Titles include "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "El Condor Pasa", "Cecilia", "So Long Frank Lloyd Wright", "Baby Driver", "The Boxer", "The Only Living Boy In New York", "Keep The Customer Satisfied", and "Song For The Asking". Features bonus DVD – with a very cool TV special from 1969, plus another documentary on the making of this album – titled The Harmony Game. 132 minutes of DVD material! CD

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The fantastic first record from Chicago's Territory Band – a project headed up by saxophonist Ken Vandermark, and one that definitely builds the Transatlantic Bridge that's promised by the title! During the second half of the 90s, the Chicago avant scene really exploded with some great younger players – and also drew a lot of guests from other global scenes too – creating a lively cross-breeding of sounds, styles, and ideas – all of which are represented strongly by this group! The lineup features Jim Baker on piano, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Axel Dorner on trumpet, Dave Rempis on alto and tenor, Kent Kessler on bass, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, and both Paul Lytton and Tim Mulvenna play drums – which makes for a super heavy sense of energy throughout. Vandermark blows tenor, bass clarinet, and b flat clarinet – on titles that include "Collage (for Kurt Schwitters)", "RM (for Marcel Duchamp)", "Mobile (for Alexander Calder)", and "Stabile (for Hans Hoffmann)". CD

Chrysalis 25th Anniversary Special Edition. Packaged as a long box containing a 30 page booklet about the history of Chrysalis records. The CD is packaged in a dark blue jewel case & inner tray. On the front of the jewel case in the centre, a small sticker of the cover art. CD

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A perennial favorite in the John Coltrane catalog – a beautiful set of standards, handled in a warm laidback style – but which still has some of the depth of soul that John Coltrane brought to his more experimental work on Impulse Records! The album's a classic introduction to the music of Trane – and maybe is tied more closely to the spirit of some of his work on Atlantic Records, and makes a nice bridge between the two bodies of work – as the Great One takes on older jazz tunes, but really transforms them, thanks in part to the sublime work of Jimmy Garrison on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, and McCoy Tyner on piano. The album's completely solid all the way through – and although it won't change your life as much as A Love Supreme, it will show what a fantastically strong player Coltrane was, in any sort of setting! Titles include "I Wish I Knew", "What's New", "Nancy", "You Don't Know What Love Is", and "All Or Nothing At All". CD

Key 60s material from the great John Coltrane – even if the set wasn't ever released until the late 70s! The album's kind of a "prequel" to the later Meditations record, and it stands as a key bridge between Coltrane's modal years and his more spiritual sounds – delivered here by a core quartet, without the larger accompaniment that graced the later version! The classic quartet is at their best – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the sound is slightly more inside than later, but no less filled with searching and yearning! CD

Key 60s material from the great John Coltrane – even if the set wasn't ever released until the late 70s! The album's kind of a "prequel" to the later Meditations record, and it stands as a key bridge between Coltrane's modal years and his more spiritual sounds – delivered here by a core quartet, without the larger accompaniment that graced the later version! The classic quartet is at their best – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the sound is slightly more inside than later, but no less filled with searching and yearning! CD version contains a 12 minute extended alternate take of "Joy", the centerpiece of the composition. CD

Thelonious Monk may have written the title tune, but Miles Davis makes it all his own here – blowing with a subtle moody magic that makes the album one of his true treasures from the early Columbia Records years! John Coltrane's along on tenor sax – helping Davis expand the sound the pair first forged on Prestige – and also present is the rhythm trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – impeccably recorded here with a wonderful sense of space, and almost a bridge between older Miles modes, and the genius to come. Titles include Miles seminal take on "Round Midnight", plus "Tadd's Delight", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "A Leu Cha". CD

Thelonious Monk may have written the title tune, but Miles Davis makes it all his own here – blowing with a subtle moody magic that makes the album one of his true treasures from the early Columbia Records years! John Coltrane's along on tenor sax – helping Davis expand the sound the pair first forged on Prestige – and also present is the rhythm trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – impeccably recorded here with a wonderful sense of space, and almost a bridge between older Miles modes, and the genius to come. Titles include Miles seminal take on "Round Midnight", plus "Tadd's Delight", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "A Leu Cha". The first disc also features 4 bonus tracks too – "Sweet Sue", "Little Melonae", "Budo", and "Two Bass Hit". The second disc are live recordings from '55 and '56. CD

Thelonious Monk may have written the title tune, but Miles Davis makes it all his own here – blowing with a subtle moody magic that makes the album one of his true treasures from the early Columbia Records years! John Coltrane's along on tenor sax – helping Davis expand the sound the pair first forged on Prestige – and also present is the rhythm trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – impeccably recorded here with a wonderful sense of space, and almost a bridge between older Miles modes, and the genius to come. Titles include Miles seminal take on "Round Midnight", plus "Tadd's Delight", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "A Leu Cha". CD

Thelonious Monk may have written the title tune, but Miles Davis makes it all his own here – blowing with a subtle moody magic that makes the album one of his true treasures from the early Columbia Records years! John Coltrane's along on tenor sax – helping Davis expand the sound the pair first forged on Prestige – and also present is the rhythm trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – impeccably recorded here with a wonderful sense of space, and almost a bridge between older Miles modes, and the genius to come. Titles include Miles seminal take on "Round Midnight", plus "Tadd's Delight", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "A Leu Cha". CD features 4 bonus tracks too – "Sweet Sue", "Little Melonae", "Budo", and "Two Bass Hit". CD

A really formative album – not just as part of the key second chapter of alto genius Lou Donaldson, but also as the start of a huge generation of jazz funk grooves to come! The key element here is drummer Idris Muhammad – working in the group of Donaldson, but under his birth name of Leo Morris – and still already graced with that fantastic sense of rhythm that has him stretching out the beats, and creating grooves that would push the 60s soul jazz generation into more electric funk modes in the decade to come! The record's a perfect bridge between the two generations – with long tracks that draw plenty from Idris' drums and Lou's alto – plus work from Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Lonnie Smith on organ, and the young George Benson on guitar – still hard and soulful, in that style he had been using in the 60s group of organist Jack McDuff. If you know the heavily sampled side of Lou Donaldson's work, you'll know the greatness you're getting here – on cuts that include "Dapper Dan", "Midnight Creeper", "Bag Of Jewels", and "Love Power". CD

A really formative album – not just as part of the key second chapter of alto genius Lou Donaldson, but also as the start of a huge generation of jazz funk grooves to come! The key element here is drummer Idris Muhammad – working in the group of Donaldson, but under his birth name of Leo Morris – and still already graced with that fantastic sense of rhythm that has him stretching out the beats, and creating grooves that would push the 60s soul jazz generation into more electric funk modes in the decade to come! The record's a perfect bridge between the two generations – with long tracks that draw plenty from Idris' drums and Lou's alto – plus work from Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Lonnie Smith on organ, and the young George Benson on guitar – still hard and soulful, in that style he had been using in the 60s group of organist Jack McDuff. If you know the heavily sampled side of Lou Donaldson's work, you'll know the greatness you're getting here – on cuts that include "Dapper Dan", "Midnight Creeper", "Bag Of Jewels", and "Love Power". CD

One of the best albums we've heard in years from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a really in the pocket session that's filled with rhythmic intensity, and some of the boldest music we've heard from Dave in years! There's plenty of edges to the set – especially the trumpet of Douglas and tenor of Jon Irabgon – but there's also a groove to many numbers too – a kind of forward-rolling energy that really takes the whole thing to great points throughout the set, and which makes a great progression from the somber tone of Dave's last album – almost a musical rebirth of sorts! Crack rhythms flow from the trio of Matt Mitchell on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – and titles include "Time Travel", "Beware Of Doug", "Little Feet", "Garden State", and "Bridge To Nowhere". CD

Tracks include "Fantastic Rhythm" and "Let Nature Take Its Course", unabridged versions of "Chelsea Bridge" and "Pretty Girl", and Strayhorn's 1942 arrangements of "Something To Live For". CD

Titles include "Afrobossa", "Chelsea Bridge", "Take The 'A' Train", "Passion Flower", "C Jam Blues", "Ad Lib On Nippon", "Carolina Shout", and the suite "Black, Brown and Beige". CD

Wonderful explorations of the sound of the didjeridu – done at a level that's quite different than any other use of the instrument we've ever heard – no surprise, given that the music here is all created by AACM legend Douglas Ewart! The performances bridge Ewart's two worlds of organic improvisation and more serious tonal composition – both of which prove to be perfect settings for the instrument – which is used here at a level that's completely respectful, and without any sense of gimmick at all. Different variations on the didjeridu are used on different tracks – mostly solo in the lead, but with occasional accompaniment on string bass, bells, and electronics. Titles include "Walk & Drop", "Ginep", "Seeds Of War", "Mud Bath III", and "Dancing Inside Of Soul". CD

A beautiful early record from singer Bill Fay – recorded in a baroque brilliance that rivals the late 60s work of Scott Walker! Like Walker, Fay's as much a poet as he is a singer – and he's also got the great fortune here to be working with some excellent arrangements – handled by British jazzman Michael Gibbs, and featuring some excellent guitar work from Ray Russell. That said, Bill Fay has a distinctly artful presence with a style that's all his own! He's slightly folksy at times, with echoes of some of more mysterious aspects of late 60s and early 70s psych folk scenesters – but his overall vision is far more elaborate, and carried off here to perfection in a rare kind of "once in a career" record that still holds up beautifully today! Titles include "Garden Song", "The Sun Is Bored", "Narrow Way", "We Have Laid Here", "Methane River", "Goodnight Stan", "Be Not So Fearful", and "Down To The Bridge". CD also features 2 bonus tracks, the earlier single sides "Some Good Advice" and "Screams In The Ears". CD

A set that's way more than just a "best of" sort of anthology – as the package features three full albums by the group, plus other material too! The set begins with the classic debut, Gilded Palace Of Sin – a true late 60s rock masterpiece – and like albums by Love and The Velvet Underground, a set that barely made a mainstream impact at the time – but which has gone on to be the stuff of influence and legend over the decades! The album's the first from Gram Parsons and the group – one of only two they would cut together – and the whole thing is a perfect blend of rough-edged rock and country influences rising up from the LA scene – all those glimmers of brilliance that Parsons had brought to the Byrds and other projects, maybe given their full flowering here in a mode that's unabashed about its country music influences – maybe even more so than some of Gram's later solo work. Sneeky Pete Kleinow's steel guitar really adds a lot – but so does the presence of Chris Hillman on guitar and mandolin, and Chris Ethridge on bass and piano. Titles include the brilliant "Sin City" – a track we'll love until we die – plus "Christine's Tune", "Do Right Woman", "Dark End Of The Street", "My Uncle", "Wheels", "Juanita", "Hot Burrito No 1", "Hot Burrito No 2", "Do You Know How It Feels", and "Hippy Boy". Burrito Deluxe is the second of only two albums recorded by Gram Parsons with the Flying Burrito Brothers – and a masterpiece that pushes the group's sound even farther than their debut! The set is filled with special moments – songs that show just why these guys were such a special bridge between late 60s country and rock music – and why all of the other groups they inspired just never came close to serving things up this well! Gram Parsons is fantastic on vocals, of course – but the whole group is great, especially Sneaky Pete on steel guitar. Titles include the fantastic romper "Man In The Fog", the very groovy "Lazy Days", the haunting "God's Own Singer", and the group's Jagger/Richards' approved take on "Wild Horses – plus other cuts that include "High Fashion Queen", "Image Of Me", "Older Guys", and "If You Gotta Go". Flying Burrito Brothers is The Burritos first LP, post-Parsons – and a pretty strong statement for the merits of the now unquestioned leader, Rick Roberts, and multi-instrumentalist new guy Bernie Leadon, who would later turn to the dark side and join the Eagles! Roberts penned or co-penned seven of the album's ten tunes, including "Colorado", "Hand To Mouth", "Just Can't Be", and "Four Days Of Rain". His contributions are for the most part nicely fragile, with just the right doses of sweetness and sadness. The group also covers Merle Haggard's "White Line Fever", Gene Clark's "Tried So Hard", and Dylan's "To Ramona". This is one of the band's rarer LPs, probably because of the absence of hipster hero Gram Parsons – truly a worthy piece of work! CD also features some other tracks recorded by Parsons with the group – including "Six Days On The Road", "Break My Mind", "Sing Me Back Home", and "Close Up The Honky Tonks" – and live tracks "Ain't That A Lot Of Love" and "Losing Game" – plus Gene Clark singing on "Here Tonight". CD

The record that really broke The Fugees out of the box – not their debut, but the album where everything really came together – especially the fantastic mix of vocals and MC work that Lauryn Hill brought to the group! The album was a key bridge between hip hop and soul back in the day – of the sort that made R&B bend to the needs of hip hop – and not the more commercial other way around. And, the record's even got Wyclef and Pras sounding pretty great too – on titles that include the classic remake of "Killing Me Softly" – plus "How Many MC's", "Ready or Not", "The Score", "Family Business", "Zealots", "Fu-Gee-La", and "No Woman No Cry". CD

The legendary first album by The Fugs – a set that was first issued on Folkways Records, then later on ESP – and which is maybe a perfect bridge between these different underground worlds in the 60s! Ed Sanders, Tuli Kupferberg, Peter Stampfel, and the others are clearly budding hippies – but there's also a quality here that's different than the scene a few years later – maybe pulled equally from the late beat world, and the underground film world – no surprise, as Harry Smith produced the record for the group, and really has a great ear for their rootsier elements on acoustic instruments. The whole thing was recorded in two afternoon sessions in 1965, and still remains a record with surprising power after all these years – on titles that include "Slum Goddess", "Swinburn Stomp", "Supergirl", "Boobs A Lot", "My Baby Done Left Me", and "I Couldn't Get High". CD adds in 11 more bonus tracks - additional material from the original sessions – plus material recorded at the Night Of Napalm at St Marks place in 1965! CD

The legendary first album by The Fugs – a set that was first issued on Folkways Records, then later on ESP – and which is maybe a perfect bridge between these different underground worlds in the 60s! Ed Sanders, Tuli Kupferberg, Peter Stampfel, and the others are clearly budding hippies – but there's also a quality here that's different than the scene a few years later – maybe pulled equally from the late beat world, and the underground film world – no surprise, as Harry Smith produced the record for the group, and really has a great ear for their rootsier elements on acoustic instruments. The whole thing was recorded in two afternoon sessions in 1965, and still remains a record with surprising power after all these years – on titles that include "Slum Goddess", "Swinburn Stomp", "Supergirl", "Boobs A Lot", "My Baby Done Left Me", and "I Couldn't Get High". CD adds in 11 more bonus tracks - additional material from the original sessions – plus material recorded at the Night Of Napalm at St Marks place in 1965! CD

Red Garland's piano was certainly humming strong at the time of this session – as Red's trio were one of the key rhythm components of many Prestige albums of the late 50s, but also a real starring act on their own! The album's got a laidback, almost mellow feel that's a bit different from some of the Garland accompaniment on horn-based sessions – a style that's introspective, but always spirited – sprightly, but never flowery – that magical style that allowed Garland to bridge different worlds of jazz piano in the 50s. Paul Chambers is a perfect accompaniment here on bass, Art Taylor's work on drums is a masterpiece of understatement, and although the titles are all familiar, they're certainly given a special Garland touch! Titles include "The Very Thought Of You", "If I Were A Bell", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "I Know Why", and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love". CD

An overlooked gem from Genesis – a record that maybe forms a perfect bridge between their early concept years and the tighter mode that drove them into the 80s – and a set that really has the trio version of the group finding their way forward! There's some of the catchiness of Abacab to come, but there's also more of a sense of scope – that long form instrumental exploration that Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks continued from the early years – honed into more focus, and driven by the increasingly strong drum talents of Phil Collins! Phil's a few years away from being an MTV figure here – and is instead more of a proud progger, finding a way to bring things into tighter energy – and really balance the whole thing beautifully. Titles include the hits "Turn It On Again" and "Misunderstanding" – balanced with "Duke's Travels", "Dutchess", "Behind The Lines", "Heathaze", and "Cul De Sac". CD

A portrait of Duke, done by Dizzy – and one that's got a whole different feel than you might think! Gillespie's working here with arrangements by a young Clare Fischer – who takes Ellington's themes and recasts them with an even deeper sense of color and tone – one that pushes the already-modern themes of the numbers into a whole new realm of sound, and uses the horn passages to carve things out a lot differently than Duke might have done! The result is a wonderfully striking session – one with familiar melodies that unfold in a whole new way – and which showcases some great phrasing from Dizzy, over rhythms by a combo that features Hank Jones, George Duvivier, and Charlie Persip – playing alongside a group of larger horns. Titles include "Perdido", "Caravan", "Upper Manhattan Medical Group", and "Chelsea Bridge". CD

A portrait of Duke, done by Dizzy – and one that's got a whole different feel than you might think! Gillespie's working here with arrangements by a young Clare Fischer – who takes Ellington's themes and recasts them with an even deeper sense of color and tone – one that pushes the already-modern themes of the numbers into a whole new realm of sound, and uses the horn passages to carve things out a lot differently than Duke might have done! The result is a wonderfully striking session – one with familiar melodies that unfold in a whole new way – and which showcases some great phrasing from Dizzy, over rhythms by a combo that features Hank Jones, George Duvivier, and Charlie Persip – playing alongside a group of larger horns. Titles include "Perdido", "Caravan", "Upper Manhattan Medical Group", and "Chelsea Bridge". Essential Jazz release adds 4 bonus tracks recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival. CD

One of the most famous Jerry Goldsmith soundtracks ever – even if the film itself wasn't much of a hit! Goldsmith really rose to the top ranks of film composers with his work for Blue Max – able to orchestrate both full action and quiet moments with effortless ease – often through these compressed passages that really move beyond the usual Hollywood scoring standard of the time! Things are never too flowery, yet still remain quite full at times – and Goldsmith really demonstrates his great skill with creating special odd sounds out of more familiar instruments. Titles include "First Blood", "Bridge Duel", "The Lonely Victor", "Small Favor", "Statchel in Berlin", and "The Bridge". CD

Early genius from pianist Vince Guaraldi – recorded years before his Peanuts fame, but proof that he was an extremely original talent even at the start! The setting is a trio one – and Vince is playing with longtime partner Eddie Duran on guitar, plus Dean Reilly on bass – and the lack of drums really unlocks the fluid, lyrical side of Guaraldi's playing – his great talent for pianistic colors, and strong ability to paint little scenes in sound. Even though most of the numbers are standards by other writers, Vince really takes off with the tunes – letting only the basic melody structure the tune's beginning, then really flying free on the keys. Duran's guitar work is nice too – hard and raspy one minute, but light and gentle the next – and titles include "Never Never Land", "Chelsea Bridge", "Sweet & Lovely", "Ossobucco", "3 Coins In A Fountain", and "Fenwyck Farfel". CD

Some of the first important jazz work on vibes – and a key bridge between swing and later styles too! The package features a wealth of material originally issued on 78rpm singles, plus unissued tracks too – all with the usual Mosaic attention to detail. CD

A great 70s soul jazz session that ranks up there with some of the best of Billy Harper's work from the decade! The session was recorded in the same style as Harper's excellent Japanese sessions for Denon, and it features a very soulful frontline of Faddis' trumpet, Harper's tenor, and the piano and electric piano of Roland Hanna. Cecil Bridgewater plays kalimba on one track, and the rhythm's by George Mraz and Motohiko Hino. Titles include "Two D's From Shinjyuku, Dig & Dug", "This All", and "Water Bridge". CD

An amazing set – all four of the legendary Warner Brothers albums by harmony giants Harpers Bizarre – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Feelin Groovy – the fab first LP by Harpers Bizarre! The group were one of the strangest pop ensembles operating in the seminal LA scene of the mid 60s – ostensibly a sweet harmony vocal group, but with a strangely childish approach that also had an ear open for the mind-blowing production styles of the Brian Wilson era. Van Dyke Parks was a big supporter of the group – and they perform a sublime version of his tune "Come To The Sunshine" as the leadoff track on the album – and even though Van Dyke didn't handle the arrangements of the record, the style of the music is very similar to his own, with guitar, bass, and drums coming into play with strings, woodwinds, and baroque orchestral touches. The record is as dark as it is sublime – one of those pop gems that hit big, but which has a brooding depth bubbling underneath the sugary coating – ala Pet Sounds. Tracks include "Happy Talk", "The Debutantes Ball", "I Can Hear The Darkness", "Raspberry Rug", and their huge hit version of "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy)". Next is Anything Goes – the group's second album – and while it has a lot of similarities with the first, it's also a lot deeper of an expression of their strange blend of harmony vocals, sweet 60s pop, and the nostalgia for the early 20th century that was running through the Burbank Warner scene that included a young Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Lenny Waronker, and other LA underground of the mid 60s. The whole record fits together beautifully – beginning with an old-timey radio kind of announcer, then sliding into sublimely crafted harmony tunes that include originals from the LA luminaries and the group, plus a few other surprising covers. Titles include the hit version of "Anything Goes", plus "The Biggest Night Of Her Life", "Milord", "Virginia City", "High Coin", "Jessie", "This Is Only The Beginning", and "You Need A Change". The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre is the third album by Harpers Bizarre – and one that shows them growing in leaps and bounds with each new release! The record is a sublime fusion of sweet pop California 60s harmonies (ala The Sandpipers or The Lettermen), baroque arrangements with a fake dreamy nostalgia (ala Van Dyke Parks or Randy Newman), and drug-addled underground takes on the eazy sound of the generation (ala Brian Wilson or Love). This album is one of their most perfectly-realized visions, and it features a great blend of older songs, all hipped-up to modern LA arrangements by the likes of Nick De Caro, Perry Botkin, and others. The record has an approach that's simply mindblowing when you consider the amount of funds and effort that must have been put into a record that would only be truly appreciated 40 years later – and it's filled with great titles that include "Me, Japanese Boy", "Look To The Rainbow", "Funny How Love Can Be", "Mad", "Green Apple Tree", and "Las Mananitas". Last up is the group's fourth album, unfortunately, the last Warner album by Harpers Bizarre – one of the few testaments of genius left to us by this incredible group! The record shows the group moving past the sweet pop and dreamy nostalgia of earlier albums – tentatively stepping into the haze of the late 60s LA scene with a blend of songs that share a lot musically with earlier work, but which also seem to have a more adult approach to some of their themes. Arrangements are by the group mostly – with help from pop geniuses like Jack Nitzsche, Nick De Caro, Lenny Waronker, Harry Nilsson, and Perry Botkin Jr. The harmonies are sublime – and the group effortlessly blends original tunes like "Soft Soundin Music", "All Through The Night", "When The Band Begins To Play", and "There's No Time Like Today, along with bizarre covers like "Hard To Handle", "Something Better", "I Love You Alice B Toklas", and Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", which is worth the price of the record alone! Bonus tracks include "Both Sides Now", "Small Talk", "Poly High", "If We Ever Needed The Lord Before", "Malibu U", "Cotton Candy Sandman", "Lost My Love Today", and "Bye Bye Bye". CD

Sweet silver cycles from Eddie Harris – a wonderful late 60s album that features lots of lines on the electrified Varitone saxophone, mixed with cool contributions from a shifting lineup of soulful musicians! The set's one of Eddie's real classics from the Atlantic years – completely inventive, but never in a gimmicky way – and a really great bridge between late 60s modes of funk, jazz, and soul – at the same level he'd serve up more famously in his collaborations with Les McCann! There's a lot of that same energy here, but the vibe is even tighter – and Harris really blows us away with his great arrangements, which get a slight bit of help from Arif Mardin. Other players include Melvin Jackson on bass, Seldon Powell on reeds, and Joe Zawinul on keyboards – and titles include "Silver Cycles", "Electric Ballad", "Little Bit", "Free At Last", "Coltrane's View", "Electric Salad", "1974 Blues", and "Smoke Signals". CD

A great lost live side from one of the most under-recorded geniuses of the tenor sax! Tubby's caught here with an early 60s quintet that features Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Terry Shannon on piano, Freddy Logan on bass, and Allan Ganley on drums. Ganley's presence is especially welcome here – as it was his drumming during the time that really stretched Tubby out – giving him a more fluidly rhythmic setting in which to work, and which seemed to only spur him onto greater levels of creative improvisation. Tubby plays both tenor and flute on the set – dancing around wonderfully on the set's longer tracks – and the album features the titles "Don't Fall Off the Bridge", "Modes & Blues", "Blue Flues", and "All Of You". CD

A seminal session from the St Louis scene of the early 70s – one that was humming nearly as much as Chicago was with the AACM at the time! As with the larger organization in the Windy City, St Louis had the Black Artists Group – of which Julius Hemphill was a key member, forming fresh new ideas in improvisatory jazz with players who went onto have an undeniable impact on the global scene as well. This album's one of the standout recordings of the Black Artists era at its best – a record produced by Hemphill, but equally balanced between his own alto and flute, the trumpet of Baikida Carroll, cello of Abdul Wadud, and drums of Phillip Wilson – plus a bit of added baritone from Haimet Bluiett. The rhythms are quite open, but there's also a nice sense of structure to the record too – a bridge between spiritual and free jazz that prefaces the impact that both Hemphill and Bluiett would have on the New York loft jazz generation. Titles include "Dogon AD", "Rites", and "The Painter". Great reissue too – in a gatefold LP-styled cover, with bonus insert notes, including the artwork from the original 1972 pressing on Hemphill's Mbari label! CD also features a bonus track – "Hard Blues" from Hemphill's Coon Business album! CD

A legendary set of live performances from Jimi Hendrix – both sets recorded in Maui in July of 1970, presented here officially for the first time ever – along with a bonus documentary on the performances too! The set is kind of the true counterpart to the botched Rainbow Bridge project – and features Jimi with Billy Cox on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums – really stepping out on some extended tracks that are filled with searing solos, and that undeniable charisma of Hendrix on stage – still wonderful, even near the end. Titles include "Hear My Train A Comin", "Fire", "Dolly Dagger", "Ezy Rider", "Message To Love", "Lover Man", "Spanish Castle Magic", "Purple Haze", "Red House", "Hey Baby/Midnight Lightning", "Straight Ahead", "Stone Free", "Jam Back At The House", and "Freedom". Also features a great DVD – with the documentary Music Money Madness – about the group's trip to Maui and the ill-fated Rainbow Bridge project – plus all of the existing 16mm footage of the two performances that day! Comes with a 32 page booklet, too – lots of never-published photos. CD

This is the new remix of Pierre Henry's famous funky electronic ballet from 1967. They've selected a wide range of artists to handle it, from the great Dimitri from Paris, to the popular Fatboy Slim, and the list includes other names like The Mighty Bop, William Orbit, Coldcut, and Funki Porcini. The sound varies, but there's some very nice moments that add a good bit to the original. Some of these cuts were floating around on expensive 12" singles before, and although this French issue isn't cheap, it's still a nice jam-packed selection of cuts, and has some great moments that bridge the history of electronica. CD

An insane amount of material from the biggest moment ever from Woody Herman – tracks recorded when he was at the top of his game in the 40s, and able to bridge many strands of jazz at once! CD

With Renee Rosnes on piano, Ira Coleman on bass and Billy Drummond on drums. Tracks include "Secret Love", "Have You Met Miss Jones?", "Autumn Leaves", "Solar" and "Chelsea Bridge". CD

A wonderful session by Andrew Hill – recorded in 1968, but issued only briefly in 1981 – and out of print for years! The session is a key one in understanding Hill's work – as it's a bridge between the arch modernism of his early Blue Note sides, and the more soul-oriented playing of the Grass Roots album. The set features wonderful frontline work in the trumpet of Charles Tolliver, and tenor and soprano of Joe Farrell – both players who open up the sound at the same time they're giving it a nice bottom – egged on by the rest of the combo, which includes Victor Sproles on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. The album's an enchanting one – not as dark as early years, but still with a compelling vision that's all Hill's own. Titles include "Dance With Death", "Love Nocturne", "Black Sabbath", "Partitions", and "Fish N Rice". CD features a bonus alternate take of the title cut. CD

A cooker from DC tenorist Buck Hill – one of those great local players who never got their due strongly until late in life! Buck's got a tremendous sound on his horn – full and rich in feeling, with occasional raspy edges that really grab us, and a warm command of his instrument that really belies his many decades in music. Yet Buck's also not just blowing familiar notes, either – and, like Von Freeman out of Chicago, he's a dedicatedly creative player who keeps things on edge throughout the set, even in familiar territory. The approach is a bit like that of Ben Webster late in life, but sharper overall – and the group on the date includes Barry Harris on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Freddie Waits on drums. Titles include "Jazz Ballad", "Tenor Madness", "On The Trail", "Hail To The Redskins",a nd "Chelsea Bridge". CD also features the bonus track "Vierd Blues". CD

2 early gems from The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Impressions – fantastic soul from the Chicago scene of the 60s – the legendary first ABC album by Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions! Although the group first broke big on Vee Jay Records, it was at ABC that their genius really took flight – tightening up the harmonies of the earlier singles, and hitting a mode that was a lot more soul than the doo wop of their roots! The sound here is a great bridge between the two eras of the group's career – and a number of the best tracks here are done in a mellow, gentle sort of way that relies heavily on the harmonies – crackling out with beautifully human sounds throughout. Nearly every tune is an original by Curtis Mayfield – and there's not a spot of filler on the album! Titles include "Minstrel & Queen", "Gypsy Woman", "Never Let Me Go", "Sad Sad Girl & Boy", "Little Young Lover", "Can't You See", and "I Need Your Love". Nice cover, too – with Curtis smiling the biggest ol' bucktoothed smile you'll ever see! Never-Ending Impressions is a major winner from The Impressions! Virtually all of their material for ABC was excellent – and this LP is no exception, as it's got loads of original Curtis Mayfield compositions, and plenty of great arrangements by Chicago soul legend Johnny Pate. The group is extremely soulful at this point – and they sound great on just about every cut. Titles include "Ten To One", "I'm So Proud", "Sister Love", "Little Boy Blue", "Girl You Don't Know Me", "I Gotta Keep Movin", and "A Woman Who Loves Me". CD

Vijay Iyer on ECM – a great new setting for one of the most-discussed pianists in recent years – and a chance for him to offer up some even more creative sides of his talents! The record still features Vijay playing piano with some of those blocky tones and rhythmic pulses that we love from his other trio and solo recordings – but the album also features him on electronics, and working with a string quartet on one number too – all in ways that are looser and more abstract than some of his better-known records, and creates a bridge between his jazz work and some of the new music modes of ECM. Titles include "Vuln Part 2", "Spellbound & Sacrosanct Cowrie Shells & The Shimmering Sea", "Mutations I to X", and "When We're Gone". CD

Ahmad Jamal on piano, Ephraim Wolfolk on bass, and Arti Dixson drums. Tracks include "Prelude To A Kiss", "I Got It Bad", "My Flower", "Chelsea Bridge" and "Never Let Me Go". CD

Excellent early work from guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a set that's got a leaner, meaner feel than some of his more polished later work – at a level that really lets Kawasaki shine throughout! The vibe is maybe a bit like CTI, but looser and more free – with wonderful colors and tones from Kawasaki as he finds his way on the album through a surprising range of styles – with great accompaniment from keyboardist Phil Clenninn, who plays Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and even some noisier Arp at times! The group also features Herb Bushler on bass, Buddy Williams on drums, Abdullah on percussion, and a young Steve Turre on shells – and titles include "Bridge Moon", "Bridge Sun", "Angana", and "Joni". CD

An album named after a genre, but one that offers up the very special focus that BB King brought to blues music – especially in these early years of his career! King's a giant at this point – a hell of a singer, with a sound that's a key bridge between gospel and soul – and a equally solid guitarist, able to grace his tunes with searing solos, but in a way that's never as showy or overcrowded as all the later bluesmen who tried to copy his act! Instead, King's balance here is perfect – and often set to romping backings that link his approach not only to a postwar R&B tradition, but maybe even to the jazz world as well – with a vibe that's a lot less downtrodden than you might expect from a record called "the blues". If you've never dug BB at this early point in his career, you'll find plenty here to love – and titles include "When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer", "What Can I Do", "Troubles Troubles Troubles", "Early In The Morning", "You Don't' Have To Cry", and "Why Do Everything Happen To Me". CD features bonus tracks – "Sweet Little Angel", "Tickle Britches", "I'm In Love", "Bye Bye Baby", "Don't Keep Me Waiting", and "Don't Break Your Promise". CD

A fantastic addition to the too-small catalog of work from the wonderful Harold Land – the west coast tenorist whose sound was maybe more of a bridge to the New York scene in the 50s and 60s – as you'll hear in this collection of well-recorded and unreleased material from his key years on the scene! All the cuts were recorded in Seattle, not LA – and Land is in top formation throughout – working in a few different groups with excellent players – including the mighty trumpeter Carmell Jones on two of the album's tracks, maybe worth the price of the record alone – plus Hampton Hawes and Buddy Montgomery on piano, Monk Montgomery on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Titles include "Triplin The Groove", "Vendetta", "Beepdurple", "Beauty", "Blue N Boogie", "Who Can I Turn To", and "Happily Dancing/Deep Harmonies Falling". 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

Righteous jazz from these two Detroit legends – Lightsey on piano and Belgrave on trumpet – with Jean Toussaint on tenor, Santi DeBriano on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums. Titles include "Marcus' Mates", "Windmill", "Lower Bridge Level", and "Golden Legacy". CD

A set that's brimming over with improvising jazz talent – but one that's an especially great reminder of the guitar genius of the great Arto Lindsay! Lindsay is amazing here – playing with energy to match the brilliance of Ken Vandermark and Joe McPhee – which is really saying a lot, and which has us almost feeling like a younger version of Arto's self stepped forward straight from the New York no wave scene, in order to create a pan-historical bridge with the improvising strengths of the Corbett Vs Dempsey universe! Drummer Phil Sudderberg is wonderful too – a master of sounds and moments – and the short tracks allow for plenty of sharp changes, and shifts in energy between each selection. McPhee blows alto, tenor, and pocket trumpet – and Vandermark is on tenor, baritone, and clarinet – on titles that include "The Push & Pull Beneath The Surface", "She Must Have Known", "Whether You Were There Or Not", "When I Lose Any Sense Of Perspective", and "The World's Longest Afternoon". CD

Massive work from the great Cheryl Lynn – and a key bridge between late 70s disco and the newer grooves of the 80s club scene! The album's a mix of midtempo groovers with a few mellower tracks – and it's got a tight, slightly jazzy sound that was very fresh at the time, and which still holds up incredibly well today. The standout cut on the record is the landmark groover "Got To Be Real" – but there's loads of other great ones, like "Star Love", "Daybreak (Storybook Children)", "Give My Love To You", "All My Lovin", and "Come In From The Rain". CD

A totally sweeeeeeeet batch of Brazilian grooves – recorded in San Francisco, with a great 70s Bay Area sound! Victor M leads the group on percussion and vocals – but the real charm of the set is in its electric piano riffing, and soulful electric vibe. Most of the cuts have vocals – kind of in a Sergio Mendes 70s style, or in the mode of some of Marcos Valle's more electric work – and although the tunes are mostly familiar numbers like "Reza", "Agua De Beber", "Zazueira", "Upa Neguinho", and "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", they're done in a mode that's very fresh – kind of a bridge between 60s Brazilian interpretations, and later ones by recent groups! CD

Never-issued material from the sessions for two classic Magic Sam albums – Black Magic and West Side Soul – not alternate tracks or demos, but really great material that stands strongly here as an album on its own! If you know those records, you'll now the raw power here – that fierce guitar of Sam's, that often has this sinister snakey quality – mixed with his undeniably soulful vocals, which are a perfect bridge between deep soul and Chicago blues! Players on the sessions include Eddie Shaw on tenor, Mighty Joe Young on second guitar, Shakey Jake on on harmonica, and Lafayette Leake on piano – and titles include "Lookin Good", "I Feel So Good", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Keep On Doin What You're Doin", "Blues For Odie Payne", "Keep On Lovin Me Baby", and "That's All I Need". CD