Khruangbin add one more chapter to their ongoing series of live albums – this time serving up a set that had them working with Toro Y Moi as their opening act! As with other records in the series, each act gets their own side of the album – and Toro Y Moi feature on side one, with the tracks "Girl Like You", "Ordinary Pleasure", "The Loop", "Deja Vu", and "Millennium". Khruangbin are tight and funky on the flipside – serving up the tunes "August 10", "Maria Tambien", "August Twelve", and "First Class". LP, Vinyl record album

Supposedly one of the first records of Dr King's speeches to be recorded – put together by Dootsie Williams in LA, and the forebearer of what would become a very popular genre in the 60s! The album was issued after King's death, but was recorded years before – and themes include the poverty and political situation in India and The American Dream. LP, Vinyl record album

The very first album from long-running Japanese singer Akira Kushida – a set that bursts out with the word "soulful" on the cover, and definitely follows through with its promise! Given that Akira sings in Japanese on many cuts, the sound isn't exactly the same as James Brown on King Records – but it's also clear that Kushida draws plenty of inspiration from American soul, which is also reflected in the arrangements, not just the raspy style that he brings to the lyrics! There's definitely a fair bit of English on the record – and the vibe is maybe a bit like some of the blue-eyed soul styles of the UK mod scene, served up on titles that include "Vecchio Sam", "For The Love Of A Woman", "Cry Like A Baby", "Forgive Me My Love", and "Lonesome Sad & Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Don Leisure is more of a producer and beatmaker than a jazzman – but he's got a very spiritual vibe here, thanks in part to very strong participation on the album from harpist Amanda Whiting – who brings in this amazing cosmic energy that's very similar to the vibe on her own great records! Most tunes have a mellow groove – laidback beats with harp from Amanda, and saxophone solos on three tracks, trumpet on one more – and two of the selections also feature excellent vocals from Deborah Jordan, the British soul singer we've dug for many years! There's a great blend of slow funk soundscapes and jazzy solos on the set – and titles include "Walk With Us", "Peace Of Mind", "The First Chant", "Just Be Free", "Crying Tiger", "Beyond The Midnight Sun", and "Third Bass". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully burning work from Japanese saxophonist Kohsuke Mine – a player who cut some fantastic albums in the 70s, even though he never fully got his due on this side of the Pacific! The vibe here is very much in a post-Coltrane spiritual mode – with the leader blowing both tenor and soprano sax, and really working some amazing long, visionary lines on his instruments – sometimes really soaring off with Impulse Records-like energy, other times hitting more modal modes that remind us that Mine was one of the most powerful, soulful forces in the Japanese jazz scene at the time. The rest of the lineup is excellent too – and the album features additional tenor from Hideo Miyata, plus piano from Fumio Itabashi, bass from Hideaki Mochizuki, and drums from Hiroshi Murakami. Titles include "Thirsty", "Self Contradiction", "Spin Drift", "Daguri", and "Expectation". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's mostly solo from guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento – yet one that's not like the solo Brazilian guitar records from years back, as Fabiano handles a range of different instruments, often overlaying them during the course of a performance – so that he works here with a wonderful array of sounds, tones, and colors, spun out in a really beautiful way! The guitarist's previous records have always had a careful sense of sound – but here, his ear for performance and recording has really taken off – with a sonic depth that's almost at an ECM level at times, but a lot warmer too – as Fabiano serves up sounds on 6, 7, and 10 string guitars – plus E baritone guitar, Oktav guitar, bass, percussion, keyboards, and pedals. There's some very slight guest work on the set – drums on one track, percussion on another, and bass on a third – but almost all the sounds come from Fabiano, on titles that include "Bari", "Abertura", "Paperstrings", "Agua De Estrellas", "Meianoite", "Reflections", and "Coisa 2". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic solo sounds from guitarist Jeff Parker – a set of recordings that were all done live, with no overdubs at all – but which really show a complex approach to his overall sound! Parker's almost in some of the more abstract territory here as on some of his Chicago Underground Duo recordings – but he's also maybe a bit more tuneful, while also more introspective – showing us a personal, human side of his music that's extremely moving – and which really comes as quite a surprise, compared to some of his other records. Some numbers almost have a Jim Hall-like fragility, while other points are more creatively textural – and the whole thing is really wonderful, and represents a whole new step for Parker – a musician who's already been blowing our mind for about 20 years. Titles include "Super Rich Kids", "Slight Freedom", "Mainz", and a beautiful take on "Lush Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record, and one that shows just why Blue Note chose to put "amazing" in the title of every Bud Powell album they released! The set's a live one, done at Birdland – and Bud's working here with a trio that features the young Sam Jones on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – both musicians you might be more likely to hear over at Riverside Records, and who help give Powell a mighty solid formation here! There's a strong sense of cohesiveness to the trio, and we're always in love with Jones on bass – but it's also clear that Bud's the shining star of the date, as he amazes the world once again with his restless sense of imagination and creativity on the keys of the piano! Titles include "Marmalade", "Monopoly", "John's Abbey", "Dry Soul", "Time Waits", "Buster Rides Again", and two takes of "Sub City". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking album of theremin music – recorded at a time when many people had forgotten about the instrument a bit, but at a level that takes the electronic force to a whole new level! The theremin first rose to fame on 50s sci fi soundtracks and weird mood music records – and although it had gotten use on rock albums during the psychedelic years, it never got the proper treatment it deserved until this groundbreaking set from theremin wizard Clara Rockmore! Rockmore plays the instrument here alongside piano from Nadia Reisenberg – really stripping away sci fi futurist stereotype of the theremin, as she takes on work from serious composers, plus other sources too – using the instrument with a sense of drama, and the virtuosic control of a master instrumentalist – on titles that include "Vocalise", "Song Of Grusia", "The Swan", and "Chant Du Memestrel". LP, Vinyl record album

An ultra-hip set of soul jazz from 70s Detroit – recorded back in the day by saxophonist Sam Sanders, but never issued at the time! The album's got this wonderfully warm, open sort of vibe – a quality that's kind of like an indie take on the CTI mode of the time, but much more relaxed – and nicely directed towards soul as well, given the vocals that grace some of the album's best moments! Some tunes are right on the money, with an undercurrent of funk – but other moments get a bit wilder and more righteous, in the style you'd expect from the legendary Strata Records imprint! Core instrumentation is by a combo that features Sanders on alto, plus lots of great keyboards, and guitar, baritone, and percussion. Vocals are by Jamil and Kenneth Harris – plus an unnamed female singer too – and titles include "Inner City Player", "Face At My Window", "Loser", "Funked Up", "Love's Gain", and "Summer Mist". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible full length album from The Spaniels – one that's mostly still in the group's older doo wop mode, but which also shows them picking up a bit of the Atlantic Records group sound of the early 60s! Many tracks make strong use of The Spaniels' classic vocal approach – especially the great lead vocals of Pookie Hudson – but there's also a number of tunes that change the rhythms up a bit, and seem to show the light influence of Latin and Brazilian rhythms that were showing up in east coast doo wop during the time, most notably in the work of The Drifters. The blend is really great – and makes the record far more than just a straight set of doo wop from Chicago – and instead, the record's a great precursor of Chi-town group soul to come from The Impressions and others – a 60s legacy from which The Spaniels were sadly excluded! Titles include "I Know", "Bus Fare Home", "Heart & Soul", "Crazy Baby", "Everyone's Laughing", "Little Joe", "The Posse", "I Lost You", "Baby Sweets", and "So Deep Within". LP, Vinyl record album

Very early work from Joe Tex – recorded way before his boogie records of the 70s, and even his country soul classics of the 60s! Yet despite the age of these sides, the Joe Tex vocal approach is very firmly in place – that raspy mode that's undeniably human, and which might be rooted in blues and gospel, but which already takes a place here with a standout mode that's completely Joe's own! Musical modes move between R&B ballads and some bolder early soul styles – and titles include "She's Mine", "My Biggest Mistake", "Get Way Back", "Right Back To My Arms", "Come In This House", "I Had To Come Back To You", "Pneumonia", "Davy You Upset My Home", and "Another Woman's Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite-ever albums from Mel Torme – a set that sparkles with the same smooth swing as his best late 50s dates for Bethlehem records! Like those sets, this one features Torme's voice really taking off over some tight jazzy charts – arranged by Johnny Williams, Shorty Rogers, and Dick Hazard – all in styles close to those used previously by Marty Paich. But almost even better is the New York theme of the record – surprising, given the anti-NYC vibe of Torme's classic "California Suite" – but perfect, too, as it really ties the whole thing together wonderfully – creating this beautiful picture of the Big Apple in the postwar years. Titles include the greatest version of "Sunday In New York" you'll ever hear – plus "Let Me Off Uptown", "Autumn In New York", "New York New York", "Manhattan", and "My Time Of Day". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible slice of Chicago blues – and maybe one of the most important contributions Delmark ever made to the Windy City scene! The album captures Junior Wells in all his rough and raw brilliance – working in territory that's quite similar to the Chess Records vibe of the early 60s – in a group that has Buddy Guy on guitar, Otis Spann on piano, and Louis Myers on a bit of extra guitar! Guy sings a bit, but Junior does most of the vocals – and also plays harmonica too – on titles that include "Blues For Mayor Daley", "Stop Breaking Down", "You Say You Love Me", "Trouble Don't Last Always", and "Baby Please Lend Me Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of torchy ballads from Lee Wiley – a singer who virtually helped invent the genre on record with her classic sets for Columbia Records! This album's done a few years after those – and features backings by Ralph Burns, who brings a fair bit more sentimental moments to his work here than you might expect from some of his other more modern outings. The proceedings have a nice touch of jazz – thanks to players who include Urbie Green on trombone, Nick Travis on trumpet, and Moe Wechsler on piano – and although Lee's vocals have a slightly aging quality, that only serves to help the fragile emotions of the best numbers in the set. Titles include "You're A Sweetheart", "This Is New", "Who Can I Turn To Now?", "My Ideal", "Limehouse Blues", "I Left My Sugar Standing In The Rain", and "Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic session of mellow magic from tenorist Lester Young and pianist Teddy Wilson – both giants of jazz from an earlier generation, but maybe sounding even better here in a sublime Verve Records setting from the 50s! Young's tenor fronts the trio of Wilson – with Gene Ramey on bass and Joe Jones on drums – a somewhat unassuming group, which means that Lester's power really holds sway throughout – these magical solos that so easygoing they almost seem effortless – but which are filled with soul and imagination. Titles include "Love Me Or Leave Me", "All Of Me", "Prisoner Of Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

The great drummer Tony Allen left our planet all too soon – but not before cutting this fantastic album as part of the Jazz Is Dead series – a killer record that may be one of the best he's given us in the past decade or so! The format here is different than some of Tony's other records, but also different than the other Jazz Is Dead records – as the instrumentation is fuller than those, with a brace of horns that really fills things up – while Tony delivers these amazing rhythm patterns on the bottom, supported with basslines from Adrian Younge, who also adds in all sorts of very cool keyboards! There's more noise and darkness at times than we've heard on some of Allen's bigger label sets – and we mean that in a really great way – and the drummer is maybe most up in the mix of all the instruments, so you can really hear Tony going to town at his funky best. Titles include "Don't Believe The Dancers", "Steady Tremble", "Ebun", "Oladipo", "No Beginning", "Lagos", and "Makoko". LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably the best solo record that Joe Zawinul ever cut – and one of the few to really show him working in the soulful style that he had with Cannonball Adderley's famous 60s combo! The record features Joe on piano – stepping out on cuts that still have all the soul jazz currents that he brought to his work with Cannon – those rolling lines and heavy left-hand grooves that made a Zawinul groove instantly infectious! The lineups shift a bit here, but include heavyweight players throughout – including Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Clifford Jordan or Joe Henderson on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums! The presence of those giants puts the whole thing in Blue Note or Prestige Records 60s territory – and titles include "Money In The Pocket", "If", "Midnight Mood", "Some More Of Dat", "Sharon's Waltz", and "Del Sasser". LP, Vinyl record album

A heady serving of work from the Drums label – a small and short-lived imprint on the Italian scene in the late 70s, but one that served up some mighty nice club singles at the time! The records definitely bristle with the kind of drums you might expect from the record's name – not heavy breakbeat, but nice work on the kit that provides a live groove for these sweet electric club tracks – most nice and lean, sometimes instrumental with a focus on a keyboard line – sometimes vocal, with a chorus soaring along in the lead! The set was put together by I-Robots, who've given us some great club comps over the years – and the set even features some unreleased material too – titles that include "Mr Sam" by TNT, "I Am Here" by Dublefas, "Me Ne Frego" by Balthazar, "Disco Magic" by Analisi 91, "Music On My Mind" by Gianfrasso Ensemble, "Manila Sound" by Fango, "Samedi Soir" by Drums Music Show, "You & Me" by I Mappet, "La Fioraia Di Via Po" by Gialma 3, "Mare & Amore" by Olga Melchionda, and "Quattro Lune" by Antonella Forte. LP, Vinyl record album

From the end of the 70s onward, the Italian Black Saint record label offered up some of the most high quality spiritual and avant jazz of the time – really taking over where American record companies had dropped the ball, and allowing a huge wave of new energy from both older musicians and a younger generation who might never have gotten the right level of exposure, had Black Saint (and related Soul Note imprint) stepped into the scene! This package offers up some of the coolest cuts from Black Saint – and has an especially strong focus on the work that the label did to carry forward older spiritual sounds, especially those first unlocked on Impulse Records – a legacy that really comes through strongly here. Titles include "Love On A Far Away Planet" and "Mayan Temples" by Sun Ra, "Song For Mozambique/Sea Of Faces" by Archie Shepp, "Guitar Vibes" by Karl Berger, "Tap Dancer" by Oliver Lake, "Ode To The Flower Maiden" by John Carter, "Mama Marimba" by Joseph Jarman and Donh Moye, "Sixth Sense" by Don Pullen, "Hattie Wall" by World Saxophone Quartet, "Laja" by Muhal Richard Abrams, and "Metamusician's Stomp" by Andrew Cyrille & Maono. LP, Vinyl record album

Beat digging heroes Kon & Amir return with a diverse, funky treasure trove of rare dancefloor anthems, rarer disco soul and African boogie cuts – possibly the best yet in their Off Track series for BBE! The east coast duo have dedicated each title in the series to an NYC borough, and Brooklyn is honored this time out – but there's a world of rare and underground club funk & soul presented here! Includes African disco & soul records with all regions dancefloor appeal, raw percussion and bass accented numbers that are tight and punchy and others with a more soaring approach, all of it totally wonderful and hard-to-find – including some we've seen or heard before! The vinyl version features 2LPs with unmixed tracks, with Kon's selections on 2 sides and Amir's on 2 sides – some featured on the mixed 2CD versions plus alternate tracks! Kon's selections include "Burnin Up" (Kon's edit) by SFB, "From The Heart" (Kon's Multi rmx) by Donny McCuillough, "Rock Don't Stop" by Taxie, "More Power To You" by Mazyck Project, "Lost In Space" by Shake and "EOD" by Edge Of Daybreak. Kon's selections include "Enjoy Your Life" by Oby Onyioha, "Disco Power" by Bomp, "You Can't Change A Man" by Christy Essien Igbokwe, "Sexy Dancer" by Harry Mosco and "Don't Ask Me" by Goddy Oku. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic funky follow-up to the first Mr Thing compilation from BBE – and a set that's equally filled with rare and soulful grooves! If we didn't know better, we'd swear he went into our crates and pilfered our own record collections – because the package contains plenty of overlooked cuts that we've loved for years, but which have never gotten their due – and not even all of them are from totally obscure pressings or small indie labels – just the kind of records that people pass over sometimes, because they don't know how great they sound! There's lots and lots and lots of deeply funky numbers on the collection – and the package really takes us back to the glory days when BBE compilations were always turning us onto something new – especially during the Keb Darge glory days. Titles include "Back Ground Music" by Kalyanji Anandji, "Searching For Soul" by Jake Wade & The Soul Searchers, "ABC" by Hot Butter & Soul, "Spooky Do" by Dick Walter, "The Horse" by Val Merral's Orchestra, "It's Just Begun" by Hot City Bump Band, "Sally" by Frank Pleyer Big Band, "Love Is Just A Word" by Johnny Griffith Inc, "Can't Stop Talkin" by Art & Ron, "Family Affair" by The Generation Gap, "Gacek" by Jerzy Milian, "Rockin Chair" by John L Watson with White Mouse, "Pink Panther" by Alan Tew, "Twinkle Stars Boo Galoo (live)" by Oscar Harris & The Twinkle Stars, "The Message" by Tinga Stewart, and "Pru Urebu" by The Rias Orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

An all-star record from three contemporary forces in soul, hip hop, and jazz – yet one that's also got a nicely lean vibe as well – as the whole thing focuses on the best strengths of all three talents involved! Much of the music features Karriem Riggins on drums, Robert Glasper on keyboards, and Common delivering lyrics – usually with a style that's much more compact and down to earth than some of his own records of the past few decades! Glasper's right at home in the setting, and really helps set the tone – and singer Samora Pinderhughes is on many tracks, balancing out Common's rhymes with her vocals. Other guest singers include Bilal and Brandy – and titles include "Black Kennedy", "Practice", "Fly Away", "Aya", "Let Go", "The Time", "Optimistic", and "No Apologies". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost bit of southern soul from Sound Stage Seven – featuring sublime production by the great John Richbourg, and a sound that's simply out of this world! Sam Baker has a strong deep soul style – a bit like Otis Redding, filtered through the rougher edges of Syl Johnson – and this rare album of deep soul tracks is one of the few records of his fantastic work. Arrangements are by Dan Penn, Cliff Parman, and Aaron Varnell – and tracks include "It's All Over", "Sometimes You have To Cry", "That's All I Want From You", "I Believe In You", "Someone", "Just A Glance Away", and "Safe In The Arms Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album – timeless in sound and style, and a set that almost takes us back to the warmth of some of our favorite Brazilian records from the 70s! Bala Desejo have a way of mixing harmonies with lead vocals that's completely sublime – often set to light percussion, acoustic guitar, and other spare instrumental touches that glow as nicely as the vocals! If you've heard some of the 70s material from Quarteto Em Cy, you'll know part of the vibe here – but there's also maybe a more contemporary sense of songwriting too, which really keeps things fresh – on titles that include "Lua Comanche", "Nesse Sofa", "Chupeta", "Faixa Tecnica", "Chronofagia", "Muito So", "Dourado Dourado", and "Lambe Lambe". LP, Vinyl record album

Stanley Clarke's a lot more soul-based than fusion here – but that's A-OK with us, because we like this sort of work a lot better than his jamming jazz rock of the 70s! The record's got a great mellow soul vibe – laidback and gently stepping – sometimes in a way that's a bit commercial, but never with as many of the cloying styles as hurt other records like this at the time. Stan sings, plays bass and guitar, and other players include Greg Phillinganes on Fender Rhodes and mini-moog, Ndugu Chancler on drums, Michael Sembello on guitar, and Paulinho Da Costa on percussion. Titles include "Straight To The Top", "Let Me Know You", "You Are The One For Me", "Play The Bass", "New York City", and "Secret To My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

In 1994 when everyone seemed to be turning hardcore, Common Sense wasn't having it – and gave the world this superb second album that formed a key part of his soon-to-be huge legacy! The album's very near and dear to our Chicago-born hearts – and is filled with introspective tales of growing up and living on the South Side, given perfect support by the production of No ID – a real overlooked hero of this generation! The album was made with little regard to trends of the time, and that's given it a timeless quality that really holds on over the years – maybe even more so than some of Common's later, bigger records. The set features two guest appearances by Y-Not aka Twilight Tone – and titles include "I Used To Love HER", "Book Of Life", "Chapter 13", "Nuthin' To Do", "In My Own World (Check The Method)", "Maintaining", "Communism", "Watermelon", "Thisisme", and "Sum Sh*t I Wrote". (And bonus trivia – Chicago station WHPK, a breeding ground for Dusty Groove, even gets a mention on the set!). This excellent 2LP deluxe vinyl reissue includes a side featuring 3 bonus tracks – "Resurrection 95", "Resurrection (Large Professor mix)", and "Resurrection (Extra P rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm wonderfulness from the great Al Green – a record that may have a pale-looking cover, but a set that's one of Green's most deeply soulful albums ever! There's a grace and a glow to the set right from the very first note – that really unique presentation and performance that makes these early 70s Green albums such enduring treasures – and so unlike anything else that's ever come since, no matter how many folks were influenced by Al's sound! The production is perfect – with Al helping Willie Mitchell at the helm, as they balance together the richness of the instrumentation with core elements in the rhythms – on titles that include Al's stone classic "Love & Happiness", plus "I'm Still In Love With You", "I'm Glad You're Mine", "What A Wonderful Thing Love Is", "Look What You Done For Me", and his great remake of Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" – a country/soul classic if there ever was one! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest projects so far from Grey October Sounds – a set that has all the crispy beats and laidback vibe of previous records, but which also focuses on themes from anime as well! There's plenty of tunes from the world of anime, but they're nicely changed up with the instrumentation and production of Grey October Sounds – done as hip hop-styled instrumentals, but still with the gentler currents that echo the originals – including plenty of piano lines that float with a very dreamy vibe over the beats of the tracks! The record has all the charms you could hope for – covering songs Bleach, Saint Seiya,, K-ON! Dragon Ball and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A late 60s set, but one that recalls the sweet swinging style of Prestige Records' Swingville sessions from the early part of the decade! Illinois Jacquet sounds wonderful here on tenor (and a bit of bassoon on one track!) – blowing with plenty of open space amidst a lineup that includes Tiny Grimes on guitar, Wynton Kelly on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Oliver Jackson on drums. The approach is kind of a mix of Jacquet's mid 60s work for Argo/Cadet, with some of the late 50s non-bop swing sessions issued by Prestige – and titles include "The Galloping Latin", "Still King", "For Once In My Life", and "Every Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – recorded in Mingus' classic period! Mingus leads a sharp small group here – a wonderful quintet that features Booker Ervin on tenor, John Handy on alto, and Richard Wyands on piano – with longtime musical partner Dannie Richmond on drums! The session was recorded live at the Nonagon Gallery in New York, and has that sort of arch-modernist groove that was Mingus' hallmark in these key late 50's years. Ervin, as always, is amazing, and John Handy, who makes his recording debut here, demonstrates the genius that Mingus had for spotting brilliant young players as he plays with the sort of imagination and intensity that he only ever managed to hit again on one or two of his own records as a leader. The record's got four long tracks, including long takes of "Nostalgia In Times Square", "Alice's Wonderland", and "No Private Income Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Of course it's about time for Joe Morello – because as Dave Brubeck's drummer, he was constantly caught in recording sessions that were all about unusual rhythms and timings in jazz! Yet this set really helps Joe break free from the Brubeck mode – and also shine strongly as a leader, too – something he only did on a rare few records over the years! The approach is a bit more straight ahead – almost an extension of the RCA large ensemble sides of the 50s, with arrangements by Phil Woods and Manny Albam – yet there's also some great 60s touches too, thanks to work from a young Gary Burton on vibes, and some nicely mature solos by Woods on alto. Titles include "Time After Time", "Summertime", "Every Time", "It's About Time", and "Fatha Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A soundtrack as important to the sound of Sinatra on Capitol Records as High Society – maybe even more so, as it features seminal readings of Rogers & Hart standards "Bewitched", "I Could Write A Book", "The Lady Is A Tramp", and "There's A Small Hotel". Arrangements by Nelson Riddle, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Biting Tongues – a group who gave Factory Records a few great singles in the mid 80s, but who are heard here a few years before – on an album that was only issued on cassette at the time! We've always loved these guys – and they've got a way of mixing the punk/funk of A Certain Ratio with some of the moodier currents of the Manchester scene – touched also by lots of great lines on trumpet and tenor sax, the latter of which almost gives their music some Blurt-like qualities! Yet the rhythms also move more in the cold wave mode – which mixes with the horns and live percussion to create a very cool blend – on titles that include "Denture Beach", "Read This", "Unhook That Boy", "Forty Three", "Evening State", "Or With Eyes Closed", and "Reflector". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album by this wonderful world jazz ensemble – a trio featuring sitar, tabla, and vocals by Colin Wolcott; trumpet, melodica, and percussion by Cherry; and assorted percussion and voice from Nana Vasconcelos. The tracks are mostly atmospheric and exploratory, but work in a style that's better than other examples of this sort of session – and which have made the Codona records stand longer than some other world jazz sessions from the time. Titles include "Walking On Eggs", "Malinye", "Que Faser", "Drip Dry", and "Again & Again Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A late 70s gem from Tyrone's years on Columbia Records – one that shows both sides of his talents for the label! The set starts out with an extended clubby groover called "Get On Up (Disco)" – a bumping sort of number that's clearly trying to push him into Johnnie Taylor territory, and which comes off surprisingly well. But even better are the rest of the tracks on the set – which update Tyrone's older Brunswick sound with a smoother, more sophisticated sort of style – still recorded in Chicago, and with some southern soul traces – but usually done in a warmer midtempo groove, with excellent lead vocals and great backing from The Haywood Sisters. Titles include "It's You It's You", "Bunky", "All I Ever Need", "I Can't Go On This Way", and "Can't Help But Say". LP, Vinyl record album

Man, it must have been something to hear this record blasting out of a boombox back in the old days – especially if it was the magenta-hued one on the cover! The groove here is strong and loud – plenty of bass and beats at the bottom, and even a few surprising early electro touches that really stand out and make the album something special. And as with other records from this time, Fatback also show their ballad skills on one number – "Come & Get the Love" – but it's the more jamming tracks we really love, and they include "Street Band", "Hot Box", "Love Spell", "Gotta Get My Hands On Some Money", and the fat 80s jam "Backstrokin". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal classic from Michael Franks – one of those records that's almost a whole genre unto itself, and which set a whole new tone for the male voice in American music! The style here is light and jazzy – almost an evolution of modes first begun by Kenny Rankin, and served up here with a similarly compressed production style that really brings out the jazz in the instrumentation. Players include Michael Brecker, Joe Sample, Larry Carlton, and David Sanborn – all sounding great with a bit of added strings from Nick DeCaro. But the real star of the set is clearly Franks – whose light vocals and creative lyrics sound wonderful next to the electric piano on the set. Titles include "Eggplant", "Monkey See Monkey Do", "Jive", "Mr Blue", "Popsicle Toes", "St Elmos Fire", "I Don't Know Why I'm So Happy I'm Sad", and "Sometimes I Just Forget To Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual album from Grant Green – a record that's quite different than his earlier records for Blue Note, but still pretty darn great overall! Grant's working here in a large group – Kudu style – with arrangements by David Matthews, but a sound that's still pretty lean overall! There's a fair bit of great players in the lineup – including Jon Faddis on trumpet, Hubert Laws on flute, and Joe Farrell on tenor – and the horns soar out nicely to set the scene over some tightly stepping backings – all served up with plenty of room for Grant to solo spaciously on guitar! The title track – "The Main Attraction" – is nearly 20 minutes long – and the other two tracks, "Creature" and "Future Feature", both approach the 10 minute mark themselves! LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing work from Harmonica Frank – an artist who recorded these firey sides for Sun Records in the early 50s! Frank's got this offbeat style that's definitely blues at the core, but which also has links to some of the novelty modes of the Appalachian scene – as he's not afraid to go for a gimmick at some moments, especially in the way he plays his harmonica along with the guitar! Yet overall, Frank's music is plenty bluesy – so much so that he's often been lumped with older blues musicians by collectors, who couldn't tell the vintage or race of the artists from his original singles. Titles include two versions of the classic "Howlin Tom Cat" – plus "Monkey Love", "Great Medical Menagerist", "She Done Moved", "Rockin Chair", "Swamp Rat", and "Goin Away Walkin". LP, Vinyl record album

A superb album from vocalist Johnny Hartman – a later date, but one that we'd rank right up there with his important Impulse Records material of the 60s! In fact, the album's something of a return to greatness for Hartman – the kind of date that should have become a jazz standard, had it not gotten lost in the unfortunate fates of the short-lived Beehive label – who did a really tremendous job with this set. Rather than try to make Johnny a modern singer, in any sort of forced idiom – Beehive instead return him to the best modes of yore, and give him simple, soulful support from a small group that features Frank Wess on tenor and flute, Joe Wilder on trumpet, and Billy Taylor on piano. The track list is great – the kind of tunes that really bring out the sophisticated side of Hartman's talents, yet allow him to be sensitive, too – and titles include "Nobody Home", "Wave", "Easy Living", "I Could Write A Book", and "For All We Know". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Isaac Hayes early 70s classics for Stax Records – a perfectly conceived masterpiece of baroque soul that builds and builds as the set goes on! Ike heads up the instrumentation on electric piano, vibes, and plenty of percussion – but he's also getting strong support here from the Memphis Symphony Orchestra – who bring in a cool sort of depth to the record, and almost make it come off like some badass blacksploitation soundtrack! But the difference here is that the tracks are all long and drawn out – quite sophisticated stuff that often has Hayes extrapolating from a few basic lyrics, and moving into some bad-rapping territory of his own. Titles include the killer funky "Ike's Mood I", plus an incredible long version of "The Look Of Love", done in such a way that transforms the song into a prayer of darkness! Other tracks include "You've Lost That Lovin Feeling", "Runnin Out Of Fools", and "Our Day Will Come". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Joe Henderson's greatest albums ever – a real treasure from his electric years at Milestone Records, and a set that showed he really had a lot more to offer for the scene of the 70s! The sound here is quite different than Joe's earlier work for Blue Note – a style that's sometimes soaring, sometimes mellow – but always moving forward with a tremendously fluid approach to the tenor sax. Joe's sense of phrasing and timing is impeccable – quite subtle at times, with these dark notes that hang beautifully in air on the ballads – and some sharper-edged qualities that really burst out strongly on the more upbeat tunes. The group's a great one too – and features Herbie Hancock on both acoustic and electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus additional trumpet by Mike Lawrence on 2 tracks. Titles include "Black Narcissus", "Isotope", "Afro-Centric", "Forsight & Afterthought", and "Power to The People". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Robin Kenyatta's hipper records of the 70s – mostly because it features material recorded during his late 60s years! The bulk of the set features a 1969 live recording – with Kenyatta leading a quartet with Larry Willis on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums – running through some longish tracks that have a beautifully spiritual approach – one that's almost a blend of Ayler, Coltrane, and Pharoah-like sensibilities – and which features some of the best tenor work we've ever heard from Kenyatta on record! Titles include "Nairobi Hot 5", "Dream Bug", and "Beggars & Stealers" – and the set's capped off by a 1975 studio take on "Ruby My Dear" – one that features Robin on alto, alongside some wonderfully introspective piano work by Muhal Richard Abrams! LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album for Gladys Knight and group – as the record features their super-huge hit "The Midnight Train To Georgia", a landmark track that not only had a catchy pop hook, but which spoke volumes about African-American migration in the postwar years. The track's one of those you've heard a million times, but it's got a strength that still holds up tremendously. Part of this is due to great production work by Tony Camillo – who handled arrangements and studio work on about half the tracks – and part is due to Jim Weatherly, who wrote the song, and about half the others on the album. The whole album's great – one of the best Buddah Records moments for the group – and titles include "I've Got To Use My Imagination", "Window Raising Granny", "Where Peaceful Waters Flow", "Once In A Lifetime Thing", "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me", and "Storms Of Trouble Times". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest records ever from Brazilian soul legend Tim Maia – and a set that also has him singing a bit of English language lyrics too! The groove here is that classic Maia blend of Brazilian roots with American funk and soul – echoes of forro or samba in some of the rhythms, mixed with psychedelic touches, and some harder-hitting funky lines too – all in a mindblowing blend that's perfectly topped with Maia's vocals – which are every bit as large and powerful as the man on the cover himself! Tim shifts effortlessly between Portuguese lyrics and American English – the latter of which really showcases his love of American soul on the titles"I Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "Broken Heart", and "I Don't Care". The album also features a version of Marcos Valle's "Preciso Aprender A Ser So", plus the cuts "Meu Pais", "A Festa Do Santo Reis", "Nao Vou Ficar", and "Salve Nossa Senhora" – all wonderful, all the way through! 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

A classic little album that's every bit as groovy as its cover – served up by vibist Dave Pike, and one of the first true expressions of his talents! The set's a standout early American date that predates Pike's later experiments for MPS – done in a great blend of soul jazz and some tighter Atlantic Records influences – all served up by a hip group of players that includes Billy Butler on guitar, Clark Terry and Marty Sheller on trumpets, and Grady Tate on drums – plus Herbie Hancock making a rare appearance on organ! There's a great little bounce to most numbers – not really funk, but a blend of soul instrumental and more contemporary jazz styles – in a way that takes a Blue Note groove more towards the jukebox audience. Titles include "When I'm Gone", "Devilette", "Sweet Tater Pie", "Blind Man Blind Man", and "Sunny". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing debut of Prince – a record that virtually snuck onto the market at the time of its release, but which has gone on to become the launching pad for one of the greatest recorded legacies in soul music! The whole thing has a really lean, stripped-down sort of sound – one that testifies to the fact that the man himself produced and performed the whole thing – almost as if Prince were up there in Minneapolis, looking at all the overblown funk ensemble and disco records of the time, and decided to throw his own hat in the ring with a great variation of the funk sound of the 70s! The lean quality puts the record in a legacy that also includes 70s work by Shuggie Otis and Timmy Thomas – but that star quality that was about to make Prince huge is already firmly in place – on titles that include "For You", "Soft & Wet", "Crazy You", "Just As Long As We're Together", "My Love Is Forever", "I'm Yours", "So Blue", "In Love", and "Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best records that Emitt Rhodes cut on his own after leaving The Merry Go Round – a slightly rough blend of rock, folk, and dimmed sunny pop influences – and a perfect document of the waning light of the west coast scene at the turn of the 70s. There's almost a boozy feel to the work – Rhodes' vocals a little scratchy, and the songs honestly plucked out like some of Nilsson's more intimate work – touched with occasionally more expansive instrumentation. Titles include "Side We Seldom Show", "Mirror", "Really Wanted You", "My Love Is Strong", "Better Side Of Life", "Love Will Stone You", and "Golden Child Of God". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare moment in the David Axelrod years at Capitol Records – a set that has the Axe producing sounds by older maestro David Rose! Rose is a lot groovier in the setting – as you might expect – and all the instrumental tunes are new compositions for the record. Tracks include "Look Above", "Busy Afternoon", "Victoria", and "On a Misty Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Patrice Rushen – one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The Supremes take on the classy Copa nightclub – and really bring down the house with a stunning mix of warmth, charm, and soul! The record's perhaps one of the "livest" of Motown live albums from the time – done in a spread-out style that features a lot more songs than some of their other live records, really giving the full scope of the show at the club. Plus, there's lots of crowd noise, bits of speaking from the girls, and an overall approach that's fluid and natural – very much a concert on record! Titles include "The Boy From Ipanema", "Put On A Happy Face", "I Am Woman", "Baby Love", "Sam Cooke Medley", "Queen Of The House", and "Back In My Arms Again". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the records that first put Al on the map – a smooth soul set that really revised male soul standards from the 80s by shedding some of the coldness of the quiet storm generation, and going for a bit of the deeper vibe from years before! Instrumentation and production still have a bit of a late 80s feel, but Al's way of inflecting his vocals really bring a lot to the tunes – and create a sense of warmth that's really great. Titles include "Sure Thang", "Shades Of Grey", "Touch You", "So Special", "I Want To Know", "No Matter What You Do", "Channel J", and "Had Enuf". LP, Vinyl record album

A great debut from Tata Vega – her first album for Motown, and a sparkling soul effort – recorded after an early career stretch with some headier crossover groups! Vega's got a positive, upbeat feel on the record that's mighty nice – a sort of energy that really draws from her roots, but points things in a sparkling new direction – still mostly sticking in mature soul modes, and avoiding any of the easier disco pitfalls that might have been taken at the time! Al Johnson handles the arrangements – with the same sort of balance of smooth and mature styles he brought to his own great records – a balance that works perfectly for Tata, as it allows her to work the full, wide range of her vocals, yet without ever going too far to end up as a cliche. Titles include "Try Love From The Inside", "Full Speed Ahead", "Keep It Coming", "Just As Long As There Is You", "Just When Things Are Getting Good", and "Music In My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet jazzy work from War – a record that has them stretching things out a bit from before, and finding new ways to groove for the second half of the 70s! All the core elements are still firmly in place – that sublime blend of jazz, soul, funk, and Latin elements – but there's a slight shift in the presentation, with maybe just a touch more of the jazz promised in the title – which might have to do with the album's initial placement as a Blue Note Records title! The first half of the record features all new material, showcasing this slight shift in the group's sound – and a mode that's nicely free of any hits – and the second half of the set brings back some key jazzy tracks from earlier records, which fit perfectly into place. Titles include "War Is Coming", "I Got You", "LA Sunshine", "Platinum Jazz", "Slowly We Walk Together", "River Niger", "H2Overture", "City Country City", "Four Cornered Room", and "Deliver The Word". LP, Vinyl record album

JJ Whitefield has given us plenty of funky records over the years – most in vintage styles, including work as Poets Of Rhythm and Karl Hector & The Malcouns! This time around, there's a sound library approach, but with the slight Ethio vibe you'd guess from the title on one side – then an Italian cinematic inspiration on the other! The Ethiopian-flavored tunes are maybe more laidback, and have some elements that resonate with the 70s golden age, but with a lean funk sound and a bit sharper production – as befits the sound library approach. The flipside echoes lots of great Italian crime/cop modes from the 70s – but again, with a slightly leaner style that really lets the best funky elements come through strongly! Titles include "Hulet", "Sost", "Arat", "Sebat", "Sidist", "Asir", "Orecchiete", "Parmagiano", "Strozzapreti", and "Buttoni". LP, Vinyl record album

Vintage blues from Atlantic Records, with a good dose of soul and R&B too – 83 tracks in all! Music from Blind Willie McTell, Johnh Lee Hooker, Stick McGhee, Chuck Norris, BB King, Albert King, Jimmy Yancey, Jack Dupree, Joe Turner, Li; Green, Otis Clay, ZZ Hill, Koko Taylor, Otis Rush & more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever recorded by vocalist Lorez Alexandria – and a perfect summation of her rich talents as a singer! Backing is by a small Chicago trio that includes John Young on piano, Vernel Fournier on drums, and George Eskridge on bass – but the arrangements of the tracks, and Lorez's unique interpretations drive the tunes into territory that's surprisingly advanced for the 1962 date of the session. You'll recognize most of the tunes – but as the old adage goes, it's not the song, but the singer – and you'll hear Lorez crafting a rich tapestry of sound and emotion from titles like "No Moon At All", "I Was A Fool", "Detour Ahead", "Travlin Light", and "I Want To Talk About You". The album's a gem – right up there with her best work ever! LP, Vinyl record album

The first full-length from Mos Def and Talib Kweli together as Black Star – a benchmark moment in hip hop history, and one of the finest duo vocal hip hip records of the 90s – and one of the best ever on Rawkus! In hindsight, it's all the more rewarding given Talib Kweli's longevity in proud, mic skills centric hip hop and while highs and lows of Mos Def's work as the years rolled along – and it still stands as strong (then) underground hip hop that takes on the commercial leaning themes of the day and well beyond. Stand out cuts include "Definition" "Twice Inna Lifetime", "Children's Story", "Respiration" featuring Common Sense – and other tracks include "Brown Skin Lady", "Yo Yeah", "Thieves In The Night" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most cooking work of the 70s from Dexter Gordon – and that's saying a lot, given all his overseas sessions and late-life work for Columbia Records! The format here is different than both of those, though – in that it's both a sharp hardbop set, with a real back-to-basics vibe – but also one that has much more of an overall group feel, instead of some of the longer-form solo vehicles that Gordon recorded for Steeplechase Records. There's definitely a blowing session vibe – tracks are long, and there's multiple soloists who each get extended time in the spotlight – but there's also a careful sense of structure, brought to the record no doubt by producer Don Schlitten – who'd handled classic dates in the past for Prestige. The group features both Gordon and Al Cohn on tenors, Blue Mitchell and Sam Noto on trumpets, Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – a hell of a lineup that really makes magic on "On The Trail", "Allen's Alley", and "Silver Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite-ever album by Alice Coltrane – a masterpiece of spirit and soul, recorded in a wonderfully open-handed style – and with a vibe that's maybe a bit different than some of her other records, especially the ones with larger groups! The album's mostly a spare batch of tracks cut by Alice and her trio with Ron Carter on bass and Ben Riley on drums – a group who are already wonderful, and maybe a bit more introspective than Coltrane in other settings – and they're joined at a few points by guest tenor from both Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders – both at key parts of their career, and really adding a lot to the album! Pharoah and Joe blow with beautiful post-Coltrane spirituality on the tracks "Ptah The El Daoud" and "Mantra" – but equally great is the beautiful spare piano cut "Turiya & Ramakrishna" – an incredible tune that has Alice playing with a soulfulness you'd hardly expect! A real treasure all the way through – and the kind of album that ranks with the best in the Impulse catalog! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare material from John Coltrane – tracks that were done for Bethlehem Records at a time when he was just rising up as a leader, and still contributed work as a sideman! The album features Trane playing tenor on only four of the album's eight tracks – making it kind of surprising that they used his name in the title – but the album is a lesser-known batch of large group recordings that offer an interesting early chapter in his career! The main force behind the album is arranger Harry Tubbs – possibly not a name that's as sexy as John Coltrane, hence the billing – but a worthy leader for the date, given the quality of the music. Many of the other players here are small combo heroes who can also shine brightly in bigger groups – such as Donald Byrd and Art Farmer on trumpets, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Al Cohn on baritone sax, Eddie Costa on piano and vibes, and Oscar Pettiford on bass – plus Rolf Kuhn, making an early American appearance on clarinet. Coltrane gets in some nice, but short moments on the date – but the bigger charm is the full ensemble work – on titles that include "She Didn't Say Yes", "Turtle Walk", "At Home With The Blues", "Seabreeze", and "Love & The Weather". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little collaboration between saxophonist Hank Crawford and guitarist Calvin Newborn – a record that turns out to be one of the best from both players for the time! Crawford's managed to shake off some of the hoke of his earlier records – and although his sound here isn't earth-shattering, it's a lot fresher than it might be – with a laidback use of the alto that's augmented by some especially nice Fender Rhodes, as part of Hank's growing talents on the keyboard. Crawford also arranged and produced, but Newborn still gets in plenty of space too – using some bluesier licks to bring in an earthier tone, while still also staying in the smoother feel of the record. Titles include a remake of "Breezin", plus "Centerpiece", "Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You", "I Can't Stand It", "I Had A Dream", and "Frame For The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge one for Depeche Mode – an album that laid the ground work for pretty much all their big records to come! The album's one that moved them from being just another electro group in the post-punk years to pop giants, with a sense of songcraft that helped them rise to become one of the more enduring acts of this scene – with surprising longevity in their catalog, thanks to a record like this! The group hit it both hard and sweet on classics "Master & Servant" and "Blasphemous Rumors" – plus the huge crossover hit "People Are People" – and cuts that include "Something To Do", "Lie To Me", "Stories Of Old", "If You Want", and "Somebody". LP, Vinyl record album

The birth of a genius – and an amazing batch of early material from the legendary Bo Diddley! Even at his start, Bo was unlike anyone else – a completely unique, completely self-contained bluesman who not only brought a wealth of new songs and styles to Chess Records, but who also did so with a good deal of humor as well! This beautifully-done package perfectly traces Diddley's early roots at Chess – by going in session-by-session order, starting with key early singles, and moving into some of his weirder, wilder grooves. Given the shortness of the tunes, there's a huge amount of material in the package – offered up in master takes, alternates, and other odd versions – complete with information on all sessions and players. Titles include "Heart O Matic Love", "She's Fine She's Mine", "Pretty Thing", "Diddley Daddy", "Bo Diddley", "I'm A Man", "Who Do You Love", "Love Is Strange", "Down Home Special", "Bo Meets The Monster", "Say Man", "Say Boss Man", 'Mona", "Our Love Will Never Go", and "Crackin Up". LP, Vinyl record album

An early 80s gem from Aretha Franklin – one of the best of her years at Arista Records, thanks to solid help in the studio from the mighty Arif Mardin! Mardin's in perfect form here – the same blend of older soul and jazzier, more sophisticated styles that he was also bringing to Chaka Khan at the time – although Franklin's arguably more deserving of his talents, given her long relationship with the producer! There's a full, mature feel here – one that really gets Aretha back in gear as a singer, and shows off her talents to a new generation in new ways – yet all without trying too hard for a crossover hit. Tunes include a few originals by Franklin, and titles include "Kind Of Man", "Whole Lot Of Me", "Love All The Hurt Away", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "It's My Turn", "There's A Star For Everyone", and "Hold On I'm Coming". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool collection – all rare New Orleans R&B, originally issued on 50s singles by Chess Records, mostly handled by producer/arranger Paul Gayten! Features work by Al Little, Ralph Williams, TV Slim, Robert Green, Roland Cook, Sherman Jones, Charles Williams, Buddy Stewart, Virginia Darrow, Alanzo Stewart, and Gayten himself! LP, Vinyl record album

Al Green explores your mind – then moves onto your heart, your soul, and everything in between! The album's a classic in the best Hi Records tradition – and features Al moving into a style that's even more spiritual than before – serving up the sublime tracks "Take Me To The River" and "God Blessed Our Love", both of which seem to point strongly at the direction he would take in later years – but also managing to mix the secular with the spiritual, in a way that's as sexy as ever! Other tracks include the hit "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)", plus "One Nite Stand", "The City", "I'm Hooked On You", and "Stay With Me Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful trio work from Vijay Iyer – a set that's got his piano doing equal time with the drums of Tyshawn Sorey and bass of Linda May Han Oh – all at a level that reminds us why we first fell in love with Iyer's music many years back! The set's a return to the kind of records that really has Vijay reshaping the role of the trio in jazz – with every player rhythmic at once, but still also finding melodic moments together too – breaking down conventional structures, but never in a way that's free jazz either – just boldly, lyrically leaping towards the future! Titles include "Children Of Flint", "Touba", "Entrustment", "Configurations", "Uneasy", "Drummer's Song", and "Augury". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work by Laura Lee – a singer who's best known for her 70s hits on the Hot Wax label, but who sounds equally great here on her earlier sides for Chess! Lee's deep soul approach was a perfect match for Chess at the end of the 60s – and the work here often has her coming across with a hard and heavy approach that rivaled the best female soul coming out of Stax or Atlantic during the same era – no surprise, considering that most of the material here was recorded down in Muscle Shoals, far from the Chicago studios and sweeter production styles of most other artists on Chess! Rick Hall handled the Muscle Shoals material – in a real Fame Records mode – and other cuts were put together by Gene Barge and Cash McCall. The sound is great throughout – with a deeper soul groove than in her early 70s recordings, and vocal power that she hardly ever matched again! Titles include "Mama's Got A Good Thing", "That's How It Is", "Dirty Old Man", "She Don't Love You", "Another Man's Woman", "I Need to Belong To Someone", and "Love More Than Pride". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album in Peggy's career – one that featured some wonderful crossover hits that broke her into a whole new audience in the 60s – and which really helped cement Peggy's relationship with Capitol Records. Benny Carter and Dick Hazard arranged the set with a gentle bouncing swing – still jazzy enough to keep Peggy's sophisticated side in place, but buoyant enough to hit that syncopated groove that was helping singers like Sinatra and Sammy D find new chart success at the time. Titles include "The Alley Cat Song", "I'm Walkin", "Mack The Knife", "I'm A Woman", "One Note Samba", and "There Ain't No Sweet Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning hardbop set from drummer Shelly Manne – a player most folks associate with more arranged jazz, or cooler modes of the LA scene of the 50s – but a player who was already starting to open up and forge new roads by the end of that decade! Shelly became a surprising proponent of hardbop modes with a few key records like this – and the live setting has Manne leading a great group with really searing solo work that's very different than west coast cool jazz modes normally associated with both the drummer and the Contemporary label! The album features key work from trumpeter Joe Gordon – stunning work, recorded in the years before his too-soon death – and tenorist Richie Kamuca really opens up too – in a combo that also has Victor Feldman on piano and Monty Budwig on bass – going through very long tunes that are filled with extended solo space. Tracks on this fourth volume include "Cabu", "Just Squeeze Me", and "Nightingale". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic early 60s session for Candid Records – put together by a group that includes Charles Mingus, Max Roach, and a host of other musicians who were working here as "Newport Rebels" – by setting up the Jazz Artists Guild Festival as a protest against the increasingly commercialized Newport date! And for the record, the group definitely live up to their name – really shaking off the easier modes popularized at the Newport festival, and coming across with a style that's much more modern, firey, and righteous! Other artists include Abbey Lincoln on vocals, Booker Little on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eric Dolphy on saxophone, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone – and titles include a great rendition of "Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do" – plus 2 other great originals, "Cliff Walk" by Booker Little and "Mysterious Blues" by Mingus. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest albums on the Groove Merchant label – and one of the best! Ramon Morris has a sweet tone on the tenor that works very well with the electric piano in his tight little combo – grooving with a style that's like the best Black Jazz funk records of the time – mixing together bright notes, funky rhythms, and plenty of great chord changes! Cecil Bridgewater's on trumpet, and the band has a really righteous feel – with lots of real soul and thoughtful playing mixed into the jazz funk grooves of the record. Massive – with titles that include "Sweat", "Lord Sideways", "Sweet Sister Funk", and a nice version of "People Make The World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record from Charlie Palmieri – and one of his oddest! The "electro" in the title refers to a strange tinny organ that Charlie plays on many cuts on the record, a cool little instrument that gives the songs a nice twist. The backing's pretty great in the classic Coco Records mode – with strong salsa grooving, and a list of players that includes Tito Puente, Manny Oquendo, Roberto Roena, Cortijo, Cachao, and Andy Gonzalez. The record features a groovy little funk number called "The Taxi Driver" – plus Latin numbers like "Para Caracas Me Voy", "Maracaibo Oriental", "Salazon", and "Las Negritas De Carnaval". LP, Vinyl record album

A very funky double-length live set that stands as a real gem in the 70s catalog of Houston Person! The date was recorded for the obscure Eastbound arm of the Westbound funk label – and features a killer lineup that includes Grant Green on guitar, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Jack McDuff on organ, Idris Muhammad on drums, and Spanky Wilson on vocals – a very soulful setting for Person's strong work on tenor! The set's got long tracks with plenty of Prestige Records-styled jazz funk – and titles include versions of "Pain" by the Ohio Players and "Crazy Legs" by Donald Austin, plus the tracks "Kittitian Carnival", "Where Is The Love", and "Easy Walker". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest, grooviest Christmas records we've heard in years – a set that's the first-ever effort from Roman Coppola's Molto Groovy Productions – and which has a mod 60s vibe all the way through! The styles here are steeped in the best Italian soundtrack modes from years back – cool keyboards, fuzzy organ, funky basslines, and lots of offbeat instrumentation that really transforms the tunes – almost as if someone like Piero Umiliani or Ennio Morricone recorded a whole album of Christmas instrumentals! The sound is perfect – even better than you might suspect from the cover – and you can take it from us, as we're not easily fooled by "fake" retro projects – and really tip our hat to these guys for getting the instrumentation, arrangements, and production just right. Most titles are familiar songs, but done in very unusual styles – and tracks include "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Joy To The World", "Jingle Bells", "Sleigh Ride", "Feliz Navidad", "Little Drummer Boy", "Silver Bells", and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". LP, Vinyl record album