A great set of rare early material by Betty Carter – and just about the only way you'll ever find these titles on vinyl! The set features one album Betty Recorded for the Peacock label, with hip arrangements by Gigi Gryce and Melba Liston, and one that she recorded for ABC, with more mainstream arrangements by Richard Wess. And although both albums don't have Betty singing in the strident style she adopted in later years, they're still pretty darn great, and are filled with a lot of rich emotion and strong jazz vocalizing. Titles include "Jazz Ain't Nothin But Soul", "I Can't Help It", "By The Bend In The River", "Foul Play", "Babe's Blues", "Mean To Me", "Something Wonderful", and "Make It Last". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album by the Chairmen of the Board! The record's their second – and although the "In Session" title, photos on the front, and liner notes all make it appear to be a live album, it's actually a studio session, with the same great Holland-Dozier-Holland production as the first! The album includes an amazing track called "All We Need Is Understanding", a jaunty groover with this funky organ at the beginning, and some killer vocals by General Johnson. It's one of the group's best tracks ever – and the record has plenty of other nice ones – like "Pay To The Piper", "Hanging On To A Memory", "When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me", and "Chairmen Of The Board". Plus, the record includes their great version of "Patches", which they wrote for Clarence Carter – already on their first album, but featured here again for some strange reason! Who cares, though – because we love the track! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful chapter in the career of Ray Charles – and a key album in helping raise his respect level a notch or two in the early 60s! We might argue with the mathematics in the title – or at least joke that Ray was using equations as titles years before Anthony Braxton – but you can't contest the fact that this one's a classic treat, and a legendary attempt to class up Ray's bluesy style for the masses. Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns handled the arrangements, and given that the record was issued by ABC a few years before they brought Ray into a country mode, it's interesting to think what might have happened had his career continued this way. There's only a small number of vocal tracks on the record, and most of the rest feature Ray at the organ, grooving away very nicely! Titles include "One Mint Julep", "Moanin", "I've Got News For You", "Mister C", and "Stompin Room Only". LP, Vinyl record album

Early sides by Nat King Cole, recorded in the pre-Capitol years – and done in a mixture of vocal and instrumental modes, with trio backing that featured Oscar Moore on guitar and Wesley Prince on bass. The tunes are still very much solid early Nat at his best – a lightly blended mix of blues and jazz, revolutionary at the time, and still refreshing for any era! Titles include "I Like To Riff", "Call The Police", "This Side UP", "Babs", and "Are You Fer It". LP, Vinyl record album

Basically a 10" issue of a slightly abbreviated version of The Birth of The Cool, legendary work from Davis that needs virtually no introduction from us – large group sessions that virtually define the "cool" in cool jazz! The work's quite different from Davis' earlier bop sides with Charlie Parker – and show a distinct influence from modernists like Gerry Mulligan (who is on the recordings) and from the experiments of the Tristano school. Miles is less the leader than the creative visionary – as all players come together in a perfect blend of sound, perfectly polished, and with a very dark edge. 8 tracks in al, including "Jeru", "Moon Dreams", "Vernus De Milo", "Deception", 'Godchild", "Rocker", "Israel", and 'Rouge". LP, Vinyl record album

A dark little groover from the later days of disco – key crossover work from Cory Daye, and a great bridge between a number of different club camps at the time! There's clearly a mainstream diva influence going on here, but the overall quality of the music is a lot more complicated and hipper – with some of the jazzier and retro-tropical flourishes of the Ze Records scene, plus a bit of moodier electrics on the great hit "Green Light" – a chanting, catchy number that crossed over big. Other titles include "Single Again", "Be Bop Betty", "Pow Wow", "Keep The Ball Rollin", and "Rainy Day Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

Aretha Franklin's definitely growing into her role as a soul sister here – a later date for Columbia Records that hints a bit at the sounds to come on Atlantic! Backings are by Robert Mersey and Belford Hendricks – both of whom use some relatively full orchestrations and occasional backing vocals – in ways that almost translate a 60s country soul aesthetic to a leaner, cleaner sound for Aretha's strong vocals. Franklin, as always, is great – the kind of singer that really illuminates any tune she gets – even familiar numbers that seem to take on new life in her hands. The material is a bit deeper-digging than before on Columbia – less covers, and more tunes that are well-suited to Aretha's sensibilities – including a few penned by Van McCoy or Hendricks. Titles include "Until You Were Gone", "Follow Your Heart", "A Mother's Love", "I'm Losing You", "Take A Look", and "Can't You See Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Gwen Guthrie's first album for Island Records – a unique little soul set from the early 80s, recorded in Nassau with backing from Sly & Robbie – in a groove that's totally great! The rhythms here are really at the heart of the set – not in a way that eclipses Gwen's vocals, but which does plenty to make the record stand out from the pack at the time – in a groove that's partly clubby, mostly soulful, and which has some key elements from its Nassau connection! Other players on the date include Wally Badarou on keyboards and Sticky Thompson on percussion – and titles include "Peek A Boo", "Your Turn To Burn", "God Don't Like Ugly", "Dance Fever", "Getting Hot", "Your Turn To Burn", and "For You". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of some of vocalist Humes best known songs from the 1940s and early 1950s. Tracks include "Fortune Tellin Man", "Central Avenue Boogie", "Pleasing Man Blues", "Airplane Blues", "Loud Talkin Woman", "You Played On My Piano", "Helen's Advice", and "They Raided The Joint". 13 songs in all. LP, Vinyl record album

A damn great little record – a small label indie side, but a set that had an unusually strong influence on vocal jazz in the 60s – really setting a new standard for the generation to come! Marv swings things with a hip, sophisticated style – shaking off some of the excesses of the Billy Eckstine generation, going for the leaner modes of the Frank Minion set – and coming up with some groovy tunes that really sparkle in his hands! Marvin plays piano and celeste, and the set also features organ from Charles Kynard and Groove Holmes, flute and tenor from Buddy Collette and Clifford Scott, trumpet from Carmell Jones, and guitar from Hank Crawford – about as hip a backing group as you could hope to pull from the LA scene! The set includes the killer "Big City" – penned and sung by Jenkins, but covered by plenty of others – plus "Chicago", "Small Town", "City Blues", "Visit Me Today", and "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album of heartfelt vocal tracks by a young Etta Jones – featuring arrangements by Oliver Nelson that rank among the best sort that he was penning for vocalists of this sort during the 60s. Etta's got a nice mix of material here, and although some of the tracks are a bit well-known, the arrangements and performance keep them fresh enough throughout. Titles include "By The Bend In The River", "There Goes My Heart", "Look For The Silver Lining", "Good Morning Heartache", and "I'll Never Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

It's always something nice when Etta Jones makes a record – but this one is especially so, thanks to some intimate small group backing from players who include Oliver Nelson, Lem Winchester, Wally Richardson, and Richard Wyands! The style is relatively intimate throughout – more late nite than some of Jones' other records, in a way that really works well for her vocals, and takes her away from some of the crossover pop modes of her albums that sound a bit more like Gloria Lynne. Titles include "Easy Living", "Through A Long And Sleepless Night", "My Heart Tells Me", "I Only Have Eyes For You", "That's All There Is To That", "Love Is The Thing", and "Canadian Sunset". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius, pure genius! If you've ever wondered why folks think Stan is so great, check out this landmark set of postwar modern swing tunes – some of the most groundbreaking work of its generation, and proof that there was still a lot of room to grow within the big band format. June Christy provides some icy vocals on a few numbers, and other strong players on the set include Vido Musso, Boots Mussulli, Kai Winding, Eddie Safranski, and Shelly Manne. Arrangements are by Pete Rugolo, Gene Roland, and Stan – and titles include "Artistry In Bass", "Artistry In Percussion", "Fantasy", "Come Back To Sorrento", "Soothe Me", "Opus In Pastels", and "Artistry In Bolero". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely hip little record from Morgana King – one that takes her amazing voice, and sets it amidst some expansive arrangements that push past jazz to include some trippier 70s styles! The whole session's got a nice mix of the mellow and baroque – with a subtle funky undercurrent at points, and definitely a fair bit more soul than we're used to hearing from Morgana! Arrangements are by Torrie Zito and Bob James – and the production often compresses the vocals in a really cool way – sliding them amidst the instrumentation with a haunting quality that's hard to describe in words, but which makes the album one of King's most breathtaking ever! The back cover has Morgana getting props from Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Paul Williams, and Kenny Rankin – all names we can certainly trust – and titles include a great version of "We Could Be Flying", "All In All", "A Song For You", "Like A Seed", and "The Sands Of Time & Changes". LP, Vinyl record album

Great 40s work from Leadbelly – featuring the man himself on vocals and guitar, caught in a nice raw mode – plus extra odd zither accompaniment on a few tracks too! LP, Vinyl record album

A 60s LP that compiles Julia's earlier sides for Capitol – a mixture of jump blues, swing, and R&B, recorded with players that include Red Norvo, Benny Carter, Vic Dickenson, and Baby Lovett – all killer work from the early years of the labgel! Titles include "Last Call For Alcohol", "After Hours Waltz", "King Size Papa", "Snatch It & Grab It", "You Ain't Got It No More", and "Crazy World". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from singer Mamie Lee – a vocalist who inhabits the same space between jazz and soul as Nancy Wilson! The album's got a very groovy feel overall – thanks to small combo backing from The Swingmen, a piano trio who backed up Mamie in live appearances, and who really fit in great for this studio session. Lee's got a great repoire with the group, and they work together to make the album way more than the usual vocal session from the time – a nicely swinging, hip, and lean little set that's totally great! Titles include "Charade", "Come Back To Me", "Once Upon A Time", "Poor Everybody Else", and "Try To Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful 60s sunshine pop from Gary Lewis – sunny melodies and grand pop orchestrations by Jack Nitzsche – and a record that's been terribly overlooked for decades! Gary Lewis & The Playboys had fairly successful run before Gary was called to active service, and he cut this solo work during brief leaves from the service. It may not be groundbreaking work, it's got hallmark soaring 60s psych pop arrangements and melodies, but it sure is sweet stuff, and we can't think of any reason it's been so deeply buried for the past few decades! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the strongest sessions recorded by pianist John Lewis in the 50s – a date that shows depths of his talents that run even greater than his work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, quite possibly because is work on piano is at the forefront of the record throughout! There's a sense of darkness here that really fits the image on the cover – a style that's stated clearly on piano lines that are often as spacious as they are gentle, but which also have a moodier undercurrent below, thanks to Lewis' careful choice of keys and notes. The backing is often quite spare – Lewis sometimes plays just with Connie Kay's drums, or the guitar of either Jim Hall or Barry Galbraith – and at its fullest, the record features 2 trio numbers with the bass of Percy Heath and drums of Connie Kay. Tracks are lyrically and thoughtfully composed – and titles include "Two Lyric Pieces", "Harlequin", "D&E", "Little Girl Blue", and "Warmeland". LP, Vinyl record album

A mixture of fusion and soul – with some hard-jamming tracks that bring sometimes brings more of a focus on the groove than the vocals – and other cuts that steer it into a solid pop soul approach! There's a warmth and depth to the production and the songwriting that's a pretty big step away from some of the more synthy sounding soul efforts of the era – definitely giving this album a lift – and Paul Jackson Jr plays a bit of guest guitar with the group – and Ollie E Brown drums a bit and produces a few of the tracks. Titles include "Together We Can Shine", "Intuition", "You're Lying", "Throw Away The Key", "There's Love", "Rise & Shine", and "Count On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album of funky soul – and Shorty's greatest album! Well, it's actually only one of two albums he cut – and the only one that was issued before his untimely early death – but it's a killer batch of tracks that mix together funk, Detroit soul, and a great sense of humor! The album kicks off with Shorty's hit single "Here Comes The Judge", a funky musical version of the "judge" routine that had been knocking around the Chittlin Circuit comedy scene for years, particularly in the work of Pigmeat Markham. The album also features Shorty's legendary "soul party" cut, "Function At The Junction", plus lots of other tasty numbers like "Night Fo Last" (done in vocal and instrumental versions)", "Here Comes Fat Albert", "Stranded In the Jungle", "Don't Mess With My Weekend", "Ain't No Justice", and "Sing What You Wanna". Great stuff – and a pretty tough album to find! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the sharpest, most righteous albums from Bob Marley – in case you couldn't guess from the title, which is his response to a recent assassination attempt! The whole thing's got a very classic vibe – and the lyrics have even more of a political current than some of Marley's other music from the period – a renewed sense of purpose that rises with a global anthemic power that really echoes the different national spirits pictured on the cover! Titles include "Ambush The Night", "Ride Natty Ride", "One Drop", "So Much Trouble", "Zimbabwe", "Wake Up & Live", "Africa Unite", and "Top Rankin". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic bluegrass from the legendary Jimmy Martin – an artist who kept things timeless, even into later years – working here with his amazing vocals, and impeccable instrumentation – very much at the best level of work that Bill Monroe cut for Decca as well! LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album of Cole Porter tunes – sung by Mabel Mercer with just a bit of tinkling piano in the background! The overall sound's a bit older than you might guess from the date of the record – a mode that takes most of the Porter tunes relatively straight, served up in Mercer's trilling style of vocals – which have more of a 20s approach to the material than other 50s singers who were making Porter swing a bit more. Backing is by Cy Walter or Stan Freeman on piano, plus a bit of bass by Frank Carroll – and titles include "Ours", "Where Oh Where", "After You", "So In Love", "Looking At You", "Ace In The Hole", and "It's Delovely". LP, Vinyl record album

With Lyle Mays on piano and keyboards, Steve Rodby on bass, Paul Wertico on drums, Armando Marcal on percussion and voice, and David Blamires and Mark Ledford on voice. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet trio session with Charlie Haden on bass and Bill Higgins on drums. Titles include "The Calling", "Tears Inside", "Lonely Woman", and "Rejoicing". LP, Vinyl record album

A very big crossover moment for the Philly sound, and one of the biggest hits by the studio combo that drove the big Gamble/Huff hits of the 70s! The record's a great batch of smooth Philly instrumentals – not really disco, although the tracks certainly crossed over there – more uptempo soul, with the same bouncy sound heard on the vocal hits of the label – a majestic Philly International groove, carefully classy, but still damn soulful too! Includes lots of familiar cuts – like "Zach's Fanfare", "Get Down With The Philly Sound", "Brothers & Sisters", and "South Philly". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever album from The Monkees – a set that's overflowing with great numbers from the teams of Boyce & Hart and Goffin & King – plus one original by Mike Nesmith himself! The whole thing's groovy as groovy can be – and despite any thoughts that folks at the time might have had about these guys being just a TV one-off, the album's got fantastic staying power over the years – thanks to wonderful vocals, impeccable production, and a great selection of songs! Titles include "Theme From The Monkees", "Just Doesn't Seem To Be My Day", "Last Train To Clarksville", "Sweet Young Thing", "Papa Gene's Blues", "Take A Giant Step", "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day", and "Saturday's Child". LP, Vinyl record album

A 50s Fantasy album that brings together 2 earlier 10" jazz sessions – one by Mulligan and one by Desmond, both unusual outings for the players. Side one features Gerry Mulligan working with a strong early group – Chet Baker on trumpet, Chico Hamilton on drums, and Carson Smith on bass – on 4 tracks recorded in San Francisco, and 4 others recorded slightly later in LA. The tunes are short, piano-less, and have that fluid 50s Mulligan groove – and titles include "Turnstile", "Limelight", "Carioca", "Bark For Barksdale", and "Line For Lyons". Side two is a session that features 4 tracks with Paul in a quintet with Dick Collins on trumpet and Dave Van Kriedt on tenor sax – working without a piano, and in a fluid-grooving style that recalls a lot of the Gerry Mulligan style of the time. The other 4 tracks from the set are even more unique – and have Desmond blowing dreamily over a "with voices" chorus – done with the Bill Bates singers in a style that's warmer than similar work by Charlie Parker, and which really points the way towards some of the Desmond solo genius of the 60s. Titles include "Jeruvian", "Garden In The Rain", "Misty Window", "Winky", "Soon", and "Will I Know". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that brings together Fats Navarro's recordings for Savoy – late 40s sides that were always poorly packaged and annotated on record, which are compiled here wonderfully, with great notes, and a few unissued tracks! Players include Leo Parker, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Ernie Henry, Tadd Dameron, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, and Charlie Rouse – and the set's got a huge amount of titles, including "Boppin A Riff", "Fat Boy", "Everything's Cool", "Webb City", "Fracture", "Calling Dr Jazz", "Red Pepper", "Spinal", "Fat Girl", "Ice Freezes Red", "A Bebop Carol", and "The Tadd Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

With Alan Eager on tenor, Jimmy Ford on alto, Kenny Clarke on drums, Curly Russell on bass, and Kay Penton on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

Features Joe Nicholas on trumpet, Jim Robinson on trombone, and Albert Burbank on clarinet and vocals. A New Orleans recording – but issued on a tiny postwar label down the street from the present Dusty Groove store! LP, Vinyl record album

An essential introduction to the work of this legendary group – an important American issue of some of their best material – all of which never came out in our market back in the day! If you don't know Os Mutantes, prepare to be blown away – as they were a key part of the Tropicalia movement, alongside bigger names Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, and Gilberto Gil – creating music that was years ahead of its time, but which has gone on to become legendary over the years! There's so many different elements going on here, it's impossible to pin down – avant and psychedelic modes, Brazilian styles and postmodern ones, all put together with sublime production that's also way ahead of the pack! This Luaka Bop presentation was put together by David Byrne – and it features a total of 14 cuts in all – including an English and Portuguese reading of the famous "Baby", plus the tunes "Ave Lucifer", "Desculpe, Babe", "Adeus Maria Fulo", "Panis Et Circensis", "Bat Macumba", "Dia 36", and "Fuga No II". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent collection of postwar work from those years when Johnny Otis was a key force in R&B on the west coast – both instrumentals and tracks with vocals by Mel Walker, Ada Wilson, Joe Swift, and The Vocaleers! LP, Vinyl record album

They still ain't got no band, and they're still riding along at the height of their acapella success – one that was no doubt due to rising mainstream interest in older musical modes as part of the rock and roll revival of the post-Woodstock years – something that probably helped the group sell a lot more records than they would have singing like this back in the 50s! Tracks are a range of older soul numbers, covered by the group in their dynamic vocal style – and titles include "Love You Most Of All", "Steal Away", "Chapel Of Love", "You Must Believe Me", "Any More", "Dance With Me", and "Idol With The Golden Head". LP, Vinyl record album

Strong work from the Peterson Trio's London House gig in Chicago in 1961 – material that offers some slightly longer than usual takes on the group's sound, especially on a few numbers that really let Oscar open up on the keys! The group here is the legendary combo with Ed Thigpen on drums and Ray Brown on bass – but on the album's long versions of "Sometimes I'm Happy", "In The Wee Small Hours" and "Chicago", it's Oscar's inventive work on the keys that really dominates the nearly 10 minute run of each track. Other shorter tunes include "Billy Boy", "Whisper Not", and "The Night We Called It A Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Relatively late work in the classic years of Procol Harum – but as any true fan of the group will tell you, these guys never stopped being great – even if the rest of the world wasn't paying as close of attention as they were back in the 60s! Gary Brooker's vocals and piano are still going strong – and the songs have that great sense of structure and subtle drama that always made the group so unique – a mode that other groups might have overdone, but which is so well balanced here, the sound is completely sublime – full-on sonic punch one minute, spare elements the next – all handled with an honest, open vibe that was pretty darn unique in the glossy music world of 1977. Titles include "Strangers In Space", "Wizard Man", "Something Magic", "Skating On Thin Ice", "The Worm & The Tree", and "The Mark Of The Claw". LP, Vinyl record album

"I Enjoy" is the title track to Sydney's first LP – and is a great number with a compressed southern soul style that's a bit like work on Hi Records, but which is handled with more of a Chi-town flair, thanks to some good work by Carl Davis. "How Can You Say Goodbye" has a bit more punch – strings sliding on the beat while Sid does a great Al Green-type vocal! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A rootsy rock classic from Seatrain – a group who maybe aren't as well-remembered these days as they should be – but who set off a lot of fires with this set! The group work in territory that's close to The Band or Little Feat – and in fact they cover a song by the latter at once point – yet they also recorded this album in the UK, with production by George Martin – whose studio warmth brings a different quality to the record than you might hear if they were recording in the US. Lead vocals are by Peter Rowan and Lloyd Baskin – and titles include "Oh My Love", "Waiting For Elijah", "13 Questions", "Out Where The Hills", "Home To You", and "I'm Willin" – plus an unusual take on the acoustic music classic "Orange Blossom Special". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Nina – mostly recorded live at the Westbury Music Fair, with a hip mix of jazz, soul, and folk that's stretched out in a slightly informal setting that always brings out the best of Nina's vocals. Titles include "The Backlash Blues", "Please Read Me", "Sunday In Savannah", "Why? (The King Of Love Is Dead)", and the nice jazzer "In The Morning". Plus, the album also includes one straight soul number – "Do What You Gotta Do", with some great arrangements by Horace Ott. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic from Ricky Skaggs' early run up to stardom – with titles that include "Let's Love The Bad Times Away", "Highway 40 Blues", "Can't You Hear Me Callin", "Nothing Can Hurt You", "You've Got A Lover", and "Don't Think I'll Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few full albums issued under the name of alto saxophonist Willie Smith – easily one of our favorite players on the alto of his generation! Willie's got a warmly raspy tone that rarely gets presented this well – in an easygoing, laidback setting with plenty of space – surrounded by musical "friends" who include Arnold Ross on piano, Les Paul on guitar, Murray McEachern on trombone, and Nick Fatool on drums. The tunes are all from mid 40s recordings, but nicely brought together in this LP package for the 50s – and they're a great example of the unique space that Smith carved out for himself back in the day. Titles include "Airiness A La Nat", "My Old Flame", "September In The Rain", "You Ought To Be In Pictures", and "Willow Weep For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly jazzy score – thanks to orchestrations by Ralph Burns, and musical direction by Elliot Lawrence! And of course, the vocals by Sammy Davis Jr are pretty darn nice too! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare recordings – some solo, some with Chocolate Williams on bass and vocals, some with Frank Newton on trumpet, and some with Reuben Harris on whiskbrooms! LP, Vinyl record album

A range of different recordings from the team of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – all recorded by a young Bob Shad at the end of the 40s and start of the 50s – and originally issued as 78s on the Sittin In With and Jax labels! The work is quite rootsy, even for the time – but that's no surprise, given the time-tested styles of the pair. Most numbers feature Brownie on guitar and Sonny on vocals and harmonica – plus a bit of other instrumentation – and the recordings were all done in New York, during the years 1949 to 1952. LP, Vinyl record album

Moody musings from guitarist Ralph Towner – recorded here on 12-string and classical guitar, plus a bit of piano – and working with a quartet that includes Jan Garbarek on sax and flute, Eberhard Weber on bass and cello, and Jon Christensen on drums and percussion. The group do a nice job of mixing up sweeter Towner moments with numbers that have a darker, almost noisier edge at times – and Garbarek's work on soprano sax gives the record some of its best moments. Early genius on ECM! Titles include the slightly funky "Piscean Dance", plus "Sand", "Red & Black", "Oceanus", "Visitation", and "Drifting Petals". LP, Vinyl record album

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A nice 12" LP issue from the 50s of sides originally released as 10" LPs – early work that Cole recorded for Capitol, during the years 1943 to 1949, when he was an up and coming talent from the Hollywood scene, blending together jazz, swing, and a touch of blues – to craft one of the most unique sounds in pop! 12 numbers in all including "Sweet Lorraine", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Makin Whoopee", "Too Marvelous For Words", and "If I Had You". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the greatest early 70s recordings from Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino – a richly organic session that builds from spare trumpet and percussion, into a fuller, more spiritual sound! Hino starts out the set working in almost Don Cherry territory – blowing alongside some slight accompaniment on percussion, bells, and drums in an earthy, introspective mode – before a larger group moves in to sweep up his horn, and push the album with a tremendously soulful spirit. The mix of styles gives the record a wonderful depth – one that's sometimes missing in Hino's other work, but which makes this set a real standout from the time. Other players include Hidehumi Toki on sax, Motohiko Hino on drums, and Hideo Miyata on alto and flute – and titles include "Oriental Dance", "Thanks Toko", "Reve Provencale", and "Open Vision". LP, Vinyl record album

Rudy Ray Moore's second album, and almost hipper than the first – thanks to some key musical backings from The Fillmore St Soul Rebellion! The vibe here is as rough and raw as you'd expect – a no-holds-barred version of party records, with Rudy using plenty of language hardly heard this strongly on record again until the hip hop generation. The music's often mixed a bit lower than the vocals, but is still present enough to make things sound funky – and titles include the classic "Mr Big Dick", plus "The Gorillas Are Coming", "California Poetry", "Hurricane Anne Meets Dolemite", and "40 Pounds of Chitlings". Language is raw – so be warned! LP, Vinyl record album

Early early work by Duke Pearson – and one of his few trio sessions ever! The album's a great way to hear Pearson's lyrical soulful style at work, as he's playing in an unfettered setting with Gene Taylor on bass and Lex Humphries on drums – really stretching out on piano, in a way that you don't often hear on some of his larger group albums – a much more intimate side of this great pianist, before he rose to become an important arranger and producer at Blue Note during the late 60s. The album features two of his own compositions "Gate City Bop" and "Two Mile Ride", plus versions of "Black Coffee", "Taboo", and "Witchcraft". LP, Vinyl record album

A real turning point for Sparks – a set that has the duo of Russell and Ron Mael finding a whole new focus for their music on the UK scene! The style is a bit glammy at times – not in the execution, so much as the production – which has a great way of compressing the vocals up against the guitars – while still keeping all the sharpness of the group's earlier music, which is a key component in pushing forward the subtle wit of the tunes! There's also a slight warble to both the vocals and some of the melodies – which might sit nicely next to early Roxy Music in listening spirit, even though Sparks themselves are very much their own thing. Titles include "Here In Heaven", "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us", "Amateur Hour", "Equator", "Complaints", "Thank God It's Not Christmas", and "Talent Is An Asset". 2LP pressing features some great bonus tracks – demos from 1973 that include "When I Take The Field ON Friday", "Windy Day", "Marry Me", "My Brains & Her Looks", "A More Constructive Use Of Leisure", "Barbecutie", and "Alabamy Right". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest Mel Torme albums ever – a smoking little live set that has the Velvet Fog hitting a whole new soulful sound for the 60s – with a leaner groove than ever before! Backing is from the trio of pianist Jimmy Wisner – although Mel himself also plays a bit of piano on the record – and the rhythms have this upfront, super-tight sound that really makes Torme's vocals pop – coming across with a fresh, swinging sound that's quite a change from the 40s and 50s! Yet throughout it all, ol' uncle Mel still keeps his pipes in perfect tune – that amazing voice that never lets up for a minute – and which holds its own beautifully on tunes that include "Anything Goes", "Love For Sale", "Love Is Just Around the Corner", "Shakin The Blues Away", and "In Other Words". LP, Vinyl record album