One of the biggest jazz albums of the 60s – and a crucial crossover set from the legendary Ramsey Lewis trio! The record's a live one, which gives the group a perfect chance to show off their special genius – not just soulful grooves from Ramsey on piano, but wickedly sharp and playful basslines from the great Eldee Young, and equally inventive work on drums from Redd Holt – both fantastic players who would soon break out on their own as Young Holt Unlimited! There's a surprising mix of modes on the record, too – as Ramsey begins with the group's classic reading of "The In Crowd" – formerly a soul tune, but maybe more of a hit here in their instrumental reading – then runs through material that really showcases the creative depth of the group, on titles that include "Love Theme From Spartacus", "Felicidade", "Come Sunday", and "You Been Talkin Bout Me Baby". CD features 2 non-LP bonus tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing step forward for the young Etta James – a singer who was delivering a raw, shouting form of R&B just a few years before – but who here ascends into soul music heaven with her famous work on the album! The title cut is the stuff of legend – played and played, again and again over the years – but the whole record's wonderful, and handled with this new level of soul sophistication by arranger Riley Hampton – the great Chicago talent who'd reach similar heights in his charts for singers that include Lorez Alexandria and Walter Jackson. Hampton's dark use of strings brings out a whole new side of James' brilliance – a quality that raised Etta James up out of the R&B ghetto, and forever put her into the legions of legendary 60s soul stars! Titles include the perennial classic "At Last", plus "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Tough Mary", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Anything To Say You're Mine", and "Trust In Me". Includes 4 bonus tracks – "My Heart Cries", "Spoonful", "It's A Crying Shame", and "If I Can't Have You". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Searing stuff – easily one of Etta James' greatest albums! The set is a non-stop jam, recorded live at the New Era Club in Nashville before a small and screaming crowd – a perfect performance all the way through, one that showcases Etta as she rarely sounded on vinyl during the 1960s. The whole album runs away like a train on fire, and it's filled with incredibly lively readings of tracks like "Something's Got A Hold On Me", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Money", "Seven Day Fool", and "Woke Up This Morning" – all taken at versions longer than the usual under-3 minute single takes! Also includes 3 bonus tracks not on the original LP releases: "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby", "All I Could Do Is Cry" and "I Just Want To Make Love To You". LP, Vinyl record album

A tight batch of organ groovers with a raw R&B feel, recorded by the obscure St Louis organist Sam Lazar – with a very young Grant Green on guitar! The album's a bit different than Sam's other records for Argo – in that the tunes are all quite short, with a tight fast sound that's almost more R&B at times than jazz – a very unusual setting especially for Grant Green! The guitar is nice and loud – really racing to keep up with Lazar's fast work on the Hammond – and other members of the group include Willie Dixon on bass and Chauncey Williams on drums. Titles include "Mad Lad", "Space Flight", "Caramu", "Funky Blues", and "Big Willie". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from trumpeter Clark Terry – a small group date that features superb tenor from Paul Gonsalves, in a mode that's very similar to the work that both he and Terry recorded for Chess/Argo Records in the late 50s! This set's a French date, and features both horn players in a hip quintet with Raymond Fol on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and GT Hogan on drums – playing in a mode that's laidback, open, and which really has Terry showing off the most soulful side of his phrasing! Gonsalves is fantastic too – very different in a setting like this than in his larger group performances with Ellington – and the pair together are really at their best, with very expressive tones. Titles include "Blues For The Champ Of The Champs", "Clark Bars", "Lonely One", "Pannonica Ou Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 No 2", and "Serenade To A Bus Seat". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great look at some of the coolest material issued by Motown in the early days of the label – tracks from a brief foray into jazz, from a time when the company was testing the waters with some very hip material from the Detroit scene! The cuts here have a nice sort of grit – very much in the best soul jazz styles that bigger labels that Prestige or Argo/Chess were doing at the time – and the tracks also include some great work by artists caught in the very early days of their careers. Titles include "See You Later" and "I Did" by Johnny Griffith, "El Rig" and "Bobbie" by George Bohannon, "I Did" and "Falling In Love With Love" by Paula Greer, "Exodus" and "I Remember You" by Hank & Carol Diamond, "Opus No 3" and "March Lightly" by Earl Washington, and "Late Freight" and "Mellow In Cali" by Dave Hamilton. LP, Vinyl record album

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Fantastic stuff – and a record that may well be the greatest ever from the mighty Serge Gainsbourg – high praise indeed, considering the greatness of Gainsbourg's other music! The album is one long suite built around a spare, electric bass-driven theme – a slow funk riff that's been sampled countless times over the years, and which has gotten the album continuous play on both sides of the Atlantic for many many years. The mighty Jean-Claude Vannier handles the arrangements, and Serge mutters the lyrics over the top, in a raspy loud whisper – while the funky rhythms dart in and out of odd washes of sound, and unusual eerie sounds. There's a very strong soundtrack feel to the album, as waves of music envelop the lyrics – tripped out in funky beats that have become legendary over the years, thanks to some very famous samples! Titles include "En Melody", "Cargo Culte", "Ballade De Melody Nelson", "Valse De Melody", "Ah! Melody", and "L'Hotel Particulier". Great new LP reissue package – with 180 gram vinyl, notes, an interview, and even lyrics in English & French! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff – and a record that may well be the greatest ever from the mighty Serge Gainsbourg – high praise indeed, considering the greatness of Gainsbourg's other music! The album is one long suite built around a spare, electric bass-driven theme – a slow funk riff that's been sampled countless times over the years, and which has gotten the album continuous play on both sides of the Atlantic for many many years. The mighty Jean-Claude Vannier handles the arrangements, and Serge mutters the lyrics over the top, in a raspy loud whisper – while the funky rhythms dart in and out of odd washes of sound, and unusual eerie sounds. There's a very strong soundtrack feel to the album, as waves of music envelop the lyrics – tripped out in funky beats that have become legendary over the years, thanks to some very famous samples! Titles include "En Melody", "Cargo Culte", "Ballade De Melody Nelson", "Valse De Melody", "Ah! Melody", and "L'Hotel Particulier". Great new LP reissue package – with 180 gram vinyl, notes, an interview, and even lyrics in English & French! LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent batch of funky Latin tunes from Irakere – and one of the group's best albums! It's got a mix of rolling bass and electric keyboards on the best cuts – sounding a lot like the funky sound of LA Latin groups like War or El Chicano, but with more of the Afro-Cuban groove of their homeland of Havana in the mix. The quality of the work is excellent – better than on any of the group's American releases in later years – and this one time Cuban-only release is the kind of gem that's was unjustly hard to track down in earlier years – all the while deserving of worldwide love! Titles include "Iya", "Moja El Pan", "Juana 1600", "En Nosotros", "38 1/2", and "Xiomara" and "Este Camino Largo". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure Steve Lacy albums of the 80s, and a record that almost hearkens back to much earlier work in his career – a set that has the soprano sax genius working alongside the piano of Martin Joseph, in a mode that recalls some of Lacy's Monkish inspirations in the early years, but which also showcases some of the bold directions he'd taken in the 70s as well! The set's a live one, and has this crisp quality that's beautiful – maybe because of the rawness of the format, which seems to bring a sharp edge to Lacy's horn, and make the corners of Martin Joseph's piano lines equally great. Titles include "Flakes", "No Baby", "Coastline", "Deadline", and "Bemsha Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible treasure of Brazilian music – an obscure but landmark set from the great Jose Mauro, and one of the few records ever issued on the legendary Quartin label! There's a soaring brilliance here that easily matches the best early 70s work from Milton Nascimento and Edu Lobo – with perhaps some of the more complicated styles that Marcos Valle was also bringing to his music at the time too – all wrapped up with just the right mix of full orchestrations, acoustic guitar, and lead vocals from Jose. Production is amazing – possibly one of the best studio efforts ever from Roberto Quartin – and although issued on a tiny label, the record stands head and shoulders with the giants of MPB in the early 70s. Titles include "Obnoxius", "Memoria", "Ponto De Chamada", "Talisma", "Apocalipse", "Ancoradouro", "As Aventuras Sentimentais De Espiroqueta Camargo", and "Tarde De Nupcias". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from bassist Barre Phillips, and a set that stands as a key starting point to an amazing run of records for decades to come! Phillips is playing here solo throughout, live and in a church – a setting that creates a wonderful resonance in his sound, as he moves throughout one long improvisation without any overdubs or effects at all – a progression that's breathtaking throughout, and handled very differently here than any of his similar records from later years. There's a bare, stripped-down quality that's incredible – and at a time when German saxophonists were blowing their heads off, or UK contemporaries were mixing jazz with electric rock, the whole thing is a very personal, very unique moment in sound! LP, Vinyl record album

There's plenty of funky steps here, thanks to a lean 70s fusion groove – served up by a Japanese combo who are heavy on keyboards and guitar! There's almost a CTI-like vibe to the record at times, especially as the rhythms are nice and spacious, and avoid any of the full-on fusion modes that can come from a record that's too jamming – and instead really lets the elements of the instrumentation really find their best place in the groove! There's a horn section on the record, but used in ways that are nicely punctuated – just to augment the sound at all the right moments, yet never overwhelm. Titles include "Morning", "Moderato", "Largo", "Dream Of Love", and "Dance Ritual Of Fire" – all themes from classical, but really transformed via funky jazz – again another influence from CTI! LP, Vinyl record album

Brazilian funk, Brooklyn style – and one of the hippest collections of Brazilian grooves we've ever heard! The collection was put together by New York DJs Sean Marquand and Greg Caz – and it's got a wickedly funky vibe that comes from plenty of 70s samba soul! The style here is really different than other Brazilian Beats titles from Mr Bongo – as the work here is all classic, and chosen from a really fresh perspective – the new wave of interest in this music that's been bubbling up from the American underground, with a completely different perspective on the grooves from older scenes in Rio, Tokyo, or London! Most tracks here should be new to your ears – and although some of the tracks here have been reissued before, but they really come alive in different ways, thanks to the depth and careful pacing of the set. 22 tracks in all – with titles that include "Cafua" by Nonato, "Taieiras" by Ely Camargo, "Jeep" by Erasmo Carlos, "Cobra Criada" by Joao Bosco, "E Necessario" by Tim Maia, "Marcas" by Quarteto Uai, "Skim Dum Dum Dum" by Ana Rosely, "Black Soul Brothers" by Miguel De Deus, "Mais Kriola" by Helio Matheus, "A Festa" by Silvio Cesar, "Tava Mas Nao Tava" by Edson Frederico, "Uma Rosa Pra Dita" by Os Increveis, "Aleluia" by Robson Jorge & Licoln Olivetti, and "Beija-Flor Suite" by Chalo Eduardo. LP, Vinyl record album

An album of pure genius – easily one of the greatest Brazilian albums ever, and a landmark set from the Tropicalia years! There's a brilliance here that's hard to describe accurately – quite possibly because the young Caetano Veloso is experimenting with so many new ideas, the album explodes with fresh energy on each new track! Offbeat bossa runs into weird production effects, subtle psychedelia, and heartfelt singer/songwriter material – all arranged by the mighty Rogerio Duprat, and featuring guest work from Gilberto Gil on guitar. The range of work here is tremendous – from the political "Empty Boat" to the fantastical "Lost in the Paradise", through other classics that include "Irene", "Os Argonautas", "Carolina", "Alfomega", "Chuvas De Verao", "Objeto Nao Identifcado", "Atras Do Trio Eletrico", and "Marinheiro So". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever recorded by the mighty Yusef Lateef – and that's really saying a lot, given his fantastic legacy of albums! The set's a live one, which is a bit unusual in Lateef's catalog at this time – and the concert setting is perhaps a window onto some of his more expressive, experimental modes that didn't always show up on record, especially the Impulse studio sides he was recording at the time. Lateef's group is pure genius – with a young Mike Nock on piano, sounding all weird and dark, with amazing tones from his instrument – plus the great Richard Williams on trumpet, a player who always seems to bring something special to a record! The team of Ernie Farrow on bass and James Black on drums help create all these modal rhythms that are really fantastic – and Lateef himself blows tenor and flute, plus the more exotic reed instruments argol and shanai. Titles include "The Magnolia Triangle", "Sister Mamie", "Number 7", "The Weaver", and "Slippin' & Slidin'". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweetly soulful set from the Aloha soul scene of the late 70s – a record that features plenty of warm trombone work from Ira Nepus, mixed with some R&B-styled backings – all at a level that's a fair bit like the best US work of Raul DeSouza at the time! The blend of jazz and soul is great – almost in Wayne Henderson territory – and the cuts have vocals, but always still save plenty of room for great solos from Nepus – a player we don't know much at all, but who really captures the best sort of jazzy soul vibe that Fantasy records was putting out at the time! And speaking vibes, Rich Margolis delivers some great work on that instrument too – on titles that include "Trickey Mickey", "Trombone Feeling", "Flamenco Jazz", "Slide Vibin", "Limbo Jazz", and "Journey To Paricutin". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible music from The Pyramids – an obscure Midwestern combo who made some pretty amazing records in the early 70s! There's a heavy dose of spirituality in the mix here – a vibe that rivals some of the best albums of the time on Strata East, but with a freer sound overall – elements of the AACM Chicago scene, or some of the hipper grooves coming out of St Louis – particularly in the way the band builds up energy on the longer tracks. The reeds are especially nice – alto sax from Idris Ackamoor and flute from Margo Ackamoor – and all other group members play percussion, and vocalize too – singing along with some of the tunes in chanting, chorus formation, which adds an even further element of soul to the mix. Rhythms range from hard-driving to completely hypnotic – and titles include "Nsorama", "My Africa", "Mogho Naba", and "Queen Of The Spirits". LP, Vinyl record album

An early album by this groovy Brazilian rock group that featured Ney Matogrosso on vocals! The record has a haunting sound that mixes nice vocal production with spare arrangements supported by guitar, piano, and bass. The sound is difficult to describe – but the record has some extremely compelling songwriting, and great vocal work that carries the strength of the tracks, whether or not you understand Portuguese. Titles include "Flores Astrais", "Nao Nao Digas Nada", "Tercer Mundo", "Angustia", "O Doce E O Amargo", and "Delirio". LP, Vinyl record album

We really loved the first volume in this series, and this second entry maybe goes even deeper into the unique territory of the collection – a genre that's maybe all its own, with a really cool blend of older tracks and contemporary numbers, all served up with a laidback sort of vibe! There's plenty of soul in the mix, but often from a global perspective – and those cuts are mixed in with more 21st century-styled tracks, which makes for a very cool blend of material. Titles include "Baby This Love I Have" by Avis, "Malibu Nites" by Frank Hatchett, "DE 108" by Bach Revolution, "We May Be Cattle But We All Got Names" by Michael De Albuquerque, "Marimba" by Yargo, "Play A Sweet Rhythm On Them Drums" by Okyerama Asante & Black Fire, "Shove Piggy Shove" by LFO, "Lost Children" by Veronica Mickie, and "Storm (Arp Duppy Chip mix)" by Rare Silk. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums on the Bethlehem label – and one of the first albums as a leader by the legendary Booker Ervin! At the time of the set, Ervin had come off a great stint with the Charles Mingus group – one that inflected his rootsy Texas tenor tones with a sharper modern edge – heard to perfection on this great little session, which is equal parts hard swinging soul jazz and dark-tinged early 60s modern! Zoot Sims joins Booker in the front line, and the two of them trade tenor solos throughout on the album's long compositions – grooving with a great sextet that includes Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Mingus' drummer Dannie Richmond on the kit! Cuts include "Largo", "The Book Cooks", "The Blue Book", and "Git It". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from pianist Matthias Vogt – an artist we first came to know through his Re:Jazz projects many years back, but who's evolved here into a much more personal, sensitive artist! In a way, the shift is a bit like that of Bugge Wesseltoft – another artist schooled in jazz, but who worked in clubbier modes – and here Matthias is mostly out front on piano and keyboards, with just a bit of guitar and drums for backing. The songs are maybe a bit more tune-based than some of Bugge's recent work, even though they are mostly instrumental – apart from a few moments when voices come into play. Titles include "Shimmering Sea", "Cargo", "Dystopia", "Afraid Of The Future", "Down To Earth", "I Remember Being Loved", and "Quintessence". LP, Vinyl record album

There have been lots of Lowrider soul compilations on the market over the years – documenting the great of of mellow cuts on the LA scene of the 60s – particularly the kind that could move slow, but with a heavy groove at the bottom – perfect for chilling out in the back of a car on an endless summer night! Yet few have ever done the job as well as this collection – because in the hands of Ace/Kent Records, the music finally gets proper historical context – moved past the jargon of the East LA in crowd, and presented with great sound, and the kind of detailed notes that really get at the special qualities that made the west coast soul scene so different than the east in the 60s! The set list is superb – fantastic mellow soul tracks that are perfect, even if you don't care about this history – and the set features 14 titles that include "Someone" by The Lovers, "Here It Comes" by The Persians, "That's The Way Our Love Is" by The Radiations, "It's Not That Easy" by Reuben Bell & The Casanovas, "No Doubt About It" by The Esquires, "What Am I Going To Do" by the Houston Outlaws, "So Much In Love" by The Exceptions, "Please Say It Isn't So" by Lee Williams & The Cymbals, "Somebody Please" by The Vanguards, "Someone" by The Lovers, "Follow Your Heart" by The Manhattans, and "Settle Down" by Little Ben & The Cheers. LP, Vinyl record album