A wonderful sound library set from the great Piero Umiliani – and a record that's filled with some of his coolest electronics ever! The feel of the record is very much in keeping with the image on the cover – kind of sci fi, but kind of playful too – a wonderful blend of keyboards and moogy bits, often played with a cool little groove – but one that's laidback enough to recall Umiliani's best soundtrack music! Tunes are relatively short – between one and four minutes in length – but really have a great sense of variety and imagination – at a level that goes way beyond some of the overdone repetition you might find in other albums of this nature. Really great all the way through – with cuts that include "Futuristic Jam", "Killer Robot", "Soft Key", "Bric Brac", "Soundmaker Blues", "Gadget", "Danza Galattica", and "Jingle No 1". CD

A wonderful sound library set from the great Piero Umiliani – and a record that's filled with some of his coolest electronics ever! The feel of the record is very much in keeping with the image on the cover – kind of sci fi, but kind of playful too – a wonderful blend of keyboards and moogy bits, often played with a cool little groove – but one that's laidback enough to recall Umiliani's best soundtrack music! Tunes are relatively short – between one and four minutes in length – but really have a great sense of variety and imagination – at a level that goes way beyond some of the overdone repetition you might find in other albums of this nature. Really great all the way through – with cuts that include "Futuristic Jam", "Killer Robot", "Soft Key", "Bric Brac", "Soundmaker Blues", "Gadget", "Danza Galattica", and "Jingle No 1". LP, Vinyl record album

Muddy Waters makes a classic appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival – playing a folksy set of blues in the years before the festival had turned more strongly towards that sort of music! The performance is surprisingly well-recorded – at a level that's similar to Waters' earlier studio dates for Chess, but with a clarity that's impressive, given the live setting – and which captures just a bit of the open space in which the group was working. Waters' vocals and guitar are supported by harmonica from James Cotton and piano from Otis Spann – who also sings on one number too. Titles include "I Got My Brand On You", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Soon Forgotten", "Tiger In Your Tank", "I Feel So Good", and "Goodbye Newport Blues". CD also features 4 bonus tracks – including "Meanest Woman", plus different versions of songs on the LP! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little 15 track CD that compiles some of Lester Young's small combo work for Savoy – featuring backing by players that include Count Basie, Freddie Green, Shadow Wilson, Cozy Cole, Roy Haynes, and Junior Mance. Titles include "June Bug", "Blue Lester", "Blues N Bells", "Basie English", "Jump Lester Jump", and "Ding Dong" – and the album comes with a great cover image! CD

A great little 12 track LP that compiles some of Lester Young's small combo work for Savoy – featuring backing by players that include Count Basie, Freddie Green, Shadow Wilson, Cozy Cole, Roy Haynes, and Junior Mance. Titles include "June Bug", "Blue Lester", "Blues N Bells", "Basie English", "Jump Lester Jump", and "Ding Dong" – and the album comes with a great cover image! LP, Vinyl record album

There's an island on the cover, but the music is all-soul, all the way through – a great collection of classic mellow moments from years back, plus a few excellent choices from more recent years as well! Still, the island's a great image for the sound of the set – as the music has this kicked-back vibe that provides a nice sort of escape from the everyday world – heavenly soul sounds that come both from rare classics, and some of the best of the current underground – brought together with the kind of care and class we've come to expect from the folks at Expansion Records. A wonderful mix of tunes – with titles that include "Remember To Remember" by Rick Holmes, "Under The Moon & Over The Sky" by Angela Bofil, "Living So Fast" by Novocento with Danni Gottlieb & Dave Liebman, "I Choose You" by Paris, "You Are My Starship" by Norman Connors, "It Should Be you" by Ashanti Munir & Neil Letendre, "He Mandu (mother mix)" by Mouth Music, "Far Beyond" by Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band, "It's Like Air" by Sunny Hawkins, "Blending Colors" by Debra Debs, "Unconditional Love" by Greg Dean with Chantae Cann & Jarrod Lawson, "Mississippi Delta Blues" by Lamar Thomas with Carrie K Thomas, and "Peace In The Middle East" by Miri Ben-Ari & Kerri Chandler. CD

The groovier side of the mod scene in 60s London – music that's not just rock, but which mixes together jazzy instrumentals, soulful stompers, and other wild sounds – all created by British groups who were bursting with new ideas at the time! The music is as bursting with color as the image on the front cover – and the collection is way different than other mod mixes on the market – with no American soul, less British blues, and plenty of unfamiliar cuts that makes the whole thing a treasure trove in groovy music from the English scene at the time! The package comes with a hefty booklet of notes, tracking the groups and the tunes – a stack of 93 great cuts, with work from Basil Kirchin, Mood Mosaic, The Troggs, Creation, London Studio Group, Kiki Dee, The End, Mike Cotton Sound, The Knack, Des James, Twinkle, Artwoods, Easybeats, Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede, Georgie Fame, Moon's Train, Richard Kent Style, Wynder K Frog, The Syn, Dana Gillespie, Miki Dallon, The Mickey Finn, Stan Butcher, Miss X, Mandy Rice-Davies, The Hi-Fis, Electric Banana, and dozens of others! CD

One of the most open-ended Tal Farlow albums for Verve – and a wonderfully laidback set that lets him open up with that incredible tone, taking the electric guitar to a whole new place in jazz, and showing that the instrument has volumes to speak in both phrasing and tone! The group's a quartet – with Gerald Wiggins on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Chico Hamilton on drums – an interesting combo that swings with almost a bit more bite than you'd hear on some other Farlow albums, a sound that's every bit as striking as the album's unique cover image. Tal's sound is tremendous, and right out front in the mix – and titles include "And She Remembers Me", "Little Girl Blue", "Have You Met Miss Jones", and "Tal's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from Slim Harpo – an album that kicks off with one of his biggest hits ever, and follows with plenty of great tunes as well! Things here are pretty rootsy and stripped-down – lots of spare, slowish rhythms (but a few funkier ones too!) – and instrumentation that's dominated by guitar and harmonica alongside Slim's vocals – all in a mode that's maybe a bit more vintage than his funky soul of the late 60s, but still equally powerful too! There's some great echoey production at points – almost taking a Bo Diddley tip, which makes for some really great sounds – and titles include "Snoopin Around", "Buzz Me Baby", "I'm A King Bee", "Moody Blues", "My Home Is A Prison", "Dream Girl", "Blues Hangover", and "Rainin In My Heart". CD

One of Louis Prima's greatest albums! The cover has a photo of Louie singing to a moose (wildest, get it!) – and that image really sets the tone for the album, which is a classic batch of swinging vocal numbers recorded with Keely Smith in tow, and backing by Sam Butera & The Witnesses. Titles include "Blow Red Blow", "The Pump Song", "When You're Smiling/Sheik Of Araby", "Birth Of the Blues", "Closest To The Bone", and "Pennies From Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

A spooky space age fantasy put together by electronic music Joel Vandroogenbroeck as a sound library project – done right around the early years of his famous group Brainticket, but with a much more abstract quality overall! The tunes are sometimes groovy, but mostly fall on that darker side of the sound library spectrum – all sorts of cool elements rumbling down at the bottom of the sonic palette, mixed with some higher-soaring electronics and keyboards – yet all at a level that really fits the dark-tinged image on the cover! Titles include "Riflessione Introspettiva", "Hertz Blues", "Risonanze Estaiche", "Curva Di Energia", "Angolazione Acustiche", "Eco Cosmico", and "Ricerca Di Sintonia". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure what a neck-peckin jammie is, but drummer Cecil Brooks really makes us want to know more – as the sound of this set is solidly soulful, and way deeper than you might guess from the cartoony image on the cover! Brooks has some very sharp help here in the group – Craig Handy on tenor and soprano sax, Justin Robinson on alto, and Terell Stafford on trumpet – a really bold frontline that steps out beautifully with Cecil's strongly rhythmic insistence – supported even further in these efforts by Geoff Keezer on piano and Christian McBride on bass. Tracks are easygoing and soulfully flowing – just the sort of soul jazz that Muse Records always got so right – and tunes include "In Jody's Corner", "Hill District", "Yvette", "Creepin", "One By One", "Blues Citizens", and "Mood Swings". CD

A real classic in the canon of American postwar jazz – one of the few albums ever cut as a leader by Boston baritone player Serge Chaloff – one of a handful of musicians who really helped move the instrument forward in jazz, and help it take a rightful place next to the expressiveness of the tenor and alto sax! Even though he hardly got a chance to record, Serge was a hell of a player, and one who has both the rich tone of the instrument completely in hand, while also able to move with the fluidity of a much leaner horn – a quality that's augmented here by the fantastic rhythm work from Sonny Clark on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The set's a treasure through and through – from the cool cover image, to the great music within – served up on tunes that include "How About You", "Handful Of Stars", "The Goof & I", "Susie's Blues", and "All The Things You Are". CD

A great little album that's as hip as its cover image – one of 3 seminal mid 50s recordings for Imperial by LA altoist Sonny Criss! At this point in his career, Criss had a sharp-edged sound that could easily rival the best work by Sonny Stitt or Charlie Parker on the alto sax – but he also had a groove that was a bit more spacious, and a tone that was slightly more raspy – a wonderful quality that we can only describe as Criss-esque, recorded perfectly in the Imperial studios! The group here is a tight quartet – with Sonny Clark on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums – and Criss' solos are brilliant throughout! Titles include "Wailin With Joe", "The Man I Love", "Blues For Rose", "Blue Prelude", and "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

The cover image may look a bit sinister, but the album's a perfect early example of the genius of Fleetwood Mac during their heavy blues years – a non-nonsense approach to the music that still manages to move the whole genre forward from the styles of the mod generation! The legendary Peter Green is in amazing form on guitar – maybe not as experimental as on records to come, but already able to challenge his inspirations with razor-sharp dexterity and a real sense of feeling. The rest of the group features Mick Fleetwood on drums, John McVie on bass, and Jeremy Spencer on slide guitar and piano – and titles include the originals "Stop Messin Around", "Rollin Man", "Love That Burns", "Evenin Boogie", "Trying So Hard To Forget", and "Coming Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from the team of Henry Franklin and Azar Lawrence – proof that the two players' recent pairing has helped them both reach the heights of their recordings from the 70s! The album's got a deeply spiritual vibe that goes way past the slightly gimmicky cover image – a rock-solid sound that really recalls the best spiritual jazz styles of the 70s – given perhaps a bit of a soul jazz focus by Franklin and the group, but still pretty open and expressive overall! Lawrence plays both soprano and tenor sax, and the group also features piano from Theo Sanders, drums from Ramon Banda, and cornet work from Nolan Shaheed on a few of the album's tracks. Barbara Morrison sings on the cut "Philanthropy" – a boppish sort of tune – and other titles include "Under Tanzanian Skies", "Soko", "Yama", "Miles A Round", "Peresina", "Blues For Lunch", and "Harlem Nocturne". CD

An early Warner Brothers classic from the Grateful Dead – a set that has them stretching out in maybe a more collaborative way than usual – using a few key guests to expand their freewheeling sound! The larger posse is pictured on the back cover, with a down to earth image that's a nice contrast to the trippy vibe of the front – and that may well be the best illustration of the group's changing spirit during this key year – as they shake off a bit of the hippie stink, and settle into even more serious musicianship overall. Titles include "Cosmic Charlie", "China Cat Sunflower", "Doin That Rag", "Mountains Of The Moon", and "Dupree's Diamond Blues". Includes the original 1969 mix, the 1971 mix and at the Avalon Ballroom San Francisco 1969. CD

The darkly brooding image of Hampton Hawes on the front cover of this one is a real standout in the mostly-sweet cover lineup of the Contemporary label – but it's also a great indication of the sound of the record, which is something different than most of its contemporaries! Hawes is working here at his top-shelf early best – stepping around the keys of the piano with a sense of grace and spaciousness – but also a hard-hitting, highly rhythmic mode on the left – a bit soul jazz at times, mixing earthy elements with the sweeter, lyrical moments in his solos. Rhythm is by the team of Red Mitchell and Chuck Thompson – and titles include "Yesterdays", "Blues For Jacque", Stella By Starlight", "Steeplechase", "Round Midnight", "Autumn In New York" and "Section Blues". CD

Koop are back after a long time away from the record racks – and apart from makeup on the cover, it's been well worth the wait for the music! The sound here is a great extension of the grooves the pair laid down on their first album – a soaring blend of jazz and dancefloor rhythms that's still head and shoulders above most of the other work it's inspired in recent years. Back again are tight rhythms, lots of warm acoustic instrumentation, and a blend of classic styles with 21st Century leanness – all in a way that few others can match, save for perhaps the mighty Nicola Conte. Instrumentation features plenty of vibes and warm acoustic basslines – and most tracks have vocals, by a variety of singers who include Earl Zinger, Ane Brun, Yukimi Nagano, and Mikael Sundin. Titles include "Koop Island Blues", "Come To Me", "Forces Darling", "Let's Elope", "Beyond The Son", "Whenever There Is You", "Drum Rhythm A", and "I See A Different You". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic early Charlie Parker on Verve – and one that may well support one of the strangest cover illustrations ever done by the great David Stone Martin! The image of a bird-headed Parker blowing alto is more than compelling enough – but inside, the music is even better – pulled from a variety of different early Parker sessions for Norman Granz – showing some of the real early strengths of his sound! Tracks include "Si Si", "Swedish Schnapps", "Back Home Blues", and "Lover Man". 7-inch, Vinyl record

Maybe our favorite album from Procol Harum – a set that adds in some wonderful use of strings to the group's unique style – almost moving forward on the promise of the earlier single "Whiter Shade Of Pale", moving into much deeper territory overall! There's something about Procol Harum on their early album's that's really indescribable – certainly an influence from blues and roots, but this really striking step forward with their song ideas and overall construction – not into jamming or progressive modes, like some of their contemporaries – although they're certainly never afraid to rock – but almost this balance between personal poetry and brashness, with kind of a slightly creepy current at times – as illustrated beautifully by the image on the cover. Titles include the completely wonderful "A Salty Dog", p0lus "Wreck Of The Hesperus", "Boredom", "The Devil Came To Kansas", "Too Much Between Us", "All This & More", and "The Milk Of Human Kindness". CD

Classic bop by Sonny Stitt – material recorded at the end of the 40s, originally issued as singles and 45s, but issued here as a full length set with a great cover image by Don Martin! The record features 2 different groups – one that includes JJ Johnson, John Lewis, and Max Roach; another that features Bud Powell, Curley Russell, and Roach – and in both instances, the players keep a sharp edge and tight focus that allows Stitt's tenor to soar out in those tight lines that made him a key bop figure from the get-go! Really classic stuff – with titles that include "Sunset", "Bud's Blues", "Tea Pot", "Elora", "Afternoon In Paris", and "Blue Mode". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

Classic bop by Sonny Stitt – material recorded at the end of the 40s, originally issued as singles and 45s, but issued here as a full length set with a great cover image by Don Martin! The record features 2 different groups – one that includes JJ Johnson, John Lewis, and Max Roach; another that features Bud Powell, Curley Russell, and Roach – and in both instances, the players keep a sharp edge and tight focus that allows Stitt's tenor to soar out in those tight lines that made him a key bop figure from the get-go! Really classic stuff – with titles that include "Sunset", "Bud's Blues", "Tea Pot", "Elora", "Afternoon In Paris", and "Blue Mode". LP, Vinyl record album

Dark and sophisticated vocals from Lee Wiley – cut with a slightly more traditional feel than some of her other albums from the time, partly because the backings are handled by Billy Butterfield! Yet despite a slightly traddish bent, there's also a slightly modern feel too – a nice melding of modes that's very much in the best 50s RCA spirit – fresh and sultry enough to live up to the streetwise image on the cover. Arrangements are by Al Cohn and Bill Finegan, and titles include "Blues In My Heart", "The Memphis Blues","A Hundred Years From Today", "Make Believe", "A Touch Of The Blues", and "I Don't Want To Walk Without You". CD

The album's titled after a funky Miami soul gem from the 70s, and the set's got a strong feature on some of the best groovy tracks from that southern city – all originally issued on 7" singles by the TK family of labels, and brought together here with a nice focus on the range of material the company was cutting at the time! There's some great funk in the mix, plus a bit of deep soul too – and titles include "Moon Ride" by Universal Love, "Dance Craze" by New Image, "Friend Of Mine" by Little Milton, "Love In Motion" by George McCrae, "Party Freaks" by Miami, "Party Down (part 1)" by Little Beaver, and "Say Love Can You Chase Away The Blues" by Timmy Thomas. LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic in the canon of American postwar jazz – one of the few albums ever cut as a leader by Boston baritone player Serge Chaloff – one of a handful of musicians who really helped move the instrument forward in jazz, and help it take a rightful place next to the expressiveness of the tenor and alto sax! Even though he hardly got a chance to record, Serge was a hell of a player, and one who has both the rich tone of the instrument completely in hand, while also able to move with the fluidity of a much leaner horn – a quality that's augmented here by the fantastic rhythm work from Sonny Clark on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The set's a treasure through and through – from the cool cover image, to the great music within – served up on tunes that include "How About You", "Handful Of Stars", "The Goof & I", "Susie's Blues", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic in the canon of American postwar jazz – one of the few albums ever cut as a leader by Boston baritone player Serge Chaloff – one of a handful of musicians who really helped move the instrument forward in jazz, and help it take a rightful place next to the expressiveness of the tenor and alto sax! Even though he hardly got a chance to record, Serge was a hell of a player, and one who has both the rich tone of the instrument completely in hand, while also able to move with the fluidity of a much leaner horn – a quality that's augmented here by the fantastic rhythm work from Sonny Clark on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The set's a treasure through and through – from the cool cover image, to the great music within – served up on tunes that include "How About You", "Handful Of Stars", "The Goof & I", "Susie's Blues", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

A label-spanning collection of work from Ann Cole – a singer who rose briefly on the charts in the mid 50s, and managed to cut a great range of excellent sides for a variety of different imprints! Ann's got a style that fits her image on the cover – a bit classier than most, with a mix of jazz and blues inspirations, turned towards some of the hipper R&B currents of the postwar years – which includes some occasional mambo rhythms, and currents of styles that aren't too far from New Orleans – even though this material was mostly recorded in New York. CD features 25 tracks, recorded for labels that include Baton, Timely, Mor Play, Apollo, and Sir – with titles that include "No Star Is Lost", "I've Got A Little Boy", "Summer Nights", "That's Enough", "Have Fun", "Brand New House", "Smiling Through", "This Could Be The Last Time", "Darling Don't Hurt Me", and "Each Day". CD

Wow! An incredible collection of seminal recordings from one of the most important figures in modern music! All of Miles' recordings from the Prestige label in one place, bound up in a well annotated box, and given a complete discography and lots of excellent photos. It's almost too much astounding jazz in one place! The list of sidemen and great LPs is almost too long to go over, but in addition to Miles' remarkable Cookin'/Relaxin'/Walkin'/Workin' sessions, there's all of the material issued as Bags' Groove, with the Modern Jazz Giants and loads more, and some of the stellar accompanists includes John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz, Red Garland, Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, Milt Jackson, Paul Chambers, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, and Max Roach, just to name a few. There's far too many tracks to list here, but there's takes of "Blue Room", "Conception", "Compulsion", "Miles Ahead", "Blue Haze", "Airegin", "Bag's Groove", "The Man I Love", "Green Haze", "Dr Jackle", "The Theme", "Trane's Blues", "'Round About Midnight", "Half Nelson", "My Funny Valentine" and loads more! CD

The title's a bit of a joke, especially in relation to the cover – but Juicy Lucy come on strong here, with a searing sound that shows that they're way past the novelty of the image on the front! Over the course of the previous records, the group really honed their unique blend of American blues and Brit hard rock inspiration – very well-focused here, with a sound that paves the way for some of the bigger crossover acts that would soon dominate American radio in the mid 70s – something the group unfortunately never got the chance to do. Titles include "Mr Skin", "Midnight Rider", "Mr A Jones", "Sunday Morning", and "Jessica". LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length set of work from this classic ensemble – served up here in a great Robert Crumb cover image too! The set's one of the richest collections done by Yazoo during their crucial reissue period – and features late 20s material from the group that often (but not always) featured jug work in the rhythm, plus bluesy vocals from Will Shade, Minnie Wallace, Charlie Nickerson, Hattie Hart, and others – as well as guitar, harmonica, and kazoo. The lineup changes from track to track, documented well in the notes – and titles include "Memphis Yo Yo Blues", "Gator Wobble", "I'll See You In The Spring When The Birds Begin To Sing", "Insane Crazy Blues", "On The Road Again", and "Fourth Street Mess Around". CD

Roy Milton definitely rocks, even though he wasn't a rocker at all – and instead was one of the key artists in postwar R&B who helped really chart the course for other decades of musicians to follow! As you'll see from the image on the cover, Roy's a drummer, but his real strength is leading a tight small combo – effortlessly blending together influences from jazz and blues in the years before soul, and really setting loose with both searing instrumental solos and great lead vocals – including work from Camille Howard, who also plays piano in his combo! The package features a whopping 31 tracks in all – with material from both his Specialty and Dootone years, on titles that include "One Zippy Zam", "Train Blues", "It's Later Than You Think", "Succotash", "Wakin Up Baby", "Big Fat Mama", "Red Light", "Hop Skip & Jump", "Junior Jumps", "Train Blues", "Bam A Lam", and "Baby I'm Gone". CD

With Chester Thompson and Patrice Rushen on keys, Alphonso Johnson on bass, Leon Ndugu Chancler on drums, and Armando Peraza and Jose Chepito Areas on percussion. Tracks include "Spiritual", "Elegant People", "Blues For Salvador", "Goodness And Mercy", "Europa", "and "Mandela". CD

The coolest collection of work we've ever seen from Nancy Sinatra – a package that goes way past her 60s hits to include a host of lesser-known gems, non-LP singles, rarities, and even a few unissued tracks as well – all presented in a lavish setting that's as vivid as the image on the cover! As you can guess, much of the magic here also comes from Lee Hazlewood, whose studio talents really allows Sinatra to find that special sort of sexy quality that she never seemed to have at the start of her recording career. The whole thing is a great addition to the too few Nancy Sinatra albums of top shelf quality – and titles include a previously unreleased duet with Lee Hazlewood on "I Just Can't Help Believing", the unissued tracks "Something Pretty" and "Do I Hear A Waltz" – and the cuts "Drummer Man", "Shades", "Easy Evil", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Kinky Love", "Sugar Me", "Dolly & Hawkeye", "This Town", "Tony Rome", "100 Yars", "See The Little Children", "Zodiac Blues", "Flowers In The Rain", "Are You Growing Tired Of My Love", "The Last Of The Secret Agents", and "The City Never Sleeps At Night". CD

The coolest collection of work we've ever seen from Nancy Sinatra – a package that goes way past her 60s hits to include a host of lesser-known gems, non-LP singles, rarities, and even a few unissued tracks as well – all presented in a lavish setting that's as vivid as the image on the cover! As you can guess, much of the magic here also comes from Lee Hazlewood, whose studio talents really allows Sinatra to find that special sort of sexy quality that she never seemed to have at the start of her recording career. The whole thing is a great addition to the too few Nancy Sinatra albums of top shelf quality – and titles include a previously unreleased duet with Lee Hazlewood on "I Just Can't Help Believing", the unissued tracks "Something Pretty" and "Do I Hear A Waltz" – and the cuts "Drummer Man", "Shades", "Easy Evil", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Kinky Love", "Sugar Me", "Dolly & Hawkeye", "This Town", "Tony Rome", "100 Yars", "See The Little Children", "Zodiac Blues", "Flowers In The Rain", "Are You Growing Tired Of My Love", "The Last Of The Secret Agents", and "The City Never Sleeps At Night". LP, Vinyl record album

Johnny Guitar Watson at the top of his game – working here in a sublime mix of funk, blues, and soul – all crafted into a groove that was uniquely Watson's own! Johnny may have started the 70s in relative obscurity – down from some hit work in the 50s and 60s – but by the time of this set, he was back on top, and working in a confident groove that few others from his older era could ever hope to achieve! There's a youthful sense of sex and soul that run through the entire set – an effortlessly slinky groove that never goes too over the top in the funk department, and which makes just the right use of electric instrumentation and tripped-out production, but never gets too wrapped up in either – and often comes off with some great jazzy touches as well. Titles include the anthemic "Real Mother For Ya", plus "Your Love Is My Love", "The Real Deal", "Tarzan", "I Wanna Thank You", and "Lover Jones". CD

One of the coolest Christmas compilations you could ever hope to own – but you probably guessed that already, from the cover image that pays tribute to a classic set from James Brown! The JB image is certainly well placed – as most of the tracks here are deeply funky Holiday tunes – the kind of gritty seasonal ditties that were only ever issued as funky 45s back in the day – and most really only on a local level, too! Strut's really outdone themselves with this excellent collection – as it features a fair bit of Christmas rarities we've never heard before, but which are totally wonderful – all-new tunes, not common Christmas cover versions – played and performed with a hell of a soulful feel throughout. Knock that ol' Bing Crosby record off the turntable, and give this one plenty of spins this December – and dammit, the music's so great, you may well find yourself playing the collection well into the New Year too! Titles include "Boogaloo Santa Claus" by JD McDonald, "Angel's Christmas" by Wild Honey, "Black Christmas" by Harlem Children's Chorus, "Getting Down For Xmas" by Milly & Silly, "Soul Santa" by Funk Machine, "Funky Funky Christmas" by Electric Jungle, "Christmas Present Blues" by Jimmy Reed, "Santa's Got A Bag Of Soul" by Soul Saints Orchestra, "Christmas Morning (Sean Bonniwell edit)" by Zebra, "Let's Get It Together This Christmas" by Harvey Averne, "Auld Lang Syne" by Black On White Affair, and "The New Year" by Jimmy Jules & The Nuclear Soul System. CD

With selections by Raspberries, Argent, Golden Earring, J Geils Band, Loggins & Messina, Hollies, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Foghat, Blues Image, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and David Essex. LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of Basie work from the year 1941 – featuring a lineup that includes Dickey Wells, Tab Smith, Buddy Tate, Don Byas, Freddie Green, and Buck Clayton. Tracks include "Down For Double", "Diggin For Dex", "Jump The Blues Away", "The Jitters", "Tuesday At Ten", "Tune Town Shuffle", "Basie Boogie", and "Fiesta In Blue". Great 50s cover, with some cool geometric cat designs! LP, Vinyl record album

A real gem from the height of Dizzy's big band years at Verve – a stunning little set that features a hip larger group that includes Joe Gordon, Melba Liston, Rod Leavitt, Phil Woods, Ernie Wilkins, and Billy Mitchell. The groove here is well-orchestrated, well-placed soul – with less of the playful bop touches of earlier sides, and more of a hiply modern style that shows Dizzy stretching out in larger shades of color and tone. And while the "World Statesmen" cover and image might make you wary of some gimmick on the set, the album's key Gillespie through and through – a deft turn away from the styles of the bop years, into a world of sound that would support his career strongly for years to come! Titles include "Tour De Force", "Doodlin", "Night In Tunisia", "The Champ", "My Reverie", and "Dizzy's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An early Warner Brothers classic from the Grateful Dead – a set that has them stretching out in maybe a more collaborative way than usual – using a few key guests to expand their freewheeling sound! The larger posse is pictured on the back cover, with a down to earth image that's a nice contrast to the trippy vibe of the front – and that may well be the best illustration of the group's changing spirit during this key year – as they shake off a bit of the hippie stink, and settle into even more serious musicianship overall. Titles include "Cosmic Charlie", "China Cat Sunflower", "Doin That Rag", "Mountains Of The Moon", and "Dupree's Diamond Blues". CD

Maybe our favorite album from Procol Harum – a set that adds in some wonderful use of strings to the group's unique style – almost moving forward on the promise of the earlier single "Whiter Shade Of Pale", moving into much deeper territory overall! There's something about Procol Harum on their early album's that's really indescribable – certainly an influence from blues and roots, but this really striking step forward with their song ideas and overall construction – not into jamming or progressive modes, like some of their contemporaries – although they're certainly never afraid to rock – but almost this balance between personal poetry and brashness, with kind of a slightly creepy current at times – as illustrated beautifully by the image on the cover. Titles include the completely wonderful "A Salty Dog", p0lus "Wreck Of The Hesperus", "Boredom", "The Devil Came To Kansas", "Too Much Between Us", "All This & More", and "The Milk Of Human Kindness". 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

One of Baden Powell's grooviest albums ever – a brilliant blend of his bossa roots with the freer 70s grooves of MPS! The album follows the mode of some of his other European recordings, but is still a bit different – in that the overall sound is a bit freer than before, with tracks that really open up beautifully – including one or two that hit a nicely heavy groove! The lovely Janine De Walyene sings these wonderful wordless vocals on some of the album's best tracks – scatting heavily on the famous jazz dance number "Blues A Volante" – and drifting moodily behind the guitar on other numbers. Other instrumentation includes bass, drums, and a bit of Brazilian percussion – and titles include the classic "Blues A Volante", plus "Violao Vagabundo", "Canto", "Ate Eu", and "Conversacao Comigo Mesmo". CD

A hell of a cooker from bassist Red Mitchell – a set that's got a sound that's way more mature and modern than you might guess from the image on the cover! Red's at the helm of a hip combo that also features sharp tenor from Zoot Sims and beautiful work on valve trombone from Bob Brookmeyer – working here at that cool compressed height of his 50s style we love so much. Conte Candoli's in the group on trumpet, giving things a surprising sort of bite – and rhythm is completed by Claude Williamson on piano and Stan Levey on drums – players who can be bold one minute, and carefully quiet the next. Titles include "Kelly Green", "Once In A While", "Bluesology", "Happy Minor", and "Long Ago & Far Away". CD

A hell of a cooker from bassist Red Mitchell – a set that's got a sound that's way more mature and modern than you might guess from the image on the cover! Red's at the helm of a hip combo that also features sharp tenor from Zoot Sims and beautiful work on valve trombone from Bob Brookmeyer – working here at that cool compressed height of his 50s style we love so much. Conte Candoli's in the group on trumpet, giving things a surprising sort of bite – and rhythm is completed by Claude Williamson on piano and Stan Levey on drums – players who can be bold one minute, and carefully quiet the next. Titles include "Kelly Green", "Once In A While", "Bluesology", "Happy Minor", and "Long Ago & Far Away". CD

The shadow of Hank Williams still looms large in country music well into the 21st Century – but it had an especially strong force in the years after his too-early death – as you'll hear here in a great selection of covers, tributes, and other songs that continue the short-but-strong legacy of revolution that Hank brought to country music! Some of the cuts here are pop numbers, and show the way that Williams' original tunes found many different audiences in the 50s – yet most are pure country, and are way more than straight remakes of originals by the legend. As always with Bear Family, the package is great – filled with images and detailed notes on all the tracks and artists – served up on 33 tracks that include "Kaw-Liga" by Rusty & Doug Kershaw, "Calling You" by Hank Williams Jr, "I'm A Long Gone Daddy" by Bobby Helms, "Move It On Over" by Richard Hayes, "I Saw The Light" by Rose Maddox, "Honky Tonkin" by Audrey Williams, "I Just Don't Like This Kind Of Livin" by Johnny Horton, "Mind Your Own Business" by Ted Daigle, "Lost Highway" by Skeets McDonald, "Cold Cold Heart" by Louis Armstrong, "Lovesick Blues" by Rex Griffin, "Baby We're Really In Love" by Don Gibson, and "Half As Much" by Tennessee Ernie Ford. CD

A rare Italian-only album from Chet Baker – wonderfully cooking small group work that's a far bit greater than his more familiar "with strings" session recorded in Italy during the same period! The album's got Chet working with an array of great players from the local scene – including Gianni Basso on tenor sax, Renato Sellani on drums, and Glauco Masetti on alto sax – all in a groove that shows plenty of traces of that opened-up sound that Baker was exploring in the very late 50s – the modes he was crafting in his group with Phil Urso on tenor, as he started to get a bit more bit in his style! Yet there's also a nicely compressed approach going on here too – that west coast sound that was a strong influence on the Italian players of the postwar years, but which was unfolded to new ends in their hands. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Line For Lyons", "Tune Up", "Cheryl Blues", "Indian Summer", and "Pent Up House". CD includes four bonus tracks recorded in 1962 with an orchestra led by Ennio Morricone! CD

A very cool record! The album's sort of an American tribute to the emerging French sex goddess Brigitte Bardot – one that features a gatefold cover with a wraparound photo of Brigitte, and some nice images on the inside. Music on the set is by Pete Rugolo – the master arranger who'd worked with June Christy, Stan Kenton, and others – and although Bardot doesn't sing or even make an appearance on the set, Pete does more than enough of a good job of conjuring up her presence with a good selection of jazzy tunes. Players include Pete Candoli and Jack Sheldon on trumpets, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Paul Horn and Bud Shank on reeds, and Laurindo Almeida on guitar. Gloria Wood sings on one track – and titles include "Arsenic Blues", "Paris BB", "Jeff's Blues", "Mambo Bardot", "A T'Aimer", and "The Night Heaven Fell". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Oscar Peterson's most sophisticated albums of the 60s – an extended suite of tracks dedicated to the soul and spirit of Canada! The tunes are all originals, and have a really lush, vivid sort of feel – one that still has undercurrents of Peterson's usual soulful style, but which also has Oscar painting these very vivid images in sound! The material is performed by a trio with Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – and although the tunes aren't familiar, we'd rank this one right up there with Peterson's most inventive material of the time. Titles include "Laurentide Waltz", "Ballad To The East", "Blues Of The Praries", and "Wheatland". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing portrait of America between the wars – served up over dozens of vintage 78rpm recordings – all based around themes of daily life mentioned in the title! The collection is an incredible historical document – pulled mostly from the collection of Louisville 78 collector Don Wahle, and remastered and re-presented beautifully by the folks at Tompkins Square – who not only sort the songs into key categories, but also provide a wealth of notes and images to further illuminate the tunes! There's a number of tracks on here that have never been reissued before, mixed with others that are still plenty darn rare – and the package features 42 tracks that include "Climbing The Golden Stairs" by Happy Four, "Oh Declare His Glory" by McDonald Quartette, "Fourth Of July At The County Fair" by Bill Chitwood, "Tennessee Coon Hunt" by Whit Gaydon, "Hide Away" by Oscar Ford, "Poor Man Rich Man" by David McCarn, "Driving Saw Logs On The Plover" by Pierre La Dieu, and "Flat Wheel Train Blues (parts 1 & 2)" by Red Gay & Jack Wellman. CD

One of those records that you might pass by in the racks, as the cover image almost seems more like a metal set than a jazz one – yet a date that really opens up with all the best charms of the Japanese jazz scene at the time – mixing the vibes of Kinta Hamada, piano of Naoki Nishi, bass of Kenichi Uchiyama, and drums of the great Takeshi Inomata on drums – all in a setting that's wonderfully understated, gently swinging, and with a lot of warmth throughout! Titles include nice takes on "Bluesette", "Blue Rondo A La Turk", and "The Summer Knows" – plus "Des Sasser" and "It Don't Mean A Thing". CD

A recent set of jazz tracks from the fantastic French soundtrack genius Michel Legrand! The album has Legrand on piano and a bit of vocals – leading a large ensemble that features trumpets, trombones, saxes, and a bit of electric bass in the rhythm section. The overall effect is quite full-on – strongly voice interpretations of work by Legrand that normally receives more tender readings – and although there's a bit of a modern touch to the way the album was recorded, the record is a nice bridge between Legrand's classic LeGrand Jazz album of years back, and his more recent work. Titles include "Images", "You Must Believe In Spring", "Dingo Lament", "Le Petit Journal", "Ray Blues", and "Fast Food". CD