in a way that makes things extra funk, and really emphasizes the funky rhythms in the music in a really great way! Plenty to love here if you dig 70s funky jazz and Fender Rhodes – on titles that include "Spain", "Backlash", "Cenovis", "1224", "Le Colin", and "Rahsaan Rahsaan". LP also features three bonus studio tracks – "Adam's Apple", "Dolphin Dance", and "5th Of July Dulong Street". LP, Vinyl record album

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

2 amazing albums from the 2nd version of the Jimmy Giuffre 3! After working with his first combo of Bob Brookmeyer and Jim Hall during the late 50s, Giuffre hooked up with a pair of younger modernists – Paul Bley and Steve Swallow – reintroducing the piano and bass to his trio format, instruments that had been previously missing because Giuffre wanted to explore the possibilities of melodic composition freed from rhythmic constraints. With this trio, Giuffre was still working in that mode – as you'll hear on Bley and Swallow's incredibly free playing. The group's performances are not free jazz by any means, but they're a key link in that tradition – as Giuffre and crew do an excellent job of creating unconventional compositions, most of which feel like little sculptures in sound. There's a total of 20 tracks on 2CDs – and titles include "Cry, Want", "Trudgin", "Jesus Maria", "Ictus", "Sonic", "Whirrrrr", "The Gamut", "Herb & Ictus", and "Flight". Both records originally available on Verve, now repackaged by ECM. CD

Jonathan Schwartz is the son of composer Arthur Schwartz – and on this sparkling late 70s set, he does a surprisingly great job running through tunes penned by his old man! The group's a big part of the strength of the record – as the combo features Harold Mabern both on acoustic and electric piano, Jack Wilkins on guitar, Buster Williams on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – a hip lineup who make the record a bit more than just a simple "songbook" rehash of familiar standards, nicely opening up in a Muse Records 70s mode. Marvin Stamm plays a bit of trumpet and flugelhorn on the record – and titles include "New Sun In The Sky", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Alone Together", "By Myself", "Where Do I Go From You", and "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan". CD

Trumpeter Louis Smith made only two records for Blue Note, but both of them are great! This set's arguably his most famous – because of a rare uncredited appearance by Cannonball Adderley, working here under the "nom de date" of "Buckshot La Funke" – and blowing with a power that beats most of his other Mercury sessions of the late 50s! But the real credit here should go to Louis Smith – who's got a sense of power and command that should have made him one of THE trumpeters of the 50s – an emerging young talent to stand alongside Lee Morgan, Nat Adderley, and other post-Fats Navarro/Clifford Brown talents on the instrument. Smith sparkles throughout with a mix of soul and modernism we really love – and an earthy way of blowing the horn that doesn't always reach its goals, but which draws even more energy from its ability to try! The rhythm section on the album's also very tight – with Art Taylor on drums, Doug Watkins on bass, and either Tommy Flanagan or Duke Jordan on piano – and tracks include "Ande", "Brill's Blues", "South Side", and "Val's Blues". CD

Sweet Lucy, and mighty groovy – a wonderful album from Raul De Souza, cut during the height of his fame on the California scene! Like Raul's other work for Capitol, this record really sparkles from tight help from George Duke – who handles production, and some of the arrangements – and really helps De Souza find a tight jazzy groove! The instrumentation is a bit leaner than some of Raul's other records of this nature, which is a nice thing – as you get to hear plenty of keyboards from Patrice Rushen, Fender Rhodes from Dawilli Gonga, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, and percussion from Airto. There's a bit of chorus vocals at times, but the main focus is on Raul's trombone solos – and cuts include of Joao Donato's "Banana Tree", plus "Sweet Lucy", "New Love", "Wild & Shy", "Bottom Heat", "Wires", and "At Will". CD

A late date from Tito Puente, but a great one too – one of his sublime sessions for Concord Records during the 80s – done with a rock-solid approach to Latin jazz! Puente really hits on all burners during these years – free of gimmicks, or any need to sound too modern – and instead moving back into a jazzy style that's almost more classic than any of his records from years back! Of course, the recording style is more modern – but never with any 80s gimmicks at all, just in ways that let the players open up even more than usual on their solos – a good thing, given that the lineup features Mitch Frohman on reeds, Robbie Kwock on trumpet, Sam Burtis on trombone, and Sonny Bravo on piano – and we're also guessing some arrangements too. Titles include "Airegin", "Pent Up House", "Picadillo A Lo Puente", "All Blues", "Lambada Timbales", and "Ode To Cachao". CD

One of three incredible albums cut by trumpeter Dizzy Reece for Blue Note Records – all a bit unusual, in that Dizzy was a key part of the scene in London at the time, and not part of the regular New York group that were so important to the Blue Note roster at the end of the 50s! Yet despite that difference, Reece fits into the groove perfectly – with a bold sound on trumpet that's a nice change from the usual – set up in a classic hardbop lineup that includes Hank Mobley on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Mobley's playing is fantastic – as on all of his Blue Notes – and his presence alone takes the set into another level. His solos on the harder tracks are all great, and played with a razor-sharp edge that opens up Reece a lot more than usual too – very different than some of his work recorded in the UK. Tracks include "The Rebound", "Groovesville", "The Rake", and "A Variation On Monk". Great stuff, and a true classic lost Blue Note! LP, Vinyl record album

Majestic male soul from Brunswick Records – the label who recorded some of the best material ever from singers like Gene Chandler and Jackie Wilson, and who also gave lots of other singers a great shot too! This set moves way past obvious Brunswick hits, and includes loads of lesser-known singles that are totally great – some funky, some laidback, and lots of them very very groovy – in that totally hip Chicago soul mode that Brunswick did so well. There's a number of artists here who only recorded briefly for Brunswick, before hitting fame elsewhere – and others who are remembered for the few rare gems they left behind at the label – all brought together here in a wonderful 25 track set. There's plenty of surprises throughout – and titles include "Doing The Feeling" by Alvin Cash, "Contract On Your Love" by Chuck Bernard, "I'll Bet You" by Billy Butler, "Sweet Sweet Revenge" by Alvin Valentine, "Hold On" by Marvin Smith, "This Melody Is For My Baby" by Ben Monroe, "Sweet Temptation" by Isaac Hayes, "Wrapped Up In Your Warm & Tender Love" by Richard Parker, "A Mean Thing" by Donald Height, "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by Johnny Williams, "You Got Me Walking" by Cicero Blake, "Once You Fall In Love" by Eddie Mcloyd, "Just A Thing Called Love" by John Parker, and "You Are" by Bobby Reed. CD