Amazing work from Marion Brown – two albums we'd never be without! Geechee Recollections is quite possibly our favorite record ever from reedman Brown – and very different than both his seminal 60s recordings, and his European sides from later years! There's a really earthy feel to this record – one that really lives up to the title, and which comes from the use of lots of percussion, played by just about every group member, ala AACM – but handled in a style that's warmly spiritual, and very organic too – right in line with the best Impulse Records vibe of the time, yet completely its own thing too! Brown plays alto and soprano sax, and is working with players who include Leo Smith on trumpet, William Malone on mbira and autoharp, James Jefferson on bass, and Steve McCall, Jumma Santos, Bill Hasson, and A Kobena Adzenyah on percussion – in addition to percussion plays by other group members too. Two tracks are spare, beautiful solos – almost a Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre vibe – and titles include "Buttermilk Bottom", "Once Upon A Time", "Tokalokaloka", and "Karintha". Sweet Earth Flying has an unusually introspective quality, and features Muhal Richard Abrams playing piano, Fender Rhodes, and Ring Modulated Hammon Organ, plus Paul Bley playing some of the same on a few tracks. The two-keyboard sound is very cool, and the record's dominated by it in a way that we find really surprising, given the fierceness of Brown's sax playing on earlier sessions. Each side of the album features a long suite – side one has "Sweet Earth Flying" and side two has "Eleven Light City" – and each have the tracks drifting in and out, with piano lines swirling about in a soulful spiritual way, as Brown's alto and soprano snake through the elegant arrangements. Really fantastic stuff – and a record that's unlike any we've heard from him! CD

Genius – pure genius! Solomon Burke is one of those soul singers you always hear folks about, but who you never seem to get to hear as much as folks like Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, or any of his other label-mates on Atlantic. This excellent 2CD set will correct that problem – as it brings together 41 tracks from Solomon's glory days at Atlantic, and the selection of material is fantastic all the way through. Solomon's voice is indescribably majestic – soaring over the top of the tightly-woven arrangements that were some of Atlantic's first real forays into soul music. The set does a good job of showing the full range of his talents during the 60s – and it moves way past the few hits he had, which always seem to get repeated endlessly when anyone brings up his name. Tracks include "Save It", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Detroit City", "Take Me (Just As I Am)", "When She Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters)", "Looking For My Baby", "I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You", "Cry To Me", "If You Need Me", "The Price", "You're Good For Me", "Words", "It's Been A Change", "Time Is A Thief", "Stupidity", and "Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do". CD

A trio session – but a killer, too – very different than just about any other piano trio material from the time – with that special sort of edge that always made Jaki Byard really stand out from the pack! There's some very unusual things happening in the rhythms – some slight Eastern elements, a few trippy touches, and other heady elements that live up to the title – but in a subtle way, too. Byard plays piano throughout, but also handles a bit of guitar, too – and the group features Ornette Coleman's bassist David Izenzon on bass, plus Elvin Jones on drums and tympani – the latter of which is used in some very cool ways. Titles include "Trendsition Zildijian", "Sunshine", "Cast Away", and "Chandra". CD

Arguably one of the best records cut for the short-lived Mode label in the late 50s – and easily one of the best from trumpeter Conte Candoli too! For the session, Conte front a quartet with Vince Guaraldi on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Stan Levey on drums – and Guaraldi's piano style's got a heck of a lot more soul than you'd expect, a detail that brings a nice depth to a session that might have been otherwise lightweight – and which comes off with the same strength overall as the pair's outing from the same time for the Crown label. Candoli seems to play about half the tracks with a mute, but still in a style that's more open and fluid than much of his other work from the time – and titles include "Tara Ferma", "Diane", "Mambo Blues", "Mediolistic", and "Walkie Talkie". CD

Includes "Duke of Earl", "Nite Owl", "Tear for Tear", "You Threw a Lucky Punch", "Rainbow", "Man's Temptation", "Think Nothing About It", "Just Be True", "Bless Our Love", "What Now?", "You Can't Hurt Me No More", "Nothing Can Stop Me", "(Gonna Be) Good Times", "I Fooled You This Time", "Girl Don't Care", "To Be a Lover", "There Goes the Lover", "Groovy Situation", "Get Down", and "Does She Have a Friend for Me". CD

An odd collection of tracks, but they're all great, and the set's an excellent batch of some of Chandler's harder-to-find material from the mid and late 60s! The tracks are pulled from his years at Chess, Brunswick, and Mercury (one of the advantages of the recent Universal/Polygram merger!) – and there's a total of 10 songs, including "Rainbow '65 (part 2)", "To Be True", "Groovy Situation", "I Won't Need You", "Think Nothing About It", "From The Teacher To The Preacher", "To Be A Lover", "I Fooled You This Time", "River Of Tears", and "Nothing Can Stop Me". CD

The first Chicago album – presented here in all its jazzy brilliance! Back in the day, we used to wince when we heard these guys – but over the years, thanks to much rediscovery of the band by groove hounds, we've really come to like their work a lot. This first album especially has some great moments – complicated jazzy bits that you might have forgotten about, and some surprisingly groovy material that sounds a lot better than you might remember! Includes the classics "Beginnings", "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is", "Questions 67 & 68", and "Listen" – plus the tracks "Someday", "I'm A Man", "Free Form Guitar", and "Liberation". CD

A brilliant set of post-post-post Konitz jazz – a late 70s Warne Marsh session, produced by Donald Fagan and Walter Becker of Steely Dan! Despite the smooth jazz feeling of Becker & Fagan's own work, the pair are completely respectful to Marsh and his twin-tenor frontman Pete Christlieb – recording them along with Lou Levy on piano, Jim Hughart on bass, and Nick Ceroli on drums, in a setting that's got a warm, acoustic feel. There's no tricks or electricity on the set – just a tight, angular approach to modern jazz – crafted in the twin-sax mode that Marsh recorded in often during the 50s. Titles include "Magnatism", "317 E 32nd", "Rapunzel", and "Tenors Of The Time". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Lunarcy", "Love Me", and "How About You". CD

Sure, they were hitmakers – but we love these guys, and find them to be one of the most radical vocal groups of all time! Under the impeccable guidance of Lieber & Stoller, the group recorded some of the fiercest vocal numbers of the 50s – mixing incredibly soulful vocals with an almost cartoonish ability to conjure up little pictures with words. This 50-track, 2CD set is an amazing tribute to the group's genius – and it includes a wonderful range of material that begins with their early days as The Robins, and which runs up to later sides cut as funky 45s for the Date label in the late 60s. Features the great funk numbers "Soul Pad", "DW Washburn", and "Down Home Girl" – plus totall excellent doo wop tunes like "Shoppin For Clothes", "Hitchin A Ride", "Girls Girls Girls", "The Slime", "Hongry", "Hey Sexy", "The Shadow Knows", "Sorry But I'm Gonna Have To Pass", "One Kiss", "What Is The Secret Of Your Success?", "Idol With The Golden Head", "Besame Mucho", "Stewball", "What About Us", and "Along Came Jones". Also includes the big hits – but the set goes way past that stuff too! CD

Pre-Atlantic work from Ornette Coleman – one of his first recorded statements in jazz – and one of his boldest! At some level, the complete Coleman sound isn't entirely in place here – as there's a bit of a trace of hardbop in the mix – not entirely, but just a bit. But at another level, the record's still way darn bolder than just about anything coming out of LA at the time – proof that amidst all the cool jazz ruminations of the 50s, there was a second wave of modernism about to explode! The group here features Don Cherry on trumpet, Walter Norris on piano, Don Payne on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and while the core harmelodic rhythmic approach isn't always in place, it's more than made up for by some surprisingly free energy. Titles include "Invisible", "The Blessing", "Alpha", and "The Sphinx". CD

One of the best American psyche albums we've heard from the late 60s – a near-perfect record that's head and shoulders above the rough experimentation of most other groups from the period! Colours spell their name with a definite British twist, and there's clearly a Beatles influence going on here – a sound that's almost pre-Sgt Peppers, but which has wonderfully complicated time changes, vocal parts, and production techniques that must have cost a pretty penny to such a little-known group! Horns and strings are arranged by Dave Roberts, and handled with a sensitivity that almost matches The Zombies' best at times – and the tunes themselves are a fresh variety of odd themes, including one number about robbing a liquor store. Titles include "Brother Lou's Love Colony", "Bad Day At Black Rock Baby", "Love Heals", "Rather Be Me", "I'm Leaving", "Cataleptic", "Don't You Realize", and "Lovin". CD

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My Favorite Things" a million times – but it still blows our mind the way Coltrane hits this incredibly soulful modal groove, twisting and turning on soprano sax, always keeping things interesting, so that we're surprised that the cut's 13 minutes have gone by so quickly! The rest of the record's equally great – and the 3 other long cuts are "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Summertime" and "But Not for Me". As great today as when it was cut, and still one of Coltrane's most revelatory albums! With McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. CD

An excellent compilation of concert recordings from Miles Davis – the first 3 numbers from the 1969 Newport Jazz Festival and capturing Miles, Chick Corea, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette in the months before the studio version of Bitches Brew – plus 6 tracks from Isle Of Wight in the months after the revolutionary Bitches Brew came out! The earlier tracks from Newport were previously unissued, and include "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down" (the earliest known professional, non-bootleg live recording of this track and it's a monster), "Sanctuary" and "It's About Time". The rest of the CD features the full live set from the iconic Isle Of Wight festival in 1970 – Miles in full-on funked out mode with Gary Bartz, Keith Jarrett and Airto Moreira in addition to the above mentioned players. The Isle Of Wight stuff was previously included with the mammoth Complete Columbia Recordings box set, but never issued completely anywhere else. Those tracks include "Directions", "Bitches Brew", "It's About That Time", a totally different, shorter and spacier take on "Sanctuary", "Spanish Key" and "The Theme". Rare and overlooked live Miles, recorded on a pair of dates during one of the most incredible 13 month periods that any artist ever lived! CD

Four sides of noisy, funky, stretched-out playing from Miles Davis – recorded at the Fillmore West, but with an intensity that matches some of Miles' crazy electric recordings from Japan during the early 70s! The music is a powerful blast of music that stretches out over the double-length set of the package – with a style that moves from heavy-duty avant playing, then back to more mellow grooving, then kicks it out nice and hard again – a heavy dose of rock mixed in with the fusion, but still plenty jazzy throughout. In all, the record is probably one of the most heavy-duty that the Miles electric group recorded in the 70s – and the lineup on the set features Steve Grossman on saxes, Chick Corea on electric piano, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto on percussion. Tracks include "Spanish Key", "Directions", "Masqualero", "It's About That Time", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Bitches Brew", "Willie Nelson", and "Sanctuary". CD

A long-awaited addition to the Miles Davis electric catalog – and a package that features over 4 hours of newly-discovered music! The 6CD set documents 4 nights of performance by Miles at the Cellar Door in Washington DC – recorded in December of 1970, and featuring a mindblowing group that includes Gary Bartz on soprano and alto sax, Keith Jarrett on Fender Rhodes and organ, Airto on percussion, Michael Henderson on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and a bit of guitar from John McLaughlin on the last 2 CDs. There's a really hard and heavy feel here that's steeped in rock and soul influences – and the package is even more amazing, considering how little work has been offered from this unique point in Davis' career. Presentation of the material is in the same high standards as other Miles Davis boxes on Sony – with a 96 page book with notes and reflections by each band member, and a whopping 6 CDs of music, featuring mostly really long takes on the tunes! Titles include "Directions", "What'd I Say", "Honky Tonk", "Sanctuary", "Improvisation #3", "Inamorata", "It's About That Time", and "Yesternow". CD

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! CD

A wonderful live set from the Seven Steps-era Miles group – with rhythm by Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and tunes that are all in that transformative mode that really showed Miles hitting a new voice at the time! Tenorist George Coleman's playing with the group on the set – proving again that he's got a depth that few people ever seem to give him credit for – and that it wasn't just Wayne Shorter who made the 60s Davis quintet so great. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "All Of You", "Walkin", and "Joshua". CD features the bonus track "I Thought About You" – and new liner notes by Harvey Pekar! CD

The long-awaited release of some brilliant live sessions from the key Miles Davis group at the end of the 60s – the really freewheeling quintet that featured Chick Corea on electric piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums! Rhythms here are completely unbound – wilder even than the sounds on Bitches Brew, and played with a similar intensity on the keyboard, trumpet, and reed solos – an unbridled power that really takes off over the space of the very long cuts on the collection! The whole thing's an essential addition to these very important years for Miles – and the 3CDs features live performances from the Antibes Jazz Festival on July 25 and 26, 1969 – plus a November 1969 performance from Stockholm. Titles include "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Sanctuary", "It's About That Time", "Footprints", "Paraphernalia", "Nefertiti", "Masqualero", "Spanish Key", "Directions", "No Blues", and "Bitches Brew". DVD also features a November 7, 1969 performance from the Berliner Jazztage – of titles that include "Directions", "Bitches Brew", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "It's About That Time", and "The Theme". CD

A really fantastic album from the young Blossom Dearie – and in a way, a record that kind of sets the tone for all the greatness to come in future recordings! Here, Blossom is already breaking from standard jazz vocal modes – using some of the hipness she'd picked up in France to really further the amazing sense of phrasing that makes her so different from just about anyone else – in a way that's subtle, but which really sounds a heck of a lot different than Verve recordings by artists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, or any other of their vocalists of the 50s. The group's a small one, but has a fresh sense of arrangement – as Dearie's piano is at the lead of a combo that features Mundell Lowe on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums – all hip enough players to really get her sense of rhythm and timing. Titles include a sublime early version of "Once Upon A Summertime" – plus "Moonlight Saving Time", "Doop Doo De Doop (A Doodlin Song)", "It Amazes Me", "We're Together", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Teach Me Tonight", and "Down With Love". CD

The third album in an amazing early run from The Delfonics – the kind of work that set a whole new standard for group soul in the 70s! A number of the tracks here had already risen to fame before the album's release as singles – and these are mixed with some additional tracks that are woven together in a near-perfect symphony of sound! The mighty Thom Bell arranged most of the numbers here – save for 2 by Anthony Dorsey – and the group's heavenly harmonies are in amazing form on both mellow ballads and a few more righteous numbers. Titles include "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", "Funny Feeling", "Over & Over", "Baby I Love You", "When You Get Right Down To It", "Delfonics Theme", "Trying To Make A Fool Of Me", "I Gave To You", "Down Is Up Up Is Down", and "Think About Me". CD

This is really some different sh*t. Divine Styler takes abstract to the next level, about as out as you can get and still be hip hop, if this is hip hop – playing a ton of instruments himself, and backed by a live band for the most part, singing and delivering spoken word as often as he's rhyming. We seem to recall something in an interview well after the fact about a lot of mind altering substances being dabbled in around this time. Includes "Am I An Epigram For Life?", "In A World Of U", "Love, Lies And Lifetime's Cries", "Livery", "Grey Matter", "Mystic Sheep Drink Electric Tea", "Width In My Depth", "The Next", "Euphoric Rangers", "Walk Of Exodus", "Aura", and more. CD

Maybe one of the greatest albums ever from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a set that has him really stretching out as a musician – not just showing off that impeccable sense of tone that marked his important records of the 50s, but also coming up with new ways of phrasing, and a sometimes-unique approach to rhythm as well! The set's about as all-star as you can get for a Blue Note date of the time – and that's really saying a lot – with the mighty Hank Mobley on tenor, whose work here is as important as Dorham's – and the rock-solid rhythm trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – who perfectly echo Kenny's new sense of changes in his music. Titles include the great "Sunrise In Mexico" – a very unique tune – plus "Buffalo", "Sunset", "Windmill", "Philly Twist", and "Dorham's Epitaph". CD

Maybe one of the greatest albums ever from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a set that has him really stretching out as a musician – not just showing off that impeccable sense of tone that marked his important records of the 50s, but also coming up with new ways of phrasing, and a sometimes-unique approach to rhythm as well! The set's about as all-star as you can get for a Blue Note date of the time – and that's really saying a lot – with the mighty Hank Mobley on tenor, whose work here is as important as Dorham's – and the rock-solid rhythm trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – who perfectly echo Kenny's new sense of changes in his music. Titles include the great "Sunrise In Mexico" – a very unique tune – plus "Buffalo", "Sunset", "Windmill", "Philly Twist", and "Dorham's Epitaph". CD

Proof that the US Army had plenty going on during the 70s – as you'll hear from this killer set of military-produced grooves from East Of Underground! The set goes way past the previous East Of Underground reissue – to feature work by the groups Soap, Black Seeds, and Sound Trek – all wrapped up in a beautiful package that's as visually pleasing as the music is funky! The cuts here were all recorded by US Army servicemen during the height of the Vietnam war – as Army-issued albums designed to encourage recruitment (as if a few funky grooves could help offset the bad press the war was getting on TV!) But despite that odd origin, the music here is all pretty great – mostly covers of familiar tunes from the time, but recorded with a nicely gritty quality that's mighty nice – and which makes the overall feel of the records like digging into some lost small studio tapes – ala Numero! Now Again have done a great job of putting together the whole package, too – contributing a wealth of notes and photos, and really digging deep into the scene in which these unique records were created. Not only that, but the packaging also replicates the style of the original odd releases too! The set features a CD each of music by East Of Underground and Soap – plus another CD that brings together an unusual double LP by the groups Black Seeds and Sound Trek. Titles include "I Just Want To Celebrate", "Kool & The Gang", "Walking In The Rain", "Backstabbers", "I Love Everything About You", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Go Outside In The Rain", "Black Magic Woman", "Hell Below", "Higher", "Popcorn/Santana", "Walk On By", "Java Girl", and "Get Together". CD

Think what you may about this groove-patched hipster – we still think he's one of the best jazz vocalists of our time! Kurt Elling's carrying a torch that few other singers could handle – a direct line back to the genius male jazz vocal work of singers like Mark Murphy and Jon Hendricks, armed with the confident emotionality and freely expressive style of the former, and the jazz-based virtuosity and sense of humor of the latter. This recent Blue Note session is very much in Elling's best mode – a bit too sweet in parts, but filled with some great numbers that show him always pushing the envelope, not content to just be a "modern classic" vocalist, as might be said for some of his female contemporaries in the jazz vocal realm. Titles include "Say It", "While You Are Mine", "I'm Thru With Love", "Orange Blossoms In Summertime", "Detour Ahead", "Lil Darlin", and "Easy Living". And sure, we wish there were more original compositions – as on other albums – but Elling really still does a great job with the standards! CD

An amazing blend of astral jazz and atmospheric orchestral soundscapes – composed and directed by coronetist Rob Mazurek! Exploding Star Orchestra is an apt name, but it's more of a bright and glorious explosion than a calamitous one – a sweeping couple of soundtracky suites that's the culmination of a couple years of work by Mazurek and a major contribution from Nicole Mitchell on flute – plus Jeb Bishop on trombone, Corey Wilkes on flugelhorn, Jeff Parker on guitar, John McEntire on marimba and tubular bells, John Herndon on drums, Jim Baker on piano & ARP, Jazon Adasiewicz on vibes, Matthew Lux on bass, Mike Reed on drums, percussion & saw, and others. It's part informed improvisation, part boundary free composition, and pretty wonderful all the way through! We expected something special, but this one goes above and beyond. Following the Frequency project by about 6 months, this is the second near classic avant garde jazz album on Thrill Jockey in a relative short stretch! 2 multi-part titles: The 70s style soul jazz groover "Sting Ray And The Beginning Of Time" (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 – Psycho-Tropic Electric Eel Drum and Part 4), "Cosmic Tomes For Sleep Walking Lovers" (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 – Fifteen Wais Towards A Finite Universe, and Part 5) – and the mellow, piano led centerpiece "Black Sun". CD

Ella Fitzgerald in Budapest – but swinging just as hard as on any of her other records from the time! The set's a later issue of an unreleased live date recorded in 1970 – a set that captures Fitzgerald right at the height of her international fame, at a time when she could captivate just about any audience with her inherent charm and amazing vocals! Backings are by a trio that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Frank De La Rosa on bass, and Ed Thigpen on bass – and titles are a hip mix of tunes that include a funky take on "Spinning Wheel", plus "Hello Young Lovers", "The Girl From Ipanema", "You Better Love Me", "As Time Goes By", "Crazy Rhythm", "People", "Mack The Knife", "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", and "Dancing In The Dark". CD

One of the few sides ever cut as a leader by guitarist Dick Garcia – and a record that's maybe as noteworthy for the work of its leader as it is for the presence of some very hip sidemen! The album's one of those late 50s outings that features Bill Evans on piano, from a time when he wasn't just leading his own groups – and other musicians include the great Gene Quill on alto sax, whose breathy talents always completely win us over – as well as pianist Terry Pollard, a female musician from Detroit who's most famously worked with Dorothy Ashby. Garcia gets plenty of space upfront to do his thing, and also contributed some nice originals to the record – which also features shifting instrumentation on just about every track. Titles include "The Deacon", "Potatoes", "Like Someone In Love", "If I'm Lucky", and "Kimona My House". CD

A really special album in the career of the great Merle Haggard – a moment when he really started looking back to give credit to those who inspired him – and when he was also really able to express himself in a longer format too! Part of the credit might go to Capitol Records, who trusted Merle so much they not only let him record a concept album, but a 2LP set as well – plenty of space for Haggard to deliver some great spoken passages about the great Jimmie Rodgers, his life, and music – then move into some of Jimmie's classics, but updated nicely with a vibe that's very much Merle's own! Given the way that Hag was stretching out his vocal skills tremendously at the end of the 60s, there's a sense of inflection that's perfect for the bluesy currents of the songs – on titles that include "Blue Yodel No 4", "Waitin For A Train", "Mother The Queen Of My Heart", "My Old Pal", "No Hard Times", "Travelin Blues", "Down The Old Road To Home", "Jimmie's Texas Blues", "Train Whistle Blues", and "Mule Skinner Blues" – plus the classic train song "Hobo Bill's Last Ride". CD

A really special album in the career of the great Merle Haggard – a moment when he really started looking back to give credit to those who inspired him – and when he was also really able to express himself in a longer format too! Part of the credit might go to Capitol Records, who trusted Merle so much they not only let him record a concept album, but a 2LP set as well – plenty of space for Haggard to deliver some great spoken passages about the great Jimmie Rodgers, his life, and music – then move into some of Jimmie's classics, but updated nicely with a vibe that's very much Merle's own! Given the way that Hag was stretching out his vocal skills tremendously at the end of the 60s, there's a sense of inflection that's perfect for the bluesy currents of the songs – on titles that include "Blue Yodel No 4", "Waitin For A Train", "Mother The Queen Of My Heart", "My Old Pal", "No Hard Times", "Travelin Blues", "Down The Old Road To Home", "Jimmie's Texas Blues", "Train Whistle Blues", and "Mule Skinner Blues" – plus the classic train song "Hobo Bill's Last Ride". CD

Brilliant work by one of the most unusual jazz talents of the 60s! Rufus Harley's best known for his use of bagpipes in jazz music – a re-cooption of the instrument from Scottish styles, taking it back to its roots in northern Africa. A number of Harley's other albums from the time are a bit gimmicky – but this later set is a soul jazz masterpiece, infused with rich Coltrane-like modes of expression, as Harley plays both soprano sax and bagpipes over some long modal original compositions! The group is a great one – with Oliver Collins playing some fantastic spiraling lines on piano, and great bass and drum work by James Glenn & Billy Abner. Titles include "Ali", "X", "About Trane", "Tribute To Courage", and a great version of "Sunny"! CD

A pair of legendary albums from the mighty Joe Harriott – a player who emigrated to England in the 50s, then set the scene on fire in the following decade! First up is Free Form – the landmark album that forever put saxophonist Joe Harriott on the map, and it's a brilliant batch of tracks that prove that Harriott was advancing the jazz avant garde in England as much as players like Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor were advancing it in America. Despite the "free form" of the title, the tracks are more "new thing" – somewhat structured, with a rhythmic approach that's still a little straight, but solos that go nice and outside. Joe's overall conception is a beautiful mix of angular thinking with freely expressed soulful emotion – and the record's one that ranks up there with the 10 most groundbreaking of the 60s! The group's about as fantastic as you could ever expect from England at the time – with Shake Keane on trumpet, Pat Smythe on piano, Coleridge Goode on bass, and Phil Seamen on drums – and titles include "Formation", "Coda", "Abstract", "Straight Lines", and "Impression". Next is Abstract – one of the legendary sets of avant garde jazz by the British alto genius Joe Harriott – an artist who was sometimes billed as the British Ornette Coleman – a reputation he definitely earns with the groundbreaking quality of this album! The conception is bold right from the start – strongly rhythmic, but at a level that's different from Coleman's music – with some deeply emotional undertones to the solos (which also include work from Shake Keane on trumpet!) – and occasional modal elements that also bring in some spiritual elements to work perfect with the breakout solos. The group also features crack rhythm work from Pat Smythe on piano, Coleridge Goode on bass, and Phil Seaman on drums – and the track list includes "Subject", "Shadows", "Tonal", "Oleo", "Pictures", "Idiom", "Compound" and "Modal". CD

A beautiful record – but that's no surprise, since most of the later work of Coleman Hawkins tends to be great! The setting is quite laidback – and Hawkins' time-weathered tenor is placed in a perfect setting with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Major Holley on bass, and Eddie Locke on drums. The set list is spare, with simple quartet arrangements – but Hawk's solos are mindblowingly perfect, and with a great edge that you won't find in his earlier recordings. It's hard to describe what we're talking about – but the more and more we listen to his later records, the more we realize what a genius he was! Includes the tracks "Don't Love Me", "Quintessence", "Go Lil Liza", and "Swingin' Scotch". CD

Rare live work from Tubby Hayes – recorded for Swedish Radio in one of the last years of his life, and a really rock-solid set! Given the professional recording of the performance, the set's quite different than some of the more dodgy Hayes live dates – and given Tubby's disappearance from the studio during these later years, the record may well stand as one of the few good documents of his talents at the time! Backing is by a hip trio that features Staffan Abeleen on piano, Niels Henning Ordsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and all tracks are quite long, with beautifully-crafted solos that spin out nicely – all in ways that are a bit looser and more free than some of Tubby's 60s work. Titles include "C Minor Bird", "Off The Wagon", "Vierd Blues", "I Thought About You", and "Without A Song". CD

Rare live work from Tubby Hayes – recorded for Swedish Radio in one of the last years of his life, and a really rock-solid set! Given the professional recording of the performance, the set's quite different than some of the more dodgy Hayes live dates – and given Tubby's disappearance from the studio during these later years, the record may well stand as one of the few good documents of his talents at the time! Backing is by a hip trio that features Staffan Abeleen on piano, Niels Henning Ordsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and all tracks are quite long, with beautifully-crafted solos that spin out nicely – all in ways that are a bit looser and more free than some of Tubby's 60s work. Titles include "C Minor Bird", "Off The Wagon", "Vierd Blues", "I Thought About You", and "Without A Song". CD

Andrew Hill works mostly in a trio here – a great group with Rufus Reid on bass and Ben Riley on drums – but also gets some help from Clifford Jordan's tenor on a few tracks, which really makes the album stand out from other Hill dates of the time! The core group is already great – and Reid and Riley bring a slightly straighter vibe to the date, and a sound that's filled with plenty of soul – and when Jordan joins in, there's almost a classic hardbop approach going on – quite a change from usual for Andrew, and proof that he can handle just about anything that comes his way. Hill still throws out plenty of creative piano lines throughout – those deft, modern moments that are always illuminating, even amidst a straighter swing – with a tension that's not unlike his Grass Roots album. Titles include "Ball Square", "Domani", "La Verne", "Monk's Glimpse", and "Tripping". CD

Moody work by Paul Horn – with a focus more on "images" of Brazil, than on the Brazilian jazz you might expect from the title! Like much of Horn's work from the time, the recording is very spacious – with Paul blowing on flute in a style that's as much about exploring space as it is creating a tune – working with a small group that includes percussion and acoustic guitar, plus a few additional percussion bits from Airto. Titles include "Amazonia", "Brazilian Images", "Streets Of Sao Paulo", "Mulher Solitaria", "Sambinha", and "Funky Town". CD

One of the most starkly beautiful recordings in Paul Horn's career – with spiritually resonant, almost spine tingling solo flute and some chants, all recorded in the Taj Majal one day in April of 1968! It's really all about the atmosphere, as it would have to be given the location – with Horn playing of the amazing echo in a completely wonderful way, never feeling anything less than wholly authentic and genuinely inspired! Titles include "Vibrations", "Akasha", "Jumna", "Shah Jahan", "Mantra II/Duality", and "Unity". Paul Horn follows up his Inside The Taj Majal set – in someways leaving behind the stark, spare initimacy of that set for a more layered and tailored approach – and also leaving behind his more pronounced jazz roots for a more earthy and nature themed mode! Like Inside, it's a solo flute record and a spatial exploration – this time handled with a number of different flutes, and also dabbling in overdubbing – with wind and other nature sounds, up to and including some live dolphin sound effects! Titles include "The Mahabhutas" suite, plus "Centaur", "Morning Song", "Haida", and "Mass: Kyrie". CD

Wonderful work from Incognito – perhaps their greatest album ever! By the time of this 1993 release, this Brit funky soul combo was in perfect form – blending together classic modes of jazz funk into a tight modern blend that's lasted a lot longer than anyone might have thought at the time. From the perspective of nearly a decade later, this album glistens like a lost soul jewel – perfectly fitting in between some of our favorite 70s albums, and a few of the better sides from recent years. The vocals are great, the riffing is tight, and the production is smooth and soulful all the way through. Tracks include "Still A Friend Of Mine", "Positivity", "Smiling Faces", "Do Right", "Talkin Loud", and "Thinkin About Tomorrow". CD

A great mid 50s recordings by one of the greatest pairings in popular jazz of the time – the twin-trombone lead work of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, both players who'd come from differing backgrounds, but who created a wonderful new sound together! The interplay between the trombones on thesession is wonderful – a strongly pronounced mini-horn section – yet one that's fluid enough to work at a nice boppish pace, especially when paired with a rhythm section of Dick Katz and Al Harewood. Titles include "Thou Swell", "Gong Rock", "Out Of This World", "Lope City", "Mad About The Boy", "That's How I Feel About You", "Stolen Bass", and "It's All Right With Me". CD

A great mid 50s recordings by one of the greatest pairings in popular jazz of the time – the twin-trombone lead work of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, both players who'd come from differing backgrounds, but who created a wonderful new sound together! The interplay between the trombones on thesession is wonderful – a strongly pronounced mini-horn section – yet one that's fluid enough to work at a nice boppish pace, especially when paired with a rhythm section of Dick Katz and Al Harewood. Titles include "Thou Swell", "Gong Rock", "Out Of This World", "Lope City", "Mad About The Boy", "That's How I Feel About You", "Stolen Bass", and "It's All Right With Me". CD

Sublime vocals from one of our favorite male vocalists of the 60s – the deep voiced Jack Jones, one of the best at putting over a ballad or a love song at the time! Jack's got a style that's smooth and sophisticated – but never soppy or slick – kind of a mature, grown-up poise that really transforms any of the material he sings, as you'll hear on this well-selected batch of work from Jones' key years at Kapp Records. Jones' work from the time was a strong influence on the work of Scott Walker – and there's a really direct line between these tunes and some of the material that Walker did during his Philips years. (Ever wonder about Walker's influences? Try going past the obvious Jacques Brel to look at Icemen like Jerry Butler and Jack Jones! This 2CD collection is a wonderful introduction to some of Jack Jones' greatest recordings – and despite the "love collection" title, it's far better than you'd think! 34 tracks in all – with titles that include "What The World Needs Now Is Love", "True Love", "And I Love Her", "Charade", "If You Go Away", "Hit The Road To Dreamland", "Rosalie", "Somewhere Along The Way", "You're Sensational", "You're My Girl", "Dear Heart", "Close Your Eyes", "Summertime Promises", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "Love With The Proper Stranger". CD

One of the greatest contributions made by the 32 Jazz label so far has been the rich amount of classic Roland Kirk material they've released on the market. The best of Kirk's work has been out of print for years, and like the folks at 32 Jazz, we think that's a darn shame – which is why we're extra-excited about a set like this! This nicely (and strangely) packaged 3 CD set features 2 CDs worth of previously unreleased live material – recorded in the years 1964 to 1975, by jazz recordist/archivist George Bonafacio. The material is amazing, and definitely gives proof to the claim that Kirk's live sets were even more amazing than his studio recordings. There's a wealth of great stuff here that really opens up an understanding of Kirk's 60s and early 70s years – and titles include "Rahsaantalk", "Misterioso", "Jammin With A Wolf", "Sister Sadie", "Blues For Alice", and a very groovy "Multi-Horn Medley". And if that's not enough, the 3rd CD of the set features the totally rare Natural Black Inventions album, which Kirk recorded for Atlantic. The record's got an amazing sound: Roland plays solo (mostly), and without the aid of overdubbing, to create these amazing soundscapes of multiple horns and circular breathing. It's filled with these fantastic throbbing pulsating reed lines, with one horn blowing rhythm, and one playing an adventurous solo – and both being blown live a the same time! Tracks include "Black Root", "Raped Voices", "Day Dream", and "Something For Trane That Trane Could Have Said". 3 great CDs of material by one of our favorite-ever reed players – and nicely priced, if we do say so ourselves! CD

A landmark recording – but never issued properly until this reissue! This rare live set was recorded in New York in 1959, and it features the unusual pairing of Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh with the Bill Evans trio of the time – Bill on piano (natch), Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Paul Motion on drums. Evans' warm, round lyricism is quite striking here – much more different backing than we're used to hearing behind Konitz and Marsh, although still with enough modern tones to make them feel right at home. There's a darkly brooding feel to the best numbers here, and most tracks stretch out far past the 5 minute mark – making for a 12 track set that offers over 90 minutes of music! Titles include "Lennie Bird", "April", "Just Friends", "Palo Alto", "317 E 32nd", "It's You Or No One", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "Lennie-Bird", and "How About You?". CD

An amazing record from Kyoto Jazz Massive – and about time, too! The Japanese collective has been bubbling under for years – doing some of the most groundbreaking production, remix, and single work of the current Japanese scene – and this album is really their first true full-length, a massive set of tracks with a soulful approach we never knew they had! The whole thing's amazing from the word "go" (which actually isn't the first word on the album!) – and the first few tracks are especially strong, all soulful numbers with vocals by guest singers that include Vanessa Freeman, Victor Davies, and Maiya James. After that burst, the album takes off instrumentally – stretching for the sky in a jazz-infused blend of beats and keyboards, occasional other instrumentation creeping into the mix at just the right moments. Titles include "The Dawn Introduction", "The Brightness Of These Days", "Mind Expansions", "Stargazer", "Eclipse", "Between The Lights", "Substream", "Shine", "ME Outroduction", and "Behind The Shadow". CD

Incredible early work from Yusef Lateef – some of his best! On these early Savoy side, Lateef is drawing from the wealth of influences that were running through the Detroit jazz underground of the 50s that spawned him – and apart from a strongly-conceived bop-influenced sound, you'll also hear Lateef experimenting a lot with jazz exoticism, using different reed instruments and odd small-group arrangements in a manner that's sort of a more "inside" version of similar work done at the time by Sun Ra and group. Lateef's work at this point is a key link in a tradition of exploratory Afro-centric jazz that runs through Roland Kirk's "Black Classical Music" of the 60s, and the underground output of labels like Tribe or Strata East during the 70s. About half the cuts on here are fairly straight, and still pretty nice, but those that aren't will open your eyes to Lateef's genius! Includes titles from The Fabric Of Jazz, The Dreamer, Jazz & The Sounds Of Nature, and Prayer To The East – with 19 numbers that include "Arjuna", "Valse Bouk", "Check Blues", "Gypsy Arab", "Sram", "Lover Man", and "8540 Twelfth Street". CD

The long-overdue return of Bettye Lavette to Muscle Shoals – the scene of her ill-fated album for Atlantic Records from the early 70s – hence the title of this album! The style here is certainly classic, and very old school – with backings provided by The Drive-By Truckers, whose member Patterson Hood has family ties back to the older Muscle Shoals scene of the 60s and 70s – and classic southern soul keyboardist Spooner Oldham joins the group wonderfully on electric piano for most of the record, bringing a sweetly warm style to the backings that sounds great next to the time-sharpened edges of Bettye's vocals. As with other Anti label efforts of this type, the sound is respectfully classic – no attempt made to update Lavette's style at all, and none of the cheesier bluesy material that Bettye might have been forced to sing, were she working with a lesser label. Titles include "Choices", "Jealousy", "You Don't Know Me At All", "I Still Want To Be your Baby", "Somebody Pick Up My Pieces", "Talking Old Soldiers", "Before The Money Came", and "I Guess We Shouldn't Talk About That Now". CD

Two albums from Peggy Lee on one CD. First up is I Like Men! – an obscure album of "guy" songs from the end of the 50s! There's a playful feel to the music that fits Lee's vocals very well – as do the bouncy arrangements from Jack Marshall, who turns out to be one of the best musical partners that Peggy could ever hope for! The set's got that nice jazzy groove that really makes Lee's return to Capitol Records so great – and titles include "Good For Nothing Joe", "Charley My Boy", "Jim", "Bill", and "It's So Nice To Have A Man Around the House". On Sugar 'N' Spice Peggy's sweet as sugar, but working here with a heck of a lot of spice – thanks to arranger Benny Carter, who brings in a wonderfully jazzy feel to the set! The album's one of Peggy's best from her comeback years at Capitol – and a prime example of the syncopated, slinking mode of arrangement that was the best 60s discovery for the Peggy Lee voice – and which allowed her to create a unique space for her own maturing sexuality in pop music. The whole thing's great, and avoids the cliches of some of the other Peggy Lee albums from the time. Titles include "I Believe In You", "Ain't That Love", "The Best Is Yet To Come", "The Sweetest Sounds", "Teach Me Tonight", "Tell All The World About You", and "Big Bad Bill". CD

Peggy's sweet as sugar, but working here with a heck of a lot of spice – thanks to arranger Benny Carter, who brings in a wonderfully jazzy feel to the set! The album's one of Peggy's best from her comeback years at Capitol – and a prime example of the syncopated, slinking mode of arrangement that was the best 60s discovery for the Peggy Lee voice – and which allowed her to create a unique space for her own maturing sexuality in pop music. The whole thing's great, and avoids the cliches of some of the other Peggy Lee albums from the time. Titles include "I Believe In You", "Ain't That Love", "The Best Is Yet To Come", "The Sweetest Sounds", "Teach Me Tonight", "Tell All The World About You", and "Big Bad Bill". Plus, CD features 3 bonus cuts – including "Amazing", "Loads Of Love", and "I'll Be Around". CD

Sweet electric magic from Ramsey Lewis – four 70s albums in a single collection! First up is Don't It Feel Good – massive keyboard work from the great Ramsey Lewis – easily one of his best records ever, thanks to some spaciously funky production by Charles Stepney! Stepney plays keyboards here along with Ramsey, and the twin-keys approach makes for a sound that's extra-special – one that sums up all the earlier soulful creativity of both artists in their late 60s Cadet Records years, and hones it down to an even sweeter groove for the 70s! A number of tracks have some sort of vocal component, but usually in a chorus mode that soon drops out when the keyboards hit home – and the record features a few great short "interlude" tracks that are almost as great as the longer numbers! Titles include the classic "Juaacklyn", a cover of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way Of The World", and the tracks "I Dig You", "Fish Bite", "Don't It Feel Good", "Something About You", and "Can't Function". Salongo is a tremendous little record, and one of the funky 70s sets that Ramsey Lewis recorded with Earth Wind & Fire! Well, not Earth Wind & Fire entirely – but the Kalimba Productions team of Maurice White and Charles Stepney that gave the group its sound – plus a nice sprinkling of other players that were often associated with sessions by the group! Ramsey's own combo here includes Steve Cobb on drums and vocals, and Derf Reklaw on reeds and vocals as well – and the overall sound has bits of African and Brazilian influences, worked into a soulful fusion groove that sounds a lot like the instrumental backings EWF were using at the time. Titles include "Brazilica", "Slick", "Rubato", "Salongo", and "Seventh Fold". Tequila Mockingbird is an overlooked gem from the Columbia Records years, filled with loads of great grooves, and some pretty mighty keyboards! Part of the record has Ramsey working with Larry Dunn of Kalimba Productions – getting plenty of the Earth Wind & Fire groove that made so much of his Columbia sessions sparkle – while the rest of the set has the great Bert DeCoteaux handling things, and giving Lewis just the right mix of sophistication and soul he was using with other Columbia acts at the time. The album's a perfect example of the way that Ramsey stepped way ahead of the pack during this time in his career – using keyboards and grooves together in ways that so many artists today are still trying to match – but never hit it this right! Titles include "Camino El Bueno", "Caring For You", "Intimacy", "That Ole Bach Music", "Skippin", "Tequila Mockingbird", and "Wandering Rose" – that cool cut by Neal Creque! Love Notes is a great little album of mid 70s funk from Ramsey Lewis – very much in the mode of his Earth, Wind, & Fire related work – no surprise, since the album's dedicated to Charles Stepney, whose influence was such a key part of the sound of the group, and of some of Ramsey's other Kalimba-produced albums from a few years before! Ramsey plays Fender Rhodes, mini moog, and Arp – and he gets help on keyboards from Stevie Wonder and Derf Reklaw, who also plays saxes and percussion on the set. Features versions of Wonder's "Love Notes" and "Spring High", plus Reklaw's "Chili Today Hot Tamale", "Shining", and "Stash Dash". CD

First up is one of Julie London's strongest overall albums – a great session that features small group backings with a warm and intimate feel! There's less of the languid sadness of some of Julie's other records, and more of the dreamy floating style of singers like Chris Connor or June Christy on this one. The feeling of the album's great, and it shows that Julie was much more than a pop singer with sexy looks and a smoky finish – although we're happy to hear that on here too! Titles include "Let There Be Love", "Goodbye", "You've Changed", "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To", "Lonesome Road", "They Didn't Believe Me", and "The Thrill Is Gone". Around Midnight's just about the best time to listen to Julie London – especially given her sultry late-night style of singing! This album's one that definitely follows in that mode – setting Julie's vocals to backings by Dick Reynolds – a bit fuller than some of her earliest Liberty albums, but still quite moody, and very much in the best spirit of the album's songs of adult love and loss. The song choices are especially great too – with some key mid-century classics that include "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning", "Lush Life", "Lonely In Paris", "Something Cool", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

What can we say? This is one of the greatest albums of all time – and it's made even better through the addition of a bunch of previously unissued tracks! The record's got a sound that's completely unique – as crack LA garage punk rock meets Hollywood baroque production, and the result is an amazing bit of loud guitar noise backed by strings and horns, all graced by the godlike vocals of the great Arthur Lee. Forever Changes is a milestone in rock – an incredibly bleak document about insanity, escape, and the coming revolution that never happened. Think of all the best moments of Wild In The Streets, Zabriske Point, and Invocation of My Demon Brother rolled into one – and you'll only have a tiny slice of the picture! A record that will haunt us until the day we die – filled with incredible songs like "Alone Again Or", "Old Man", "Daily Planet", "Red Telephone", and "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale". CD version also includes "Hummingbirds (demo)", "Laughing Stock", "Wonder People (I Do Wonder) (outtake)", "Your Mind & We Belong Together", and alternate mixes of tracks on the LP. CD

A 2CD set, with 2 late 60s gems from Johnny Mathis! Those Were The Days is a title tune sung famously by Mathis as a single – but even better are the rest of the tracks on the set – a cool batch of 60s numbers that really show Johnny stretching out comfortably with some new material, but never in ways that mess with his amazing vocal approach at all! Backings often have a gentle dip underneath the strings – letting Mathis pick up some slight groovy rhythms at points, on titles that include "Light My Fire", "59th Street Bridge Song", "This Guy's In Love With You", "You Make Me Think About You", "The World I Used To Know", and "Turn Around Look At Me". Love Theme From Romeo & Juliet has Johnny Mathis taking on the title tune of the famous film, and also dipping into a mix of other soundtrack numbers from the time – plus a bit of pop material as well! As with other Mathis albums from this stretch, we really love the selection of tunes – penned by Michel Legrand, Francis Lai, Nilsson, and other songwriters we love so much from the generation – writers who really get Johnny past the familiar styles of his early hits. Ernie Freeman did some of the arrangements – which makes for a nice change – and titles include "Live For Life", "Without Her", "Windmills Of Your Mind", "Love Me Tonight", "Didn't We", "We", "The World I Threw Away", and "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In". CD

Soaring grooves from Sean McCabe – the artists' debut on the mostly-reissue Z Records, but a set that also puts him in the same sort of classic territory as his labelmates, the Sunburst Band! Sean's groove is filled with classic club touches, but is also a bit more contemporary – the warmest, most soulful side of the London scene – and at a level that we've not heard anyone do this well in a long long time – a set that takes us back to that magical time a decade or so ago, when London was really burning up our collection with wonderful records like this! There's plenty of echoes of The Rurals or Nathan Haines in the mix – and vocals are by a shifting array of singers, who glide across the keyboard-heavy grooves. Titles include "All Of The Above", "Everything's Alright", "Something About You", "Who's Foolin Who", "Love For Life", "Reach Out", "Back To Front", "Embrace You", "Somethin For Nothin", and "Tomorrow's Another Day". CD

Jackie McLean cut some of his best bop sessions for Blue Note – and this is one of them! The record is amazingly precise, and features Jackie as the sole horn soloist in a group with Walter Bishop on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – a crack rhythm combo that give McLean plenty of room to blow on his searing alto sax. Tracks stream along with an amazing ease – and Jackie's perfectly-placed solos are right on the money every time! The set list includes a lot of standards, but they're done with that warm soulful approach that makes you hardly care about the source of the material – and instead focus on Jackie's amazing talents as an improviser! Titles include "What's New", "I Love You", "Let's Face The Music And Dance", and "Stable Mates". CD

Jackie McLean cut some of his best bop sessions for Blue Note – and this is one of them! The record is amazingly precise, and features Jackie as the sole horn soloist in a group with Walter Bishop on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – a crack rhythm combo that give McLean plenty of room to blow on his searing alto sax. Tracks stream along with an amazing ease – and Jackie's perfectly-placed solos are right on the money every time! The set list includes a lot of standards, but they're done with that warm soulful approach that makes you hardly care about the source of the material – and instead focus on Jackie's amazing talents as an improviser! Titles include "What's New", "I Love You", "Let's Face The Music And Dance", and "Stable Mates". CD

The first-ever set of duets between Joe McPhee and Fred Lonberg-Holm – two players who've improvised often in other settings on the Chicago scene over the years – but who somehow never had the time to take off like this on their own! Fred's working at his highest level of sonic intensity here – both on cello and on electronics – and McPhee continues to blow us away as the years go on – opening up here on tenor in ways that maybe make even his early classics seem tame by comparison – showing a tremendous understanding of his instrument and all its many sonic possibilities, and in ways that aren't just about pure power, but about an honest, open, human sort of sympathy that fits the situation. the album features three long tracks, all improvised – "That Time", "This Time", and "Next Time". CD

Sublime early work from Carmen McRae – a collection of recordings done with backing from pianist Ray Bryant in both small combo and large group settings! The first dozen tracks on the album have Carmen singing in a beautifully fragile mode – with only Ray's piano and a bit of bass and drums to back her up – and it's a real treat to her the McRae vocal approach in such an unfettered format, because even at this earlier age, Carmen had a sense of control, poise, and grace that shines through immediately. Next up are 14 more tunes that also feature Bryant's piano, but over larger backings directed by Jack Pleis – in a way that's more similar to some of McRae's better known recordings from the time, but still quite great – done with a level of sophistication that clearly paved the way for Nancy Wilson and Marlena Shaw in years to come – on a batch of 12 mostly Noel Coward numbers, and 2 other tunes. 26 tracks in all – and titles include "I Can't Escape From You", "Guess Who I Saw Today", "Exactly Like You", "All My Life", "Dream Of Life", "Zigeuner", "A Room With A View", "Never Again", "Invitation", "If Love Were All", "Why Does Love Get In The Way", and "Mad About The Boy". CD

One of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time – a pioneering blast of mid 80s thrash from Metallica at an early peak! Say what you will about Metallica's later career triumphs and failures, there's no overstating how huge their impact was on metal and hard rock early on, and their best few records are incredible to this day. This may well be they're very best album – the culmination of a couple years of slow-building word-of-mouth reputation-building for genre work that can't be praised highly enough. One metal classic after another: "Fight Fire With Fire", "Ride The Lightning", "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Fade To Black", "Trapped Under Ice", "Escape", "Creeping Death" and "The Call Of Ktulu". CD

The complete Josie work from the mighty Meters in a 2CD set – including the self-titled '69 album, Look-Ka Py Py and Struttin' from 1970, plus a bunch of great singles and numbers with Art Neville and Cyril Neville! Disc 1 features Meters & Look-Ka Py Py – the former simply one of the greatest albums in the history of funk – and the latter an all time classic funky instrumental LP, with a choppy tight guitar groove. Includes "Cissy Strut", "Cardova", "Art", "Stormy", "Look-Ka Py Py", "Dry Spell", "Little Old Money Maker" and more. Disc 2 starts with Struttin' – about as hard, heavy and funky as you can get – with "Chicken Strut", "Go For Yourself", "Ride Your Pony", "Hand Clappin Song" and more. Also includes the singles "Message From The Meters", "Zony Mash", "I Need More Time", "Sassy Lady" and more, plus "Bo Diddley" (Pts 1 & 2)", "Heartaches" and "I'm Gonna Put Some Hurt On You" with Art Neville from '68, plus "Gossip" and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind" with Cyril Neville circa '70. CD

A really unusual album from the young Stephanie Mills – not only because it captures the singer at a wonderful early point in her career, when she was still open to a rich range of expression – but also because the whole thing was written and produced by the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David – who almost work with Mills as a 70s update of their classics with Dionne Warwick! Yet the sound here is also different – deeper in that nicely matured way that Burt had brought to his own great albums and special projects of the time – with these sensitive emotional moments that are a real surprise from Mills, especially as she could have just been phoning it in at this point. Backings are definitely Bacharach-like, but nicely subtle too – again like the direction Burt himself was going at the time – and titles include "No One Remembers My Name", "Loneliness Remembers (What Happiness Forgets)", "This Empty Place", "The Way I Fell About You", and "All The Way To Paradise". CD

Some of the best soul to come out of the early 60s – and also some of the least known! Although Garnet's big hit "Cry Baby" does get its dues from time to time, just about every side he cut was a winner, and they all sparkled with his unusual mix of deep soul vocals and tight uptown production. This whopping 25-track CD is about the first time anyone in the US has given Garnet's work a showcase since it came out – and the track selection includes loads of his best tracks, like "A Quiet Place", "One Girl", "A Little Bit Of Soap", "Welcome Home", and the amazing "Thinkin", which is due to show up on a famous soundtrack sometime soon! CD

Early and brilliant work by the MJQ – recorded at a time when the combo's idea was quite unique, and when its execution was still filled with a lot of creative energy! The group, of course, features the core duo of Milt Jackson and John Lewis – and bass chores are handled by either Percy Heath, or Ray Brown – the latter of whom dominates the album surprisingly. Drums are mostly by Kenny Clarke, whose harder touch gave the group an edge on a lot more of these early recordings – and on a few numbers, Al Jones sits in instead of Kenny. Titles include "Love Me Pretty Baby", "D&E", "True Blues", "Yesterdays", "Round About Midnight", and "Milt Meets Sid". CD

One of our favorite Thelonious Monk albums ever – a bare bones, no nonsense session that's filled with great work from tenorist Charlie Rouse! The record's filled with everything that's great about the Monk/Rouse team in these years – an incredible interplay between sax and piano, served up over the sorts of angular tunes that Monk had been putting forth for years, but somehow at a level that's even more perfect, more "Monkish" than before! Other members of the group are Butch Warren on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and titles include "Lulu's Back In Town", "Memories Of You", "Brake's Sake", "Stuffy Turkey", and "Shuffle Boil". CD features 3 bonus tracks – previously unreleased takes of "Shuffle Boil", "Epistrophy", and "Nice Work If You Can Get It". CD

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

A great date from the later revival years of altoist Frank Morgan – thanks to a warm performance from the Cedar Walton trio! One of the great things about late Morgan is the way in which he's able to really fit himself into different settings – still holding onto his soulful roots, but also fluidly picking up the best elements of the groups he works with – such as the rich tones and soaring styles that Walton brings to this session! Cedar's piano always sounds great with a horn, and the warmth in Morgan's alto is quite a different match than some of Walton's tenor-driven sessions – and bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Billy Higgins keep things in just the right subtle side of the spectrum to fit the mood. Titles include "The Rubber Man", "Yes & No", "Manha De Carnaval", "Now's The Time", "Three Flowers", and "Third Street Blues". CD

A great date from the later revival years of altoist Frank Morgan – thanks to a warm performance from the Cedar Walton trio! One of the great things about late Morgan is the way in which he's able to really fit himself into different settings – still holding onto his soulful roots, but also fluidly picking up the best elements of the groups he works with – such as the rich tones and soaring styles that Walton brings to this session! Cedar's piano always sounds great with a horn, and the warmth in Morgan's alto is quite a different match than some of Walton's tenor-driven sessions – and bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Billy Higgins keep things in just the right subtle side of the spectrum to fit the mood. Titles include "The Rubber Man", "Yes & No", "Manha De Carnaval", "Now's The Time", "Three Flowers", and "Third Street Blues". CD

2 of Sunny Murray's classic sides for the BYG label, on one CD! Sunshine is one of Sunny's rarest from the time – and a full-on session that features Lester Bowie, Arthur Jones, Roscoe Mitchell, Archie Shepp, Kenneth Terroade, Dave Burrell, and Malachi Favors. The large group wails mightily, with a spiritual edge that's a bridge between Murray's New York avant roots and some of the late 60s work of the AACM. Side one features the extended "Flower Trane", and side two contains "Real" and "Red Cross". Even Break is one of the best-ever BYG/Actuel sessions, and one that has the unlikely pairing of east coast avant players Sonny Murray and Byard Lancaster, with Art Ensemble Of Chicago bassist Malachi Favors! Murray plays drums, and reads a bit of poetry, while the band wails behind him in powerful turgid lines of hard free jazz that represent all there is to say about the freedom of the Paris jazz scene in 1969. 4 long tracks – "Invisible Blues", "Complete Affection", "Giblets – Part 12", and "An Even Break". CD

Nirvana's lean, economical predecessor to Nevermind – an album that's plenty earthshaking in its own right – the mean, metallic Bleach LP! If you weren't around and listening to underground rock in 1989, it's tough to impart how unique Nirvana was at the time – there weren't a lot of rock bands playing this kind of ferocious, pummeling music that married metal's volume and intensity with college rock's artfulness. Good stuff, this. Titles include "Blew", "Floyd The Barber", "About A Girl", "Negative Creep", "Mr Moustache", "Big Cheese", "Downer", "Scoft", "Love Buzz" and more. CD

A beautiful album of jazzy modern soul tracks – and quite possibly the best album by this legendary combo! There's a joyous, upbeat feel here that's totally great – miles from mainstream soul of the time, in a way that's always made the record a favorite for fans of the Free Soul scene – who've kept it strong for years. Lead vocals are by Sandy Torano and Howard Johnson – but the backing vocals are great too, and feature Phyllis Hyman – used in subtle ways to flesh out the sound nicely – and the instrumentation is often funky, but has a warmer, jazzier undercurrent too. Titles include "If You Want it", "All About Love", "Get On the Fun", "Tryin To Find", "No Two Alike", "Make It Right", and "Easy Come". CD