A nice bit of space age disco fantasy from Boney M – a set that's got a few more electronic touches than some of the group's other records, but which still continues in a straight ahead poppy vein! There's a sound here that's arguably a bit more sophisticated than before – especially on some of the rhythms, which almost hint at Bohannon like complexity at the bottom. There's almost a bit more club appeal than you might expect – although other tunes are definitely more the stuff of hotel lobby dancefloors than warehouse parties in New York. Titles include "King Of The Road", "Nightflight To Venus", "Voodoonight", "Brown Girl In the Ring", "Heart Of Gold", and the hit version of "Rivers Of Babylon". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Anthony Braxton – an album that has him playing straight ahead jazz – but at a time when he was also making some of his most complex recordings of the 70s! The approach here is sublime – as Braxton's reputation has ears already anticipating some far-out playing, but then marvel at his restraint – his care for keeping alto and bass clarinet work inside a straight jazz tradition, yet always hinting at the modern inflections he can bring to his music! Tunes are almost all jazz standards, blown beautifully – with a tone that's crisp, cool, and very inviting – surprisingly soulful, and never cold at all – matched well with the rhythm trio of Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", "Ornithology", and "Marshmallow". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Anthony Braxton – an album that has him playing straight ahead jazz – but at a time when he was also making some of his most complex recordings of the 70s! The approach here is sublime – as Braxton's reputation has ears already anticipating some far-out playing, but then marvel at his restraint – his care for keeping alto and bass clarinet work inside a straight jazz tradition, yet always hinting at the modern inflections he can bring to his music! Tunes are almost all jazz standards, blown beautifully – with a tone that's crisp, cool, and very inviting – surprisingly soulful, and never cold at all – matched well with the rhythm trio of Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Body & Soul", "Donna Lee", "My Funny Valentine" and "Half Nelson". LP, Vinyl record album

The film soundtrack version of this famous 60s musical, which was based around the sounds of Belgian singer Jacques Brel. The film version shares many similarities to the broadway one – translations by Eric Blau and Mort Shuman, vocals by Shuman and Elly Stone – but the overall sound is quite different, as the versions presented here are more subtle, less campy, possibly due to the freer range of expression allowed to the actors on a film soundstage. Plus, this version also includes a few of Brel's best songs that were left out of the original show – making for a total of 26 titles that include "The Bulls", "Sons Of", "The Desperate Ones", "Amsterdam", "The Statue", "Brussels", "Funeral Tango", "Bachelors Dance", "Carousel", and "Next". If you want Brel in English, this may well be the best way to get it – as nearly all other English language versions of his work (by Scott Walker, Marc Almond, and others) came from these translations. LP, Vinyl record album

Sound, space, tone, and color – a tremendous effort from trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, and a record with a really unique feel! The album features a wonderful group that includes Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Stan Getz on tenor, Gary Burton on vibes, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – all coming together in a way that's extremely equally-weighted – with less of Brookmeyer as the leader, than as a warm friend, gathering together a few key players in the studio. Given that Getz worked with Brookmeyer back in the early 50s, and had Burton in his group at the time, the album's always a link between both sides of a decade in Stan's career – but with the presence of the modernists on the rhythm team, there's a sound here that's much more unique – one that has a place for Stan's wonderful tone, and Brookmeyer's airy phrasing – but which also drives along in a rhythmically pulsing mode that almost puts Burton's vibes at the top of the set on some numbers. There's a change in mood from tune to tune that gives the record a remarkable depth, but without sounding schizophrenic – and titles include "Bracket", " Wrinkle Time", "Jive Hoot", "Skylark", "Sometime Ago", and "Who Cares". LP, Vinyl record album

An enduring classic from James Brown – quite possibly the strongest of his late 70s albums, and a record that nicely balances the harder funk of the early part of the decade with a more sophisticated style that almost gets slightly jazzy at times! The vocals are planted strongly at the top of most tunes – really calling out the shots and directing the rhythms – even though they seem tight enough to keep snapping along on their own – and also noteworthy are some of the mellower numbers on the set, which are almost more compelling than some of the groovers! Titles include "Bodyheat", "What The World Needs Now", "Don't Tell It", "Kiss In 77", "Woman", "Wake Up And Give", and "I'm Satisfied". LP, Vinyl record album

A slammin' set of heavy R&B numbers from James Brown – combined in here with some other nice tracks from King Records artists of the time! The set almost has the same feeling as some of the James Brown Show albums – in that James is presented with other hard-hitting artists of his time – yet the difference here is that the others are King Records giants in their own right. The album features about 50% material by James – all hard hitters that include "Suds", "Hold It", "Scratch", "Night Train", "Cross Firing", and "Night Flying" – nearly all of which are instrumentals, in the best early King tradition! These are followed up by other tunes, mostly instrumental, from other artists – including "Doin Everything" and "Switch A Roo" by Henry Moore, "Tonk Game" by Hank Marr, "Bushy Tail" by Clifford Scott, "The Wobble" by The Wobblers, and "Just A Little Bit Of Everything" by Herb Hardesty'. LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Oscar Brown Jr – a hip mix of jazz and soul, working in Brown's unique sense of showmanship, and his almost beat-like flair with a lyric! Ralph Burns and Quincy Jones handled the arrangements – and the album's filled with great original tracks by Brown, including "Mr. Kicks", "Opportunity, Please Knock", Love is Like a New Born Child", "Elegy (Plain Black Boy)", "Hazel's Hips", and many more! Nice jazzy groove, and very much in the best style of Oscar's 60s work! LP, Vinyl record album

A Late Date from Ruth Brown – both in her 50s R&B years, and in the style of the work! The sound here isn't as rough and ready as on her famous singles – and the album's almost a jazz-based effort, done in a mellow, late nite mode with arrangements by Richard Wess – and a lovely, fluid style that we never knew Ruth had! There's still plenty of bluesy undercurrents, but the overall style is definitely more small club jazz – often in a torchy mode. Titles include "I Can Dream Can't I", "Why Don't You Do Right", "Bewitched", "It Could Happen To You", "We'll Be Together Again", "No One Ever Tells You", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To". LP, Vinyl record album

An easy-going, openly-swinging set from British reedman Sandy Brown – long live tracks that feature lots of deft clarinet work from Sandy, plus some tightly swinging rhythms from a combo that includes Ray Crane on trumpet, Brian Lemon on piano, Phil Bates on bass, and Mike Scott on drums! There's certainly trad roots to the music, but the execution is much more bop-inflected overall – especially given the long tracks that allow plenty of room for solo work – which almost gives the record the feel of a Buddy DeFranco appearance in a Verve Jam Session! Titles include "Splanky", "In The Evenin", "I Got It Bad", "Royal Garden Blues", and "Roll Em Pete". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare meeting of 2 modern talents from the 50s – joined together in one unique performance from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1971! The baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan's a nice contrast to the usual Brubeck alto of Paul Desmond – long-departed from Dave's combo by this time, but referenced strongly by Gerry in his fluid lines for the set, almost a solo culmination here of previous recorded duets with Desmond in earlier years. Tracks are all quite longish, and given that Dave's group here features Jack Six on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, there's a quality to the session that's a fait bit more rhythmic than before – pulsating strongly with forceful lines on Brubeck's piano, and an overall feel that's much more freewheeling than you'd expect! Album features 3 long tunes – "Blues For Newport", "Open The Gates", and "Take Five". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the strangest albums in the career of Chico Buarque – and one of the best-remembered too! Os Saltimbancos is a children's play adapted by Buarque from original text by Sergio Bardotti – set to music by Luiz Enriquez Bacalov, and recorded in both Rome and Rio! Most of the album is spoken, with narration by Magro from MPB-4 – and the story is about some unhappy animals that are on their way to the big city to become musicians! The donkey (played by Magro) gets tired of doing hard labor and meets a dog (played by Ruy, another of the MPB-4 guys), a cat (played hilariously by Nara Leao), and a hen (Miucha, the sister of Chico Buarque). The music is pretty strange, and some of the tracks have a sound that's actually kind of avant-poetry, with lots of strange sounds, shouts, and whispers – in a manner that's almost as experimental as it is whimsical. Titles include "Minha Cancao", "Bicharia", "O Jumento", "Todos Juntos", and "A Batalha". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic pairing of talents – brought together here in a set focused on spare duets between drummer Jo Jones and organist Milt Buckner – both American jazz musicians from a slightly earlier age, given a chance to really stretch out in a great way during the early 70s – taken into the studio by producer Hugues Panassie, in a mode that's free from any restrictions or commercial trappings at all! Both musicians can really do a lot with a little – especially Buckner, whose Hammond almost always sounds better without a larger group alongside him – because you can really hear his great command of the keys and pedals, and his amazing ear for a very wide range of sounds. LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful Chess/Cadet session from the 60s – not the bop-styled record you might expect from the 52nd Street reference in the title! Instead, the whole thing's more of a cool Chicago take on soul jazz – with these great large arrangements from Richard Evans, backing strong solos in the lead from guitarist Kenny Burrell – sounding wonderful here, almost in a Verve Records 60s mode – floating over the top of a variety of material, both mellow and upbeat, all very groovy! Side one features the extended "Suite For Guitar & Orchestra" – and side two features "I Want My Baby Back", "Soulero", "Con Alma", and "Blues Fuse". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Later work by Gene Chandler – but a surprisingly great little set overall, and proof that Carl Davis was really stretching for greatness in the glory years of his Chi Sound label! Rather than rehash the styles he'd hit with on Vee Jay, Constellation, Mercury, or Brunswick – Chandler steps out here almost as a whole new singer overall – one with surprising sensitivity for ballads, and a maturing approach that almost reminds us of Walter Jackson's same stretch on the Chi Sound label. And like Jackson, Chandler also manages to move a bit into clubby territory too – with arrangements from Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders that are quite solid overall – and almost a Chicago take on Philly. Titles include "Do What Comes So Natural", "That Funky Disco Rhythm", "When You're #1", "Dance Fever", "Stay Here In My Heart", and "I'll Remember You". LP, Vinyl record album

A title that seems to take off from Chubby Checker's bit trademark hit, but the overall groove is a lot better than you might expect – set for twisting, sure, but in a nicely rough and ready style that's almost equal parts soul and R&B! Some tunes are familiar, but twist-ified – and others are standout originals that really make the album sparkle. Titles include "The Ray Charles-ton", "Dance A Long", "Takes Two To Tango", "Continental Walk", "The Jet", "I Could Have Danced All Night", and "Peanut Butter". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music from the great Don Cherry – quite a statement, given how much fantastic sounds Cherry had already given us by this point in his career! In the years before this set, Don had worked in some very free, avant modes – and also explored a fair bit of global styles too – yet this set has this great electric vibe – one that mixes the freedom of Cherry's trumpet with spacey instrumentation and really great production – almost even funky at points! Players include Ricky Cherry on electric and acoustic piano, Charlie Haden on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Frank Lowe on tenor – and one cut has Bunchie Fox on electric bongos and Verna Gillis on voice. All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Degi Degi", "Brown Rice", "Malkauns", and "Chenrezig". LP, Vinyl record album

Dee Clark cracked the charts big with a few crossover hits – but he's an excellent soul singer with a raspy tone that almost set the stage for some of the deeper soul acts to come in the 60s! The style here is very much in the mode of some of Jackie Wilson's best for Brunswick from the early days – tracks recorded in a mode that's often heavy on the voice, letting Dee step out with strong flourishes that change in style from track to track – sometimes dramatic, sometimes subtle – but always impeccably phrased with Clark's stunning vocals! Titles are a nice batch of numbers that go way past Dee's hits – and include "Just Like A Fool", "What I Say", "Come To California", "24 Boyfriends", "I Just Can't Help Myself", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Gloria", and "Baby What You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A wickedly funky album from Stanley Clarke – perhaps his most fully-formed album of the Columbia years, and a set that really brings together his jazz and soul styles! There's a definite R&B vibe going on, but it's also one that's still quite heavy on bass work from Stanley – a groove that's not far from Bootsy Collins at times, but perhaps with a bit more jazz inflections. Jamming is kept to a minimum, which is fine by us – and the album's filled with really tuneful tunes that have an almost George Duke-like appeal. Guests include Tom Scott and Stan Getz on saxes, George Duke on piano, Harvey Mason and Steve Gadd on drums, and Dee Dee Bridgewater on vocals. Titles include "I Wanna Play For You", "Just A Feeling", "Strange Weather", "My Greatest Hits", "School Days", and "Blues For Mingus". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic full length set from The Coasters – and as much of a full album that brings together their best for Atlantic, as it is a collection of earlier material from singles! There's a really unified approach here – thanks to the group's really dynamic, surprisingly soulful vocal interplay – and to the top-shelf production and presentation of the material throughout. And 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. A dozen great numbers in all – "Poison Ivy", "Along Came Jones", "Down In Mexico", "The Shadow Knows", "I'm A Hog For You", "Charlie Brown", "Yakety Yak", "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart", "That Is Rock & Roll", "Young Blood", "Sweet Georgia Brown", and "Searchin'". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums by Nat King Cole – done with a bit more depth and feeling than some of his other Capitol sets of the time – and some great jazzy backings, too! Arrangements are by Dave Cavanaugh, but there's almost a Basie-like quality to the group at times – never too hard-swinging, but definitely that slow-burning quality the Count could hit so well with a singer, especially on the horns! The group is awash with Basie-ites – and saxes are by Marshall Royal, Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell, and Frank Wess; trumpets include Joe Newman and Thad Jones; trombones feature Al Grey, Henry Coker, and Benny Powell; and rhythm features guitar from Freddie Greene, piano from Gerald Wiggins, and drums from Sonny Payne – definitely a swinging lineup. Titles include the great "Welcome To The Club" – plus "Anytime Anyday Anywhere", "The Late Late Show", "Wee Baby Blues", "Avalon", "She's Funny That Way", and "The Blues Don't Care". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Albert Collins – the kind of mean, lean music that Collins specialized in before his later years of cliche – served up here in a style that's almost more funk than blues overall! The tracks are all instrumentals, with lots of raw guitar and soulful saxophone – coming across with a rootsy feel that's much more in the mode of work on a soul-based indie than you'd expect from the usual slicker sides on Blue Thumb – hardly smooth LA, and instead almost a funky 45 vibe overall! The titles give a good example of the stripped-down sound of the tunes – and they include "Kool Aide", "Thaw Out", "Hot N Cold", "Frosty", "Tremble", and "Icy Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

By this point in their career, The Commodores have lost Lionel Richie and any sort of funk credibility they had from their early years – but they also somehow manage to reemerge with a great new talent for a sweet mellow groove! The title tune "Nightshift" was one of those tracks that crossed over massively at the time – but to our ears, it also kind of redeemed the group too – as it's got a surprisingly soulful quality that really got the group past the soppiness of their ballads and love songs – gliding along with an almost-righteous quality that makes it a nice later cap to an earlier Motown 70s groove. Other tunes on the album don't always fare as well, but there's still some nice moments here – tunes that benefit from some Dennis Lambert production and hit just the right kind of mellow groove to follow up on the spirit of the single. Tracks include "Nightshift", "Slip Of The Tongue", "Lay Back", "Lightin Up The Night", and "The Woman In My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great record – one that mixes some folksy currents with more modern-styled 60s Brazilian instrumentation – almost an instrumental take on territory of Geraldo Vandre! Includes great versions of "Ponteio", "Roda Viva", "Domingo No Parque, Travessia", and "Carolina". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that really takes you by surprise – a set that doesn't look like much on the front, but which opens up immediately the minute you drop it on the turntable – with a sense of soul and swing that really hold on throughout! The group's a great one – a quintet with Jimmy Heath on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, Kenny Barron on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all seasoned players working together here on a set of Tadd Dameron tunes, but inflected with a nice early 80s sense of soul – almost a more relaxed Muse Records vibe that really makes the album way more than just another reading of Dameron's classics. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Squirrel", "The Scene Is Clean", "Sid's Delight", and "Nearness". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking Hammond work from the young Dave Cortez – sounding grittier here than on some of his other albums of the time – less pop, and almost with a soul jazz vibe overall – especially given some of his snakey solos! The record may be the closest that Cortez ever came to sounding like Jimmy McGriff – and the backings are tight and soulful, very similar to McGriff at Sue Records – handled by Henry Grover, who also produced. There's an uncredited tenor player on the record who's mighty nice – and a few cuts feature cool female backing vocals – and titles include "Belly Rub (parts 1 & 2)", "In Orbit", "Countdown (parts 1 & 2)", "Sticks & Stones", and "Peg Leg". LP, Vinyl record album

Chicago blues, but plenty darn funky – recorded with a sharpness and tightness that shows a strong soul-based influence in the second-generation electric work of James Cotton's generation! The core group here features James on harmonica and vocals – backed by piano, guitar, bass, and drums – plus a great horn section that has a distinct Chess Records feel – no surprise, given that it features Gene Barge, Paul Serrano, and Louis Satterfield! The production is by Barry Goldberg and Mike Bloomfield – and they're clearly helping Cotton tighten up his groove – and almost hit some Atlantic soul-styled modes at times. Titles include "Knock On Wood", "Sweet Sixteen", "Feelin Good", "Off The Wall", "Good Time Charlie", "Turn On Your Lovelight", "Something On Your Mind", and "Don't Start Me Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Hank Crawford's first big records of the 70s – a really great set that helps him shake off some of his stock modes of the 60s and find a very different groove! A big part of the album is arranger Don Sebesky, who gives Hank a backdrop that's sophisticated and smooth, yet still pretty soulful in all the right places – a style that's almost a bit like mainstream soundtrack work of the time, but a bit more jazz focused overall. Hank's solos are right out front on most tracks – blown with that nicely pinched tone that made him a standout back in the day – and other players include Richard Tee on both organ and piano, as well as Idris Muhammad and Bernard Purdie on drums. Titles include "Uncle Funky", "Imagine", "The Sun Died", "Brian's Song", and "Ham", which was arranged by Pee Wee Ellis. LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that was a classic from the moment it was first released – the legendary second effort from the trio of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash – with added bonus of Neil Young in the mix, which gives the whole thing a current of darkness that's completely mindblowing – especially in comparison to the harmonies of the quartet! These aren't the vocal patterns of the Sunshine Pop generation of a few years before – and CSNY find a way to capture all the darkness of the fading light of the 60s, while finding a special space for more thoughtful, sensitive sounds that never would have gotten a chance a few years before. Every track's a classic – and titles include "Carry On", "Our House", "Almost Cut My Hair", "Deja Vu", "Country Girl", "Everybody I Love You", "Woodstock", and "Teach Your Children". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Crow, and one of those records that should have stood shoulder to shoulder with some of the bigger albums of the time – as these guys have the same blend of blues-inspired hard rock as some of their key contemporaries, while also come cross with an individual flavor that's all their own! Lead singer Dave Wagner has a nicely odd way of delivering a lyric – almost frenetic in feel, and matched with plenty of searing lines from guitarist Dick Weigand. The organ's pretty nice at times too – and titles include a remake of "Slow Down" – plus "The Last Prayer", "Cottage Cheese", "Gone Gone Gone", "Heading North", "Death Down To Your Soul", "I Stand To Blame", "Colors", and "Smokey Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

Man, it's like a talent bomb exploded! This set's stuffed with work by some of the greatest jazz funk players of the early 70s – Johnny Hammond, Bob James, Deodato, George Benson, Joe Farrell, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard, Grover Washington Jr, Hubert Laws, and others – all playing together at a massive live concert recorded in Hollywood in 1972! And although you might worry that the collection of so many great talents on one stage might just create confusion – don't! The quality of the work is excellent – almost better than the best of the CTI studio sides, with a lean, clean sound that's really really tight – never overblown, just sweet electric funk with loads of great space for solo work. This second volume of the 3 LP set includes takes of "Blues Force", "Rock Steady", "People Make The World Go Round" and a medley of "Ithe From Love Story", "Pavane" and "Fire & Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a set that's issued under his own name, but which continues a string of key early 60s performances with tenorist Bill Barron – who's work together here with Ted is fantastic! The group has no piano – just Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums – both players with a fluid, open sense of rhythm – one that allows for plenty of horn interplay, at a level that almost has Curson borrowing some of the lessons he learned from Mingus, then taking them into small group formation and really opening things up! Curson also blows a bit of pocket trumpet, and Barron handles some clarinet – on a set of all original material that includes a great version of Curson's "Quicksand", plus the tracks "Kassim", "East 6th Street", "Tears For Dolphy", "7/4 Funny Time", and "Desolation". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare solo material from pianist Leo Cuypers – a really wonderful set that gives us a chance to hear his talents in a completely unfettered setting! We know Cuypers best from some of his efforts in groups, and it's a great change to hear him here on his own – working through some amazing original compositions that are filled with life and feeling! At some points, he's got all the wit, energy, and sharp edges of contemporary Misha Mengelberg – but at other times, there's this lyrical cohesion to his music that almost reminds us of the most tuneful moments of Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett – an obvious great range of sounds to come from one player in such a small space – which makes the album possibly the greatest illustration of Cuyper's genius we've ever heard. Titles include "Lovely Rita", "Monk's Raus", "Het Cowboylied Van Ome Piet", "One Million Dollar Song", "Tristano Song", and "Lovely Rita". LP, Vinyl record album

An underground classic from Karen Dalton – a record that's almost out of time, given its early 70s release – as Karen sings with spare backings that are almost in a Folkway Records mode at points, but with all these headier currents that are also indicative of the Bay Area generation too! Dalton's voice is completely unique too – unlike anything you'll ever hear – phrasing that almost hearkens back both to vintage jazz and Appalachian folk, but a style that's more long hair – as are some of the backings too. The set was recorded upstate in Bearsville – and really has all the hallmarks of the freedoms of that scene at the time – summed up beautifully on material that includes "Something On Your Mind", "In A Station", "Take Me", "Same Old Man", Are You Leaving For The Country", "Katie Cruel", and "How Sweet It Is". LP, Vinyl record album

The decoy here might be in the rhythms, which are often electric, but still played live – handled by Robert Irving III on many tracks, with a cool 80s fusion sound that's mighty nice! The style of the album's a nice change from the Miles groove of the 70s – a bit leaner, with almost a Weather Report influence at times, but far less jamming – and still prone to the darker tones that always make Davis' music of these later years surprisingly good. Al Foster handles acoustic drums on some tracks, and other players include Bill Evans on soprano sax and Mino Cinelu on percussion – on titles that include "Decoy", "Robot 415", "Code MD", "Freaky Deaky", "What It Is", "That's Right", and "That's What Happened". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning piece of jazz history from the young Miles Davis – and a record that's got maybe one of his coolest covers ever! The 10" release was Miles third for Blue Note – and fetaures a smoking quartet with Horace Silver on piano and Art Blakey on drums – giving Miles almost a Jazz Messengers sort of punch, which creates this beautiful groove underneath his well-phrased solos! And while some of this work was later issued in other Blue Note album formats, there's a punch and sharpness to this 10" format that can't be denied – on titles that include "Lazy Susan", "Take-Off", "The Leap", and "Weirdo". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our 50s favorites by Miles Davis – and a record that offers the same twin-sax sound as his classic Kind Of Blue – with both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley working alongside Miles in the group! Rhythm here is by the Prestige-era trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – but it's the two saxophonists who really help Davis shape the feel of the record, pushing things past the initial Coltrane/Davis groove with a really wonderful sense of space and sound! Titles include the classic "Milestones", plus "Two Bass Hit", "Dr Jeckyll", and "Sid's Ahead". LP, Vinyl record album

Wilbur DeParis may be working at Symphony Hall in Boston, but the sound here is pure New Orleans jazz all the way through – played in a tight small combo setting that features Wilbur on both slide and valve trombone, alongside Sidney DeParis on cornet, Omer Simeon on clarinet, Sonny White on piano, and Bennie Moten on bass! The hall gives a nicely echoey feel to the performance – almost an audio quality that's more vintage than the date of the recording – although all players come through with great clarity overall. Drummer Wilbert Kirk also plays a bit of harmonica – and titles include "Banjoker", "Sister Kate", "Cielito Lindo", "Farewell Blues", and "Juba Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

The heavy groove of Deep Purple continues – in a style that's a bit more song-focused and guitar-led than the group's debut – but still pretty darn great nonetheless! Some of the rumbling bass of before has been toned down a bit, but that leaves plenty of space for more jamming guitar work from Ritchie Blackmore – as well as more soaring Hammond lines, and vocals that almost hint at soulful influences from time to time. The record's got a slightly heartfelt quality that's almost a surprise – and titles include covers of "Kentucky Woman", "We Can Work It Out", and "River Deep Mountain High" – plus the originals "Wring That Neck", "Listen Learn Read On", and "The Shield". LP, Vinyl record album

The birth of a legend, and easily one of the heaviest records to hit the mainstream in the late 60s! The album's got a sinister quality that you can hear on the first few notes – a low-end, rumbling approach that brings in a lot more fuzzy bass than other groups of the time had ever thought to use – all topped with some of the most wickedly edgey guitar put on record to date, and undercut by drums that are almost verging on funk at times! Basslines set the tone for most of the tunes in the set – creating a bottom-heavy groove that would be copped many times in years to come, but which still sounds tremendously fresh here in the original. Titles include "Mandrake Root", "I'm So Glad", "One More Rainy Day", "Help", "Love Help Me", "And The Address", and "Hey Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky fusion from one of the hippest drummers of the 70s – the mighty Les DeMerle, a player who's given the world plenty of samples over the years! The grooves on the set are some of Les' best – tightly snapping in a warm mix of electric and acoustic playing – with tight bass work that matches Les' drums perfectly, and lots of snaking horn solos from the great Don Menza. Josh Hanna sings on a few cuts, giving the record a more soulful feel than any of Les' other albums – and the whole thing's smoking at a level that really almost surpasses the best of DeMerle's studio work. Titles include "San Quenti Quail", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Sambandrea Swing", "Quetzal", "Ambidextrous", and "Island Winds". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet follow up to Martin Denny's Taste Of Honey album – one that's got a great blend of piano, vibes, and percussion – all used in a way that's almost more jazz-like than some of Denny's earlier work! The formula works great to transform a host of 50s and 60s tunes – and titles include "Volare", "Cool", "Bijou", "Harlem Nocturne", "Satin Doll", "Anniversary Song", "Like Young", "Blue Carousel", and "Theme From The Manchurian Candidate". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime late 50s work from Martin Denny – his third album under the Exotica banner, and almost a deeper and weirder album than the other two! The sound here is extremely haunting – even more freed from conventional melody than the rest, and very fixated on the tonal possibilities that could be produced from Denny's unique grouping of percussion, piano, bass, and vibes. There's few tricks or gimmicks on the set – just a spare and other-worldly approach to music that's totally great! Titles include "Manila", "Mama Iti E Papa E", "Bamboo Lullaby", "Ringo Oiwake", "Moon Of Manakoora", "Congo Train", and "Beautiful Kahana". LP, Vinyl record album

Gregg Diamond takes his Bionic Boogie sound to a different level – soaring to the skies with a leaner disco groove than before – almost hinting at the coming 80s groove in the process! The rhythms are nice and tight, and often augmented by keyboards that sweeten things up – never overwhelming the overall groove, but packing things in with a mighty nice punch – one that lets the vocals on the record really explode! Most numbers have a chorus singing the spare lyrics – but Diva Gray and Gordon Grody each sing lead on a track each, then give the rest of the record to a backup group that also includes Jocelyn Brown. Our favorite track may well be "Holding Back", which snaps along in a great funky dancefloor groove with some old Bionic Boogie elements – and other cuts include "Arista Vista", "Bring Back Your Love", "Fancy Dancer", and "This Side Of Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic Eric Dolphy albums – back to back in a single set! First up us Outward Bound – Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". Out There is Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of Donovan's most successful albums – but also a brilliant blend of folk and jazz that forged a bold new sound in the 60s! Part of the strength of the set comes from arranger John Cameron – an artist that we love for his jazz and easy work of the late 60s, and who's working here with players that include British jazzmen Phil Seamen, Tony Carr, Ronnie Ross, and Harold McNair! The instrumental component of the album alone is worth the price of admission – as Cameron gently blends together moddish and trippy styles, alongside some folksier vocals and guitar from Donovan. But it's also Donovan's own extrapolation of styles of the time that really makes the album a masterpiece – a strange post-folk mode of expression that's almost a British counterpart to the genius of Simon & Garfunkel, but which is arguably darker and more intellectual. Apart from classic hits like "Museum" and "Mellow Yellow", the album also features some moodier brilliance on tracks that include "The Observation", "Hampstead Incident", "Sunny South Kensington", "Writer In The Sun", "Sand & Foam", and "House Of Jansch". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet, stretched-out session from saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera – one that still has a bit of the Latin roots of the past, but which also hits a more spacious style that almost reminds us of the best CTI sides of the early 70s! The album's recorded live at San Francisco's Keystone Korner – and Paquito's playing alto sax throughout, working with a hip sextet that includes Carlos Franzetti on keyboards – bringing in some warm, soulful touches to the music that are totally great! Other players include Claudio Roditi on trumpet and trombone and Daniel Ponce on percussion – and all tracks are nice and long, with titles that include "Song For Maura", "Red On Red", "Deja Vu", "Zanaith", and "Estamos Ah". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff through and through – and almost a "best of" best of collection from the 70s! The album's a key illustration of the genius of Earth Wind & Fire on Columbia Records – because by the time the set was released in 1978, most of the tracks were already well-known hits – but still had a soulful power and righteous undercurrent that few other chart acts could match. Maurice White, Charles Stepney, and the others have a perfect way of holding onto their deepest inspirations while honing their sills in the studio – and the results of that commitment are heard beautifully on tracks that include "Got To Get You Into My Life", "Shining Star", "Getaway", "Can't Hide Love", "Fantasy", "Reasons", "September", and "That's The Way Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

The genius of Earth Wind & Fire knows no bounds – and even on this double-length set, the group keep up their groove tremendously! The 2LP scope of Faces might make it seem like an ambitious enterprise, but it's really just an overstuffed package that tries to contain all the genius the group was capable of at the time – a flurry of well-written, nice-grooving, and still-righteous soul tracks that have the EWF sound glowing brightly at the end of the 70s – always seeming to re-ignite itself with its own bold sense of power. A few tracks get a bit mellow, and almost adult – but the best numbers here are the groovers – still done with plenty of jazz in the mix, and a sublime mix of guitar, horns, and percussion that few other groups could carry off this well! Titles include "Pride", "Let Me Talk", "Turn It Into Something Good", "Sparkle", "And The Love Goes On", "Sailaway", "Take It To The Sky", "Song In My Heart", and "Win Or Lose". LP, Vinyl record album

Earth Wind & Fire touch the world with this sweet batch of grooves – a set of tracks that has them firmly embracing the electric sound of 80s soul, yet still bringing in some light spiritual touches of their own! The beats are pretty heavy at points – making for plenty of groovers – but the group almost seems to shine most on the ballads, which continue to provide a perfect showcase for the vocals of Philip Bailey and Maurice White. A few cool studio touches reference the group's earlier history – a nice reminder amidst the more contemporary sounds – and titles include "You & I", "System Of Survival", "Every Now & Then", "Money Tight", "Here Today & Gone Tomorrow", "Victim Of The Modern Heart", and "Thinking Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really well-titled set – as it offers up some more intimate takes on the Duke Ellington sound of the cusp of the 70s – with some especially nice trio and solo numbers that are well worth the price of the whole collection! The album starts with the amazing "Moon Maiden" – a track that has Ellington playing celeste, and reciting this weird little cosmic poem – almost in a Sun Ra-type aesthetic, and key proof that Duke was still stretching out a lot in his later years! There's also some excellent trio tracks that really get at that highly modern mode that Ellington hit at his Live At The Whitney session – mixed with a few more larger group numbers that, while not exactly intimate, still have a nicely laid back feel. In addition to "Moon Maiden", other tracks include "Tenz", "Eulb", "Layin On Mellow", "Edward The First", "Symphonette", and "Some Summer Fun". LP, Vinyl record album

Earlier Stax work recorded by The Emotions, not issued at the time and packaged together into a pretty great album during the time of the girls' bigger fame on Columbia! The work here is surprisingly great – not really filler at all, and in a style that's almost hipper than any of the material that appeared on the trio's two full albums for the label. There's a definite 70s current running through most of the tracks – soul that's less sweet and more sophisticated than other older sides, and which really shows that the leap from Stax to Columbia wasn't a very big one at all. Titles include a great version of "Put A Little Love Away", plus "Shouting Out Love", "Anyway You Look At It", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Running Back & Forth", and "Baby I'm Through". LP, Vinyl record album

A rock-solid collection of work from Eruption – the UK soul group whose sound really exploded during the disco generation! Eruption were always equal parts pop and soul – and the latter half was delivered strongly by the vocals of Precious Wilson – who could soar out of some of the more catchy arrangements of their tunes, and really give the group a strong identity – one that almost linked it to the best American club acts of the time. The set features all the best cuts from their Hansa years – and titles include "I Can't Stand The Rain", "Leave A Light", "Movin", "Computer Love", "Left Me In The Rain", "The Way We Were", "Wayward Love", "You Are My Soul", "Valley Of The Dolls", "Hey There Lonely Girl", "One Way Ticket", and "Runaway". LP, Vinyl record album

A great funky group with a hell of a lead singer – so much so, they decided to put her name on the title of this album! Precious Wilson's got a voice that might have been suited to deep soul, had she sung in the 60s – but here, she works with Eruption on a set of cuts that have kind of a funky club vibe – less disco, and more ensemble funk – with a lean, clean groove that almost points the way more towards soul styles of the 80s. Basslines and keyboards are at the core of most numbers, even though there's some added horns and larger arrangements – and there's a great sense of pacing to the album, as evidenced by Wilson's great covers of the Ann Peeble's classic "I Can't Stand The Rain", and a nice remake of The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There". Other tracks include "Do You Know What It Feels Like", "Be Yourself", "Wayward Love", "Party Party", and "Computer Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful late 70s albums from Bill Evans – showing a further evolution of his solo piano/overdub approach! New Conversations is a record that follows strongly on the format of Bill's famous "Conversations" sessions for Verve in the 60s – and like those dates, it features the pianist playing alongside himself, thanks to the magic of overdubbing. But unlike those, this one also features a bit of electric piano too – picked up from the Left & Right years, and played alongside the acoustic piano in a shimmering sort of sound that's really great. The tones are tremendous – almost more open and fluid than in any Evans trio dates of the time – and the whole thing's got a ringing quality that's as much about sonic textures as it is about melody. Titles include "Song For Helen", "I Love My Wife", "For Nenette", "Maxine", "Nobody Else But Me", "After You", and "Reflections In D". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really has Fairport Convention knocking it out of the park – making a bold turn towards British traditional music, but in a way that imbues these relics with a whole new life of their own! The album came at a key turning point – after an accident that took one of their members, and which almost saw the group disband – but instead turn towards the past for even deeper inspiration than some of their contemporaries, whom they'd covered on other records – at a level that seems to set Sandy Denny free into this sublime territory of her own! Denny's vocals are incredible – like a thing unlocked from some ancient vault – and they're given this wonderful focus through the growing complexity of Richard Thompson's guitar work, and the understated brilliance of Ashley Hutchings' bass – both of which bring in these modal inflections that are very 60s, and hardly conceived of as accompaniment with the original tunes. The result is tremendous – tunes that are completely transformed, as a touchstone for generations. Titles include "Matty Groves", "Reynardine", "Come All Ye", "The Deserter", "Tam Lin", and "Crazy Man Michael". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the glory days of the west coast surf scene – the standout set from The Fantastic Baggys, a group who are also known for their backup work with Jan & Dean! There's a very Jan & Dean vibe going on here – right down to the backings from Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew – but the overall sound's a bit looser, too – a bit less iconic, and almost a bit less perfect – in ways that make for a lot of charm as the album rolls along! The set's almost worth it alone for the track "This Little Woody" – and other titles include "Big Gun Board", "Alone On The Beach", "Surfer Boy's Dream Come True", "When Surfers Rule", and "Wax Up Your Board". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked fusion set from the mighty Muse Records – an early 80s date recorded under the leadership of keyboardist Mitch Farber, and featuring work from Randy Brecker on trumpet, Gary Campbell on tenor and soprano, and Steve Khan on guitar! Given the players, there's almost a major label fusion feel to the set, although the overall sound is more open and laidback – not slick at all, and a nice reminder that in the farther corners of jazz in the early 80s, fusion didn't always have to be focused on commercial hits. Rhythm is from Mark Egan on bass, Danny Gottlieb on drums, and Sammy Figuera on percussion – and titles include "Monuments", "Sky Dance", "The Chooser", "Lonely Promises", and "Starclimber". CD also features the bonus track "Theme From Travels" – recorded in 1990. LP, Vinyl record album

A superstar performance from the Antibes jazz festival at Cote D'Azur – one that features Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington sharing the stage, in a concert that was also recorded for a film! Most numbers here feature the full Ellington orchestra backing Ella up – but a few other numbers feature just backings from a trio with Jimmy Jones on piano and Grady Tate on drums. Duke and Ella trade the spotlight nicely – and Fitzgerald only sings on about half of the set, numbers that include "Mack The Knife", "The More I See You", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Jazz Samba", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "Going Out Of My Head". Ellington's heard on other instrumental performances – some of which are a bit more upbeat and unbridled than usual – almost in a Basie mode. These tunes include "Trombonio Bustosolssimo", "Diminuendo In Blue & Blow By Blow", "The Old Circus Train Turn Around Blues", and "The Matador". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the most amazing debut records of all time – not only the record that first exposed the world to Roberta Flack, but a set that heralded so many changes to come in the following decade! Flack's genius here is almost impossible to put into words – part jazz, part soul, and completely righteous from the very first note – possessed of a sense of pride and power that belie both her understated image on the front cover, and her relatively young age – and delivered with a timelessness that still makes the record as vital today as it was so many years back. The set features Flack playing piano and singing with her trio – sometimes augmented by larger arrangements by the very hip William S Fischer, but often in a setting that's very spare yet incredibly moving – instantly putting Roberta at the same level as Nina Simone, and maybe even past the territory of Aretha Franklin at the time. Titles include her seminal reading of "Compared To What" – an instant anthem for the time – plus the tracks "Angelitos Negros", "Our Ages Or Our Hearts", and "Tryin Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth stepping grooves from The Floaters – still very much in the nicely compressed mode of their more famous debut, and getting some nice production help here from Eugene McDaniels! There's a righteous punch to the record that really shows the influence of McDaniels – a way of keeping things hip, even when hovering near the mainstream – and although the groovers are great, we actually think that the best cuts are the mellow ones – tunes that move in a lightly gliding, almost spacey way – one that has the group's voices crackling nicely with an honest approach that we really love! There's a warmth to these tunes that's undeniable – and titles include "Levitation", "Woman Love/You Are My Lady", "Brand New Lite", "Made Up My Mind", "The Best Of Our Love", "Go Down To The Disco", and "Sweet Lady September". LP, Vinyl record album

We love Sonny Fortune – because he always plays so great! Sonny started as more of an acoustic soul jazz player – but by the time of this session, he's working with a lot of electric backing, in a fusiony mode that should dampen his enthusiasm, but which only seems to spur him onto new heights! The group's got some killer keyboards from Larry Willis, tight guitar from Ray Gomez, and lots of Latin percussion touches that really make the grooves dance – but the real highlight is Sonny, whose tone and placement are impeccable, almost in the vein of Gary Bartz during his years with Larry Mizell, but perhaps a bit more soaring and searching. Titles include "Afortunado", "Georgiana", "Igbob's Shuffle", and "Come In Out Of The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A movie that's so familiar, we sometimes forget the greatness of its soundtrack! True, the film did give the world a few big hits from Barry Manilow, but the instrumental score by Charles Fox is mighty nice – a great blend of 70s cop/crime modes with a few tenser moments – orchestrated wonderfully with this approach that's still very classic in its instrumentation, while sparkling with just a few slight contemporary elements. And away from the performances on the screen, the music almost sounds even classier – elevated past PG comedy realm, into the range of classic film score! LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty great stuff by Aretha – despite what the pro-Atlantic Records books say! The record is one of the first she cut with John Hammond at Columbia, and although it's not in the classic soul mode of the Atlantic sessions, it's a darn nice batch of bluesy jazz tracks that would still stand the test of time well if people weren't so hung up on the propaganda that plays down the Columbia years. Backings are by Richard Wess on most tracks, and at times Aretha's voice is recorded with a nice echoey touch that gives the material almost an R&B-ish feel. Titles include "Rough Lover", "You Made Me Love You", "It's So Heartbreakin", "Nobody Like You", "I Told You So", and "Just For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Aretha Franklin's definitely growing into her role as a soul sister here – a later date for Columbia Records that hints a bit at the sounds to come on Atlantic! Backings are by Robert Mersey and Belford Hendricks – both of whom use some relatively full orchestrations and occasional backing vocals – in ways that almost translate a 60s country soul aesthetic to a leaner, cleaner sound for Aretha's strong vocals. Franklin, as always, is great – the kind of singer that really illuminates any tune she gets – even familiar numbers that seem to take on new life in her hands. The material is a bit deeper-digging than before on Columbia – less covers, and more tunes that are well-suited to Aretha's sensibilities – including a few penned by Van McCoy or Hendricks. Titles include "Until You Were Gone", "Follow Your Heart", "A Mother's Love", "I'm Losing You", "Take A Look", and "Can't You See Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip little live date from Aretha Franklin – one that's got a very jazzy feel, and some great small combo backings! The album's almost a distillation of the jazzy styles on Aretha's first albums for Columbia – taken into even leaner territory here, in ways that really set Franklin loose on vocals – making for some of her most forceful moments on record at the time. The quartet features pianist Teddy Harris, who steps back on a few tunes to let Franklin take over the piano – and titles include "Once In A Lifetime", "Love For Sale", "Impossible", "Today I Love Everybody", and "Without The One You Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Early early work from Aretha's foxy sister – recorded in a mode that's similar to some of Aretha's Columbia work from the same period! Erma's singing in a bluesier style than on her Brunswick recordings – working in an approach that's almost like Ruth Brown on Atlantic – singing with larger backings that occasionally have some backing singers and strings on some tracks, and which are more in a rocking soul mode on others. Titles include "Pledging My Love", "Don't Blame Me", "Hello Again", "What Kind Of Girl Do You Think I Am", and "Each Night I Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled set from Chico Freeman – as the reedman definitely takes older modern modes into new territory here – moving in almost Monk-ish space, but with some sharper, bolder tones overall! The album's a surprising one for an early 80s major label release – a great reminder that some companies were still willing to take a chance on jazz at the time – and Chico's got a key assortment of players working with him on the date. In addition to his own tenor, flute, and bass clarinet, the record features Wallace Roney on trumpet, Clyde Criner on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, Billy Hart on drums, and Jack DeJohnette on either drums or piano – shifting about a bit from track to track. Titles include "Mys-Story", "At A Glance", "In Spirit", "The Trespasser", "A Prayer", and "Each One Teach One". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool album from The Fugs – one that almost comes across as more of a multimedia effort than their earlier records – yet still delivers all the wit and politics of those gems too! The set was recorded at the Fillmore East, and features a few spoken parts in between some songs – the group are clearly enjoying that freedom that Warner was giving groups on record – mixed with some great raw numbers that equal their ESP material, plus some augmented elements put together by Warren Smith, which include guest organ from Richard Tee! Titles include "Supergirl", "Nothing", "Slum Goddes", "Saran Wrap", "CCD", and "I Couldn't Get High". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most tuneful work we've ever heard from The Fugs – tracks that almost border on pop-psyche at times, but still get nicely tripped out at other moments! Side one has the trio almost touching territory of other Reprise rock from the times – slightly psyche, slightly country, slightly Sunshine at points – and side two is a bit more of a hippy dippy freakout, with a huge number of shorter tunes that flow sweetly into one another! Some of these actually have a great sound art sort of feel, and a fw even get slightly funky too – all with a new sense of tightness that arguably gives the group a lot more power than before! Titles include "Johnny Pissoff Meets The Red Angel", "Burial Waltz", "Crystal Liaison", "Wide Wide River", "Marijuana", "We're Both Dead Now, Alice", "Life Is Strange", "The National Haiku Contest", "The Divine Toe", "Leprechaun", and "Grope Need (Part I)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Dizzy Gillespie's hippest big band sessions ever – and one of the few dates as a leader from arranger Gil Fuller! Fuller will always be best-remembered as the man who composed some of Dizzy Gillespie's best known tunes from the bop era – like "Manteca", "One Bass Hit", and "Things To Come" – but on this album from 1965, he's reunited with Dizzy for a large group set of tracks that feature Diz as the main soloist – at a level that really shows the growth of both men at the time! Fuller's charts are large and full, but with a sense of space that's really amazing – almost like some of the soundtrack work Dizzy had done for The Cool World – with a mix of soulful and modern moments that's really wonderful. The group's kind of a mix of hip LA players – with Phil Moore Jr on piano, Dennis Budimir on guitar, and Jimmy Bond on bass – plus a larger set of horn players backing Dizzy up. Titles include a number of great originals – such as "Be's That Way", "Big Sur", "Things Are Here", "Man From Monterey", and "Angel City". LP, Vinyl record album

Peter Gabriel gets a bit bolder and more confident here in his solo role – coming out with some of the bite of his Rael character from years back, but with a tighter, more focused mode that's pretty darn great! You can hear the early touch of the styles that would wander too strongly into the wrong territory a decade later – but here, things are all pretty darn fresh – wrapped around song themes that feel like very new ones for Gabriel, in ways that almost have you feeling him pick and choose the topics as the record moves on. Production is tight, but never too uptight – and titles include "On The Air", "DIY", "Exposure", "Animal Magic", "Flotsam & Jetsam", "Perspective", and "White Shadow". LP, Vinyl record album

A rock/soul outing from Gale Force – a group comprised of brothers Len and Ken Gale, hence the name! The set's an odd one – as it was produced by Wayne Henderson during the height of his glory days at Fantasy, and features keyboards by Bobby Lyle – so you'd guess that it would have some sort of a jazz funk component. But overall, it's a pretty strict rock outing – although not without some soulful charms – as the brothers seem to pick up the Fantasy Records groove where Creedence left off – going for compressed and rhythmic tunes that almost have a Steve Miller style at times. Titles include "Reach On Out", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Amourena", "Turn On The Blue Lights", and "Let My Love In". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a very successful run for Gloria Gaynor – a seminal bit of crossover 70s soul – one that perfectly linked the dancefloor with the airwaves, and managed to take on more than a few living rooms as well! Gloria's not entirely in full blown disco-diva mode yet, and works here with a soaring Philly-styled groove – of the sort you'd hear with groups like First Choice or Three Degrees – almost grounded a bit in earlier female soul, especially in the vocals and overall changes in the grooves – yet sparkled up plenty with some fuller, richer 70s arrangements. Those are handled by Norman Harris and Harold Wheeler – who do plenty to warm up the production by Meco – and the set includes the stunning 6 minute version of Gloria's big hit "Never Can Say Goodbye", plus "All I Need Is Your Sweet Lovin", "We Belong Together", "Real Good People", "Honey Bee", and "Reach Out I'll Be There". LP, Vinyl record album

The swing is soft by the sound is never sleepy – thanks to some always-great tenor work from Stan Getz! The album definitely moves in a slightly mellow mode – as implied by the title – but the groove is still plenty darn soulful! Iif anything the album offers almost a bit more space than usual for Stan to do his thing in the lead – carving out beautiful tenor lines that almost hang by themselves in space at varying points – but which also receive some gentle rhythmic support from the trio of Mose Allison on piano, Jerry Segal on drums, and Addison Farmer on bass. Titles include "Down Beat", "Pocono Mac", "All The Things You Are", "Bye Bye Blues", and "To The Ends Of The Earth". LP, Vinyl record album

A standout session from Stan Getz – one of the real gems of his later years, and a masterpiece of well-blown and confident tones! Getz here has a near-perfect form – a poise and balance that comes from decades of woodshedding on tenor sax, but which is still deeply personal, and one of the most honest sounds we can think of on his instrument. At a time when other players were often bumping into other too-contemporary modes, Stan lays back and blows in a warm acoustic setting – with Kenny Barron on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums – plus some additional percussion from Babatunde Lea, who works here in a relatively gentle manner. As with most of the Getz/Barron work of the later years, the balance here is beautiful – never too far-out or indulgent, despite the length of some of the tracks – and almost in that Sweet Rain style of playing that Stan first opened up into at the end of the 60s. Titles include "I Wanted To Say", "Yesterdays", "Dreams", "Falling In Love", and "Voyage". LP, Vinyl record album