A landmark meeting from one of the two greatest talents in jazz on the 70s European scene – vocalist Karin Krog and saxophonist Archie Shepp – both coming together in an extremely evocative session! The work has a very moody feel – as Krog's singing in a spacious tone that allows for plenty of tenor work by Shepp – done in a mode that colors in the spaces between the words, and made all that much better by support from his regular group members Charles Greenlee and Beaver Harris. Shepp was hitting a more traditional tone at this point in his career – but as with his other recordings of the same time, there's still a strongly modernist undercurrent that shines through nicely. Combined with Krog's vocals, the result is a beautiful approach that really opens up jazz standards like "Soul Eyes", "Solitude", and "Hi Fly" – and which is matched perfectly for Shepp's "Steam" and Carla Bley's "Sing Me Softly Of the Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic lost slice of work from reedman Yusef Lateef – a performance recorded at the legendary Ronnie Scott's club in London, with backing from a trio that features the wonderful Stan Tracey! Tracey was a committed modernist who really helped shape the sound of the UK scene at the time – and his pairing here with Lateef is wonderful, as Stan seems to bring out some of the most spiritual, most exotic sounds from the saxphonist – shaping the music with his own creative and angular work on piano. Yusef blows flute, tenor, shenai, and xun – and overall, the whole thing's got a vibe that really takes us back to the brilliance of his late 50s sessions for Savoy – done with the same mix of modernism, exoticism, and soul. Titles include "Song Of Delilah", "Last Night Blues", "Yusef's Mood", "Angel Eyes", and "Blues For The Orient". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking set from Yusef Lateef – one that mixes together a number of different soul jazz styles! In a way, Atlantic records tried to handle Yusef Lateef in the same way they did Roland Kirk – by creating recordings that either let him express himself strongly as an arch-modernist, or those that focused on his solo talents in material that was a bit more funky and soulful. This album's got a bit of both – as side one has Yusef playing with slightly electric groups on short tracks that feature vocal backings by the Sweet Inspirations, and side two features Yusef playing with the Cologne Radio Orchestra, conducted by William Fischer, on an extended work called "The Symphonic Blues Suite". We dig the shorter tracks better, and those titles include "Nocturne", "Buddy & Lou", and "Down In Atlanta". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great collection of Chess Records work by JB Lenoir – one of the more unusual singers on the Chicago scene at the time – and one with a sound that's pretty darn great all the way through! Lenoir's tone is a pitch or two up from most of his contemporaries – not as gritty and deep, and with inflections that almost point the way towards soul singers in the generation to come. Yet the backings are definitely in the best Windy City modes of the time – as Lenoir plays some great electric guitar, alongside Alex Atkins on alto, Ernest Cotton on tenor, Joe Montgomery on piano, and Willie Dixon on bass. The set mixes vintage singles with a few unreleased tracks – and titles include "Natural Man", "Don't Dog Your Woman", "Don't Touch My Head", "Five Years", "Mama What About Your Daughter", "Korea Blues", "Let Me Die With The One I Love", "I'm In Korea", and "Carrie Lee". LP, Vinyl record album

No blues, and only a little bit of country – mostly in the song choice for the set, and in the way the whole thing is put together! The core stylings here are still the Ramsey Lewis Trio at their early 60s best – but the record does feature a slight country-meets-soul sort of style in the production – a vibe that's similar to some of Ray Charles' ABC work of the time, although taken to an instrumental jazz sound here! Arrangements are by Oliver Nelson and Lew Douglas – the latter of whom uses more strings and a bit of voice, the former who keeps things more in a soul jazz mode overall. Titles include "St Louis Blues", "High Noon", "I Need You So", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "Tangleweed Round My Heart", "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It", and "Your Cheatin Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

In case you think the folks at Chess were putting too fine a point on the earthy origins of Ramsey's jazz, the title's actually one that follows from an earlier album Ramsey cut for Mercury – and features a similar cover of a shovel digging in the dirt! The tracks are a great blend of the rich approaches to piano jazz performed by the Lewis trio with Eldee Young and Red Holt – with some tracks bluesy, some tracks upbeat, some whimsey, and a few that groove in very surprising places. Titles include "Volga Boatman", "Around The World In 80 Days", "Hello Cello", "Blues For The Nighty Owl", and "Gonna Set Your Soul On Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

The title does a good enough job of summing up the range of styles that Ramsey and his trio would use to please the crowds during their countless engagements in the early 60s – taking tunes from a variety of settings, including classical, and infusing them with a soul jazz style dripping in blues, and bound to make any tune instantly likeable! The trio on the set is Ramsey's famous one with Eldee Young and Red Holt – and Richard Evans joins the group on bass on 2 tracks. Titles include "Dance Mystique", "Peace & Tranquility", "Sadness Done Come", "Travel On", "For The Love Of A Princess", and "Misty Days Lonely Nights". LP, Vinyl record album

A sparkling collection of the soul jazz groovers churned out by Ramsey's famous first trio – the groundbreaking ensemble that featured Eldee Young on bass and Redd Holt on drums. The set does a good job of pushing past obvious hits, and includes some tasty little groovers like "Travel On", "Somethin You Got", "Look A Here", "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It", "Hello, Cello", and the classic "Blues For Night Owls". LP, Vinyl record album

Raw New Orleans soul from Overton "Smiley" Lewis – one of the city's big stars in the 50s R&B years, and a singer who arguably set the stage for later deep soul to come! A few years before, and Lewis might have been more of a blues singer – but here, he's working with some strong Nola piano lines and lightly loping rhythms – in a mode that's vaguely in the Fats Domino side of the universe, but a lot more raw and stripped-down too – from the performance to the production! Tracks include Smiley's classic "I Hear You Knocking", plus loads of other nice ones – including "Bumpity Bump", "Bells Are Ringing", "Blue Monday", "Lost Weekend", "Real Gone Lover", and "One Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A great example of why Little Milton was always one of the few Chicago blues artists who could also break strongly in the soul camp at the time – and a beautifully balanced set that perfectly shows both sides of the Chicago scene of the time! Production is by old Vee Jay maestro Calvin Carter, and arrangements by Gene Barge, who manages to slide effortlessly between blues and soul on the set – almost pushing Milton into Tyrone Davis territory, but keeping things a bit more rougher and down home on some of the other numbers. The sound is wonderful – very deep and rich, and with a sound that's head and shoulders above most other albums of this type in the late 60s. Titles include "Baby I Love You", "If Walls Could Talk", "Things That I Used to Do", "Let's Get Together", "I Play Dirty", "Blues Get Off My Shoulder", "I Don't Know", and "Poor Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Big blues from Little Milton, recorded with a mighty big sound as well – thanks to the cool criss-crossing of soul and blues that was going down at Chess Records in the 60s! Milton's got this raw, raspy style in his voice – a nasty edge that mixes perfectly with his own sharp guitar lines – and which gets an extra kick from the production and arrangements of Gene Barge, who still knows how to keep the core combo sound that makes the album cook! Sonny Thompson plays piano on most tracks, and Phil Upchurch adds in a second guitar at times – but the real star of the show is always Milton – shining more brightly here than on most of his later records! The album includes versions of "Please Please Please", "Have Mercy Baby", "Fever", "Sneakin Around", and "Reconsider Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Tasty batch of funky blues tracks from Sonny – an artist who we normally don't like that much, but who sounds very sweet here, thanks to tight arrangements by The Bar-Kays, who back him up on the session! The record is a great mix of funky blues and Memphis soul – and includes the massive funky breakbeat track "Memphis B-K", plus "You Got A Good Thing", "They Want Money", and "Hung Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky blues from Little Sonny – very much in the spirit of his Black & Blue album for Stax, in that the album's a mix of Memphis soul and bluesy licks – making for a full-on style that really cooks things up! Sonny sings and plays harmonica, but the best side of the album is the backings – as they get nice and funky on the best tracks, and groove things the way you'd expect from Stax at the time! Titles include "Hard Going Up", "You Can Be Replaced", "Do It Right Now", "My Woman Is Good To Me", "I Want You", and "Sure Is Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled set – as the album features some of the best early sides that Little Walter recorded for Chess – records that went on to set a whole new standard both in blues vocals and harmonica! There's tightness here that's a bit different from some of the other Chess blues at the time – a quality that's almost a be pre-soul at moments, despite the obvious blues bent of the set. The album features some great liner notes from Studs Terkel – really getting at the scene of which Walter was a part – and titles include "My Babe", "Sad Hours", "Can't Hold Out Much Longer", "Blues With A Feeling", "Juke", "Mean Old World", "Blue Lights", "You Better Watch Yourself", and "Tell Me Mamma". CD features 3 bonus tracks – alternates of "Last Night", "Juke", and "Off The Wall". LP, Vinyl record album

A comprehensive look at some great recordings from Little Walter – sides recorded for Chess Records from 1953 to 1963 – offering up a decade's worth of evolution in his style! But even at the start, Walter was better than most of his generation – a heck of a great harmonica player with a lean, clean sound that roared out with a nice sort of edge, and could almost be called a precursor to funk. His vocals are great too – bluesy, but with some slight gospel inflections too – a bit wider vocal range than some other bluesmen of the 50s, and almost a precursor to soul to come in the 60s. The album was done after Walter's untimely early death, and features some great notes on his career – plus titles that include "It Ain't Right", "Rocker", "Confessin The Blues", "I Got To Go", "Crazy Mixed Up World", "Temperature", "Crazy Legs", "Lights Out", "One More Chance With You", and "Rock Bottom". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty nice little 2LP set – put together in the early 70s, and featuring material that Walter recorded for Chess during the 60s. As the title would imply, there's a lot of harmonica on the album – but Walter's vocals should also be given their due, as they're a bit more in the soul mode than some of his Chicago blues contemporaries. Titles include "Last Night", "My Babe", "Sad Hours", "Blues With Feeling", "Off The Wall", "Juke", "Mean Old World", "I Got To Go", "Shake Dancer", "Thunderbird", "Ah'W Baby", "Too Late", "Boom Boom Out Go The Lights", "You Better Watch Yourself", and "Blue Lights". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful swirling instrumental LP that features the classic "Love's Theme", the cut that made Barry a multi-millionaire, and which firmly established his sophisticated orchestral soul style as one of the trademarks of the 70s! This is the ultimate in 70s soul class – from the cover that features Barry standing with ladies by the pool, to the complicated rhythms and sweet patterns of sound that made the record an instant classic. Includes some nicely funky cuts, like "What a Groove", "Baby Blues", and the sweet "Midnight and You". LP, Vinyl record album

A comeback album of sorts for Lonnie Mack, recorded for Elektra with a really down-home sound that's almost verging on southern soul at points! In a way, the set's kind of a nod to the sorts of genres in rock that Mack's music first helped unlock in earlier years – done at a time when it was a bit more acceptable to cross boundaries and reference roots that weren't actually yours in your music! The execution here is surprisingly strong and without hoke – a few notches up from Leon Russell – and Mack's guitar is in fine fine form, supported by a good deal of organ in the backings. Titles include "Gotta Be An Answer", "Untouched By Human Love", "I Found A Love", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Mt Healthy Blues", "What Kind Of World Is This", and "Things Have Gone To Pieces". LP, Vinyl record album

Rough-edged blues from the west side of Chicago – a stone classic from the mighty Magic Sam – a player who was taken from us all too soon! On the west side, they mix plenty of soul in with their blues – and you can definitely hear that on this stone smoker – a record that has roots in the same scene as Syl Johnson, whose modes definitely creep into the groove at times! Sam's combo here is mighty nice – with Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano, and Mighty Joe Young on guitar – and titles include "Stop You're Hurting Me", "Easy Baby", "What Have I Done Wrong", "It's All Your Fault", "You Belong To Me", "You Don't Love Me Baby", and "San Jose". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on drums, and Mack Thompson on bass – all to craft a set of rough and ready blues tunes that would have played well on both sides of the tracks at the time. Titles include "That's All I Need", "All Of Your Love", "I Don't Want No Woman", "Mama Mama Talk To Your Daughter", and "Lookin Good", a nice instrumental! LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece of freeform funk from Mandrill – New York group at the start of the 70s, but one who work here with the best longform jamming styles of the Bay Area scene! The combo draw equal influence from jazz, funk, soul, and Latin – using all elements in a unique hybrid that's all their own – and which really favors instrumental passages more than vocal moments on this debut album – with searing lead guitar from Omar Mesa, next to plenty of organ lines, flute, trumpet, and tenor – all carried with heavy bass and percussion, and peppered with lots of surprises along the way! The whole thing's tremendous – a massively funky first statement from the group – with cuts that include the extended suite "Peace & Love", plus other funky goodies like "Symphonic Revolution", "Rollin' On", "Warning Blues", and "Mandrill". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Mann's groove is mighty darn great here – a rich refinement of his earlier flute jazz styles, into the tighter sound that really sparkled with soul during the Atlantic Records years of the 60s! Most cuts mix Latin rhythms with some very soulful inflections in the overall instrumentation – with arrangements from Herbie, Oliver Nelson, and Rene Hernandez that really make the whole thing shine – and instrumentation from a tight group of hip players that features Dave Pike on vibes, Don Friedman on piano, Atilla Zoller on guitar, and added percussion by Willie Bobo and Patato Valdez! Titles include "Vikki", "Blues In The Closet", "Saudade De Bahia", "Spanish Grits", "Mushi Mushi", and "Soul Guajira". LP, Vinyl record album

Insanely wonderful early work from Charlie Mariano – some of the freshest, cleanest alto sax work of its time – blown with a tone and sense of soul that goes way beyond some of Mariano's contemporaries at the time! The album was recorded for Bethlehem Records, and is relatively straight – but Charlie already shows a sense of complexity in his presentation that hints at all the greatness to come – and which bursts out here with some refreshing energy that really makes the whole thing sparkle. Charlie's tone is impeccable – somewhere between Lee Konitz and Charlie Parker, with that back bay Boston blend of soul and modernism, making the city one of the best scenes for alto players in the 50s – and he gets some strong rhythm support from the trio of John Williams on piano, Max Bennett on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. Titles include "Blues", "Floormat", "I Heard You Cried Last Night", "Johnny One Note", and "King For A Day". LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Unreleased live work from Les McCann – recorded at a time when the soulful giant was really breaking it up in clubs around the country, and just about to unleash a whole new righteous side of his talents! The tracks here resonate strongly with some of the earlier Pacific Jazz live work that Les was cutting earlier in the decade – but also show a new evolution that's partly the confidence he had as one of the key soulful musicians on the west coast, but also a shift in his style past some of the more standard soul jazz modes that others were taking from his bag – leaving McCann to keep on growing in new directions of his own. All tracks here are trio titles – recorded in Seattle or at the Village Vanguard – and players include Stanley Gilbert and Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Frank Severino and Paul Humphrey on drums. Titles include "The Grabber", "Could Be", "I Can Dig It", "Doin That Thing", "Sunny", "The Shampoo", "Blues 5", "Out In The Outhouse", "Lavande", "Da Da", "Yours Is My Heart Alone", and "Wait For It". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer diller of a live set from Brother Jack McDuff – a cut that burns with energy that almost beats his studio 60s classics for Prestige! The group is one of Jack's best ever – a lineup that includes the twin tenors of Red Holloway and Harold Vick, plus incredibly sharp guitar from a young George Benson, and some of the most unique soul jazz drum work you'll ever hear – courtesy of the amazing Joe Dukes. Despite their individual strengths, which might make this whole thing an ego-fest – all players fit perfectly into place on the album's hard wailing batch of groovers, and groove together with a sympathetic energy that's simply amazing! Titles include a great remake of "Jive Samba", plus "Dink's Blues", "Grease Monkey", "Passing Through", and "Vas Dis". This is the kind of thing live recording equipment was made for! LP, Vinyl record album

Funky early 70s work by Jimmy McGriff – a mix of tight groovers and more open soul jazz numbers – all of which represent some of his best moments for the Groove Merchant label! Jimmy's got a lean, mean sound on these tracks – and even when the backings are full, they've got the tightness of a 70s soundtrack – nice and jazzy, and with a great funky punch on the bottom! The McGriff keyboard sound has plenty of room to roam around, even when the cuts are short – and titles include a great cover of "Ain't It Funky Now", plus "Super Funk", "Fat Cakes", "Dig It On", "Bug Out", "If You're Ready Come Go With Me", "Let's Saty Together", "The Bird", "Plain Brown Bag", "Jumpin' The Blues", "Tiki", and "Shuckin & Jivin". LP, Vinyl record album

A compilation of tracks from his early 70s Groove Merchant albums, including "Let's Stay Together", "Every Day I Have The blues", "Jumping The Blues", "That Healin' Feelin", "Yardbird Suite", "There Will Never Be Another You", and "It's You I Adore". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums ever issued by the always-righteous Tribe Records label of Detroit – a really collective effort, one that features ensemble vocals and spiritual jazz – all pulled together by pianist Harold McKinney! The album showcases a group named Voices Of The Creative Profile – formed by McKinney to accompany his Creative Profile instrumental group – and the overall style is a great blend of spiritual soul jazz that gives equal time to the voices and instruments in the set. Gwen McKinney heads up the vocal ensemble, and other players on the set include Wendell Harrison on flute, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Billy Turner on percussion, and Ed Pickins on bass. Also features some cool moog from Darryl Dybka – and titles that include "In The Moog", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Dolphin Dance", "Heavenese", "Ode To Africa", "Out Of The Blues", and "Cornerstone". Features a bonus 7" single – with the tracks "Ode To Africa" and "Jelly Loa". LP, Vinyl record album

A great McPherson album – and one that shows him at his thoughtful, lyrical best! The playing is waaay out of the "Bird" bag that he got hooked with early on, and features some great long moody tracks with a 70's soul jazz feel to them. Mickey Tucker plays fantastic modal piano lines on the set – and tracks include "Promise", "Horizons", "Dee Blues", and "Night Eyes", all nice and soulful! Great stuff, and one of the lost 70's jazz treats from Xanadu! LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece from the legendary SF rocker Steve Miller – and a perfect summation of the years of blues, soul, funk, and rock he'd been soaking up in the Bay Area scene – served up here with an edge that's still very firmly in place! Miller was already plenty great before this set, but somehow the record really pushes Steve into perfection territory he'd never hit before – able to cross over big with a few key tracks, but still have this sharpness in his guitar work and sense of charm that never seem to die! The album crossed over instantly with the massive cut "Fly Like An Eagle" – already great on its own, but supported here with the massive "Space Intro", which adds an extra minute of cool electronics to the tune – and other great cuts include the amazing funky rocker "Take The Money & Run", which has a break that never gets old – plus the hit "Rock N Me", and the cuts "The Window", "Wild Mountain Honey", "Sweet Maree", "Blue Odyssey", "Mercury Blues", and "Dance Dance Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Mingus' classic sessions from the middle period – a legendary blending of jazz with bluesy gospel touches, in a mode that seemed to move away from the politics of some of the late 50s years, and open up his work to a whole new audience! The band is an all-star ensemble all the way through – tentet that features Jackie McLean, Booker Ervin, John Handy, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis, and Horace Parlan – cutting a line perfectly with Mingus on the album's 6 original tunes. Includes the oft-copied "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "My Jelly Roll Soul", "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too", "Moanin", and "Tensions". LP, Vinyl record album

The first Thelonious Monk album for Columbia Records – and one of the best, as well – a beautiful illustration of the way that his shift in labels really set some new fire to his music in the early 60s! The group is Monk's sharp-edged quartet with the amazing Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Ore on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums – a group that's beautifully understated, but able to do incredible things in the company of the pianist – hanging back to let Thelonious take center stage one minute, then swinging hard together the next. The set includes great renditions of Monk classics that really illustrate his new energy at Columbia – and titles include "Bolivar Blues", "Bye-Ya", and "Monk's Dream" – plus great remakes of "Body & Soul" and "Just A Gigolo". LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the best of Buddy Montgomery's solo albums, with a tight little group that features Mel Rhyne on organ, Jodie Christian on piano, and brother Monk Montgomery on sweet heavy bass – all coming together in a messed up style of funky jazz! Buddy plays piano and vibes on a number of tracks that sound similar to the Cliff Coulter work on Impulse at this time – kind of a trippy Cali blend of soul, jazz, funk, and even an undercurrent of blues at times. Very groovy, and very California funky, with the tracks "Winding Up", "Rose Bud", "Willy Nilly Blues", and "This Rather Than That". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Wes Montgomery's grooviest records of the 60s – a wonderful collaboration with the great Johnny Pate – a jazz artist at heart, but also working here as a soulful arranger who gives Wes' guitar a nicely different flavor than some of his other Verve albums of the time! Pate's probably best known for his famous work in the studio with The Impressions in the 60s – and he uses that soulful legacy to craft some very groovy charts for Montgomery – nicely upbeat at times, yet still filled with those amazing chromes from the guitar! Wes is playing here with a groove that you'll be hard pressed to find in some of his other records, while Johnny and the band go to town in kind of a soul jazz style – on titles that include "Movin Wes (parts 1 & 2)", "Moca Flor", "Theodora", "Senza Fine", and "West Coast Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

So much guitar – but never too much, given that Wes was the real master of sound and space, even at this early point in his career! The album's one that tries to break Montgomery from some of his smaller combo albums for Riverside, and pair him with a few bigger names – Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Lex Humphries on drums, and Ray Barretto on congas – who gives the album that bottom "kick" sort of groove that was used often on soul jazz sessions from the time. The tune's lope around leanly and cleanly, giving plenty of focus on Wes' work on guitar – and titles include "Twisted Blues", "Repetition", "Somethin' Like Bags", and "While We're Young", which is a solo track by Wes. LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely lovely work from Dudley Moore – known to most as a comedic actor, but also a heck of a jazz pianist, and head of his own groovy trio during the 60s! The tunes mix together soul jazz and bossa trio styles – all dancing together in Dud's incredibly light-touched style on the ivories – and the set's got some great original numbers – including the groover "Poova Nova", the slow stepper "Sooz Blues", and the cuts "Lysie Does It" and "Take Your Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Latin pianist Noro Morales leads his quintet in this nice moody album of instrumentals, played in a mellow jazzy vein, with a spare sound, and lots of percussion/piano interplay. The set's got a number of nice originals – like "Casemonos Ya", "Saona", and "Campanitas De Cristal" – plus Latinized versions of "Body & Soul", "Obsession", and "Piano Player's Lament". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking work from Laura Nyro – exactly the kind of record that sums up the unique genius in her music! The record's not folk, not pop, not soul, nor jazz vocals – but a new sort of style that draws a bit from all those genres, and comes up with a bold new approach that opened the door for countless other female singers in years to come. Despite the fame of the record, and many attempts to copy its genius over the years, Nyro is completely without cliche here – unique in her approach and presentation of the material, and as personally possessed as she is fragile and introspective. Arrangements are by Charlie Calello, and really get the spirit of the tunes right – and titles include "Luckie", "Lonely Women", "Emmie", "Timer", "Eli's Comin", "December's Boudouir", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Woman's Blues", and "Once It Was Alright Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Given the coolness of the Swedish jazz scene in the postwar years, we can imagine that the arrival of Charlie Parker on the scene must have set things on fire quite a bit! The album's a great example of the Bird magic even in the most unusual of circumstances – as the settings are less than key, the recording quality a bit muted, and the players all fine, but sometimes not as well matched as they might be – yet none of that matters to Charlie, because he soars out here with the kind of hard-burning solo work that's all-Parker, all the way – pure jazz magic that's still strongly inspiring, even after all these years. The set features live recordings done at Folkets Park and an unknown restaurant, with players that include Rolf Ericson on trumpet, Gosta Theselius on piano, and Rowland Greenberg on trumpet – and titles include "Body & Soul", "Strike Up The Band", "Star Eyes", "Cool Blues", "Fine & Dandy", and "How High The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest albums ever from Junior Parker – a great little set that shows he had a lot more to offer than just the average bluesman! The album's got a nice little soul sound in the backings – tight rhythms from Horace Ott, who nicely avoids a lot of the cliches that the blues business was hitting at the time – in order to keep Junior in hip territory that's filled with breaking drums and heavy basslines! There's a few key crossover tracks here, plus some surprisingly sweeter numbers – and the album's a gem through and through – well-appreciated by new generations over the years, thanks to its diversity of tracks! Titles include a great break version of "Taxman" – plus two more Beatles numbers, "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Lady Madonna" – and the tracks "Outside Man", "Darling Depend On Me", "You Know I Love You", "River's Invitation", and "Just To Hold My Hand". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s album, issued at a time when Esther Phillips was really riding high with her records on the Kudo label – but a set that brings together unissued sides recorded for Atlantic in the 60s! The style is a great mix of rootsy soul and hipper jazz – arranged by Onzy Matthews on side one, with a care and quality that almost rivals Capitol jazz vocal sessions of the time – and performed live at Freddie Jett's Piper Club on side two – in the same mode as her classic Burnin album from the time locale! Philips is wonderful in both settings – with that distinct approach that's unlike any other singer we know – quite versatile, and at a critical point between her R&B work of the 50s, and her smoother Kudu jazz of the 70s. Titles include include "Cherry Red", "In The Evenin", "I Wonder", "Romance In The Dark", "I Love Paris", and "I'm Gettin' Long Alright". LP, Vinyl record album

Sun Ra quartet material from the late 70s – his great Italian studio recordings from Voice Studio in Rome –rare material originally released on the New Steps and Other Voices, Other Blues LPs on the Horo label that's been hard sought over the years! The group features John Gilmore on percussion and tenor, Michael Ray on trumpet, Luqman Ali on drums, and Ra on keyboards. It's got a number of tracks that are relatively straight – at least for Ra – and which are played with a wonderful edge that makes them instantly compelling, sounding almost like obscure indie soul jazz sides from the east coast underground of the mid 70s. The feel on most numbers is very different than Ra's usual work, and the record sparkles with a genius that makes us wish it was easier to find the Horo work! Includes the sublime vocal tune "When There Is No Sun", plus the original tracks "The Horo", "Moon People", "Rome At Twilight", and "Friend & Friendship" – plus a very nice cover of "My Favorite Things", Along The Tiber", "Rebellion", "The Mystery Of Being", "One Day In Rome", and "Springtime & Summer Idyll". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold step forward for the Rascals – and a record that really has them taking some great chances with their music! There's a definite psychedelic influence in the mix, but the sound is also more ambitious too – not just a scattering of elements borrowed from their contemporaries, but a real effort to find a new place for their music – with some wonderful results! The great Arif Mardin is firmly teamed with the group here on arrangements – filling in the rough ideas of the tunes with some near-perfect backings – and the vocals themselves have a quality that's much more deeply personal than before – moving past the simple soul themes of earlier years. Titles include "Silly Girl", "My World", "Easy Rollin", "Please Love Me", "My Hawaii", "I'm Gonna Love You", "Singin The Blues Too Long", and "Sattva". LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing blues-like about this great little cut from 1979 – one that has Warren Raye singing deep soul vocals over a slow-stepping groove with some warm modern soul production – very much in that warmer shift in southern soul that was taking place on labels like Malaco in the latter half of the 70s – a quality that's carried through on the flipside – an excellent cut that wasn't even issued back in the day! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Maybe the coolest album so far in the Red Hot series – even amidst the unique Sun Ra subgroup – as the album's the brainchild of Meshell Ndegeocello, and comes together with all the complex soulfulness of her own recent albums! Back in the 90s, Meshell was a great but more mainstream soul artist – and over the years, she's developed into a really fascinating talent – one able to reach out with a complex blend of jazz, funk, and soul elements – woven into patterns that are always very much her own – a musical legacy that the great Sun Ra might have appreciated! Ndegeocello leads a very diverse lineup here – playing bass and keyboards, and singing a bit – next to other players who include longtime Arkestra giant Marshall Allen on alto and EWI, plus Immanuel Wilkins on alto, Christopher Bruce on guitar, Darius Jones on saxes, Daniel Mintseris on keyboards, and Justin Hicks, Pink Siifu, Kenita Miller, Nio Levon, and Hanna Benn on vocals. The album channels Ra's spirit through territory that's very much Meshell's own – and titles include "Yet Differently Not Mars Hall", "El Soul The Companion Traveler", "The World Of Shadow", "Reproductive Manatees/Sunny Said Up", "Bedlam Blues", "#9 Venus The Living Myth", and "Departure Guide Of The 7 Sisters". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic early demonstration of the solo powers of Diana Ross – a live date from Vegas, and one that has her commanding the stage not just as a singer of soul music, but as a female star ready to rival the talents of any of her contemporaries in the mainstream! Ross shines here with a brilliant brightness right from the start – working with a large ensemble that echoes all her best Motown roots, but which also pushes things out in fuller, more vibrant modes too – as Diana runs through tracks that include old soul favorites, jazz standards, and even some surprising choices from the charts – at a level that's filled with poise, class, and soul throughout. Titles include a great "Supremes Medley", plus "Don't Rain On My Parade", "Corner Of The Sky", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and a "Lady Sings The Blues Medley" with titles from the Billie Holiday songbook. LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking live performance from Diana Ross – a double-length set that offers up the lady in all full aspects of her glory! Ross sings not just in the clubby soul mode that made her a huge act at the time, but also brings in echoes of older Motown moments, plus a fair bit of jazz inspiration as well – a nod to her role in the film Lady Sings The Blues, but with a wider range too – a really great illustration of aspects of Diana's strengths that didn't always get their full due on record. Plus, the live backing brings a nice sort of spontaneity to the whole thing – lots of room for Diana's personality to shine through – on tracks that include "Love Hangover", "Girls", "Touch Me In The Morning", "Here I Am/I Wouldn't Change A Thing", and long medleys titled "The Point", "The Working Girls", "The Motown Story", and "One Giant Step". LP, Vinyl record album

On the one hand, our jazz snob side wonders why Diana Ross would be picked to star as Billie Holiday, but on the other, it makes perfect sense, as this soundtrack to the film was made during the early 70s, when she was at the top of her career, and one of the highest profile female soul singers. And she acquits herself quite well, with a solid performance that's more than respectable, helped along the way by sympathetic orchestral arrangements from Benny Golson and Oliver Nelson. While we may not turn to this recording over any of Billie's originals, it's a pretty remarkable turning point for Diana, establishing her "diva" status and helping to launch her solo career to new heights. 34 numbers in all, though many of them are dialogue or musical bits lifted from the film. Includes "All Of Me", "the Man I Love", "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "Fine & Mellow", "You've Changed", "My Man", "Strange Fruit" and "God Bless The Child". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Diana Ross' 80s years – a record that's quite different than her Motown music of the 60s and 70s, but in a way that really shows the singer stepping out and trying something new! The album's maybe more soulful than some of Diana's previous albums – thanks to work from producer Tom Dowd – and the material is a surprising mix of songs, from sources as varied as Leonard Cohen, Luther Vandross, and Mick Hucknall! Ross does nice a nice job in reworking older soul classics – like Jackie Ross' "Selfish One" and The Drifters' "There Goes My Baby" – nestled in nicely next to more contemporary tracks that include "Dirty Looks", "Shockwaves", "Tell Me Again", "Shine", "Summertime", and "It's Hard For Me To Say". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the hippest sounds we've ever heard from pianist Gene Russell – an album that features heavy use of Fender Rhodes – and a soulful, solid, rhythmic core that comes from the basslines of Henry Franklin, guitar of Calvin Keys, and drums of Ndugu Chancler! The set's one of the greatest in the legendary Black Jazz catalog – and is a perfect illustration of the righteous ways the label's players helped to update soul jazz styles of the 60s – really reworking things here with a fresh 70s vibe, and a sense of conscious energy that flows effortlessly from Russell's work on the keys! Most numbers feature added percussion, which really furthers the spirit of the session – and titles include the massive "Get Down", plus "Blues Suite", "For Heaven's Sake", "Talk to My Lady", "My Favorite Things", and "Me & Mrs Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic classic material from Savoy Brown! The approach is maybe familiar blues rock, but the sound is also very special – with a great sense of fusion of all the elements, so that vocals, guitar, and rhythms all seem tightly tied together – still with the kind of bravado you might expect, and plenty of strong guitar from Kim Simmonds – but also given this focus that's really wonderful, especially when heavy piano lines come into the mix to almost give things a Mose Allison vibe, and added horns open up some currents of soul. A strong cut above the competition – with titles that include "Master Hare", "A Hard Way To Go", "That Same Feelin", "A Little More Wine", "I'm Crying", "Is That So", and "Stay While The Night Is Young". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful soul duet work from Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson – a pair who were maybe to the southern scene of the 60s what Marvin Gaye and his ladies were to the Motor City – able to trade lines in a wonderful way, and make their songs always come together with a vibe that was way more than just two singers working together in the studio! Peggy later went onto fame in the blues underground a few decades later – but here, her style is a sweet contrast to the bolder vocals of Jo Jo – as the pair move through modes that are groove at times, warmer at others – and all really well-done in the best SSS International mode of the Tennessee scene. This first album by the duo includes their lovely hit "Lover's Holiday", plus "Soul Shake", "We Got Our Bag", "We Were Made For Each Other", "Pickin Wild Mountain Berries", "Fine As Frog Hair", "Doin Our Thing", and "Blow Your Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A west coast classic – featuring some of Bud Shank's best small group work of the mid 50s! The album has Shank playing in two different groups, one with Shorty Rogers on trumpet, one with the great Bill Perkins on tenor – and we'll be honest in saying that Perkins' tone is incredible, a perfect match for Shank's well-honed sound of the time – blown with a nice edge that really deepens the sound of the record – a slight sense of soul that goes past traditional west coast modes, and really fits Shank's sometimes-edgey playing. Rogers is still pretty great too – and the casual setting of the album is a refreshing change from some of his more over-arranged work for other labels at the time! Titles include "Casa De Luz", "Jasmine", "Left Bank", "Paradise", "Fluted Columns", and "Royal Garden Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant late Impulse Records album from Archie Shepp – material recorded on a variety of dates at the end of the 60s, but packaged together as an extremely soulful set in the mid 70s! There's a feel here that rivals some of the best moments of the Attica Blues years – a mix of spiritual soul jazz and bolder modern moments – reigned in nicely from the freer Shepp sound of a few years before, and given a really righteous focus by the addition of vocals on some tracks. Archie sings a bit himself, and one number features Leon Thomas singing with Tasha Thomas and Doris Troy – a very odd meeting in the studio! Players include Woody Shaw, Jimmy Owens, Dave Burrell, Grachan Moncur III, and Wally Richardson – and the tracks even get a bit funky at times! Titles include an excellent version of "New Africa", which was recorded later in Paris by Grachan Moncur III – plus "Back Back", "Spoo Pee Doo", "Slow Drag", and Cal Massey's "Bakai". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful – simply beautiful – one of the greatest Wayne Shorter albums for Blue Note, and one of our favorite jazz albums ever! The record is a masterpiece of lyrical delight – soul jazz mixed with slight touches of experimentalism – but still warm, swinging, and personal enough to captivate even the most novice jazz listener. A players are at the top of their game – and in addition to Shorter's tenor, the group features Lee Morgan on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The tracks unfold in lyrical, modal beauty in a really wonderful way that was barely ever duplicated again – and titles include "Night Dreamer", "Oriental Folk Song", "Virgo", "Charcoal Blues", "Armageddon", and "Black Nile". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer session from Horace Silver – a record that has the legendary Blue Note pianist working with his famous quintet that includes Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Junior Cook on tenor, Gene Taylor on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums! The album's one of the group's first, and really showcases their sublime blend of rootsy soul jazz rhythms and more exotic, sophisticated approaches to arranging – playing in a style that mixes harder grooves with more meditative compositions with incredible lyrical beauty! The album includes tracks that mix both of these styles – and titles include the classic "Sister Sadie", plus "Baghdad Blues", "Melancholy Mood", "Break City", "St Vitus Dance", and the lovely "Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Horace Silver's greatest records ever – and the album that always makes us remember how many of his tunes are now etched in the memory of modern jazz! The album's got a slightly exotic bent that you might guess from the title – a furthering of the sound that Silver first started on his own after breaking with Art Blakey – a hint of more cosmic modes to come in soul jazz, yet still served up here with more of the punch you might expect from 60s Blue Note. The group is great – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Junior Cook on tenor – both super-tight at the start of the tunes, then breaking off into deeply personal territory on their solos. Rhythm is from Gene Taylor on bass and John Harris on drums – the latter a lesser-known compatriot of Silver, but one with a nicely loose sensibility that really adds a lot to the record. The writing is great – and titles include "Sayanara Blues", "Tokyo Blues", "Ah So", "Cherry Blossom", and "Too Much Sake". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the "broadway" or the "blues" or the "ballads" in the title put you off – because this album's way more than any of those – one of those key 60s records that have Nina Simone taking familiar material and investing it with a new sort of righteous power of her own – almost transforming the songs in the process, and really opening them up past any sort of easy expectations! Arrangements include a bit of work from Nina, plus more by Horace Ott and Hal Mooney – and throughout, the singer shifts modes and moods with effortless ease, turning songs from ordinary tunes into fierce expressions of righteous soul. Titles include "The Laziest Gal In Town", "Nobody", "I Am Blessed", "Of This I'm Sure", "See Line Woman", "Last Rose Of Summer", and "How Can I". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Nina – mostly recorded live at the Westbury Music Fair, with a hip mix of jazz, soul, and folk that's stretched out in a slightly informal setting that always brings out the best of Nina's vocals. Titles include "The Backlash Blues", "Please Read Me", "Sunday In Savannah", "Why? (The King Of Love Is Dead)", and the nice jazzer "In The Morning". Plus, the album also includes one straight soul number – "Do What You Gotta Do", with some great arrangements by Horace Ott. LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of very righteous albums that American reedman Hal Singer made overseas – very different material than the more R&B-based tenor material that started out his career! Here, Hal's got this easygoing approach to soul jazz – stretching out on these really long tracks that also feature superb work from the great Alain Jean Marie on piano – a player we totally love, and who rarely makes an appearance in a session like this! The set is equally Alain's and Hal's – as both balance long, creative solo energy beautifully – with spacious accompaniment from August Nemeth on bass and Oliver Johnson on drums. The album was originally only released in South Africa, and is even more obscure than some of Singer's French releases – and titles include "Deacon Johnson", "Soweto To Harlem", "Blues After Six", and "The Gospel". LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare one for Sonny Stitt – an album for Pacific Jazz recorded on the west coast, but done with some hard-burning organ work by Charles Kynard that easily matches any of Stitt's best soul jazz sides from the east! There's a tightly cooking feel to the entire set that's really great – a style that's slightly different than Sonny's work for Argo or Prestige, but which is equally great – thanks to fluid lines on Hammond from Kynard, and some great guitar from the under-rated Ray Crawford. The group's completed by Doug Sides on drums – and titles include "Blue Skies", "Sitt In Time", "Summer Special", "My Mother's Eyes", and "SOP Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Sonny Stitt's work for Verve was some of his best on record – and this album is a perfect illustration of that bold claim! Sonny's blowing here in a wonderful style – a bit more restrained than on his early bop sides, more complicated than on his later soul jazz sessions, and all together totally solid, totally in-the-pocket – with not a note out of place, nor a moment of superfluous blowing on the set. Stitt's extremely confident here – dominating the intimate quartet setting with lots of fire, warmth, and imagination. The rhythm section includes Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – and tracks include "Sonny's Tune", "Down Home Blues", "Alone Together", and "Norman's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first great moments of the Munich disco scene of the 70s – an electric batch of soul served up in support of Donna Summer's landmark title hit! The set features the full 16 minute version of "Love To Love You Baby" – done as a monumental suite that dips, turns, slinks, and slides alongside Summer's sexy vocals beautifully. As with that track, Giorgio Moroder arranged the others on the set as well – along with tunes in more of a straightforward soul approach for the time. In retrospect, that was a totally brilliant approach – trailblazing on one hand, and saleable to the mainstream on the other! Other titles include "Need A Man Blues", "Full Of Emptiness", "Whispering Waves" and "Pandora's Box". LP, Vinyl record album

Probably THE album you truly need to own from Koko Taylor – and a completely great one, recorded way before she'd become a cliched fixture paying the bills on the frat boy tourist blues scene! The tracks here were recorded over a few years in mid-to-late 60s Chicago – mostly with production from Willie Dixon, who also co-wrote most of the tunes on the set! The groove is nice and gritty – electric Chess Chicago blues at it's finest, but also with a good sense of soul in the mix – and tracks include the fiery hit "Wang Dang Doodle", plus "Fire", "29 Ways", "I Don't Care Who Knows", "Nitty Gritty", and "Love You Like A Woman". Amazing stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

Very early work from Joe Tex – recorded way before his boogie records of the 70s, and even his country soul classics of the 60s! Yet despite the age of these sides, the Joe Tex vocal approach is very firmly in place – that raspy mode that's undeniably human, and which might be rooted in blues and gospel, but which already takes a place here with a standout mode that's completely Joe's own! Musical modes move between R&B ballads and some bolder early soul styles – and titles include "She's Mine", "My Biggest Mistake", "Get Way Back", "Right Back To My Arms", "Come In This House", "I Had To Come Back To You", "Pneumonia", "Davy You Upset My Home", and "Another Woman's Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare material by the legendary Three Sounds – recorded in the early 60s by Gene Harris and combo, but never issued at the time! The work follows very strongly in the best spirit of the Three Sounds' more famous albums from the time – a unique blend of soul jazz piano with some of the more sprightly pianistics that had been showing up on trio records in the 50s – never too over the top, but with enough creativity to make the group a key crowd-pleasing act at the time! Harris' work on the keys is extremely magical, and there's some tunes on the set that give the album a slightly different feel than usual. Highlights include great readings of Randy Weston's "Babe's Blues", Nat Adderley's Work Song", and Frank Rosolino's "Blue Daniel" – plus the originals "Wait A Minute" and "Lazy Cat". LP, Vinyl record album

With a sound like this, these guys have gotta be Feelin Good! The album's one of the first few Blue Notes by Gene Harris and his mighty Three Sounds combo – and is done in the group's very successful blend of soul jazz and piano trio musing – a key shift in styles from the 50s to the 60s, and one that always sounds nice! There's a great rhythmic approach to the work, augmented by Harris' chunky style of hitting the keys – and the album's filled with nice numbers that include "Parker's Pad", "Two Bass Hit", "Straight No Chaser", and "Blues After Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

A heck of a discovery – early recordings Townes Van Zandt cut in mid 60s Nashville – a couple of years before his official solo debut, and a soul shakingly beautiful mix of his country folk blues storytelling and some more rollicking numbers that work exceptionally well! One of the things that's most striking about it is how wise and knowing his songs and his voice are this early in his game, with the more intimate voice and guitar numbers sounding great. The few songs with busier instumentation work, too, and that's even more surprising give the Townes loner folk ouvre. We didn't think there could be much Townes left unreleased, especially of this quality! Titles include "Black Widow Blues", "Maryetta's Song", "Hunger Child Blues", "Black Jack Mama", "When Your Dream Never Dies", "Big Country Blues", "Gypsy Friday", "Colorado Blues", "Black Crow Blues" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit of a joke – because the record features a batch sidemen from the Count Basie band – Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Freddy Green, Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster, and others – all working with Sarah, but the Count's name is missing, due to contractual obligations! Despite that lack, though, the grooves are very much in the best Basie mode – full of soul and searing horn lines – at a level that makes the album one of Sarah's liveliest from the time! Players include Thad Jones and Joe Newman on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Frank Foster and Frank Wess on tenor, and Freddie Green on guitar – and Ronnell Bright handles the piano, instead of Basie. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Doodlin", "Just One Of Those Things", "No Count Blues", and "Missing You". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard heavy stuff – and some of Jr's earliest work for Motown, only the second album to be issued on the small Soul subsidiary! The groove is nice and hard, with lots of original tracks done in the tenor-heavy instrumental style that was Jr's calling card during the time. Titles include "Mark Anthony Speaks", "Hewbie Steps Out", "Everybody Get Together", "Satan's Blues", "Brainwasher", and "Eight Hour Drag". With titles like that, you can guess how it sounds! LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent 2LP set that brings together 28 early 50s recordings by T-Bone Walker – crucial sides that link together jazz and blues traditions, with incredible work on guitar that would go onto influence both genres tremendously. The fact that Walker became a huge influence on soul jazz guitarists like Billy Butler, George Freeman, and Wild Bill Jennings is probably not lost on Blue Note – who included the set here as the only non-jazz set in their 2LP 70s reissue series. Titles include "Blue Mood", "Alimony Blues", "The Sun Went Down", "Cold Cold Feeling", "Strollin With Bones", "Street Walkin Woman", "You Don't Love Me", "Party Girl", "Life is Too Short", and "News For You Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A very earthy set of piano tracks, recorded by LA pianist Roosevelt Wardell – who was one of the ultra-hip discoveries that Cannonball Adderley brought to Riverside Records during the early 60s! Wardell's got a heck of a lot of blues in his playing, but overall he's a jazz player – working with Sam Jones and Louis Hayes to craft some tunes that almost out "soul jazz" Cannonball's own work! Titles include "The Revelation", "Elijah Is Here", "Lazarus", "Like Someone In Love", and "Max The Maximum". LP, Vinyl record album

Nick Waterhouse keeps winning us over again and again with his music – which seems to get better and better with each new release! This album might be Nick's most compelling so far – a nicely gritty set that almost takes us back to that hip London stretch in the 60s, when British singers were effortlessly blending together American styles from soul, jazz, and blues – into a hip-stepping mode that was completely outta sight! Not that Nick's a retro artist trying for an old-styled sound – just that he's one of the few in decades who can get such a clear, focused groove out of all the right elements – and all without making it sound forced at all. A record you can easily file next to classics by Bobby Scott, George Fame, and Zoot Money – with titles that include "Stanyan Street", "The Old Place", "Katchi", "Tracy", "LA Turnaround", "It's Time", and "I Had Some Money". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from the funk-heavy period of Muddy Waters – a moment that once made the traditional blues fans mad, but which has gone onto become the stuff of legend – thanks to a real criss-crossing of Chicago talents in the studio! The set was co-produced by Chess Records talents Charles Stepney, Gene Barge, and Marshall Chess – and features expanded instrumentation that includes Phil Upchurch on added guitar, Louis Satterfield on bass, Charles Stepney on organ, and Morris Jennings on drums – plus even more guitar from Pete Cosey, who you might know from later work on some Miles Davis electric albums! Muddy is still very firmly the lead talent at the core, though – coming across with a badass kind of vibe that mixes his raw roots with the hipper soul of the new generation – a great Chess/Cadet hybird that was years ahead of its time. Titles include "I Am The Blues", "Hurtin Soul", "Bottom Of The Sea", "Honey Bee", "Rollin' And Tumblin'", "Screamin & Cryin", and "Blues & Trouble". LP, Vinyl record album

Shoutin is right – as the album's a wailer all the way through, one of the few jazz albums cut by Texas tenor giant Don Wilkerson – best known to crowds at the time for his work with the Ray Charles group, but really stepping out here in a different way for Blue Note! The album has Don blowing in a freely gutsy style – working with a crack soul jazz quartet that includes Grant Green on guitar, John Patton on organ, and Ben Dixon on drums – all key players that help Wilkerson get past any of the hoke of the Ray Charles sound, and into a groove that's made the record a standout Blue Note classic for years! Tracks are all longish, and titles include "Blues For J", "Cookin With Clarence", "Movin Out", "Happy John", and "Sweet Cakes". LP, Vinyl record album

The mellow tone of Cootie Williams gets a great showcase here – a laidback quartet date that's easily one of the most relaxed, open sessions we've heard from the trumpeter! Cootie blows a muted horn on most numbers, but he still comes across with plenty of soul – and support is from Nat Jones on piano, Harold Dodson on bass, and Bill Peeples on drums – on titles that include "Concerto For Cootie", "Some Of These Days", "Night Train", "Liza", and "Birmingham Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Smokestack Lightning", "Heart Full Of Soul", "New York City Blues", "Shapes Of Things", "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago", and "Over Under Sideways Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice small combo work from Lester Young – recorded with the obscure Jessie Drakes on trumpet! Titles include "Lester Warms Up", "Body & Soul", "Up & Atom", "Lester's Blues No 2", and "How High The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album