If you like 80s keyboards, you'll find plenty to love here – as Krzystof Duda works on a whole host of classic keys – Arp Axxe, Micromoog, Korg Polysix, Solina String Ensmeble, Hohner Clavinet, and even a bit of Fender Rhodes – used mostly on tunes that just feature Duda himself, but with occasional guest spots along the way on bass, drums, and guitar! Jolanta Rados sings on three tracks, but most of the record is instrumental – and very much in the best keyboard-driven, catchy side of the 80s sound library world – with titles that include "Mister GD", "Music Market, "Epidemia Nudy", "W Stylu Punk", "Slodycz Nocy", and "Takie Sobie Trzy Po Trzy". CD

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin McInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include "Va Va Voom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gallard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. LP, Vinyl record album

Very moody work from Polish keyboardist Wladyslaw Komendarek – an unreleased album from 1990, and one that features a whole host of Korg, Casio, and Yamaha Keyboards – all creating a dark soundscape that's very much in keeping with the image on the cover! This isn't playful robot music, as you might find in the work of Der Plan at the start of the previous decade – and instead, Komendarek crafts a very dystopic sort of record – each track longer than the next, and creating a world where it really seems like the robots have won the war! Titles include "Zadanie", "Inwazja", "Korekta Inteligencji", and "Milosc Robotow". The set also features two bonus tracks added to the record – "Synergia" and "Kepler 1649C". CD

One of the coolest Japanese albums of the 70s to blend classic instrumentation and contemporary elements – a record that's got plenty of the koto promised in the title, but which also serves up the music with a wonderfully rich vibe throughout! The style is more in sophisticated soundtrack territory, but with an undercurrent of funk underneath the larger arrangements – ala David Axelrod – and next to the koto played on each track by Toshiko Yonekawa, you'll find some wonderful basslines, vibes, and even some occasional tenor as well – all wrapped together in these really stunning arrangements from Kiyoshi Yamaya! The whole thing's as beautiful as it is groovy – and titles include "Tanchame", "Konpira Fune Fune", "Oshima Bushi", "Kaigara Bushi", "Sado Okesa", and "Tosa No Sunayama". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just a "cellarful" of Motown – a wealth of great tracks, all of which are previously unreleased! This incredible 2CD set is a landmark in the history of both Motown and Northern Soul – as it brings together 40 tracks that were recorded in the glory days of the Detroit scene, but never issued at the time. A number of cuts on the set have risen to fame over the years as bootlegs floating around the UK club scene, and they're issued properly here for the first time ever, along side other lost gems that will soon become new classics to a generation of soul fans – all wrapped up in one great package filled with notes on the music, and listing the origins of the tunes! Titles include "My Sugar Baby" by Frank Wilson, "Baby A Go Go" by Barbara McNair, "How Can I" by Brenda Holloway, "He Was Really Sayin Somethin" by Earl Van Dyke, "Until You Came Along" by Carolyn Crawford, "Before It's Over" by Sammy Ward, "Long Gone Lover" by Velvelettes, "If You Ever Get Your Hands On Me" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Lucky Lucky Me" by Jimmy Ruffin, "I Wish I Liked You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Made Me Feel Like" by Syreeta, "Don't Let Me Down" by Kim Weston, "Don't Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today" by The Monitors, and "It Must Be Love Baby" by Chuck Jackson & Yvonne Fair. Lots lots more, and filled with wonderful tunes! CD

Some folks might associate Philadelphia soul with the famous Gamble & Huff productions of the 70s disco years – but the city was already overflowing with great music in the years before Philadelphia International – as you'll hear in this totally groovy set! Philly was making as much great soul music in the 60s as Detroit, Chicago, and New York – thanks to an earlier musical framework that was set up by the city's big pop hits of the late 50s – which provided plenty of labels, studios, and other facilities for Philly's ever-growing array of soul talents, too – so much so that by the end of the 60s, the city was turning into a destination for singers outside of town – almost as much of a musical magnet as studios in Memphis or Muscle Shoals! This set does a great job of bringing together both aspects of that scene – wonderful homegrown talent, mixed with outsiders to really took off in the new Philly sound of the 60s – a joyous, positive, upbeat approach that worked wonderfully well for a variety of artists. Titles include "Your Fool Still Loves You" by Oscar Weathers, "It's All Over But The Shouting" by George Tindley, "You've Been Untrue" by The Delfonics, "Ain't Nothing But A House Party" by The Show Stoppers, "Peace To You Brother" by Lou Johnson, "Christine" by Executive Suite, "Help Me" by Honey & The Bees, "You Got What I Need" by Freddie Scott, "Rainmaker" by The Moods, "Keep On Striving" by Moses Smith, "That's The Price You Have To Pay" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "What You Gave Up" by The Continental 4, "Every Day Is A Holiday" by The Intruders, "Standing In The Darkness" by The Ethics, and "Girl You're Too Young" by Len Barry. CD

An incredible blend of sounds and styles – and one of the most enigmatic albums we've ever heard from the Ethiopian scene! Hailu Mergia plays alone here – but uses lots of overdubbing to layer together Fender Rhodes, accordion solos, and a rhythm machine – all mixed up in ways that make for some incredibly haunting melodies and wonderfully spacey grooves! There's a quality to the music that definitely echoes some of the most mysterious Ethiopian sounds of the 70s – but inflected through a sort of space-age vibe, given the keyboards and rhythm tracks – both of which are used sparingly, but in a really great way. Imagine Mulatu playing in Conny Plank's studio, and you'll get part of the picture of this one – a really unique album that includes the tracks "Hebo Lale", "Shilela", "Hari Meru Meru", "Wegene", "Laloye", "Sewenetuwa", and "Ambasel". CD

A sublime easy classic by The Mystic Moods – who by this time had transformed from a simple "sound effects plus easy listening" group into a sexy electric LA combo. This is one of their first albums for Warner, recorded with a nice sly slightly-funky sound – and it's a captivating batch of sexy easy tracks that have a nice groove bubbling underneath. Cuts include "Electric Music and The Summer People", "Reason For Staying", "My Love, My Life", and "Crystal Morning". Lots of watery sound effects too! LP, Vinyl record album

The masterpiece by one of the greatest genuine rock bands of all time – finally remastered! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as genuine. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". Includes 6 bonus tracks of outtakes & demos. CD

The Chicago River famously flooded in 1992, but not in a typical way – as the flood was the result of an accident in which the river "leaked" into the city, rather than overtaking it – almost a comical accident that is memorialized here in a benefit performance by the great Hal Russell! Hal's at his most charming here – speaking a bit with that burnt-out voice that he could do so well, as he reads some poetry by Philip Egert, then moves over to blow tenor, soprano, and trumpet – as well as handle drums and percussion – all in duo formation with Joel Futterman, who plays piano, Indian flute, curved soprano sax, and more percussion. The very extended set was performed live at the city's Southend Music Works – and is very much in the looser, unbridled, sometimes shaggy spirit of the free jazz scene in Chicago from the time! CD

A really great fusion set from 70s Poland – a record that's got all these spare and spacious sounds – so that the music comes across with currents that are nicely funky at times, even if these guys aren't strictly a jazz funk outfit! The group have a great way of taking their time, never jamming too hard in a rockish mode – which makes all the great Fender Rhodes lines really sound great, especially when they're matched by reed work from guest Wilson De Oliveira – who blows tenor, soprano, and flute throughout! Most tracks are longish, and titles include "Lutella", "Fly Over", "Hole In The Clouds", "Lotos", and "Phillway". CD

One of those records that should be an insane dark mess, given the look of the cover – but which turns out to be a surprisingly well put-together effort all the way through! Zappa does a great job of hiding behind his hair here – never acting with the pomp that a pop genius like him could easily have enacted – and instead passing off the record as if it's just another freakout – despite the fact that the arrangements are some of his tightest, most focused, and downright groovy so far! There's plenty of key musical help to make the whole thing come out right – including bass from Shuggie Otis, the inimitable voice Captain Beefheart, on the cassic "Willie The Pimp", violin from Jean-Luc Ponty, drums from Paul Humphrey, and bass from Max Bennett – all players who really live up to the musical complexity of Zappa's compositions – often with a pre-fusion vibe that's almost unexpected. Other titles include "Son Of Mr Green Grass", "The Gumbo Variations", "It Must Be A Camel", "Peaches In Regalia", and "Little Umbrellas". LP, Vinyl record album

A great criss-crossing of modes at the end of the 60s – music that has roots in country, but which comes off with plenty of funk and soul as well – in styles that were burning strong from LA on eastward, all the way across the south at the time! Some of the grooves here might fall into the "swamp rock" mode of the time – while others showcase hip LA artists mixing rootsy elements with tighter studio production – and a few more have genre-crossing country artists trying on some more soulful modes for good measure. The range of work is really great – and quite surprising, too – and the whole thing's got a great look that really illuminates the music within. Titles include "Northeast Texas Women" by Willis Allan Ramsey, "Nobody" by Larry Williams & Johnny Watson, "Collection Box" by Thomas Jefferson Kaye, "Me & Mr Hohner" by Bobby Darin, "Hunger Child Blues" by Townes Van Zant, "California Women" by Hoyt Axton, "Pay Day Give Away" by Bill Wilson, "Shotgun Willie" by Willie Nelson, "Cajun Moon" by JJ Cale, "Sumpin Funky Going On" by Donnie Fritts, and "Don't Let Me Down" by Dillard & Clark. CD

Music from Chuck Prophet & Scott Matthews, Thin White Rope, Trick Bag, David Dreams, Monks Of Doom, the Corn Dollies, Bevis Frond, the Shamen, Giant Sand, the Membranes, 501 Spanish Verbs and more. CD

There's lots of wild electronics here, and plenty of other great sounds too – served up in a host of very cool tracks from a range of short animated features from Poland – not kiddie cartoon music, but work that's often got a very spare and spacey sort of vibe! The set's awash in keyboard sounds and other electronic modes – sometimes playful, but often times a bit more open, and almost experimental – lots of moogy touches on the 70s work, and some more digital-styled keyboards as the 80s move in – presented at a level that's right up there with some of the best East European sound library material we love from the Gad label! The set features work from "Defekt" by Marek Wilczynski, "Knock Down" and "Studium" by Zenono Kowalowski, "Ptak" and "Palacz Guzla" by Zbigniew Lampart, "Idylla" by Tadeusz Kocyba, and "Zielony Dywersant" by Boguslaw Pasternak. CD

One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from saxophonist Mats Gustafsson – a series of duets with guitarist David Stackenas, all done as tributes to blues greats of years past! As with other "tribute" projects by artists like Gustafsson or Ken Vandermark, the core inspiration for the music is very submerged in the actual results – so that the album's not actually a blues record by the players, but one that draws sympathies, feelings, colors, and tones from the music – and recasts it in a freely improvisatory manner. Mats plays baritone sax throughout, which makes for a haunting contrast with the acoustic guitar work of Stackenas – and there's a feel here that's almost a bit like some of Gustafsson's duets with David Grubbs. Titles include "Shave Em Wet", "Bumble Bee Blues", "Built To Do What You Did Last Night", and "Take Your Hand Off It". CD

Some of the funkiest work we've ever heard from the great Polish jazzman Jerzy Milian – working here in the late 70s, and with a larger ensemble too – all in a level that's often got plenty of cop/crime soundtrack influence in the grooves! Milian's vibes are still in the mix somewhere, but the main focus is on the larger sound of the group – who maybe come across like some of the best funky Henry Mancini music from a few years before! There's keyboards on most numbers, and some added strings – and at points, there's even some very groovy wordless vocals – while Milian gets a bit of help from Andrzej Minkacz and Andrzej Marko directing the group. Titles include "Nemezja", "Pan Prominent", "Posejdona Humory", "Barabara", "Bernina", "Czarne Lusterko", and "Lysy W Kolysce" – plus versions of "Umbrellas Of Cherbourg", "How Deep Is Your Love", and "Hey Jude". CD features four bonus tracks – "Aria", "Co Kumo Sie Sni", "Prized Pojednaniem", and "Cheek To Cheek". CD

The second album by the groundbreaking British jazz trio led by pianist Howard Riley – and one that's even more startling than the first. Riley's trio again includes Barry Guy on bass and Alan Jackson on drums – and the group of them make some incredibly beautiful music that's unlike most of the other jazz we can recall from the period. Sure, there's hints of 60s free jazz, and bits of the progressive turn that would show up in the UK jazz of the 70s – but most of the work is startlingly new, with a conception of piano trio material that's left us breathless. Guy's bass work is especially wonderful – as he changes at will from plucking to bowing to fingering the instrument in strange and wonderful ways. Titles include "Sphere", "Playtime", "Funeral Song", "Winter", "Dawn Vision", and "High". CD

A very groovy little soundtrack – with a mixture of Zorba The Greek type Greek themes, plus hippy dippy psyche touches, and even a bit of Barbarella-like fuzz! The film imagines a 1972 in which hippies kind of go crazy in Greece – and the "future hippy" style of the music makes for some great touches that rank the album with Thedorakis' best work from the time. Titles include "Stand By For The Tourist Boom", "Sex On The Rocks", "Looking For the Bomb", "The Jet Rock", "Let's Dance The Jet", and "Karos 1972 AD". LP, Vinyl record album

Majestic music from the mighty Popcorn Wylie – the Detroit soul legend best known for his work in the 60s, but an artist who really shines on this rare 70s set for ABC! The album was done during the same stretch as Lamont Dozier's ABC work – and like those records, this set features killer arrangements and production from McKinley Jackson – who updates an older Detroit groove strongly, while still keeping all the real soul elements of Popcorn's music intact! Dozier helped a bit on some of the tunes, and the whole thing's got a soaring, joyous feel that's really wonderful – uptempo without being uptight, positive without sounding hokey, and perfectly in a unique space that's all its own. Gene Page and Paul Riser throw in a bit of soul on some tracks too – sweetening things up with just the right touches of strings and horns – and Popcorn's vocals are great, especially on some of the more hauntingly-constructed tunes. Titles include the massive "ESP", which begins with an echoey breakbeat, then rolls into a great hook – plus "Trust In Me", "How Did I Lose You", "Georgia's After Hours", "Lost Time", "I Can Take The World On With You", "Both Ends Against The Middle", and "Singing About You And Me". CD

Music from Tom Jones, Nancy Sinatra, The John Barry Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney & Wings, Lulu, Carly Simon, Shirley Bassey, Sheena Easton, Rita Coolidge, Duran Duran, a-ha, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Garbage, Madonna, Chris Cornell, and much more. CD

Classic Christmas cuts from a range of female singers – some jazzy, some a bit more pop – almost all recording these sweet little gems in the postwar years, during a huge boom of Holiday music in the US! Titles include "Snowbound" by Sarah Vaughan, "The Christmas Song" by Peggy Lee, "Winter Wonderland" by The Andrews Sisters, "I'd Like You For Christmas" by Julie London, "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt, "The Tree" by Peggy Lee, "Jingle Bells" by Dinah Shore, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland, "The Man With The Bag" by Kay Starr, "Frosty The Snowman" by Ella Fitzgerald, and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Patti Page. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of reggae remakes of famous soul and funk tunes – all served up from a later generation of the scene, which makes a nice change from some of the more ska and rocksteady collections of this nature! It's no secret that Jamaican music was initially given a strong inspiration from American soul – and even in this generation, when the Kingston scene had really found its own groove, other influences would still come into the music in a really great way – as you'll hear on these really cool reworkings of themes from Ohio Players, McFadden & Whitehead, Barry White, and others! The production of most of these cuts is great – different than some of the more disco-oriented material that would copy American work – more laidback, with some currents of lovers rock as well – and funky, but in a laidback way. Titles include "Midnight" by Willie Lindo, "Skin Tight" by Lloyd Charmers, "Strange Compulsion" by Sheila Hylton, "Moving On" by Leslie Butler, "Funky Rasta" by Ronnie Butler, "Crowded City" by The Messengers, "Chemistry Of Love" by Susan Cadogan, "Can't Stop Rasta Now" by Ras Midas, and "Deeper & Deeper" by Lloyd Charmers. CD

An essential look at the spiritual jazz legacy of Impulse Records – a set that's maybe a bit overdue in this series, given that Impulse first opened the door to these modes with their recordings of John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders in the 60s! For some reason, Impulse had a perfect ear for this music – able to let players stretch out and be free, but also work some of the earlier modal jazz impulses into longer-form tunes that still had a pulse of rhythm – and which were often a bit different than the freer jazz styles on a label like ESP. Make no mistake, there's plenty of improvisation going on here – but it's also part of the larger, unified spirit of the tunes – a real message in the music, on selections that include "Sister Mamie" by Yusef Lateef, "Three Flowers" by McCoy Tyner, "7th Day" by Freddie Hubbard, "Half & Half" by Elvin Jones, "Groove Waltz" by McCoy Tyner, "The Blessing Song" by Michael White, "Turiya & Ramakrishna" by Alice Coltrane, "A Taste Of Honey" by Phil Woods, "Constant Trob (part 1)" by John Klemmer, "Hum Allah Hum Allah Hum Allah" by Pharoah Sanders, "Maimoun" by Marion Brown, "Lonesome Lover" by Max Roach, "Fantszm" by Elvin Jones, "Acknowledgement" by John Coltrane, "Thembi" by Pharoah Sanders, and "Journey In Satchidananda" by Alice Coltrane. And let us say that even if you have some of these tracks on other records, there's something completely sublime about the way the whole thing is put together – and the way the tracks sound next to each other! CD

One of the greatest moments ever from pianist Sadik Hakim – a player most people know for his contribution to the American bop scene of the late 40s – but an artist who grew even more strongly during his later years in Montreal! This album's a real highlight from that overlooked time in Hakim's career – a set that not only has the musician playing both Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano, but which also highlights his tremendous skill as a writer, too – with a richness that easily rivals the best on the European scene of the time – such as some of our favorite London jazz musicians, or the great work on MPS. Side one features the extended "London Suite" – a work that's poetic, but also pretty darn groovy too – and side two features on shorter compositions that include "Liliane", "Grey Cup Caper", and "Moon In Aquarius" – all carried off beautifully by a group that includes Al Khabyyr Sayyd Abdul on alto and flute, Billy Robinson on tenor, and Peter Leitch on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

The noisy, nasty side of French new wave – not the too-clean sounds that always got shoved off on the rest of the world as a Paris export back in the day – but the grittier, dirtier electronic numbers that clearly set the tone for the big French explosion in recent years! The styles here are much more similar to work coming out of the UK and Germany at the time – particularly the latter, and the kind of playful but noisy work you might find on a label like Ata Tak – which would be a good comparison for lots of the great grooves here. Titles include "Pretty Day" by Mary Moor, "Game & Performance" by Deux, "Polaroid Roman Photo" by Ruth, "Aller Simple" by Vitor Hublot, "Viol Af Dis" by Casino Music, "Terroriste" by Vox Dei, and "Ping Pong" by Act. LP, Vinyl record album

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Todd Yukumoto on saxophone and HyeKyung Lee on piano. CD

All-star jazz from the Japanese scene of the early 60s – a record that's almost in the Verve Records jam session or JATP style – as it features some of the greatest players on the Japanese scene of the time, coming together on some really long tracks that take off in a beautiful way! The set features two cuts, each taking up a side of the record – and that leaves plenty of room for long solo contributions from musicians who include Sadao Watanabe on alto, Akira Miyazawa on tenor, Norio Maeda on piano, Takeshi Inomata on drums, Shungo Sawada on guitar, and Akira Nakano on trumpet. Players are different on each side of the record – changing things up nicely, to present the range of new Japanese jazz voices that were making the start of the 60s such a key part of the scene – and the titles include extended takes on "Moanin" and "Walkin". LP, Vinyl record album

A key showcase of some of the fantastic groups who were starting to shape the sound of jazz on the Japanese jazz scene at the start of the 60s –a set that's a nice contrast to the first volume in this series, which featured all of the different musicians jamming together! Here, leadership is the focus – as each number has the musicians showing of the way that they were moving Japanese instrumental music past some of the more mood-based styles that were still pretty dominant in the mainstream, and instead taking very strong lessons from the 50s American wave of players who revolutionized the sound of jazz with hardbop! Nearly every player here is at the start of their career, but about to unfurl music that would shape Japanese jazz for decades to come – and titles include "Late At Night" played by the combo of pianist Masao Yagi, "With A Feeling Of Love" played by tenorist Akira Miyazawa, "Four On Six" by guitarist Shungo Sawada, "For Singers Only" by pianist Norio Maeda, "What's Now" by pianist Keitaro Miho, and "Alone Together" by altoist Sadao Watanabe. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – a real standout in Solomon Burke's career! This set features him working with arrangements that are smooth, mellow, and sexy – very much in the Barry White and Isaac Hayes mode, a style that's a perfect fit for Solomon's voice, which was warm and deep back when White and Hayes were just kids! Gene Page did some of the arrangements with Solomon, and the record's a wonderfully unified session with a mellow 70s soul feel that's just great. Titles include "Everlasting Love", "Music To Make Love By", "Midnight & You", "You & Your Baby Blues", and "Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You". CD

An incredible record – a real standout in Solomon Burke's career! This set features him working with arrangements that are smooth, mellow, and sexy – very much in the Barry White and Isaac Hayes mode, a style that's a perfect fit for Solomon's voice, which was warm and deep back when White and Hayes were just kids! Gene Page did some of the arrangements with Solomon, and the record's a wonderfully unified session with a mellow 70s soul feel that's just great. Titles include "Everlasting Love", "Music To Make Love By", "Midnight & You", "You & Your Baby Blues", and "Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You". CD

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Sweet Spanish fusion from the 70s – served up by a group with the name Musica Urbana, which others have taken up as a style in more contemporary years! This set's pure 70s, though – and has a strong link with some of the more creative fusion projects from the South American scene too – as the combo blend together some older instrumental phrasings with more contemporary styles – so that you'll hear some acoustic guitar, flute, and percussion mixed with more driving rhythms and 70s styled-keyboards – the latter of which are handled by group arranger Joan Albert Amargos, who also blows soprano sax, alto, and bass clarinet. Other players in the lineup include Jordi Bonell on guitars, Matthew Simon on trumpet, and Jaume Cortadellas on flute – on titles that include "Vacances Perdudes", "En Buenas Manos", "Invitation Au Xiulet", and "Pasodoble Balear". CD

An incredible revamping of some of the most important material recorded by Albert Ayler in the years before his too-soon death – a package that adds in over two hours of new music to the original three volume Fondation Maeght recordings – which were usually issued in low-budget packages without the care that this set receives! Ayler is fantastic here – very spiritual, and bridging the gap between his early material for ESP and his later work on Impulse – less of the experiments of the studio sets of those later years, and more of the searing longform improvisation that he could deliver at his best! The group features wonderful work from Mary Parks (Mary Maria) on soprano sax, plus Call Cobbs on piano, Steve Tintweiss on bass, and Allen Blairman on drums – and Parks delivers a sublime vocal on a version of "Music Is the Healing Voice Of The Universe". Ayler blows both tenor and soprano – and the set features a whopping 29 tracks, recorded on July 25 and 27 in 1970 – titles that include "Spirits Rejoice", "Thank God For Women", "Revelations", "Holy Family", "A Man Is Like A Tree", "Zion Hill", "Truth Is Marching In", "Love Cry", "Ghsots", "Speaking In Tongues", "Heart Love", "Island Harvest", "Masonic Inborn", and a few versions of "Revelations". CD

A rock-solid set from the late 70s European years of Chet Baker – a set that's done with a more conventional quartet, which is different than some of his looser, lighter lineups of the time! The vibe is a bit like old school Chet, but the tracks are still open and have that nicely exploratory sense of sound that made the last decade of Baker's life such a musical revelation – a time of renewed creativity, even when most of the American scene had written him off! The group features Phil Markowitz on piano, Scott Lee on bass, and Jeff Brillinger on drums. All tracks nice and long – with versions of "Broken Wing", "Beautiful Black Eyes", and "This Is Always". Features the first-time vinyl appearance of the tracks "I Remember You" and "Love For Sale". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout set in the later years of trumpet legend Chet Baker – in part because the record features some wonderful tenor work from the equally legendary Warne Marsh! Marsh at this point in his career has really developed a subtle edge – this slight current of darkness that wasn't there at the start, and which works well next to the moody qualities that Baker developed in his final years too. Equally wonderful is the piano of Hod O'Brien – a great and overlooked musician, and one who has this almost broken-down quality that really fits the emotive energy of the date. Other players include Eddie Gladden on drums and Cecil McBee on bass – the latter of whom is a bit of a surprise on such a session – on titles that include "Imagination", "We Know It's Love", "Well Spoken", "Blues For A reason", and "Looking Good Tonight". Features a great bonus track – an alternate of "Looking Good Tonight", on vinyl for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early work from British singer Vashti Bunyan – an important figure in the acid folk scene at the end of the 60s, heard here on some really wonderful work from a few years before! Some of the tracks have a really trippy style, and others are a bit more like conventional Brit girl pop of the time – but given a very weird twist overall, with a sound that's quite hard to describe! Vashti's vocals have these really dark qualities overall – and even when the backings are fuller (which often they are not), there's a sad, earthy feel to her singing. But equally great is her guitar work – heard with more prominence on most of the album's previously-unissued tracks from mid 60s tapes. Bunyan plays with these warm harmonics that kind of nestle and bristle underneath her vocals – pushing the tunes up with a sense of brightness in contrast to the voice – almost in a Nick Drake sort of way (and trust us, we don't throw around comparisons to his music easily!) The package is a wonderful look at these almost-lost years of Vashti's career – and it features both sides of her Decca and Columbia singles, an unreleased Immediate single, and a lot more tracks pulled from rare tapes from 1964, 1966, and 1967! Set features 25 tracks that include "Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind", "Train Song", "Love Song", "Winter Is Blue", "Leave Me", "How Do I Know", "Go Before Dawn", "Girl's Song In Winter", "Don't Believe", "17 Pink Sugar Elephants", "Someday", and "I Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of heavy love here – a wonderful sense of rapport between the great tenorist Al Cohn and piano genius Jimmy Rowles! Both musicians were still recording heavily at the time of this album, but the record seems to capture them in a really special space that still stands strongly on its own – a mode that's much more relaxes than some of the Pablo Records sessions of the time, and which has Cohn in an especially striking mode – really hitting these openly-blown, often-angular lines that are dripping with soul – more heart and feeling than we might normally expect from him, matched equally by Jimmy Rowles' wonderful phrasing on piano – very much here at the top shelf level he delivered with Stan Getz on The Peacocks album. Titles include "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Bar Talk", "These Foolish Things", "Them There Eyes", and "Sweet & Lovely". Features the bonus track "For All We Know". CD

A stunning achievement as a leader from Alabaster DePlume – material that's maybe some of the most powerful he's ever given us, even though the core of the record comes from the same sessions as his previous album, Gold! As with that record, the material here was originally performed at the Total Refreshment Centre in London, but is then completely transformed by DePlume as he works his way through the recordings – shifting things around, changing up the original sounds, and letting the selection and mixing process create the album's sound in the best International Anthem style – but also at a level that showcases DePlume's compositional ear! Alabaster plays tenor, guitar, and keyboards – and other musicians include James Howard on guitar, Tom Herbert on bass, and Sarathy Korwar on drums and tablas – and there's a number of other voices who drift through the mix as well, sometimes with full lyrical contributions, sometimes in more subtle ways. Titles include "Did You Know", "Levels Of Human", "Not Even Sobbing", "Sibomandi", "Greek Honey Slick", "Broken Again", "Naked Like Water", "The Best Thing In The World", and "To That Voice & Say". LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo set that Dr Dre cut after leaving NWA – and a record that not only set the tone for his solo career, but also for a huge run of albums from other folks in the years to come! Dre's as much of a production genius as he is a frontman here – really pushing forward some of the best elements he brought to the music of NWA, and also providing a great showcase for the young Snoop Dogg too! And yes, there were so many other records that tried to hit this territory right afterwards, and ended up more in the realm of parody – but the doctor really stays ahead of the pack here throughout, with a record that holds up surprisingly well over the years. Titles include the cuts "F**k Wit Dre Day", "Let Me Ride", "Nuthin' But A G Thang", "Lil Ghetto Boy", "A N***a Witta Gun", "B!tches Ain't Sh!t", "The Chronic", "Deeez Nuts", and "Stranded On Death Row". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard music from pianist Red Garland – working here with a unique trio that features Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a lineup that only existed for this one set of performances from 1977! The material is great – maybe better than most Garland albums issued at the time – and the tracks were recorded with great care at the Keystone Korner club in San Francisco – at a level that's similar to the best Fantasy Records live dates from the venue, which were often like this album – a great chance for the artist to really stretch out and do something new! Garland still has that fluid, lyrical sensibility we love in his famous 50s sides – but there's also a much richer, more sophisticated approach to the piano as well – an even deeper sense of tonal color that comes through on the album's long tracks. Jones is great too – increasingly complex during these years, as you'd hear on his own recordings – and a great accompaniment to Red's new modes of expression. The whole thing presents 150 minutes of unreleased music, plus some great notes and photos too – and titles include "Love For Sale", "Billy Boy", "Blues In Bebop", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bag's Groove", "On A Clear Day", "Straight No Chaser", "Autumn Leaves", and even a version of "The Christmas Song" (since the material was recorded a few weeks before Christmas!) CD

Jessie Mae Hemphill might look like an 80s blues artist on the cover, but the record's got a much more vintage vibe – as the set features field recordings done on New Years Eve in 1989, with Jessie Mae singing in a style that seems geared to ring in the year with the ghosts of the past! The music has this really dark, moody vibe – guitar progressions that are cyclical and downturning – almost the sort of energy that Nick Cave was trying to put in his music at the time, but could never do this well – especially when topped with the raw, raspy vocals of Hemphill. Titles include "Holy Ghost", "DC9", "Run Get My Shotgun", "Married Man Blues", "Train Train", and "Nothing That You Say". LP, Vinyl record album

Really fantastic music from pianist Ahmad Jamal – a set of tracks that's a really nice change from some of the recordings he was doing for Chess Records in the early 60s, and which definitely point the way towards the more stretched-out performances to come on Impulse Records! As the title implies, the setting is live – and Jamal really stretches out here on a number of tunes – working with a free-flowing sense of lyrical beauty that's even more stunning than in the shorter space of a studio cut – really skilled with that ear for tone and timing that made his work such a fresh voice on the piano scene at the time, and a subtle hint at righteous modes to come in the following generation. Chuck Lampkin is on drums throughout, and one set features Richard Evans on bass, the other Jamil Nasser – on long takes of "Bogota", "Minor Adjustments", "All Of You", "Squatty Roo", "Keep On Keeping On", "Minor Moods", "Lollipops & Roses", "Tangerine", and "But Not For Me". CD

One of the best albums that Lou Rawls cut with the team of HB Barnum and David Axelrod – that incredible duo who made some of his 60s Capitol albums so great! The style here is wonderful – upbeat grooves from Barnum – who brings more soul into Lou's music than before – recorded by Axelrod with the right sort of sharpness and punch – that special quality he brought to Cannonball Adderley's 60s soul classics too! Rawls is really at home in the setting – stepping out in some points with these hip monologue passages that are as great as his singing – maybe even better, too – as they show a whole new side of Lou's personality – that badass, totally hip quality that people might never have expected from the early days. One of the best of these is the excellent "Old Man's Memories", about a guy sitting on a bench in Washington Park on the south side of Chicago, which then rolls into an amazing version of "It Was A Very Good Year". Other tunes have a great mix of soul and jazz – and titles include "Love Is A Hurtin Thing", "A Whole Lotta Woman", "Don't Explain", "Old Folks", and "Breaking My Back (Instead Of Using My Mind)". CD

A surprisingly strong project from guitarist John Scofield – one that we'll admit we were a bit skeptical about, but which really delivers strongly overall! The set features Scofield and group taking on some tunes from a variety of sources – including the Grateful Dead, who are namechecked in the title – and the lineup features the bass of Vicente Archer and drums of Bill Stewart next to Scofield on electric guitar – all recorded at a level that's a bit warmer than you might expect from ECM, which really makes the music come alive – spacious, yet up-close and personal too, with hollow-body guitar work that resonates almost in an acoustic way at times, even as Scofield shows a few of his funkier currents on a few tunes. Titles include "How Deep", "TV Band", "Old Man", "Nothing Is Forever", "Budo", "The Girlfriend Chord", "Stairway To The Stars", "Mask", "Ray's Idea", and "Uncle John's Band". CD

A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is at his soulful best here – working on hard-swinging charts that almost seem to liberate Jimmy and Wes to do even more with their solos – really stretching out, with an especially great sound from Smith on the organ – maybe at a level that makes the record one of his best of all time for Verve! Titles include "James & Wes", "Night Train", "13 (Death March)", and "Down By The Riverside". LP, Vinyl record album

A blistering live set from the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe – an artist who may be a gospel singer, but was also a huge influence on soul and rock music too – thanks to an incredible vocal range, and a way of playing the electric guitar that influenced countless others! This 1966 live set has Rosetta captured at a time when she was well aware of her influence on newer styles of music – and maybe working even harder than usual to top them, commanding the stage with a presence that's incredible – just guitar and vocals, but with a righteous power that would blow most other large ensembles away! Titles include "Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air", "Down By The Riverside", "Sit Down", "Moonshine", "This Train", "Didn't It Rain", "Go Ahead", "Bring Back Those Happy Days", "Beams Of Heaven", and "Two Little Fishes Five Loaves Of Bread". CD

A blistering live set from the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe – an artist who may be a gospel singer, but was also a huge influence on soul and rock music too – thanks to an incredible vocal range, and a way of playing the electric guitar that influenced countless others! This 1966 live set has Rosetta captured at a time when she was well aware of her influence on newer styles of music – and maybe working even harder than usual to top them, commanding the stage with a presence that's incredible – just guitar and vocals, but with a righteous power that would blow most other large ensembles away! Titles include "Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air", "Down By The Riverside", "Sit Down", "Moonshine", "This Train", "Didn't It Rain", "Go Ahead", "Bring Back Those Happy Days", "Beams Of Heaven", and "Two Little Fishes Five Loaves Of Bread". LP, Vinyl record album

A near-lost soundtrack from the early 60s – one that features work from a host of the best European talents at the time! The film's a thriller set in Paris, and although Mikis Theodorakis scored most of the music, the record also features some great contributions from Frenchmen Georges Auric and Jacques Loussier – both of whom bring in some jazzier moments! There's less of the Mediterranean-styled sounds here than you might expect from Theodorakis' better-known scores – and overall, the whole thing comes across with the style of some of the best nouvelle vague soundtracks of the period – with lots of short tracks that mix thrilling themes, jazzier instrumentation, and some occasional playful rhythms – all in a tapestry of sound that's as compelling as the film itself! Titles include "The Ghost (parts 1 & 2)", "Up There", "Surprise Blues", "Concorde", "Cornice", "Twistin The Twist", "Potpourri At Regines", "Baion", and "The Crime". CD

A totally wonderful album from one of the hippest groups on Motown at the start of the 70s – the mighty Undisputed Truth, a group who really took up the psychedelic soul style of The Temptations, and gave it a real run for its money! The record was produced by Temptations maestro Norman Whitfield – and is a perfect example of the rumbling funky soul sound that he was developing at the time – a mixture of heavy bass, rumbling percussion, fuzzy guitars, and a stone righteous sound that pushed soul music firmly into the 70s! The songs are mostly all originals written by him and Barrett Strong – and the band is filled with great players like Dennis Coffey, Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffith, and the great Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin. Titles include "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World) Friendship Train", "What It Is?", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "What's Going On", and "You Make Your Own Heaven & Hell Right Here On Earth". CD

The music of Don Cherry, but delivered in a completely different way than his original recordings – served up here as a beautiful series of duets between Ken Vandermark on tenor and Hamid Drake on drums and percussion! The pair have a sympathy for each other that's amazing – and the music is often more rhythmic than you might be used to hearing from Vandermark – as the duo weave together themes from Don Cherry compositions in a variety of classic settings – yet work them anew with the sort of individual magic that really makes the record special! This isn't a set of covers, nor some staid "tribute" record – and instead, Vandermark and Drake really soar with inspiration that's delivered at a very personal level, and which marks the record as a testament to the still very vital talents of both musicians. LP, Vinyl record album

A magical pairing of musicians – both of whom had come together in different formats, and who here showcase a great late meeting of their genius! The vibe is maybe similar to the Super Quartet that Lacy and Waldron were leading in the early 90s, but with a slightly different lineup – Mal on piano, Steve on soprano sax, Reggie Workman on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – a very deft, fluid quartet who are able to shift easily between the different modes of the set! The performance begins with a bit of a nod to Thelonious Monk – always a key influence on Lacy's sound, even at the start – but Waldron's also bringing plenty of his ideas in too, and things really open up once the music gets going – with especially strong flavors that come from the territory that both musicians developed overseas in the decades before this performance. Tracks are all very long – and titles include "Variation Of III", "Longing", "Monk's Dream", "What It Is", "Epistrophy", and the long medley "Snake Out/Variations On A Theme By Cecil Taylor". CD

A magical pairing of musicians – both of whom had come together in different formats, and who here showcase a great late meeting of their genius! The vibe is maybe similar to the Super Quartet that Lacy and Waldron were leading in the early 90s, but with a slightly different lineup – Mal on piano, Steve on soprano sax, Reggie Workman on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – a very deft, fluid quartet who are able to shift easily between the different modes of the set! The performance begins with a bit of a nod to Thelonious Monk – always a key influence on Lacy's sound, even at the start – but Waldron's also bringing plenty of his ideas in too, and things really open up once the music gets going – with especially strong flavors that come from the territory that both musicians developed overseas in the decades before this performance. Tracks are all very long – and titles include "Variation Of III", "Longing", "Monk's Dream", "What It Is", "Epistrophy", and the long medley "Snake Out/Variations On A Theme By Cecil Taylor". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary albums from groundbreaking Brazilian music pioneer Tom Ze – and a record that introduces itself with an equally legendary cover image! (Hint: that's not an eyeball on the front.) Ze had already been recording a bit by the time of this record – but this set is easily his most experimental album ever – a record that even makes the work of the late 60s Tropicalia generation sound a bit more catchy and tuneful – as Tom's drawing here from all sorts of strands of avant poetry and instrumentation. The vibe is almost like some of the most experimental Saravah Records albums of the period – unusual songwriting served up in an approach that mixes hard percussion, spare production, quirky guitar, and some of the strangest vocals ever recorded in Brazil. Titles include Complexo De Epico", "A Noite Do Meu Bem", "Dodo E Zeze", "Brigitte Bardot", and "O Riso E A Faca". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from Robert Glasper – easily one of our favorite fresh jazz talents of the past decade or so! There's really nobody like Glasper, and you'll hear that from the very first notes of this set – a flurry of marvelously blocky chords – wrapped together in these waves of sound that are completely seductive – complex at one point, but perfectly organic at another – almost to the piano what Coltrane was to the tenor – although Glasper's sound is nothing like Coltrane – if that won't confuse you enough! The rhythms leap along with Robert's piano in an equally joyous way – stretching out, finding new space, and taking the music into rich new territory – more than enough to make this record one of Blue Note's best so far of the 21st Century. Titles include "G & B", "Of Dreams To Come", "FTB", "One For Grew", "Tribute", and "Maiden Voyage/Everything Is In The Right Place". LP, Vinyl record album

60s Ahmad Jamal in the studio is already pretty darn great – but live, his group is even more amazing – as the pianist is able to stretch out more, and take a lot more chances too – not just in the way he's striking the keys of the piano, but also working with the fantastic rhythms of Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums! The trio have a legendary way of working together – sensing space as much as moments of music – and their work here on this series of unreleased tracks is completely sublime – and maybe one of the best recorded demonstrations of why Jamal was so revolutionary at the time! The mix of new ideas and soulful swing is incredible – and tracks here are mostly nice and long, filled with bold energy throughout – on versions of "Naked City", "Mr Lucky", "Where Is Love", "Dance To The Lady", "Fantastic Vehicle", "Gloria", "Misty", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

An unusual chapter in the label-hopping career of Charles Mingus – a one-off date recorded for Mercury right after Mingus' legendary sessions for Columbia! The format here may well be Mingus' most ambitious to date – as the album features larger groups than before, exploring a range of musical ideas that run from Charles' own highly political expressions of the Civil Rights era to some of his landmark explorations of Duke Ellington! As always, the individual players in the group are given a strong voice in the proceedings – and the record bristles with energy from solos by Ted Curson, Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Jimmy Knepper, Yusef Lateef, and a young Joe Farrell – as well as vocal performances by Lorraine Cousins, who sings on the classic "Weird Nightmare" and the haunting "Eclipse". A tremendous record throughout – filled with life, imagination, and boundless creativity – with titles that include "Mingus Fingus no. 2", "Weird Nightmare", "Eclipse", "Bemoanable Lady", "Half Mast Inhibition", and "Prayer for Passive Resistance". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most haunting Morricone soundtracks ever – and one of the grooviest too! The album's a perfect blend of our two favorite styles of Morricone work – that of the floating female vocal over a gentle groove, and the darker, tenser side of his music. The main "Verushka" theme is one of his most beautiful – a variation of female vocals with a gentle edge, in the tradition of classic soundtracks like La Donna Invisible or Le Photo Proibite. This theme shifts from mood to mood over the course of the LP, occasionally giving way to some more atonal passages and other more jazz-based tunes – more of which are included here than on the original release, thanks to an expanded reissue job by Right Tempo! In fact, the whole thing's bubbling over with great music – one of the best Morricone reissues we've ever stocked – done with great sound and a huge array of extra tracks! Titles include a number of takes on the "Verushka" theme, plus "Astratto", "La Bambola", "Le Fotografie", "Magia", "La Spiaggia", and "Dopo L'Intervista". CD

Includes music by Ted Lewis, Ace Brigode & His Fourteen Virginians, Paul Whiteman, the Ipana Troubadours, Coon Sanders Orchestra, Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians, and more – 16 tracks total. CD

A low price, but a really great package – one that's overflowing with some of the best recent work from the mighty Schema Records! If you read these pages at all, you'll know we think that Schema's one of the greatest things going these days – a modern label, but one that's committed to the real jazz grooves of earlier years – the bossa, modal, and soul jazz styles of the 60s and 70s – played in a mixture of real instrumentation and just a bit of dancefloor production, with a sound that's instant classic on nearly every release! This package is a great introduction to the Schema label's genius, and even if you've got some of the tracks here on other releases, the set is a really great way to hear all this music in one place – kind of a "best of the best" that's totally great! Titles include "Bluesanova" by Gerardo Frisina, "Moon Vision" by Soulstance, "I knew The Way" by Invisible Session, "On A Clear Day" by Was A Bee, "Emotional Dancing" by S-Tone, "Stay (In Mood)" by Paolo Fedreghini & Marco Bianchi, "Afrolicious" by Dining Rooms, "Esquema Da Bossa" by Quintetto X, "Today's Sound" by Intensive Jazz Sextet, and "Dreaming Of The Past" by Rosario Giuliani Quartetto. CD

Brubeck piece performed by a quintet with strings, oboe, and piano – remaining tracks feature either Dick Hyman or Roland Hanna on piano, accompanied by musicians on cello, violin, French horn, and flute. CD

A fantastic collection of work from Elizabeth King – a gospel singer who never reached the same sort of fame as singers who moved into the secular world – but one who's got a vocal power that would have made her a star, had she chosen such a move! The tunes here all feature King singing with tight small combo backing in a very rhythmic mode, and with strong support from a male backing group – who offer up this great call/response energy to Elizabeth's lead – which only seems to drive the music even further forward with its power! The tracks were all recorded in Memphis in 1972 – and titles include "Can't Do Nothing", "I Found Him", "This Man", "I'll Fly Way", "I Heard The Voice", "Stretch Out", and "Down Here Waiting". LP, Vinyl record album

Groove away, maestro! Incontro is a splendid score by Morricone – early 70s groovy, mixing guitar, electric harpischord, organ, and other jangly instrumentation on the best tracks, alternating with mellower, dreamier numbers on the others, serving up a sweet blend of tunes that once again makes us wish we could watch the film, just to hear the music! This one's got the flavor of his best from the time – like La Donna Invisible – even though it's perhaps not as all-out overly composed – and titles include "Patrizia", "Incontro", "Scherzo Un Po Triste", "Per Claudia", "Passeggiata", and "Riflessione". CD

A surprising hit for Diana Ross – a record that really helped the singer shine brightly in the 80s, but with a vibe that's quite different than her years at Motown! The album's got plenty of star power on board – production work from Arthur Baker, Richard Perry, Daryl Hall, Lionel Richie, and Bernard Edwards – and a musical lineup that features half those artistes, plus work from Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers, and the Brecker Brothers too! Diana's vocals aren't as over the top as during the disco years – and find a nice place to percolate within the warmer 80s grooves – mostly rhythms that have a nice sort of crossover potential, but not in a way that's as clunky or commercial as some of her contemporaries. Titles include "Missing You", "It's Your Move", "Swept Away", "Telephone", "All Of You", "Touch By Touch", "Nobody Makes Me Crazy", and "Rescue Me". CD

Instrumental guitar great William Tyler's second album under his own name, and his first for indie powerhouse Merge Records – and it's an exceptionally beautiful piece of work from a player who's really just getting started! Tyler strikes a youthful presense, but he's actually been playing around a lot behind the scenes – as a studio and/or touring guitarist for Lambchop, Candi Staton, Charlie Louvin and others wise enough to record with producer Mark Nevers – who works on this record, too. Tyler is definitely inspired by finger style folk guitarists from the mid 20th Century onward, but he's also got a hypnotic style that feels like it's inspired by more atmospheric country rock and rustic 70s soundtracks. Here he's mixing it all it into a brilliant style all his own, and it's SO good. Guest musicians include fellow youthful Nashville string genius Chris Scruggs, drummer Scott Martin, steel player Luke Schneider and Roy Agee on trombone. Includes "Country Of Illusion", "The Geography Of Nowhere", "Cadillac Desert", "We Can't Go Home Again", "A Portrait Of Sarah", "Hotel Catatonia", "The Last Residents Of Westfall" and "The World Set Free". CD

A really special album from French tenorist Barney Wilen – a set of tunes originally recorded to accompany a graphic novel about his troubled life – done at a time when Wilen had emerged from years of obscurity, and was opening up a whole new chapter in his music! The presentation here is a bit different than some of his other records of the time – as Wilen blows tenor on a set of tracks that follow the musical journey of his life – early standards, French new wave soundtrack themes, and even some of the global experiments he did while in Africa – before turning to some of the strong work that he did on his return. The group is wonderful – the great Alain Jean Marie on piano, Philippe Petit on guitar, Ricardo Sel Fra on bass, and Sangoma Everett on drums – and titles include "Besame Mucho", "Goodbye", "Triste Again", "Whisper Not", "Un Baiser Rouge", and "Les Jours Heureux". This great package features new mastering of the album, 28 page booklet of liner notes and photos, a bonus CD with a live 1989 performance with Jacky Terrasson on piano – and four bonus tracks added to the original album! CD

Sublime later work from French saxophonist Barney Wilen – working here with pianist Alan Jean-Marie, an artist that we totally love on his own! Some people know Jean-Marie best for his recordings of biguine jazz – mixing the rhythms of his native Martinique with more contemporary modes on piano – but here, he's in his other great mode of the time – this open, flowing, spaciously stepping sort of quality – which really brings out the best in Wilen on both tenor and soprano – showing especially the sort of extended, snakey solos that he always brought to his best live recordings in his final decades! The pairing is somewhere in the territory of Stan Getz and Kenny Barron on duo mode – but with the very big difference of the distinct musical personalities of Barney and Alain – on titles that include "Round Midnight", "I'm A Fool To Want You", "Repetition/No Problem", "My Funny Valentine", "Skating In Central Park", and "Besame Mucho". 2CD set features both the first and second sets of the evening – 17 tracks in all! CD

Features music by Katherin McDavid, Margaret Thornton, Mozelle Alderson, Mary Dixon and Issie Ringgold. CD

Very very cool 4CD set of classic Latin material, packed inside of a nifty cigar-box cover, with an extra 112-page booklet of notes! The set's perfect if you're just getting into Afro Cuban music – but also pretty darn great even if you're already a fan, as the selection and packaging are exquisite. There's far too much music on the set to mention in this small space – but let us just tell you that the 4 CDs in the package all focus on a different side of Cuban music: Jazz, Vocals, Percussion, and Cuban Traditions. Each track comes with lavish notes and information that's helpful to novices and experts alike – and some of the artists include Cachao, Roberto Faz, Issac Delgado, Tito Gomez, Merceditas Valdes, Arsenio Rodriguez, Sexteto Habenero, Beny More, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Irakere. The jazz CD alone is enough to blow your mind – and that's only the beginning! CD

With David McMurray on soprano sax and flute, Racy Biggs on trumpet, Robin Eubanks on trombone, Steve Coleman on alto, and Tani Tabbal on drums. CD

Features Berne on alto sax and Bill Frisell on a variety of guitars! CD

Stunning soul from Ken Boothe – one of the singers who really helped bring a sense of soul to Jamaican music with classic material like this! Ken's got a unique voice that's not the usual style of reggae vocalists – a really distinct sense of phrasing that's both easygoing and deep at the same time – yet never in a way that's like American deep soul either. The approach is one that helped Boothe ride strongly from the rocksteady years into the soulful side of 70s reggae, and beyond into the roots generation too – sometimes transforming American soul tunes, but often delivering some mighty righteous originals that were some of his best material. This big set covers all the bases – and the 2LP version features 28 tracks in all, with titles that include "Lady With The Starlight", "Silver Words", "Everything I Own", "Is It Because I'm Black", "Freedom Street", "Say You", "Who Gets Your Love", "Your Feeling & Mine", "I'm Not For Sale", "Rasta Never Fails", "Satta Massagana", "Love Don't Love Nobody", "Freedom Day", "Let Go", and "That's The Way Nature Planned It". LP, Vinyl record album