Man, these guys are really opening up their sound a lot with this release – moving into the heavier, harder rock territory that would bring them big fame in the 70s! The whole thing's a lot more tripped-out than before – none of the sweeter, lyrical modes of the group's earliest hits – and instead, a lot more moody numbers that really brood nicely on heavy basslines, fuzzy guitar, and some arch vocals sung in English throughout, despite the Dutch origins of the band. Why this one didn't rock the UK and US scenes bigger at the time is a mystery – but the record's ripe for rediscovery now, and filled with great cuts that include "The Truth About Arthur", "Who Cares", "Mr Fortune's Wife", "Must I Cry", "Magnificent Magistral", "I've Just Lost Somebody", "Sam & Sue", and "Crystal Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa". LP, Vinyl record album

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa". LP, Vinyl record album

A key album in the legendary early years of Gong – that mythical moment when the group was almost more like a cult or a commune than just another rock band on the scene! The set has the group very firmly ensconced in their French country home, where the record was recorded – with a mindblowing lineup that includes the great Daevid Allen on vocals and guitar, Didier Malherbe on tenor and soprano sax, Gilli Smyth on second vocal, Steve Hillage on guitar, and Pierre Moerlen on drums and percussion – plus lots of other surprises along the way. Titles include "Selene", "Other Side Of The Sky", "Castle In The Clouds", "Oily Way", "Flute Salad", and "I Never Glid Before". LP, Vinyl record album

A key album in the legendary early years of Gong – that mythical moment when the group was almost more like a cult or a commune than just another rock band on the scene! The set has the group very firmly ensconced in their French country home, where the record was recorded – with a mindblowing lineup that includes the great Daevid Allen on vocals and guitar, Didier Malherbe on tenor and soprano sax, Gilli Smyth on second vocal, Steve Hillage on guitar, and Pierre Moerlen on drums and percussion – plus lots of other surprises along the way. Titles include "Selene", "Other Side Of The Sky", "Castle In The Clouds", "Oily Way", "Flute Salad", and "I Never Glid Before". CD

This record is not really a Dexter Gordon album but rather a collection of tracks from Spotlite's Dial Masters series that include other artists as well. The Gordon tracks that are included are alternate takes of songs recorded for Dial and performed with his Quintet and Quartet in 1947. Titles include "Mischievous Lady", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "Chromatic Aberration", "It's The Talk Of The Town", "Ghost Of A Chance", and "Sweet & Lonely". The other artists included were either on the Dial label or Dial issued them at some point and they are the Teddy Edwards Quartet, Earl Coleman & His All-Stars, Fats Navarro Quintet and Howard McGhee & His Band. Tracks include "Blues In Teddy's Flat", "Mop Mop", "Lifestream", and "Move". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic unreleased work from one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene from the late 50s onward – and one of the few players who could match the depth and soul of American jazzmen on the instrument! Dusko Goykovich has given us so much great music over the years – in small groups as a leader, in unusual projects as a sideman, and even as a soloist in bigger bands – and here, we capture the trumpet giant at the earliest stage of his career – on some beautiful German radio studio recordings from the end of the 50s and start of the 60s – tight, soulful, boppish material with a slight modern edge – recorded on all tracks with Derek Humble on alto, Karl Drevo (Drewo) on tenor, Franciso Coppieters on piano, and Jonny Fischer on bass. Some tracks feature Kenny Clarke on drums, the rest feature Stuff Combe on the kit – and titles include "Mile Dave", "Omricon", "Perhaps", "Quicksilver", "Solar", "Les Copains", "Salud To Birdland", and "On Green Dolphin Street". CD

One of the finer Dead studio albums of the mid 70s for sure – managing to catch a bit of the spontaneous energy that made them such a vaunted live band on some tunes, really delivering on the wry yet easygoing songcraft they don't really get enough credit for, and even some cool facets of their far-reaching sound they captured better in the studio than they ever did on stage. Those include the lightly lush ballad-y "China Doll" and the eccentric sounds that weave in and out of the standout "Unbroken Chain", but the whole thing is solid! Other cuts include "US Blues", "Loose Lucy", "Scarlet Begonias", "Pride Of Cucamonga", "Money Money", and "Ship Of Fools". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the finer Dead studio albums of the mid 70s for sure – managing to catch a bit of the spontaneous energy that made them such a vaunted live band on some tunes, really delivering on the wry yet easygoing songcraft they don't really get enough credit for, and even some cool facets of their far-reaching sound they captured better in the studio than they ever did on stage. Those include the lightly lush ballad-y "China Doll" and the eccentric sounds that weave in and out of the standout "Unbroken Chain", but the whole thing is solid! Other cuts include "US Blues", "Loose Lucy", "Scarlet Begonias", "Pride Of Cucamonga", "Money Money", and "Ship Of Fools". CD

One of the finer Dead studio albums of the mid 70s for sure – managing to catch a bit of the spontaneous energy that made them such a vaunted live band on some tunes, really delivering on the wry yet easygoing songcraft they don't really get enough credit for, and even some cool facets of their far-reaching sound they captured better in the studio than they ever did on stage. Those include the lightly lush ballad-y "China Doll" and the eccentric sounds that weave in and out of the standout "Unbroken Chain", but the whole thing is solid! Other cuts include "US Blues", "Loose Lucy", "Scarlet Begonias", "Pride Of Cucamonga", "Money Money", and "Ship Of Fools". LP, Vinyl record album

The Grateful Dead in the early 80s – still going strong in a live setting, and with a vibe that's maybe even closer to their roots than some of their Arista studio material at the time! The set is a massive ten-sided representation of a show that has the group soaring and stretching out on nearly every track – with jamming versions of "Ramble On Rose/El Paso", "Althea", "Feel Like A Stranger", "Stella Blue/Good Lovin", "Space/The Other One", "Uncle John's Band/Drums", "Ship Of Fools", "Estimated Prophet", "China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider/Samson & Delilah", "Deep Elem Blues", "New Minglewood Blues", "Beat It On Down The Line", "US Blues", and "Bird Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary live set from the Grateful Dead – served up here in a set so big, it needs 16 sides' worth of vinyl to deliver the music! There's loads of long jams here – the kind of criss-crossing, song-shifting material that makes the Dead so wonderful at this point in their career – as you'll hear on tunes that include "Dark Star", "Here Comes Sunshine", "Around & Around", "Not Fade Away/Goin Down The Road Feelin Bad", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "That's All Right", "Promised Land", "Dark Star/He's Gone", "Wharf Rat/Truckin", "Ramble On Rose", "Jack Straw", "Wave That Flag", "Morning Dew", "Beat It On Down The Line", "Looks Like Rain", "Box Of Rain", "El Paso", "Bird Song", "Playing In The Band", "Big River", "Eyes Of The World", and "Stella Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Prime mid 70s live Dead from a monumental series of shows at Winterland in late October, 1974! Steal Your Face is something of a benchmark in the official Dead archives, as it not only captures the band during their "farewell" run before going on hiatus, it was also the final album on their own Grateful Dead Records label in it's original incarnation when it first came out in 1976. Historical significance aside, it's just a great snapshot of the band at a peak level, with "The Promised Land", "Cold Rain & Snow", "Around And Around", "Stella Blue", "Ship Of Fools", "Big River", "El Paso", "Sugaree", "I Must Have Been The Roses", "Casey Jones" and more. CD

One of the first giant hits by the Grateful Dead – and a record that has the group tightening things up a bit more, and stepping into some of the country-tinged territory of The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers! Turns out, the move is a great one – as the songs come across with a real down to earth charm that maybe humanizes the group a bit more for the uninitiated listener – a mix of northern Cali pastoral with some of the musical dexterity they'd brought with them from the Haight – folded together perfectly, with a quality that's made the album one of their best-remembered over the decades. Titles include "Uncle John's Band" – maybe their biggest hit at the time – plus "Dire Wolf", "New Speedway Boogie", "Cumberland Blues", "Casey Jones", "Easy Wind", "High Time", and "Black Peter". LP, Vinyl record album

Early solo work from Carl Graves – a Canadian soul artist who was first heard with the band Skylark, but who sounds pretty darn nice on his own! Carl's got a free and light voice that works well with the tightly crafted arrangements of the set – kind of a real mix of styles, but one that comes off surprisingly well on the best tracks. There's a few upbeat numbers on here that don't work that well, but the mellower tunes are all pretty nice – and titles include "You're Gonna Be All Alone", "Welcome Home", "Don't Throw It All Away", "That's The Way Love Is", "Be Tender With My Love", and "How Can I Be A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Firey guitar work from one of the all-time greats! Grant Green was one of the most incredible jazz guitarists of all time, and his early Blue Note work has always been some of the best guitar jazz ever recorded. With this great album, Blue Note has finally unearthed an amazing early session by Green – recorded in trio format with drummer Ben Dixon and organist John Patton. Both Patton and Green originally hailed from St. Louis, but were picked up on a tour by Lou Donaldson to join his band – and brought by Donaldson to Blue Note when the group hit New York. This set of tracks, dedicated to their boss, shows Patton and Green in sparkling interplay – trading lines with an ease, confidence, and rawness that would make most other organ/guitar teams weep with joy to achieve! The CD's a perfect one if you're a fan of Green's First Stand or Green Street albums – and it includes the tracks "Blues For Lou", "Big John", "Look At That Girl", and "This Little Girl Of Mine". CD

An assortment of work from the team of Urbie Green and Jimmy Raney – two players who rarely worked together in such small group settings! First up is the full ABC album Blues & Other Shades Of Green – one of the most obscure small group sessions by trombonist Green – a heck of a great player who was too often lost amidst larger ensembles! The album's got Urbie playing both slide and valve trombone, in a quintet that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Dave McKenna on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – and the tracks have a tightly arranged approach, but also still allow plenty of room for the individual instrumentalists to express themselves. Titles include "Reminiscent Blues", "One For Dee", "Am I Blue", "Dirty Dan", "Warm Valley", "Paradise", and "It's Too Late Now". Added to that album are 3 more tracks from the Vinnie Burke All Stars album for ABC – truly an all-star session, as the record boasts a lineup that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Al Cohn on tenor, Urbie Green on trombone, Eddie Costa on piano, and Joe Morello on drums! The sound is in keeping with Burke's album for Bethlehem, but fleshed out a bit more with the extra horn players – kind of a loosely swinging take on the chamber jazz sound of the mid 50s, with room for plenty of gentle solos from the key players in the set. The sound excellent – recorded with that crispness and focus that made the best mid 50s ABC jazz sides so great – and the 3 titles include "Lulu's Back In Town", "Blue Jeans", and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". Last up are 4 more titles from a rare 10" LP – Urbie Green & His Band, featuring Freddie Green on guitar (instead of Raney), Ruby Braff on trumpet, Med Flory on alto, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, and Sir Charles Thompson on piano. The sound is somewhat more traditional, but never too much so – and tracks include "Med's Tune", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Old Time Modern", and "I Got It Bad". CD

Excellent work from Brit easy bandleader John Gregory – an assortment of 70s police and crime themes, played by a big band with a nice soundtrack-y finish! Nearly all the tunes are uptempo, and the feel of the record is very much in the same vein as Henry Mancini's Cop Show Themes album – although perhaps with a bit less electronics. Titles include "Cannon", "The Rockford Files", "Kojak", "Six Million Dollar Man" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Really wonderful work from trombonist Al Grey – sounding hipper here than at any other point in his career! One of the great reason for Al's sound here is the presence of tenorist Billy Mitchell – a partner with Al in the Basie band, and a great player who gives just about any session a deeply soulful finish. The rest of the group is equally nice too – with work by Dave Burns and Donald Byrd on trumpet, Floyd Morris and Herbie Hancock on piano, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. The use of vibes is especially striking for a set like this, and really gives the proceedings a different feel than you might think. Titles include "R.B.Q.", "Minor On Top", "African Lady", and "Hi Fly". CD

Fantastic work from Marcia Griffiths – the Jamaican singer who first rose to fame in the duo of Bob & Marcia – but who already sounds very much her own woman on this classic set from the 70s! The groove is as much funky soul as it is reggae – in fact maybe more the former than the latter – and Marcia's got this proud, righteous approach that's very different than her style of just a few years before – set to great grooves that have sharp core instrumentation with Lloyd Charmers on piano and organ, and Willie Lindo on guitar. Almost more of a female funky soul record on most cuts – with tracks that include "Here I Am Baby", "Children At Play", "I'd Rather Be Lonely", "Sweet Bitter Love", "There's No Me Without You", "Everything I Own", "Green Grasshopper", and "Gypsy Man". Also features a full album of rare bonus tracks – including "Play Me", "The First Cut Is The Deepest", "Melody Life", "Don't Let Me Down", "Band Of Gold", "I See You My Love", "It's Too Late", "Baby If You Don't Love Me", "Love Walked In", and "Working To The Top". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky fusion from the Brazilian scene of the 80s – music from a time when the best electric jazz was more the product of indie labels like the Som Da Gente powerhouse – a company who really let Grupo Medusa find their groove! The band features some great keyboard work on Fender Rhodes and clavinet by Amilson Godoy, plus some great guitar playing by Heraldo Do Monte, in a style that's much more soaring, groovy, and upbeat than some of his solo albums. There's also lots of great Brazilian percussion in the rhythms – and as with other Brazilian jazz of the style, there's often a bit of vocals mixed in, almost at an instrumental sort of level. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Pe No Chao", "Uma Viagem", "Ponto De Fusao", and "Baiana". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty deep dig into the overlooked soul scene in Virginia – put together by the same folks who gave us the fantastic Raw Soul/Ol Virginia Soul compilations a number of years back! The set focuses on the special studio productions of Lenis Guess – head of LGA Records, and a strong force in the underground scene in Norfolk – a city east of Richmond, and one that had its own great little soul scene for a number of years too! Some of the material here was issued on very small run 7" singles – but a number of others also never saw the light of day back in the 70s, yet are killers that resonate equally well with the singles – raw soul with a nicely gritty vibe, and some slight traces of the more upbeat modes that were hitting VA at the time. Titles include "Keep My Company With You" and "You Don't Believe I Love You" by Deltones Ltd, "Your Love Gave Me Peace Of Mind" by 35th Street Gang, "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "How Long Have I Been A Fool" by Jato Vondel, "Don't Wake Me Up" by Jack & The Mods, "No Steps Away" by Lenis Guess & The Royal Robins, "Home Ain't Home" and "Find Yourself Another Baby" by The Symbolics, and "Sentimental Love (inst)" by Little Wink & Eddie's 25th Century Band. LP, Vinyl record album

Ruben Guevara of (Frank Zappa & The Mothers) – Ruben And The Jets band. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Way more than a snapshot – as the double-length set acts more like a full portrait of the European free jazz scene at the time – with special contributions from a wide array of avant German musicians! The feel here is very FMP – especially in the mode of that label's live recordings, which often feature unique combinations of musicians, really driving each other on. As part of that promise, the album features work from the Berliner Improvisations Quartett, with Hermann Keller on piano, Andread Altenfelder on trumpet, and Manfred Schulze on reeds; the trio of reedman Friedhelm Scholfeld; the Ulrich Gumpert Workshop Band, with Gumpert on piano, Ernst Ludwid Petrowsky on reeds, Heinz Becker on trumpet, and Johannes Bauer on trombone; the duo of Gumpert on piano and Gunter Sommer on drums; the Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky Quartet with Sommer on drums and Heinz Becker on trumpet; the Studio IV group, with Petrowsky on reeds, Hubert Katzenbeier on trombone, Eberhard Weise on piano,a nd Joachim Graswurm on trumpet; a trio with Gumpert on piano, Sommer on drums, and Manfred Hering on alto and tenor; and the Hans Rempel Orchester, with Rempel on piano, plus Becker, Graswurm, Petrowsky, Bauer, and Forsthoff. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the trippiest work ever issued by New Zealand's Peter Gutteridge – music that's much more spare and spooky than his work with The Clean and The Chills – and which has a freaky fuzzy quality that's somewhere in a space between Suicide and Spacemen 3! The album was originally only issued on cassette, and has a sound that's perfect for that format – stark and somewhat distorted – with vocals that are nicely muddy, and slip right down in alongside the fuzzy guitar – sometimes joined by other voices, but always with a murky, muddy quality that's totally great – reflective of that excellent late 80s generation who embraced distortion, fuzz, and psych – but took the music to much deeper, darker territory than some of the cleaner bands from a few years before. Titles include "Lonely", "Hang On", "Ocean", "Cause Of You", "Rubout", "Planet Phrom", "Having Fun", "First Instrumental", "Exhibition 2", "Fifty Seven Seconds", and "Chinese Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant mid 70s set headlined by pianist Al Haig & guitarist Jimmy Raney – essentially a reunion of bandmates from the early 50s Stan Getz Quintet – beautifully done and in a timelessly appealing mode! What's great about this is that doesn't feel in the least a hokey revisit the old days kinda thing, as if we should have expected something so crass from such wonderful players. They play some evergreen jazz standards some numbers that made waves in the 60s and later, the group includes Jamil Nasser on bass, Frank Gand on drums, plus guitar by Doug Raney on "You Came To Me From Out Of Nowhere". Other numbers including the Eddie Harris penned title track, Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance", "Round Midnight", "Invitation", and "Enigma". LP, Vinyl record album

22 small combo and big band recording from the late 50s. CD

Great early recordings from the Hampton band – the stuff that made him a legend! LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique soundtrack for an Italian film – one that includes jazz from New York and San Francisco, calypso from Port Of Spain, steel band work from Trinidad, and more music from Brazil and Argentina too! Features work by Lionel Hampton, Punch Miller, Desperados Trinidad Steel Band, Lina Lancia, Wilbur De Paris, Canta Thais, Native Rhythm Con Silvana, and Mighty Sparrow. LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music from Hapshash & The Coloured Coat – a group with a sound that's every bit as freewheeling as their name! The set's a unique collaboration between DJ/producer Guy Stevens and psych poster designers Michael English and Nigel Weymouth – and has this loose, unfettered feel that's almost more like a "happening" in the studio instead of some road-jamming band cutting its music to vinyl – a really hair-down party with instrumentation on trippy percussion, jangly guitar, and other odd sounds that step in and out of the mix – showing a larger studio sense of manipulation for the whole record. There's an odd groove to the record at parts – almost a chaos theory return of the eternal – and titles include "H-O-P-P Why?", "A Mind Blown Is A Mind Shown", "The New Messiah Coming 1985", "Aoum", and the epic side two jam "Empires Of The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Features some arrangements by Oliver Nelson! Titles include "Spring Is Here", "Strike Up The Band", "The Man I Love", and "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard driving jazz from the Japanese scene of the 50s! The album's one of the best recorded by Nobu Hara and the legendary Sharpes & Flats group – a really swinging set of big band jazz that drives with the power of some of the 60s recordings by the Clarke-Boland Big Band, and which offers plenty of space for the soloists to swing out during the set. Unfortunately, all the notes are in Japanese – so we can't tell you the exact lineup or the song titles – but the album's a strong one, and a perfect example of the strength of the Japanese scene in the postwar years! CD

A definite active volcano of sound from Nobuo Hara and his excellent Sharps & Flats ensemble – a group who were to the Japanese scene of the 70s what the Clark Boland Big Band was to the European one! By that, we mean that the style here is way groovier than you might expect – definite third (if not fourth) generation big band work – full of color and life, but also with a great ear for contemporary rhythms too – thanks to some sweet guitar and keyboards in the mix. The horns are tremendous, but never overwhelming – and Takashi Shitaka provides some very thoughtful arrangements for the record – on tracks that include "White Heron", "Ondo", Sharp Curve", and "South Wind". CD

A little bit leaner, and little bit darker, and a lot more solo of a PJ Harvey album after the comparatively bigger sounding Stories From The City, Stories From The City (itself largely the work of trio, though more deliberately layered and polished) – but true to form, Polly subverts the expectation that she'd strip things raw on a record in which does all but play the drums on – not just on guitars and vocals, bass, piano, accordion, melodica and more on an effort that has a fleshed out band vibe done mostly herself! Rob Ellis handles drums and percussion and titles include "The Life And Death Of Mr. Badmouth", "Shame", "Who The F**k?", "The Pocket Knife", "The Letter", "The Slow Drug", "No Child Of Mine", "The End", "Seagulls" and "The Darker Days Of Me & Him". CD

Strange soundtrack to a weird early 70s film about a Jesus-peddler – with songs that are mostly in a folk-rock mode similar to some of the drippier tunes showing up on AIP soundtracks of a few years before. The best tunes are the instrumentals by Hatcher, which have kind of a biker bluesy sound to them – but the bulk of the album is vocal numbers, sung by Matthew Crowe & His Travelin Band. Oh for the days when the studios had this much money to throw away! Titles include "Send Me A Friend", "Brian's Theme", "Heleana's Love Theme", "San Diego Blues", "Soul Hustler", and "Set Me Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare early European performances by this tenor giant, with George Van Helvoirt, Marcel Thielemans, Wim Poppink, Andrew Vanderouderaaa, Theo Uden Masman, Nico De Rooy, Jacques Pet, Tonny Limbach, Toon Diepenbroek, and Kees Kranenburg in 1935 and 1937, and with a smaller band including Freddy Johnson and Frits Reinders in 1937. LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". CD

A wonderful duet set from Isaac Hayes and Dionne Warwick – one that draws on the classiest side of the Hayes spectrum, and uses his groove to help Dionne find some great new energy! Even in performance, the music has that great rich quality that Isaac always brought to his solo recordings in the 70s – with strings, backup singers, and some tight undercurrents that help keep things soulful throughout – really cutting through the schmaltz of Ike's shiny tux on the cover! Dionne really sparkles in his company – and the record features duo numbers, solo spots, and even some nice medley tracks. The band behind the pair are electric, mellow, and very soulful – and titles include "Can't Hide Love", "Chocolate Chip", "Then Came You", "Come Live With Me", "Unity", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "I Say A Little Prayer", done nicely in a medley together. CD

If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too. CD

The classic debut from one of the weirdest concept groups of the 60s – a mime rock band brought together by producer Lew Futterman – who'd also worked on some killer funky jazzy sessions with Brother Jack McDuff! The style here is psychedelic pop through and through – and although the group didn't speak, they do sing (is that really mime?) – and work in a groovy sing-song blend of reeds and rockish rhythms, one that definitely has some of the same sharp changes and funky undercurrents you'd find in Futterman's jazz projects – although honed down here into much shorter Sunshine tunes! The album's a very unique little record – and oddly the group flourished for years. But somehow this first record has a charm that's really undeniable – and is maybe still their best effort ever. Titles include "White Winged Doves","Dream Of Tomorrow", "Pray For Rain", "How Does It Feel To Be Free", "I Ride To Nowhere", "Come & See Me", and "Jelly Jam". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from one of the funkiest leaders on the Chicago scene – the mighty mighty Willie Henderson, force behind some of the city's greatest soul tracks and funky 45s! This album's like a stack of lost funky nuggets laid back to back – with lots and lots of bass-heavy grooving from the band, and plenty of instrumental riffing on guitar and horns! Most tracks are instrumental, but often feature some nice shouted or spoken bits – and the whole thing's stuffed to the rafters with great breaks, beats, and grooves! Titles include "Funky Chicken (parts 1 & 2)", "Off Into A Black Thing", "Soulful Football", "Sugar Sugar", "Can I Change My Mind", and "Is It Something You Got". This CD is overflowing with great bonus cuts too – 7 more numbers that include "The Whole Thing", "Loose Booty", "Harlem", "Break Your Back", "Windjammer", and two untitled instrumentals! CD

Killer work from one of the funkiest leaders on the Chicago scene – the mighty mighty Willie Henderson, force behind some of the city's greatest soul tracks and funky 45s! This album's like a stack of lost funky nuggets laid back to back – with lots and lots of bass-heavy grooving from the band, and plenty of instrumental riffing on guitar and horns! Most tracks are instrumental, but often feature some nice shouted or spoken bits – and the whole thing's stuffed to the rafters with great breaks, beats, and grooves! Titles include "Funky Chicken (parts 1 & 2)", "Off Into A Black Thing", "Soulful Football", "Sugar Sugar", "Can I Change My Mind", and "Is It Something You Got". Also includes two very funky bonus tracks – "Loose Booty" and "Break Your Back". LP, Vinyl record album

Great live set recorded by Jon Hendricks during a time when he was making his home in the artsy community of Sausalito, on the San Francisco Bay. The set's recorded at the town's tiny Trident club, where Jon played for a while on a very regular basis, and the feeling is very relaxed and comfortable. The band includes players who would go on to make more of a name for themselves in the 70's – like Noel Jewkes and Flip Nunez – but the real focus is on Jon's rich, raspy, always-swingin' vocals. There's a lot of nice uptempo tracks that demonstrate his agile vocalese skills, including readings of "Yeh Yeh", "Watermelon Man", "Gimme That Wine", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Jon's Mumbles". LP, Vinyl record album

The great live compilation of classic Hendrix – pulled from incendiary performances at Isle Of Wight in 1970 and other benchmark west coast gigs from '68 to '70! It's as fine of a snapshot of Jimi as you could really hope for, as it features numbers that showcase his fiery blues psych side that pretty much single-handedly change rock guitar forever after, as well as more loosely furnished bluesy jams that demonstrate his love for the blues legends before him. So, it's Jimi paving the way and showing love for his predecessors – and historical importance aside, it's simply great stuff! Some gigs have Noel Redding on bass and others have Billy Cox. Includes "The Queen", "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Little Wing", "Fire", "Red House", "Johnny B Goode", "Lover Man", "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimi Hendrix, live in Los Angeles – just days before the release of his classic Are You Experienced album – a record that changed a generation! Jimi was actually working that night as the opening act for The Mamas & The Papas – and we're guessing that his searing solos and raw musical vision really blew the whole crowd away – so much so, we wish the set had a visual component, so we could see reaction shots of the crowd! The Experience group has the classic lineup of Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums – and titles include "Purple Haze", "Wild Thing", "Fire", "Catfish Blues", "Foxy Lady", and a reading of "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". LP, Vinyl record album

A great version of Ralph Burns' "Early Autumn" – and vintage 40s material from the Herman band, with Red Rodney, Ernie Royal, Conte Candoli, and Rolf Ericson on trumpets; Serge Chaloff, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, and Stan Getz on saxes! LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of work from one of the hippest bandleaders to emerge in the swing generation – and one of the few to be able to tie his approach to the growing worlds of modern jazz and jump jive too! The set features material from Woody Herman's first three "herds" – the first, his initial recording group with Columbia; the second, his groundbreaking group with the "four brothers" group of horn players who included Stan Getz and Jimmy Giuffre; and the third his mid 50s revival group that had Ralph Burns turning in some great modern arrangements to rework that four brothers sound. The set features very lively notes from Woody himself – and titles include "Non Alcoholic", "Caldonia", "Good Earth", "Four Brothers", "Early Autumn", "Third Herd", "Mulligan Tawny", "Blame Boehm", and "Sidewalks Of Cuba". LP, Vinyl record album

A solo piano recital. Tracks include "Haunted Heart", "Song Is You", "Body And Soul", "In Walked Bud", and "Sarabande". CD

Totally great stuff by The Hollies – and don't let anyone else tell you any different! For Certain is one of the band's greatest albums – forged out of some totally great songwriting, amazingly precise guitar parts, and sharp-edged vocals that make the tracks sparkle and glisten. Big hits include "Pay You Back With Interest" and "Stop Stop Stop" – but it's all great, and other titles include "Tell Me To My Face", "Clown", "What's Wrong With The Way I Live", and "Crusader". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime small group work from tenor saxophonist Bill Holman – and a record that really lets him stretch out with some longer-than-usual solo work! Holman's working here as the co-leader with drummer Mel Lewis – in a group that also features trumpeter Lee Katzman, bassist Wilford Middlebrook, and pianist Jimmy Rowles. The head arrangements are quite tight, and remind us a lot of some of Holman's work on charts for larger bands – but as the longish tunes unfold, the solo work is extremely dexterous – and supported wonderfully by some fluid work on piano by Rowles. Titles include Holman's classic "Jive For Five", plus "The Beat Generation", "502 Blues Theme", and "Liza". CD

Forget the "blues" in the title – because the set's as much a soul jazz cooker as any of Groove's classic records for Prestige! The format's a bit different than usual – in that Groove solos on Hammond over large arrangements by Onzy Matthews – in a sweet organ/big band mode that's got plenty of bounce! The tunes are mostly from R&B sources, but done here with a groovy 60s approach – and titles include "Organ Grinder", "Mean Old Frisco Blues", "Your Red Wagon", "In The Dark", and "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town". CD

A wicked set of groovers from Jimmy Bo Horne – produced with a snapping KC & The Sunshine Band groove, and proof that the Miami sound could still burn strong at the end of the 70s! The tunes are a mix of mellow numbers and funkier tracks that have a snapping "spank" sort of rhythm – that percolated approach to rhythm that TK first started laying down in the mid 70s, but which was given a bit more of an open-ended sound here. Jimmy's vocals are much better than the usual singer for this sort of set – sweetly crackling on the mellow tunes, but hitting with a deeper soul on the groovers. Titles include a long remake of "I Get Lifted", "You Get Me Hot", "Goin Home For Love", "Spank", and "Without You". CD

A pair of early records from Hour Glass – back to back in a single set! First up is the self titled Hour Glass album – fantastic early work from Gregg And Duane Allman – a set that's nothing at all like their Allman Brothers material, but which has a wonderful style nonetheless! At some level, there's a very strong soul current running through the music – as the group mix in songs by Curtis Mayfield, Deon Jackson, and others with some headier rock material – all set up in these arrangements by Dallas Smith that seem to begin in uptown soul, then push things into more psychedelic territory! The blend is great, and makes for a really wonderful record – on titles that include "I've Been Trying", "No Easy Way Down", "Out Of The Night", "Nothing But Tears", "Heartbeat", and "Silently". Power Of Love is an excellent second set from Hour Glass – the pre-Allman Brothers Band that featured both Duane and Gregg Allman, the latter of whom is really coming into his own on the record! Unlike the group's debut, this one features a lot more original material by Gregg – and guitars that start to crackle in that sweetly cresting style that would become the group's hallmark, and which would have an undeniable influence on the sound of rock in the 70s. At some level, the whole thing's an early southern effort to answer the sounds of the Bay Area scene – and comes off beautifully, thanks to titles that include "To Things Before", "I'm Not Afraid", "Home For The Summer", "Down In Texas", "Now Is The Time", and "Going Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout in the early career of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a very unique session that has him working with some larger arrangements in the background – blowing these magical solos over the top, while still hitting a great edge with the rest of the musicians as well! There's a sound here that's unlike anything else we can think of – including other big band trumpet dates of the time – partly because the set features a fair bit of arrangements by Wayne Shorter – a very rare side of his talents, but one that's equally as soulful as his sublime small group albums of the time. The record has an undeniable depth right from the start – magical, mystical, and very soulful – with a group that includes Eric Dolphy and Wayne Shorter on saxes, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Tracks include "Chocolate Shake", "Thermo", "Clarence's Place", and "Aries". CD

A real standout in the early career of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a very unique session that has him working with some larger arrangements in the background – blowing these magical solos over the top, while still hitting a great edge with the rest of the musicians as well! There's a sound here that's unlike anything else we can think of – including other big band trumpet dates of the time – partly because the set features a fair bit of arrangements by Wayne Shorter – a very rare side of his talents, but one that's equally as soulful as his sublime small group albums of the time. The record has an undeniable depth right from the start – magical, mystical, and very soulful – with a group that includes Eric Dolphy and Wayne Shorter on saxes, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Tracks include "Chocolate Shake", "Thermo", "Clarence's Place", and "Aries". CD

The first-ever western collection of work from Japanese jazz giant Jiro Inagaki – a great saxophonist in his own right, and a real master of the groove with his Soul Media band! The double-length set is overflowing with gems from the golden age of Jiro and that group – tunes that effortlessly mix together acoustic and electric elements, with occasional nods to Japanese cultural styles – all at a level that's every bit as groovy as European work from the MPS/Saba generation! Jiro blows tenor, soprano, and flute on the tracks – and other players include the great Norio Maeda on organ, Hiromasa Suzuki on electric piano, and Ryo Kawasaki on guitar – on titles that include "Wandering Birds", "That's How I Feel", "Sniper's Snooze", "Head Rock", "Breeze", "Twenty One", "By The Red Stream", "Back Off Boogaloo", "Theme", "Express", "Barock", and "Painted Paradise". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool Japanese-only collection of cuts from Incognito – the long-running and legendary UK soul band who've given us fantastic music for many many years! This set brings together some rare mixes, some of which appear on CD for the first time ever – and also includes some great Incognito side projects too – all of which makes for a set that's way different than a simple "best of" or anything of that nature! Titles include "Lowdown (Ski Oakenfull rmx)", "The Less You Know (Bluey's ext mix)", "Ain't It Time (Club Surreal mix)", "1975 (Ski Oakenfull rmx)", "Put A Little Lovin In Your Heart (Bluey rmx)", "Life Ain't Nothing But A Good Thing (Bluey's jazz funk raw mix)", and related cuts "Take A Chance On Me (single edit)" by Bluey, "Smile" by Ed Motta, and "All The Way (Bluey & Ski Oakenfull Incognito rmx)" by Julee Karan with Wouter Hamel. CD

An unusual British jazz group gets even more unusual – with a sound that's even more mindblowing than some of their better-known records! The combo's headed by pianist John Mayer, who cut two fantastic Indo Jazz Fusions with reedman Joe Harriott in the late 60s – working here on an unreleased studio session from a few years later – with stunning guest work on harmonica from the great Larry Adler! At the core are the familiar Indo Jazz Fusions sounds – reeds from Stan Sulzmann on alto and flute, plus sitar from Clem Alford, guitar from Jim Moyes, bass from Jeff Clyne, drums from John Marshall, and tablas from Krishav Sathe – players who continue that jazz-meets-Indian spirit at the start of the set – then step back slightly on the Eastern tip from track two onwards – as Adler comes in with these amazingly eerie harmonica lines – a very strange but compelling blend with the energy of the rest of the group, and quite different than any of Larry's better-known recordings from earlier years. Once things get going, the mix of harmonica and Indian modes really steps up – a really cool mix, with lots of modal energy – on titles that include "Raga Malika", "Serenade", "Raga Megha", "Summertime", and "Sarabande". CD

Nothing innocent about this record – because the groove is hard and heavy, wild and trippy – a really heady brew of funky jazz and more psychedelic influences – all recorded with some weird sounds in the background too! The album's a great one from Japanese groove pioneer Takeshi Inomata – and it's almost a fusion of earlier 60s funky band jazz with some of the more tripped-out modes of the jazz rock era. Vamping rhythms and full-on organs are undercut by wiggy guitar parts and soaring organ lines – all augmented by spoken Japanese passages, sound effects, and production styles that abstract out some instruments into very unusual modes. There's plenty of soulful and funky moments throughout – and titles include "The Death Of Janis", "Child & I", "Blue", "Alone", and "Go For Nothing". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early album from this great Philly soul group, featuring some of their best sides from the 60s, and lots of tracks that weren't released as singles! The band includes Vince Montana on vibes, Norman Harris and Bobby Eli on guitar, Leon Huff on piano, and Lenny Pakula on organ – and the track list includes "Best Days Of My Life", "I Didn't Know", "Let Me In Your Mind", "This Is My Love Song", and "Brand New Me". Great great great soul stuff, with a good group, excellent arrangements, and tight early Philly soul songwriting! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful records to come out of the early 70s – a tremendous indie effort from a young Weldon Irvine! Irvine put this album together as sort of a musical "time capsule" of his generation – an effort to capture the era's thoughts, feelings, and emotions through a mix of music, vocals, and a few spoken bits – all woven together in a way that changes moods nicely, but always keeps the same righteously spiritual vibe! Weldon plays keys that are both electric and acoustic throughout – and he's joined by a very hip batch of players who include Jimmy Owens, Lenny White, Alex Blake, George Cables, and others – all working here in a very rough-edged and soulful mode. Titles include the classic break track "Bananas", the sweet vocal number "Deja Vu",and the soul classic "Feelin' Mellow" – also covered by Fatback Band, but even better here in the original! Other tracks include "Soul Sisters", "Watergate Don't Bug Me", "Spontaneous Interaction", and "I Am". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful records to come out of the early 70s – a tremendous indie effort from a young Weldon Irvine! Irvine put this album together as sort of a musical "time capsule" of his generation – an effort to capture the era's thoughts, feelings, and emotions through a mix of music, vocals, and a few spoken bits – all woven together in a way that changes moods nicely, but always keeps the same righteously spiritual vibe! Weldon plays keys that are both electric and acoustic throughout – and he's joined by a very hip batch of players who include Jimmy Owens, Lenny White, Alex Blake, George Cables, and others – all working here in a very rough-edged and soulful mode. Titles include the classic break track "Bananas", the sweet vocal number "Deja Vu",and the soul classic "Feelin' Mellow" – also covered by Fatback Band, but even better here in the original! Other tracks include "Soul Sisters", "Watergate Don't Bug Me", "Spontaneous Interaction", and "I Am". CD

Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. 2CD version features lots of bonus material – including "One More Chance", "70s Love Groove", "And On & On", "You Want This", "Where Are You Now", "Because Of Love", and "That's The Way Love Goes (CJ R&B 7" mix)". CD

Seminal sounds from Elmore James – a classic album that brings together material recorded in California, New Orleans, and Chicago – all with an amazing focus on Elmore's stunning talents on electric guitar! The music here mixes sides that have tight band backing with some smaller combo work – but throughout, James is the king – playing with a bold sense of tone, and singing with a voice to match – in a style that helped completely redefine the sound of blues music during these key electric years. Elmore is sublime throughout – and titles include "Dark & Dreary", "Dust My Blues", "Sunnyland", "Standing At The Crossroads", "Happy Home", "Blues Before Sunrise", "I Was A Fool", and "Mean & Evil". Includes 2 bonus tracks, too – "Wild About You Baby" and "Hand In Hand". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Ciribiribin", "Feet Draggin' Blues", "It's Funny To Everyone But Me", "Concerto For Trumpet", "Two O'Clock Jump", "You Made Me Love You", "I'm In The Market For You", "Flight Of The Bumblebee", "My Silent Love", "Flash", "Trumpet Blues And Cantabile", "All Or Nothing At All", "Back Beat Boogie", "I Can't Begin To Tell You", "Music Makers", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "Willow Weep For Me", "I Don't Want To Walk Without You", "Cherry", "By The Sleepy Lagoon", and "I'm Beginning To See The Light". CD

Although they were a UK soul act, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds were a perfect match for the Atlantic soul stable of the 60s. The group had a smooth group style that was partly uptown, partly northern soul – as clearly illustrated in this album, which is divided up into a "mood red: you feel like leaping" side, and a "mood blue: you feel like digging deeper" side. The band chose some good material that really helps them maintain a solid socking soul sound – including "The Entertainer" and "Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud" by Tony Clarke, "Ain't No Big Thing" and "I'm Just A Fool For You Girl" by Gerald Sims, and "Little Boy Blue" and "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield. Also features "Come To Me Softly", a sweet dreamy ballad by Jimmy, and kind of a bit crossover hit for the boys. LP, Vinyl record album

Killer Jazz Crusaders material – exactly the kind of record that really had the group coming into their own in the second half of the 60s – finding a rich new groove that few other combos could match! The record captures the group at a perfect time – a point when they were breaking past the tighter shorter formula of earlier material, and moving into a slightly more spiritual conception – yet one that still had a hard swing and a deeply soulful vibe! The record's a prime example of the never-ending energy held by the band – near-perfect on every track, and played with a sense of creative expression that easily puts them at the top of the soul jazz scene in the late 60s! Titles include "Night Theme", "Air Waves", "Uh Huh", "Watts Happening", and "Ice Water". CD

Excellent funky jazz from Czechoslovakia – served up in a blistering mix of big band arrangements and electric rock elements! The group's a jazz-rock orchestra – with a hard wailing instrumental sound that's sort of like the Clarke Boland Big Band, mixed with fuzzed-out guitars – a really great blend that's in the territory of some of the best MPS work of this type from the time! There's a bit of a progressive vibe to the record, but never in a way that has the solos getting too overindulgent – and throughout, the group keeps things going with very strong jazz elements in the music. Titles include the 14 minute groover "Nova Synteza", which has a tasty drum breakdown – plus "Popinavy Brectan", "Ma Hra", and "Smer Jihovychod". CD features 6 bonus tracks – including "Blue Taxi", "Living Things", and "I Got My Mojo Working". CD

A fantastic slice of lost work from the legendary JBs – including the track that first got Bootsy Collins and company the job as James Brown's backing band! The set leads off with that gem of a groove – the fast funky "More Mess On My Thing" – a tune that's got the sort of impeccable sharpness the JBs would bring to the James Brown universe in the early 70s – complete with tight drums, effortless basslines, and horn lines so tight they could cut glass! "The Wedge" follows – a sweet organ-driven instrumental with a vibe that's a lot like "Brother Rapp" – but stretched out as a long instrumental jam! And that approach really takes off on the super-long "When You Can Feel It Grunt (If You Can)" – a tune that begins with the band doing their own version of "Let The Music Take Your Mind", before going off into all the these other directions on the first-ever issue of the complete take of the tune! CD

A different groove than usual from The JBs – but still pretty darn nice, and way better than just about all the other funky combos on the market! It's the late 70s, and James Brown's head is a bit addled – he thinks he's the guy who invented disco, and he starts turning his extended funky sound towards the clubs. By this point, Fred and Maceo had left him, so he's working here with a new version of the JBs, one that still includes Jimmy Nolan on guitar and Sinclair Pickney on sax – and although the new band's not the same as the old, they're a surprisingly good funk band nonetheless, and the album's still more of a funk album than you'd guess from the title. In fact, if the record didn't have JBs in the title, most folks would probably thing it was some great lost band! Lots of uptempo funk tracks, similar to those on James' albums from the time – and Martha & The Lazers sing vocals on a few tracks. Titles include "JBs Disco", "Night Train Disco", "A Little Bit Of Disco", and "Soul Of The Disco". CD

Jefferson Airplane flying high in the late 60s – and Crown Of Creation was both a creative and commercial triumph for the band – balancing the tripped out adventurousness of their earlier work, with a more focused approach! Front loaded with moodier, acoustic-based songs that build into heavier rock as the record plays on – with some really great use of sound effects for added drama here and there! Titles include "Lather", "In Time", "Star Track", "Chushingura", "If You Feel", "Ice Cream Phoenix", "The House At Pooniel Corners" and more. CD

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". CD

Seminal late 60s work from Jefferson Airplane – done with an all-star roster of fellow counterculture heroes and late 60s icons in the studio – including David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Steven Stills, and Nicky Hopkins! The whole thing is an incredible mix of breezy harmonies and killer melodies, but tuned to more political lyrics – a brilliant approach – full of disarmingly tuneful, yet lyrically defiant songs. Amazing stuff – and a heck of a way to cap off the 60s for this legendary band. Titles include "Wooden Ships", "Eskimo Blue Day", "We Can Be Together", "A Song For All Seasons", and "Volunteers". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible treasure from the late 60s underground – the one and only album from the Jelly Bean Bandits, a group who really should have been huge! These guys are hardly the sweeter pop act you might expect from their name – and instead, they've got a rock-solid sound that's very heavy on the drums – then followed up by some very sinister organ and guitar! Lead vocals from Billy Donald are really great – with a nicely dark undercurrent that stands with the bigger names of his generation, but which never falls into any sort of overindulgence. Most tunes are somewhat short, but pack plenty of power from the bottom on up – and titles include "Happiness Girl", "Country Woman", "Poor Precious Dreams", "September Rain", "Goodtime Feeling", "Tapestries", and "Say Mann". 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". CD

The stunning debut as a solo act for Durand Jones – a set that's even deeper and more powerful than his work with The Indications, at a level that shows that Jones is a soul singer with a hell of a lot of potential, and not just another voice working in a funk band! There's plenty of deep soul styles going on here – tunes that are more laidback and slow-stepping than before, so that Jones can really unfurl his vocal majesty, and create a sound that provides a fresh new chapter in the legacy of southern soul – not a retro rehash of modes from Stax or Atlantic, but a real 21st Century take on the territory! Titles include "See It Through", "I Want You", "Lord Have Mercy", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Letter To My 17 Year Old Self", "Sadie", "Wait Til I Get Over", "Gerri Marie", and "That Feeling". CD

The stunning debut as a solo act for Durand Jones – a set that's even deeper and more powerful than his work with The Indications, at a level that shows that Jones is a soul singer with a hell of a lot of potential, and not just another voice working in a funk band! There's plenty of deep soul styles going on here – tunes that are more laidback and slow-stepping than before, so that Jones can really unfurl his vocal majesty, and create a sound that provides a fresh new chapter in the legacy of southern soul – not a retro rehash of modes from Stax or Atlantic, but a real 21st Century take on the territory! Titles include "See It Through", "I Want You", "Lord Have Mercy", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Letter To My 17 Year Old Self", "Sadie", "Wait Til I Get Over", "Gerri Marie", and "That Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

Man, these guys just keep on getting better – and this time around, Durand Jones & The Indications deliver a record that's way more than just another funk band with a lead singer! Instead, there's a depth and complexity to this set that takes us back to our favorite indie soul albums at the start of the 70s – particularly ultra-hip work from the Philly and New Jersey scenes, where sweet and funky soul modes could exist in equal space – and come up with results that are every bit as great! The core funky instrumentation from the group is still in place - but there's also larger arrangements with a bit of strings and vocals – really opening up the tunes, and somehow underscoring their more righteous currents in a way that smaller instrumentation would never do. Jones sounds better than ever – as if he's been waiting for a chance like this to really take off – and titles include "Morning In America", "Circles", "True Love", "Walk Away", "Long Way Home", "Sea Gets Hotter", "How Can I Be Sure", "Listen To Your Heart", and "Court Of Love". CD

A wonderful later album from these two Coltrane bandmembers – reunited here in the early 80s, working in a mode that's very much in keeping with their rich spiritual jazz legacy! The group on the album's a quintet – with Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Richard Davis on bass, and Jean-Paul Bourelly on electric guitar. Sanders' majestic tenor solos really make the album sparkle – as he's blowing in a mode that feels a lot like Coltrane, circa 1963, touched with some of his own raspy soul, which makes for a different edge. Titles include "Little Rock's Blues", 'Hip Jones", "For Tomorrow", "Korina", and "Origin". CD