The album that really broke Jethro Tull out of the prog rock underground and into the mainstream – and a set that showed that the group weren't just a combo with creative use of flute, but a band that could really rock off their ass when they wanted to! Previous records were all pretty great, but there's definitely something special in the air with this one – an extra-amped version of the group that even seems to have Ian Anderson's flute blowing out all stops, and his vocals sounding even more menacing than before! Martin Barre's maybe the real master, though – searing on guitar, and punctuating all of Anderson's efforts with his own mad energy – on titles that include the classic "Aqualung", plus "Wondering Aloud", "Cheap Day Return", "Cross Eyed Mary", "My God", "Slipstream", "Locomotive Breath", "Wind Up", and "Mother Goose". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that really broke Jethro Tull out of the prog rock underground and into the mainstream – and a set that showed that the group weren't just a combo with creative use of flute, but a band that could really rock off their ass when they wanted to! Previous records were all pretty great, but there's definitely something special in the air with this one – an extra-amped version of the group that even seems to have Ian Anderson's flute blowing out all stops, and his vocals sounding even more menacing than before! Martin Barre's maybe the real master, though – searing on guitar, and punctuating all of Anderson's efforts with his own mad energy – on titles that include the classic "Aqualung", plus "Wondering Aloud", "Cheap Day Return", "Cross Eyed Mary", "My God", "Slipstream", "Locomotive Breath", "Wind Up", and "Mother Goose". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful trio set – one that seems to resonate as strongly with the bass work of George Mraz as it does with the lyrical genius of the great Hank Jones! The recording quality is superb, and all the elements of the group's performance seem to hang in air at a level that's even more breathtaking than if you were able to hear the whole thing in person – and along with Mraz and Jones, the great Kenny Washington is superb on drums – really at that point in his career when his special talent in a group like this was starting to hit its stride. Titles include "Interlude", "Wind Flower", "Recorda Me", Blue Monk", "Round Midnight", "I'll Remember April", "Interface", and "A Child Is Born". CD

A beautiful trio set – one that seems to resonate as strongly with the bass work of George Mraz as it does with the lyrical genius of the great Hank Jones! The recording quality is superb, and all the elements of the group's performance seem to hang in air at a level that's even more breathtaking than if you were able to hear the whole thing in person – and along with Mraz and Jones, the great Kenny Washington is superb on drums – really at that point in his career when his special talent in a group like this was starting to hit its stride. Titles include "Interlude", "Wind Flower", "Recorda Me", Blue Monk", "Round Midnight", "I'll Remember April", "Interface", and "A Child Is Born". LP, Vinyl record album

Quincy's world is great and wide indeed – and even at this early point in his career, he was displaying a wonderful talent for bringing in bits from all sources! The album's essentially a straight jazz set, but it's got some great exotic touches that are in keeping with the "world" theme and the globe-trotting titles on the set. The group's excellent too – with players that include Sahib Shihab, Budd Johnson, Les Spann, Lee Morgan, and Phil Woods – all working through hip arrangements by Al Cohn, Bill Potts, and Ernie Wilkins. Titles include "Ghana", "Air Mail Special", "Chant Of The Weed", "Eesom", and "I Never Has Seen Snow". LP, Vinyl record album

Sure, Rickie Lee Jones went onto become a bit of a cliche in later years, but this early album's still got an undeniable power – and was a great breath of fresh air, at a time when it seemed like most of modern music was forgetting its roots! What is it with the LA scene from the 60s onward that they always seemed to find their best inspiration in the past? Artists like Harpers Bizarre, Randy Newman, Tom Waits and others set the stage for a record like this – by reaching back into older styles and bringing them forward with a more contemporary spin. (And why was it that LA seemed to be the center of this mode – and New York, Chicago, and other cities never worked that way?) Rickie serves up a nice assortment of older-styled vocal cuts – performed with a mixture of traditional and 70s jazz backings, supported by some extra-classy Warner production from Lenny Waronker. Titles are all originals, but done with an older hipser sort of feel – and titles include "Easy Money", "Chuck E's In Love", "Young Blood", "The Last Chance Texaco", "Danny's All Star Joint", "Weasel & The White Boys Cool", "Company", "Coolsville", and "On Saturday Afternoons In 1963". CD

Sure, Rickie Lee Jones went onto become a bit of a cliche in later years, but this early album's still got an undeniable power – and was a great breath of fresh air, at a time when it seemed like most of modern music was forgetting its roots! What is it with the LA scene from the 60s onward that they always seemed to find their best inspiration in the past? Artists like Harpers Bizarre, Randy Newman, Tom Waits and others set the stage for a record like this – by reaching back into older styles and bringing them forward with a more contemporary spin. (And why was it that LA seemed to be the center of this mode – and New York, Chicago, and other cities never worked that way?) Rickie serves up a nice assortment of older-styled vocal cuts – performed with a mixture of traditional and 70s jazz backings, supported by some extra-classy Warner production from Lenny Waronker. Titles are all originals, but done with an older hipser sort of feel – and titles include "Easy Money", "Chuck E's In Love", "Young Blood", "The Last Chance Texaco", "Danny's All Star Joint", "Weasel & The White Boys Cool", "Company", "Coolsville", and "On Saturday Afternoons In 1963". LP, Vinyl record album

Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer gave us an excellent previous record on the International Anthem label – one that mixed field recordings with sounds of their own – an approach that's continued here as the pair are joined by Ariel Kalma, whose instrumentation really adds a wonderful new layer to the process! There's a mix of live instrumentation, sounds from sources, and processing going on here that takes us back to some of the best fourth world experiments from the EG/Eno years – almost like Jon Hassell, but with a lighter, airier vibe – and maybe more understated brilliance – an ego-less recording that has the musicians swirling together in beautifully sensitive territory. The set's never too quiet to be ambient, but has some of the appeal of that mode too – and titles include "Ten Hour Wave", "Dizzy Ditty", "Une Ombre Legere", "New Air", "Ecoute Au Loin", and "Stack Attack". CD

Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer gave us an excellent previous record on the International Anthem label – one that mixed field recordings with sounds of their own – an approach that's continued here as the pair are joined by Ariel Kalma, whose instrumentation really adds a wonderful new layer to the process! There's a mix of live instrumentation, sounds from sources, and processing going on here that takes us back to some of the best fourth world experiments from the EG/Eno years – almost like Jon Hassell, but with a lighter, airier vibe – and maybe more understated brilliance – an ego-less recording that has the musicians swirling together in beautifully sensitive territory. The set's never too quiet to be ambient, but has some of the appeal of that mode too – and titles include "Ten Hour Wave", "Dizzy Ditty", "Une Ombre Legere", "New Air", "Ecoute Au Loin", and "Stack Attack". LP, Vinyl record album

Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer gave us an excellent previous record on the International Anthem label – one that mixed field recordings with sounds of their own – an approach that's continued here as the pair are joined by Ariel Kalma, whose instrumentation really adds a wonderful new layer to the process! There's a mix of live instrumentation, sounds from sources, and processing going on here that takes us back to some of the best fourth world experiments from the EG/Eno years – almost like Jon Hassell, but with a lighter, airier vibe – and maybe more understated brilliance – an ego-less recording that has the musicians swirling together in beautifully sensitive territory. The set's never too quiet to be ambient, but has some of the appeal of that mode too – and titles include "Ten Hour Wave", "Dizzy Ditty", "Une Ombre Legere", "New Air", "Ecoute Au Loin", and "Stack Attack". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Soul Twist", "Twisting Time", "Sack O' Woe", "Wobble Twist", "Irrestible You", "Twisting With The King", "Midnight Blue", "Hot Potato", "Air Raid" and more. CD

The only thing "straight" about Steve Lacy's horn is its shape – as the soprano sax here is used in some extremely inventive and modern ways, especially for the date of the session! We don't think we're going out on a limb to say Lacy is one of the foremost melodic improvisors of his time, and easily one of the most talented soprano players too – and his early date as a leader shows both his forward looking involvement with the avant garde (he'd played with Cecil Taylor just before this date and does a couple of his compositions here) and a career-long fascination with Thelonious Monk. Although the group here is piano-less – with Charles Davis on baritone sax, John Ore on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – there's a definite Monk-like edge to many of the numbers, carried off especially by the sharp turns in Lacy's horn! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Air", "Donna Lee", "Louise", "Played Twice", and "Inrospection". CD

The only thing "straight" about Steve Lacy's horn is its shape – as the soprano sax here is used in some extremely inventive and modern ways, especially for the date of the session! We don't think we're going out on a limb to say Lacy is one of the foremost melodic improvisors of his time, and easily one of the most talented soprano players too – and his early date as a leader shows both his forward looking involvement with the avant garde (he'd played with Cecil Taylor just before this date and does a couple of his compositions here) and a career-long fascination with Thelonious Monk. Although the group here is piano-less – with Charles Davis on baritone sax, John Ore on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – there's a definite Monk-like edge to many of the numbers, carried off especially by the sharp turns in Lacy's horn! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Air", "Donna Lee", "Louise", "Played Twice", and "Inrospection". CD

The only thing "straight" about Steve Lacy's horn is its shape – as the soprano sax here is used in some extremely inventive and modern ways, especially for the date of the session! We don't think we're going out on a limb to say Lacy is one of the foremost melodic improvisors of his time, and easily one of the most talented soprano players too – and his early date as a leader shows both his forward looking involvement with the avant garde (he'd played with Cecil Taylor just before this date and does a couple of his compositions here) and a career-long fascination with Thelonious Monk. Although the group here is piano-less – with Charles Davis on baritone sax, John Ore on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – there's a definite Monk-like edge to many of the numbers, carried off especially by the sharp turns in Lacy's horn! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Air", "Donna Lee", "Louise", "Played Twice", and "Introspection". LP, Vinyl record album

You just have to love that one breath of fresh air on the pop charts at any given point – and John Legend is profoundly worthy of it! John has a feel for classic soul – strings and horns filter in with his own piano playing and emotive vocals – but the production approach is firmly contemporary. The beats are born of hip hop, and some big names from the game drop in, but this feels like John's album all the way. Very, very promising stuff – there's no one else quite like John Legend on the charts, so let's keep him there! Tracks include "Let's Get Lifted", "Used To Love U", "She Don't Have To Know", "Number One" with Kanye West, "I Can Change" with Snoop, "So High", "Refuge (When It's Cold Outside)" and more. CD

Ramsey Lewis had such great success with his first album of Christmas instrumentals for Chess Records, he soon hopped back in the studio for a second record – but one with a very distinct difference! This time around, the trio's a bit unusual – in that it features regular bassist Eldee Young, but also the great Steve McCall on drums – a percussionist who'd later really flourish in the 70s, and gain great fame for his work in the group Air! The presence of McCall is no surprise, though – Malachi Favors and Muhal Richard Abrams also make appearances on early 60s Chess jazz albums – but it does give the record a nicely special sort of sound, as does the added instrumentation on some tracks too. About half the set features the trio, and the rest features a bigger group that's arranged by King Fleming and Will Jackson – jazz trio with a bit of strings, including some nice harp, and a touch of trombone from John Avant. Titles include "We Three Kings", "Snowfall", "Plum Puddin", "Little Drummer Boy", "Snowbound", "Egg Nog", and "Jingle Bells". LP, Vinyl record album

A really sprightly piano set from Kirk Lightsey – one that's maybe got even more kick than some of his classic work from years back! The pianist works here with Steve Watts on bass and Dave Wickins on drums and percussion – and the tunes are all nice and long, and really stretch out with plenty of space that lets Kirk show off that special side of his style – his way of being both warmly lyrical and more soulfully introspective at the same time, with a sense of color and phrasing that really leaves us breathless throughout! The set features some guest work from Lee Goodall on soprano and flute – and titles include "Golden Legacy", "Punjab", "Estate", "Escapade", "Fresh Air", and "Vappallia". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the hippest record ever issued by pianist Kirk Lightsey – in part because the set was issued on a South African label, and also because it features tremendous work from saxophonist Rudolph Johnson – who you'll know for his two classic 70s albums on the Black Jazz imprint! The setting is maybe most in the mode of Johnson at his best – long tracks that spin out and really take their time to develop – not outside or avant, but also not more familiar spiritual jazz either – as there's this special, soulful balance that really keeps things interesting – as Lightsey plays electric piano, Johnson handles tenor and flute – and the rest of the group features Danny Cortez on trumpet, Delbert Hill on bass clarinet, Al Hall on trombone, and Charles Mallory on guitar. Side one features the long title track – the beautiful "Habiba" – balanced by the beautiful tune "Here It Is" and the funkier "Fresh Air" – both on side two. LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Main Stem", "C Jam Blues", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "Chinoiserie", "Black And Tan Fantasy", and "Harlem Air Shaft". CD

An ambitious larger production from the team of Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque – the famous stage musical O Grande Circo Mistico, based on the poem by Jorge De Lima, and featuring a range of top-shelf performers that includes Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Milton Nascimento, Jane Duboc, Zizi Possi, Simone, and Tim Maia! The work has a serious style that's in keeping with some of Lobo's more contemplative work of the 70s – but also has some of the more dynamic horn arrangements that were also showing up in his work. And as you'd guess from the title, there's a bit of a "circus" feel in the air – but one that's musically playful, and never too kitschy. Titles include "Meu Namorado", "Sobre Todas As Coisas", "Na Carreira", "O Circo Mistico", "A Bela E A Fera", "A Historia De Lily Braun", and "Beatriz". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album from Shorty Long – issued shortly after his early death from drowning at the age of 29 – and an amazing document of the mighty soul powers he would have had in years to come! There's a depth here that Shorty never had before – a sense of power and righteousness that comes through not just in the vocals, but in the construction of the songs as well – very tight, with a musical vision that shows a sense of pride and power that was never present in Long's earlier singles. Paul Riser handled the arrangements, in a way that really illustrates that cresting Motown intensity at the start of the 70s – and titles include "Whiter Shade Of Pale", "Baby Come Home To Me", "When You Are Available", "The Deacon Work", "Give Me Some Air", "I Had A Dream", and "I Wish You Were Here". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet exotic sounds from the Arthur Lyman group – heavy on vibes and lots of hip percussion – recorded with a gently swaying feel that recalls the best energy of the Hawaiian scene in the postwar years! The set's one of Lyman's early solo dates – recorded Henry Kaiser Aluminum Dome in Hawaii – which you can almost hear in the way the sounds here resonate, and hang sweetly in air. The tunes are pretty mellow, but in a good way – more sonically sensitive than some more gimmicky, sound effect-heavy exotica – and titles include "Adventures in Paradise", "Andalusia", "Yellow Bird", "Arrivederci Roma", "Sweet & Lovely", "Bamboo Taboo", "Granada", and "Ravel's Bolero". Fire up that console stereo and break out the Tiki glasses! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most influential musical moments of the 60s – Hair! Hair not only forever changed the concept of musical theater on Broadway, but it also gave the world an incredible array of groovy tunes with odd rhythms – and made a place for composer Galt MacDermot to continue his musical experiments for years to come – eventually influencing a generation of beatheads and hip hoppers as a result! This package features the official Broadway recording of the score – with singers who include Ronnie Dyson, Diane Keaton, and Melba Moore! Titles include "Aquarius", "Where Do I Go", "My Conviction", "Frank Mills", "Be In", "Abie Baby", "Colored Spade", and "Air". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool package – one that brings together two rare albums issued alongside the early rise to fame of Mad Magazine – plus rare bonus tracks too! First up is the stunning Musically Mad set, led by Bernie Green – one of the maddest bachelor pad albums to come out on RCA during the late 50s – and it features a nutty set of tunes released in conjunction with Mad Magazine, whose Norman Mingo contributed a fantastic cover painting of Alfred E Neuman! Instrumentation is very percussive-heavy – and there's plenty of odd sound effects, like warbling brass, air-squeezed hands, clanging anvils, crazy voices, and "clinkerated chimes" – all of which makes for a cartoony sound that definitely fits the promise Mad spirit! Titles include "Anvils, Of Course", "Concerto For Two Hands", "Laughing Raymond", "The Green Bee", and "Give Me That Good Old Progressive Jazz". Next is Mad Twists Rock & Roll – maybe the coolest of all the Mad Magazine records from the early days – a set done in collaboration with Big Top Records, as sort of a parody of the rock and roll that label was putting out at the time! Most songs are surprisingly strong rock numbers, but the lyrics are often jokes about the usual themes handled at the time – but given the level of presentation and strength of the overall record, the whole thing maybe just serves to remind us how important novelty records were to the birth of rock and roll! Titles include "She Got A Nose Job", "Let's Do The Pretzel", "Throwing The High School Basketball Game", "Someone Else's Dandruff", "When My Pimples Turned To Dimples", and "Blind Date". CD also features some rare bonus tracks from singles too – "It's A Gas", "She Lets Me Watch Her Mom & Pop Fight", "Potzrebie", "Meet The Staff Of Mad", and "What Me Worry". CD

A nice collection of tracks from some of John Martyn's best albums! Titles include "May You Never", "Bless The Weather", "Over The Hill", "Solid Air", "I'd Rather Be With The Devil", and "Spencer The Rover". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classic live albums from Frankie Beverly & Maze – Live In New Orleans from 1981, and Live In Los Angeles from 1986 – originally 2LP sets, perfectly paired here as a 2CD set! First up is Live New Orleans, in which the band grooves wonderfully before a crowd going mad in the Crescent City! The songs retain all the charm of the studio renditions – and are stretched out a bit more in the live setting, with some really nice interplay with the crowd. The set is heavy with early Maze classics – including "Southern Girl", "Look At California", "Before I Let Go". "We Need Love To Love", "The Look In Your Eyes" the big sample track "Joy & Pain" and more. Live In Los Angeles was issued a half decade later cut during the 80s – and is even more proof that the Maze style of soul music was not only thriving, but succeeding strongly outside the studio, regardless of air play and album sales! The general groove is very similar to the band's classic work from the late 70s – with tight modern soul grooves, all graced by the magnificent vocals of Frankie Beverly, one of the generations best singers! Includes the cuts "Happy Feelins", "We Are One", "Back In Stride", "Freedom", "I Wanna Be With You", "When You Love Someone", and "Running Away". CD

Not the Melanie of famous folk rock fame – but instead a cool contemporary artist from France, and one who's got this wonderfully laidback way of putting over a tune! Melanie often speaks as much as she sings – a bit like Jane Birkin or Claudette Longet – and she works with these mellow backings that are mostly electric, but handled in a nicely subtle way – gentle currents of funk, loosely tinkling keyboards, and often this subtle sonic palette that really shades things in beautifully next to the vocals! There's a very timeless vibe to the record, and titles include "Le Pornographe", "La Belle Histoire", "Folk Silencio", "C'Est Dans L'Air", "L'Alpha Beta", and "It's Not Too Late". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky niceness from Quannum all stars Gift Of Gab & Lateef, plus producer Headnotic of Crown City Rockers – working with team Def Jux – and a stellar roster of guests including MF Doom, Lyrics Born, Casual, Mr Lif, Akrobatic, the Marleys and others. The record reaches for the glory days of the Quannum label, with easygoing spacey beatcraft, and rhymes solid rhymes to match. Tracks include "Monster", "Hands In The Air", "So Sad" feat Julien & Damien Marley, "Gunfight" feat MF Doom, "Ill Vacation" feat Lyrics Born, "Laughing At You" feat Casual, "Escape" feat Mr Lif & Akrobatik, "Folks", "UFC" (rmx) feat DJ Shadow, "WarWalk" feat Chali 2na, Raashan Ahmad, Tash & Zion, "Victorious" and more. CD

The first full album by Miguel Migs – the soulful DJ who's the number one force behind the Naked Music sound! The album's right up there with Miguel's previous collections, remixes, and production work – a smooth, sensuous approach to the groove – steeped in soulful traditions, but with a fresh and futuristic air. Titles include "Messages", "Soul Vibe", "Days Of Color", "Surrender", "The One", "Breakin It Down", "Waiting", and "The Night". CD

Whether you're looking back on your younger days, or just dropping the needle on this album for the first time, it's guaranteed to bring out the fist in the air, head nodding, jump up and down punk in you. Perhaps New Jersey's finest contribution to the rock lexicon, running through alternate versions oftracks from the Static Age LP, plus a number of their most sought after singles. 13 tracks in all, including "Angelf*ck", "Who Killed Marilyn", "Where Eagles Dare", "She", "Halloween", "American Nightmare", "Static Age", "TV Casualty", "Hybrid Moments", "Spinal Remains", "Come Back", "Some Kinda Hate" and "Theme For A Jackal". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark material from the farther reaches of jazz in the mid 60s – one of two albums that trombonist Grachan Moncur recorded for Blue Note – and a session that ranks as one of the best examples of the "new thing" moment in 60s jazz! Grachan's leading a sextet here that includes a number of players that he cut his teeth with in Jackie McLean's great mid 60's group, including McLean himself on alto, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, and Tony Williams on drums – all players who were opening up their own doors in the avant jazz world of the time – joined by trumpeter Lee Morgan, who really rises to the occasion, and opens up with a modern tone that's different than some of his own albums! The set features four stunning Moncur compositions – "Air Raid", "Evolution", "The Coaster", and "Monk In Wonderland". It's hard to describe the power of these recordings – but thankfully, we don't have to, as one listen to the album will blow you away! CD

Landmark material from the farther reaches of jazz in the mid 60s – one of two albums that trombonist Grachan Moncur recorded for Blue Note – and a session that ranks as one of the best examples of the "new thing" moment in 60s jazz! Grachan's leading a sextet here that includes a number of players that he cut his teeth with in Jackie McLean's great mid 60's group, including McLean himself on alto, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, and Tony Williams on drums – all players who were opening up their own doors in the avant jazz world of the time – joined by trumpeter Lee Morgan, who really rises to the occasion, and opens up with a modern tone that's different than some of his own albums! The set features four stunning Moncur compositions – "Air Raid", "Evolution", "The Coaster", and "Monk In Wonderland". It's hard to describe the power of these recordings – but thankfully, we don't have to, as one listen to the album will blow you away! LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark material from the farther reaches of jazz in the mid 60s – one of two albums that trombonist Grachan Moncur recorded for Blue Note – and a session that ranks as one of the best examples of the "new thing" moment in 60s jazz! Grachan's leading a sextet here that includes a number of players that he cut his teeth with in Jackie McLean's great mid 60's group, including McLean himself on alto, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, and Tony Williams on drums – all players who were opening up their own doors in the avant jazz world of the time – joined by trumpeter Lee Morgan, who really rises to the occasion, and opens up with a modern tone that's different than some of his own albums! The set features four stunning Moncur compositions – "Air Raid", "Evolution", "The Coaster", and "Monk In Wonderland". It's hard to describe the power of these recordings – but thankfully, we don't have to, as one listen to the album will blow you away! CD

Landmark material from the farther reaches of jazz in the mid 60s – one of two albums that trombonist Grachan Moncur recorded for Blue Note – and a session that ranks as one of the best examples of the "new thing" moment in 60s jazz! Grachan's leading a sextet here that includes a number of players that he cut his teeth with in Jackie McLean's great mid 60's group, including McLean himself on alto, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, and Tony Williams on drums – all players who were opening up their own doors in the avant jazz world of the time – joined by trumpeter Lee Morgan, who really rises to the occasion, and opens up with a modern tone that's different than some of his own albums! The set features four stunning Moncur compositions – "Air Raid", "Evolution", "The Coaster", and "Monk In Wonderland". It's hard to describe the power of these recordings – but thankfully, we don't have to, as one listen to the album will blow you away! CD

An obscure set of tracks – but some really wonderful material from the catalog of Pacific Jazz Records! The CD's title clearly showcases the presence of Wes Montgomery on the sides – but Wes was actually more of a sideman on these tracks, and the real credit for the greatness goes to the leaders! The first 10 tracks on the CD are from the album Good Git Together by Jon Hendricks – a rare early non-LHR session by the jazz vocalist – one cut in a very different style than his more famous group vocalese work. Hendricks is laidback, open, and very soulful – working with Wes, Buddy, and Monk Montgomery – as well as Cannonball and Nat Adderley, Pony Poindexter, and Gildo Mahones – all coming together in a "git together" session that features some of Hendricks' best vocals on record! The session features great readings of Hendricks originals that include "Minor Catastrophe", "I'll Die Happy", and "I'm Gonna Shout" – as well as Gigi Gryce's "Music In The Air" and "Social Call", plus a great take on Randy Weston's "Pretty Strange" and Gildo Mahones' "The Shouter". Next up on the set are 8 more tracks from a jazz version of Kismet – recorded by The Mastersounds group which featured Buddy Montgomery on vibes and Monk Montgomery on bass – joined here by Wes on guitar! The source of the tunes is a musical, but the presentation is all jazz – and the group craft some real magic in their exotic style, with tracks that include "Fate", "Olive Tree", "Not Since Nineveh", and "Gesticulate & Rhymes Have I". CD

An unusual pairing for a record release – and Tristano tunes include "Supersonic", "Air Pocket", "On A Planet", and "Celestia". LP, Vinyl record album

Back in the day, Mr Fingers was always one of the jazziest talents on the scene – and all these many years later, it feels as if he's really leaning into that quality in his music – not just in those wonderful keyboards, which were always so great, and an important 90s extension of 70s jazz funk modes – but also in the way the album sets up the songs, and uses some great saxophone solos too! Rhythms are often midtempo instead of fully full-on, which really helps pace the record nicely – and instrumental moments are balanced with vocal passages that really bring the whole thing into focus – on titles that include "Tekjazz", "Invisible", "Rustling Leaves", "The Icy Air Of Night", "Supa Kool", "Country Rhodes", and "We're Drowning". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the greatest album that vocalist Mark Murphy has recorded in years – and a surprising departure from a lot of his recent work! Murphy did the album in collaboration with German trumpeter Til Bronner – a player we mostly know for his own smoothly soulful, and often-grooving albums. Yet here, Bronner's got both himself and Murphy working in a lush mode that recalls the spirit of 60s sessions arranged by Claus Ogerman or Don Sebesky – Bronner on trumpet with a core jazz group, augmented by larger orchestrations on most tracks – and recorded in a spaciously sublime way that often has Murphy's vocals hanging beautifully in mid-air! There's a breathtaking depth to the album that gets past some of the simple tracks and over-tread territory of other recent Murphy albums – almost as if the album's the "classic" that Mark never got to record back in the day, but which is finally coming out now, 50 years into his career in music! A real contrast to the recent Mark Murphy dancefloor work – such as his vocals with Five Corners Quintet – and featuring the originals "I Know You From Somewhere" and "Our Game" – plus standards "It Never Entered My Mind", "I'm Through With Love", "When I Fall In Love/My One & Only Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". CD

Easily the greatest album that vocalist Mark Murphy has recorded in years – and a surprising departure from a lot of his recent work! Murphy did the album in collaboration with German trumpeter Til Bronner – a player we mostly know for his own smoothly soulful, and often-grooving albums. Yet here, Bronner's got both himself and Murphy working in a lush mode that recalls the spirit of 60s sessions arranged by Claus Ogerman or Don Sebesky – Bronner on trumpet with a core jazz group, augmented by larger orchestrations on most tracks – and recorded in a spaciously sublime way that often has Murphy's vocals hanging beautifully in mid-air! There's a breathtaking depth to the album that gets past some of the simple tracks and over-tread territory of other recent Murphy albums – almost as if the album's the "classic" that Mark never got to record back in the day, but which is finally coming out now, 50 years into his career in music! A real contrast to the recent Mark Murphy dancefloor work – such as his vocals with Five Corners Quintet – and featuring the originals "I Know You From Somewhere" and "Our Game" – plus standards "It Never Entered My Mind", "I'm Through With Love", "When I Fall In Love/My One & Only Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". Japanese pressing features the bonus track "Detour Ahead". CD

Classic work from the O'Jays – presented here in a multi-channel SACD! First up is Ship Ahoy – a pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". Message In The Music is one of those records that really took Philly soul to the next level back in the 70s – a set that works amazing magic with the already-great harmonies of the O'Jays – pointing them even more strongly towards groove-heavy territory, while still keeping all the fragile, personal qualities of their earlier work! The title cut is a righteous anthem that never gets old – a perfect blend of subtle politics and homegrown soul – all polished to perfection in the Philly studios. And the rest of the record is equally mindblowing – a set where even the ballads have as much power as the upbeat numbers – as you'll hear in the lineup of tracks that includes "Message In The Music", "Darlin, Darlin, Baby", "A Prayer", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Let Life Flow", and "Paradise". Live In London is a seminal album in the development of Philadelphia International – who seemed to be taking a cue from Motown and Stax in the 60s, by bringing their biggest act to a European audience! The set features the O'Jays working as beautifully in a live setting as they had in the Sigma Sound studios – singing to arrangements by Dennis Williams, but still getting enough production by Bobby Martin to keep the sound in line with their better known studio work from the time. There's a bit of a deeper soul sound overall here – especially on the vocals, which crackle nicely with a live sense of spontaneity. Titles include "Back Stabbers", "Sunshine", "Love Train", "When The World Is A Peace", and "Put Your Hands Together" – plus a few vocal introductions! CD

A really unusual later entry in the KPM sound library series – a set that's mellower and a lot more meditative than some of the label's usual work – not action or funky soundtrack material, but instead an electronic set that resonates nicely with some of the Japanese minimal work of the time! The tunes here are of varying lengths, and really mix together a nice range of elements – some bright moments, some more obtuse sonic passages – sometimes with a bit of rhythm, oftentimes just flowing along on air! Titles include "New Infinity", "White Mirror", "Peace Bells", "Sleep Golden", "The Long Path", "Forest Motion", "Mountain Dreaming", and "Lost Oceans". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". Includes bonus track "Put Your Hands Together" – recorded live in London. CD

Classic bop session work, featuring Bird, Miles, JJ Johnson, Max Roach, Duke Jordan, and Tommy Potter. There's no surprises here, but the playing's tight as a tick, and the short tracks are a fierce declaration of the bop idiom. Titles include "Bongo Bop", "Bird Feathers", "Klactoveedsedtene", "Crazeology", "Don't Blame Me", "Dewey Square", "Air Conditioning", "Scrapple From the Apple" and "Quasimodo". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic bop session work, featuring Bird, Miles, JJ Johnson, Max Roach, Duke Jordan, and Tommy Potter. There's no surprises here, but the playing's tight as a tick, and the short tracks are a fierce declaration of the bop idiom. Titles include "Bongo Bop", "Bird Feathers", "Klactoveedsedtene", "Crazeology", "Don't Blame Me", "Dewey Square", "Air Conditioning", "Scrapple From the Apple" and "Quasimodo". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from Oscar Peterson – one of his finest moments ever! The record is very different than most of Oscar's over-recorded trio format ones – and features Claus Ogerman crafting some impeccable backings of lofty strings and compressed horns, creating a pillow of air that takes Oscar's piano to the sky and beyond, floating into realms never dreamed of on other LPs! The set sparkles with a strident MPS easy groove – completely sublime, with a perfectness that we'd ascribe to a rare few albums, such as the similar-grooving Jobim album Wave, also helped out tremendously by Ogerman. Titles include "Dreamsville", "Sally's Tomato", "Sunny", "Wave", "Wandering", and "Ode To Billy Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from Oscar Peterson – one of his finest moments ever! The record is very different than most of Oscar's over-recorded trio format ones – and features Claus Ogerman crafting some impeccable backings of lofty strings and compressed horns, creating a pillow of air that takes Oscar's piano to the sky and beyond, floating into realms never dreamed of on other LPs! The set sparkles with a strident MPS easy groove – completely sublime, with a perfectness that we'd ascribe to a rare few albums, such as the similar-grooving Jobim album Wave, also helped out tremendously by Ogerman. Titles include "Dreamsville", "Sally's Tomato", "Sunny", "Wave", "Wandering", and "Ode To Billy Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty amazing set from Esther Phillips – her final album for Kudu – and a beautiful mix of soaring soul sounds from one the most unique, emotionally-inflected soul vocalists of her era! Esther's in prime Kudu mode here – working with jazzy arrangements by David Matthews and Pee Wee Ellis, adding her unique, grit-inflected soul chanteuse vocals to a smoother mix of instrumentation that creates a perfect counterpoint that took her way past her earlier work! There's also a couple of really sweet disco skewed numbers that work incredibly well – with spacier bits of synth and a dancefloor soul bed of percussion and rhythms – and in general, the arrangements are pretty great from track-to-track! Players include Randy Brecker and Mike Brecker on trumpet and tenor sax, Bray Miles on synthesizer, Bobby Lyle on clavinet, Eric Gale on guitar, Joe Farrell on tenor sax and alto flute, percussionist Ralph MacDonald and other excellent name musicians and others bring a grand sweep and sweeter intimacy when the mood requires. Titles include "Magic's In The Air", "A Beautiful Friendship", "Boy I Really Tied One On", "Higher & Higher", and "All The Way Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A sexy little soundtrack from Piero Piccioni – penned for an early 80s film, but done with a slinky style that's pure Euro 70s all the way! Keyboards mix nicely with strings on many tracks – almost in a way that Piccioni seems to borrow from American soul maestros of the previous decade – but there's also some more Italian-styled touches too – including some later bossa inflections that really round out the sound of the record in a wonderful way. And a few especially nice gems have this sense of space that almost makes the music float in the air – recalling the sounds that first made us fall in love with the 60s music of Piccioni. Most solo piano is by Piero, and Toquinho plays guitar on one track – and titles include "Anche Se Sai", "Notte Preziosa", "Occhio Discreto", "Volo Di Mezzanotte", "Bona Nox", and "Ritmo Macumbeiro". This expanded 2CD edition adds in 36 more bonus tracks to the original record – 25 more bonus tracks than the previous release! CD

There's a nicely cinematic image on the cover of this second album from Portishead – and the sound is very cinematic too – a real genre-setting standard for the kinds of new territory the group and some of their key contemporaries began to explore in the 90s! The overall style is a bit hard to define – far better than the simple moniker of downtempo might warrant – with a richer quality that shows that these guys weren't just making beats in their bedrooms! In fact, there's some key talent on board, in addition to the group – including a great contribution from Nick Ingman, who handles a lot of larger orchestrations, in a manner that comes from his many years in the British sound library scene. Strings, brass, percussion, and cinematic guitar all coalesce under the vocals of Beth Gibbons for the signature Portishead sound – on titles that include "Cowboys", "All Mine", "Mourning Air", "Only You", "Seven Months", "Western Eyes", "Udenied", and "Elysium". CD

Titles include "Wolf Run (parts 1 & 2)", "Just For Love (parts 1 & 2)", "Freeway Flyer", "Gone Again", and "Fresh Air". LP, Vinyl record album

Accompanied by the European Division Band of the Air Transport Command. CD

Two rare soundtracks by Terry Riley – unsung examples of his musical genius during one of the the most fruitful periods in his career! Les Yeux Fermes features two very long tracks – each over 18 minutes long, and spun out with a spare, minimal groove that's very much in Riley's Rainbow In Curved Air mode. "Journey From The Death Of A Friend" is especially nice – with extended electric piano parts that flow, dip, and turn wonderfully. And "Happy Ending" builds a bit more slowly – with droning reed parts that almost have an Eastern feel, and remind us at times of something we might hear on Impulse Records! The score for Lifespan features shorter songs throughout – still often quite minimal, with instrumentation that includes organ, tabla, and a bit of electronics – played in a wonderfully spare mode, but always with an inherently rhythmic groove that stretches out in these beautiful patterns in sound. Titles include "G Song", "The Oldtimer", "Delay", "In The Summer", "Slow Melody In Bhairavi", and "Music Inside Curved Entrances". CD

Amazing work from Terry Riley – just the sort of recordings that will always make us love him forever! The album features two long recordings of the title track – "Persian Surgery Dervishes" – both built out of slow, spare organ lines from Riley – played in these really modal, long-flowing ways – then augmented with additional feedback that's totally great! The sound of the keyboards here definitely lives up to the billing Terry got from the Who as "Baba O'Riley" – yet in the original form like this, you can really hear Riley's genius. The music is very similar to his classic Rainbow In Curved Air, and the quality of the sound is excellent! CD

A very cool double-sized issue of Roctober – long-overdue, as we haven't heard from them in a bit – but well worth the wait, as the range of features and mix of material continues to be stunning – a great reminder that, decades back, this magazine was exploring this territory long before newer publications like Maggot Brain and some of its contemporaries! There's way too much to mention in great detail – but we can tell you you'll find interviews with Mavis Staples, Mike Love, Air Supply, Wanda Jackson, Sarah Dash, and Prince – and that's just in the first few pages. Other features include articles on Yoko Ono, Muzak, Kid Stuff Records, Mick Clintrock, obscure Weird Al songs, rare Maison Soul singles, the secret Sex History Of The Cabbage Patch Kids, Roky Erikson, Question Mark, and a host of reviews, obits, and lots lots more! Magazine

A landmark in Brazilian music – the first album ever from arranger Moacir Santos, and a groundbreaking blend of jazz, larger arrangements, and Brazilian rhythms – still as fresh today as it was back in the 60s! The group's a large one – with instrumentation that includes vibes, guitar, saxes, percussion, and trombone – but the music seems to hang magically in air, suspended on light waves of sound and space that encircle the recording with incomparable warmth. Santos' conception is a highly rhythmic one – but the recording differs greatly from other bossa and samba sessions of the time, and comes across as a masterpiece of understatement, thanks to impeccable production from the great Roberto Quartin! Titles include "Coisa No 4", "Coisa No 10", "Coisa No 1", "Coisa No 8", "Coisa No 6", "Coisa No 2", and "Coisa No 7". LP, Vinyl record album

John Scofield's the leader here – but at times, we almost think the record's the vision of pianist Hal Galper as much as it is the guitarist – as both their efforts leap from the grooves with a really wonderful sense of energy! Maybe part of the album's strength is the rhythm duo – as the great Stafford James is on bass, a player we always love, next to drummer Adam Nussbaum – who can also really take off, and keep things driving in ways that have Scofield moving with all these fast flourishes of sound – quickly spinning out those chromatic lines that made him such a distinct player in the 70s! Galper has a great sense of boldness – and titles include "Alter Fields", "Rough House", "Slow Elvin", "Triple Play", "Air Pakistan", and "Ailleron". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from reedman Tony Scott – recorded in the years when he was much more of a regular on the New York scene – before he started working in trippier styles for the 60s! The album features Scott in a host of different settings – from quartet, to tentet, to orchestra grooving – in a mix of modes that embraces both modern jazz inventions and some of the previous styles of the swing generation – both of which Scott handles very well on clarinet, with the same sort of generation-spanning confidence you'd get from Buddy DeFranco at the same time. Bill Evans plays piano on most tracks – a notable early date as a sideman, and one of his excellent pairings with Scott – and Gigi Gryce plays alto on some of the large group tracks. Originals mix with standards in the lineup – and titles include "Vanilla Frosting On A Beef Pie", "Poinciana", "Walkin On Air", "Round Midnight", "My Old Flame", "Moon Walks", and "Rock Me But Don't Roll Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy psych from Detroit, in the years before Bob Seger became a "lighters in the air" peddler of redneck theme songs. Cut from the same cloth as the early Mitch Ryder, Amboy Dukes and Grand Funk that were the hallmark of the Motor City rock sound of the day, most of the tracks on this outing are concise rockers, but the band delves into a bit of nice jamminess on side 2. Includes 'Tales Of Lucy Blue", "Ivory", "Gone Down Home", "Train Man", "White Wall", "Black Eyed Girl", "2 + 2 = ?" and "Doctor Fine". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible meeting of the global underground – one that features work from Silent Poets remixed by some of the hippest talents of the European scene at the time! The original album is easily one of the best things the Poets ever did – really beautiful work that's mostly instrumental, and a unique blending of jazz, dub, bossa, and dancefloor elements – all with a freshness that still holds up a lot more strongly than the host of imitators that came up in the group's wake – almost made even better here with an additional range of sounds from the remixers! There's a wonderful blend of acoustic and electric elements that keeps things on edge throughout – and although a number of songs repeat, the mood of the mixes is quite varied, and really makes for a complex little record. Titles include "Stowing Away (DJ Cam rmx)", "Talk Is Toy (More Rockers dub plate mix)", "Stowing Air (Fila Brazilia rmx)", "Talk Is Toy (Skylab rmx inst)", "Subspecies (Silent Poets rmx)", "Talk Is Toy (DJ Cam rmx)", "Talk Is Toy (Smith & Mighty rmx)", and "Talk Is Toy (Up Bustle & Out rmx)". CD

A motherlode of great music from Zoot Sims – mid 70s recordings done for the Groove Merchant label, presented here in a double-length package! Although Groove Merchant was mostly known for its funkier sounds, the work here is nicely back to basics for Sims – small group sessions that give him plenty of room to open up and blow – paired with players that include Lionel Hampton on vibes, Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Teddy Wilson on piano, and Buddy Rich on drums. The sound is warm, but never sleepy – and Zoot's tenor has a nice edge on his solos that dominate most tunes. CD features 14 tracks that include "Nirvana", "Somerset", "A Summer Thing", "Somebody Loves Me", "Up A Lazy River", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Send In the Clowns", "Air Mail Special", "Ham Hock Blues", and "Ring Dem Bells". CD

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". CD

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". LP, Vinyl record album

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". LP, Vinyl record album

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". CD's got 5 bonus tracks too – including alternate mixes of "Frisky", "Skin I'm In", "Keep On Dancin", "Babies Makin Babies", and "Let Me Have It All". CD

A great pairing of two Chicago soul talents – as vocalist Jackie Ross gets backing from the funky South Side Movement! The album's an obscure EP put together by producer Jimmy Van Leer – possibly as an attempt to revive the careers of both artists, and possibly only ever circulated as a promo – since we've never seen an official commercial release of this material. Jackie's vocals are a lot bolder and more adult here than on some of her earlier work – sung fully and with some backup vocals from members of South Side Movement, who also hit a pretty tight, almost clubby groove for the set. The album features 6 tracks that include "Inner Light", "Open Air", "You Are The One That I Need", "Cold Hearted Woman", "It's All Over", and "Try It Before You Buy It". Plus, this CD version features rare bonus material – additional tracks that include "Funk Talk", "Pay My Dues", "Done Got Good To Me", "I'm So Glad That I've Got You", "Disco Freak", and "Soap Opera Law". CD

A great pairing of two Chicago soul talents – as vocalist Jackie Ross gets backing from the funky South Side Movement! The album's an obscure EP put together by producer Jimmy Van Leer – possibly as an attempt to revive the careers of both artists, and possibly only ever circulated as a promo – since we've never seen an official commercial release of this material. Jackie's vocals are a lot bolder and more adult here than on some of her earlier work – sung fully and with some backup vocals from members of South Side Movement, who also hit a pretty tight, almost clubby groove for the set. The album features 6 tracks that include "Inner Light", "Open Air", "You Are The One That I Need", "Cold Hearted Woman", "It's All Over", and "Try It Before You Buy It". Plus, this LP version features rare bonus material – additional tracks that include "Pay My Dues", "Done Got Good To Me", "I'm So Glad That I've Got You", and "Keep On Doing It". LP, Vinyl record album

A really incredible spiritual jazz treasure from the New Orleans scene – one that features a student group led by legendary Nola musician Alvin Batiste, but delivered in a style that's much more like some of the hipper jazz collectives in cities like Detroit, Chicago, or Philly at the time! The tracks are long and flowing – filled with rhythm progressions that run deep, often with some modal energy – and almost all tracks have these really great vocals from Eddie Perkins, a soulful singer with a style that's in the territory of Andy Bey or Joe Lee Wilson – which, as you can imagine, makes for a really great addition to the music! Other players include Batiste on clarinet, James McElroy on soprano, Ernest Nation on trumpet, Alphonso Rodriguez on guitar, Richard Hunter on percussion, and a young Charlie Singleton on bass – and this rare set was only originally given away as a souvenir for the group's trip to West Africa in 1973. Titles include "Clean Air", "Holdin Meetin", "Nanigo", "Samba Dee", "Ah Je Gu Da Ba", and "Music Came". This reissue also features two rare bonus instrumentals – "Samba Dee" and "Music Came". LP, Vinyl record album

Writer Paul Steinbeck has already given us a great book on the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – but this time around, he looks at the larger scene from which they came, the groundbreaking AACM moment in jazz, which emerged in Chicago in the late 60s! Steinbeck provides some cultural and historical context, but also focuses in on key recordings that helped to define the special genius of AACM musicians and their united vision – with an approach that's build around different records on a chapter by chapter basis – even leading up to a few more recent recordings that show the continuing influence and growth of the organization. Along the way, Steinbeck provides some musical notations and deeper analysis of the sounds from his perspective as a musicologist – very illuminating to us, as we tend to have much more of a visceral response to these records – a lineup that includes Air Time by Air, Levels & Degrees Of Light by Muhal Richard Abrams, Sound by Roscoe Mitchell, Voyager by George Lewis, Nonaah by Roscoe Mitchell, Composition 76 by Anthony Braxton, Ten Freedom Summers by Wadada Leo Smith, and Mandorla Awakening II by Nicole Mitchell. The hardcover book features many charts and scores throughout – and is a total of 272 pages in length. Book

A fantastic CD collection – one that brings together all five volumes of Stereolab's Switched On albums in one set – a huge collection of unusual material and rare singles! On the original Switched On record, moog, fuzz, and farfisa have never sounded so great together – and although these guys drank deep of the well of 60s pop magic before making this modern-day classic – they also come off sounding pretty darn original on their own! When this gem of a record first hit the world, it was as if all of us were hearing music from the cosmos for years, but could never find a way to make it part of our everyday lives. Then along come Tim Gane, Laetitia Sadier, and crew – and completely change the world for the better! An album that no home should be without – with titles that include "Contact", "Super-Electric", "Doubt", "Brittle", "Au Grand Jour", "The Way Will Be Opening", and "Changer". Refried Ectoplasm is the second in the holy trinity of "switched on" albums from Stereolab – a set that collects together all the unusual recordings and other side bits the group were doing in the early years of their career – standing strong as a testament to their non-stop efforts to forever push the boundaries of electric fuzzy pop! The vocals Laetitia Sadier are completely sublime – almost a bridge between the darker modes of the previous pop generation and all the new ideas of the world to come – when the rest of rock music would finally catch up to these guys, and realize that the best path to the future is through the past! Titles include "Farfisa", "John Cage Bubblegum", "Tempter", "Exploding Head Movie", "French Disko", "Harmonium", "Revox", "Mountain", and "Sadistic". By the time of Aluminum Tunes (Switched On Vol 3) – it had only been a few years since the previous Switched On set, but Stereolab had already created so much musical magic, they needed a double-length record to keep the whole thing intact! The sound here is somehow getting even more dreamy and wonderful – definitely showing their work with the mighty Sean O'Hagan, and also really opening up into all the many musical ideas that Tim Gane was picking up from his never-ending search for unusual records! The 60s swirl through time and space, and make the future sound even better than we could have imagined it – while the Channel is drained, and England and France become one in a genius marriage of pure pop modes. Titles include "The Extension Trip", "How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight", "Space Moment", "Iron Man", "The Long Hair Of Death", "One Note Samba/Surfboard", "Percolations", "1000 Miles An Hour", "Klang Tone", and a great take on the theme to "Get Carter". Switched On 4 is full of fantastic sounds from Stereolab – an assortment of rare singles and other unusual recordings that were mostly issued on their own Duophonic label, and which are far more obscure than their bigger label albums during the same period! Even though Stereolab gave the world some undeniable classics in the late 90s and early 00s, they were also working endlessly, and seemed to record more than they could ever fit on a full length set – which resulted in all the cool singles, limited releases, and other material included here – not dusty tapes pulled from the archives, but beautiful work that often returns the group to all the space age charms of their first few records! The package is huge – 25 tracks in all, of varying length – and titles include "Barok Plastik", "Calimero", "Fried Monkey Eggs (voc)", "Solar Throw Away", "Variation One", "Monkey Jelly", "Explosante Fixe", "Jump Drive Shut Out", "The Super-It", "L'Exotisme Interieur", "Pandora's Box Of Worms", "Retrograde Mirror Form", "Nomus E Phusis", "I Feel The Air Of Another Planet", "Outer Bongolia", and "Intervals". Includes tracks from Duophonic 45s, Underground Is Coming EP, Moog, First Of The Microbe Hunters, and work from compilations, unreleased tracks, and even a collaboration with Brigitte Fontaine! Switched On 5 is maybe the coolest entry so far in this really wonderful series – a set that's overflowing with rare and unusual work from Stereolab – most of it done at a time when the group were riding high on a major label, but still managed to issued a huge amount of music on their own, and work in a variety of collaborative settings too! One of our favorite is their work with Nurse With Wound, and tracks from that partnership begin this set – which then moves into rare singles, work with artists, compilation contributions, and plenty more – all with the usual Stereolab charm, but often with a nicely different vibe too! Titles include "Simple Headphone Mind", "Symbolic Logic Of Now", "Magne Music", "Forensic Itch", "Spool Of Collusion", "Robot Riot", "Trippin With The Birds", "Cybele's Reverie (live)", "Nth Degrees, "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse (Autechre Feebate mix)", and "Plastic Mile (original version)". CD

A jam-packed soundtrack for this 80s teen sex romp – with selections by Rod Stewart, Earl Klugh, Air Supply, Randy Van Warmer, John Cougar, Earth Wind & Fire, Crazy Horse, and Willie Nile. LP, Vinyl record album

Strange record, but surprisingly nice. Ghanian percussionist Oscar Sulley performs here with members of the Illinois-based Air Force Band Of Mid America – and the 2 record set features one disc of hard spare percussion tracks, and one of jazzy highlife tracks. The highlife stuff is strange, but quite nice – with Sulley's percussion ensemble receiving backing by the Air Force band's big brassy finish. The result is some nice tracks with a heavy drum sound, and a spacey airy horn groove, similar to some of the Randy Weston or Art Blakey projects of this sort. Titles include "Bontuku", which has a nice break to it, "Galaxy", "Wahala Goes To Galos", and "Togo-kyo". LP, Vinyl record album

The great lost folk rock album from Jim Sullivan – who himself, literally went lost several years later – a set that's beautiful, yet just loose and ragged enough! It's a bit of a hybrid of folk and country rock, particularly in the acoustic guitars and laidback, warm vocals by Sullivan – but it's also got some Cali warmth – sweet strings and some horns and flute, pairing up with the looser, back porch style at the core quite wonderfully. Some great players from the LA studio scene played on the sessions – including members of the iconic Wrecking Crew – and it sounds like it! UFO came out on the small Monnie label, made hardly a dent, and after another record for the Playboy label, Sullivan disappeared, never to be heard from again in 1975 – lending a bit of a spooky air to the album, but the backstory truly not relevant to the quality – it's excellent, with or without the lore! Includes "Jerome", "Plain As Your Eyes Can See", "Roll Back The Time", "Whistle Stop", "Highways", "UFO", "So Natural", "Johnny", "Sandman" and more. CD

The great lost folk rock album from Jim Sullivan – who himself, literally went lost several years later – a set that's beautiful, yet just loose and ragged enough! It's a bit of a hybrid of folk and country rock, particularly in the acoustic guitars and laidback, warm vocals by Sullivan – but it's also got some Cali warmth – sweet strings and some horns and flute, pairing up with the looser, back porch style at the core quite wonderfully. Some great players from the LA studio scene played on the sessions – including members of the iconic Wrecking Crew – and it sounds like it! UFO came out on the small Monnie label, made hardly a dent, and after another record for the Playboy label, Sullivan disappeared, never to be heard from again in 1975 – lending a bit of a spooky air to the album, but the backstory truly not relevant to the quality – it's excellent, with or without the lore! Includes "Jerome", "Plain As Your Eyes Can See", "Roll Back The Time", "Whistle Stop", "Highways", "UFO", "So Natural", "Johnny" and "Sandman". LP, Vinyl record album

The great lost folk rock album from Jim Sullivan – who himself, literally went lost several years later – a set that's beautiful, yet just loose and ragged enough! It's a bit of a hybrid of folk and country rock, particularly in the acoustic guitars and laidback, warm vocals by Sullivan – but it's also got some Cali warmth – sweet strings and some horns and flute, pairing up with the looser, back porch style at the core quite wonderfully. Some great players from the LA studio scene played on the sessions – including members of the iconic Wrecking Crew – and it sounds like it! UFO came out on the small Monnie label, made hardly a dent, and after another record for the Playboy label, Sullivan disappeared, never to be heard from again in 1975 – lending a bit of a spooky air to the album, but the backstory truly not relevant to the quality – it's excellent, with or without the lore! Includes "Jerome", "Plain As Your Eyes Can See", "Roll Back The Time", "Whistle Stop", "Highways", "UFO", "So Natural", "Johnny" and "Sandman". LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy groovy treasure! The work of The Swingle Singers is well known to any fan of 60s French tunes – as their groundbreaking approach to vocalese had a huge influence on other pop, easy, and soundtrack work of the time. This nicely-done set features jazz scat versions of tunes by all three members of the Bach family, Handel, and Vivaldi – with tracks that include "Air", "Badinerie", "Gigue", "Prelude No 7", "Solfeggietto", "Allegro", and "Preambule". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that has the vocal talents of the Swingle Singers backed by the sweet and mellow instrumentation of the Modern Jazz Quartet! Given that John Lewis & Co were essentially local residents in Paris for so many years, it's amazing it took them until 1966 to hook up with Ward Swingle's hip vocal group – but the album's more than worth the wait, as the MJQ really help open things up, and take the Swingles into more complicated territory than before. Milt Jackson's vibes are especially great alongside the groovy vocals – and titles include "Little David's Fugue", "Vendome", "When I Am Laid In Earth", "Air For G String", and "Three Windows". LP, Vinyl record album

The moody title's a great one for this album by pianist Craig Taborn – given the spare melodies and ghost-like traces of sound that move the album forward! The album's a perfect match between Taborn's music and the ECM aesthetic – as space and air mean as much to the record as the sound of the players – who work together in this really thoughtful way to shape the slow-flowing evolution of the tunes! In addition to piano, Taborn also plays a bit of electronics – and the album features some especially great clarinet from Chris Speed, who also plays tenor – plus bass from Chris Lightcap and drums from Dave King. Titles include "Abandoned Reminder", "The Shining One", "The Great Silence", "Ancient", "Phantom Ratio", and "Subtle Living Equations". CD

Once again, Talib Kweli delivers the goods, with thoughtful rhymes over tight, snappin' beats, and more than just a touch of soul to keep things nice! Guest appearances from Bilal, Black Thought, Mos Def, the Cocoa Brovaz, Pharoah Monche and Mos Def alongside production by the Soulquarians, Kanye West, DJ Quik, and Erik Krasno of Soulive (among others. . .) keep this long player fresh from start to finish. 15 tracks in all, including "Get by", "Shock Body", "Waitin For The DJ", "Talk To You", "Guerilla Monsoon Rap", "Put It In The Air", "The Proud" and "Where Do We Go". LP, Vinyl record album

It's been over 15 years since the last Liberation record from Talib Kweli and Madlib, and the planet's changed a lot – and maybe not for the better, which is a good reason the duo are back to serve up a heady helping of their message-oriented music! We've always thought that Talib sounds best in the company of Madlib, and this time around he's also got plenty of help – from a great leadoff spoken passage by Diani, through work from Seun Kuti, Mac Miller, Amani, Q Tip, Goapele, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jaimie Branch, and even Roy Ayers – all present as maybe a tribute to what's at the core! Titles include "Loop Digga's Revenge", "One For Biz", "Nat Turner", "Air Quotes", "Wild Beauty", "Ad Vice", "Assata's Code", "After These Messages", "Something Special", and "Marathon Through Babylon". CD