A wonderful compilation the late 40s Modern recordings of piano player, singer and all around musical pioneer Hadda Brooks – with all the tracks from the original Queen Of The Boogie 78s package – and 18 additional tracks from the period! Hadda is a lovely singer, and the set has a number of sweet vocal numbers, but her most lasting impact is no doubt her easygoing, but masterful boogie piano playing. Fittingly, there's a huge number of instrumental treasures here, and it's really tough to imagine a lot of the great R&B and 50s rock and roll piano taking hold if trailblazers like Hadda Brooks didn't get the ball rolling! Includes "Juke Box Boogie", "Bully Wully Boogie", "Boogie At The Bandstand", "Night Life", "Sleepy Time Gal", "Humoresque Boogie", "Strollin' 'N' Rollin'", "Basin Street Blue", "Moonglow", "743 Blues", "Hungara (Gypsy)", "Greig's Concerto Boogie In A Minor", "Stardust" and more. 24 tracks in all – a solid dozen of which were recorded for Modern in the late 40s, but were never before released! CD

Includes the songs "I Come From Jamaica", "Cryin' The Rock", "Brownie Speaks", "You Go To My Head", "Capri", "Turnpike", "Get Happy", "Wail Bait", "Hymn To The Orient", "Brownie Eyes", "Cherokee", " Easy Living", "Minor Mood", "Brown Skins", "Blue And Brown", "I Can Dream, Can't I?", "The Song Is You", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and " You're A Lucky Guy". CD

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". CD

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". CD

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". CD features great mastering and 18 tracks in all! CD

Some of Kenny's best recordings – especially from the early days! The albums contained on this 2CD set feature Kenny in the company of some of the best late 50's players at Blue Note. Junior Cook and Tina Brooks are on tenor, Duke Jordan or Bobby Timmons play piano, Louis Smith plays trumpet on some tracks, Sam Jones is on bass, and Art Blakey is on drums throughout. The cuts have a very open-ended blowing session feel, and Kenny comes through surprisingly well, really picking up steam on a way you don't always hear in more restrained recordings. The 2-in-1 combo is a nice idea, too – and it gives you all 9 long tracks from these two rare albums, including "Rock Salt", "Chuckin", "Scotch Blues", and "Phinupi". CD

Some of Kenny Burrell's best early work! The album catches Kenny in the perfect Blue Note jam session mode of the late 50s – which features a number of the label's star players hitting hard with the main soloist. Players on the two volume set include Duke Jordan or Bobby Timmons piano, Junior Cook and Tina Brooks tenor, Louis Smith trumpet, and Art Blakey on Drums. The cuts have a very open-ended blowing session feel, and Kenny comes through surprisingly well, really picking up steam on a way you don't always hear in more restrained recordings. Titles on this volume include "Rock Salt", "Chuckin", and "Caravan". CD

A rock-solid set from Donald Byrd and a great group of players – a record that's got the same sharp edges and dark undercurrents of late 60s classics like Black Jack, Mustang, and Slow Drag! As with those gems, this album's got Donald really experimenting a bit more – especially with the rhythms – which are put forth by a hip trio that features Chick Corea on piano, Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums! But almost even better is the frontline – with Sonny Red making one of his sublime appearances with Byrd, blowing alto with an edge that's amazing – and frequent partner Pepper Adams, adding plenty of baritone on the deep end. The whole thing's great – oddly unreleased until the start of the 80s – and titles include "Samba Yanta", "I Will Wait For You", "Blues Medium Rare", "The Creeper", "Chico-San", "Early Sunday Morning", and "Blues Well Done". CD

A rock-solid set from Donald Byrd and a great group of players – a record that's got the same sharp edges and dark undercurrents of late 60s classics like Black Jack, Mustang, and Slow Drag! As with those gems, this album's got Donald really experimenting a bit more – especially with the rhythms – which are put forth by a hip trio that features Chick Corea on piano, Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums! But almost even better is the frontline – with Sonny Red making one of his sublime appearances with Byrd, blowing alto with an edge that's amazing – and frequent partner Pepper Adams, adding plenty of baritone on the deep end. The whole thing's great – oddly unreleased until the start of the 80s – and titles include "Samba Yanta", "I Will Wait For You", "Blues Medium Rare", "The Creeper", "Chico-San", "Early Sunday Morning", and "Blues Well Done". CD

A rock-solid set from Donald Byrd and a great group of players – a record that's got the same sharp edges and dark undercurrents of late 60s classics like Black Jack, Mustang, and Slow Drag! As with those gems, this album's got Donald really experimenting a bit more – especially with the rhythms – which are put forth by a hip trio that features Chick Corea on piano, Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums! But almost even better is the frontline – with Sonny Red making one of his sublime appearances with Byrd, blowing alto with an edge that's amazing – and frequent partner Pepper Adams, adding plenty of baritone on the deep end. The whole thing's great – oddly unreleased until the start of the 80s – and titles include "Samba Yanta", "I Will Wait For You", "Blues Medium Rare", "The Creeper", "Chico-San", "Early Sunday Morning", and "Blues Well Done". CD

An essential bit of 70s jazz funk – one of the key Blue Note collaborations between trumpeter Donald Byrd and producer/arranger Larry Mizell – the man who helped set a whole new standard for soulful sounds at the time! The approach here is quite similar to the pair's work on Places & Spaces – tight, but loose at the same time – with Donald delivering solos that are very different than his work from the 60s, while Mizell finds this way to mix together all sorts of instruments, at so many different levels – but with a clarity that's mindblowing. Most tracks have a nice groove, a few points feature a touch of vocals – and titles include the classic, and oft-sampled "Think Twice" – plus "We're Together", "Makin It", "Rock & Roll Again", "I Love The Girl", and "You Are The World". CD

A slightly gentler album than the first Captain Beyond outing – but one that really has the group stretching out their wings wonderfully! The set's recorded both in Macon and Sausalito – and really has a vibe that indicates that mix – a core southern rock element, handled with the soulful undercurrents of early 70s Capricorn Records – but given some freer-thinking elements at times from the Bay Area scene! The drums power through nicely at some of the best points – but even the laidback tunes are pretty darn great – and we honestly never can understand why Captain Beyond weren't as big as some of their contemporaries from the southern scene. Titles include "Starglow Energy", "Evil Men", "Drifting In Space", "Bright Blue Tango", "Everything's A Circle", and "Voyages Of Past Travelers". CD

A slightly gentler album than the first Captain Beyond outing – but one that really has the group stretching out their wings wonderfully! The set's recorded both in Macon and Sausalito – and really has a vibe that indicates that mix – a core southern rock element, handled with the soulful undercurrents of early 70s Capricorn Records – but given some freer-thinking elements at times from the Bay Area scene! The drums power through nicely at some of the best points – but even the laidback tunes are pretty darn great – and we honestly never can understand why Captain Beyond weren't as big as some of their contemporaries from the southern scene. Titles include "Starglow Energy", "Evil Men", "Drifting In Space", "Bright Blue Tango", "Everything's A Circle", and "Voyages Of Past Travelers". CD

The mighty second chapter of the great Lloyd Charmers – a set that features his rare Moody & Blue album for Trojan, plus rare singles too – including 26 tracks that appear here on CD for the first time ever! The whole thing is wonderful – with Charmers continuing that great run of slow-stepping, soul-drenched vocals that moved him from the rocksteady years to become a key early singer in reggae – one who always had an amazing approach to the music, even if he never got the fame of some of his bigger contemporaries! The grooves are great – nicely easygoing, so that Charmers is really able to open up and flow – and this 38 track package comes with the usual high-quality presentation we love from the Doctor Bird label – alongside cuts that include "Darker Than Blue", "Run Joe", "Skin Tight", "Hello Africa", "Sweet Organ", "Save The People", "Harmony", "Play Me", "Bring Back The Love", "Dreaming As One", "Straighten It Out", "Rock On", "My Own Version", and "Dreadful Piano". CD

A great document of all this famous harmony trio/quartet were able to achieve during their first few years – a masterful reworking of vocal group modes from earlier rock and soul styles, taken forward towards the 70s with a spirit that's still as powerful today as it was back at the time! These tracks saw so much circulation over the years, it's easy to forget how revolutionary they were – especially when coming from artists who had roots in more familiar rock modes, but who somehow really seemed to rise together in the company of each other. Titles include "Deja Vu", "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", "Ohio", "Teach Your Children", "Our House", "Helplessly Hoping", "Wooden Ships", "Woodstock", "Helpless", "Guinnevere", and "Find The Cost Of Freedom". CD

Stunning early work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a record that's got as much soul and rock-solid power as you'd guess from the image on the cover! Ted's working here in the company of his frequent partner from the early days – tenorist Bill Barron – and together, they come up with a riveting sound that rivals the genius of early 60s work from Charles Mingus or Booker Ervin – with a similar blend of sharp edges, tight rhythms, and in the pocket soul! The rest of the group features Georges Arvanitas on piano – making a rare American appearance – plus Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums. Titles include the classic "Straight Ice", plus "Reava's Waltz", "Elephant Walk", and "Nublu". CD

Roots rock but with a strongly soulful undercurrent – thanks to key late 60s Stax production from Donald Duck Dunn and Don Nix, both of whom make the record sound a lot hipper than many other similar sets from the time! The record showcases the singing and songwriting talents of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett – a pair who were hyped heavily by the rock scene of their era, but who also step out here with equally soulful appeal – almost a blue-eyed soul take on the Stax sound of the late 60s! Of course, it helps that the pair get plenty of help on the record from folks like Booker T & The MGs, The Memphis Horns, Isaac Hayes, and William Bell – but their own efforts are pretty great too, as heard on tracks that include "My Baby Specializes", "Things Get Better", "We Can Love", "Just Plain Beautiful", "Everybody Loves A Winner", and "Pour Your Love On Me". CD features 6 bonus tracks – including "A Long Road Ahead", "I've Just Been Feeling Bad", "Dirty Old Man", and "Get Ourselves Together". CD

Includes the songs "The Bo-Do Rock", "Honky Tonk, Pt.1", "Honky Tonk, Pt.2", "Rainbow Riots, Pts. 1-2", "Blue Largo", "Big Boy", "You Ain't No Good", "Big Dog", "Hippy Dippy", "Backwards", "Shindig", "After Hours", "Peacock Alley", "In The Wee Hours", "Leaps And Bounds, Pts. 1-2", "Your Kind Of Woman", "Yocky Dock, Pts.1-2", "Wild Oats", and "Honky Tonk, Pt.2". CD

Maybe our favorite record ever from 70s mellow rock maestro Ned Doheny – thanks to production from Steve Cropper and arrangements from Jimmie Haskell – both of whom give the record a super-soulful sound! Ned's always had this blue-eyed style that's gotten him equal play on both sides of the 70s fence – respect from the crowds that love his smooth AOR approach, but also nods from the modern soul scene – given how many great midtempo grooves he's offered us over the years. This set's the perfect delivery on all his great promise – and is filled with wonderful cuts that include "Think Like A Lover", "Labor Of Love", "Sweet Friction", "To Prove My Love", "If You Only Knew", "Funky Love", and "Guess Who's Looking For Love Again". CD

Maybe one of the greatest albums ever from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a set that has him really stretching out as a musician – not just showing off that impeccable sense of tone that marked his important records of the 50s, but also coming up with new ways of phrasing, and a sometimes-unique approach to rhythm as well! The set's about as all-star as you can get for a Blue Note date of the time – and that's really saying a lot – with the mighty Hank Mobley on tenor, whose work here is as important as Dorham's – and the rock-solid rhythm trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – who perfectly echo Kenny's new sense of changes in his music. Titles include the great "Sunrise In Mexico" – a very unique tune – plus "Buffalo", "Sunset", "Windmill", "Philly Twist", and "Dorham's Epitaph". CD

Maybe one of the greatest albums ever from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a set that has him really stretching out as a musician – not just showing off that impeccable sense of tone that marked his important records of the 50s, but also coming up with new ways of phrasing, and a sometimes-unique approach to rhythm as well! The set's about as all-star as you can get for a Blue Note date of the time – and that's really saying a lot – with the mighty Hank Mobley on tenor, whose work here is as important as Dorham's – and the rock-solid rhythm trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – who perfectly echo Kenny's new sense of changes in his music. Titles include the great "Sunrise In Mexico" – a very unique tune – plus "Buffalo", "Sunset", "Windmill", "Philly Twist", and "Dorham's Epitaph". CD

Maybe one of the greatest albums ever from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a set that has him really stretching out as a musician – not just showing off that impeccable sense of tone that marked his important records of the 50s, but also coming up with new ways of phrasing, and a sometimes-unique approach to rhythm as well! The set's about as all-star as you can get for a Blue Note date of the time – and that's really saying a lot – with the mighty Hank Mobley on tenor, whose work here is as important as Dorham's – and the rock-solid rhythm trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – who perfectly echo Kenny's new sense of changes in his music. Titles include the great "Sunrise In Mexico" – a very unique tune – plus "Buffalo", "Sunset", "Windmill", "Philly Twist", and "Dorham's Epitaph". CD

Two really unusual albums from British drummer/singer John Dummer – an artist who was part of the British blues scene in the 60s – but who's something very different altogether! First up is John Dummer's Famous Music Band – a set that features key contributions from Nick Pickett on vocals, guitar, harmonica, vibes, and a host of instrumentation – all used in ways that really move past traditional blues-based modes – certainly there at the core, as in the work of the rest of the group – but already moving past any sort of slavish attempt to both be American, and even blues at all. We'd be tempted to call the approach roots rock, but it's also a bit weirder and more offbeat than that – part of that special spirit that's always made Dummer so unique. Titles include "Lady Luck", "Love Ain't Nothing But Sorrow", "Run Around", "Searching For You", "Nine By Nine", "Coming Home", "Green Leaves", and "Fine Looking Woman". Blue is a set that has the band of British drummer John Dummer moving over to Vertigo records – a shift that helps them sound even tighter and cooler than before! Singer Nick Pickett gets equal billing on the cover – and it's Pickett's contributions that really shape the sound – really offbeat vocals, plus guitar, organ, and even a bit of violin – used in that blues inspiration that got Dummer started, but with a weirder, more unusual style overall – at that moment when London was past being slavish to Chicago or Memphis! Titles include "Medicine Weasel", "The End Game", "Me & The Lady", "Time Will Tell", and "If I Can't Keep From Laughing". CD

Seminal work from Bob Dylan – one of his early electric sides, and a record that moved the singer from folk stardom to an even more explosive force in the mainstream! This is the record that forever made Dylan as influential on rock music as he was on underground styles – and the whole thing is a perfect blend of the complexity of his earlier songwriting with some tunes and messages that made his politics even more powerful than ever! The album's brimming over with genius – nearly every cut is a classic – and titles include "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Maggie's Farm", "Mr Tambourine Man", "Gates Of Eden", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", "It's Alright Ma", "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", "She Belongs To Me", and "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream". CD

Seminal work from Bob Dylan – one of his early electric sides, and a record that moved the singer from folk stardom to an even more explosive force in the mainstream! This is the record that forever made Dylan as influential on rock music as he was on underground styles – and the whole thing is a perfect blend of the complexity of his earlier songwriting with some tunes and messages that made his politics even more powerful than ever! The album's brimming over with genius – nearly every cut is a classic – and titles include "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Maggie's Farm", "Mr Tambourine Man", "Gates Of Eden", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", "It's Alright Ma", "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", "She Belongs To Me", and "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream". CD

A great 70s comeback album from tenorist Teddy Edwards – done after a number of years away from the studio, but with a rock-solid sound that may well be his classics from the 60s! Teddy's tone is amazing on the record – more laidback and confident than on his earlier albums, and a lot more soulful as well – stepping out right from the start with a quality that's boldly personal, and free from some of the 70s cliches that others might have attempted in a set like this. Instead, Edwards is very much his own man – and very much in charge of an excellent group that includes Conte Candoli on trumpet, Dolo Coker on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Frank Butler drums, and Jerry Steinholz conga and percussion – players who come together with this warmly soulful quality that's surprisingly more than the sum of its already-great parts. Titles include "The Blue Sombrero", "Bear Tracks", "Ritta Ditta Blues", and "Eleven Twenty Three". CD

Includes the songs "Countdown", "When I'm Feeling Kinda Blue", "El Viti", "Draggin' Blues", "Cottontail", "Now Ain't It?", "The Last Go-round", "Moon Mist", "Skillipoop", "Banquet Scene (Timon Of Athens)", "Love Scene", "Rod la Rocque", "Rhythm Section Blues", "Lele","Ocht O' Clock Rock", "Lady", and "Rondolet". CD

True masterpieces from Duke Ellington – some of his greatest compositions, presented here in an early Columbia LP that offers up "uncut concert arrangements" – clearly grooming a new side of Duke for the long-playing audience! The recordings were made in 1950, with players who include Johnny Hodges and Paul Gonzalves on saxes, Ray Nance and Cat Anderson on trumpets, and Tyree Glenn and Quentin Jackson on trombones. The tracks include "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", "The Tattooed Bride" and "Solitude". Includes 3 bonus tracks – shorter numbers, but great ones – "Vagabonds", "Smada", and "Rock Skippin At The Blue Note". CD

3 killer CTI classics from Joe Farrell in a 2CD set! Penny Arcade has grooves so sharp you could cut your trousers on them! Farrell's angular reed style is in perfect form here – grooving with a small group that includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Joe Beck on guitar, Steve Gadd on drums, and Don Alias on percussion – a combo that's got a harder, tighter feel than most CTI groups – a key reason why Joe's records of this time are so legendary! Includes a version of Stevie Wonder's "Too High" – one that breaks all over the beginning with these riffs by Farrell, then grooves into a CTI electric funk mode for about 13 minutes. All tracks are long – and other tracks include "Hurricane Jane", "Geo Blue", "Penny Arcade", and "Cloud Cream". Upon This Rock is another massive set from the funky reedman – with a lean, edgy groove to the set that's totally great. One cut features a guest group – with Herbie Hancock on piano, Steve Gadd on drums, and Don Alias on percussion – and the album includes the massively break-heavy title cut "Upon This Rock", plus "Seven Seas", "I Won't Be Back", and "Weathervane". There's nothing canned on Canned Funk – as the sound, style, and groove of the record is as fresh and freaky as the classic image on the cover! The sax lines are as angular as the rhythms – tight, choppy, and completely funky – no wonder the record's a CTI classic that folks have dug for years! Tracks are all nice and long – and titles include "Canned Funk", "Animal", and "Spoken Silence". CD

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. CD reissue adds 4 single edits and the previously unissued "Jam #2". CD

The start of an amazing new chapter in the career of Robert Glasper – one that would soon set the tone for a number of other records to come! This set features loads of Glasper's enigmatic piano lines – those fluid, elliptical sounds that are always filled with plenty of soul and imagination – matched here with guest vocals from a host of key talents – including Erykah Badu, Lalah Hathaway, Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello, Bilal, and Lupe Fiasco! The blend is surprisingly wonderful – not a sell out at all, but a way for Glasper's music to reach a rich new level of expression – as the vocals really help the instrumental elements come alive – and unlock this side of Robert's potential that was always lurking in the background. One of the best musical moments from Blue Note at the time – with titles that include "Always Shine", "Move Love", "Ah Yeah", "Lift Off", "Afro Blue", "Cherish The Day", "Black Radio", and "Letter To Hermione". Deluxe edition features great bonus material – the cuts "Twice", "Love Supreme", and "Fever" – plus the full work of the Recovered Remix EP – including "The Consequences Of Jealousy (Georgia Anne Muldrow's sassy geemix)", "Letter To Hermoine (Robert Glasper and Jewels rmx)", "Dillalude #2", "Twice (?uestlove's twice baked rmx)", "Black Radio (Pete Rock rmx)", and "Afro Blue (9th Wonder's blue light basement rmx)". CD

One of Dexter's most solid albums on Prestige – and a great set cut at the Van Gelder studios with a rock-solid American lineup that includes Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard, Buster Williams, and Billy Higgins. The ensemble groove is a lot tighter than on some of Gordon's solo-heavy European sessions – and in a way, the record hearkens back to some of the greatness of the Blue Note days. Titles include "Milestones", "Scared To Be Alone", "We See", and "The Group". CD

A stellar early Johnny Griffin recording for Blue Note, and one that features the young tenor genius from Chicago working alongside the equally fantastic John Coltrane and Hank Mobley – plus some additional trumpet from Lee Morgan, and rock-solid rhythm from Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey! As the "blowing session" title might imply, this set features long tracks that let the players get in plenty of soloing (and, we might add, in a very competitive way!) The record is similar to the Prestige sessions of the same vintage and style, but recorded with a little bit more of the care and rehearsal that Blue Note provided. Cuts include "Ball Bearing", "All The Things You Are", and "Smoke Stack. CD

One more amazing chapter in the mighty development of drummer Chico Hamilton – a killer 70s session for Blue Note – and a record that goes way beyond his earlier experiments of the 50s, modal grooves of the 60s, and funk work for the Flying Dutchman label! The style here is fusion, but way fresher than the usual type – neither jamming rock-styled, nor mellow and smooth – and instead always tickled by Hamilton's sense of a unique rhythm, and his continued great ear for inventive use of reeds – in this case handled by Arthur Blythe on alto and Arnie Lawrence on soprano and tenor sax. The set's also got Steve Turre on bass and trombone, and both Barry Finnerty and Joe Beck on electric guitars – but the real genius is Chico himself, who handled arrangements and wrote most of the album's great tracks. Titles include the exotic number "Abdullah & Abraham" – plus "Andy's Walk", "Peregrinations", "It's About That Time", "Sweet Dreams", "On & Off", "Little Lisa", and "Space For Stacy". CD

2 late 60s sides by Groove Holmes – back to back on one CD! The Groover is a nice one from the days when Groove was playing with guitarist George Freeman! The core of the tracks on here feature a trio of Holmes, Freeman, and drummer Billy Jackson – and the trio knows how to cook nice and nicely, especially on the original cut "The Walrus", a groovy number written by Freeman, with his usual off-kilter approach. Other cuts include "My Scenery", "Blue Moon", and "I'll Remember April". That Healin Feelin is a tight, no-nonsense set of hard grooves featuring a quartet that includes Rusty Bryant, Billy Butler, and Herbie Lovelle. There's a strong bottom sound to the session – picking up from the Misty days, when Groove learned that he could take just about any track, and make it groove like a mofo! Because of this, the album's selections – "That Healin Feelin", "Irene Court", "Castle Rock", and "On a Clear Day" – all sound night and tight, as Groove would have delivered the tunes playing before one of his many well-attended audiences at the time! CD

A pretty great little set that combines both of the rare early Elmo Hope 10" LPs for Blue Note – plus some additional material! Introducing The Elmo Hope Trio is seminal early work from Hope – and one of the 10" LP releases that was part of Blue Note's "New Faces – New Sounds" series during the early 50s. Hope's working here with Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones – and the trio go to town on numbers that include complicated bop tunes like "Carving The Rock" and "Hot Sauce", plus more melodic tunes like "Freffie" and "Mo Is On". As always, Hope proves himself to be one of the greatest pianists in jazz history – right up there with Monk, Herbie Nichols, and Bud Powell, bristling with excitement that few of his contemporaries (save those three) could match! The Elmo Hope Quintet session has Hope grooving in a very modernist approach to bop, working perfectly with a tight little quintet. Frank Foster wails on tenor, Freeman Lee soars on trumpet, and Percy Heath and Art Blakey keep the whole thing going on rhythm – while Hope plays madly on piano, adding in rich tones and colors to a set that might have otherwise been a straighter bop outing. Titles include "Chips", "Crazy", "Abdullah", and "Low Tide". The CD also adds in 2 tracks from the 40 Years Of Jazz collection in 1979 – "It's A Lovely Day Today" and "Crazy (alternate)" – plus 3 from the Art Blakey/Elmo Hope album – "So Nice", "St Elmo's Fire", and "Vaun Ex". CD

Three albums from pianist Klaus Ignatek – all served up in a single set! First up is Jacaranda, a set that shows that Klaus is a great player on his own, but also a really great leader – one who always has a special ear for putting a group together, and bringing out the best in the musicians on his sessions! This record is a great example of that talent – as it really seems to bring out the best in trumpeter Claudio Roditi, driven on strongly by Mario Gonzi on drums and Paulo Cardoso on bass – all stretching out on long tracks that move easily between lyrical moments and harder-burning numbers – with more than a few great originals to remind us of the compositional talents of Klaus! Titles include "Blues For Lee", "Day For Night", "Jacaranda", "Let's Take A Break", and "Monster Mood" – plus nice takes on "Eu E Brisa" and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". Don't Stop It Is an overlooked 80s cooker from pianist Klaus Ignatzek – a set that's full of imagination, right from the very first note – thanks to a string of all original material that matches the strong performances on the set! Trumpeter Claudio Roditi is a key part of the quartet – and maybe gets a showcase here that's as strong as some of his better-known albums from the decade – really finding his groove with the material that Ignatzek brings to the record, in ways that are also nicely distinct, and show just how much Claudio can add to a session. Other players include Paulo Cardoso on bass and Mario Gonzi on drums – and the record's a gem through and through, with titles that include "Summer & Spring", "Move It", "Ballad For Ulli", "Whisper Yes", "That's It", and "Blue Energy". New Surprise is a record with a really joyous groove, and maybe one of the tightest sets we've ever heard from pianist Klaus Ignatzek – and that's saying a lot, as all of his records are pretty darn sharp! The groove is great – rock-solid basslines from Paulo Cardoso and drums from Mario Gonzi – with sparkling solos over the top from Claudio Roditi on trumpet and Tim Armacost on tenor – plays who spark all sorts of color and light on the great material that Klaus brought to the session! Titles include "Monster Mood", "Horace Gold", "For Sure", "Black Humour", and "New Surprise". CD

A pair of New York soul gems back to back – the third and fourth albums from the legendary Chuck Jackson! First up is Encore – fantastic work from the great Chuck Jackson – a singer who was really at the height of his powers during these early years of his career! Chuck's maybe best known for heartbreaking material – and the notes on the album actually refer, oddly, to these songs as "the crying towel variety" – but what Jackson brings to his music is this strong sense of pride and power – this depth of reserve that makes you feel like he'll never give up, no matter how hard the going might be – a quality that southern soul singers would soon poach from Jackson and other singers up north, and make their own style of music. Yet back at the start, few folks did it better than Jackson – as you'll Hear on cuts that include the wonderful hit "Tell Him I'm Not Home", plus "Lonely Am I", "Blue Holiday", "Getting Ready for the Heartbreak", "Don't Believe Him Donna", "Tomorrow", "Two Stupid Feet", "Another Day", and "Invisible". Next up is Mr Everything – rock-solid set of heartbreaking soul – the sort that few others could touch at the time! Jackson often doesn't get his due in the history books these days – but records like these were landmark moments of pride, power, and open male emotion – of the sort that went onto inform generations of soul music to come – and help future artists find their way, guided by the emotional frankness of Jackson's approach! Backings are carefully balanced – tight, but never too polished to overwhelm Chuck's vocals – which soar out with a raw power that blows away Sam Cooke or some of Jackson's other contemporaries. Titles include "D-5", "I Need You", "Human", "I'm Your Man", "Tears Of Joy", and "Somebody New". CD

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

Tremendous early work from George Jones – the full White Lightning album for Mercury Records, stacked here with a huge amount of bonus tracks too! George is wonderful throughout – already a standout in the shifting country scene of the 50s – with one ear that understands the sharper edges of the rock generation, but another that brings out all the sentiment in the tunes he touches – material that's delivered with this magical approach that few other singers could touch. If you only know George as a blue-tinged singer of ballads from his later years, you'll really be stunned here – as lots of the tracks have a sound that's quite different, and a lot more vibrant. Titles include "White Lighning", "Give Away Girl", "Wandering Soul", "Life To Go", "Flame In My Heart", "What Am I Worth", "I Take The Chance", "Settle Down", "I'm A One Woman Man", "Revenooer Man", "Sparkling Brown Eyes", and "Color Of The Blues". CD

An unusual set from Kracker – a record that's possibly more rock/pop at the core, but one that definitely shares some of the soulful touches of other albums on the Dash label too! The group dress like a funk band on the album's flipside photo – and they've got vocal interplay that's not unlike some of the blue eyed soul groups on the east coast – set to rhythms here that are sometimes disco, sometimes a bit more flamboyant pop – and titles include "Woman", "Lucky Are Those", "Lady Of My Life", "Alarm Clock Blues", "Back In My Arms Again", and "Gentleman Of Men". CD

Dave Mason's first solo album – and a pretty a great one! Alone Together wasn't a huge hit back in the day, but man is a ever a pleasing set. It's rich with blues & soul steeped lead vocals and sweet backing harmonies and bed of acoustic guitars at the core of most of the tunes – sometimes with a driving intensity, others with a lightly gliding pace. The production is a nice mix of blue-eyed blues and southern skewing wah wah rock – with great musicians in the mix, from Leon Russell to Eric Clapton. Tracks include "Only You Know And I Know", "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving", "Waitin' On You", "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave", "World In Changes", "Sand And Deep As You", "Just A Song" and "Look At You, Look At Me". CD

Genius work from trumpeter Blue Mitchell – one of his most solid sides as a leader from the 60s, and a well-deserved treasure in the Blue Note catalog! The album's quite different than the straight soul jazz of Blue's early days on Riverside – or the more arranged dates of the late 60s – and it features him moving in a soulful, lyrical, modal style – quite similar to Horace Silver in conception, but with a fresh execution that's mighty nice – and which marks Mitchell as one of the fresher trumpet voices of his generation! The whole group's great, too – and the lineup includes Junior Cook on tenor, Blue's old bandmate from Horace Silver's group – plus Harold Mabern on piano, who really helps shape the sound of the record, Gene Taylor on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Tracks include gems from Mitchell, Jimmy Heath, and Tom McIntosh – titles that include "Bring It Home To Me", "Blues 3 For 1", "Port Rico Rock", and "Ginger Bread Boy". CD

A beautiful way to dive right into the some of best work ever by Joni Mitchell – a 10CD set that brings together her first 10 albums in a single set – including her great couple of early efforts for Reprise and her incredible Asylum work from throughout the 70s! These albums travel from gentle folk pop and rock, to an ambitious blend of jazzy experimental instrumental touches as a backdrop – and feature some of very best songcraft of the era by anyone! The titles include Songs For A Seagull, Clouds, Ladies Of The Canyon, Blue, For The Rose, Court And Spark, The Hissing Of Summer Lawns, Hejira, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter and Mingus – and nearly every one is essential! CD

A rock-solid 60s session from Blue Note tenor giant Hank Mobley – and a set with a sound that's as iconic as its cover! The record comes from a key point in Mobley's career – when he was shifting from some more conventional hard bop to a variant of his style that was filled with newer, fresher ideas – slight currents of modernism, mixed in with a soulful groove – served up here with a killer group that also features Lee Morgan on trumpet and Harold Mabern on piano, both players hitting a similar stretching out point in their own careers! Rhythm features Larry Ridley on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a fluid duo who really help open up Hank's ideas – on titles that include the Mobley originals "Ballin", "The Vamp", "The Dip", and "The Break Through". The sound is incredible – full, rich, soaring – uniquely Mobley's own vision, and not a copycat approach to the styles of Coltrane, Rollins, or other 60s tenorists. CD

A rock-solid 60s session from Blue Note tenor giant Hank Mobley – and a set with a sound that's as iconic as its cover! The record comes from a key point in Mobley's career – when he was shifting from some more conventional hard bop to a variant of his style that was filled with newer, fresher ideas – slight currents of modernism, mixed in with a soulful groove – served up here with a killer group that also features Lee Morgan on trumpet and Harold Mabern on piano, both players hitting a similar stretching out point in their own careers! Rhythm features Larry Ridley on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a fluid duo who really help open up Hank's ideas – on titles that include the Mobley originals "Ballin", "The Vamp", "The Dip", and "The Break Through". The sound is incredible – full, rich, soaring – uniquely Mobley's own vision, and not a copycat approach to the styles of Coltrane, Rollins, or other 60s tenorists. CD

A rock-solid 60s session from Blue Note tenor giant Hank Mobley – and a set with a sound that's as iconic as its cover! The record comes from a key point in Mobley's career – when he was shifting from some more conventional hard bop to a variant of his style that was filled with newer, fresher ideas – slight currents of modernism, mixed in with a soulful groove – served up here with a killer group that also features Lee Morgan on trumpet and Harold Mabern on piano, both players hitting a similar stretching out point in their own careers! Rhythm features Larry Ridley on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a fluid duo who really help open up Hank's ideas – on titles that include the Mobley originals "Ballin", "The Vamp", "The Dip", and "The Break Through". The sound is incredible – full, rich, soaring – uniquely Mobley's own vision, and not a copycat approach to the styles of Coltrane, Rollins, or other 60s tenorists. CD

One of the first great pairings of Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan – a trumpet/tenor team that was always a treasure, no matter what the setting! This one's a pretty open-ended blowing date – one that gives both horn players plenty of room to stretch out, in a setting that's filled with sharp-edged, and imaginative lines! The rhythm section is rock solid too – with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and the great Charlie Persip on drums – kicking things nicely on the kit to get a groove going. Tracks are all quite long, and titles include "Git Go Blues", "Speak Low", "Stretchin Out", and "High & Flighty". This CD edition includes 3 bonus tracks – alternate takes of ""High & Flighty", "Speak Low" and "Stretchin Out". CD

One of the first great pairings of Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan – a trumpet/tenor team that was always a treasure, no matter what the setting! This one's a pretty open-ended blowing date – one that gives both horn players plenty of room to stretch out, in a setting that's filled with sharp-edged, and imaginative lines! The rhythm section is rock solid too – with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and the great Charlie Persip on drums – kicking things nicely on the kit to get a groove going. Tracks are all quite long, and titles include "Git Go Blues", "Speak Low", "Stretchin Out", and "High & Flighty". This CD edition includes 3 bonus tracks – alternate takes of ""High & Flighty", "Speak Low" and "Stretchin Out". CD

Ralph Moore's a player we always like to keep our ear on, and this album's no exception – a cracklingly soulful batch of tunes played with a razor-sharp quintet, all tied together beautifully with Moore's tenor on top! The date's great proof that rock-solid sessions could still be cut well after the classic Blue Note or Prestige Records years – and Moore's sense of timing and guidance easily matches that of many other tenor titans from previous years. And even more than some tenorists, who really see themselves as the star of the show, Ralph's got a sense of warmth and comradeship that always seems to bring out the best in his players – who on this date include Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Benny Green on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and either Victor Lewis or Kenny Washington on drums. Titles include "Pheobe's Samba", "Girl Talk", "Line D", "Monk's Dream", "310 Blues", and "Hopscotch". CD

A nice little live trio outing with Jason Moran's angular piano out front of Tarus Mateen on acoustic electric bass and Nasheet Waits on the kit. The set has a much freer, and more laguorous feel than Moran's great (if a little straight) Black Stars album, and fleshes out the more experimental ideas he put to tape solo on the Modernistic album. "Planet Rock" fares especially well in this setting – with the tight bass and snapping trap that was missing in the studio version. Another nice piece of work by possibly the greatest young talent on Blue Note right now! Other tracks include "Gangsterism On Canvas", "Ringing My Phone (Straight Outta Istanbul)", "Gentle Shifts South", "Body & Soul", "Infospace", "Out Front", and "Intermezzo Op. 118, No. 2". CD

A solo set by pianist Jason Moran – but one that's got the intensity of a full group session! We honestly didn't know how we'd respond to this one, but we find the album to be really compelling – a great blend of tunes from sources that include James P Johnson, Arthur Baker, and Muhal Richard Abrams, next to some sparkling originals by Moran. Titles include "Planet Rock", "You've Got To Be Modernistic", "Passion", "Gansterism On A Lunchtable", "Time Into Space Into Time", and "Gentle Shifts South". CD

5 albums from Lee Morgan – one of the coolest cats to ever handle a trumpet for Blue Note! First up is Delightfulee – really unique album from the great Lee Morgan – a set that features the trumpeter in two different settings, but in a way that really works well together! Most of the album has Lee blowing in a very cool quintet – with Joe Henderson on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a group who maybe bring out a slightly hipper vibe that really points the way to the rest of Morgan's direction in the late 60s, when he was really letting some more spiritual currents loose. The other two tracks on the record feature a hip larger band directed by Oliver Nelson – swinging hard in a really soulful style! Nelson's arrangements on these two tracks are great – quite progressive, with a soul jazz big band style that seems to point the way towards the 70s – and the band provides a raging backdrop that lets Lee's trumpet soar over the top in beautiful crystal clear solos. Titles include "Nite Flite", "Delightful Deggie", "Ca-Lee-So", and "Zambia". Also features a few bonus tracks. The Cooker is a very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". Lee Way is an undisputed masterpiece by Lee Morgan – and one of the first records in which he shed his straight bop sensibility, and began evolving into a soulful genius for the 60s! The album's got 4 long tracks that all build beautifully – really extended numbers that break the format of some of Lee's earlier work, and hint a bit at some of the more complicated touches he'd use on later sessions. All players are great – and include fellow Jazz Messengers Bobby Timmons on piano and Art Blakey on drums, plus Jackie McLean on alto and Paul Chambers on bass. Titles include the sublime "These Are Soulful Days" – a perfect model of soulful lyricism – plus "Midtown Blues", "Nakatini Suite", and "The Lion & The Wolff". Rumproller often gets too easily lumped next to The Sidewinder – because of an obvious title and cover similarity to that hit record – but like that one, the album's far more than jazz cliche – and shows Lee Morgan to be one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 60s. The set starts off with the title cut, "The Rumproller" – hard-wailing soul bop, in the manner of Lee's most popular work – but then it easily flows into more sensitive material that has a freer, lyrical feel – like the great original tune "Eclipso" and Wayne Shorter's "Edda" – both of which are superb. Lee is astounding, as always, on trumpet – and the rest of the group includes the great Ronnie Matthews on piano, plus Joe Henderson, Victor Sproles, and Billy Higgins. Search For The New Land is a brilliant album that proves that even at the height of his success, Lee Morgan was one of the freest thinkers on Blue Note – always coming up with fresh ideas that continued to grow his talents! The first cut on the album is keen poof of that fact – the title track "Search For The New Land" – a beautiful 16 minute exploration of modal jazz themes, with an unusual stop/start device as a means of ushering solos by different bandmates – including Wayne Shorter on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, and Herbie Hancock on piano! The approach is unlike anything that Morgan ever did before – and unlike most of other Blue Note as well – and it also benefits from great rhythmic help from Reggie Workman on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Other tunes are a bit more conventional, but still pretty special – like some of Morgan's inventive work on the Rajah albums – with titles that include "The Joker", "Melancholee", "Mr. Kenyatta" and "Morgan The Pirate". CD

A very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". CD

One of Lee Morgan's beautiful early sets for Blue Note – and proof that he was emerging as a youthful lyricist even in his hardbop days! The group on the session is a sextet – with rock-solid Hank Mobley on tenor, Horace Silver on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Charlie Persip on drums – plus the highly obscure Kenny Rodgers on alto – making his only Blue Note appearance ever! As on Morgan's third album for Blue Note, most of the tracks are composed by Benny Golson – perfectly penned numbers that maintain a hardbop swing, but which let Morgan explore things with a bit more depth than on some of his sessions for Savoy! Titles include "Slightly Hep", "D's Fink", "Whisper Not", and "Latin Hangover". CD

Mos Def brings a veering diversity to New Danger – his first album in five years – a record that hits on tried-and-true Rawkus flavored beats and rhyme schemes, slow-rolling, smoked out soul & blues, and Quickness era Bad Brains-esque arena rock! Of course our favorite cuts are the straight up hip hop tracks, produced by Minnesota with a percolating, synth-layered sound that works really well – giving the backdrop kind of a pulpy, cinematic sweep. Other tracks feature Mos and his soul/rock/blues outfit Black Jack Johnson. Mos clearly refuses to be roped in by anyone's expectations at this point – a quality that reminds us of Common's Electric Circus – in spirit, if not in the actual sound. Tracks include "Boogie Man Song", "Ghetto Rock", "Zimzallabim", "The Rape Over", "Blue Black Jack" featuring some straight electric blues guitar work by the one-and-only Shuggie Otis, "Bedstuy Parade & Funeral March", "Sex, Love & Money", "Sunshine", "Grown Man Business", "Modern Marvel", "Life Is Real", "War" (produced by Beatnut Psycho Les) and more. CD

Both albums complete on one CD! First up GP – a mindblowing solo debut from Gram Parsons – music that's nicely different than his work with both the Flying Burrito Brothers and The Byrds, and which shows Gram really stepping out into the role of a 70s superstar – to which he would have ascended, were he not taken from us all too soon! There's a fragility to the record that's wonderful, even when things are tight – a quality echoed by vocals from Emmylou Harris, and which comes through especially strongly on Parsons' on tunes. Backing features all sorts of country studio greats – including James Burton on guitar and dobro, and Buddy Emmons on steel guitar – and titles include the completely sublime "She" – a cut that should have been a 70s classic – plus "Still Feeling Blue", "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning", "Streets Of Baltimore", "That's All It Took", and "Cry One More Time". Next is Grievous Angel, one of the most beloved country rock albums of all time! This album is likely to have cemented Gram's legacy even if he didn't pass away before it's release – it's really that good – mixing mournful honk tonk laments, bleary-eyed barroom rockers and soul searching lyricism in a way that was pretty damn distinctive in the 70s. It's bookended by the (arguably) 2 greatest songs he ever wrote, "Return Of The Grievous Angel" and "In My Hour Of Darkness", plus "Love Hurts", "Brass Buttons", "$1000 Wedding", a rockin' cover of Tom T Hall's "I Can't Dance" and "Hickory Wind". And for all the praise we just heaped on Gram Parsons in the preceding sentences, there's no discounting the importance of co-singer and ""In My Hour Of Darkness" co-writer Emmylou Harris, who's like the beautifully voiced angel on Gram's shoulder. CD

A record that's every bit as cool as its cover – and one of the strongest Blue Note sessions from Hammond organ legend Big John Patton! The tracks are long, and have a great loping rhythm – a groove that Patton creates by using the bass pedals alongside the drums of Ben Dixon – a player who really helps John break past more familiar Hammond modes – and helps establish that unique sound that really made the organist one of the strongest 60s players on his instrument! The rest of the combo is fantastic too – with Fred Jackson on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, Richard Williams on trumpet – the last of whom is a real surprise, if you only know his work with Charles Mingus. The tracks are nice and long, and have a good balance between soulful roots and more modern intentions – on titles that include "Just 3/4", "The Way I Feel", "Jerry", "The Rock", and "Davene". CD

A wonderful package – four full albums by one of the most unique groups of their time! First up is These Things Too – the first Reprise album from Pearls Before Swine – a bit more straight ahead and folksy than their work for ESP – but in a really great way, one that lets you hear the best of Tom Rapp's amazing songs and vocals! The album follows in a tradition that includes Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Leonard Cohen, and Fred Neil – but it's also got a really unique style that's the unique province of Tom Rapp – the main force behind the group, and the voice on all of the tunes. Rapp's vision was quite unique for the time – not nearly as revolutionary or personally preoccupied – more sad at the fading world, and granted with a unique ability to paint any subject in shades of blue. Titles include "Wizard Of Is", "Frog In The Window", "Footnote", "Look Into Her Eyes", "These Things Too", and "Mon Amour". Use Of Ashes is an incredibly beautiful album from Pearls Before Swine – one that uses light orchestrations to create a baroquely folksy sort of feel – easily elevating the album past previous efforts, into classic territory we'd rank with the best from Nick Drake or Leonard Cohen! The whole album's great – with fragile and haunting songs from Tom Rapp, all supported by sparsely arranged instrumentation that includes harpsichord, flute, oboe, cello, and dobro. Genius throughout – and a clear inspiration for music still being made 30 years later – with classic tracks that include "The Jeweler", "Rocket Man", "Song About A Rose", "The Old Man", "When The War Began", and "From The Movie Of The Same Name". Next is Beautiful Lies You Could Live In – one of the most perfectly formed albums ever recorded by Tom Rapp's enigmatic group Pearls Before Swine – a record that does an incredible job of skirting between Rapp's earthy sense of the planet's passing, and his ambitions for larger forums of expression. The core group is lightly folksy – with strong use of acoustic guitar that goes far beyond any folk rock cliches – plus some additional arrangements that feature contributions from the team of Bob Dorough and Stu Scharf, who seem to have a habit of appearing on under-discovered gems like this one, and making them sound all that more hip! The whole thing's great – filled with beautiful songs that should have been as over-recorded as the best by Tim Hardin or Leonard Cohen – with titles that are even better, too! Tracks include "Snow Queen", "A Life", "Butterflies", "Simple Things", "Freedom", "She's Gone", and "Island Lady". Last up is City Of Gold – a return to folksier forms for Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine – working here in territory that's very different than some of the baroque light arrangements used on previous records. Rapp's emerging as a more confident singer/songwriter – recording in an almost Dylan-like setting, but with more of the irony of Leonard Cohen, and as always, working in a timeless idiom that's still beginning to be understood more than 30 years after its inception. Beautiful work throughout – as earthy as it is majestic – and with titles that include "My Father", "The Man", "Once Upon A Time", "City Of Gold", "Nancy", and "Wedding". CD

Rare late 60s psychedelia from blue collar Rockford, Il – a totally great lost album of pop psych tunefulness from Pisces – who had an incredible knack for experimental sounds that weave in and out of the hallucinatory pop structure! The group centered around core players Jim Krein and Paul DiVenti, and a number of the tunes have fragile, beautiful lead vocals by Linda Bruner, bringing in a bit of Velvets style stark, haunting loveliness – and most of the tracks languished unreleased all this time! This is essentially the first real release of almost all of the tunes, and the best shot at finding an adventurous audience any of it has ever had! We think this stuff would have been hugely influential had it found an audience in its time, hell, it sounds to us like it actually did influence countless groups, even though that's hardly even possible! There's a tunefulness at the center that bears the fruits of the experimental pop sounds that came from benchmark scenes of the era, from Haight Ashbury to Abbey Road – but the found sound ephemera, tape manipulations, and tripped out atmospherics really bring in some far out vibes! An essential discovery from Numero that's as exciting, insistently groovy and eclectic as any of the rock oriented stuff they've dug up to date! Titles include "Dear One", "Children Kiss Your Mother Goodnight", "Motley Mary Ann", "Say Goodbye To John", "The Music Box", "Like A Hole In The Wall Where The Rat Lives", "Elephant Eyes", "Circle Of Time" and more – plus the "extended play" bonus tracks "A Flower For All Seasons" and "In The Summer A Grape Grows". CD

Trippy electric fusion from the west coast – a record that features Ponty, who was working with Zappa at the time, playing a set of electric jazz takes on Zappa tunes – with lots of added help from George Duke, who was also working with Zappa too! The set's almost a "birth of fusion" one – with Zappa arrangements that are clearly in a jazz-rock mode – and lots of electric bass, electric piano, and electric violin in the set. Tracks are long, and riff-heavy – and other players include Ernie Watts, Wilton Felder, Buell Neidlinger, and Ian Underwood. Titles include "America Drinks & Goes Home", "Music For Electric Violin & Low Budget Orchestra", "King Kong", and "Twenty Small Cigars". CD

A long-overdue audio presentation of the famous performance that was captured in 1985, and used in the concert film of the same name – brought together here as an audio release that stands as a tremendous document to the strength of Prince and his famous group of the time! This is the fantastic lineup that features Wendy & Lisa, who helped Prince hit a whole new level of grooviness – a blend of funk, soul, and rock touches that takes the Purple Rain sound to a much richer dimension in the setting of the arena! The performance was recorded at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse on March 30, 1985 – and the core set features 20 tracks that include "Let's Go Crazy", "1999", "God", "Computer Blue", "Darling Nikki", "International Lover", "Possessed", "Do Me Baby", "Irresistible Bitch", "Little Red Corvette", "I Would Die 4 U", and "Delirious" – plus extended jams that include an 11 minute version of "Baby I'm A Star", a 9 minute version of "When Doves Cry", and a 19 minute version of "Purple Rain"! CD

A hip hop masterpiece from Prince Paul – his second album as a solo act, but one that builds on years of top-shelf experience in the east coast scene – including his roots with Stetsasonic and production of De La Soul! The record came up at a time when there seemed to be a new sense of self-awareness in hip hop – maybe not a postmodern sensibility, but a gentle play between the real role of the artist and imagined pop presence – handled here by Paul with a lot more care than most, and presented in a concept album format that's full of great surprises along the way! Breeze Brewin of Jugganauts handles the main lyrics, but the story has lots of famous guests along the way – almost a Wizard Of Oz sort of journey that includes Kool Keith, Big Daddy Kane, Chubb Rock, Biz Markie, and many others. Titles include "MC Hustler", "The Other Line", "Pain", "Steady Slobbin", "War Party", "Weapon World", "Handle Your Time", "The Men In Blue", and "Mood For Love". CD

The "flipside" of Ike Quebec's legendary run of albums for Blue Note – a huge set of material recorded only as 45 singles during his same stretch at the label! Although Quebec's work as a soulful tenorist has been well documented and reissued over the years on albums like Blue & Sentimental and Heavy Soul, Ike also cut a fair number of singles aimed at the jukebox and radio crowds of the time – tunes that were more in the gutsy tenor and organ mode recorded by labels like Prestige or Chess, and which never made it onto any of the full-length sets for Blue Note! This great little package brings together all of Ike's 26 tracks recorded for 45s in the late 50s and early 60s – material that features organ on most numbers, played by either Ike Quebec, Sir Charles Thompson, or the enigmatic Edwin Swanston. Quebec's tone and phrasing is similar to his Blue Note LP work of the period, but there's also a more relaxed, and more punctuated feel to these recordings – one that's not as rough or raw as other jukebox tenor stars of the time, but which still steps out past the usual Blue Note poise, especially on the original numbers. Some tracks were briefly issued on the 80s collection With A Song In My Heart, and in a Mosaic box – but this is the first proper Blue Note album of the material. Titles include "Buzzard Lope", "Zonky", "Blue Monday", "Later For The Rock", "Dear John", "Blue Friday", "Ill Wind", "Mardis Gras", "Everything Happens To Me", "Me N Mabe", "All The Way", "Intermezzo", "All Of Me", and "Imagination". CD

Get Ready, the first really major album from Rare Earth, is 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". Ecology is some blue-eyed soul from Detroit's Rare Earth. The most popular track from this record was "Born To Wander" but there are some other good ones like "(I Know) I'm Losing You" by the Temptations – Norman Whitfield produced the track for this album and it clocks in at over ten minutes long. Other titles include "Long Time Leavin", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Nice Place To Visit", "No 1. Man", and a version of "Eleanor Rigby". CD

A real grand slam from Rare Earth – a late 70s set, but one that shows that they're still one of the greatest blue-eyed soul groups of all time! If anything, the period seems to bring out even more of the soulful side of the group – with a shift to fuller arrangements that include work from McKinley Jackson and David Campbell, all wrapped up nicely by producer John Ryan – who really knows how to let the group find their groove, but all without trying to polish things up in an AOR sort of way! The blend is great – definitely equal parts rock and soul – and titles include "My Eyes Only", "Save Me Save Me", "Mighty Good Love", "Stop Her On Sight", "You Got My Love", and remakes of "Heard It Through The Grapevine", "When A Man Loves A Woman", and "I Wish It Would Rain". CD

A big stack of singles from one of the coolest groups on the American scene of the 70s – one who are remembered for a few key singles, but delivered a heck of a lot more greatness over the space of the decade! Redbone are maybe best known for their makeup – as the group featured Native and Mexican American members – but they also stood equally well next to their contemporaries on the airwaves, with a great ear for a catchy groove and a way of mixing soulful currents with rock expressions that was perfect for the AM radio generation! And it's on their singles that the group maybe excelled the most – able to come up with tunes that were short and catchy, but also had all these cool twists and turns too – as you'll hear on the big mix of styles on this 36 track collection that brings together all the a-sides and b-sides of their classic singles! Tracks include their huge hit "Come & Get Your Love" – plus "Message From A Drum", "One Monkey", "Physical Attraction", "Turquoise Eyes", "Crazy Cajun Cakewalk Band", "New Blue Sermonette", "Alcatraz", "We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee", "Wovoka", "Clouds In My Sunshine", "Checkin It Out", "I've Got To Find The Right Woman", "Niji Trance", "The Witch Queen Of New Orleans", and "Light As A Feather". CD

An incredible late 50s set for King by singer Lula Reed – and a pretty unique blend of R&B and bluer and moodier material – but a lot more upbeat than you'd expect from the title! Lula's voice is a genuine vessel for the bluesy material, but it's also light and lovely, and works even better on more upbeat sounding tunes – and she does both here beautifully. It's almost unbelievable that this is her lone solo album, and it's even harder to belive that it's been so hard to find over the years, given how strong it is! Includes "Watch Dog", "I'll Drown My Tears", "Going Back To Mexico". "Three Men", "Sample Man", "Last Night", "Rock Love", "Bump On A Log", "My Poor Heart", "Every Second" and "Jealous Love". CD

A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, LA raised singer Dorris Henderson moved to London in 1965 and was soon singing London's folk clubs, where she met Rensbourn. A solid mix of traditionals and then contemporary folk songs – stripped down and honest takes on "Saly Free And Easy", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Going To Memphis", Something Lonesome", "Mist On The Mountain" and more. This edition includes bonus tracks from a rare 45 – "Hangman" and "Leaves That Are Green". Next is the self-titled John Renbourn from 1965 – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Bert & John is a hell of a collaboration between British legends Bert Jansch and John Renbourn – both working here together to completely redefine the sound of their music for the generation to come! This one album may well hold all the sense of subtle power and possibility that was about to flower in the Brit movement often known as "acid folk" – that reworking of older aesthetics with modern conceptions, and doing so mostly with their work on acoustic guitar – quite a feat, given the stripped-down instrumentation of the set! Bert sings a bit – in that incredible style of his – but the real attraction here is the guitar interplay, which is always fresh, never hokey, neither familiar American folk nor forced singer-songwriter backup material. Titles include a wonderful reworking of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – plus "Red's Favourite", "Orlando", "Soho", "Piano Tune", "East Wind", "After The Dance", and "The Time Has Come". Another Monday is maybe the most obscure album in the collection – a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". Watch The Stars is another great collaboration with Dorris Henderson – an American singer, but one who moved to London in the 60s – where she cut this rare gem with guitarist John Renbourn! The album's got a righteous vibe that's hipper than the usual folk set – with some traditional tunes and some contemporary material – recorded with that amazing phrasing that made Renbourn's guitar so distinct right from the start, with lots of those jazzy currents we love so much – and which really fit the creative vocal approach of Henderson! Dorris also plays some autoharp, and there's a bit of bass in the backings – although overall the main focus here is on Renbourn's guitar and Henderson's vocals. Titles include "Come Up Horsey", "God Bless The Child", "Watch The Stars", "30 Days In Jail", "Mosaic Patterns", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "There's Anger In This Land". Sir John A Lot Of is perhaps one of the best-known albums from British guitar legend John Renbourn – as it was issued widely in the US, and kept in print for a surprisingly long time over the years! The approach here is slightly different than Renbourn's previous records – a bit in the image presented by the cover, although with maybe not as slavish a sound – as John just uses the whole thing to go a bit more ancient than before, in ways that echo the time travel that the whole British folk scene was taking as the 70s approached. The tunes are done in ways that are really beautiful – still lots of the incredible guitar work that made Renbourn such a standout on the scene – plus flute from jazzman Ray Warleigh, who's very different here than usual – and spare use of finger cymbals, African drums, and glockenspiel by Terry Cox. Titles include "Morgana", "Transfusion", "The Trees They Do Grow High", "Sweet Potato", "Seven Up", and "White Fishes". 6CD box features all records in original artwork sleeves, with a booklet of notes – and bonus tracks that include "Message To Pretty", "The Waggoner's Lad", "Lucky Thirteen", "Blues Run The Game", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity (alt)", "Can't Keep From Crying", "Transfusion (alt)", and "The Leaves Are Green". CD

The masterpiece by one of the greatest genuine rock bands of all time – finally remastered! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as genuine. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". CD

The masterpiece by one of the greatest genuine rock bands of all time – finally remastered! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as genuine. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". Includes 6 bonus tracks of outtakes & demos. CD

Absolutely brilliant numbers from Charlie Rich – one of the greatest and most versative voices ever to come out of the 50s rock & roll and country scenes – his impeccable work for Smash in the 60s, long before he'd hit mainstream country pay dirt (finally) in the mid 70s! Charlie was both blessed and cursed by his gifted vocal chords, in that he could do anything with them – nascent blue-eyed soul, pop, country, rock & roll – which made it all too easy for his labels, producers and handlers to move him onto a new thing if the singles or LPs didn't stick commercially. They couldn't wedge him comfortably into a niche, but damned if he didn't knock everything they threw at him right outta the park. So very highly recommended! 29 tracks in all: "It Ain't Gonna Be That Way", "Party Girl", "I Can't Go On", "So Long", "Just A Bit Of You", "So Long", "Down And Out", "Moonshine Minnie", "Hawg Jaw", "Lonely Weekends", "Tars A Go-Go", "She's A Yum Yum", "Man About Town", "Mohair Sam", "So Long" and many more. CD

Absolutely brilliant numbers from Charlie Rich – one of the greatest and most versative voices ever to come out of the 50s rock & roll and country scenes – his impeccable work for Smash in the 60s, long before he'd hit mainstream country pay dirt (finally) in the mid 70s! Charlie was both blessed and cursed by his gifted vocal chords, in that he could do anything with them – nascent blue-eyed soul, pop, country, rock & roll – which made it all too easy for his labels, producers and handlers to move him onto a new thing if the singles or LPs didn't stick commercially. They couldn't wedge him comfortably into a niche, but damned if he didn't knock everything they threw at him right outta the park. So very highly recommended! 29 tracks in all: "It Ain't Gonna Be That Way", "Party Girl", "I Can't Go On", "So Long", "Just A Bit Of You", "So Long", "Down And Out", "Moonshine Minnie", "Hawg Jaw", "Lonely Weekends", "Tars A Go-Go", "She's A Yum Yum", "Man About Town", "Mohair Sam", "So Long" and many more. CD

Guitarist Eddie Roberts is a legend in contemporary funk – famous first for his work in the New Mastersounds, then for some great records on his own – now working here as a key part of The Lucky Strokes – a group who open up a whole new chapter in Eddie's career! The group's a lean quartet, and features vocals from Shelby Kemp – a raspy-voiced singer who's clearly versed in the more soulful sides of the blue-eyed rock spectrum – working here in modes that evoke The Face and some hipper currents of southern rock – but all delivered with the lean funky style you'd expect from Roberts! The rest of the lineup just features bass and drums – which makes for a mighty spare, guitar-forward album – with titles that include "Whiskey Makes Me Stronger", "Holy Fire", "Grits Ain't Groceries", "Rambler", "Gonna Get In My Way", "Home Sweet Home", and "Gonna Get In My Way". CD

Melodic space rock from Secret Machines – who smartly developed a unique niche in the post millennium rock scene by pairing early 70s Eno style and Krautrock era moody atmospherics with accessible hooks and relatable lyricism – smartly eschewing trends and making it pretty timeless, so it's as listenable now as ever! Includes "Alone, Jealous & Stoned", "All At One (It's Not Important)", "Lighting Blue Eyes", "Daddy's In The Doldrums", "I Hate Pretending", "Faded Lines", "I Want To Know If It's Still Possible" and "1,000 Seconds". CD

Great later work from this 60s southern soul legend – a set that's maybe more rarities than hits – even though there's some classic Percy Sledge tunes in the mix as well, just served up in later versions! The collection's a great illustration of the way that true soul heroes keep on making great music long after the charts and radio play have kept them in the mainstream – and, apart from a rare few who get a late-life chance to work with a famous rock producer, or maybe get some Rolling Stone hype, there's plenty of others who never fully get that shot – yet keep on making wonderful music like this. As usual with Sunset Blvd, there's almost no details as to where the specific tracks are from – but we can say that the material is all from later in Sledge's career, and still has that incredible voice working through superb material – some lesser-known gems and remakes of some of his older Atlantic tracks. The set includes a few tracks on CD for the first time ever – remakes of "Spooky", "Warm & Tender Love", and "Sweet Soul Music" – plus "Hard Lovin Woman" – and other cuts include "Twine Time", "Honest As Daylight", "Blue Water", "It Tears Me Up", "Dark End Of The Street", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", "She's Too Pretty To Cry", "Tell It Like It Is", and "If She Were Mine". CD

Indie rock elders Sonic Youth's first high profile album on an indie label in about 20 years – the group's first for Matador, and a skillful mix of insistent, exciting melodic precision, barbed lyricism, random bursts of noise, and enough layered hypnotic guitar errata that you'll hear something new each time you come back to it! Through the years they continued to be pretty exciting, and for the most part managed to avoid repeating themselves, while still working in something of a comfort zone – once throwing a screwdriver in the old noise rock guitar neck with the addition of Jim O'Rourke to the group, and with O'Rourke's departure, former Pavement player Mark Ibold on bass. Kim Gordon is now freed up to be play guitar, making for a triple threat along with Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo – and it's a riveting sound. They don't reinvent the wheel on The Eternal – but they steer into adventurous waters – and as long as they're making records this good we're hoping they live up to title! Includes "Sacred Trickster", "Anti-Orgasm", "Leaky Lifeboat (For Gregory Corso)", "Antenna", "What We Know", "Calming The Snake", "Poison Arrow", "Malibu Gas Station", "Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn", "No Way", "Walkin Blue", "Massage The History". CD

Some of the best blue-eyed soul to come out of America during the late 60s – a soaring batch of tunes from a combo that broke down borders wherever they went! The album's the first by the group – and easily their best – based around their biggest hit ever, "Expressway (To Your Heart)", one of those songs you've heard a million times, but which always grabs you when it hits the break in the chorus! There's none of the "fake soul" style vocals that rock acts in later years would try to pick up, and these guys instead play like they're just a Philly group, ready to mash it up at some tasty club gigs. The whole thing's great, and titles include "Do You Feel It", "Respect", "Hey Gyp", "The Rydle", and "Taboo-India". CD

There's nothing slow about this mid 70s album from Steppenwolf – a set that has the group really coming back into the fray, after John Kay had left for a bit and recorded as a solo act! All the raw power of the group is still very much at play here – plenty of searing guitars, at that level that made Steppenwolf such a key precursor to the hard rock sound of the 70s – maybe answered to by the group themselves here, who felt a need to reform and show the younger acts how things were done! But there's also some fuller production at times too – touches of soul inspiration that hit a few of the songs, but without ever knocking the guitars out too much – on titles that include "Get Into The Wind", "Children Of The Night", "Smokey Factory Blues", "Morning Blue", "A Fool's Fantasy", and "Gang War Blues". CD