Jason Adasiewicz on vibraphone, Josh Berman on cornet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Tim Daisey on drums, Nick Macri on acoustic and electric bass, Nick Mazzarella on alto saxophone, Jen Paulson on viola, Dave Rempis on saxophone, and Mars Williams and Ken Vandermark on reeds. LP, Vinyl record album

Proof that Azymuth were one of the few groups who could keep things real at a time when most of their fusion contemporaries were sounding cloying and commercial! The album's got a well-rounded sound that really shows the group's roots in the 70s, and their wonderful evolution over the years – that keyboard-heavy sound that's always warm and soulful, and never too tinny or beat-heavy. Jose Roberto Bertrami's keys come across with a 70s warmth that most groups were lacking by this time – and the backing from Alex Maheiros on bass and Ivan Conti is always very subtle, and simple too – swirled up alongside the keyboards, and mixed in with a few occasional bits of guest instrumentation – including trumpet from Marcio Montarroyos on one track, and flugelhorn from Paulinho Olivera on a few more. Titles include versions of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", Jobim's "Song Of The Jet", and Ivan Lins' "The Island", plus the cuts "Universal Prisoner", "Candomble", and "Areis". LP, Vinyl record album

Not as "adult" as you might think – at least given the way the word is used today – but pretty great work by Pearl nonetheless! The tunes themselves are a bit "blue" in terms of subject matter – tales of girls with hot pants, loose love, and the kind of backroom hijinks that weren't always talked about so freely in the torch singer era. But given the time, and the setting, the tunes are still pretty soft on the subjects – and get the themes across through clever turns of phrase, slight innuendo, and just the right intonation at the right time – a style that makes Pearl Bailey perfect for the work! The set features 21 tracks in all, and titles include "I Want A Man", "She Had To Go & Lose It At The Astor", "The Physician", "Westport", "One Man Ain't Quite Enough", "Aggravatin Papa", and "Nobody's Chasing Me". CD

A very strange and unusual chapter in Chet's career – an album that was recorded as a part of a marathon session that Chet did under the guidance of his 60s manager – issued across other records that include Groovin, Smokin, and Comin On – all of which were leased to Prestige, but have kind of disappeared from their catalog over the years. The sound here is much harder than Chet in the 50s – largely because there's a Detroit rhythm section that includes Kirk Lightsey on piano, Roy Brooks on drums, and Herman Wright on bass – as well as some searing tenor work from George Coleman. Titles include "Etude In Three", "Sleeping Susan", "Hurry", and "The 490". CD

A very strange and unusual chapter in Chet's career – an album that was recorded as a part of a marathon session that Chet did under the guidance of his 60s manager – issued across other records that include Groovin, Smokin, and Comin On – all of which were leased to Prestige, but have kind of disappeared from their catalog over the years. The sound here is much harder than Chet in the 50s – largely because there's a Detroit rhythm section that includes Kirk Lightsey on piano, Roy Brooks on drums, and Herman Wright on bass – as well as some searing tenor work from George Coleman. Titles include "Etude In Three", "Sleeping Susan", "Hurry", and "The 490". CD

The last album in the legendary run of records from Ginger Baker and the brothers Adrian and Paul Gurvitz – a heck of a power trio, but one that comes across in a very different way than Baker's famous work in Cream! If anything, Ginger's drums have more of a funk current than before – a really powerful driving force at the bottom, while Adrian riffs around all over the top and edges of the tunes with these well-crafted guitar lines that don't even need a solo to find their voice – wickedly emphasizing the vocals on tunes that include "Flying In & Out Of Stardom", "Neon Lights", "Mystery", "Thirsty For The Blues", "My Mind Is Healing", and "Smiling". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue collection of work by Balka Sound – an important 80s group from Brazzaville, and one whose name evokes their style of music – a sound based in folksy roots, but which is updated here with electric guitar and bass, next to lively percussion and really great vocals! The group's lead singer is Nkibi Albert, who has this really enigmatic way of putting across a lyric, especially when a bit of echo is used in the production – and amidst the other instrumentation, he also plays ngonfi as well. The production is great on most of these tracks – not nearly as mainstream as other African sounds from the time, which were rising to meet the global world music market – and titles include "Bia Sala", "Lekou", "Ku Mavula", "Kidilu", "Ah Luisaala", "Nia Nia", "Wa Yiwou", "Mwan Kisana", and "Kwele". CD

Maybe not the first album from the legendary Band – but a record in which the group get everything completely right all the way through – and sparkle with that special sound that continues to influence generations of music makers, and music lovers! All the great elements the group were bringing to their work with Bob Dylan are in place here – but the focus is completely different, with this warm glow that really fits the vocals of Levon Helm, and a sense of unified vision that makes it really hard to even come up with a match for the energy of the group on this album. The great John Simon adds a few special touches to the overall sound – and titles include "Rockin Chair", "Across The Great Divide", "When You Awake", "Up On Cripple Creek", "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "Look Out Cleveland", and "King Harvest". CD

Maybe not the first album from the legendary Band – but a record in which the group get everything completely right all the way through – and sparkle with that special sound that continues to influence generations of music makers, and music lovers! All the great elements the group were bringing to their work with Bob Dylan are in place here – but the focus is completely different, with this warm glow that really fits the vocals of Levon Helm, and a sense of unified vision that makes it really hard to even come up with a match for the energy of the group on this album. The great John Simon adds a few special touches to the overall sound – and titles include "Rockin Chair", "Across The Great Divide", "When You Awake", "Up On Cripple Creek", "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "Look Out Cleveland", and "King Harvest". Includes 7 bonus tracks. CD

A fantastic classic from The Band – a set that's hardly got them cowering in the corner the way the "stage fright" title might imply – and which instead seems to have the group at their most confident during the early years, effortlessly spinning impeccable musicianship and some surprisingly biting lyrics! The young Robbie Robertson is on guitar, Garth Hudson warms things up with organ lines, and vocals are handled by the shifting array of other players in the lead – Rick Danko, Levon Helm, and Richard Manuel. Titles include "The Shape I'm In", "Sleeping", "Strawberry Wine", "Just Another Whistle Stop", "Daniel & The Sacred Harp", "Stage Fright", and "Time To Kill". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic classic from The Band – a set that's hardly got them cowering in the corner the way the "stage fright" title might imply – and which instead seems to have the group at their most confident during the early years, effortlessly spinning impeccable musicianship and some surprisingly biting lyrics! The young Robbie Robertson is on guitar, Garth Hudson warms things up with organ lines, and vocals are handled by the shifting array of other players in the lead – Rick Danko, Levon Helm, and Richard Manuel. Titles include "The Shape I'm In", "Sleeping", "Strawberry Wine", "Just Another Whistle Stop", "Daniel & The Sacred Harp", "Stage Fright", and "Time To Kill". CD reissue includes an alternate take of "Daniel & The Sacred Harp", two alternate mixes, and a radio commercial. CD

A nice lean set from Barclay James Harvest – a record that gets more to the core of their sound after the larger arrangements of some of their albums for Harvest Records – in a way that also seems to bring out more of an edge in their songwriting, too! The shift is somewhat subtle, but effective – as the quartet manage to find ways to make simple guitar and keyboard lines come across with this flowing vibe that often makes the sum sound way more than its parts – especially when set to the inventive themes covered by some of the album's lyrical topics! The drums are great, too – seemingly stronger than before – and titles include "Negative Earth", "Paper Wings", "The Great 1974 Mining Disaster", "Mill Boys", "Poor Boy Blues", and "Child Of The Universe". LP, Vinyl record album

Very fluid later work from Count Basie – a set that has that nice open-ended Pablo Records approach, but which still comes across with that brilliant Basie groove that first emerged most strongly in the 50s! Players are a mix of young and old, and the group includes Grover Mitchell and Booty Wood on trombones, Sonny Cohn and Jim Crawford on trumpets, John Williams on baritone, Eric Dixon on tenor and flute, Kenny Hing on tenor, Chris Woods on alto and flute, Joe Pass on guitar, and Cleveland Eaton on bass. Tracks are on the long side, and titles include "88 Basie Street", "Bluesville", "The Blues Machine", "Contractor's Blues", "Katy", and "Sunday At The Savoy". CD

Great work from Basie's Roulette years – a time when the group seemed to be extra snapping and soulful! Players include Frank Foster, Frank Wess, and Billy Mitchell on reeds – plus Snooky Young, Thad Jones, and Joe Newman on trumpets – and Al Grey, Henry Coker, and Benny Powell on trombones! LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout set from the end of Les Baxter's run at Capitol Records – originally scored for a film that was never released, but a great set of tracks that more than stands strongly on its own! The theme here is a Mexican/Latin American one – explored by Baxter with his trademark blend of larger orchestrations and lighter exotica touches – often swirling around in an extremely evocative mode that makes us wish the film had been issued to the public, and at a few key moments even hinting at the funkier modes that would follow on some of Les' later work for other labels. Titles include "Aqueducts", "Gardens Of The Moon", "Pyramid Of The Sun", "Temple Of Gold", and "Procession Of The Princes". LP, Vinyl record album

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be". Cassette

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be". CD

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be". LP, Vinyl record album

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be". CD

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be". LP, Vinyl record album

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be" – plus lots of great bonus material including outtakes, rehearsals, chatter, the "Get Back" album and Let It Be Ep, stereo and surround sound Blu-ray mixes, and and awesome 100-page book – all in a cool heavy slipcase. CD

Off the Musical Massacre LP. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A massive package of work from Bedlam – an early project from drummer Cozy Powell, and one with a legacy that's surprisingly bigger than the single album they issued back in the day! The first 2CDs feature both a new mix and 1973 mix of the self-titled Bedlam album – a searing set that stands as a great bridge between generations and styles on the UK hard rock scene! The group's most famous member is drummer Cozy Powell – the ersatz leader of the lineup – but the whole combo hits on all burners, with great lead vocals from Frank Aiello, guitar from Dave Ball, and bass from Dennis Ball – plus keyboards on the set from both Max Middleton and Felix Pappalardi – the latter of whom produced. Powell's drums are fantastic throughout – really driving the whole thing along – and Aiello comes across like some lost lead act from the glory days of the arena scene. The set features one killer break track called "Seven Long Years" – a stone jammer that begins with some great drums that break nicely into guitars – and other titles include "Believe In You", "Hot Lips", "Sweet Sister Mary", "Putting On The Flesh", "Set Me Free", and "The Beast". CD3 features a Live In London set from 1973; CD4 features a Live in New York set from 1974; CD5 features a related Big Bertha Live In Hamburg set from 1970; and CD6 features 16 more formative tracks from 1968 to 1970, recorded as Bedlam, Ace Kefford Stand, Big Bertha, and Ideal Milk. CD

Great work from a group who definitely earn their name – as the quartet was one of the biggest and best groups in the Japanese jazz scene at the time! The lineup features brilliant tenor from Hidehiko Matsumoto – a player who's young here, starting a decades-long run in jazz, but already one of the best reed voices of his scene – wonderfully sharp, with this crisp tone that embraces modern elements of the American alto scene, yet which also comes across with a deep sense of soul as well! The gorup also features tight drums from George Kawaguchi, whose punch really makes things swing – as well as piano from Hachidai Nakamura and bass from Goh Ueda – both nicely swinging rhythm players too. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Yesterdays", "Blues In The Closet", "The Carioca", and "Just One Of Those Things". CD

Cindy Blackman's one of those players who always surprises us with her music – coming across with a lot more to offer than just her unique role as a girl drummer in jazz – sounds so bold, we instantly forget her gender and pretty image on the cover, and always just let ourselves get swept away by the power of her music! This set is possibly one of Blackman's best from the Muse Records years – thanks to a top-shelf quartet that includes Gary Bartz on alto and soprano sax, Kenny Barron on piano, and Ron Carter on bass – a great trio even on their own, but given a nice sense of focus through Blackman's drums. As usual, Blackman penned some great originals for the date – and the setting is an especially nice one for Bartz, who's really given a lot of space for great solo work on the set. Titles include "The Oracle", "AJ", "Beatrice", "Traffic", "Why", "Our Blues", and "Who Needs Forever". CD

Tim Blake looks like he's sitting at the helm of a spaceship on the cover – and in a way, that's what his music was at the time – a way of taking off to the skies on waves of electronics, in the kinds of sounds that Blake first created in his Crystal Machine project, but which have an even sharper focus here! The album's got more vocals than Tim's previous effort, and in a way that's what really sets it apart from the rest – as Blake's got this warmly positive approach that would be at home in progressive folk, but which here comes across with a very unique style – given the mostly electronic setting of the album! All the banks of knobs, slides, and keys pictured on the cover are used to strongly skillful effect – on titles that include "Generator", "Passage Sur La Cite", "New Jerusalem", "Song For A New Age", and "Lighthouse". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of spacey classics from Tim Blake – all brought together in a single set! First up Crystal Machine – fantastic sounds from Tim Blake, an artist who previously worked with Gong, and sometimes worked with Hawkwind – but who really came into his own on this legendary album of electronics! Tim works here on a self-constructed "crystal machine" – a bank of electronics that was often played in performance to front some trippy film installations (as shown on the cover) – which perfectly suited the stretched-out spacey style of his music! The vibe is maybe a bit like early Tangerine Dream, but with some of the warmer modes of the French electronic scene of the time – and titles include "Midnight", "Last Ride Of The Boogie Child", "Synthese Intemporel", and "Crystal Presence". On the cover of Blake's New Jerusalem, Tim looks like he's sitting at the helm of a spaceship on the cover – and in a way, that's what his music was at the time – a way of taking off to the skies on waves of electronics, in the kinds of sounds that Blake first created in his Crystal Machine project, but which have an even sharper focus here! The album's got more vocals than Tim's previous effort, and in a way that's what really sets it apart from the rest – as Blake's got this warmly positive approach that would be at home in progressive folk, but which here comes across with a very unique style – given the mostly electronic setting of the album! All the banks of knobs, slides, and keys pictured on the cover are used to strongly skillful effect – on titles that include "Generator", "Passage Sur La Cite", "New Jerusalem", "Song For A New Age", and "Lighthouse". Magick is a really great later set from electronic genius Tim Blake – an album recorded 15 years after his early classics, and done in his windmill home in France – but all played live, in a way that makes the electronics and keyboards here maybe more amazing! Blake has certainly picked up some of the elements from the 80s generation who were influenced by his earlier work – but also keeps the more open sense of song structure from his classics at points – with a sound that still knows when to revel in the best analog moments, next to the digital ones. Titles include "Tonight", "Strange Secret Of Ohm Gliding", "A Dream", "More Magick", and "Waiting For Nati". Also features the bonus b-side "The Woodland Voice". CD

8 records across 4 discs! Included in this collection: The Big Beat, The Witch Doctor, Meet You At The Jazz Corner Of The World Volumes 1&2, The Freedom Rider, Mosaic, 3 Blind Mice and The African Beat. CD

An incredible early experimental album from Art Blakey – one of the first to feature him in expanded percussion format! Side one of the album features the extended "Drum Suite" – a set of 3 tracks ("The Sacrifice", "Cubano Chant", and "Oscalypso") that has Blakey and Jo Jones on drums, joined by Sabu Martinez on bongos and Charles Wright on tympani and gong. Ray Bryant snakes some soulful piano through the set and Oscar Pettiford is on bass and cello – and the overall feeling of the side is similar to some of Blakey's work in the format for Blue Note – like the albums Afro-Drum Orgy or Holiday for Percussion. Side two has straight hard bop, played by Blakey's 1957 combo that included Jackie McLean and Bill Hardman – and the group grooves hard on a classic reading of "Nica's Tempo", plus the cuts "D's Dilemma" and "Just For Marty". CD features 3 bonus tracks – unedited versions of "Lil'T" and "The New Message"! CD

An incredible early experimental album from Art Blakey – one of the first to feature him in expanded percussion format! Side one of the album features the extended "Drum Suite" – a set of 3 tracks ("The Sacrifice", "Cubano Chant", and "Oscalypso") that has Blakey and Jo Jones on drums, joined by Sabu Martinez on bongos and Charles Wright on tympani and gong. Ray Bryant snakes some soulful piano through the set and Oscar Pettiford is on bass and cello – and the overall feeling of the side is similar to some of Blakey's work in the format for Blue Note – like the albums Afro-Drum Orgy or Holiday for Percussion. Side two has straight hard bop, played by Blakey's 1957 combo that included Jackie McLean and Bill Hardman – and the group grooves hard on a classic reading of "Nica's Tempo", plus the cuts "D's Dilemma" and "Just For Marty". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of amazing early records from Bobby Blue Bland – genre-setting material that was partly blues, partly soul, and still had some of the fuller currents of the earlier R&B years too! Bobby's voice is incredible – one of the most distinct in soul, and up there with Solomon Burke or Otis Redding for its unique sense of power – on titles that include "Jelly Jelly Jelly", "You're The One (That I Adore)", "You're Worth It All", "Your Friends", and "Ain't That Loving You". Fantastic all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

"Blues" might be a surprising word for the title of an album by Paul Bley – especially given his modern inclinations – but the term definitely fits here, as this set of solo piano performances by Bley has a wonderfully moody, mellow quality – and a surprising amount of soul at times too! Paul's always had his warmth – although it usually comes across in more lyrical passages – but here, there's a richer focus on the left side of the piano, which opens up the bottom, and makes for some wonderful core sounds as Bley expresses himself more nimbly on the right. The titles are all originals, with maybe a bit more structure than improvisations – and tunes include "Baby Narrows", "Late Night Blue", "Downtown", "Underground", "Up Hill", "Rear Projection", and "Into The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of funky New Orleans genius from the legendary Eddie Bo – an artist who made music in many different modes over the years in Nola, but who comes across here with a sound that's definitely in the funkiest side of his spectrum! There's lots of cuts on the collection that were only issued as funky 45s – the kind of deeply funky numbers with heavy drums that made Bo such an early favorite for the sampling scene, and which continue to give his work such a sense of urgency over the years! This isn't the slow-rolling, head-nodding side of Crescent City soul, and instead is its much funkier cousin – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Hook & Sling", "Check Your Bucket", "Funky Yeah", "The Thang (parts 1 & 2)", "If It's Good To You It's Good For You", "Sissy Walk", "Eddie's Rubber Band", and "Hey Mama Here Comes the Preacher". CD

A great collection of funky New Orleans genius from the legendary Eddie Bo – an artist who made music in many different modes over the years in Nola, but who comes across here with a sound that's definitely in the funkiest side of his spectrum! There's lots of cuts on the collection that were only issued as funky 45s – the kind of deeply funky numbers with heavy drums that made Bo such an early favorite for the sampling scene, and which continue to give his work such a sense of urgency over the years! This isn't the slow-rolling, head-nodding side of Crescent City soul, and instead is its much funkier cousin – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Hook & Sling (parts 1 & 2)", "Check Your Bucket (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky Yeah", "The Thang (parts 1 & 2)", "If It's Good To You It's Good For You (parts 1 & 2)", "Sissy Walk", "Eddie's Rubber Band", and "Hey Mama Here Comes the Preacher". LP, Vinyl record album

Bottazz keep things nice and lean here – drawing on a style of vintage funk, but also coming across with energy that's more suited to the 21st Century – really bridging generations with their music, which is heavy on basslines, wah wah guitar, and mighty sweet keyboard parts – all delivered with the spare energy of the sound library scene, but on cuts that stretch out a bit more too! There's a no-nonsense approach to the record that's totally great – these guys never try to be something they're not, and instead focus on their strong instrumental and rhythmic skills – while occasionally using the production to trip things out just slightly. Titles include "Metadone", "Cardosa", "Palamito", "Mokaba", and "Saturno Nudo". LP, Vinyl record album

A great debut from Bow Wow Wow, and a mighty second act from Maclolm McLaren – whose work with the young group was one of his main projects after getting rejected by the Sex Pistols! This group's got a very different vibe, and an equally longstanding appeal – as playfully new wave as the Pistols were punk – with all sorts of romping rhythms that are heavy on drums, played by ex-members of The Ants – and fronted with lead vocals from the teenaged Annabella Lwin – a singer who really knows how to step out front with a lot of brash, young energy! There's a tribal groove to most tracks that really fits the title of the album – and tracks include "Jungle Boy", "King Kong", "Chihuahua", "Go Wild In The Country", "Why Are Babies So Wise", "Orang-Outang", and "Hello Hello Daddy (I'll Sacrifice You)". LP, Vinyl record album

Look out is right – because the album's a killer and one of the few sides ever cut by Michigan pianist Evans Bradshaw! Bradshaw's got a hard-hitting approach to the keys that was relatively fresh in the early years of soul jazz – and unlike some of his more famous contemporaries, he never resorts to easy phrasing to put over his sound – and can instead work some complicated magic on the keys that often echoes modern styles of the 50s, but comes across with an earthier feel overall. This debut session is a simple but extremely effective trio outing – with Bradshaw on piano, George Joyner on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Titles include "The Prophet", "Coolin The Blues", "Blueinet", "Angel Eyes", and "Love For Sale". CD

The second album from Brass Construction – heavy horns, basslines, and stellar dancefloor grooves – a stone classic! The first one was totally great, but they cast a wider stylistic claim on II – their trademark funky sound is still very firmly in place, but they bring more to the plate. The rhythms and percussion have a more globally steeped flare at points on the album, and there's a more smoldering, slightly mellower vibe on some tracks, without sacrificing the funk. The whole thing's fused together wonderfully – with the larger group moving with the energy a much smaller combo – and titles include "Sambo", "Screwed", "Get To The Point", "What's On Your Mind", and "Now Is Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

The rich tones of Muhal's piano provide a perfect foil for Braxton, and one that gets him playing a wide range of styles on sopranino, clarinet, bass clarinet, and alto. The whole album resonates with a soulfulness that's not always apparent in Braxton's other work from the time – and the melding of these two giant talents from the AACM is a rare treat. Titles include "Nickie", Dolphy's "Miss Ann", and a few of those squiggle Braxton titles! LP, Vinyl record album

A side each of these two important talents in blues – presented here in a format that makes the record a real double-header! Side one features Big Bill Broonzy in the lead – working with sweet electric lines on guitar alongside acoustic and his own really rich vocals – plus this very cool rhythm accompaniment from Washboard Sam, whose instrument has a way of coming across like some quickly snapped snare drum! Sam takes the lead on side two – singing and playing his instrument – and is joined on a few tracks by Broonzy's guitar and some piano from Memphis Slim. Big Bill titles include "Lonesome", "Little City Woman", "Romance Without Finance", and "By Myself" – and Washboard Sam numbers include "Never Never", "Minding My Own Business", "I'm A Lonely Man", and "Horseshoe Over My Door". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing document of one of Peter Brotzmann's greatest albums from the time – a set that includes the album on CD, plus a book of photos taken during its creation! The record features spare duets between him and percussionist Han Bennink – recorded in the Black Forest, in a very nature-oriented setting that often has Bennink playing on rocks, sticks, and whatever else he could find – even some water, which sounds especially amazing! Han turns in some of his most inventive percussion ever – and proof that he's easily one of the most creative musicians on the European scene! There's a real focus on sound and feeling on the album – an organic sensibility that's quite different from other Brotzmann sessions, and which often comes across with a surprisingly gentle feel – and the album's a perfect example of the FMP formula at its best, when applied with the right sense of freedom. The whole thing comes in a softcover book with a fantastic presentation – loads of photos that were taken on the way to the forest where the set was recorded, then during the recording of the material too – really beautiful images that live up to the aesthetic of the cover art. The book also features an introductory essay – and the whole thing is 120 pages, with the CD inside the cover – black and white images throughout. CD

Never-issued work from Jamaican singer Al Brown – tapes that were thought to be lost for years, then were recently rediscovered and brought back to life by the talents of Paolo "Dub Files" Baldini! The work has a righteous quality at the core – very soulful vocals from Al, resonating with a sense of message and power, while Inner Force provide gently-stepping rhythms which are then expanded and amplified in the dubs by Baldini! The music is never too forced, and everything flows together wonderfully – with a very vintage approach from the early days of the digital age, so that the whole thing really seems to come across like a dub version of the original album issued back in the day. Titles include "Dub Me Again", "Ghetto Situation", "Liquid Dub (part 1)", "Poor & Simple Version)", "Family Version", "Ghetto Love (part 1)", and "Dub Of Books". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued work from Jamaican singer Al Brown – tapes that were thought to be lost for years, then were recently rediscovered and brought back to life by the talents of Paolo "Dub Files" Baldini! The work has a righteous quality at the core – very soulful vocals from Al, resonating with a sense of message and power, while Inner Force provide gently-stepping rhythms which are then expanded and amplified in the dubs by Baldini! The music is never too forced, and everything flows together wonderfully – with a very vintage approach from the early days of the digital age, so that the whole thing really seems to come across like a dub version of the original album issued back in the day. Titles include "Dub Me Again", "Ghetto Situation", "Liquid Dub (part 1)", "Poor & Simple Version)", "Family Version", "Ghetto Love (part 1)", and "Dub Of Books". CD features bonus tracks – "Liquid Dream", "New Family", "Dub On The Land", "Tribulation Dub (part 1)", and "Dub Me Again (part 2)". CD

A real lost chapter in the James Brown legacy of soul – tracks that The Godfather issued on a branch of TK Records, right during the same time he was cutting some familiar funk classics on the Polydor and People Records labels! The music here is an offshoot of the Funky People universe that James was serving up on People – in that much of the material here was by members of the James Brown stage show, given their own chance in the spotlight – but with Brown himself handling most of the work on the record. So the tracks are like James Brown gems, but with other singers in front – served up here in a massive set that features 21 funky nuggets in all – titles that include "Screwdriver" and "Put Something On Your Mind" by Lee Austin, "Bessie (parts 1 & 2)" by JBs Wedge, "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Johnny The Man, "Nature (parts 1 & 2)" by JBs International, and "Across The Track (parts 1 & 2)" by The Believers – plus Vicki Anderson cuts "I'm Too Tough For Mr Big Stuff", "Sounds Funky", "Don't Throw Your Love In The Garbage Can", and "In The Land Of Milk & Honey" – and Bobby Byrd gems that include "Hang It Up", "Never Get Enough", "Keep On Doin What You're Doin", "Hot Pants I'm Coming", "Signed Sealed & Delivered", "I Need Help", "Back From The Dead", "Headquarters", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Keep On Doin What You're Doin", and "The Way To Get Down". CD

One of the funkiest records ever recorded for Impulse – and the debut set by guitarist Mel Brown! Mel has a really down-and-dirty style that's quite unusual for the label at the time – a rootsy approach to guitar that's steeped in equal parts jazz, soul, and R&B – and which comes across with a raw power and tasty feel that's perfectly summed up by titles like "Chicken Fat", "Greasy Spoon", "Home James", "Slalom", and "Shanty"! The album features some rare organ work by Gerald Wiggins, drums by Paul Humphrey, and outta-site soul arrangements by Oliver Nelson on a few tracks – but through the whole thing, Brown's the main focus – laying down some deeply funky work on guitar! LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of a meeting of two different generations of Dave Brubeck – as the group here features Paul Desmond's alto sax, a key force in Dave's early recordings – and the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan, a player who'd worked often with Brubeck in the late 60s and early 70s! The blend of horns is really amazing, and the live recording really moves past other obvious Brubeck modes – showing Dave's whole new conception after the breakup of the original quartet – and his willingness to open into new rhythms, and even freer modes of expression. Mulligan's baritone is wonderfully powerful – coming across here with a depth that we'd hardly have expected a few years before – and rhythm is from Jack Six on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, both players who also add to the transformation of the Brubeck groove. Titles include "Koto Song", "Unfinished Woman", "Truth", "Take Five", and "Rotterdam Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Exactly the kind of record that makes us love sound library records so much – and definitely the sort that sets the style apart from anything else we can think of! Both Sandro Brugnolini and Giorgio Carnini turn in some great work here – a mindblowing mix of modes over the space of ten short tracks – some tunes a cascading array of instrumentation, in a hip groove that's neither American jazz or soundtrack funk, but a special space of its own! Other tunes use an electronic approach that's years ahead of its time – as groovy as 60s analogue, but a lot darker, too – in ways that the rest of the world might not touch until the German new wave. The balance is almost even between swinging groovers and darker electronic cuts – and titles include "Grinta", "Azione CIA", "Scalo Clandestino", "Alambicco Cibernetico", "Strutture Generative", "Omicido Bianco", and "CIA Massacre". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best ever sets of sprawling, spacey soul funk and jazz from the impossible to pen in Burnt Sugar Arkestra Chamber – never an easy group to describe in a nutshell, and that's a good thing – their best work in years and their first effort for the Livewired label! Making Love To The Dark Ages is a weirdly apt title, starting out with kind of dark, bluesy soul backdrop for Lisala's vocal in the beginning of the opening three part suite "Chains And Waters", slowly building into a tense, free jazz groove that's unafraid to pepper it up with some psyche rock guitar, heady/heavy bass, keys and synth, sax and drums. Guitarist and group leader Greg Tate conducts a sprawling chamber with slightly altered lineups depending on the piece, with players including vocal chanteuse Lisala, fellow vocalists Jeremiah, Karma Johnson, Justice Dilla X (who moonlights on piano, too) and others, alto & tenor sax by Matana Roberts and Petre Radu Scafaru, synth by Bruce Mack, cello by Will Martina, acoustic and electric bass by Jason DiMatteo and Jared Michael Nicherson, drums by Chris Eddleton and Trevor Holden & others, guitars by Rene Akan, Vernon Reid, trombone by David Smith, trumpet by Lewis 'Flip' Barnes, Jr, – lots more instrumentation and orchestration. The record rolls in and out of evocative soul, bits of electro and hip hop soundcraft, spaced out astral jazz, sharp solos and textured bursts of noise – never sacrificing a confluent sense of togetherness for all of the diverse sounds. Titles include the suites "Chains And Water" and the title track, plus "Thorazine/81", "Love To Tical" and "Dominata (The Gabri Ballad)". CD

An obscure little set, but a great one too – a joint effort from Charles and Barbara Burton – served up with a really wonderful blend of upbeat club and modern soul modes! The album's got all the indie soul charm you'd expect from its title and cover – a simple, straightforward approach to the music that's often got lots of personal touches and genre-crossing moments – a great antidote to more mainstream soul of the time, but done with a fair bit of skill throughout! Instrumentation includes some great keyboards next to Barbara's vocals – and a few numbers feature chorus vocals that come across with an especially shimmering kind of sound. Titles include "LA Will Make You Pay", "Sincerely Yours", "Who You Gonna Get", "You Know I Love You", "Groovin At The Night Club", and "Nation Song". CD

Massively jazzy soul from Donald Byrd – two "love" tunes from the late 70s and early 80s! "Love Has Come Around" goes in a whole new direction than his earlier Mizzell-styled work – snapping a sweet clapping groove, yet still keeping enough acoustic touches to keep things real – and coming across with the best mix of modes you'd hear in a classic Rodney Franklin track! "Loving You" is modern soul genius, a crisp stepping number with Byrd's trademark jazzy flourishes, soaring high on sweet strings, while keeping a really funky groove at the bottom – really one of the best mainstream blends of 70s club and soulful fusion from the time! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A landmark album by Donald Byrd – the first one where he really started to click with jazz-funk producer Larry Mizell! Mizell and Byrd had worked together previously on the Black Byrd album – a soaring bit of futuristic jazz funk that took Byrd's career to a whole new level – but this album's the one where they really began to make the formula cook, blending together tight funky rhythms, spacey keyboards, soulful vocals, and some of Donald's best solo work of the 70s! The whole thing's a masterpiece, and all tracks sparkle – including "Lansana's Priestess", "Witch Hunt", and "Street Lady", one of the funkiest tracks ever on Blue Note. A haunting record with a beautiful spacey groove, and one of the best-ever albums on Blue Note! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing little record from Joe Byrd – an artist with roots in serious music, but who's serving things up here with a wild hippie aesthetic that makes the whole thing come across more like a "happening" than the usual sort of studio album – but in ways that also echo an earlier generation of Americanist composition too. The process of the record mimics some of Byrd's famous work in New York – and has a very collaborative feel overall, with elements of electronics, acoustics, and vocals coming together beautifully! There's some great tabla, harpsichord, moog, and organ on the record – plus more serious woodwinds and brass – and vocals from Victoria Bond, Susan De Lange, Christie Thompson, and Ernie Anderson – plus Joe himself. Titles include "Kalyani", "Moonsong Pelog", "You Can't Ever Come Down", "Gospel Music", "Nightmare Train", "Leisure World", and "The Elephant At The Door". CD

An amazing little record from Joe Byrd – an artist with roots in serious music, but who's serving things up here with a wild hippie aesthetic that makes the whole thing come across more like a "happening" than the usual sort of studio album – but in ways that also echo an earlier generation of Americanist composition too. The process of the record mimics some of Byrd's famous work in New York – and has a very collaborative feel overall, with elements of electronics, acoustics, and vocals coming together beautifully! There's some great tabla, harpsichord, moog, and organ on the record – plus more serious woodwinds and brass – and vocals from Victoria Bond, Susan De Lange, Christie Thompson, and Ernie Anderson – plus Joe himself. Titles include "Kalyani", "Moonsong Pelog", "You Can't Ever Come Down", "Gospel Music", "Nightmare Train", "Leisure World", and "The Elephant At The Door". LP, Vinyl record album

Take a trip through hell with the CA Quintet – an obscure late 60s combo from the Twin Cities – and one who've got more than enough psychedelic power to live up to the Cali promise of their name! The album's got a pretty amazing cover – nude models dancing in a satanic landscape – and the sounds within are even more incredible – way more eerie and offbeat than other records of this nature, with a true undercurrent of evil that really comes through in both the darkness of the instrumentation, and the creepy way the vocals are put across. Titles include "Trip Thru Hell" – in two parts – plus "Sleepy Hollow Lane", "Smooth As Silk", "Cold Spider", and "Colorado Mourning". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "Fortune Teller's Lie", "Bury Me In A Marijuana Field", "I Want You To Love Me Girl", "Bring All Your Love", "Dr Of Philosophy", and "Ain't No Doubt About It". CD

The legendary debut of Bobby Caldwell – a blue-eyed soul singer who borrowed just the right amounts from AOR and R&B! Bobby's got a voice that's really great, and wrapped up warmly amidst keyboards and larger arrangements that all come across with a very cool compressed style – almost as if Caldwell discovered that midtempo and mellow style on some of the Earth Wind & Fire albums from a few years before, and used it as inspiration to craft a classic groove that's very much his own! The set features Bobby's huge classic "What You Won't Do For Love" – but the whole album's great, and other titles include "Special To Me", "Can't Say Goodbye", "My Flame", "Love Won't Wait", "Come To Me", "Down For The Third Time", "Take Me Back To Then" and "Kalimba Song", another nod to Maurice White and crew, to be sure! LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of Bobby Caldwell – a blue-eyed soul singer who borrowed just the right amounts from AOR and R&B! Bobby's got a voice that's really great, and wrapped up warmly amidst keyboards and larger arrangements that all come across with a very cool compressed style – almost as if Caldwell discovered that midtempo and mellow style on some of the Earth Wind & Fire albums from a few years before, and used it as inspiration to craft a classic groove that's very much his own! The set features Bobby's huge classic "What You Won't Do For Love" – but the whole album's great, and other titles include "Special To Me", "Can't Say Goodbye", "My Flame", "Love Won't Wait", "Come To Me", "Down For The Third Time", "Take Me Back To Then" and "Kalimba Song", another nod to Maurice White and crew, to be sure! LP, Vinyl record album

One of those landmark meetings of mighty talents that sounds even better on record than it does on paper – as the set somehow finds this really special space that's completely between all the best early 70s modes of both Terry Riley and John Cale! Cale was really coming into his own at the time as a solo act – creating amazing records after leaving the Velvet Underground, but also still tied to the deeper art scene from which he emerged. Riley was on the way to becoming one of the most popular of the more modern composers – thanks to a nod from The Who, and a big audience for his wonderfully trippy records on Columbia. The label allowed the pair to create this really special music here – sounds that borrow from Riley's minimalism, while also having some of the darkness of Cale's own compositions – and coming across with this jagged, almost modal sort of approach that's really great. Cale only sings on one song, and the rest of the set is instrumental – as Riley plays piano, organ, and soprano sax – and Cale joins in on bass, guitar, viola, and harpsichord. The two of them groove together in these totally cool tracks that build and build, with minimal lines repeating over and over in endlessly fascinating groove – in a way that touches on a weirdly funky mode! The cut "Ides Of March" has the potential to be dancefloor groover in the jazz dance scene, and there's lots of other great tracks like "Church of Anthrax", "The Protege", and "The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles". CD

One of the heaviest electric sets from UK trumpeter Ian Carr – and that's really saying a lot, given how much heavy work he cut with his group Nucleus! The sound here is a groundbreaking mix of acoustic horns and keyboards – trumpet from Carr, and a mix of tenor, soprano, alto, and flute from Brian Smith – coming into contact with the Fender Rhodes of Dave MacRae and the Hohner electric of Gordon Beck! The pairing of keys is wonderful – and the whole thing is sewn together by the guitar of a young Allan Holdsworth, who's very much in the sway of Carr's sound here, instead of the later directions he'd take as a leader. The set might be worth it alone for the massive "Summer Rain" – a slow funk track that trips along beautifully – but the whole thing's great, and other titles include "Belladonna", "Mayday", "Suspension", and "Hector's House". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic album from trumpeter Ian Carr and his legendary Nucleus group – a combo who are really right on the money here, finding their own sort of space at a level that's very different than some of the other rock/jazz projects on the UK scene at the time! There's often a lot more space between the notes going on here than on more jamming, more progressive records – a laidback groove that's wonderfully soulful, and which ties this Nucleus set a bit more strongly to American jazz funk that was rising up at the time – or maybe like some of the better Euro work by groups like Cortex or Placebo! Ian Carr leads the group on trumpet, Dave MacRae plays a lot of great keyboards, and Brian Smith blows strong solos on tenor, soprano, and flute – on titles that include "Southern Roots & Celebration", "Capricorn", "Images", "Caliban", "Roots", and "Whapatiti". LP, Vinyl record album

Two jazz rock classics – back to back as a 2CD set! Solar Plexus was a pivotal album in the career of British jazzman Ian Carr – one that had him really opening up into some trippy, spacey grooves – adding in a lot of keyboards, kicking up the grooves, yet still never losing the strong jazzy finish that was the best part of his earlier work. Players on the set include trumpeters Harry Beckett and Kenny Wheeler, guitarist Chris Spedding, and keyboardist Karl Jekins, who really throws in some groovy lines on the set! Titles include "Elements 1 & 2", "Snakehips Dream", "Torso", "Spirit Level", and "Bedrock Deadlock". Belladonna is one of the heaviest electric sets from UK trumpeter Ian Carr – and that's really saying a lot, given how much heavy work he cut with his group Nucleus! The sound here is a groundbreaking mix of acoustic horns and keyboards – trumpet from Carr, and a mix of tenor, soprano, alto, and flute from Brian Smith – coming into contact with the Fender Rhodes of Dave MacRae and the Hohner electric of Gordon Beck! The pairing of keys is wonderful – and the whole thing is sewn together by the guitar of a young Allan Holdsworth, who's very much in the sway of Carr's sound here, instead of the later directions he'd take as a leader. The set might be worth it alone for the massive "Summer Rain" – a slow funk track that trips along beautifully – but the whole thing's great, and other titles include "Belladonna", "Mayday", "Suspension", and "Hector's House". CD

Two jazz rock classics – back to back as a 2CD set! Solar Plexus was a pivotal album in the career of British jazzman Ian Carr – one that had him really opening up into some trippy, spacey grooves – adding in a lot of keyboards, kicking up the grooves, yet still never losing the strong jazzy finish that was the best part of his earlier work. Players on the set include trumpeters Harry Beckett and Kenny Wheeler, guitarist Chris Spedding, and keyboardist Karl Jekins, who really throws in some groovy lines on the set! Titles include "Elements 1 & 2", "Snakehips Dream", "Torso", "Spirit Level", and "Bedrock Deadlock". Belladonna is one of the heaviest electric sets from UK trumpeter Ian Carr – and that's really saying a lot, given how much heavy work he cut with his group Nucleus! The sound here is a groundbreaking mix of acoustic horns and keyboards – trumpet from Carr, and a mix of tenor, soprano, alto, and flute from Brian Smith – coming into contact with the Fender Rhodes of Dave MacRae and the Hohner electric of Gordon Beck! The pairing of keys is wonderful – and the whole thing is sewn together by the guitar of a young Allan Holdsworth, who's very much in the sway of Carr's sound here, instead of the later directions he'd take as a leader. The set might be worth it alone for the massive "Summer Rain" – a slow funk track that trips along beautifully – but the whole thing's great, and other titles include "Belladonna", "Mayday", "Suspension", and "Hector's House". CD

Titles include "Jackson", "Ring Of Fire", "Walk The Line", "Five Feet High And Rising", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The frenzied piano of Carmen Cavallaro gets a nice does of Latin rhythms on this set – and the set's a great example of the way that cocktail piano and Latin were strongly linked in the New York scene of the 50s! Carmen's style here is certainly different than that of Joe Loco, Noro Morales, or others who skirted the same territory – but the difference is also not that great, and it was Cavallaro's earlier sense of drama and color that often helped inspire piano work in players who followed. The rhythms are especially great here too – not straight Latin all the time, but a nice mix of inventive and exotic touches from bass and percussion that really liven things up, and make the tunes come across with modes that are quite different than their familiar readings. Titles include "Dolores My Own", "Frenesi", "Andalucia", "Maria La-O", "Perfida", "Adios", and "Poinciana". LP, Vinyl record album

A tribute to Ed Blackwell, and one that features the legendary drummer himself – as part of the excellent Old & New Dreams from the 80s! The work was recorded during a Blackwell tribute festival in 1987 – and the group features Don Cherry on trumpet, Dewey Redman on tenor, and Charlie Haden on bass – all players who, like Blackwell, worked with Ornette Coleman – coming across here with a sharp-edged sound that has lots of Coleman-like touches! There's no piano in the group, and the rhythms are very forceful – almost a bolder presence than usual from Blackwell, which really drives the horns along nicely. Titles include versions of Coleman's "Happy House", "Law Years", and "Street Woman" – plus "Togo" and "Dewey's Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

Chicago's second album – not as familiar as the first, and with some really great moments! The group is working here in the same extended-length format as on their debut, going for some more complicated tunes spread across the album's double length – jazzy riffing still firmly in place, and going for some vocal moments that almost have a nice Brother-era Beach Boys sound to them. Includes the great "Make Me Smile", plus the cuts "Poem For The People", "In The Country", "Wake Up Sunshine", "25 Or 6 To 4", "To Be Free", "Fancy Colours", "West Virginia Fantasies", "Where Do We Go From Here", and "Memories Of Love". More grooves than you might remember, too! CD

Tracks include "He's Herre", "Represent", "Right Thurr", "Wurrs My Cash", "Chingy Jackpot", "Sample Dat Ass", "One Call Away", "Getting' It", "Holidae In" featuring Ludacris and Snoop, "Juice", "Madd @ Me" & "Bagg Up". Also includes bonus track "Right Thurr (remix)" featuring Jermaine Dupri & Trina. LP, Vinyl record album

A genius idea – almost like the World Sax Quartet, but even more groundbreaking, in that the group unites 2 older players (Alvin Batiste and Jimmy Hamilton) with 2 younger players from the forefront of modern jazz (John Carter and David Murray). The result is wonderful – a record that will forever change your expectations of the sound of the clarinet in jazz, and which shows that reed work from a variety of generations can be equally influential across a variety of scenes. Titles include "Clariflavors", "Groovin High", "Sticks & Bones", "Sweet Lovely", and "The Washington Square Park Episode". LP, Vinyl record album

Mike Clement on guitar with John Lee on hammond B3 organ and Herlin Riley on drums. CD

Clive Palmer definitely has an original band here – a group who have some of the acoustic elements of The Incredible String Band, of which he was a part – but who also come across with a sound that's a lot more ancient, dark, and spooky too! Vocals are by Clive and Mick Bennett – both singers with a very moody approach – almost weary from battles in the field, coming back home to tell their tales – set to instrumentation that includes key use of organ amidst the acoustic elements, but almost as if it's a pump organ, which gives all the songs this wonderfully downbeat sort of vibe – a bit like when Nico uses harmonium. The set's definitely on the darkest side of the acid folk spectrum, and maybe has echoes of Current 93 and Wicker Man as well – on titles that include "Eleven Willows", "I Told Her", "Oh Bright Eyed One", "Heart Dancer", "Let It Be You", and "Solomon's Song". CD

About as classic as you can get for the great Eddie Cochran – no surprise, since the album was put together to mourn his untimely early passing, and is filled with some of the best tracks he ever cut for Liberty Records! The music here is Cochran at his prime – that post-country, pre-pop sound that has Eddie drawing on a lot of southern roots, but really giving the music a raw focus – with that sound that went onto make him a huge influence for years to come – through mod scenes, punk years, and beyond! Titles include "Lovin Time", "Drive In Show", "Teenage Heaven", "Sittin In The Balcony", "Summertime Blues", "C'Mon Everybody", "Cut Across Shorty", and "Somethin Else". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from the enigmatic Wayne Cochran – a whiter-than-white cat who's most famous for his late 60s run of surprisingly great funk and soul records for Chess and King – heard here on the complete tracks recorded for a variety of different labels in the runup to those years! Some of these tracks have Cochran coming across with more of the rockabilly style you'd expect from his famous coiffure – but there's also plenty of early strands of soul music too – served up in that special blend that always made Wayne Cochran such a popular live act on a variety of different stages throughout the south! The package does great justice to these early years of Cochran – complete with a huge illustrated booklet of notes and details on the singles – material originally issued on labels that include Gala, Confederate, Bethlehem, and Scottie – plus key material recorded for King and Mercury as well. The 2CD package features 42 tracks in all - and titles include "No Return", "Liza Jane", "Think", "You Left The Water Running", "The Coo", "Harlem Shuffle", "Last Kiss", "Little Orphan Annie", "Dreams", "Linda Lu", "Cindy Marie", "Funny Feeling", "Money", "Lights Out", "A-Ok", "Get Down With It", "Somebody Please", and "To Make Me A Man". CD

Hey, don't hold Wayne Cochran's hair against him – because he's one massively soulful dude, despite a high white pompadour – and really knew how to rock the clubs back in the 60s! Cochran's a really unique figure – working with a look that was whiter-than-white, but coming across with a groove that was right up there in the best funky soul mode of the time! Wayne played for the same sort of crowds that went to see Baby Huey & The Babysitters – blending together soul and R&B influences with a really party-oriented groove laid down by his legendary CC Riders backup group – and crossing countless borders along the way, all in pursuit of a socking soul sound! This wonderful set is the best we've ever seen on his music – and features tracks pulled from his sessions for King, Chess, and Mercury – plus a full never-issued live album for King, titled The Wayne Cochran Show. There's more than a few covers here of other 60s soul tunes, but Wayne somehow manages to make most of them sound even better than the originals – bringing in funky arrangements that weren't even used on the hits, and making us wish we'd had a chance to catch his cooking show back in the day. 38 tracks in all – with titles that include "Dance To The Music", "Hold On I'm Coming", "Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa (Sad Song)", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Hard To Handle", "Chopper 70", "Everybody", "Let Me Come With You", "My Machine", "Get Ready", "Which One Should I Choose", "I'm In Trouble", "The Peak Of Love", "Somebody Please", "I'm Leaving It Up To You", and "Big City Woman". CD

There's nothing instant about this album from the great Dennis Coffey – as the set marks a continuing evolution of the fantastic guitar sound he forged on the Detroit scene from the late 60s onward – that wicked blend of funk, soul, jazz, and a bit of rock – served up wonderfully here on a set of sweet instrumentals! This album's nicely different than some of Coffey's previous for the Sussex label, as it's got a few cuts that are quite long jams – both in the seven minute range, and with a groove that trips out at times, maybe a bit like Shuggie Otis was doing during the same generation – but with all these really wonderful charts that have odd elements, and almost come across with an unusual soundtrack/sound library vibe! The long cuts are the excellent "Moon Star" and "Outrageous (The Mind Excursion)" – and the set also includes a great remake of the theme to "Enter the Dragon", plus the sweet originals "Chicano" and "Kathy". CD

There's nothing instant about this album from the great Dennis Coffey – as the set marks a continuing evolution of the fantastic guitar sound he forged on the Detroit scene from the late 60s onward – that wicked blend of funk, soul, jazz, and a bit of rock – served up wonderfully here on a set of sweet instrumentals! This album's nicely different than some of Coffey's previous for the Sussex label, as it's got a few cuts that are quite long jams – both in the seven minute range, and with a groove that trips out at times, maybe a bit like Shuggie Otis was doing during the same generation – but with all these really wonderful charts that have odd elements, and almost come across with an unusual soundtrack/sound library vibe! The long cuts are the excellent "Moon Star" and "Outrageous (The Mind Excursion)" – and the set also includes a great remake of the theme to "Enter the Dragon", plus the sweet originals "Chicano" and "Kathy". CD

The team of Al & Zoot are wonderfully reunited in this classic 70s session – an album that still crackles with all their best twin-tenor frontline styles, but which also has a more fluid, free, and easygoing feel than their work in the 50s! The rhythm session on the set features some great work by Horace Parlan on piano, giving the set a nice gutbuckety bottom, and making the whole thing come across with a lot more soul than you might expect. Titles include "Motoring Along", "Fallin", "What The World Needs Now", and "Stockholm LA". CD also features 3 bonus tracks too! CD

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A perfect setting for the rich-voiced tenor of the great George Coleman – presented here as one of the best titles so far in the strongly-revived Live At Smalls series! Smalls is one of those players who's been on countless albums over the years, and turned out plenty of great work – but who also seems to come across with a freshness, a newness in a key live recording like this – much the same way that a player like Johnny Griffin could always show that at the core, jazz can be a spontaneous expression that's sometimes best presented in an unfettered sort of space. The core group is just right for Coleman, and often step back to give him plenty of space – Spike Wilner on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums – and titles include "Blues For Smalls", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "At Last", "Four", "Meditation", and "My Funny Valentine". CD

One of the most striking Ornette Coleman albums of the 60s – a set that came together because of an odd regulation, but which also resulted in some really wonderful music as well! The record documents a 1965 London concert by Ornette – but, in order to get a visa to visit the UK, Coleman had to come across as a "serious musician" – so he works here with a very cool wind quartet that features added flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon! This group joins Ornette on a reading of his fantastic Sounds & Forms – then steps back to allow more familiar jamming by Coleman's wonderful trio that featured Charles Mofett on percussion and David Izenzon on double bass. Ornette also plays some amazing violin, in addition to his usual alto, and a bit of trumpet – and titles include "Forms and Sounds For Wind Quintet", plus shorter tracks like "Dough Nuts", "Happy Fool", "Clergyman's Dream", "Silence", and "Falling Stars". CD

Comprised selected tracks from the first five albums of his era, Something Else!!! and Tomorrow Is the Question, recorded for the Contemporary label during 1958 and 1959, and The Shape of Jazz to Come, Change of the Century and This Is Our Music, recorded for Atlantic during 1959 and 1960. It concludes with complete the 37-minute ensemble improvisation which comprises the entire content of the 1961 album Free Jazz. CD