Not everyone digs the later Captain and crew, but the early 80s efforts have finally gotten their just props after all these years – and we'll we'll come right out and say that this second to last album before Don Van Vliet hung up the music for painting has always sounded great to us! The Magic Band is incredible as always – with Jeff Morris Tepper, Drumbo French and Eric Drew Feldman's antics under the Captain's idiosyncratic vocalese. With "Hot Head", "Ashtray Heart", "A Carrot Is As Close As A Rabbit Gets To A Diamond", "Run Paint Run Run", "Sue Egypt", "Brickbats", "Dirty Blue Gene", "Best Batch Yet", "Telephone", "Flavor Bud Living", "Sherriff Of Hong Kong" and "Making Love To A Vampire With A Monkey On My Knee". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Bethlehem Records date from vibes man Teddy Charles – stepping out here in a set that's one of his most openly swinging of the time! The record still has some of the modern currents of Teddy's other work, but also makes great use of Zoot Sims on tenor – really pushing him out front for some bold solos on most numbers – in a great group that also includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Sam Most on flute, and Dave McKenna on piano. There's a bit of audience noise at times, but we can't tell for sure if this is an actual live album – given the clarity of the performances throughout. Titles include "Nigerian Walk", "Rifftide", "Yesterdays", "That Old Black Magic", and "Yale Blue". 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". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Really fantastic later work from Bobby Darin – material that's quite different than the simple pop of his early Atco years, and even the jazzier style he used earlier on in the 60s! The set is one of two issued by the Direction label – and features Bobby taking off from some of the Tim Hardin-inspired modes he was using later on at Atlantic – picking up some of the deeper themes of the earlier singer-songwriter years – and singing in a very moody, contemplative style! According to some, Darin was aware that his health only gave him a few more years to live – which was part of the introspection of the music – and although the style owes a lot to Tim Hardin and some of his contemporaries, the songs are all originals by Darin – with some elements that are very different than before. Tracks include "Hey Magic Man", "Light Blue", "Distractions", and "Song For a Dollar". Features four bonus tracks too – "Sweet Reasons", "Maybe We Can Get It Together", "Baby Man", and "RX Pyro (Prescription Fire)". CD

One of the rarest soul records on Brunswick! This one was cut during the mid 70s – when the label was really having some rough times financially, but also was cutting some of its most groundbreaking soul work. The Directions are a tight harmony quintet – equipped, it appears, with their own band (The Directions Band) who give the group a nice rough soul sound. The vocal cuts on the record have sort of a Philly harmony style – with many uptempo numbers that are sort of a rougher version of work by Blue Magic or The Spinners. The instrumental tracks are smooth funk – with lots of tight keyboard work over heavy riffing and vamping, mostly in an uptempo vein. Titles include "Too Many Secrets", "Soup Line", "I Want To Be Your Special Man", "If You Ever", "We Need Love", and "I Love You So". CD

A fantastic lost set from modernist genius Gil Evans – one that expands on some of the larger group territory he was exploring with Miles Davis at Columbia Records – but with an even hipper range of soloists overall! The lineup on the record is an all-star one – mostly top shelf players, not studio musicians – and the set has Evans making room in the arrangements for key solo performances by giants who include Johnny Coles on trumpet, Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Budd Johnson on tenor, Ray Crawford on guitar, and both Curtis Fuller and Jimmy Cleveland on trombones – all players who each bring some key moments of magic to the larger arrangements on the album. Evans himself plays piano, and drums are by Elvin Jones and Dennis Charles – which should give you an idea of the modernist inclinations in the music. And although the title says "standards", the tunes here are definitely on the hipper side of the jazz spectrum of the 50s, expanded with beautiful modern arrangements by Gil – on versions of "Joy Spring", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", "Django", "Straight No Chaser", and "Chant Of The Weed". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue reboot in the career of keyboardist Ronnie Foster – a player who made some real magic on Blue Note in the 70s, then recorded on a number of other different labels – before stepping away from the studio for more than three decades! This set marks a great Blue Note return for Ronnie, and a strong back-to-basics use of the Hammond too – handled with the care of a long-trained master, but one who's also had plenty of phrasing experience on other keyboards too – which makes the record a nice change from a standard organ jazz outing. The group features plenty of great guitar from Michael O'Neill, drums from either Chris Foster or Jimmy Branley, and Latin percussion on a few tracks too – on titles that include "After Chicago", "Swingin", "Reboot", "J's Dream", "Carlos", and "After Conversation With Nadia" – plus a reworking of the Stevie Wonder classic "Isn't She Lovely". LP, Vinyl record album

Far and above the best album by sweet soul vocalist Major Harris! Harris had knocked around for years in vocal groups during the 60s, and had even sung for a bit with The Delfonics in the early 70s – but this album is his crowning achievement, a landmark of sweet Philly soul with some wonderful ballad work that he'd never be able to match again! Bobby Eli wrote, produced, and arranged most of the material – and although he had a bit of help from Norman Harris and Ron Kersey on some of the record, the core of the album is that perfect ballad style that Eli could do when he wasn't working on groovers. The centerpiece of the album is the stellar "Love Won't Let Me Wait" – a killer quiet storm soul number – and the record also features a great remake of "Sideshow", which Eli also cut with Blue Magic. Other tracks include "Loving You Is Mellow", "After Loving You", and "Each Morning I Wake Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The classic first LP by this stellar Chicago harmony group – and a monster! Heaven & Earth had a wonderful falsetto harmony sound that reminds us a lot of east coast winners like Blue Magic or The Stylistics – and like some of the best east coast groups, this group's vocals work equally well on slow ballads or faster uptempo numbers, both of which are handled extremely well on the record by producer Clarence Johnson. The bulk of the arrangements on the record were done by Tom Tom 84 – one of Chicago's true soul geniuses, and in perfect form on this record. The whole thing's amazingly well put together for an indie soul group album – and is a sure indication of the group's later fame on Mercury. Titles include "Nature's Miracle", "The Message", "I'll Always Love You", "Let Me Back In", and "I Can't Seem To Forget You". CD

The classic first LP by this stellar Chicago harmony group – and a monster! Heaven & Earth had a wonderful falsetto harmony sound that reminds us a lot of east coast winners like Blue Magic or The Stylistics – and like some of the best east coast groups, this group's vocals work equally well on slow ballads or faster uptempo numbers, both of which are handled extremely well on the record by producer Clarence Johnson. The bulk of the arrangements on the record were done by Tom Tom 84 – one of Chicago's true soul geniuses, and in perfect form on this record. The whole thing's amazingly well put together for an indie soul group album – and is a sure indication of the group's later fame on Mercury. Titles include "Nature's Miracle", "The Message", "I'll Always Love You", "Let Me Back In", and "I Can't Seem To Forget You". LP, Vinyl record album

The classic first LP by this stellar Chicago harmony group – and a monster! Heaven & Earth had a wonderful falsetto harmony sound that reminds us a lot of east coast winners like Blue Magic or The Stylistics – and like some of the best east coast groups, this group's vocals work equally well on slow ballads or faster uptempo numbers, both of which are handled extremely well on the record by producer Clarence Johnson. The bulk of the arrangements on the record were done by Tom Tom 84 – one of Chicago's true soul geniuses, and in perfect form on this record. The whole thing's amazingly well put together for an indie soul group album – and is a sure indication of the group's later fame on Mercury. Titles include "Nature's Miracle", "The Message", "I'll Always Love You", "Let Me Back In", and "I Can't Seem To Forget You". CD features the bonus track "Promises". CD

One of our favorite Bobby Hutcherson albums ever – and a magical session filled with electric Latin vibes! The album's quite a different one for Bobby at the time – as it has him working with some larger arrangements, in a soulful west coast groove that's almost got the feel of a hip 70s soundtrack. Bobby's vibes are nicely set up against Fender Rhodes on most tracks – and the group's got some added Latin percussion that really opens up the rhythms. The whole thing's totally wonderful – brimming over with sun and soul, the kind of magic record that will never be made again! Tracks include "Camel Rise", "Yuyo", "Montara", "La Malanga", "Little Angel", and "Love Song". CD

One of our favorite Bobby Hutcherson albums ever – and a magical session filled with electric Latin vibes! The album's quite a different one for Bobby at the time – as it has him working with some larger arrangements, in a soulful west coast groove that's almost got the feel of a hip 70s soundtrack. Bobby's vibes are nicely set up against Fender Rhodes on most tracks – and the group's got some added Latin percussion that really opens up the rhythms. The whole thing's totally wonderful – brimming over with sun and soul, the kind of magic record that will never be made again! Tracks include "Camel Rise", "Yuyo", "Montara", "La Malanga", "Little Angel", and "Love Song". CD

Genius, pure genius! This album's possibly the most perfectly realized set from the team of Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and Harold Land on reeds – a pair who hit territory that's slightly funky, but which is also still touched by the modal spiritualism of some of their earlier work together! The album has an approach that we've not heard on other sides from the time – in that it takes its time to build the grooves up slowly, layering element over element as the songs unfurl, crafting some killer numbers that make the album incredibly strong as a whole. Land plays flute and tenor, and even a bit of oboe, which makes for a wonderfully compelling reed sound – and the group also features Joe Sample on Fender Rhodes, on loan from The Crusaders, plus Fender bass from John Williams and drums from Mickey Roker. Titles include the classics "Ummh" and "Goin' Down South", which have been made famous over the years, thanks to the magic of sampling technology – plus the tracks "Jazz", "Night In Barcelona", and "Procession". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzy magic from the current Japanese underground – a hip group bubbling under, but with the same magic energy Jazztronik! Like Jazztronik, J's Bee blends together solid jazz roots and modern production – searching out some richly organic grooves that start slowly, build with spare keyboards and rhythms, and then take off to the skies with a really righteous sound. There's a bit of vocals on the set, but like Jazztronik, the group's equally well suited to working in an instrumental mode too. Tracks include "Eclipse", "Glow", "Naked", "Floating", "DB (Deep Blue)", and "Desert Skyline (Version 2)". CD

A real gem from Jay & The Americans – a record that was part of an initial step forward with their own creative direction, but which also nods back at the earlier music that had inspired their work! The set's filled with older gems from the early years of rock and soul – delivered by the group with a fuller set of arrangements, but also this strange current of blue – maybe a melancholy for the past, or in a way that almost uses the sounds of older times as a mask to hide the sadder currents of the present. Titles include "This Magic Moment", "So Much In Love", "Mean Woman Blues", "When You Dance", "Hushabye", and "Goodnight My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Late Kenton on Capitol – but great Kenton too! In a way, Stan was almost best when he was working with standards – as on a set like this, he has an incredible way of transforming the sound of familiar numbers into something dark, moody, and modern. It's amazing to hear the way he raises the edge of tunes we thought we'd already heard too much of – and working with players like Charlie Mariano, Don Sebesky, and Rolf Ericson, Stan's in perfect company to really work magic with the material. Titles include "Django", "Willow Weep For Me", "I Get Along Without You Very Well", "The Thrill Is Gone", and "When Sunny Gets Blue". CD features the bonus track "Lazy Afternoon". CD

The rarest of three albums that King Pleasure ever recorded – and pretty darn hard to find, too. The set was recorded after King's earlier sides for the Prestige and HiFi jazz labels, but it's in a very similar style, with some wonderful vocalese-ing done in Pleasure's landmark style. He's really one of the greatest jazz singers of the 20th century, and it's unfortunate that apart from the big hit fame of "Moody's Mood For Love" (recorded here once again), King never got strong recognition as a richly talented singer. A number of cuts on here are re-recordings of earlier work – like "Don't Get Scared" and "Sometimes I'm Happy" – and other tracks include "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "Old Black Magic". Plus, this CD reissue also expands the original album with a lot of bonus cuts, including some great unreleased numbers – a total of 18 tracks in all, and a treasure trove of work by King Pleasure! CD

A real breakout album for Earl Klugh – the kind of record that got him on the a-list of fusion players for the rest of the 70s! The title here is especially well-chosen – as the tunes have a gently colorful feel that's never too slick, despite the tighter setting of the album – with light arrangements by Dave Grusin that still leave Earl plenty of space to work his subtle magic on the strings of the guitar. Titles include "Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow", "Summer Song", "Dance With Me", "Dr Macumba", "Long Ago & Far Away", and "Cabo Frio". CD

Abbey Lincoln in very familiar territory – working through a set of all-original compositions – self-penned tunes that are awash in dark moods and subdued emotions! The setting shows the full depths of Abbey's talents – and is a great reminder that she's not just an old jazz singer that you can trot into the studio for a record of dusted-off standards – but a continually growing, evolving talent – and one with a compositional pen that's as compelling as her instantly-recognizable voice! Instrumentation features guitars from Larry Campbell, accordion from Gil Goldstein, bass from Scott Colley, cello from Dave Eggar, and drums from Shawn Pelton – and Abbey wrote the words and music to all titles save one – a version of "Blue Monk", which features Thelonious' own music. Titles include "And It's Supposed To Be Love", "Should've Been", "Learning How To Listen", "Down Here Below", "The World Is Falling Down", "Throw It Away", and "The Music Is The Magic". CD

Some of the greatest work ever by The Main Ingredient – a selection of their singles for RCA records from the late 60s and early 70s – but one that goes way past just the hits, in order to fully trace the evolution of their heavenly vocal style! The trio started out as an already-great harmony act in the late 60s – a group who were even sweeter and more soaring than some of their contemporaries – making them perfectly placed to move into some of the more righteous harmony modes of the 70s – including some surprising turns towards more righteous, political material. The 22 track package is the greatest we've ever seen on the group – 15 pages of deeply detailed notes, in true Ace/Kent mode – plus singles that include three by The Insiders, "I'm Better Off Without You", "If You Had A Heart", and "I'm Just A Man" – as well as Main Ingredient singles that include "Black Seeds Keep On Growing", "California My Way", "Magic Shoes", "Everybody Plays The Fool", "You've Got To Take It If You Want It", "Girl Blue", "Happiness Is Just Around The Bend", "I Was Born To Lose You", "Brotherly Love", "You've Been My Inspiration", "I'm So Proud", "Spinning Around", "I'm Leaving This Time", "Rolling Down A Mountainside", "The Gold Old Days", and "Shame On The World". CD

A really special album from our hometown hero Makaya McCraven – a set that's the drummer's debut on Blue Note, and which also has him bringing that label some of the magic that he's been cooking up for International Anthem! If you know Makaya's other records, you'll know that he works in a blend of jazz instrumentation and editing – a style that's much more sophisticated than previous "jazz remix" modes – as McCraven always has live jazz instrumentation at the core, but then uses editing to rework ideas after the performance. Here, the music is a blend of older classics from the Blue Note catalog, juxtaposed with contributions from Joel Ross on vibes, Jeff Parker and Matt Gold on guitar, Greg Ward on alto, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and De'Sean Jones on tenor and flute – a really well-chosen array of players who flesh out Makaya's ideas in a beautiful way. Titles include "Wail Bait", "Frank's Tune", "Slice Of The Top", "Sunset", "Ecaroh", "Black Rhythm Happening", "Monaco", and "Mr Jin". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime lost group soul album – featuring The Moods, who we presume to be from St Louis (although we're working on second-hand information, so we're not sure.) The group have a harmony style that's a bit like Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – but with rougher touches, and none of the disco mode of that group's later work – and on this set, they work their way through some wonderful numbers that groove at a midtempo pace, moving in smooth soul modes with electric piano and tenor behind the group's wonderful vocals. A real gem if you dig harmony ensembles – with an approach that's kind of east coast early 70s indie, but which has a tightness that makes us wonder why these guys didn't hit bigger! Titles include "Funk It Out", "Without Her", "Live Today", "Grooving When We Meet", "This Magic", and "You Came Into My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful package – a set that brings together two rare funk albums by Newban, an early version of Atlantic Starr – plus bonus tracks too! The first Newban record is one of the sweetest ensemble funk albums of the 70s – and a record that's gone on to become a classic, despite the fact that most people know little about the group! Newban have a sound that's almost a jazzier take on the Earth Wind & Fire groove of the time – a style that's warm and fluid, and which really gets past the cliches of other larger funk acts – and manages to find a space in sound that's all its own! There's lots of odd phrasings and chords on the set – creating these very blue passages even when the group's grooving in an uptempo mode – almost like the sense of sadness that creeps out from Stevie Wonder's work during his best early 70s years. The sound is totally unique, and uniquely wonderful – and the album includes the classic "Father Time", plus the cuts "Magic Lady", "Mellow Days, Easy Nights", "Fatback Sally", and "Hungry Grin". Newban 2 is every bit as great as the first album – if not better – with some excellent excellent lost material that's the kind of stuff that still keeps you diggin' for the hard ones. Includes the track "Greenburgh", with a tight funky intro and a smooth sweet soul groove, plus lots of other great cuts like "Free Your Mind", "Easin' Through", "Find a Place to Live", and "Rhythm & Rhyme". This deluxe package also features three rare bonus tracks – "Oh Wow", "Miracle Holiday", and "Bells" – tracks recorded before the first two albums! CD

We're not sure we've ever heard from bassist Miles Perkin before, but after this album we'll definitely be keeping an ear out for his music – as the whole thing has a wonderfully fresh, wonderfully vibrant sort of sound – Miles' strong lines on the bass really working magic with a quartet that includes Tom Arthurs on trumpet, Benoit Delbecq on piano, and Jim Black on the drums! The vibe of the music is a bit hard to convey in words – as there's plenty of space for the bass right up front in the mix, but the music is never too airy or quiet either – just the right balance with a group flow that really comes along nicely – structure matched with improvisation, on titles that include "Sdreaming", "What Did You Expect", "The Point In Question", "Blue Cloud", and "Sea Drop". CD

Bud's second LP for Blue Note – a firey batch of trio tracks that feature George Duvivier on bass and Art Taylor on drums – some of Powell's best work from the time, and a nearly all-classic set of bop piano tracks! The album's nothing fancy on the outset, but Powell and the trio really make magic happen on the best of moments – lighting fire underneath old standards, while also unveiling some hip new originals that are really worth the price of the set. Titles include "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Sure Thing", "Reets & I", "Glass Enclosure", and "Collard Greens & Black Eyed Peas", "Audrey", and "Autumn In New York". LP, Vinyl record album

The scene may be changing, but nothing can dampen the fire of the great Bud Powell – and, if anything, this fifth installment in Blue Note's "Amazing" series may well have the pianist at his mature best! The rhythm duo are wonderful – more late 50s modern hardbop than some of Bud's accompanists in years past – the great Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums, both of whom can bring the fire when needed, yet also craft their lines with these subtle touches that really match Powell's incredible dexterity on piano. Tunes are shorter than usual for a Blue Note album of this vintage – but mostly because all three players pack a hell of a lot into a very small space – and really make timeless magic on titles that include "Down With It", "Cleopatra's Dream", "Gettin' There", "Danceland", "Borderick", and "Duid Dee". LP, Vinyl record album

The first really major album from Rare Earth – issued on their own self-named subsidiary of Motown! The set's a perfect blend of the rich undercurrents of the heady Detroit scene of the late 60s – at one level a tripped-out rock record with styles that almost hint at MC5, at another level a batch of blue-eyed funky soul, with keen appreciation for the grooves coming out of the headier end of the Motor City indie spectrum! There's lots of tripped-out guitar work on the set – reminiscent of contemporary work by Dennis Coffey and George Clinton – mixed with a Mitch Ryder, R&B-inspired vocal style that actually comes across pretty darn well. Added to this is the group's flat-out ability to jam – showcased best in the side-long title cut "Get Ready" – a massive jammer which runs for nearly 22 minutes, and takes up all of side two! Other tracks include "Train To Nowhere", "Magic Key", "Tobacco Road", and "In Bed". LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic albums from the great Sonny Rollins – both made during some time on the LA scene of the late 50s, and matched here with a more obscure third album that issued alternate sides from the sessions! First up is the classic Way Out West – a set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". Next is Sonny Rollins & The Contemporary Leaders – one of Sonny's brilliant west coast sessions for Contemporary – records that shouldn't sparkle as much as they do, but which actually stand with his best work of the 50s! Sonny's blowing in front of a session of "leaders" that includes Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, and Victor Feldman, who plays vibes on one track. Sonny's the real leader here, though – as his bold, proud tenor tone really takes front seat, carving lines that never get tired, bringing a sparkle into tunes like "You", "How High The Moon", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Song Is You", and "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". Heck, even with songs like those, the album should be weak – but there's an undeniable magic that really makes it great! Last is Contemporary Alternate Takes – a great collection of alternate takes from Sonny's landmark recordings for Contemporary Records in the late 50s – material recorded in LA with an easier-swinging groove than some of his New York work, in a style that let Sonny blow in round, warm, and really open tones – almost foreseeing his work for RCA in the mid 60s. Players include Ray Brown, Shelly Manne, Victor Feldman, and Barney Kessel – and the set features alternate takes of "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Come Gone", "Way Out West", "The Song Is You", and "You". CD

Moody instrumental magic from Hareton Salvanini – an artist with an Italian sounding name, and an approach that reminds us of some of the hippest composers of the sound library and film score scene in Italy during the 70s! The album's all instrumental, and is almost a soundtrack for a film that never existed – as Salvanini mixes his own piano lines with these moody strings and dark-tinged instrumentation – all with a vibe that's maybe a bit warmer than David Axelrod or Johnny Harris, but in the same sort of territory as their important albums of the time! Weird reeds color in some moments, offbeat strings some others – and there's a suppressed sense of emotion that lingers with lots of blue currents on the record – really fitting Hareton's look on the cover. Titles include "Salamandras", "Viver", "So, "Primitivo", "Irracional", "Papa Mama", "Yelris", and "Preludio Em Si Bemol Menor". LP, Vinyl record album

Early 60s magic from Horace Silver – working here at the height of his youthful powers! The album's a perfect example of the sound that Silver created while at Blue Note – a lyrically melodic approach to soul jazz, but one that was able to open up the rhythms past stock riffs and gimmicks – and grow into a magnificent sound that never failed to excite! The group on the set is perfect – with Junior Cook on tenor, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Gene Taylor on bass, and the incredible Roy Brooks on drums – and the tunes sparkle with wit, warmth, and imagination throughout! Titles include "Where You At", "Without You", "Horace-Scope", "Nica's Dream", "Strollin", and "Yeah!". CD

It might not be the frolic that the title implies, but that's a plus – because this a straight-up solid early album from Taylor – recorded in tight trio format, with that no-nonsense soulful approach that made him a star player from the start! The group features the great (and underrated) Earl May on bass and Kenny Dennis on drums – both of whom help Taylor work some simple magic that flowers wonderfully as the album moves on. There's a tight, sharp, in the pocket groove here that makes Taylor a key precursor for other piano talents to come in the 60s – and titles include "When Lights Are Low", "At Long Last Love", "Poinciana", "Blue Moon", "One For Fun", and "A Little Southside Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare and unusual chapter in mid 60s Blue Note – the debut of tenorist Tyrone Washington, an up-and-coming talent from the hip New Jersey scene of the time! Washington's name may not have lasted long in the jazz annals, but at this important point in his career, he's working with a young Woody Shaw – also part of the Jersey scene – and together, the pair really make the album cook – stretching out with a soulful, spiritual sound that really points the way towards the indie scene of the 70s! Shaw's voice is a big part of the record, but Tyrone's still definitely in command – blowing his tenor with these quick flurries of notes that are somewhere in the Coltrane school, yet arguably moving already past him too – kind of a post-Coltrane vibe in the year before the great one passed away. Washington also wrote all of the album's 6 tracks – really fresh numbers that burn with intensity, and make the album as creatively inventive as some of the best Jackie McLean Blue Note sides from the time. In addition to Woody Shaw's trumpet, other players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Kenny Barron on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a very hip lineup who really make magic on cuts that include "Yearning For Love", "Ethos", "Soul Dance", "Positive Path", and "Song Of Peace". CD

A fantastic document of the first-ever Ann Arbor Blues Festival – the start of a great event that would blossom into other styles of music in the 70s, but which stood as a strong blues-based event in its initial year of 1969! In some ways, the three day series of concerts is a roots answer to Woodstock – which took place just a few weeks before – as the festival featured a great scope of blues talents, from the rootsier sort of artists who were recording for labels like Folkways or Arhoolie, to some of the sharper modern talents rising to the top on Chess or Delmark! The package alone is almost worth the price of admission – beautiful photographs of the event, detailed notes, and the first-ever release of this music – which has sat in the vaults for decades, finally to see the light of day. Titles include "Dirty Mother For You" by Roosevelt Sykes, "So Glad You're Mine" by Arthur Big Boy Crudup, "Everybody Must Suffer/Stone Crazy" by Luther Allison & The Blue Nebulae, "Help Me" by Junior Wells, "I Wonder Why" by Jimmy Dawkins, "Too Much Alcohol" by JB Hutto & His Hawks, "So Many Roads So Many Trains" by Otis Rush, "Long Distance Call" by Muddy Waters, "Off The Wall" by James Cotton Band, "Juanita" by Big Joe Williams, "Jelly Jelly Blues" by Shirley Griffin, "I Feel So Good" by Magic Sam, "Call It Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker, "Death Letter Blues" by Son House, "Key To The Highway" by Sam Lay, and "Mojo Hand" by Lightnin Hopkins. CD

Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! 28 tracks in all, including "I Cried A Tear" by LaVern Baker, "What'd I Say (parts 1 & 2)", 'Let The Good Times Roll" and "Just For A Thrill" by Ray Charles, "There Goes My Baby" and "This Magic Moment" by the Drifters, "Charlie Brown" and "Poison Ivy" by the Coasters, "Spanish Harlem", "Stand By Me" and "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" by Ben E King, "Gee Whiz" by Carla Thomas, "Just Out Of Reach" by Solomon Burke, "Last Night" by the Mar-Keys, "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" by the Ikettes, "You Don't miss Your Water" by William Bell, "I Found A Love" by the Falcons, and "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MG's. LP, Vinyl record album

A really ear-opening set – one that introduces us to a world we'd never have heard otherwise – filled with music that's maybe even groovier and more evocative than we could imagine! There's loads of very trippy styles going on here – almost as if the whole Mongolian scene had gone psychedelic during the 60s – later than the rest of the world, and with a different flavor that mixes regional elements with cool guitar lines, fuzzy production, and all sorts of rock psych elements from the 60s that are pulled back out, and reformed in weird ways for these tunes! In fact, the sound's so unique, we're not sure it's even real – but we can hardly let that get in the way of us enjoying gems that include "Western Mongolian Folkmix", "You Got So Big My Son", "The Blue Comb", "Listen Up Galaxy", "Music Magic", "Starsong", "Young Couple", "Circle Dance", and "Beauty". CD

A really cool record, and one that digs deep into the earliest days of the disco scene – that time in New York where there weren't any records being made as strictly "disco" cuts – and DJs had to make their pick of soul and funk records from a time when the music was really changing things up! The album's heavy on New York and Philly-based tracks, and some of the artists here are ones who'd had an earlier life in soul music, but were picking up the rhythms, adding in some larger arrangements, and creating grooves that really knocked the whole thing out of the park! The presentation here is based on a famous 1975 article that looked at the underground scene out in Brooklyn for New York magazine – later made famous as Saturday Night Fever – and as such, the tracks here are full of surprises, and very different than the usual disco-inspired compilation. Titles include "Just As Long As We're Together (single version)" by Gloria Scott, "After You've Had Your Fling" by The Intrepids, "Welcome To The Club" by Blue Magic, "Mellow Me" by Faith Hope & Charity, "Got To Get You Back" by Sons Of Robin Stone, "Date With The Rain (LP version)" by Eddie Kendricks, "Georgia's After Hours" by Richard Popcorn Wylie, "If That's The Way You Feel" by White Heat, "It's The Same Old Story" by Act 1, "Tell Me What You Want" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Night Of The Wolf" by Ivano Fossati, "The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy" by John Gary Williams, "You Can't Hide Love" by Creative Source, "Wendy Is Gone" by Ronnie McNeir, "Free & Easy" by Satyr, and "Keep It Up" by Betty Everett. LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly a free for all at all – as the album's a masterpiece of focus and direction, and a classic set from the sextet lineup of the Jazz Messengers! The album's a real feather in the mid-60s cap of Art Blakey –and features an expanded sound from the quintet era of his group – with a sublime horn lineup that features Wayne Shorter on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – all gliding along these soaring piano lines from Cedar Walton! Reggie Workman works some real magic on bass, too – and the tracks are all very long – with titles that include "Free For All" and "Hammer Head" – both written by Shorter – plus "The Core", by Hubbard, and a beautiful version of Clare Fischer's "Pensativa". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". CD also adds 2 long bonus cuts – "Lover" and "Royal Flush" – both of which weren't on the original album! CD

Divine may best be known for her stunning early performances in the films of John Waters – but the 80s also saw the actress emerging as a surprisingly big force in the clubs, too – coming on strong in a post-disco mode, and really helping keep a campy club spirit alive and well at the time! Many of these tracks have more of an electro vibe – kind of a pre-house style that works perfectly for Divine – as the grooves are so powerful, it doesn't matter if she speaks or sings – which occasionally results in some great monologue moments on the tracks! Production is mostly by Bobby Orlando, or by the team of Stock/Aiken/Waterman – and titles include "Jungle Jezebel", "Native Love", "Shoot Your Shot", "Shake It Up", "Love Reaction", "T-Shirt & Tight Blue Jeans", "Psychedelic Shack", "You Think You're A (medley)", "I'm So Beautiful (12" mix)", "Divine Madness", "Alphabet Rap", "Hard Magic", "Walk Like A Man/Man Talk", "Twistin The Night Away", and "You Think You're A Man". CD

Beautiful live work from Bill Evans – issued here for the first time, and the kind of special concert that really makes a great addition to his classic catalog! Bill Evans live can really be something wonderful – and that's definitely the case here, as he makes this personal magic with the keys of the piano – Evans-esque balancing of silence and sound, with painterly colors that always feel natural and organic, never forced – like Bill's fingertips are just spreading out, and channeling sound through the instrument! Rhythm is from Eddie Gomez on bass and Elliot Zigmund on drums – both players whose work here goes far past the conventional – and titles include "Sareen Jurer", "Sugar Plum", "Two Lonely People", "TTT", "Up With The Lark", "Blue Serge", and "Nardis". LP, Vinyl record album

An oft-overlooked gem by Funkadelic – the group's last album for Westbound, and a record that really has them growing into a great new groove! Bootsy and Eddie Hazel have stepped aside for the set, but that gives Bernie Worrell plenty of room to work his magic on keyboards – in a way that really increases the spacier elements of the set, and almost trades a messed-up moogy sort of feel for the heady guitars of earlier years – a slippery kind of Funky Worm groove that we totally love! The set is self-described as "delightfully putrid" on the Pedro Bell cover – and we couldn't agree more! Titles include "Undisco Kidd", "Let's Take It To The People", "How Do Yeaw View You", "Butt-to-Butt Resuscitation" and "Take Your Dead Ass Home!". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest things that George Harrison did after the breakup of The Beatles – not his first solo album, but yet his first non-experimental venture – and a triple-length set that's filled with magic throughout! This isn't one of those "shoulda been a single record" sets – as Harrison has this amazing ability to craft new tunes with new styles in a way that really sets the record apart from his later work with The Beatles – maybe a summation of all those wonderful little moments that George was starting to add to their records, but fully blossomed here into a field's worth of fantastic musical flowers. Titles include "My Sweet Lord", "Wah Wah", "I'd Have You Anytime", "What Is Life", "Run Of The Mill", "Isn't It A Pity", "Plus Me In", "Thanks For The Pepperoni", "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp", "Beware Of Darkness", "Out Of The Blue", and "Hear Me Lord". Super Deluxe Edition includes new 2020 stereo mixes, two CDs of demos, and outtakes and jams, plus high-res stereo and surround mixes on Blu-ray audio! CD

Genius, pure genius! This album's possibly the most perfectly realized set from the team of Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and Harold Land on reeds – a pair who hit territory that's slightly funky, but which is also still touched by the modal spiritualism of some of their earlier work together! The album has an approach that we've not heard on other sides from the time – in that it takes its time to build the grooves up slowly, layering element over element as the songs unfurl, crafting some killer numbers that make the album incredibly strong as a whole. Land plays flute and tenor, and even a bit of oboe, which makes for a wonderfully compelling reed sound – and the group also features Joe Sample on Fender Rhodes, on loan from The Crusaders, plus Fender bass from John Williams and drums from Mickey Roker. Titles include the classics "Ummh" and "Goin' Down South", which have been made famous over the years, thanks to the magic of sampling technology – plus the tracks "Jazz", "Night In Barcelona", and "Procession". CD

A sweet 70s set from Jackie & Roy – just the kind of record that shows that their genius kept on growing and growing as the years went on! The album's a nice change from the fuller, freer sound of the pair's earlier 70s sides on CTI – but it's also not the straighter jazz of the 50s and 60s either – kind of a wonderful fusion of both eras, brought together in a really groovy way! Instrumentation is small combo throughout – piano from Roy, plus vibes, bass, and drums – all used in a sweetly swinging sort of way to match the melodic quality of the pair's vocals. Titles are a really well-selected batch of numbers – and include "Tiny Told Me", "Good & Rich", "The Runaround", "Born To Be Blue", "Waltz For Dana", "Cheerful Little Earful", and "Magic To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

George Jones in one of his most classic periods – singles he cut with producer Pappy Daily for United Artists from the early-to-mid 60s – and some of the greatest barroom laments and rave up honky tonk treasures ever! Producer Pappy Daily frames the inherent sorrow, boozy slur and sly pug attitude of The Possum's voice with near-perfect waltz pattern backdrops, laid down by session legends like Pig Robbins, Grady Martin and Billy Strange – along with effective, ghostly choruses by The Jordanaires. Classics and relatively forgotten gems alike – including "The Race Is On", "She Thinks I Still Care", "Magic Valley", "Big Fool Of The Year", "My Tears Are Overdue", "Your Heart Turned Left (And I Was On The Right)", "Brown To Blue", "Wrong Number", "Least Of All", "World's Worst Lover", "A Good Old Fashioned Cry" and many more. 32 in all! CD

Sharp hooks, huge melodies, and pleasing 70s guitar pop greatness from Pilot! From The Album Of The Same Name includes their signature tune, "Magic" – and it's one of those songs everyone knows, whether or not they know who made it – but Pilot soars all around on these tunes. The guitars have punch, but the falsetto vocals are the main cabin of this vessel – and it's grand 70s soft rock of the first order! Other tracks include "Just A Smile", "Lucky For Some", "Girl Next Door", "Sooner Or Later", "Never Give Up", "Sky Blue", and "Over The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

The fourth album from Roxy Music – a brilliant statement of their early genius through and through! The album has the group moving strongly past the Eno years, into a tighter framework that still contains many of the darker themes of earlier records. Ferry's lead vocals are incredibly majestic – rising to heights to match the European greats of years past who were his inspiration – and the group's tight blend of reeds, guitar, and moody keyboards gives the whole album an off-kilter sense of instrumentation that really sets it apart from the pack. There's an artfulness here that's never overdone, and the whole thing comes together with a magic that's impossible to describe, but which is Roxy at their best. Titles include "Out Of The Blue", "The Thrill Of It All", "Three & Nine", "Triptych", "Casanova", and "Prairie Rose". CD

A beautiful lost record from the 70s – recorded by a singer from Harlem, but attending a Quaker school in Pennsylvania – which makes for a wonderfully cool blend of sounds and styles on the set! There's almost an acoustic core to the record, but the set also uses just the right amount of bass as well – next to piano that has some jazzy undercurrents, and which has the record coming across somewhere in the folksy soul territory of Terry Callier – recorded with a very similar sense of sophistication in both the songs and the performances! Shira's voice is great – very personal, and just right for the material – and titles include "Fingerpainter", "Cool Dude", "Here I Stand", "I Want To Lay With You", "Lights Gleam Lonely", "Touch Of Blue", "Gimme Magic", and "In An Open Field". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool record, and one that digs deep into the earliest days of the disco scene – that time in New York where there weren't any records being made as strictly "disco" cuts – and DJs had to make their pick of soul and funk records from a time when the music was really changing things up! The album's heavy on New York and Philly-based tracks, and some of the artists here are ones who'd had an earlier life in soul music, but were picking up the rhythms, adding in some larger arrangements, and creating grooves that really knocked the whole thing out of the park! The presentation here is based on a famous 1975 article that looked at the underground scene out in Brooklyn for New York magazine – later made famous as Saturday Night Fever – and as such, the tracks here are full of surprises, and very different than the usual disco-inspired compilation. Titles include "Just As Long As We're Together (single version)" by Gloria Scott, "After You've Had Your Fling" by The Intrepids, "Welcome To The Club" by Blue Magic, "Mellow Me" by Faith Hope & Charity, "Got To Get You Back" by Sons Of Robin Stone, "Date With The Rain (LP version)" by Eddie Kendricks, "Georgia's After Hours" by Richard Popcorn Wylie, "If That's The Way You Feel" by White Heat, "It's The Same Old Story" by Act 1, "Tell Me What You Want" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Night Of The Wolf" by Ivano Fossati, "The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy" by John Gary Williams, "You Can't Hide Love" by Creative Source, "Wendy Is Gone" by Ronnie McNeir, "Free & Easy" by Satyr, and "Keep It Up" by Betty Everett. CD

Hardly a free for all at all – as the album's a masterpiece of focus and direction, and a classic set from the sextet lineup of the Jazz Messengers! The album's a real feather in the mid-60s cap of Art Blakey –and features an expanded sound from the quintet era of his group – with a sublime horn lineup that features Wayne Shorter on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – all gliding along these soaring piano lines from Cedar Walton! Reggie Workman works some real magic on bass, too – and the tracks are all very long – with titles that include "Free For All" and "Hammer Head" – both written by Shorter – plus "The Core", by Hubbard, and a beautiful version of Clare Fischer's "Pensativa". 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

2 trumpets, 2 tenors, and a heck of a lot of open-ended blowing session magic! The format for this one's incredibly loose – as might be guessed by the "leaderless" nature of the record – but the session's a great example of the Prestige blowing session mode at its best – as it brings together unlikely groupmates, and really lets them feel each other out in the studio. On tenor, John Coltrane's deeper sound is matched with lightness of Bobby Jaspar's tone – and on trumpet, blowing session regular Webster Lewis and Idrees Sulieman show their talents at working strongly in a less-fettered format. The rest of the group includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, Mal Waldron on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and the album's 4 tracks are all nice and long – and include "Interplay", "Anatomy", "Light Blue", & "Soul Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest collaborations between the mighty Dells and the great arranger Charles Stepney – a studio talent who really brings some magic to their fantastic harmonies! Stepney adds in all these amazing touches to the record – including John Cage-styled prepared piano on two tracks, and plenty of soaring orchestrations that really up the power of the group's sound! Titles include the wonderful progressive tune "There Is", a great long remake of "Stay In My Corner", and the cuts "Wear It On Our Face", "The Change We Go Through", "Higher & Higher", "Close Your Eyes", "Run For Cover", "Love Is So Simple", "Oo I Love You", and "When I'm In Your Arms". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Dexter Gordon sessions for Blue Note – and a unique album that's one of the first to illustrate his growing role in the European jazz scene! The group's a quartet – which let's Dex stand out front with plenty of space for marvelous tenor work – and it features Parisian bassist Pierre Michelot, plus Americans Bud Powell on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums – two players who were already making a bit name for themselves overseas. The album's a perfect link between Gordon's earlier American work and his long string of European sessions to come – and titles include a great take of "Scrapple from the Apple", plus excellent readings of "Stairway to the Stars" and "Night in Tunisia". The format is simple, but the sound is magic – classic Dexter Gordon in a tight Blue Note mode! CD reissue also includes 2 non LP bonus cuts – "Our Love Is Here To Stay" and "Like Someone In Love". CD

One of our favorite Dexter Gordon sessions for Blue Note – and a unique album that's one of the first to illustrate his growing role in the European jazz scene! The group's a quartet – which let's Dex stand out front with plenty of space for marvelous tenor work – and it features Parisian bassist Pierre Michelot, plus Americans Bud Powell on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums – two players who were already making a bit name for themselves overseas. The album's a perfect link between Gordon's earlier American work and his long string of European sessions to come – and titles include a great take of "Scrapple from the Apple", plus excellent readings of "Stairway to the Stars" and "Night in Tunisia". The format is simple, but the sound is magic – classic Dexter Gordon in a tight Blue Note mode! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Dexter Gordon sessions for Blue Note – and a unique album that's one of the first to illustrate his growing role in the European jazz scene! The group's a quartet – which let's Dex stand out front with plenty of space for marvelous tenor work – and it features Parisian bassist Pierre Michelot, plus Americans Bud Powell on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums – two players who were already making a bit name for themselves overseas. The album's a perfect link between Gordon's earlier American work and his long string of European sessions to come – and titles include a great take of "Scrapple from the Apple", plus excellent readings of "Stairway to the Stars" and "Night in Tunisia". The format is simple, but the sound is magic – classic Dexter Gordon in a tight Blue Note mode! CD reissue also includes 2 non LP bonus cuts – "Our Love Is Here To Stay" and "Like Someone In Love". This is the newly remastered version, too – with crisp sound and addional notes and photos! CD

One of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a quartet that also includes Elvin Jones on drums – who provides a loose, fluid approach to rhythm that really sets the tone for the date – a flowing vibe that folds together the organ, guitar, and vibes beautifully – with an incomparable floating vibe that's pure magic! All tracks are long and very open – and titles include "Street Of Dreams", "Somewhere In The Night", and "Lazy Afternoon". CD

Maybe one of the greatest things that George Harrison did after the breakup of The Beatles – not his first solo album, but yet his first non-experimental venture – and a triple-length set that's filled with magic throughout! This isn't one of those "shoulda been a single record" sets – as Harrison has this amazing ability to craft new tunes with new styles in a way that really sets the record apart from his later work with The Beatles – maybe a summation of all those wonderful little moments that George was starting to add to their records, but fully blossomed here into a field's worth of fantastic musical flowers. Titles include "My Sweet Lord", "Wah Wah", "I'd Have You Anytime", "What Is Life", "Run Of The Mill", "Isn't It A Pity", "Plus Me In", "Thanks For The Pepperoni", "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp", "Beware Of Darkness", "Out Of The Blue", and "Hear Me Lord". CD

Really beautiful 70s work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of his few sessions from this part of the decade to feature a larger set of players – some really wonderful guests that make some real magic with Hill's brilliant compositions! At the start of the 70s, Andrew had announced a back to basics moment – when he wanted to play a bit more inside – and while this record isn't as completely avant as some of his 60s material, it's something of a blend of both modes – angular ideas that explode from the compositions, but mixed with a sense of structure too – all handled by players who are very well-suited to such a mode – a lineup that includes Ted Curson on trumpet, Lee Konitz on alto and soprano, Robin Kenyatta on alto, Cecil McBee and Stafford James on bass, and Art Lewis and Barry Altschul on drums. There's a special sort of beauty here – and the record's a great reminder that Andrew Hill's genius extended well past his famous recordings for Blue Note – on titles that include "Tomorrow", "Invitation", "The Message", "Quiet Dawn", and "Spiral". CD

One of our favorite Bobby Hutcherson albums ever – and a magical session filled with electric Latin vibes! The album's quite a different one for Bobby at the time – as it has him working with some larger arrangements, in a soulful west coast groove that's almost got the feel of a hip 70s soundtrack. Bobby's vibes are nicely set up against Fender Rhodes on most tracks – and the group's got some added Latin percussion that really opens up the rhythms. The whole thing's totally wonderful – brimming over with sun and soul, the kind of magic record that will never be made again! Tracks include "Camel Rise", "Yuyo", "Montara", "La Malanga", "Little Angel", and "Love Song". CD

Ramsey and the classic trio with Eldee Young and Red Holt – grooving away on a pot luck batch of tunes that includes material from a wide wide variety of sources, all turned into soul jazz magic by the boys! Believe it or not, Ramsey takes tunes like "Andaluza", "Arrividerci Roma", "Loch Lomond", "Nature Boy", and "Sheandoah", and arranges them with a hiply swinging style that makes you forget what they ever sounded like in the first place. Throw in some originals – like "We Blue It Again", "Look A Here", and "Swamp Girl" – and you've got pretty nice batch of tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

A classic double live album from Bob Marley & The Wailers – presented and packaged at a level that's really a cut above the usual set of that nature from the time! The group's in excellent form in a concert setting – and there's more than enough magic here to warrant the extended length of the set – as Marley and the group really open up on some classics, as well as some other gems that maybe even sparkle more on this album. Titles include "Exodus", "Stir It Up", "Rat Race", "Concrete Jungle", "Lively Up Yourself", "Is This Love", "Punky Reggae Party", "Heathen", "Jamming", and "Kinky Reggae". LP, Vinyl record album

A key recording from one of our favorite tenor talents of the 80s – the amazing Ralph Moore, a player who really carries on a strong legacy from the 60s work of Hank Mobley! Like Mobley, Moore's got a very rich-voiced sound that's steeped in tradition, but which is also never afraid to take chances too – a way of handling the tenor that few of his contemporaries could match, which is probably why Ralph's presence really upped the ante on so many dates at the time as a sideman. He's even better as a leader, though, and this standout set for Landmark is a real gem – a record filled with freely creative energy throughout, and a never-ending sense of soul – as Moore's tenor is set up nicely in a core group with Benny Green on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – the latter of whom brings some of the same magic to this set that Billy Higgins did to Blue Note in the 60s. Terence Blanchard plays trumpet on 4 of the album's tracks – and titles include "Punjab", "Freeway", "Enigma", "Blues For John", "One Second Please", and "Episode From A Village Dance". Also includes the CD-only bonus track "Morning Star". CD

The most righteous album ever from Kellee Patterson – her first record, and a set that's way different from her more soul-based sides of later years! The album's got Patterson working in a wonderfully soulful approach to jazz – a style that's not unlike the earliest work by Dee Dee Bridgewater, especially her seminal Afro Blue album – and which mixes Kellee's unique vocals with some very hip backings that are right in the best Black Jazz mode! Instrumentation is from a loose jazz combo, and the tunes are a mix of jazzy numbers and a few tighter tracks – a really rich array of sounds that comes together beautifully in the hands of producer Gene Russell. Titles include a stellar version of Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage", a great take on the Flip Nunez number "See You Later", and the tracks "Soul Daddy", "Be All Your Own", "Magic Wand Of Love", "You", and "Look At The Child". CD

Gregory Porter is a really hip singer – the type that only comes around once in a blue moon! Like Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, or Kurt Elling – all perfect references for Porter's style – Greg has a wonderful way of coming up with his own lyrics for a tune – making him way more than just a singer of standards, and instead a richly expressive voice that has every bit to offer as you might get from a jazz instrumentalist! The arrangements are great, too – handled by Porter with help from pianist Chip Crawford and producer Kamau Kenyatta – bold, soulful, and soaring on the best tracks – all in beautiful declaration of Gregory's rich power and presence. Titles include a great version of Wayne Shorter's "Black Nile", and the original tracks "1960 What", "Lonely One", "Water", "Pretty", "Illusion", and "Magic Cup". CD

The scene may be changing, but nothing can dampen the fire of the great Bud Powell – and, if anything, this fifth installment in Blue Note's "Amazing" series may well have the pianist at his mature best! The rhythm duo are wonderful – more late 50s modern hardbop than some of Bud's accompanists in years past – the great Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums, both of whom can bring the fire when needed, yet also craft their lines with these subtle touches that really match Powell's incredible dexterity on piano. Tunes are shorter than usual for a Blue Note album of this vintage – but mostly because all three players pack a hell of a lot into a very small space – and really make timeless magic on titles that include "Down With It", "Cleopatra's Dream", "Gettin' There", "Danceland", "Borderick", and "Duid Dee". CD features a bonus alternate take of "Comin Up". CD

Purdie follows up his first Soul To Jazz set – with a style and lineup that's even hipper than the first! This one was recorded in New York, and has a tighter, leaner feel overall. Purdie plays with jazz luminaries that include Hank Crawford, Stanley Turrentine, Vincent Herring, Junior Mance, and Cornell Dupree – in a style that's a bit more stripped down than the first session. Includes versions of "New Orleans Strutt", "Mr Magic", "Jubilation", "Shaft", "Amen", and "Nobody Knows". CD

The fourth album from Roxy Music – a brilliant statement of their early genius through and through! The album has the group moving strongly past the Eno years, into a tighter framework that still contains many of the darker themes of earlier records. Ferry's lead vocals are incredibly majestic – rising to heights to match the European greats of years past who were his inspiration – and the group's tight blend of reeds, guitar, and moody keyboards gives the whole album an off-kilter sense of instrumentation that really sets it apart from the pack. There's an artfulness here that's never overdone, and the whole thing comes together with a magic that's impossible to describe, but which is Roxy at their best. Titles include "Out Of The Blue", "The Thrill Of It All", "Three & Nine", "Triptych", "Casanova", and "Prairie Rose". LP, Vinyl record album

Dreamy 70s magic from singer Claudette Soares – recorded with arrangements that have a sweeter, sometimes more electric feel than before – and which step out with some grooving touches on the best numbers! The style's almost a bit like some of the best European female work of the time – particularly the kind of numbers you'd find standing out at the start of French or Italian soundtracks. The standout tunes expand the arrangements with some slight Blue Brazil undercurrents that pick up the pace nicely – that cool blend of older Brazilian modes and sweet 70s touches going on at the EMI label at the time. Titles include "Proposta", "Tarde", "Preciso Aprender A So Ser", "Adeus Maria Fulo", "Voce", "Suas Maos", and "Chove Outra Vez". LP, Vinyl record album