Great early work from Lowell Fulson – tracks recorded in the 50s for Chess Records – all in Chicago, and a fair bit more obscure than some of Lowell's better-known sides from the 60s! There's still a nicely gritty groove going on here – a style that's rooted in blues, but which often comes across with some of those more sly, more wicked moments that have always made Fulson one of our favorites – almost a slightly jazz or funk undercurrent at points, and a bit different than the regular Chess groove. Titles include "Do Me Right", "Trouble Trouble", "Hung Down Head", "Tollin Bells", "Low Society", "Check Yourself", "That's All Right", and "I Want To Know". CD

Pivotal singles from the amazing Wanda Jackson – one of the greatest female rock and country voices from the 50s onward – who mixes a cutesy coo and a feral growl for a sound that was pretty much unprecedented at the time! The material bridges proto rock and country music in a way that confused the heck outta radio programmers and the label's hope to break her into superstardom back in the day – and Wanda had a voice that could've (and should've) made her a star on par with the Sun Studios boys club. She's tough and tender at the same time – and Capitol producer Ken Nelson is near the top of his game here, too. This really is the best of her Capitol singles – 29 in all – including "I Gotta Know", "Fujiyama Mama", "Honey Bop", "Did You Miss Me?", "Right Or Wrong", "Sinful Heart", "In The Middle Of A Heartbreak", "Mean Mean Man', "Sympathy", You Bug Me Bad", "Silver Threads And Golden Needles", "Rock Your Baby", "(Every Time They Play) Our Song", "Little Charm Bracelet", "No Wedding Bells For Joe", "Honey Bop" and more. CD

Smoking early work from the legendary Freddie King – most of it recorded during years he had a strong connection to the Chicago electric blues scene, where he really honed his craft to perfection! The work here is definitely blues, but King's vocals bring a soulful inflection to the songs that's undeniable – and although his hard-riffing style would later be copped by countless imitators on later cheesy blues albums, the presentation here is still breathtaking – really raw, and recorded by King with this clear, sharp sound on the guitar that seems to knock out all other elements when Freddie takes a solo! The package is one of the first to really dig deep into these crucial years for King – and brings together 54 tracks all recorded as singles for King Records – complete with full notes, and even information on the original releases too. Titles include "In The Open", "Texas Oil", "Come On", "Just Pickin", "I Hear Jingle Bells", "Hideaway", "Look Ma I'm Cryin", "King A Ling", "Driving Sideways", "Meet Me At The Station", "Monkey Donkey", "Surf Monkey", "The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist", and "Manhole". CD

The incredible debut of Phil Ochs – easily one of the most powerful folk albums of the 60s, and a set that wears its politics on its sleeve like few other records! In an era when many folkies worked a social agenda with sly jokes and twee metaphors, Ochs went straight for the jugular and took his topics head on – singing directly about the topics with a voice nearly shaking in anger, and working here with jagged guitar accompaniment that only further underscores the mood of the tunes. There's a rawness here that beats even Dylan's most political moments from the early albums, and the simple brilliance of the set makes it as powerful today as it was upon its release over 40 years ago. Titles include "Talking Vietnam", "One More Parade", "Automation Song", "Talking Cuban Crisis", "What's That I Hear", "Bound For Glory", "The Bells", and "Ballad Of William Worthy". CD

Sublime early work from Robert Wyatt and crew – a psychedelic accented jazz rock classic that never gets old – and a visionary set that inspired a generation! The heavily fuzzy guitar sound is transcendent on Volume Two – with sudden jazzy changes, augmented by horns, and all done with a sly sense of humour for which the group doesn't get enough credit. It's broken up into two different "concept" halves – the first half is "Rivmic Melodies" – and includes "Pataphysical Introduction", "A Concise British Alphabet", "Dada Was Here", and "Out Of Tunes". The second is "Esther's Nose Job" – with the parts "Pig", "Fire Engine Passing With Bells Clanging", "Orange Skin Food", and "A Door Opens & Closes". Wyatt's on vocals and drums; Hugh Hopper is on bass, guitar, and alto; and Mike Ratledge plays some great Lowry and Hammond organ, plus a bit of harpsichord and flute! CD

One of the best post-Paris live dates by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – recorded right on their southside home turf in Chicago, as something of a homecoming after their years abroad! The performance is really one continuous piece, divided up into chapters – and it starts off with an intensity that's bolder than much of the group's previous recordings – an almost-free sort of sound that's quite raw, and which must have been a great way to announce their presence back on the Chicago scene. As the piece moves on, it slows a bit in pace, and opens up more in mood – but always has an edge that's quite distinct – almost free of some of the wit that marked the Ensemble's work from a few years before. The core lineup features Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman on saxes, Malachi Favors on bass, and Don Moye on drums and percussion – but as always, all players get their hands on plenty of other instruments during the performance – an array of horns, gongs, bells, whistles, bike horns, and more – all used to great effect! Sections of the work are titled "Duffvipels", "Checkmate", "Dautalty", and "Mata Kimasu". CD

Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, wooden flute, and contra-alto clarinet; DD Jackson on piano, organ, bass synth, and keys; Kahil El'Zabar on drums, percussion, bells, kalimba, and vocals. CD

Even at an early age, Anthony Braxton was already experimenting with new forms of jazz composition – and this 1968 debut as a leader is filled with the imaginative approaches to music that would make him a key shaper of jazz in the next decade! The tracks here are all quite long, and although free-sounding, still have an intrisic logic dictated by Braxton's compositional ideals – played by himself on alto, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, and a variety of other instruments – in a quartet that features Leo Smith on trumpet and mellophone, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and cello, and Leroy Jenkins on violin and viola. In true AACM fashion, all players pick up other instruments as the tunes roll on – percussion bits, kazoo, slide whistle, bells, and more – almost more Art Ensemble-like than some of Braxton's more tightly-controlled environments on later records. Titles include two pieces titled in Braxton's equation-like style – plus "The Bell". CD

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". Plus, this CD also adds 2 long bonus cuts – "Lover" and "Royal Flush" – both of which weren't on the original album! CD

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". Plus, this CD also adds 2 long bonus cuts – "Lover" and "Royal Flush" – both of which weren't on the original album! CD

Ehran Elisha on bells, temple blocks, gong, rototoms, and percussion and Roy Campbell on trumpet, flugelhorn, pocket trumpet, flute, and percussion. CD

Tracks include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "Creole Love Call", "Black Beauty", "Flaming Youth", "Cotton Club Stomp", and "Ring Dem Bells" – 22 tracks in all. CD

Bobby Hutcherson breaks it down in two different ways – solo on the first half of the record, and in a quartet on the rest! The set begins in a very spare way – Bobby playing vibes, marimba, xylophone, and bells – often a bit overdubbed, so that although alone, Hutcherson fills the tracks with a rich palette of sound – glowingly rhythmic lines that ring out with plenty of soul, and showcase a really under-tapped side of Bobby's talents! Remaining tracks are equally great, but in a totally different way – played by a righteous lineup that includes McCoy Tyner on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – really working together beautifully in ways that make the album feel like a lost 70s soul jazz set. Forget Hutcherson's slick look on the cover – because this album's drenched in open, honest, acoustic feeling – a rich tapestry of sound and emotion, on tracks that include "Gotcha", "The Ice Cream Man", "For You Mom & Dad", "Messina", "My Foolish Heart", and "La Alhambra". CD

Two great sets from reedman Charles Lloyd! Dream Weaver really pushes forward all the experiments he'd begun in the Chico Hamilton group – and shows a bold move forward for rhythms in 60s jazz! The tracks are long, and spiral out wonderfully – but in ways that are different than those used by other creators of the time – like Eric Dolphy or John Coltrane. Even though leading the group on tenor and flute, Lloyd's got a real sense of rhythm to his playing – echoes of the Hamilton group – but set loose with a stellar quartet of younger players – including Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all perfect choices for inventive music like this! The standout cut is the amazing "Sombrero Sam", a tight little groover that we never tire of – and one that has Jarrett sounding much more in the pocket than you'd ever imagine – and other tracks include "Dream Weaver", "Autumn Sequence", and "Bird Flight". Love-In features a classic batch of modal grooves from Charles Lloyd – recorded during the height of his mind-expanding years, with his famous quartet that included Keith Jarrett on piano and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The tracks are long and magical, done with that spiritual spiraling sound that Lloyd was wowing the hippies with at the time – and considering that this set was recorded live at the Fillmore, there were an awful lot of hippies present to be wowed! But the set's also got a charm that lives long past its time – thanks to an expansive vision from Lloyd on flute and tenor, and from Jarrett on piano too. Titles include "Sunday Morning", "Love-in", "Tribal Dance", and "Temple Bells". CD

A great pairing – just Warne Marsh on tenor and Red Mitchell on bass! Tracks include "Cherokee", "It's You Or No One", "Everything Happens To Me", "Sippin' At Bells", and "These Foolish Things". CD

Matt Moran on vibraphone, Adam Good on electric guitar and E Bow, John Hollenbeck on drums, percussion, bells, and melodica, and Oscar Noriega on alto saxophone and bass clarinet. CD

With Joe Fonda on bass and George Schuller on drums and bells. CD

A tremendous album from Laura Nyro – a real return to the soulful style of her roots, thanks to help from Labelle on backing vocals, and the team of Gamble & Huff on production! If Nyro only ever gave the world this record, that would more than be enough – because the whole thing's an incredibly hip blend of her own great songwriting and some of the more righteous strands of American soul music at the time. Most of the tracks are older soul numbers – some done relatively straight, others done with the more personal, contemplative style you'd expect from Nyro during these years. And decades before Amy Winehouse or Joss Stone started hitting territory like this, Nyro proved that a set of soul tracks like this could come off well, if handled with the right talent! Titles include "The Bells", "I Met Him On A Sunday", "Spanish Harlem", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "Desiree", "The Wind", "Nowhere To Run", and "It's Gonna Take A Miracle". CD features 4 bonus tracks too – "A Natural Woman", "Ooh Child", "Up On The Roof", and "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing". CD

A beautiful follow up to Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield – even if the slow building success of that classic first album ended up literally bypassing the newer Hergest Ridge on the charts at the time! Hergest Ridge, like its famous predecessor, it's the album is of a piece, in 2 parts, and deeply layered blend of disparate instrumentation that works just beautifully. But Hergest Ridge is a different feel, with more a pastoral, meditative experience – building slowing and achieving a kind of intensity more and more as it goes along, particularly in the second part. Innovative use of the studio abound, purportedly employing over a thousand electric guitar overdubs, but it all feels natural. This 2010 CD version includes new stereo mixes by Oldfield, plsu 2 short bonus tracks: the single b-side "In Dulci Jubio (For Maureen) plus "Spanish Tune" (previously unreleased 1974 promotional version) and a nice booklet of notes. CD

The third album from symphonic rock pioneer Mike Oldfield – at this point unable to steer his way out of the engulfing shadow of his massive Tubular Bells album of a couple years earlier – yet still bearing fruit creatively, as Ommadawn is his third excellent and pretty much unprecedented album of layered instrumental mood rock grandeur in a row! It's not only his third album, it's his third 2 part, single piece epic in a row that's woven from acoustic, electric, classic and modern instrumentation – with a choir and and folk instrumentation keeping in something of an earthy realm, even with synthezisers and more otherworldly touches. Influences from Irish folk to African percussion, it's uncompromising, intricate and interesting to this day! This 2010 CD version features new stereo mixes by Oldfield, bonus tracks, and nice booklet of notes. Bonus tracks include "In Dulce Jubilo" and "Portsmouth" (both A-sides of singles), "First Excursion" and Argiers". CD

A double length set – with the complete ABC/Probe recordings of Soft Machine! The first disc features the amazing debut of Soft Machine! It's hard to find a more seminal moment of jazz rock from the British scene – and there's certainly few albums from its generation that stand up as well over the years as this one! The trio of Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Michael Ratledge carve out the future of progressive playing on this excellent set of shorter tunes that still offer up all the hard jamming of later years. Beat group morphs into prog jazz before your very eyes – on tracks like "Hope For Happiness", "Why Am I So Short", "Save Yourself", "Priscilla", "So Boot If At All", "A Certain Kind", "Lullabye Letter", and "Why Are We Sleeping?". Soft Machine Two is sublime early work from Robert Wyatt and crew – a psychedelic accented jazz rock classic that never gets old – and a visionary set that inspired a generation! The heavily fuzzy guitar sound is transcendent on Volume Two – with sudden jazzy changes, augmented by horns, and all done with a sly sense of humour for which the group doesn't get enough credit. The set's broken up into two different "concept" halves – and side one is "Rivmic Melodies" – and includes "Pataphysical Introduction", "A Concise British Alphabet", "Dada Was Here", and "Out Of Tunes". Side two is "Esther's Nose Job" – with the parts "Pig", "Fire Engine Passing With Bells Clanging", "Orange Skin Food", and "A Door Opens & Closes". Wyatt's on vocals and drums; Hugh Hopper is on bass, guitar, and alto; and Mike Ratledge plays some great Lowry and Hammond organ, plus a bit of harpsichord and flute! CD

A record of incredible beauty – and hardly what you'd expect to hear from John Zorn! The set's a gentle batch of instrumentals – penned with almost an ear for the ancient, although delivered in ways that also owe something to contemporary acoustic recordings as well – a blend that would already be compelling enough on its own, but which is even more amazing coming from Zorn! There's no sax at all on the set – Zorn's role here is only as composer – and music is handled by the great trio of Bill Frisell on guitar, Kenny Wolleson on vibes and bells, and Carol Emanuel on harp – a musical blend that's filled with warmly ringing tones that are mighty nice. Titles include "The Middle Pillar", "The Book Of Pleasure", "The Invisibles", "Sign & Sigil", and "Diatesseron". CD

Music from Christie, Lynn Anderson, Ray Price, Sammi Smith, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Wadsworth Mansion, Brewer & Shipley, Ocean, the Bells, Matthews' Southern Comfort, Mark Lindsay & the Glass Bottles. CD

One of the most awe-inspiring Nuggets sets yet – a massive ode to the late 60s San Francisco scene – a wide, wide breadth of amazing singles from a disparate selection of acts – bound by a 120-page hardcover, richly illustrated book! Love Is The Song We Sing isn't at all the lumbering box of hippie nostalgia you might be expecting – it's weighted very heavily in leftfield obscurities, out numbering the big hits by at least 10-to-1 – with harshly buzzing tunes, groovy psychedelia, and topical folk tunes alike. The book is full of great photos, in buoyant color and stately black & white, with notes on each individual track, an essay & track commentary by Alec Palao, a piece by early Rolling Stone figurehead Ben Fong Torres, and an additional piece by Gene Sculatti. This is one of the best Rhino boxes we've ever seen, and that's saying something, isn't it – with amazing songs by Dino Valente, Country Joe & The Fish, Blue Cheer, Sly Stone, Ace Of Cups, Count Five, Moby Grape, Beau Brummels, Flamin' Groovies and many more! Disc one "Seismic Rumbles" includes "Let's Get Together" by Dino Valente, "You Were On My Mind" by We Five, "Number One" by Charlatans, "Can't Come Down" by Warlocks, "She's My Baby" by Mojo Men, "Human Monkey" by Frantics and loads more. Disc 2 "Suburbia" includes "Psychotic Reaction" by Count Five, "Foolish Woman" by Oxford Circle, "Rubiyat" by Immediate Family, "Hearts To Cry" by Frumious Bandersnatch and more. Disc 3 "Summer Of Love" includes "Carl Street" by Mystery Trend, "Superbird" by Country Joe & The Fish, "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane, "Summertime Blues" by Blue Cheer, "Underdog" by Sly & The Family Stone, "Loading Zone" by Bells and lots more. Disc 4 "The Man Can't Bust Our Music" includes "Evil Ways" by Santana, "Revolution" by Mother Earth, "I'm Drowning" by Flamin' Groovies, "Dark Star" (single version) by Grateful Dead, "Get Together" by The Youngbloods and more. 77 tracks on 4CDs! CD

One of best set's yet on Tucson, AZ's Cicadelic label – deep diggers of obscure regional psych sounds – this one collecting rumbling late 60s singles by TX combos Carrols Mood, The Nomads, The Rebellers, Smoke, and The Remaining Few! It covers the years '66-'68 – a really creative period when the Brit Invasion and folk rock stuff that was popular around the globe was morphing into nascent psychedelia. Regional US groups on the coasts were making it big, but so many regional acts were just as great and never really got a shot at massive popularity. Here's a great document of what was happening down in Texas! Includes "What You're Doing To Me" and Out She Goes" (unreleased mixes) by Carrols Mood, "I'll Be There", "Three O'Clock Merrian" (several takes) and a really wild cover of "My Little Red Book" all by The Nomads, "Mainstream" by Smoke, "Mystical Bells" by The Sights And Sounds, "The New Generation" (previously unreleased mix) by The Rebellers and more. CD

Features Ambarchi on guitars, piano, bells, glass harmonica, drums, and vocals – plus guest violin from Veren Grigorov. CD

A crucial European performance by Albert Ayler in the mid 60s – one that wasn't issued until many years after the recording, but which has become one of the sharpest pictures of his genius at the time! The vibe here is different than the Ayler albums for ESP – still very much in the same territory, but with this approach that's really reaching out with a deeply spiritual consciousness – an energy to embrace the whole history of jazz, both very old and very new – and re-form its entire ideology into a richly personal expression. Ayler's tremendous on tenor, but Don Ayler is often equally great on trumpet – and the unusual group features Michel Samson on violin, William Fowell on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums. Titles include really unique readings of "Bells", "Prophet", "Our Prayer/Spirits Rejoice", "Ghosts", "Truth Is Marching In", and "Spiritual Rebirth/Light In Darkness/Infinite Spirit". CD

Recorded May 1, 1966 at Slug's Saloon, NYC. Features themes and variations on "Bells" and "Ghosts". CD

Material from the last concert Chet Baker ever recorded – a surprisingly tight session that has the trumpeter blowing solos in front of the NDR Big Band. The setting is relatively relaxed – not a blasting big band session, but one that colors in the space between Baker's notes with gentle shades of sound – really respecting his role as a soloist, and providing just the right amount of gentle accompaniment to flesh out the sound of the set. Chet sings on 2 numbers – "My Funny Valentine" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" – and other tracks include "Sippin At Bells", "Conception", "Look For The Silver Lining", and "Tenderly". Herb Geller also solos on 2 numbers too! CD

Hazy beatcraft steeped in Indian soundtrack style funk, strings and percussion from the indefatigable Madlib – Volumes 3 & 4 in the Beat Konducta series of the increasingly adventurous and conceptual outings – 2 volumes on 1CD! This time out Madlib, er, Beat Konducta is conducting beats, strings & things from India and/or otherwise East – but the way in which the beats bluntly thump is quintessential Madlib – you know it and love it from the first beat! 'Lib really breathes fresh life into this approach – going miles deeper than anyone out there doing the Bollywood-hip hop hybrid – coming up with a sound all his own. CD version includes the complete Volumes 3 & 4. Masterful! Titles include "Enter Hot Curry", "Indian Hump", "Onthanewthing", "Indian Deli", "Rumble", "Dancing Girls Theme", "Piano Garden", "Dark Alley Incidental Music", "Early Party", "Fifth Chant", "The Rip Off (Scene 3)", "Sitar Ride", "Get It Right", "More Rice", "Indian Bells", "Smoke Circle", "Sha Sound", "Another Getaway", "Raw Ground Wire", "Main Title" and more. CD

Promotional sampler for the 2003 SACD reissue series – with 15 tracks including "Maggie's Farm", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "Simple Twist Of Fate", "Dear Landlord", "One More Cup Of Coffe", "Gotta Serve Somebody", and "Ring Them Bells". CD

80s material from trumpeter Rolf Ericson – but sides that we'd rank right up there with his better-known work from the 50s! There's a great back-to-basics feel to this material – a timeless quality that has Rolf really hitting his stride and the best side of his sound – blowing trumpet and flugelhorn on most of the set in a quintet with Nils Sandsdtrom on tenor, Goran Lindberg on piano, and Mel Lewis on drums – but also working beautifully on a few duet sides with pianist Claes Croona. No matter the setting, Ericson blows with a strength of feeling and sense of tone that's totally great – one that makes us wonder how we lost track of him in the years between the albums we have in our collection, and this surprise session from the 80s. Titles include "Evelyn", "What Am I Here For", "Without A Song", "Mel's Bells", "Nancy With The Laughing Face", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Just Squeeze Me". CD

A real standout in the Bill Evans catalog for Riverside – and that's saying a lot, given how important all of his Riverside albums are! The core session's a rare quintet outing for Evans – one that breaks the mode of the usual trio format by adding in Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Jim Hall on guitar – alongside rhythm players Percy Heath on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – already a unique enough match for Evans' talents. In a way, the record's one of those sessions that Riverside would sometimes do – pairing a key new voice as a leader with others in an all-star group – but in another way, it's also a return to the sound that first brought Evans' to a wider audience in the 1957 and 1958 years – when he was working in non-trio groups with more famous players – adding his unique piano stylings to their (then) better-known solo modes. The pairing of Evans and Hall has been beautifully documented on other records – and sounds equally great here – but the real treat is Freddie Hubbard's horn, which often lays back on most of the tracks, then bursts in with a brashness that really ignites some of the tunes! He's playing a bit muted here, trying to go for that Miles/Evans combination from the late 50s – but that's plenty ok with us, as we love those records a lot. Titles include "When You Wish Upon A Star", "You & The Night & The Music", "I'll Never Smile again", "You Go To My Head" and the Evans original, "Interplay". This double-length set also expands the original Interplay album with even more material from another group session in 1962 – a set recorded also with Philly Joe Jones on drums and Jim Hall on guitar – plus Ron Carter on bass and Zoot Sims on tenor. Titles include "Time Remembered", "Loose Bloose", "Fun Ride", "There Came You", "Fudgesickle Built For Four", and "My Bells". CD

A quintet session. Tracks include "Count Up", "Sheer Lunacy", "Inner Urge", "Bells", and "Elvinesque". CD

Features Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet and congas, John Stubblefield on tenor, Joe Ford on alto and soprano sax, Larry Willis on piano, Andy Gonzalez on bass, and Steve Berrios on drums, bells and percussion. CD

A classic album of avant percussion – even if the title's a bit misleading! The Milford Graves Percussion Ensemble is mostly just Milford Graves himself, playing on drums, bells, gongs, and shakers – joined on this early album by Sunny Morgan, who also plays drums and bells on the set – working with Graves in a spiritual exploration of space and sound that predates some of the AACM recordings by a few years, and which shows ESP to be one of the most groundbreaking jazz imprints of the 60s! Tracks have a fairly hard hitting approach, and titles include "Nothing", "Nothing 13", "Nothing 5-7", and "Nothing 19". CD

A classic album of avant percussion – even if the title's a bit misleading! The Milford Graves Percussion Ensemble is mostly just Milford Graves himself, playing on drums, bells, gongs, and shakers – joined on this early album by Sunny Morgan, who also plays drums and bells on the set – working with Graves in a spiritual exploration of space and sound that predates some of the AACM recordings by a few years, and which shows ESP to be one of the most groundbreaking jazz imprints of the 60s! Tracks have a fairly hard hitting approach, and titles include "Nothing", "Nothing 13", "Nothing 5-7", and "Nothing 19". CD

Fred Hersch on piano – with Marc Johnson and Michael Formanek on bass, and Jeff Hirshfield on drums – plus special guests Toots Thielemans on harmonica and Gary Burton on vibes! Tracks include "Turn Out The Stars", "Nardis/Lonely Woman", "My Bells", "We Will Meet Again", "Peri's Scope", and "Time Remembered". CD

The fantastic first album from LL Cool J – one that really kicked off a whole new school of hip hop – the early Def Jam era! Radio features straight up excellent early Def production from Rick Rubin and loads of tight tracks from LL – whose charisma continued to flow for the next couple of decades – even if his later records could never approach this benchmark level. Tracks include "I Can't Live Without My Radio", "Rock The Bells", "Dangerous", "That's A Lie", "You'll Rock" and "I Can Give You More". A piece of history – and an album that changed hip hop forever! CD

A rock-solid swinger from tenorist Warne Marsh – a set that's maybe got a bit more of a groove than some of his other records of late vintage – thanks to work from the rhythm section of Kenny Drew on piano, Bo Stief on bass, and Aage Tanggaard on drums! Steif's especially nice – able to set things up with a soulful pulse that makes a great match for the crisp, clean tenor lines of Marsh – still blowing here with all the modern qualities we've always loved, but also swinging a lot more too. Titles include "Sippin At Bells", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Star Eyes", "Ornithology", "Body & Soul", "Little Willie Leaps", and "Every Time We Say Goodbye" – the last of which is just a duet between Marsh and Drew. CD

A tremendous album from Laura Nyro – a real return to the soulful style of her roots, thanks to help from Labelle on backing vocals, and the team of Gamble & Huff on production! If Nyro only ever gave the world this record, that would more than be enough – because the whole thing's an incredibly hip blend of her own great songwriting and some of the more righteous strands of American soul music at the time. Most of the tracks are older soul numbers – some done relatively straight, others done with the more personal, contemplative style you'd expect from Nyro during these years. And decades before Amy Winehouse or Joss Stone started hitting territory like this, Nyro proved that a set of soul tracks like this could come off well, if handled with the right talent! Titles include "The Bells", "I Met Him On A Sunday", "Spanish Harlem", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "Desiree", "The Wind", "Nowhere To Run", and "It's Gonna Take A Miracle". CD

Older Charlie Parker material – originally recorded as 78rpm releases for Savoy, packaged up here in full LP form, along with alternate takes and a great cover, in the years after his early death! Players include Miles Davis on trumpet, Tiny Grimes on guitar, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet and piano, Duke Jordan and John Lewis on piano, and Max Roach on drums – and titles include "Red Cross", "Sippin At Bells", "Little Willie Leaps", "Donna Lee", "Chasing The Bird", and "Half Nelson". CD

Features Leon Parker on congas, bells, caxixi, snare drum, and piano – plus Steve Wilson on alto, soprano sax, and flute, and additional percussion from Natalie Cushman. CD

A set of jazz standards, but tunes that are nicely remade in the hands of guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel – really given that warm, raspy sound that he gets while effortlessly spinning out chords on his instrument – grooving gently, and with a voice that's become one of the most distinct on jazz guitar in recent decades! The rest of the group features Michael Kanan on piano, Joe Martin on bass, and Tim Pleasant on drums – players who lay back very strongly on the ballads, yet swing when needed – on titles that include "Darn That Dream", "Epiphany", "Summertime", "Sippin At Bells", "When Sunny Gets Blue", and "Dewey Square". CD

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

Omar Sosa on piano, harmonium, marimba, vibraphone, turbular bells, percussion, sampler, and vocals, Paquito D'Rivera on clarinet, Dhafer Youssef on oud, Steve Arguelles on drums and scratches, Dieter Ilg on acoaustic bass, Renaud Pion on bass and contrabass clarinet, Philippe Foch on tabla and E bow, and Aziz Arradi on vocals, guembri and qarqabas. CD

Two albums on one CD – Autumn In New York is a record that features Stafford's sentimental vocals wrapped up warmly in backings from Paul Weston – string-heavy at times, but in a really dreamy way that works perfectly for Jo's blue-tinged vocals. The album's got a great sense of love lost and longing – and titles include "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "If I Loved You", "Almost Like Being In Love", "Through The Years", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Haunted Heart", and "Some Enchanted Evening". Starring Jo Stafford includes the songs "Serenade Of The Bells", "No Other Love", "The Gentleman Is A Dope", "Red River Valley", and "A Sunday Kind Of Love". CD

Includes the songs "These Foolish Things", "Exercise In Swing", "Salute To Fats", "Basie English", "Blue Lester", "Ghost Of A Chance", "Indiana", "Jump Lester Jump", "Crazy Over J-Z", "Ding Dong", "Blues 'N' Bells", "June Bug", "Circus In Rythm", "Poor Little Plaything", and "Tush". CD

Ahh, back to the old school, and in a nicely priced box set, too! 30 of your favorite party jams from Sugar Hill wil have you screaming "That's the joint!" again and again. Includes "Rappers Delight", "8th Wonder" & "Apache" by Sugarhill Gang, "That's The Joint" & "Rapping & Rocking The House" by the Funky Four, "Yes We Can Can" and "Turn It Up" by the Treacherous Three, "The Message", "Super Rappin No 1", "Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel", "Flash To The Beat", 'White Lines", and "It's Nasty (Genius Of Love)" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, "Spoonin Rap", "Monster Jam" & "Spoonie Is Back" by Spoonie Gee and "We Are Known As Emcees (We Turn The Party Out)", "Breaking Bells (Mardi Gras)" and "Scratching" by Crash Crew, plus tracks by Kevie Kev, Busy Bee, West Street Mob, Super Wolf, the Sequence, Reggie Griffin and more. . . CD

An odd little album in the Stan Getz catalog of the 50s – not just because of the cheesy cover and title, but also because it features a range of unusual material recorded over a three year period with a variety of different players! Some of the dates here definitely fit the "cool sounds" title of the record – in that they feature Getz with the west coast lineup of Loy Levy on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, and Leroy Vinnegar on bass – heard more famously on Stan's West Coast album of the same time. But other sides feature a different grouping – with Jimmy Rowles on piano, Bobby Whitlock on bass, and Max Roach on drums – offering up a different side of the west coast altogether. And still others take things back to more of an east coast modern style – by featuring either Tony Fruscella on trumpet or Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, in groups with John Williams on piano. The mix of material makes for a nicely-rounded portrait of Getz's talents in the mid 50s years – and the album features 10 tracks that include "Nobody Else But Me", "Serenade In Blue", "Of Thee I Sing", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Blue Bells", "Roundup Time", "Rustic Hop", and "A Handful Of Stars". CD

The third album from symphonic rock pioneer Mike Oldfield – at this point unable to steer his way out of the engulfing shadow of his massive Tubular Bells album of a couple years earlier – yet still bearing fruit creatively, as Ommadawn is his third excellent and pretty much unprecedented album of layered instrumental mood rock grandeur in a row! It's not only his third album, it's his third 2 part, single piece epic in a row that's woven from acoustic, electric, classic and modern instrumentation – with a choir and and folk instrumentation keeping in something of an earthy realm, even with synthezisers and more otherworldly touches. Influences from Irish folk to African percussion, it's uncompromising, intricate and interesting to this day! CD

Music from The Original Caste, Edward Bear, R. Dean Taylor, Tranquillity Base, Joey Gregorash, Lighthouse, Crowbar, The Bells, The Stampeders, April Wine, and more. CD