A great example of why Little Milton was always one of the few Chicago blues artists who could also break strongly in the soul camp at the time – and a beautifully balanced set that perfectly shows both sides of the Chicago scene of the time! Production is by old Vee Jay maestro Calvin Carter, and arrangements by Gene Barge, who manages to slide effortlessly between blues and soul on the set – almost pushing Milton into Tyrone Davis territory, but keeping things a bit more rougher and down home on some of the other numbers. The sound is wonderful – very deep and rich, and with a sound that's head and shoulders above most other albums of this type in the late 60s. Titles include "Baby I Love You", "If Walls Could Talk", "Things That I Used to Do", "Let's Get Together", "I Play Dirty", "Blues Get Off My Shoulder", "I Don't Know", and "Poor Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Here it is – the first Spoonful LP in all its sunny, groovy glory – and the sum is so much more than just a great single! Like the Byrds, the group is built on traditionally structured back-porch melodies. In the case of the Spoonful, jug band influences provide the core rhythmic groove, but the stratospheric tendencies of mid-to-late 60s pop really pushes them into something special and all their own. Tracks include "Younger Girl", "Other Side Of This Life", "Sportin Life", "You Baby", "My Gal", "Do You Believe In Magic", and "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind". Timeless, sunny, wistful groovy grooves for the ages! LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic from The Manhattans – and just the kind of record to show why the group stayed so great after all the years! The ballads are wonderful – arguably even better than the group's indie label days – with a depth of feeling, fullness of harmonies, and magical balance between the rough and the smooth! Bobby Martin produced, using a sophisticated Philly mode, but one that's never overdone – cool and confident, but never too brash at all. A few of the groovers are a bit mellow – nicely stepping around a midtempo mode that still allows lots of vocal power – and titles include "I Kinda Miss You", "Let's Start It All Over Again", "It's You", "Mind Your Business", "Too Much For Me To Bear", and "It Just Can't Stay This Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A great record – and one that's filled with so many wonderful little moments! The whole thing's a very cool, very off-beat set of jazz tracks recorded by vibist Gary McFarland, with a group that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Richie Kamuca on tenor, and Steve Swallow on bass – a lineup that's as quirky as the sound of the record! The tunes are quite different than some of Gary's larger arrangements for Verve, but they've definitely got a very similar charm – quite groovy, and a unique blend of bossa influences, west coast jazz, modal rhythms, and other wonderful touches. Tracks include "Pecos Pete", "Hello To The Season", "Schlock-House Blues", and "Love Theme From David & Lisa". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the best albums ever cut by this oft-overlooked bop trumpeter – and a clean, clear, no-nonsense session played in the company of a crack group that includes Sahib Shihab, Duke Jordan, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones. Maggie's in the lead on firey solos, and tracks are short, but economical enough to get plenty across! Titles include "Tweedles", "Tahitian Lullaby", "Rifftide", "Oo Wee But I Do", "Transpicious", and "Don't Blame Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Sure, Monchito's name makes you think that he might be Machito – but the groove here is quite different, a snapping hard take on the cha cha that made Fiesta one of the greatest labels at the genre! Percussion is nice and hard, horns are plenty tight, and there's lots of interesting instrumental twists that keep things interesting. Titles include "Pao Pao", "La Ultima Noche", "Tapate", "Pancho", "No Tequila", "Santa Marta", and "Una A La Vez". LP, Vinyl record album

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New Edition show they're no Johnnies-come-lately on the harmony soul scene – and pay tribute to a host of older groups from the 50s and 70s – singing a mix of hits and soul classics in a laidback late nite mode that brings a real focus on their vocals. Given their age, there's a sound here that's still a bit kiddie at times – but that works well on the tunes that have a more youthful approach in the originals. Backings still have a relatively 80s sound to them, and production was handled by Freddie Perren. Titles include "Duke Of Earl", "Hey There Lonely Girl", "A Thousand Miles Away", "What's Your Name", "Tears On My Pillow", "Blue Moon", and "Bring Back The Memories", an original tune written for the set. LP, Vinyl record album

A well-done reissue of Charlie Parker's classic work on the Dial label – for this volume featuring material recorded on October 28th, 1947, in New York City. Players include Miles Davis, Duke Jordan, Tommy Potter, and Max Roach – and the set features master and alternate takes of tunes that include "Dexterity", "Bongo Bop", "Dewey Square", "The Hymn", "Bird Of Paradise", and "Embraceable You". LP, Vinyl record album

Although bassist Oscar Pettiford left a huge influence on jazz before his untimely death, there's not actually that many fantastic records in which he's featured as a leader. Fortunately, this is one of the few, and it's a sparkling set of modernist inflected bop tunes played by a group that includes Mingus on bass, Phil Urso on tenor, Walter Bishop on piano, and Percy Heath on drums. Pettiford plays cello, and his lead on the instrument gives the record a dark tone that is extremely haunting. Titles include "Low & Behold", "Pendulum", and "Tamalpais". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare vocal session from Jane Powell – a singer better known for her film performances, but who sounds pretty darn great here on an obscure 50s studio session for Verve! Jane's got a higher-voiced style than most of the other singers on Verve, but she's brought down to earth nicely by arranger Buddy Bregman – who manages to keep things jazzy and swinging, but also creates some of the loftier modes from her film work – some lush moments that really come through on the mellower tracks. Titles include "My Baby Just Cares For Me", "Comes Love", "In Love In Vain", "Can't We Be Friends", "Imagination", and "Ev'ry Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Walk Away From Love", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "Everything's Coming Up Love", "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)", "You're My Piece Of Mind", "My Girl", "Just Let Me Hold You For A Night" and "I Miss You (part 1)". LP, Vinyl record album

The classic self-titled debut LP from Run-DMC – one that not only changed hip hop, but much of modern pop and rock forever! There's little we can add to the canon for this record, but the way Run-DMC ushered in a new era in contemporary urban culture, a harder hitting style of rap that managed to bust out of the inner cities and into consciousness of an entire generation, was unforeseen and never to be duplicated to say the least. You can literally call this album revolutionary without sounding heavy handed, it's something very few artists can ever hope to achieve. Amazing! Tracks include "It's Like That", "Sucker MC's", "Rock Box", "Jay's Game", "Hard Times", "30 Days", "Hollis Crew", "Wake Up", and "It's Like That". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little collection of Dee Dee Sharp's early 60s sides for the Cameo label – issued here in a well-done UK package – noteworthy because it's one of the few legit reissues of Dee Dee's work over the years, issued for the UK Northern Soul market, who were always huge fans of her work! The Dee Dee heard here is quite different than that of the smoother 70s soul years – as the tracks are mostly uptempo groovers in a storming early Philly mode. The LP features 20 tracks in all – including "Mashed Potato Time", "Wild", "He's No Ordinary Guy", "Lover Boy", "Do The Bird", "Ride", "Baby Cakes", "Standing In The Need Of Love", "I Really Love Him", and "Willyam Willyam". LP, Vinyl record album

The rare 3rd album of samba tunes cut by the team of Elza Soares and Miltino – done in a lively, playful style that has the two of them trading vocals on some longer numbers – then moving off into some solo material on their own. Backings are upbeat and jazzy, handled by Nelsinho, with some assistance from Lyrio Panicali – and titles include Miltinho singing "Samba Da Cor" and "Um Samba Pra Ela"; Elza singing "Julgar E Missao Divina" and "Madrugada Vai Chegar"; and the pair of them working through 3 tasty medley tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

The title might sound a bit clinical, but the music within is anything but – and instead is that sort of special, magical work that always makes Sonny Stitt a real cut above most of his contemporaries! The notes try to link Stitt to Charlie Parker – but apart from a postwar sense of invention on alto sax, the sounds within are quite different – more spacious and soulful than Parker, although equally deft in their own sort of way – blown with a confidence that knows how to take its time, in a way that comes through especially strong on the mellow cuts. At the surface, there might not be anything special to the record – but the first listen will definitely let you know you're in they company of something special – on titles that include "Blues For Yard", "Harlem Nocturne", "Windy Ride", and a haunting take of "Because Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really tremendous album from The Talking Heads – and a set that moves far past their already-great early records, to really show a rhythmic complexity we never would have expected! Brian Eno is helping the group in the studio again here, and the record really shows both David Byrne and Eno's late 70s fascination with global rhythms – elements that are often used in spare, simple little ways to really help inflect the tunes with a playful imagination that goes way beyond the colder post-punk and new wave of most of their contemporaries! The balance of previous aesthetics with these new grooves is wonderful – heard to great effect on the classic club cut "I Zimbra" – but brewing up strongly underneath on gems that include "Mind", "Paper", "Cities", "Life During Wartime", "Memories Can't Wait", "Air", "Heaven", "Animals", "Electric Guitar", and "Drugs". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most compelling grooves the Talking Heads ever recorded – a set that sparkles with imaginative touches, and railroads forward on a wave of complicated rhythms! The sound is brilliant throughout – a genre-less approach that sheds the group's earlier art nerd aesthetic for one that's clearly influenced by late 70s funk and club – but takes that influence in a whole new direction! The whole thing's even fresher than some of the artier downtown moments that bubbled around at the time – as David Byrne and the group actually managed to cross over big with the record – hitting not only urban markets, but also getting some play from the classic rock crowd too. Brian Eno produced, and co-wrote the songs with the group – and some great Green World-esque electronics bubble through the mix, and hold the whole thing together beautifully. Titles include "Houses In Motion", "Once In A Lifetime", "The Great Curve", "Crosseyed & Painless", "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)", "Listening Wind", "Seen & Not Seen", and "The Overload". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sarah's few albums for Columbia – and quite possibly the best, thanks to some great small group backing, heard on 8 of the album's 12 tunes! The group's a really great one – with Miles Davis on trumpet, Benny Green on trombone, Buddy Johnson on tenor, Tony Scott on clarinet, Mundell Lowe on guitar, and Billy Taylor on piano – all of whom get some surprising solo space on the album, and make the record one of Sarah's best jazz outings of the 50s. The remaining tracks on the set have a lusher ballad style, but are still quite nice – and titles include "Mean To Me", "Goodnight My Love", "Can't Get Out Of This Mood", "East Of The Sun", "Pinky", "Ooh Whatcha Doin To Me", and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

The only "west" these guys have gone is the West Village – the home of their aesthetic, and a post-Stonewall playground that was getting very firmly noticed by the mainstream by this point! The album's their last big one for Casablanca – and features arrangements from Horace Ott, who gives the record a surprisingly soulful core in the grooves – something that's also enforced by the production at the New York branch of Sigma Sound! Titles include the massive hit "In The Navy", plus the tracks "Go West", "Citizens Of The World", "I Wanna Shake Your Hand", "Manhattan Woman", and "Get Away Holiday". LP, Vinyl record album

The second US album from Euro disco outfit Voyage – a group who manage to bring in some nice progressive and jazzy elements to the mix! There's almost a jamming rock-gone-disco approach to a few of the best numbers – thanks to a strong use of heavy guitars and keyboards, and a real rock-like phrasing at times. All tracks are longish, with TK-styled breakdowns on the better tunes – and lead vocals are handled by Sylvia Mason. Titles include "Souvenirs", "Kechack Fantasy", "Eastern Trip", "Let's Fly Away", "Golden Eldorado", and "Gone With The Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A rich collection of Muddy Waters' famous work for Chess Records – put together in the 70s, but featuring tracks from his earliest days in the studio, up through the key electric years of the 60s! The package pulls together some real gems – including work with Little Walter and James Cotton on harmonica, and Otis Spann on piano – and the album's also got some nice historical notes that document the original recordings. Titles include "Crawlin Kingsnake", "County Jail", "They Call Me Muddy Waters", "Find Yourself Another Fool", "Kinfolk's Blues", "Making Friends", "Blind Man", "Howling Wolf", "Two Steps Forward", and "Bird Nest On The Ground". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost little gem from Al Wilson – recorded for the short-lived Playboy label, in a rich, full sound that takes off from his earlier 70s hits! The groove here is a bit more sophisticated than before – with arrangements by HB Barnum, Gene Page, and Richard Cason – casting Al's vocals in a style that almost seems to bring out a deeper sense of soul, even while the backings are tighter and more driving than before. There's almost a Lamont Dozier ABC style to some of the tracks – one that suits Al surprisingly well, and makes the album a surprisingly fresh winner. Titles include "Stay With Me", "I've Got A Feeling", "Ain't Nothing New Under The Sun", "How's Your Love", "You Did It For Me", "Honoring", and "Differently". LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the greatest albums ever cut by Jimmy Witherspoon – recorded live at an early Monterey Jazz Festival, and done in a style that shows the strong link between jazz and blues in Jimmy's work! The group on the set includes Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, and Woody Herman – and the longish tracks on the set give them all more than enough room to solo alongside Jimmy's bluesy vocals. The album's also one of the first to be produced by a young David Axelrod – and shows a clear respect for both the singer and the musicians, in a combination that would come out even more strongly on Axe's later productions for Capitol. Titles include "No Rollin Blues", "Big Fine Girl", "Good Rockin Tonight", "Ain't Nobody's Business", and "When I Been Drinkin". LP, Vinyl record album

With "Home Girl Don't Play Dat", "So Funky", 'Black Pearl", "Cleopatra", "It's A Long Way Home", "You Should Have listened", "Woman To Woman", "Hoes", "I Can't Take It No More", "A Few Good Men" and "Will You Be Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

Two nice Prestige blowing sessions from the 50s – featuring Donald Byrd right up front. The first LP of the set was issued as Two Trumpets with Art Farmer joining Byrd, set in a sextet with Jackie McLean, Doug Watkins, Barry Harris, and Art Taylor. The harder sound of Byrd is a nice mix with the lyricism of Farmer, and the open-ended nature of the set lets them get a bit more open in their solos than usual. 5 numbers are included: "Contour", "Round Midnight", "The Third", "When Your Lover Has Gone" and "Dig". The second set was issued as The Young Bloods, with Byrd accompanied by sidemen he's not often heard with, Phil Woods, Al Haig, Teddy Kotick and Charlie Persip. Like the first side, it's a rousing set of bop, played with a great deal of fire. 6 numbers make up that set, including "Dewey Square", "Dupeltook", "Once Moore", "House Of Chain", "In Walked George" and "Lover Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Solid 80s grooving from George Duke – a really tightly-crafted set, done in the sweet mix of jazz and soul that he virtually helped to invent during the 70s! There's a gentle soulfulness to the record that we really like – a quality that's surprising, given the date, and the fact that so many artist like Duke were really pushing things over the top at the time – while George could still lay back, and keep things very nicely paced. Many of the tunes on the set are mellow groovers and ballads – stepping along at a sweet pace with lead vocals from Duke, and some larger backings conducted by Charles Veal. Titles include "Shine On", "You", "Dream On", "Framed", "Ride On Love", "Son Of Reach For It", and "Positive Energy". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning session, and proof that Dizzy never slept on his playing – even in the 70s! Originally released as 2 separate LPs in France on the America label, the record is a crack small group set recorded in Paris, and featuring very long tracks that let Dizzy really stretch out on his solos. Kenny Clarke is on drums, and he does some amazing work on the LP's version of "Manteca", which has a great breakbeat at the intro, then grooves along funkily for 13 minutes! The whole set's beautiful, and the other titles include "Brother K", "Wheatleigh Hall", and "Alone Together". The group also features a Brazilian percussionist on a few tracks – most notably the tight groover "Fiesta Mo Jo", a killer track with great solos and a rhythmic conception that shows that Dizzy's still got the Latin beat down nicely. Other titles include "Girl Of My Dreams", "Stella By Starlight", and "I Waited For You". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record from Bobby Hutcherson – easily one of his best of the 80s, and with some great touches that recall his best 70s work! The album title might fool you into thinking that Bobby's working in Charlier Parker territory here – but he's not, and is instead grooving in a mellow and soulful west coast mode – working with a totally great group that includes Ralph Moore on tenor and soprano sax, Buddy Montgomery on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. The whole album's a magical picture of tone, color, and light – but the especially standout track is "Sierra" – a totally killer number that has these arch angles and edges that rival the best sounds heard on Hutcherson's Montara album! Other titles include "On The Delta", "Crusisin The Bird", "Imminent Treasures", and "All Or Nothing At All". LP, Vinyl record album

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too far over the top – catchy, compelling numbers that played well all over the world of pop – but which still hang onto just a little part of his soul roots too! That balance is a key factor to the success of this set – a record that helped re-ignite interest in Jackson's music, and introduce him to a whole new generation – while still keeping most of the older fans plenty pleased too. Titles include "Just Good Friends", "Smooth Criminal", "Bad", "Another Part Of Me", "Man In The Mirror", and "Speed Demon". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget The Stooges, forget Alice Cooper, forget the White Stripes, and maybe even forget Funkadelic – because this landmark album is one that really put the ferocity of the Detroit scene on the map – rising up the city's legacy of raw sounds next to their better-known soul and pop of the 60s – and forever putting MC5 on the great rock and roll map! The group had been honing their craft in the city for a few years before this set – and it was the genius of Elektra Records to capture them live at the city's Grande Ballroom, and not in the studio – which is part of the intensity of the record's charm, especially on the sometimes-edited bit of profanity. Titles include the seminal "Kick Out The Jams", plus "Come Together", "Rocket Reducer No 62", "Borderline", "Motor City Is Burning", "I Want You Right Now", and "Starship". LP, Vinyl record album

Lionel's third album for Motown – one in a string of massive hits that forever changed the sound of 80s soul! The smooth mellow lover is still firmly in place – taking a few chances on the set, but still sounding best on the romantic numbers. Titles include "Love Will Conquer All", "Se La", "Don't Stop", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "Tonight Will Be Alright", and "Say You Say Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from Steely Dan, and a really nice chapter in their career – one that's maybe a bit less iconic than the late 70s records, but in a way that really keeps things interesting! There's definitely less jazz and polish than on the later albums – but already, the group are writing the kinds of songs that nobody ever seemed to pen before, and which few other groups could match later – despite the countless legions who tried! The guitars are all nice and strong – that sharp Skunk Baxter edge that helped get the group firmly onto the charts right away – on titles that include their classic singles "Do It Again" and "Reelin In The Years", the oft-showcased "Dirty Work", and other cuts that include "Kings", "Midnite Cruiser", "Only A Fool Would Say That", "Fire In The Hole", "Brooklyn Owes The Charmer Under Me", "Change Of The Guard", and "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure mainstream 70s pop genius, the most fully-formed of all early Supertramp albums – and a record that's filled with a surprising amount of great Fender Rhodes moments too! The set's a masterpiece from start to finish – filled with themes of loss and loneliness, but served up by the group with an incredibly redemptive sense of majesty and power – really fresh for the time, and still wonderful all these many years later – despite the fact that so many of these songs have gone onto become classics. The keyboards on the set work perfectly with the oddly-timed rhythms of the tunes – and there's a great blend here between high concept and straight ahead pop – on titles that include "School", "Bloody Well Right", "Asylum", "Dreamer", "Rudy", and "Crime Of The Century". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most hard-hitting sessions ever recorded for the Bethlehem label – and a rare date for the imprint by the team of trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist Pepper Adams! The style here is similar to work the pair recorded for Riverside and Blue Note at the same time – razor-sharp hardbop, played with a strong sense of imagination, and plenty of room for drawn-out, creatively-blown solos. Adams is especially great – playing the baritone here with the leanness of a tenor sax – but Byrd is wonderful too, and really starts to break out of some of the more staid modes of his work from a few years back. The group's a sextet that includes guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer "Hey" Lewis (pseudonym for Lewis Hayes) – on titles that include "Trio", "Philson", "Libeccio", and "Bitty Ditty". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully wicked album – one that sold so many copies that it's sometimes hard to remember how great it is! George takes on all of Abbey Road – or just about all of it – as he runs through some of the most beautiful tracks The Beatles ever wrote, like "Golden Slumbers", "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", "The End", "Because", and "You Never Give Me Your Money". The whole thing's set to some great baroque jazzy arrangements by Don Sebesky, and George digs the whole thing so much that he even sings a bit – vocalizing in a cool chromatic way that really works well with his guitar playing, and which would soon transform into a very popular style on his records of the 70s. Keyboards are by Bob James and Herbie Hancock – and there's plenty of other great jazz players in the mix! LP, Vinyl record album

We're not normally the biggest fans of Ruby Braff – but this is a great little album, thanks to some strong instrumentation! The group on the set's a sextet – with Ruby leading on trumpet, plus Mundell Lowe on guitar, Don Elliott on vibes, Milt Hinton on bass, Don Lamond on drums, and either Hank Jones or Nat Pierce on piano. The use of vibes and guitar creates a sound that gets past the hoke of other Braff sessions – shading in the tunes with moody colors and tones that provide a good contrast to the sweetness of Braff's horn, creating a juxtaposition that gives the set more edge than you might expect. Titles include "Cabin In The Pines", "Lazy", "Someday Sweetheart", "If Dreams Come True", and "Let's Do It". LP, Vinyl record album

Unabashed diva work from Linda Clifford – and a record that brings together the best midtempo soul of her earlier Curtom work, with the stronger, fuller disco groove that she was hitting as her career progressed! The album features some production work by Norman Harris and Curtis Mayfield – both of whom seem to bring out the best in Linda, especially Harris – who could work magic by adding a strong Harris Machine groove to just about any singer. The rest of the tracks feature production by Juergen Koppers – and titles include "King For A Night", "Bailin Out", "Repossessed", "Lonely Night", "Never Gonna Stop", "I Just Wanna", and "Here's My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A real lost treasure – and an incredible session that offers a real meeting of minds that's far more than you'd expect from the simple cover and title! The set is a later one for Vee Jay, and it brings together half of the Jazz Messengers with a batch of west coast players – in a groove that wonderfully mixes together different traditions and rhythms in jazz – and which steps out with a sound that's far more than the sum of its parts! Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller join a group headed by Buddy De Franco, and featuring Victor Feldman on piano and vibes, plus Victor Sproles on bass and Freddie Hill on trumpet. The sound of the group is quite unusual – and a lot lighter than you'd guess – giving Buddy plenty of room to solo in a breezy style that's grown tremendously since his 50s recordings – pushed along by some heavier soul from Art and the group. Titles include "Rain Dance", "Blues Bag", "Twelve Tone Blues", "Kush", and "Cousin Mary". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredibly great work from The Dramatics – the kind of record that hits on all burners instantly, and just keeps on cooking all the way through! The set kicks off with the title funky cut "Shake It Well" – done in a mode that the group handle surprisingly well, thanks to some excellent vocals. These vocals only get better on following tracks, though – as the group kicks back, relaxes, and stretches into some amazing mellow tunes that rank with some of the best harmony soul of the late 70s! Part of the magic of the set is thanks to producer Don Davis – who had a hand in all of the best cuts, using that mix of rough and sweet that was always the best side of his 70s sound. Titles include "Come Inside", "Spaced Out Over You", "That Heaven Kind Of Feeling", "Ocean Of Thoughts & Dreams", "You Make The Music", "I Like Makin You So Happy", and "Music Is Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 70s soul jazz session that ranks up there with some of the best of Billy Harper's work from the decade! The session was recorded in the same style as Harper's excellent Japanese sessions for Denon, and it features a very soulful frontline of Faddis' trumpet, Harper's tenor, and the piano and electric piano of Roland Hanna. Cecil Bridgewater plays kalimba on one track, and the rhythm's by George Mraz and Motohiko Hino. Titles include "Two D's From Shinjyuku, Dig & Dug", "This All", and "Water Bridge". LP, Vinyl record album

An unexpected treasure – like so many of Art Farmer's later albums! The record is ostensibly a tribute to the music of Billy Strayhorn – which might make us expect some soporific Ellington cliches – but the session's really just a small group one, played by Art with a quintet that includes Clifford Jordan, James Williams, Rufus Reid, and Marvin Smitty Smith – all coming together in a fluidly soulful style that's really great. Farmer's work on flugelhorn seems even more inventive than ever – and titles include "Bloodcount", "Johnny Come Lately", "Isfahan", "Raincheck", and "Upper Manhattan Medical Group". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes remixed versions of "Woo-Hah!!" by Busta Rhymes, "Masta IC" by Mic Geronimo, "Danger" by Blahzay Blahzay, "Shook Ones Pt III" by Mobb Deep, "Fakin Jax" by INI, "Microphone Master" by Das EFX, "If I Ruled The World" by Nas, and "PLO Style" by Method Man. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic rare album cut by Stan Getz in Europe! The session features Getz as the main soloist with the Clarke-Boland Big Band, and the overall sound is an incredible chapter in both the career of Getz and the CBBB. Given that most of the CBBB's soloists had a sharp angular sound, Getz's softer tenor approach is a real change for the group, and it's wonderful to hear the way that he floats around their driving arrangements – never getting lost in the mix, and instead adding whole new ranges of tones and color to their trademark sound. The set features 6 original compositions – including "Extravagances", "Escarmouches", "Provocations", and "Touchstone". LP, Vinyl record album

Thelma's one of those singers who must have been waiting years for disco to come around and help her find a reason to sing! Her career was slightly ill-timed in the beginning, coming along with a baroque soul beginning that was great, yet somewhat out of place in the early 70s. But enter a record like this – which takes Thelma's beautiful voice and fills it up with strings and disco rhythms – and you've got a well-done set that suddenly makes her whole sound make sense! Arrangements are surprisingly great, and relatively cliche-free on the best numbers – handled by Kim Richmond, James Carmichael, Greg Wright, and Michel Rubini. Titles include "I'm Here Again", "Triflin", "I've Got The Devil In Me", "Give Me Something To Believe In", "Memories", "Your Eyes", and "I Can't Go On Living Without Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime sounds from Willie Hutch – a post-Motown album made for Whitfield Records – and a set that's got a wonderfully laidback, mellow funk groove! Gene Page handled the arrangements – and the sound here is more easygoing than some of Willie's funkier work – but in a great way that shows the evolution both of his singing style, and his wicked work on guitar – featured prominently on the cover of the album, and wonderfully throughout the record too! A few things get a bit funky, but they're always balanced by these trippier grooves that we really love – and titles include "Paradise", "Anything Is Possible If You Believe In Love", "And All Hell Broke Loose", "All American Funkathon", "Hip Shakin Sexy Lady", and "Easy Does It". LP, Vinyl record album

By the time she reached the Buddah label, Gladys Knight had already recorded for many years and other labels, but that didn't stop her and The Pips from having an extremely successful run during their stay there – as is evidenced by the great selection of hits on this set! The album includes the super-huge "Midnight Train To Georgia" and "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me", plus the sophisticated soul reworking of "Try To Remember" mixed with "The Way We Were". Also includes 2 nice Curtis Mayfield cuts – "Make Yours A Happy Home" and "On & On"! LP, Vinyl record album

70s issue of the mid 50s recording from Levey, a nice little bit of bop from LA – featuring drummer Stan Levey at the head of a sextet that includes Dexter Gordon, Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino, Lou Levy, and Leroy Vinnegar. Tracks are harder than the usual Bethlehem LA set, thanks to the bite of Gordon's tenor, and most tracks run for longer than five minutes, giving the players more space than usual to solo. Titles include "Diggin For Diz", "Ruby My Dear", "Tune Up", "Stanley The Steamer", and "This Time The Drum's On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty nice little 2LP set – put together in the early 70s, and featuring material that Walter recorded for Chess during the 60s. As the title would imply, there's a lot of harmonica on the album – but Walter's vocals should also be given their due, as they're a bit more in the soul mode than some of his Chicago blues contemporaries. Titles include "Last Night", "My Babe", "Sad Hours", "Blues With Feeling", "Off The Wall", "Juke", "Mean Old World", "I Got To Go", "Shake Dancer", "Thunderbird", "Ah'W Baby", "Too Late", "Boom Boom Out Go The Lights", "You Better Watch Yourself", and "Blue Lights". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky 70s work from Herbie Mann – one of his best records of the time, and a set that's got a stretched-out and slightly cosmic feel! The album's clearly the brainchild of writer/arranger/producer Sylvester Levay – who also plays keyboards on the session, and creates a groove that's not that dissimilar from some of the Dave Matthews work on Kudu or CTI – despite the fact that Levay was best known for his work with Silver Convention! The overall sound is slick, but still has plenty of room for solo work – and there's some uptempo numbers that groove out, but without as much of the cheesy disco touches as some of Mann's other records. Titles include "Aria", "Bird In A Silver Cage", "The Piper", and "Birdwalk". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Carmen – one of her few albums for Columbia from the 60s, and a wonderfully swinging small group session that's got a much more relaxed feel than some of her earlier sets! The album's ostensibly a tribute to Billie Holiday – but it's taken in a way that's completely unlike Holiday's own work – filled with life, joy, and a swinging sensibility that's carried off perfectly by arranger Norman Simmons – who heads up a small combo on piano, working with Walter Perkins on drums, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Nat Adderley on cornet, Eddie Lockjaw Davis on tenor, and Mundell Lowe on guitar. Carmen's vocals are wonderfully groovy – and tunes include "I Cried For You", "Them There Eyes", "My Man", "Strange Fruit", "Miss Brown To You", and "Some Other Spring". LP, Vinyl record album

We love Marian Montgomery – and she's a heck of a great singer with a really unusual sound! In an early 60s work of sultry vixens, Marian's got a harder-swinging groove that's almost in a Ray Charles mode – clearly inspired by 50s R&B, but done with enough of a jazz flourish to expand out the sound nicely. Plus, she's got a really rhythmic approach to her work, no matter what the tune – which makes for an uncanny ability to turn even a sleeper into a surprising swinger. Here, it also helps that Dick Hyman's handling the arrangements – playing organ and piano himself on the record, and working with a small combo that includes Kenny Burrell, Joe Newman, Milt Hinton, and Willie Rodriguez. The whole thing's plenty great – and titles include "Breezin Along With The Breeze", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "My Buddy", "The Exciting Mister Fitch", "Deed I Do", and "All By Myself". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent addition to any collection of Wes Montgomery's work – a rare album of live material from his early years, recorded in a style that really enriches an understanding of his work! 4 tracks with Billy Hart and brothers Buddy and Monk Montgomery – grooving with Wes in that soulful easy mode that the latter two used often in their Mastersounds group. The set's well recorded – and Wes has a fat tone that really points the way towards his later work. Includes lengthy takes on "All Of You" and "Back To Bach To Boch", plus "Heartstrings" and "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic middle period work from drummer Idris Muhammad – a set recorded after his initial run of lean funk recordings for the jazz scene – with a bit more soul in the mix, and definitely a bit of boogie in the groove! Arrangements are by David Matthews – the maestro of the soul-styled charts who first honed his craft with James Brown – and the approach here is tight jazz funk, with both a good ear for the clubs, and some of the more sophisticated styles that the CTI/Kudu crowd could appreciate! There's some vocals at times – sung by Frank Floyd, Ray Simpson, and others – but the instrumental component of the album definitely takes the lead - with percussion by Nicky Marrero alongside Muhammad's tight drums – plus Hiram Bullock on guitar, Cliff Carter on keyboards, David Friedman on vibes, and solos from Ray Davis on alto and Jeremy Steig on flute. Titles include "One With A Star", "Boogie To The Top", "Bread", and "Stick It In Your Face". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from the "Vice Pres" – tenorist Paul Quinichette, stepping out here in one the best of of his all-too-few sessions as a leader! Paul's tone is amazing throughout – very much on a par with that of Ben Webster or Coleman Hawkins, and proof that his admission to the jazz "executive branch" in the 50s was well deserved. The tunes are shortish, but very swinging – and Quinichette's tenor work dominates in a group that also includes Nat Pierce, Henry Coker, Thad Jones, Freddie Green, and Joe Newman. There's a Basie-esque swing overall – but the final result is miles from Basie, and has a very different vibe overall. Titles include "Big Deal", "Happy Feeling", "Pardon The Blues Please", "Start Here", and "The Kid From Denver". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent session of exotica-tinged Latin jazz – put together by pianist Don Ralke, and featuring some great work from flute player Buddy Collette – in a spirit that's very similar to Collette's own classic Jazz Heat Bongo Beat album! The set's also got some great bongo work by Jack "Bongo" Burger – plus congas from Tom Wofford – and although both players aren't the most autentico of Latin percussionists from the west coast scene at the time, they've got a really evocative approach here that makes for a great little set. Colette's flute is wonderful too – really shading in some great tones and colors –a nd titles are all fresh originals that include "Afro Mambo Alegre", "Mgombo", "Pasion Calienta", "Bembe Negro", "Calypso Cubano", and "Afro Bop". LP, Vinyl record album

Mickey Heart of the Grateful Dead teams up with Mike Hinton and Airto Moriera for this percussion heavy session, ostensibly recorded for use in Apocalypse Now. 10 tracks in all: "Compound", "Trenches", "Street Gang", "The Beast", "Steps", "Tar", "Lance", "Cave", "Napalm For Breakfast" and "Hell's Bells". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked debut from singer Bert Robinson – an artist who was part of the large Al Hudson/One Way collective from Detroit, but who really comes into his own in this sweet little set! Robinson's got a very rich, deep vocal approach – almost a nod back to the pre-soul generation of male vocalists, but set here to some classy, contemporary vibes that sparkle with the best 80s Capitol Records touches – put together by Hudson and crew – plus others who include Stan Sheppard and Preston Glass. The best numbers are the ballads – smooth steppers that really suit Bert's vocal approach – and titles include "Never Gonna Give You Up", "Heart Of Gold", "No More Cold Nights", "You Turn Me Out", "Just Begun To Know You", "Burning Inside Your Love", and "Still Waiting". LP, Vinyl record album

A great vehicle for the Smokey Robinson sound in the 80s – and a record that helped Smokey kick off the decade with a really massive hit! "Being With You" still let Smokey stay in an older style of soul-based vocals, without slipping into the adult contemporary sound that would hurt so many other artists of the time – and most of the record has Smokey still stepping around some mellow grooves arranged by Sonny Burke, of the sort that let his sweetly cracking voice come to the forefront. Titles include "Being With You", "You Are Forever", "Can't Fight Love", "As You Do", "If You Wanna Make Love", "Food For Thought", and "Who's Sad". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare French material by Zoot Sims – recorded in Paris in 1956, and with a more stretched-out feel than some of his other Parisian sides of the 50s! The group's a hip quintet with Henri Renaud on piano, Jon Eardley on trumpet, and Charles Saudrais on drums – and the set swings with an open groove that gives Zoot and Eardley plenty of solo space. Originally issued on the Ducret Thompson album, and a lot harder to find than most of Zoot's other work from the time – with titles that include "Captain Jetter", "Nuzzolese Blues", "Evening In Paris", "On The Alamo", and "Little Jon Special". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent lost soul group – with a mix of funk and garage rock that was pretty unique, and which calls to mind some of the mixed-race combos that were playing around the showband scene in the south during the late 60s. The strong-voiced soul singer Wilmer fronts the more rocking Dukes – and the mix is a strong one for the hard grooving soul party crowd, heard most famously in the band's classic version of "Get Out Of My Life, Woman", complete with an excellent tasty drumbreak! Other great tracks include the instrumental "Get It", a version of The Stones' "I'm Free", Billy Stewart's "I Do Love You", and the band's own "Give Me One More Chance". Also includes a version of Steve Miller's excellent "Living In The USA", one of those numbers that's a lot more funky than anyone gives it credit for! LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best early work by Prez – all recorded in small combo sessions for Aladdin Records during the years 1947 through 1948. The album's one of the few chances you can get to hear Prez blowing clear and free from the time, in that amazing tone which inspired generations of players, which works perfectly in groupings with players that include Roy Haynes, Fred Lacey, Shorty McConnell, Curley Russell, and Tiny Kahn. Titles include "Sunday", "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", "No Eyes Blues", "OnThe Sunny Side Of The Street", "Jumpin' At The Woodside", "One O'Clock Jump", "Easy Does It", "Confessin'", "Sax O Be Bop", "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon", "Sheik Of Araby", "Something To Remember You By" and "Just Cooling". LP, Vinyl record album

Count Basie and Quincy Jones were always a mighty mighty combination – and there's no finer proof of that fact than this sweet little set! Quincy had a way of swinging Basie's group even more than Neal Hefti did – really letting the piano step out front, and swinging the larger horn parts in this mode that was extremely soulful, yet never with the hoke that could sometimes mar a Basie set – a style that was very 60s groovy, and which really helped breathe new life into the Count's ensemble! The album's a killer all the way through – and the tunes are all originals – written by Quincy, and arranged especially for the set – great little numbers that include "Nasty Magus", "Dum Dum", "Boody Rumble", "Count Em", "Belly Roll", and "Lil Ol Groovemaker Basie"! LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 70s funk from the great Oscar Brown – quite a change from his jazz-based work of the 60s, but a great new sitting for all of his wonderful wit and warmth! Brown's still a hell of a songwriter, and one with a very socially-conscious eye – sharper here than before, with lots of comments on the changes in society in the 70s, mixed with a few more heartfelt, personal moments too. There's still a bit of jazz in the mix – thanks to work from Seldon Powell on reeds, and Joe Sample on keyboards – and arrangements are by old friends Floyd Morris, the underground Chicago soul genius – and Sivuca, best known for his Brazilian music, but a great choice here to expand the groove. Brown wrote all the tunes on the record – and titles include "From My Window", "Like A Flower", "Brother Where Are YOu", ""The Lone Ranger", "If You Come Back", and "The Joneses". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little session – an oft-overlooked gem from Savoy's legendary hard bop years of the 50s – reissued many years later with an added bonus track! Altoist John Jenkins leads the session – which also features Donald Byrd – who gets co-billed as leader on this reissue, plus Curtis Fuller, Tommy Flanagan, Doug Watkins, and Art Taylor – and with a lineup like that, you can hardly miss! The set grooves like one of the best edgy Prestige blowing sessions from the time – long tracks, lots of room for solos, and a surprising coherency that really drives the whole thing. Features the 4 longish tracks from the original LP – "Orpheus", "Honeylike", "Rockaway", and "Star Eyes", plus a take of "Darn That Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Gene Chandler wasn't scoring nearly as big in the 80s as he was in the 60s, he was still a great vocalist, and could turn out some good material when he wanted to. This album's more than enough proof of that – and it features some good mellow tracks that have Gene singing in a sophisticated quiet storm sort of style. The best number is "Haven't I Heard That Line Before" – and other tracks include "You'll Never Be Free Of Me", "Lucy", and "Please You Tonight". The record's got some uptempo numbers that fall flat, so stick to the ballads and mellow cuts. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from Con Funk Shun – one of the few mainstream funk groups who actually managed to sound better and better with each new record – and on this set, they really seem to come into their own! The group's sound was always suited better to a smoother groove than a rougher one – and for the set, their tight brand of funk is topped off by vocals that seem even better crafted than before – harmonizing surprisingly well at the funkiest moments, then stepping back to let Michael Cooper take the lead on the ballads. There's also some great moogy keyboard bits that keep things interesting, but which never go over the top in an electro way – and titles include "Too Tight", "Lady's Wild", "Give Your Love To Me", "Kidnapped", "Welcome Back To Love", "Touch", and "Play Widit". LP, Vinyl record album

Hank Crawford takes a decidedly mellower approach on this set – working with warm and wonderful arrangements by Marty Paich, in a series of soulful readings of familiar ballads and love songs – all of which come out in a dreamy late night mode! There's still a fair bit of Ray Charles soul in the set overall – no surprise, considering Hank's roots in Charles band – and it's almost a Charles-like sound that Paich seems to be conjuring for the set – slightly bluesy undercurrents, which offer Hank some great space to voice his own solos on the alto sax. Titles include "Sweet Slumber", "Blueberry Hill", "Stormy Weather", "Any Time", "Whispering Grass", and "Have A Good Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from Lou Donaldson's early hardbop years at Blue Note – recorded right during his classic run of albums for the label, but not issued until many years later! There's a sweet bounce to most tracks here – the kind of vibe that Lou had most famously on his Blues Walk album – thanks to the presence of Ray Barretto on congas, in the company of Horace Parlan on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Al Harewood on drums! Parlan's piano gives the whole thing a great soulful bottom – and titles include "Midnight Sun", "Dog Walk", "The Squirrel", "Si Si Safronia", and "Candy". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff through and through – and almost a "best of" best of collection from the 70s! The album's a key illustration of the genius of Earth Wind & Fire on Columbia Records – because by the time the set was released in 1978, most of the tracks were already well-known hits – but still had a soulful power and righteous undercurrent that few other chart acts could match. Maurice White, Charles Stepney, and the others have a perfect way of holding onto their deepest inspirations while honing their sills in the studio – and the results of that commitment are heard beautifully on tracks that include "Got To Get You Into My Life", "Shining Star", "Getaway", "Can't Hide Love", "Fantasy", "Reasons", "September", and "That's The Way Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

A really crazy LP of Zodiac pondering, with cool electronic music by Mort Garson – the guy behind "The Wozzard of Id"! There's some cool spoken bits about the featured "sign" on the LP – then these cool little musical interludes, which are very much in Garson's best modes. An exhaustive series, with 12 LPs in all, and loads of nice bits throughout – also comes with your own moon chart, dramatic narration, and lots of cool sounds! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eddie's monster LPs of the 70s! The whole affair was produced by Norman Harris, who, along with Vince Montana and TG Conway, gave the album a sweet set of Philly arrangements that worked perfectly with Eddie's strident soul-boogie style. Ballads and uptempo groover work equally well – and the album's got a wonderful sampling of both, showing Eddie as a continually rich soul singer with a talent that was worth all the hype he was getting at the time. Includes the great slow cuts "Never Gonna Leave You" and "A Part Of Me" – plus the groovers "He's A Friend", "I Won't Take No", and "On My Way Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A major extension of the concept albums first begun by The Kinks with Village Green and Arthur – taken fully to the next level, and conceived as a theatrical work with a strong message-oriented base of songs! The vibe here is kind of an exaggeration of the "preservation" feeling of the "Village Green Preservation Society" single – carried out in a variety of dramatic rock styles that shift with the mood of the scenes, and which show Ray and the group working in Tommy-like spectacle , with a subsequent range of musical modes on the set. Titles include "Morning Song", "Demotion", "Sitting In The Midday Sun", "There's A Change In The Weather", "Where Are They Now", and "Cricket". LP, Vinyl record album

Wickedly clever British pop – plucked from our favorite period of this legendary British band! The record features the group hitting their songwriting stride – moving past the simple topics of earlier songs, into a flurry of snapshots of British life in the postwar years. Each song is a brilliant three minute ode to a certain aspect of life in England – served up with razor-sharp wit, and a creatively catchy approach to songwriting that few of the group's contemporaries could ever hope to match! The album features some of the best-known Kinks tunes from this time, plus overlooked gems – and titles include "Waterloo Sunset", "David Watts", "Death Of A Clown", "Two Sisters", "Situation Vacant", "Afternoon Tea", and "No Return". LP, Vinyl record album