With a record like this, it's clear that bassist Jamale Davis is a player to watch – as he's got a way of really bringing something new to the table, and presenting us with a very fresh conception of jazz! Way back through a legacy that includes albums by Ron Carter, Richard Davis, and Oscar Pettiford, it's often the case that groups led by a bassist can really deliver something different – not just a way of pushing a player who's sometimes in the background to the front, but maybe changing up approaches to rhythm and melody in all these really inventive ways – something that Jamale definitely does here – working with a lineup who shape their sounds beautifully – Dario Terzuolo on tenor, John Mosca on trombone, Mferghu on piano, and Ben Zweig on drums and pandeiro. The mix of tenor and trombone is beautiful next to the bass – and the album has a good blend of unusual tunes and a few well-chosen remakes – in a set list that includes "Rabbit Island", "Indra", "Taxi Bird", "Star Eyes", "Run With The Hunted", "Congo Blues", and "Hello I Must Be Going". CD

Beautifully cascading sounds from drummer Kaito Nakamura Davis – a player whose own work is often more a part of the larger group in which he works, at a level that has all the other elements wrapped up and rolling along together! The group features superb bass from Keisuke Furuki, a player who is bold and warm at the same time – spacious and present as well – on grooves that are punctuated with just the right chords from the fingers of Kento Tsubosaka on the piano, then topped with these alto lines from Riko Sasaki – who sometimes breaks free of the rest on his solos, sometimes moves in these chunky formations that hang on to the rhythms. Titles include "Blaque Dawn", "Song For Numan", "Noir", "My Funny December", "New Friends", and "That Little Boy". CD

An album of dark and subtle beauty – and still one of our favorite Miles Davis albums of all time! The set's not as earth-shattering as some of Davis' other work of the 60s, but that's why we like it so much – because the emerging genius of the group with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams is held in a really special place here – one that ruminates quietly on space and soul, while Davis majestically directs tones and colors that he'd never gotten in a small group format before! Titles include the amazing "Iris", one of Miles' most haunting themes – plus "Little One", "RJ", "ESP", "Mood", and "Agitation". CD

A dark blend of acoustic and electric modes from Miles Davis – a set that still has him working with elements of the classic 60s quintet, but which also brings in a stronger emphasis on electric piano too! The rhythms here are really fantastic – ready to burst forth into a whole new direction, yet still not hitting the Bitches Brew level of freedom – and drummer Tony Williams may well be the real star of the set for his tremendous work on the kit – even though, as stated, the album's got some heavy electric piano contributions both from Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea! All titles feature Miles on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums – and the titles with Herbie feature Ron Carter on bass, while the rest with Chick Corea feature Dave Holland. Titles include "Frelon Brun", "Tout De Suite", "Petits Machins", "Mademoiselle Mabry", and "Filles De Kilimanjaro". CD also features a bonus alternate take of "Tout De Suite". CD

Miles Davis makes the electric transition – in this groundbreaking set from the late 60s! The classic mid 60s quintet is still in place here – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – but the sound is looser, freer, and more spacious – often echoing some of the rhythmic concerns that would dominate Miles' music in a few more years, but without as much of a bombastic sound. Williams' drums are amazing – fierce one minute, then fading the next – and Herbie Hancock's use of both electric and acoustic piano really points at his own directions in coming years. George Benson plays one one track – "Paraphernalia" – introducing electric guitar to the Miles Davis sound – and other long tracks on the set include "Stuff", "Black Comedy", and "Country Son". CD features 2 bonus alternate takes of "Black Comedy" and "Country Son". CD

A sublime bit of Miles Davis electric funk – one of the best-remembered electric sets from the 70s, and for good reason too! The tracks are long, the jams are hard, and the whole thing has a lot more funk than some of the noise you'd get on other Miles albums of the time – thanks to killer keyboards from Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, guitar from John McLaughlin, and reeds from Dave Liebman – plus some standout drums from the legendary Jack DeJohnette – easily at the top of his powers here. These top-shelf players jam together beautifully – really cooking on the album's long tracks – "On The Corner" and "Helen Butte/Mr Freedom X" – and tightening up on the slightly shorter cuts "Black Satin" and "One & One". CD

An incredible performance from one of the greatest saxophonists to ever grace the Japanese scene – a player with a sense of power, tone, and phrasing that rivals avant greats like Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp, or David Murray! Yet Karou Abe is also a player all unto himself – with a style that's completely unique, and often best heard in a setting like this – very open, with Abe stretching out with a sense of spiritual imagination that almost feels years ahead of its time. Abe blows alto on most tracks, but also uses a bit of bass clarinet, and even harmonica on one title – with accompaniment from percussionist Yasukazu Sato on a few titles, but mostly solo throughout. The package brings together 16 long tracks – previously scattered on short run CD releases in the 90s – finally here together. CD

Argentine rock, recorded in Paris during the early 70s – a really unusual expatriate album that comes off with a sound that's pretty unique! Miguel Abuelo clearly draws inspiration from the heavier rock that was showing up in South America at the time – yet the overall execution of the record also shares some of the warmer, more optimistic qualities that marked some of the French groups during the period – occasional folksy elements, and a post-68 positivity that holds on even when things get somewhat trippy and jammy. Instrumentation is heavy on guitars – both acoustic and electric – and the longer tracks really take off with some wild sounds, especially when bits of moog or electronics are dropped into the mix. Titles include "Senor Carnicero", "El Muelle", "Estoy Aqui Parado Sentado Y Acostado", "El Largo Dia De Vivir", and "Tirando Piedras Al Rio". CD

A stone classic from Cannonball Adderley – and a pivotal set that has him continuing the live recording setting of some of his best 60s albums, while also stretching forward to some of the more inventive ideas of the latter part of the decade! David Axelrod produced, and the album's definitely got his ear firmly in place – a great way of bringing together the album's hip instrumentation – Cannon's alto, Nat Adderley's cornet, and the wicked electric piano of Joe Zawinul – played here in a style that would go onto have a huge influence on countless other musicians on the instrument. Rhythm is by Victor Gaskin on bass and Roy McCurdy on drums – and as with other Axelrod live albums, there's some great spoken bits left in the mix – Cannon's charming conversation with the audience, which really opens up the tunes. Titles include the 2 title hits – "Walk Tall" and "74 Miles Away" – plus "I Remember Bird", "Oh Babe", and "Do Do Do". CD

Wickedly hip work from Cannonball Adderley – and one of his real standout sessions for Capitol Records in the 60s! The set lives up to its "Africa" promise right from the very first note – and features a set of loud, proud tunes that really bring out the righteous sounds of this generation of new liberation – tunes that sparkle with lead alto and soprano sax from Cannon, but which really draw even more energy from the whole collective of musicians on the record – a hip lineup led by HB Barnum, who also did all the arrangements for the set! The result is a record that's unlike any of Adderley's other albums – from some of the evocative snakey lines on the top, to the hip mix of 60s Cali soul and African percussion on the bottom. And oh yeah, David Axelrod produced the whole thing too! Titles include "Gumba Gumba", "Up & At It", "Hamba Nami", "Ndolima", and "Lehadima". CD

A warm and soulful set of fusion tracks – issued only in Japan, but recorded by a hip group from the US! Air Pocket features the Fowler Brothers – Walt, Bruce, Ed, and Steve – on trumpet, trombone, bass, and alto, respectively – plus drummer Chester Thompson, guitarist Mike Miller, and pianist Stu Goldberg, who really plays some great moog, clavinet, and electric keys on the set! Tunes are well-written – a bit choppy, but never too jamming, and really just done in this nice blocky way that creates a slightly funky approach, and a good degree of soul. Titles include "Elephant's Graveyard", "Hi Lo Redic", "Colors For Marvin", "Night's Move", and "Becky". CD

A stunning celebration of one of the greatest pairings in Brazilian music – and in American music as well, given that both Airto Moreira and Flora Purim recorded plenty of these cuts up in our neck of the woods! Airto's percussion is the stuff of legend – a key force in Brazilian recordings in the late 60s, and then equally important in American jazz – in famous recordings with Miles Davis and other artists, and plenty of great records on his own! Flora's vocals are equally crucial – a soaring, fluid approach that forever changed the way that female singers approached jazz – bred in 60s bossa, but instantly something new by the time the 70s came along – especially when Airto was supporting her with great grooves! This huge package brings together material that both artists recorded – often under the name of one or the other, but often with the other artist present on the recording – with a heavy batch of work from the 70s and 80s, but also crucial cuts from other years too! 3CD set features 37 tracks and a really great package – with titles that include "Love Lock", "The Happy People", "Hungry On Arriva", "The Road Is Hard", "Samba De Flora", "O Canto Da Sereia", "Jeito Bom De Sofrer", "Papo Furado", "Xibaba", "Back Streets Of Havana", "Vera Cruz", "Flora's Song", "When Angels Crie", "Celebration Suite", "Casa Forte", "Black Narcissus", "A Secret From The Sea", "O Cantador/I Just Want To Be Here", "Jump", and "Hot Sand". CD

CTI Records meets that Brazilian fusion sound of the 70s – served up here on two classic albums! Fingers is one of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! Flora Purim joins in here on both vocals and percussion – and the rest of the group features Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards and harmonica, Jorgte Fattoruso on drums, and David Amaro on both electric and acoustic guitars – shifting nicely between both instruments in a way that further underscores the blended vibe of the record! Most of these tracks are Airto classics – like "Tombo in 7/4", "San Francisco River", "Romance Of Death", "Ringers", and "Wind Chant" – and the record has a very sweet CTI production style, but is still rough enough around the edges to keep things nice and real! Deodato In Concert is an excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as tight and funky as his studio albums, and possibly even more interesting because he manages to pull it off equally well in a live setting! The record features percussion by Airto, guitar by John Tropea, and vocals by Flora Purim – and those are just the marquee names of a large and amazing grew of great musicians! All tracks are long and complicated, for very hynotic feel throughout. The funkiest number is "Tropea", which has a nice long 8 minute groove – and the set also features a cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", plus the tracks "Parana", "Branches", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and "Skyscraper". Amazing! CD

A definite new beginning for reedman Eric Alexander – a set that has him turning to alto sax, instead of his very familiar tenor – and also working with some larger string backings on most of the set – something we're not sure Alexander has ever done before! The vibe is great, and Eric brings a depth to the alto that really reflects his decades on the tenor – a style that's very different than a Charlie Parker or Sonny Stitt "with strings" section from years back – in part because the arrangements by Bill Dobbins have a very fresh feel too. There's a familiar combo at the core – David Hazeltine on piano, John Webber on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums – and titles include "All My Tomorrows", "Too Late Now", "Blues For Diane", "Maybe September", "Anita", and "To Love & Be Loved". CD

Mose Allison is one of the coolest, grooviest singers ever to grace the face of jazz – a voice you'll recognize instantly, even if you don't know his name – and an artist who had a huge influence on the sound of the London scene in the 60s! Mose was mod before mod was a thing – and was able to mix his sharp jazz skills on piano with a gutbuckety style of singing that drew heavily from the sound of New Orleans – as did his sense of rhythm – but always with an approach that was more upbeat and jazzy overall, with a hip sophistication that few other artists could hope to touch! And while Mose recorded excellent sounds for decades, this collection focuses in on some of the most important work he ever cut – music done for Prestige, Columbia, and Atlantic Records from the late 50s through the early 70s – served up in the most amazing tribute to Allison we've ever seen. 24 tracks in all – with cuts that include "Foolkiller", "I'm Not Talking", "If You Only Knew", "The Seventh Son", "I'm Smashed", "Wild Man On The Loose", "Back On The Corner", "I Love The Life I Live", "Jus Like Livin", "If You Live", "V8 Ford Blues", "Parchman Farm", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Western Man", "Your Molecular Structure", "Hellow There Universe", and "Swingin Machine". CD

A cool Scandinavian combo, and one who've got heavy influences from both American and African funk of the 70s – influences that they weave together wonderfully here in a rich tapestry of grooves! There's as much Nigerian elements in the music as Ethiopian – especially the more exotic horn parts of the latter – and in addition to familiar funk instrumentation on guitar, keyboards, saxes, and trumpet – the record features some especially nice use of percussion, flute, xylophone, and sitar too! Titles include the long Indian-themed track "Bhimpalasi" – plus "Gunkali", "Movefeze", "What Could I Do", "Surrounded", and "Big Words". CD

A well-titled set from one of the greatest soul groups to ever come from Chicago – a sublime quartet who had a way of voicing their tunes that was really head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries! This killer record showcases The Artistics' genius right from the start – mixing in some deeper soul modes than you might expect from the Windy City side of Brunswick Records – yet still keeping the Chicago contingent firmly in place thanks to production by Carl Davis, arrangements by Sonny Sanders, and a wonderful set of material written by the likes of Eugene Record, Floyd Smith, Marvin Smith, and Gerald Sims. The vocals are wonderful – rawer at some moments than others, which really gives the album a great sense of personality – and titles include their hit "You Left Me", plus "The Other Side Of Sadness", "Fading Memories", "Man With Feeling", "Have No Pity", and "Ain't That The Way It Goes". CD features two bonus tracks – "You Make Me Happy" and "Nothing But Heartaches". CD

A really breakout moment for The Artistics – and the start of a really sublime run with the great Brunswick Records! The group had already broken a bit on Okeh a few years before – securing a top spot on the Chicago scene with their bouncy northern soul groove – a love of rhythm that made them as much a favorite on dancefloors as they were with fans of harmony soul. But on this sweet set, things come together even better than before – thanks to strong leads by singer Marvin Smith, who brings a real sense of personality to the group's harmonies – and wonderful Brunswick studio help that includes Sonny Sanders arrangements and Carl Davis production. The whole thing's wonderful – and tracks include the hit "I'm Gonna Miss You", plus "On & On", "Sweeter Than Sugar", "Hope We Have", "Girl I Need You", "You're Wonderful", and "Love Song". CD features a great bonus track – "The Chase Is On". CD

The last and lean effort from the legendary Ash Ra Tempel – a set that relies heavily on vocals from female singer Rosemarie Muller, who's pictured on the cover almost as some Teutonic take on Linda Ronstadt! And oddly, there might be a bit of Cali currents in the mix – as the guitar work of Manuel Gottsching, while as weird and wild as ever, does have these occasional moments of grounding – certainly not standard rock, but these tuneful snippets from time to time that are almost a surprise next to the darker, moodier vocals of Rosi! Dieter Dierks produced, and had a nice hand in the sound – and Rosi also plays a bit of vibes and a concert harp – although the swirling sound is much more electric and spacey than you might guess from those instruments. Titles include "Interplay Of Forces", "Laughter Loving", "Bring Me Up", "Cosmic Tango", "Schizo", and "Day Dream". CD

Radiant grooves indeed from Atlantic Starr – a group who really make things sparkle throughout this magnificent set! The group are at the height of their powers here – skirting a perfect line between mainstream soul and upbeat club – never falling too much into one style or the other, and never sounding as commercial as some of their contemporaries! There's a relaxed, easygoing feel to most of the grooves on the set – never too much fake bass, nor too many electric touches – and the vocals shift a bit from track to track, taking good advantage of singers Wayne Lewis, David Lewis, and Sharon Bryant. Titles include "When Love Calls", "Think About That", "Mystery Girl", "Under Pressure", "My Turn Now", "Does It Matter", and "Send For Me". CD

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label – and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove – sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind of sound you'd expect from Westbound in the early 70s! Austin's guitar is very much in the mode of Eddie Fisher, Eddie Senay, or other kicked-back jazz funk players from his generation – an approach that's probably got a bit of Hendrix somewhere back in the mix, but which is more focused on the tighter side of the funk and soul instrumental spectrum! The album's like finding a stash of rare funky 45s – loads of great short tracks with titles that include "Sex Plot", "Crazy Legs", "You Want It, You Got It", "Side Saddle", "Nanzee", "Pea Shooter", "Do Me Right", and "Shake Your Head". CD

No Mirage here – as the album's got a presence that's impossible to deny – a solid, soulful uttering from this key Chicago combo of the 70s! The group's led by reedman Ari Brown – better known for his later avant work – and they've got a wicked blend of keyboards and horns with lots of complicated touches, played out over funky rhythms that are completely mindblowing! The great Ken Chaney plays keyboards, and in addition to Brown's reeds, the set also features trumpet from Frank Gordon, trombone from Steve Galloway, and bass from Rufus Reid – plus cool percussion from Arlington Davis and Drasheer Khalid. Most cuts are instrumental, and recorded beautifully – but one number, "The Ultimate Frontier", also features vocals from Anita Jefferies. Other cuts include "Slinky", "Mirage", "Just a Little Peace", and "March On". CD

Takumi Awaya's pictured on the cover along with his bass – in an image that will give you an idea of the richness of the set, with Awaya's instrument often stepping out as the leading force of the trio – alongside the piano of Takuma Yamamoto and Naoki Takahashi! Yamamoto still gets in plenty of space, but the record, which is a live one, is often a lot more about the interaction between bass and piano instead of just having the piano in the lead – captured with warm tones that really recall some of the more inventive Japanese trio sessions of the 70s. Titles include a great remake of the Ryo Fukui tune "Mellow Dream" – plus "Pretty Woodstock", "Breeze Suite", "I Should Care", and "Too Late Now". CD

Three very rare slices of work from the great Albert Ayler – all of them pretty darn mindblowing! The set begins with Ayler's appearance at the 1967 Newport Jazz Festival – a set that must have been a shock to audience members who'd seen some of the more staid work at the event – as Ayler really lets loose on alto, tenor, and soprano sax – working with a very freely improvising quartet that includes Michel Samson on violin, Bill Folwell on bass, and Milford Graves on drums – really going to town on the titles "Japan/Universal Indians", "Our Prayer", and "Truth Is Marching In/Omega". Next is a single track that was recorded at the funeral of John Coltrane – a spiritual blend of "Love Cry/Truth Is Marching In/Our Prayer" – blown by Ayler on tenor, with Don Ayler on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Milford Graves on drums. The last track is the earliest on the set – and very early for recorded Albert Ayler as well – a captivating performance recorded in Copenhagen in 1962 – as Ayler's tenor joins the work of the Cecil Taylor trio – with Taylor on piano, Jimmy Lyons on alto, and Sunny Murray on drums – as the group soar on a 21 minute reading of "Four". CD

Amazing early work from Azymuth – rare demo recordings done at the home studio of keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami, in the short space before the group issued their legendary debut! The tracks here are as much jazz funk as they are the later modes that Azymuth would put forth – killer instrumentals that are really driven by great keyboard lines from Bertrami, who'd already been making music in other formats for years – and who works here on Fender Rhodes, Arp, Clavinet, Hammond, and a range of other keyboards too! The drums are fantastic, too – handled by a young Ivan Conti, who gets help on percussion from an early fourth member of the group, Ariovaldo Contesini – and as you might guess, the incredible basslines of Ivan Mamao Conti really help the whole thing groove. All material is very well-recorded – these aren't rough or unfinished tracks at all – and the whole thing should just be thought of as a first chapter for the group, right before they started putting out their famous records. Titles include "Prefacio", "Castelo", "Melo Do Cuica", "Xingo", "Laranjeiras", "Eqiupe 68", "Unknown Song For Mario Telles", "Manha", "Duro De Roer", "Quem Tem Medo", "Juntos Mais Uma Vez", and "Bateria Do Mamao". CD

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

Brigitte Bardot's best known on these shores as an actress, but during the 60s she cut some really fantastic work on the scene in Paris – including a fair bit of groovers that were done with help from the legendary Serge Gainsbourg! Bardot provided a fantastic new voice in the world of pop music – a singer who was unabashedly open about her desires, and very different than the more melancholy stars of a few years before – a quality that's further emphasized by the wonderfully groovy instrumentation used on most of these tracks! Production and arrangements are superb – and put this music in the best territory of the grooviest 60s French pop by artists like Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, Jacques Dutronc, and a rare few others. This is the first-ever English-annotated collection of work from the period – and features a whopping 25 tracks from her recordings for Philips and Disc AZ – titles that include "Harley Davidson", "Contact", "Neu Au Soleil", "Je Danse Donc Je Suis", "La Madrague", "Les Hommes Endormis", "Je Voudrais Perdre La Memoire", "Mr Sun", "Le Diable Est Anglais", "Tu Es Venu Mon Amour", "John Et Michel", "Gang Gang", and duets with Serge Gainsbourg on "Bonnie & Clyde" and "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus". CD

Four of the more obscure RCA albums from the great Bobby Bare – all brought together here in a single set! First up is the very unusual English Countryside album – a special set that has the vocals of Bobby Bare paired with a group from the UK – Liverpool's Hillsiders, who sing with a style that's a bit folk, and a bit rock – but which takes on a very distinct country vibe amidst the RCA production of Chet Atkins! Both Bare and The Hillsiders sing solo on the record – but most of the set has them paired together, and the presence of all those voices on the tracks create a nice sense of spontaneity – maybe a hint at the more relaxed recording approach that Bobby would use on his big albums of the mid 70s! Titles include "Sweet Dreams", "Six Days On The Road", "Find Out What's Happening", "Love's Gonna Live Here", "Goin Home", "Blue Is My Lonely Room", and "I Washed My Face In The Mountain Dew". Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn is a seminal album in the career of Bobby Bare – and the record that really has him turning from a young smiling country singer to the kind of more adult, mature talent that would really send him over the top! The album's promise of "controversial country songs" is certainly apt – as in addition to the great Tom T Hall title cut, the album also features Bare taking on great material from Kris Kristoffersen, Mel Tillis, and even the team of Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn – all set to arrangements that are nicely more sophisticated than those used on the more pop productions of some of Bobby's earlier albums. Titles include "Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn,", "The Law Is For The Protection Of The People", "Watching The Trains Go By", "Skip A Rope", "Rainy Day In Richmond", "Cincinnati Jail", "Wild As The Wind", and "Drink Up & Go Home". I Hate Goodbyes is the record that marked the return of Bobby Bare to RCA Records in the early 70s – and one that also marks the start of a very different phase in Bare's career! This time around, Bobby's handling the production himself – working with the kind of thoughtful, mature material that would really let him open up – songs from Billy Joe Shaver, Mickey Newbury, the team of Bill Rice and Jerry Foster, and even an early tune from Shel Silverstein – who would soon become one of the biggest contributors to Bobby's records. The vibe is very different than his RCA material of the mid 60s, and in a great way – on titles that include "I Hate Goodbyes", "Restless Wind", "Ride Me Down Easy", "Send Tomorrow To The Moon", "You Know Who", "An Offer She Couldn't Refuse", "What's Your Mama's Name Child", and "Poison Red Berries". Last up is Cowboys & Daddys – an overlooked gem in the mid 70s RCA years of the great Bobby Bare – and a set that really shows the dedication that Bare had during these years to finding the most sophisticated material of the new country generation! The list of songwriters alone is great – as the set features tracks from Terry Allen, Shel Silverstein, David Hickey, and Tom T Hall – plus an early contribution from Bob McDill, with whom Bare would soon record a lot more material on albums to come. There's a mature, laidback vibe to the whole set – different than some of the more playful Bobby Bare albums of the time – and titles include "Chester", "The Cowboy & The Poet", "Amarillo Highway", "Speckled Pony", "Calgary Snow", "Last Dance At The Old Texas Moon", "Pretty Painted Ladies", and "The Stranger". CD

A heavily percussive set from the Polish scene at the end of the 60s – music that appears here for the first time as a commercial release, and which has a mix of drums and different instruments that would have been right at home as a late 50s Living Stereo album from RCA! The music has a very dynamic range – with a mix of percussive sources at the bottom, used in ways that move between Latin and exotica – topped with flute on a number of tracks, in a way that furthers the sonic space of the tracks with some wonderful woodwind action! The whole thing's mighty nice – jazzy at times, more bachelor pad at others – with titles that include "Bank Bank", "Namiastka", "Samba Karnawalowa", "Ostryga Pustyni", "Nadszedl Czas", and "Taniec Grzebienia". CD

Music at the crossroads – as Roger Bekono takes an older style of rural expression, and forges it with some of the more electric modes that were bubbling up on the global scene at the time – all in a set of extended groovers that feature a very lively interplay of vocals and rhythms! The tunes bubble long with keyboard parts that seem to take over from older highlife modes, while the electric rhythms have a gentler approach than the heavier modes used in American dance or soul – so that the vocals flow nicely over the tops of the tunes, rising and falling with a warm sense of inflection. Titles include "Etom Mot", "Jolie Poupee", "Enying Moni", and "Ye Wo Kombel". CD

An incredible run of music from one of the grooviest soul groups of all time – a combo who started out down in the Texas scene with some very upbeat dancing soul singles in the 60s, who then moved to work in the Philly studios in the 70s, where they really opened up their groove! The set features work from both the group's early albums for Atlantic Records and their great second chapter at Philadelphia International – quite a career, given that they recorded for two of the greatest soul labels of the 60s and 70s – in a massive batch of work that's included here, with bonus material too! The Atlantic work starts out nice and raw, and pretty funky too – then gets warmed up in the best way possible as the label has them working with Gamble & Huff, before then leaving to record for the Philly duo's own International label in the 70s. The huge box features the full albums Tighten Up, I Can't Stop Dancing, There's Gonna Be A Showdown, Dance Your Troubles Away, Where Will You Go When The Party's Over, Hard Not To Like It, and Strategy – and CD5 is a full set of bonus tracks, with titles that include "Dog Eat Dog", "Deal With Him", "A World Without Music", "Love At First Sight", "Archie's In Love", "Wrap It Up", "I Wish", "Get It From The Bottom", "Old People", "Let The World Know You Got Soul", and "I Can't Face You Baby". Box features 79 tracks in all – and a big booklet of notes! CD

A stunner of a record from the mighty Jorge Ben – and a record that catapulted the Brazilian singer to international fame at the time! Ben had already been making magic for almost a decade down in Brazil – and his compositions and grooves left an undeniable impact on the scene in the post-bossa years – but this album has Jorge really emerging as the global soul star he was destined to be – from his powerful stare on the cover, right down to the grit in the grooves! The sound here is a refinement of the samba soul mode that Ben had been brewing up from the late 60s onward – a skittish mix of older samba elements, American soul, and some slight fuller production that really comes into its own here – mixing all the acoustic elements at the core with just a slight electric flourish, but never losing its edge in the process – all to provide Jorge with a sublime backdrop for his really amazing vocals. The set's a monument in funky Brazilian soul – and it includes the huge hit "Taj Mahal", which still sounds great, even after all these years – plus loads of other gems that include "O Circo Chegou", "Domingo 23", "Fio Maravilha", "Paz E Arroz", "Morre O Burro Fico O Homem", and "Que Nega E Essa". A gem all the way through – and a record we'd never part with! CD

A double-helping of Chuck Berry brilliance from his early years on Chess Records – music that always has way way more to offer than you might think! Sure, some of Chuck's hits are very familiar – and sure, the man could later be a bit of a parody of himself – but there's no denying the power of this early material, and the revolutionary way Chuck had of playing guitar – rooted in blues, paving the way to rock, and also opening the door to lots more funky soul in years to come! The guitar work alone is worth the price of admission, but the songs and vocals are wonderful too – and the CD features 26 titles that include "Down The Road A Piece", "Mad Lad", "Sweet Little Rock & Roller", "Anthony Boy", "Little Queenie", "Oh Baby Doll", "Confessin The Blues", "Almost Grown", "Jo Jo Gunne", "Wee Wee Hours", "Too Much Monkey Business", and "Brown Eyed Handsome Man". CD

This ultra-hip ensemble is celebrating its 10th Anniversary – and in doing so, has maybe given us their best album yet! The group's overflowing with work from an all-star lineup – Wayne Escoffery on tenor, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, James Burton III on trombone, Victor Gould and Xavier Davis on pianos, Vicente Archer and Rashaan Carter on basses, and Johnathan Blake and Mark Whitfield Jr on drums – the last two pairs of whom shift in and out of the ensemble as the set moves on – but with such rock-solid energy, there's a unified vibe to the whole set. Some of the best tracks have this soaring, searching energy – and the whole album's got a very visionary approach, served up by musicians who are looking to do way more than just run through a few standards. Titles include "Black Heart", "Cold Switching", "Soliloquy", "Lookin For Leroy", "Coming Of Age", and "Truth To Power". CD

Art Blakey, without any Jazz Messengers – but still coming through loud and clear, thanks to help from a unique group that features Sonny Stitt on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, and Art Davis on bass! The album's still got all the hardbop charm of Blakey's best Blue Note dates, but also feels a bit more spontaneous too – and the basslines of Davis are a wonderful change from the usual – beautiful sounds that drive the record quite strongly up from the bottom! Titles include the killer "Cafe", plus "Blues Back", "Just Knock On My Door", "Summertime", and "The Song Is You" – and the album features fantastic blowing from Stitt! CD

Four fantastic albums from Bobby Bland – all brought together in a single package for the first time! First up is Come Fly With Me – great work from Bobby Blue Bland – one of the few artists to rise up at the end of the 50s, and still find a way to chart their own path forward in soul with fresh material like this! Bobby's voice is still incredible here, and he works with production from Al Bell and Monk Higgins, the latter of whom arranged – in this cool style that's a bit like some of the territory that Tyrone Davis was taking on at Columbia Records during the second half of the 70s – fuller arrangements that bring some sophisticated soul touches to the music, but in ways that never lose the core of Bobby's genius! Titles include "Lady Lonely", "Night Games", "You Can Count On Me", "Love To See You Smile", "Come Fly With Me", and "To Be Friends". The next album is I Feel Good I Feel Fine – and Bobby Bland sounds pretty good too – thanks to arrangements from the great Monk Higgins, who does a perfect job of mixing Bland's trademark vocals with some sweet late 70s arrangements! The sound is upbeat, but never in a cliched disco mode – more in the territory that you'd hear Johnnie Taylor using over at Columbia Records – maybe a good comparison, given the Memphis roots that both artists shared – as both also evolved a lot to shift their sound with the changing modes of the time. And as with Johnnie, Bobby never loses the core that makes him great – as you'll hear on titles that include "Tit For Tat", "Soon As The Weather Breaks", "In His Eyes", "Someone To Belong To", "I Feel Good I Feel Fine", and "Little Mama". Sweet Vibrations is a real gem from the start of the 80s – arranged by Monk Higgins, who co-produced the set with Al Bell – a duo who'd already given Bobby some great records before, but who really knock it out of the park with this one. There's an extra-special quality going on here – maybe a slight reintroduction of blues roots, but still with a very contemporary spirit – set up to superb backings throughout. Titles include "Soul With A Flavor", "Hollywood Woman", "You'd Be A Millionaire", "Sweet Vibrator", "Special Kind Of Fool", and "A Real Woman Is What It Takes". Try Me I'm Real is record with a title that certainly fits the bill – as the amazing voice of Bobby Bland is as real here as it ever was, and blended with superbly soulful backings that take the singer's sound forward for a whole new generation! Some of Bobby's contemporaries were content to just stick in a straight blues mode – but Bland really grew and developed a lot as an artist, thanks in part to Monk Higgins and Al Bell – who are both at the production helm of the record, and balance the bluesy roots of Bobby with some richer soul backings that really knock the whole thing out of the park! We love Bobby Blue Bland during his early Duke Records years – but we love him equally as much for music like this, on titles that include "But I Do", "What A Difference A Day Makes", "Givin Up The Streets For Love", "A Song For You My Son", "Just You Just Me", and "Love Is Where It's At". CD

Blue Effect are down to a trio for this early 80s album, but that smaller lineup seems to allow even more space for instrumental interplay and well-crafted solos – served up by Radim Hladik on guitars, Vladimir Cech on drums and percussion, and Lesek Semelka on Moog and Korg keyboards, plus vocals as well! The production is clean, but never commercial – just really letting the longform tunes spin out with plenty of well-played lines – on titles that include "Triatricet", "Obcasna Panska Jizda", "Kohoutek Kamaradstvi Dokapava", and "Avignonske Slecny Z Prahy". CD features 6 bonus tracks – including "Nezna", "Zahada Jmeli", and "Doktor". CD

An all-star group take on the music of Duke Pearson – paying wonderful tribute to the kind of special, soulful grooves that Duke cooked up during his too-short career on Blue Note Records in the 60s! The lineup here is top-shelf, and very much in keeping with the sort of strong combos that Pearson would put together – both for records under his own name, and as a producer for Blue Note – and the lineup here features Diego Rivera on tenor and soprano sax, Art Hirahara on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Vinnie Sperrazza on drums – a no-nonsense group who really focus in on the best elements of the songs, then let loose with great solo work. Jon Davis replaces Hirahara on three tracks on the set on piano – and titles include the great tune "Is That So", plus "You Know I Care", "Sweet Honey Bee", "ESP", "Chili Peppers", "Ready Rudy", and "Idle Moments". CD

A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, and the hopes and dreams of the lead characters – all of which made for some really well-rounded music, of the sort you'd find on some of the other great Fantasy Records soundtracks of the time, especially the classic Cornbread Earl & Me score. Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin put together the whole thing, and the album's a mix of hip instrumental tracks with some other vocal ones – a really nice range that draws from singers like Betty Everett, Rodger Collins, and JJ Malone – and jazz players like Sonny Stitt and John Hunt (plus organ from Merl Saunders on one cut.) Titles include "BJ's Step", "Black Girl", "Sister", "Earl (Still A Pearl)", "Mothers Day Song", "Power", "Get Me To The Bridge", "Chock-lite Puddin", and "Black Girl Cue". CD

A sweet set of 70s spiritual jazz from Argentine tenor player Chivo Borraro – one of his best albums of the time, and a really wonderful session with lots of nice touches! The record features Borraro playing keyboard effects, in addition to his usual tenor – and it also features some additional keyboards by Fernando Gelbard, who plays both Fender Rhodes and ring modulator on the album, working things wonderfully as he did on his own albums of the time. This wealth of keyboards gives the album a spacious feel – keys soaring out into space, creating platforms for solo work on sax, and a space to showcase the talents of Stenio Mendes, who plays the 12-stringed craviola on the album. There's lots of post-Coltrane exploration to the record – and titles include "Mi Amgio Tarzan", "Cancion De Cuna Para Un Bebe Del Ano 2000", "Lineas Torcidas", and "La Invasion De Los Monjes". CD also features two bonus tracks – "Intro/Mi Amigo Tarzan" and "Mi Amigo Tarzan (alt take)". CD

A 10th Anniversary performance by the Chicago Tentet – a wonderful group that's become the fruitful union of saxophonist Peter Brotzmann with a younger generation of players who were working heavily on the Chicago scene at the time! Back when the group first started, it was something of an experiment – but over the following decade, the ensemble won great attention for their playing, and for good reason too – considering the solo contributions of players like Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson on reeds, Joe McPhee on trumpet and tenor, Johannes Bauer on trombone, Kent Kessler on bass, and Paal Nilssen Love on drums – all working under the visionary leadership of Peter Brotzmann! The tracks are all somewhat long and open-ended – almost more spacious than on other Chicago Tentet records, with a freely improvised feel. Titles include "Ten By Ten", "Little By Little", and "Step By Step". CD

Fantastic live material from a very unique group – the instantly-legendary meeting of reedman Peter Brotzmann with the leading lights of the Chicago avant jazz scene in the 90s – brought together into a tremendous tentet that's maybe even better than the sum of its parts! The group features Brotzmann on tenor and clarinet, Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lomberg-Holm on cello and violin, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums, Kent Kessler on bass – and "honorary Chicagoan" Mats Gustafsson on tenor and flutophone, plus Toshinori Kondo on trumpet and electronics, and William Parker on bass. Phew, that's one heck of a lineup – the kind that rivals some of the European or British improvising ensembles of decades past – but one that has its own very specific flavor, and a sound that's brimming over with youth – so much so that the non-Chicago guests really seem to gain inspiration from the core. This Okka disc set captures the band live at the 16th Victoriaville Festival in 1999. CD

A killer record from bassist Paul Brusger – a set that features plenty of great work from Eric Alexander on tenor and alto – the latter an instrument that he's really begun to embrace in recent years! The rest of the group is wonderful too – Steve Davis on trombone, Rick Germanson on piano, and Willie Jones III on drums – a combo with a hard-swinging energy, and lots of individual identity in the way each member expresses themselves within the group – no egos getting in the way of the groove, even though the musicians themselves are an all-star group! Yet credit should really be given to Brusger for not only pulling the whole thing together, but also composing most of the material for the set – really great tunes that bristle with fresh life and vision, on selections that include "A Slice Of Gryce", "Just A Tadd More Please", "Do Dreams Really Matter", "The Sugar Glider", and "Blues For Another Time". CD

The first great, label-spanning compilation of great 50s & 60s tracks by a variety of artists with some little in common in some cases, but share at least one unbreakable bond – they recorded these tracks with the incredible James Burton on guitar! It's got fiery, pivotal rockabilly Dale Hawkins and Bob Luman, pop takeover numbers by Ricky Nelson, rustic charisma from Lee Hazlewood, benchmark honky tonk from Merle Haggard, harmony country rock from Buffalo Springfield and much more – including numbers credited to James Burton himself and with Ralph Mooney. Includes "Susie-Q" by Dale Hawkins, "Red Hot" by Bob Luman, "Cannonball Rag" by James Burton, "Blood From A Stone" by Ricky Nelson, "A Child's Claim To Fame" by Buffalo Springfield, "Swamp Surfer" by Jimmy Dobro, "Someday, Someday" by The Shindogs, "Just For A While" by Carol Williams, "Tryin' To Be Someone" by David & Lee and more. CD

A pretty full-on group from the Virginia scene – one that comes on strong with a mix of funky drums, fuzzy guitar, bumping bass, and some great work on trumpet and keyboards! The groove here is almost a psychedelic take on jazz funk from years back – filtered into a very contemporary space, too – almost post-Medeski Martin & Wood, although nothing like that group at all – just in the kind of space that the new freedoms of recent years have opened up! In other words, these guys are pretty funky, but also not slavishly so – especially in any sort of retro mode – and although they're playing live here, there's an electric crackle to the whole proceedings that further ties their collaborative energy together. Titles include "Tunnelvision", "Moses", "Cairo", "Tomahawk", "Lysol", and "Forest 2.0". CD

Bobby Byrd recorded some killer work with James Brown back at the end of the 60s, but hardly got the chance to record much once the 70s moved on – until this killer full length set that has Bobby's vocals backed by the genius of the Soul Society combo! There's a really old school vibe to the whole set – strongly inspired by the James Brown sound of the late 60s, but also filtered through the new changes that the UK scene was bringing in during the generation of Brand New Heavies – a plenty that's great for Bobby, and has a whole back to basics vibe that really sounds wonderful, and reminds us that old funky legends never die – they just don't get the attention they deserve! The set features guest vocals from Vicki Anderson and Carleen Anderson – two generations of female funk – and titles include "Back From The Dead", "Never Get Enough", "I'm On The Move", "Sayin It & Doin It Is Two Different Things", "The Way To Get Down", and "Sunshine". CD

A wonderfully lyrical session from trumpeter Donald Byrd – yet for some reason, the album's one of his most overlooked from the 60s! The session features material by 2 different groups – one that includes Byrd, Hank Mobley, and Duke Pearson; and another which features Byrd, alongside Jackie McLean and Pearson. Donald's playing is really opening up here – hitting some sweeter, more drifting notes, yet still referencing the heavier style of his hardbop years from time to time – and in a way, the record's almost a hint of the solo style that Byrd would take up on 70s recordings with Larry Mizell – still in a deep groove, but with a newfound ability to sail over the top with some nice light notes. Mobley and McLean are superb, as always, and Pearson plays nice and hard – with more of an edge than on his own recordings of the time. Tracks include "Ghana", "Lex", "My Girl Shirl", and "Bo". CD

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD

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

A label-spanning look at the music of Terry Callier – one that starts with his folksy roots, runs through his sublime soul at Chess, and ends with some of his overlooked modern soul numbers from the early 80s! There's been a few other Callier collections on the market, but this one's got the best vibe of all of them – as it really goes out of its way to paint the full picture of Terry's unique music – by weaving together tunes that touch on his strongest moments of genius, and mixing those with some surprising gems that haven't been reissued before! Especially rare bits include the previously unissued "Hangman" – recorded for Cadet in the early 70s; a 45 mix of "You're Going To Miss Your Candyman"; the Erect Records cuts "I Don't Want To See Myself Without You" and "If I Could Make You Change Your Mind", both only issued on 12" single; and the early soul 45 "Look At Me Now". Other tracks include "It's About Time", "Dancing Girl", "Occasional Rain", "Martin St Martin", "Until Tomorrow", "I Don't Want Nobody Else", "Turn You To Love", "Be A Believer", "What Color Is Love", and "Ordinary Joe". 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

One of the most compelling albums ever recorded by guitarist Eugene Chadbourne – a set billed as "free improvised country and western bebop" – and which features Chadbourne serving up these wild variations on tunes by Carl Perkins, Roger Miller, David Allen Coe, Bobby Bare, Merle Haggard, and other country music legends! The album's much more Eugene than Nashville – although Chadbourne does sing lyrics on all of the tunes, but in a way that's very offbeat and hardly unlike the originals at all – as is his guitar work, which is acoustic and all twisted and turned up in all the offbeat phrasings you might expect! Much of the record is Chadbourne on vocals and electric dobro – but the set also features some drums by David Licht, saxes from John Zorn, and cello from Tom Cora. Titles include "The Last Word In Lonesome Is Me", "I'm The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised", "Georgia In A Jug", "Motel Time Again", "Dang Me", "Window Shopping", "Jealous Loving Heart", "Mr Record Man", and "Swingin Doors". CD

A fresh new chapter of the long legacy of drummer Joe Chambers – a key instrumental force in the hipper reaches of the Blue Note label in the late 60s, but an artist who seems to finally be catching up with his own work as a leader after all these years! Joe is every bit as wonderful here as on his famous recordings, and his more recent dates for Blue Note – a wonderfully inventive percussionist, and an inherently rhythmic player who's got this ability to spin sounds out in all these different directions, yet always make things feel wonderfully unified too. His group on the set has excellent vibes from Michael Davidson, almost recalling Joe's work with Bobby Hutcherson – and other players include Caoilainn Power on alto, Andres Vial on piano, Eli Miller Maboungou on ngoma drums, and Ira Coleman on bass. Titles include "Dance Kobina", "Intermezzo", "Gazelle Suite", "City Of Saints", "Moon Dance", "Power To The People", and "Caravanserai". CD

One of the more new wave-oriented moments from Ava Cherry – a singer we know best from her solo work in soul, but who also has a pretty strong pedigree on the rock side of the spectrum as well! The instrumentation is heavy on keyboards – played by Mark Isham, in a way that sometimes echoes his best soundtrack work of the decade, but more focused too – at a level that brings a deeper sound to the music than you might expect! Tunes are upbeat and catchy, yet trying for a bit of an edge at times – and Ava serves up the lyrics with a subtle sense of drama in her voice. Titles include "Fast Lover", "Love To Be Touched", "Techno Love", "Having Been Far", "I Guess It's Love", "Awkward Situation", and "Streetcar Named Desire". CD features two bonus tracks – 12" remixes of "Awkward Situation" and "Streetcar Named Desire". CD

One of the hippest albums ever from the team of Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland – a unique small combo session that's even groovier than their famous big band work! The setting is wonderful – Clarke on drums, Boland on piano, and a sextet lineup that includes Sahib Shihab on flute, Fats Sadi on vibes, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Joe Harris on percussion – all players who know each other well, and groove together as one amazing unit on the set! The tunes here are lyrical and lively, modal and moving, and still some of the freshest jazz cut on the European scene of the 60s – music that's having a huge impact these days in the club jazz underground. Shihab's flute work is sublime, especially next to Sadi's vibes – and Harris' added percussion gives a number of the cuts a bit of a Latin kick that's totally great! There's a bit of vocals on the set, and titles include "Ebony Samba", "Tin Tin Deo", "Potter's Crossing", "Wives & Lovers", "Ensadinado", "Lorraine", "Day By Day", "Love Hungry", and "Please Don't Leave". 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

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

Some of the best work ever from Puerto Rican percussionist Rafael Cortijo Verdejo – sides recorded in New York for the Ansonia label, at a time when Cortijo's music was even more rootsy than it was a decade before! The material here marks a renewed sense of tradition in players of Cortijo's generation – almost a back-to-basics mode that was their answer to the hybrids of the late 60s – a style that often has Rafael focusing even more on the rhythms at the bottom of the tracks, and leaving behind some of the fuller orchestrations of the 50s. The mighty Kako joins in on percussion on a number of tracks too – and singers include Chivirico Davila and Johnny Vega – on titles that include "Chiviriquiton", "Tele Tele Ya", "La Madama", "Que Linda Te Ves", "Tu Y Tu Guarapo", "Quien Fuel El Primero", "Echando Un Pie", "Alegria Bomba Es", "Dorotea", "Dudando", and "El Negrito Bailador". Comes with great notes in Spanish and English, too! CD

Amazing lost sounds from Detroit – a previously unissued album from pianist Kenny Cox – best known for his late 60s albums on Blue Note, but working here in a really righteous style, and using a fair bit of Fender Rhodes as well! The album's a lost gem from the Strata label – home to Lyman Woodard's Saturday Night Special album – and there's definitely a side to this record that's shared with that one – a bit more laidback, definitely, but equally soulful, and mixed with spiritual jazz elements that echo the style of Kenny's Tribe Records contemporaries on the Detroit scene. Other players include Charles Moore on flugelhorn, Buzz Jones on soprano sax and flute, Ron English on bass, and Skeets Curry on electric guitar – and in addition to Fender Rhodes, Cox also plays clavinet, mellotron, and Arp as well! The set's got a bit of vocals – from Fito Foster and Nengue Hernandez – but the main focus is instrumental, and the long tracks really have the group spinning out beautifully. Titles include "Clap Clap The Joyful Noise", "Samba De Romance", "Island Song", "Lost My Love", and "Beyond The Dream". CD

A pair of albums from this near-forgotten group – both originally issued by Elektra, and presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is the self-titled Crabby Appleton – a set that's got a surprising sort of late psych vibe at times – almost as if the group were hanging on to some of the modes that first got them started, while also stretching out with some of the new sophistication that the 70s had to offer! That psych touch is maybe no surprise, though, given that the group's singer Michael Fennelly was in The Millennium – and works here with some heavier rockers who were in Stonehenge – all in a surprising mix of modes that really keeps things interesting throughout! Titles include the big single "Go Back", plus "Peace By Peace", "To All My Friends", "Some Madness", "Hunger For Love", "Last Night In Your Sleep Fred", "Some Madness", and "The Other Side". Next is Rotten To The Core, the second and last album from Crabby Appleton, and a record that's got the group picking up some harder edges than before – shedding some of the lighter psych elements for harder modes on the downturning grooves, almost as if the group had some blues inspirations they didn't showcase the first time around! The shift is one that has us almost thinking that the group could have hit the heights of 70s AM rock, had they held the course – with lots of surprising nuggets throughout, in a set list that includes "Makes No Difference", "Lucy", "It's So Hard", "Tomorrow's A New Day", "You Make Me Hot", "Gonna Save You", and "Love Can Change Everything". 2CD set features bonus material – "Go Back (alt mono single)", "Try (alt mono single)", "My Little Lucy (alt mono single)", "Some Madness (mono single)", "Can't Live My Life (alt mono single)", "Grab On", "Tomorrow's A New Day (alt mono single)", and "It's So Hard (alt mono single)". CD

All the great early albums from Creation Rebel – plus their excellent comeback too! The set begins with Dub From Creation – not just the debut album from Creation Rebel, but also a set that marks the first studio work from the young Adrian Sherwood – part of the long On-U Sound legacy to come, and a wealth of other wonderful music! There's a spareness here that's great – maybe a bit less dark than later Sherwood projects, but no less stark – with melodica and keyboards weaving nicely amidst the dubby rhythms! Titles include "Basic Principals", "Dub Fusion", "Liberation", "Rising Star", "Vision Of Creation", and "Creation In A Iration". Next is Close Encounters Of The Third World – an early part of the On-U Sound legacy, even if the set wasn't issued on the label – a key effort by Creation Rebel that features recording work done both in London and Kingston, layered together in a beautifully dubby way! The sound here is definitely underground – full of message-oriented lyrics from Crucial Tony, who sings in a style that definitely earns him his name – with great melodica and organ flowing through the mix next to Lizard's bass – topped with added horn work from The Arabs in all the right spots! The production is superb – flat on the drums, wide on the sides, which makes for a really wonderful groove – on titles that include "Know Yourself", "Conspiring", "Creation Fever", "Natty Conscience Free", and "Joyful Noise". Rebel Vibrations features early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". Starship Africa is a brilliant Creation Rebel effort for On-U Sound from the dawn of the 80s – landing in the futuristic dub spacecraft that is their Starship Africa – percussion heavy and spaced out ingenuity from Adrian Sherwood & co! Tripped, echoey atmospherics that's cast as a soundtrack to movie that doesn't exist, the music is forward thinking, boundary busting dubby grooves exists out of time and sounds great to this day. Includes "Starship Africa" (Sections 1-5) and "Space Movement" (Sections 1-4). On Psychotic Jonkanoo, Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". From 2023, Hostile Environment is the first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less moody – just something that seems to let the work of the group come through with energy that's wonderfully warm and organic, while still resonating with plenty of touches that will make longtime label fans proud! Vocals are shared between Charlie Eskimo Fox and Mr Magoo, and the set also features guest appearances from Prince Far I and Daddy Freddy – on titles that include "That's More Like It" "Jubilee Clock", "Swiftly", "Stonebridge Warrior", "Crown Hill Road", "The People's Sound", and "Whatever It Takes". CD

The second and final chapter in the career of Cristina – the female singer who was a key link in the New York club scene between Grace Jones and Madonna! Like the former, Cristina was not a singer at heart – but rose into the mainstream with a quirky ear for a tune and model-like looks that helped carry off her act. And like the latter, she clearly marched to the beat of her own tune – and did so with enough charisma and self-assured star power to get that tune out into the clubs. This second album features Cristina working in a very different style than on her debut – teaming with Don Was in a set of Detroit recordings that also featured a fair bit of original lyrics by Cristina. The camp/retro mode of the first album is still present here, but in a more subtle way – and the disco grooves have been replaced by more of the Was Not Was proto-funk approach, which means heavier beats and noisier guitars overall. The core album features original tracks "What's A Girl To Do", "Ticket To The Tropics", "The Lie Of Love", "Quicksand Lovers", and "He Dines Out On Death" – plus covers of "Blue Money" and the Brech/Weil tune "Ballad Of Immoral Earnings". The CD adds in some bonus tracks – "Things Fall Apart" and "Disco Clone (7" mix)". CD

A set that's even more searing and sonically intense than the debut of this genre-hopping group – served up in this bracing blend of electric and acoustic instrumentation that almost takes us back to the 90s experiments on Axiom Records from the Bill Laswell generation! there's plenty of guitar and bass here – the former from Javi Perez, the latter from Jamie Benzies – driven strongly by the fierce drum work of Tim Toyle, and topped with trumpet from Axel Kaner Lidstrom, tenor from James Mollison, keyboards and electronics from Tile Gichigi Lipere, and a mix of tenor, bass, clarinet, and flute from Rob Milne – all coming together with a very dark, textured, almost layered sort of sound – even though the performance here seems to be mostly live. Titles include "3301", "Fallacy", "The Cracks In The Bricks", "Ashen Faun", "Last Throes Of The Temporal Monolith", and "Crystalline Peaks". CD