Charles Lloyd makes a step over to Blue Note Records – and the result is one of his richest, most organic albums in years! The whole thing's a live performance from Poland – done as a suite of longer tracks that feature a core acoustic quartet with Lloyd on tenor, plus added cymbalom and lyra – both used very heavily, with these open, sonic properties that are especially great – almost a way of bringing in some of the exoticism of Lloyd's earlier recordings, but with less focus on the reeds. The group also features Gerald Clayton on piano – and both he and Lloyd can be airy one minute, powerful the next – as the tunes build up slowly, and form this wonderful painting in sound. Titles include "Gardner", "Lark", "River", "Wild Man Dance", "Invitation", and "Flying Over The Odra Valley". CD

A great late 70s set from Weather Report – a record that's certainly got more polish than the early years, but which still sounds plenty darn great to our ears – thanks to a really free-flowing sense of imagination! The tunes here have a wonderfully chunky sort of approach to the groove – that kind of building, pulsating quality that always marked Weather Report as organic, even when electric – and which gave their music a sense of soul, even when it was sometimes smooth. There's enough dark corners here to shake off any of the more commercial touches – and it's wonderful to hear the way that Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul have evolved the original Weather Report ethos into something new and fresh. Titles include "Punk Jazz", "Mr Gone", "The Elders", "Young & Fine", "River People", and "The Pursuit Of The Woman With The Feathered Hat". CD

A great look at one of our favorite sub-genres of 60s soul – tunes that deal with the ins and outs of big city life, most of which were recorded as uptown soul tunes with really great production! It's hard to describe the charm of this work accurately, but the tunes are almost mini-movies, or sound snapshots of urban life at the time – often penned by Brill Building songwriters with a slight fantasy of life in the farther-flung boroughs of the city. Some of the tunes here are well-known, but lots more are obscure – really compelling tracks by singers who bring great life to the songs, and manage to make these little musical moments live on wonderfully over the years! Titles include "Nights In New York City" by Jan Bradley, "Street Talk" by The Tymes, "No Butterflies" by Walter Jackson, "I Love New York" by Marva Josie, "In My Apartment" by Dee Clark, "Big New York" by Chuck Jackson, "On Broadway" by The Cookies, "Concrete Jungle" by Arthur Alexander, "I Don't Want To Hear It Any More" by Jerry Butler, "Second Window Second Floor" by Clyde McPhater, "I Found A Daisy In The City" by Barry Darvell, "Song Of The Street" by Donald Height, "Strange Neighborhood" by The Imaginations, "Up In The Streets Of Harlem" by The Drifters, "City Of Fools" by Colette Kelly, and "That Old Neighborhood" by Eric Williams. CD

A great one from this all-star group – an incredibly righteous combo that's given Billy Harper one of his best chances to play in years! As with the previous album by The Cookers, the Harper influence really runs strong – not just in the use of some of his great tracks in the performance, but also in the way the tunes build and work together – that bold, powerful energy that Billy first unleashed on the world in the 70s – driven to new heights here by a lineup that also includes Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Craig Handy on alto sax, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! But key thanks should also go to trumpeter David Weiss – also in the group, and producer for the record – a great talent for getting these guys to work together so well. Titles include tunes by McBee, Cables, and Hart as well – with tracks that include "Ebony Moonbeams", "Believe For It Is True", "Free For All", "Quest", "But He Knows", "Tight Squeeze", and "Naaj". CD

One of the last great soul albums on the Westbound label – the Detroit funk powerhouse known for famous records by Funkadelic, The Counts, and the Detroit Emeralds! Eramus Hall have a vague P-Funk connection – and according to legend, the band were given their name by George Clinton, who had seen a building in Chicago named Eramus Hall – but the sound is a lot smoother than any of the P-Funk projects of the time, and the group's strongest point is their smooth soul groove, augmented by a tight jazz funk style on the best cuts. In a way, they're sort of like a morphed version of late Parliament – with a funk sound that's nicely compressed, but still a lot more true than any of the countless other bands on the market who were aping P-Funk at the time. Highlights include the groovers "Your Love Is My Desire" and "She Shined A Light", both with nice sample moments – and other tracks include "Stuck In The Mudd", "Funk Permit", and "Think Positively". CD

Very cool live material from Dizzy Gillespie – a set that has him working in that groovy blend of Latin with slight funky currents that we love on his best albums from the 70s! The setting here is very open and free, with very extended tracks that really let the rhythms build before the solos come in – a great flow from a quintet that features Mike Longo on piano, Al Gafa on guitar, Earl May on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums – all players who match that special spark and energy that Dizzy brings to the proceedings! Many tracks feature a short spoken announcement, with that wit that Gillespie always has on the stage – and Jon Faddis plays guest trumpet on two tracks as well. Titles include the long cuts "Sunshine", "Brother K", "Ole For The Gypsies", "The Truth", "Manteca", and "The Blues". CD

One of the most spiritual sessions we've ever heard from Noah Howard – a real gem from his 70s years on the European scene – and a record that takes all his previous avant explorations and gives them even more focus than before! The group's got a great way of building up a cosmic sense of energy before it takes off – real magic that comes from the Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano of Michael Smith, the bass of Bob Reid, and drums of Noel McGhee – the last of whom is a player who really drives the action along when needed – setting the spark that burns to a fire in Howard's bold alto solos. Noah also plays a bit of bells and tambourine – and Smith has a great way of resonating his acoustic keys in these wide waves of sound – very introspective, like some of Lonnie Liston Smith's early work with Pharoah Sanders. Titles include "Paris Dreams", "Lecke", and "Mardi Gras". CD

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". CD

Hip vocalist Bobby Troup pays tribute to another fairly hip LA songwriter – the great Johnny Mercer, the man who helped to build Capitol Records in the late 40s! Mercer's tunes really helped pave the way for some of Troup's own writing – and Bobby's cool, laidback style makes the numbers sparkle even more than in any of Johnny's originals – a bit less hoke, and a lot more jazz. Part of that aspect also comes from the presentation – which has Troup working with west coast players who include Howard Roberts on guitar and Bob Enevoldsen on trombone – a lineup that gives the album a warm jazzy swing throughout. The set includes a nice version of "I'm With You", which Troup wrote with Mercer – plus classics like "Midnight Sun", "Cuckoo In the Clock", "Skylark", and "One For My Baby". CD

Where the girls are is right here – served up in a beautiful blend of rare tracks from the mid 60s – almost all of them in a female group mode, at a time when that style was really hitting new heights in American popular music! The work here is a mixture of rock and soul, and almost all of it features female harmonies set to sublime pop production – modes that range from west coast dreamy to Brill Building groovy – all laid out in an extended track list that also includes a few never-issued tracks as well! This series has been running for quite some time, but it's always a great one – and we're amazed at how the folks at Ace keep turning up nuggets we never would have heard otherwise – all presented with wonderful sound, and full notes to support the whole collection – a lot more than you can say for dodgier sets on the market. Titles include "Billy Sunshine" by Evie Sands, "With A Kiss" by The Bluezettes, "Don't Forget" by The Murmaids, "That's The Way It Is" by The Sweet Three, "Moon Walking" by The Blossoms, "More Than A Friend" by The Wooden Nickels, "On A Rainy Night" by The Flowers, "What Did You Do Last Night" by The Drake Sisters, "I Can Tell I'm Losing Your Love" by Lena Calhoun & The Emotions, "You Better Stop It" by The Lovelites, "Ballyhoo" by Ramona King, "Bad Boy" by Christine Cooper, and "Baby I Miss You" by The Popsicles. CD

A great audio documentary of a really mindblowing film – one that captures the Rolling Stones at that key late 60s point when they were stepping into really sinister territory – playing in a very vivid setting, along with some of their key up-and-coming contemporaries on the scene! The whole thing builds up with the energy of a circus – the Stones are last, and there's a growing mix of performers introduced by various members of the band – really presented in a carnivalesque array, before the lead act comes in and knocks it out of the park. The set features a killer early version of "A Quick One While He's Away" by The Who – maybe one of the high points of the set – plus "Song For Jeffrey" by Jethro Tull, Whole Lotta Yoko" by Yoko Ono & The Dirty Mac (John Lennon), "Ain't That A Lot Of Love" by Taj Mahal, and "Something Better" by Marianne Faithfull. The Rolling Stones round things out with performances of "Sympathy For The Devil", "Parachute Woman", "Jumpin Jack Flash", "Salt Of The Earth", "No Expectations", and "You Can't Always Get What You Want". CD

One of the biggest hits ever for Weather Report – thanks to Joe Zawinul's leadoff track "Birdland" – one of those tunes that entered the canon immediately, and saw countless covers pop up over the years – kind of a rare thing for a jazz tune at this point in time! The track's driving, building energy shows a newly focused side to Weather Report – one that's traded some of the spacier, more experimental moments of the past for a dynamic energy that still puts them ahead of most other 70s fusion supergroups. The presence of Jaco Pastorius is felt quite strongly here – especially on the way the colors ebb and flow up from the bottom – and the way that Jaco's using his bass with the energy of a solo jazz guitar! Alex Acuna and Manolo Badrena are on percussion, and Wayne Shorter's reeds still crackle with a nice degree of soul – on titles that include "Harlequin", "Rumba Mama", "A Remark You Made", "Teen Town", "Palladium", "Havona", and "The Juggler". CD

One of the first bold statements to come from Chicago's AACM underground of the 60s – a tremendous debut effort from the young Roscoe Mitchell! The album's got a "sense of the new" feel that's as gripping as anything recorded by ESP or Impulse around the same time – a rule-breaking, freely-creative approach to jazz that builds strongly off the changes already wrought by Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, and Archie Shepp! The format is somewhat like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago at times – with measured horn work from Mitchell on alto, clarinet, and recorder, Maurice McIntyre on tenor, Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Lester Lashley on trombone (as well as a bit of cello). Some tracks – like the brilliant "Sound" – offer a slow-building exploration of tones and textures – while others, like the blues-joke "Little Suite", or the harmelodic "Ornette", show a wry sense of humor that would become a Chicago avant hallmark as the years went on! CD also features bonus alternate takes of "Sound" and "Ornette". CD

Quite possibly the freshest vibist we've heard in years – a player whose records are always exploding with amazing sounds on his instrument – and the kind of intensity we'd reserve for a rare few on the vibes – maybe Bobby Hutcherson, Walt Dickerson, or Steve Nelson! Jason Adasiewicz has a talent that's been building and building for the past few years – and here, he really knocks it out of the park – showing a melodic conception that's as bold as his rhythmic inspiration – and control enough to get free, yet swing inside beautifully at just the right moment! The balance is one that's really been bringing some great sounds to the Chicago scene in recent years – and Jason's trio here features very like-minded cats – Mike Reed on drums and Nate McBride on bass, both players who ensure that the record is far more compelling than most other vibes trio sets you'll hope to find. Titles include "Stake", "Life", "Rose Garden", "Overtones Of China", "Warm Valley", and "Off My Back Jack". CD

The fifth album from the Chicago Underground Duo – Chad Taylor on drums, vibes, mbira and electronics and Rob Mazurek on coronet and electronics – a hypnotic aural experience from a pair of modern masters who seamlessly craft a world of influences into their own dynamic sound! It's pretty amazing stuff, with the pair working with sounds from the avant jazz underground of the previous several decades,jazz and world folk music that reaches from Africa to Brazil, and the subtle manipulations of the electronic experimentalists. Some movements build to a dexterous intensity, with Taylor sometimes playing different instruments simultaneously, but it's not about the brazen display of skill and craft, the compositions and the improvisations feel natural and vital. Wonderful stuff, we're very proud of the Chicago underground jazz scene that inspired both players and their title! Titles include "Spy On The Floor", "Green Ants", "Left Hand Of Darkness", "Quantum Eye", "Vergence", "Conflicition", "Roots And Shooting Stars", "Hermeto" and more. 10 tracks on the CD. CD

The first-ever album from pianist Robert Glasper – the start of a huge legacy in jazz, and an album that has him already finding his own voice as a musician! The sound is fantastic throughout – with a core trio that has Glasper able to carve out all those blocky moments that he does so well – almost like you can really hear him breaking down and rebuilding his own soulful conception of jazz – with help from Bob Hurst on bass and Damion Reid on drums – both well-matched players who really help the album sparkle! There's lots of surprises along the way, too – vocals from Bilal on two cuts, and occasional tenor, either from Marcus Strickland or John Ellis – although the sound of the trio is more than enough. Titles include a stunning reworking of "Maiden Voyage" – and the originals "In Passing", "LNK Blues", "Don't Close Your Eyes", "Lil Tipsy", and "Mood". CD

A genre-defining moment from pianist Keith Jarrett – a record that really set the world on fire, and which continues to charm all these many decades later! Although Jarrett had already made some amazing music in a trio setting during the 60s, and in his more freewheeling groups with Dewey Redman in the early 70s, it's this sort of format that forever put him on the map – long, extended improvised passages on solo piano – played at a level that's still extremely lyrical, tuneful, and thoughtful – quite different than the free jazz waves that were building at the time! And while so many other people copied the style over the years, nobody does it better than Jarrett – especially on this landmark outing for the style. The work is amazing – extremely compelling as little melodies drift in and out of the waves of piano improvisation – without any of the sloppiness of some of Jarrett's imitators, and a surprising sense of soul and direction throughout! CD

The first record by Lighthouse – a strange band that's always incredibly hard to peg, but who have a sound that we always end up liking a lot! The group mix together folk rock styles with a touch of soul and funk – going for some nice grooves that build up from lots of drum work and airy vocal production, touched here by lots of horns, in a style that's a bit like Blood Sweat & Tears, but a lot lot cooler! This first album is something of a landmark in the jazz/rock vein – and titles include "Never Say Goodbye", "Follow The Stars", "Mountain Man", "Whatever Forever", "Marsha Marsha", and a great cover of "Eight Miles High". CD

A groovy moogy classic! This was one of the first records to apply the moog sound in a pop idiom in a major way – and boy, is it a resounding success with us! Hugo Montenegro scores a number of pop tracks and originals in the same cool jazzy style that he used on his best 60's soundtracks, then, he builds in a lot of groovy moog parts, and peppers the tracks with some vocals by male members of his chorus. The tracks have a lot of nice sharp bits that might be used as samples, with good quirky moog moments, and occasional heavy drums. Tracks include "Moog Power", "Dizzy", "You Showed Me", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Hair", and a very cool cover of "MacArthur Park". CD

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

Plenty here to love if you've loved Radiohead as long as most of us – a layered sound that builds beautifully from carefully-chosen sonic textures – all with a muted sense of genius that resists any temptation to take things into more commercial territory! There's lots of long-flowing, deep-burning sounds throughout – and the vocals are mixed right down as close to the guitars as they possibly can – on tracks that include "Decks Dark", "Ful Stop", "Burn The Witch", "Daydreaming", "Glass Eyes", "The Numbers", "Identikit", and "Present Tense". CD

Way more than just a live album – as the record features material from the film of the same name – a tremendous stage performance that begins with solo David Byrne, then has the group building up as the set moves on – adding in more musicians and instruments with each new step, at a level that traces the richness of the group's sound as it emerged on the Speaking In Tongues album that was the tour that spawned the concert and the film! Because of that shift throughout, the record's way more than just a live concert – and very different than the group's previous live album too – as the performances here are markedly different, and distinct from their studio renditions – with very unusual takes on titles that include "Psycho Killer", "Swamp", "Slippery People", "Burning Down The House", "Girlfriend Is Better", "Once In A Lifetime", "What A Day That Was", "Life During Wartime", and "Take Me To The River". CD

Way more than just a live album – as the record features material from the film of the same name – a tremendous stage performance that begins with solo David Byrne, then has the group building up as the set moves on – adding in more musicians and instruments with each new step, at a level that traces the richness of the group's sound as it emerged on the Speaking In Tongues album that was the tour that spawned the concert and the film! Because of that shift throughout, the record's way more than just a live concert – and very different than the group's previous live album too – as the performances here are markedly different, and distinct from their studio renditions – with very unusual takes on titles that include "Psycho Killer", "Swamp", "Slippery People", "Burning Down The House", "Girlfriend Is Better", "Once In A Lifetime", "What A Day That Was", "Life During Wartime", and "Take Me To The River". CD

Way more than just a live album – as the record features material from the film of the same name – a tremendous stage performance that begins with solo David Byrne, then has the group building up as the set moves on – adding in more musicians and instruments with each new step, at a level that traces the richness of the group's sound as it emerged on the Speaking In Tongues album that was the tour that spawned the concert and the film! Because of that shift throughout, the record's way more than just a live concert – and very different than the group's previous live album too – as the performances here are markedly different, and distinct from their studio renditions – with very unusual takes on titles that include "Psycho Killer", "Swamp", "Slippery People", "Burning Down The House", "Girlfriend Is Better", "Once In A Lifetime", "What A Day That Was", "Life During Wartime", and "Take Me To The River" – plus 7 previously unreleased live tracks. CD

One of the biggest hits ever for Weather Report – thanks to Joe Zawinul's leadoff track "Birdland" – one of those tunes that entered the canon immediately, and saw countless covers pop up over the years – kind of a rare thing for a jazz tune at this point in time! The track's driving, building energy shows a newly focused side to Weather Report – one that's traded some of the spacier, more experimental moments of the past for a dynamic energy that still puts them ahead of most other 70s fusion supergroups. The presence of Jaco Pastorius is felt quite strongly here – especially on the way the colors ebb and flow up from the bottom – and the way that Jaco's using his bass with the energy of a solo jazz guitar! Alex Acuna and Manolo Badrena are on percussion, and Wayne Shorter's reeds still crackle with a nice degree of soul – on titles that include "Harlequin", "Rumba Mama", "A Remark You Made", "Teen Town", "Palladium", "Havona", and "The Juggler". CD

One of the biggest hits ever for Weather Report – thanks to Joe Zawinul's leadoff track "Birdland" – one of those tunes that entered the canon immediately, and saw countless covers pop up over the years – kind of a rare thing for a jazz tune at this point in time! The track's driving, building energy shows a newly focused side to Weather Report – one that's traded some of the spacier, more experimental moments of the past for a dynamic energy that still puts them ahead of most other 70s fusion supergroups. The presence of Jaco Pastorius is felt quite strongly here – especially on the way the colors ebb and flow up from the bottom – and the way that Jaco's using his bass with the energy of a solo jazz guitar! Alex Acuna and Manolo Badrena are on percussion, and Wayne Shorter's reeds still crackle with a nice degree of soul – on titles that include "Harlequin", "Rumba Mama", "A Remark You Made", "Teen Town", "Palladium", "Havona", and "The Juggler". CD

A great late 70s set from Weather Report – a record that's certainly got more polish than the early years, but which still sounds plenty darn great to our ears – thanks to a really free-flowing sense of imagination! The tunes here have a wonderfully chunky sort of approach to the groove – that kind of building, pulsating quality that always marked Weather Report as organic, even when electric – and which gave their music a sense of soul, even when it was sometimes smooth. There's enough dark corners here to shake off any of the more commercial touches – and it's wonderful to hear the way that Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul have evolved the original Weather Report ethos into something new and fresh. Titles include "Punk Jazz", "Mr Gone", "The Elders", "Young & Fine", "River People", and "The Pursuit Of The Woman With The Feathered Hat". CD

We're always happy to take a trip to Crampsville – as the journey means that we not only get to live within the world of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, we also get to discover a huge amount of obscure singles from the glory days of the indie 45! The Cramps built their music on building blocks like these – weird, obscure tunes from the late 50s and early 60s – often leaping across genres in a single tune – mixing rock and R&B, slinky lounge with gritty sleaze, and always exploding with the kind of energy that never could have lasted past the few minutes of music that fit on a 7" record. The set's very much in the great mode of other Righteous Cramps-inspired titles – and features 52 tracks that include "Love Slave" by Bart Mattson, "She'll Never Let Him Go" by Gin Gillette, "Little Joe" by Jack Day, "I'm Blue" by The Ikettes, "Chicken Rock" by Scott Wood & His Band, "Big Foot" by Googie Rene, "The Tingle" by Jackie Weaver, "She's Mine" by Johnny Strickland, "I Got School" by Scott Miller, "Stop At The Hop" by Don Eee, "Rock & Roll Fever" by Gene Ray, "The Gorilla Walk" by Sascha Burland, "The Cat" by Rod Willis, "Watch Your Step" by Bobby Parker, and "I'm Buggin Out Little Baby" by Donny Lee Moore. CD

Saint Etienne have brought us a number of wonderful compilations over the years – both in this format for Ace Records, and their work on their own great Croydon Municipal label – yet as much as we've loved all those others, we may well love this one the best – as it's a sublime blend of 60s soul, tear-stained pop, and cool numbers with a New York sort of sound! The focus is mostly on tracks from the mid 60s – and the work here often feels like the special sort of tracks the Brill Building talents might have been working on into the night, before stepping down to the Carnegie Deli for a snack – the kind of special songs that were often too sophisticated to make the charts, but which stand out all these many years later as true moments of genius from the 60s. As usual with a Saint Etienne set, there's a huge amount here we've never heard before – all given proper presentation by Ace Records, along with a full booklet of notes. Titles include "Night Hawk" by The Valli Boys, "Deep Dark Secret" by Dee Sharp, "Up On The Bridge" by The Chiffons, "Don't" by Marva Josie, "I'm Your Man" by Chuck Jackson, "Boy You Love Me" by Joan Moody, "Catch Me In The Meadow" by The Tradewinds, "He's A Lover" by Tutti Hill, "Let's Stop Fooling Ourselves" by Eddie Jones, "Is This The Way To Treat A Girl" by The Hesitations, "Summer's Comin In" by Little Anthony & The Imperials, and "Park Avenue" by Lou Johnson. CD

A crucial record from Roscoe Mitchell – a set that builds both on his important solo work, and his musical discoveries with the Art Ensemble of Chicago – but which also opens up the more sonic territory that would soon set Mitchell and a few other colleagues apart, and open up even more possibilities for experimentation in the AACM! The set begins with "LRG" – a trio piece with two key collaborators – George Lewis on trombones and sousaphone, and Leo Smith on trumpets – both working with Mitchell, who blows piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxes – in these amazing ranges of sounds, tones, and shapes – almost a catalog of improvisational possibilities. "The Maze" is even more striking – less reed work, and instead a piece done for eight percussionists – with an unlikely lineup that features Anthony Braxton, Malachi Favors, Joseph Jarman, Douglas Ewart, Don Moye, Thurman Barker, Mitchell, and Henry Threadgill – in this moody, choppy piece that runs for twenty minutes. Last up is "S II Examples" – probably our favorite – as it's got Roscoe playing solo soprano in a long tone-oriented piece that sounds a lot more like some electronic instrument than it does a soprano sax – further proof that he was really doing tremendous things at the time! CD

A massive tribute to the music of Neu – set with three classic albums, and an exclusive double-length batch of mixes and covers too! First up is the self-titled Neu – maybe not the earliest record in the Krautrock generation, but a set that certainly set a new sort of standard after it was released! The group mix together slow-building rhythms and plenty of fuzz – all recorded by the great Conny Plank, who has a way of blending the songs and all their many elements – instrumentation put together by ex-Kraftwerk members Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother – who mostly use guitars, bass, and drums – but end up turning them into something completely different with the help of Plank! Some of the tracks are quite long, and really take a great path to find their way forward – very different than Can or Cluster, at least from an outside perspective – but equally classic. Titles include "Hallogallo", "Sonderangerbot", "Im Gluck", "Negativland", "Weissensee", and "Lieber Honig". Neu 2 follows, and continues their trademark pulsating rhythms and raw Teutonic energy – essential listening not only for its titanic importance to the minimalist rock to come – but for it's impeccable hard driving hypnotic genius that has yet to be topped by any of the followers. The album starts off with the longer piece "Fur Immer", while the rest of the album is made up of mostly shorter segments, including "Spitzenqualitat", "Super 16", "Cassetto" and "Hallo Excentrico!". Next is Neu 75 – the third album in a legendary run from Krautrock pioneers Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger – one that uses two different drummers next to the duo's fantastic spare blend of keyboards, guitar, and electronics! The sound is still nice and lean, and every bit as revolutionary as on their first two records – and the whole thing is a masterpiece in blending waves of sonic energy and pulsating rhythms! Titles include "Isi", "See Land", "Leb Wohl", "Hero", "E-Musik", and "After Eight". The set also features the two-part Tribute album – hardly the usual tribute project – as a number of tracks are remixes of the originals, blended with other very unusual takes and original material! Titles include "Im Gluck" (National rmx)", "Weissensee (Fink version)", "Negativland (Idles negative space rework)", "After Eight (They Hate Change cover)", "Lieber Honig (Yann Tiersen rmx)", "Super (Mogwai rmx)", and "Hallogallo (Stephen Morris & Gabe Gurnsey rmx)". CD

One of those landmark meetings of mighty talents that sounds even better on record than it does on paper – as the set somehow finds this really special space that's completely between all the best early 70s modes of both Terry Riley and John Cale! Cale was really coming into his own at the time as a solo act – creating amazing records after leaving the Velvet Underground, but also still tied to the deeper art scene from which he emerged. Riley was on the way to becoming one of the most popular of the more modern composers – thanks to a nod from The Who, and a big audience for his wonderfully trippy records on Columbia. The label allowed the pair to create this really special music here – sounds that borrow from Riley's minimalism, while also having some of the darkness of Cale's own compositions – and coming across with this jagged, almost modal sort of approach that's really great. Cale only sings on one song, and the rest of the set is instrumental – as Riley plays piano, organ, and soprano sax – and Cale joins in on bass, guitar, viola, and harpsichord. The two of them groove together in these totally cool tracks that build and build, with minimal lines repeating over and over in endlessly fascinating groove – in a way that touches on a weirdly funky mode! The cut "Ides Of March" has the potential to be dancefloor groover in the jazz dance scene, and there's lots of other great tracks like "Church of Anthrax", "The Protege", and "The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles". CD

Beautiful work from The Paris Sisters – one of the coolest, grooviest girl groups of the 60s – and one who've got a sound that's really a cut above most of their contemporaries! There's something strangely sinister about this trio – not just the sweet sounds you might expect, but also this undercurrent of darkness that often seems emphasized in the hip production they receive – work on these cuts by 60s studio giants like Phil Spector, Jack Nitzsche, Nik Venet, and Terry Melcher – who move these gals past simple Brill Building pop, into territory that's often a lot spookier. The package is the first to really offer up the full spectrum of the trio's genius – and features five never-issued tracks, plus work the girls did for Reprise, MGM, Columbia, Mercury, and Capitol Records – all with the usual top-shelf Ace Records presentation and notes. Titles include "Stand Naked Clown", "You", "Baby That's Me", "Lonely Girl", "When I'm Alone With You", "See That Boy", "Greener Days", "He Knows I Love Him Too Much", "My Good Friend", "Be My Boy", "Play It One More Time", "I Came A Long Way To Nowhere", "Long After Tonight Is Over", "Dream Lover", and even a "Diet Rite Commercial". CD

Two cool UK albums from Otis Spann – back to back on a single set! First up is the album Blues Of Otis Spann – a rare UK session, and one that's sometimes got even more grit than some of his hometown recordings back in Chicago! The vibe is very lean and laidback – an early Mike Vernon production, with work from Muddy Waters on guitar – working here under the nom-du-date of "Brother" – in a quartet that just has Ransom Knowling on bass and Little Willie Smith on guitar, and plenty of killer piano and vocals from Otis! Spann seems to have even more bite here than usual – and titles include "Sarah Street", "T 99", "I Came From Clarksdale", "Rock Me Mama", "Natural Days", and "Jangleboogie". Cracked Spanner Head is a record that builds on the sound of the obscure Blues Of Otis Spann album from 1964 – using the performances from that record, but mixed differently, with different songs at times, and added work on tenor, baritone, and trumpet brought into the lineup! The vibe is great – Otis Spann with a bit more punch than usual, and maybe some slight currents of funk – on titles that include "Crack Your Head", "Iced Nehi", "Lucky So & So", "Dollar Twenty Five", "Sometimes I Wonder", and "Mr Highway Man". CD features four bonus tracks – "Pretty Girls Everywhere", "Country Boy", "My Home In The Delta", and "You're Gonna Need My Help". CD

Heavy funk from the Bahamas – a whole bunch of groups that will show you that Nassau had a lot more to offer than The Beginning Of The End! The groove here is totally wonderful – somewhat like American funk of the late 60s and early 70s, but served up with some very unusual rhythmic patterns too – a bit Jamaican at times, but certainly not reggae – and somewhat sunny and Caribbean styled, but not in a way that's cheesy or filled with any hokey island-styled stereotypes. Instead, the tunes are deeply funk and soulful – grooving with plenty of dark edges and gritty instrumentation that's often heavy on the guitar. Many numbers have vocals, and those are great too – and as usual with the Numero label, the whole thing's put together with amazing notes and packaging, so that you get a full history lesson and a heck of a lot of photos to support the music too! Titles include "Gonna Build A Nation" by Cyril Ferguson, "Mustang Sally", "I Am The Man For You Baby", and "Funky Fever" by Jay Mitchell, "Theme From Shaft" by Esquires LTD, "Gimme Some Skin (inst)" by Frank Penn, "Words To My Song" by Dry Bread, "People Won't Change" by Willpower, "Take Five" by Ozzie Hall, "Watcha Gonna Do Bout It" and "The Time For Loving Is Now" by Mustangs, "Honesty Is The Best Policy" by Gospel Chandeliers, and "Don't Touch That Thing" by Sylvia Hall. CD

Peter Brotzmann's on clarinet this time around, and working here in an extended studio piece with his Chicago Tentet combo – one of his greatest groups of later years, featuring both Mats Gustafsson and Ken Vandermark on reeds, as well as Joe McPhee on both trumpet and alto sax! The work builds slowly, almost tentatively – the fills in strongly as the piece goes on – with a sound that's almost like the Jazz Composers Orchestra style at the end of the 60s, but not as dynamic overall. The reeds are almost strongest in shaping the tune – although other contributions include trombone from Hannes Bauer, tuba from Per Ake Holmlander, and cello from Fred Lonberg-Holm. CD 1 features the first part of the work – which is quite long, and stands strongly as an album on its own! CD

Really mindblowing work from Fela – a seminal 70s set that may well open up even more than any other album from the time – as the leader and Africa 70 stretch out on a single track that takes up the entire record! "Confusion" is almost proggish at the start – with a long passage that just features drums from Tony Allen and some really offbeat electric piano from Fela – slowly building up a groove out of the darkness, then letting the rest of the group come into the mix – all at a level that definitely sets the tune on fire for the righteous politics of the lyrics! The whole thing's no sloppy, over-extended jam – and instead, the record's a great demonstration of the care and craft that Fela brought to his musical vision at the time. The Gentleman LP is represented here by 3 songs – "Gentleman", "Igbe (Shit)", and "Fe Fe Naa Efe" – all of which are brimming with angry energy, and a heavy brassy overdrive! Loads of African funk grooves, packed onto one superbly done CD! CD

One of the best ever sets of sprawling, spacey soul funk and jazz from the impossible to pen in Burnt Sugar Arkestra Chamber – never an easy group to describe in a nutshell, and that's a good thing – their best work in years and their first effort for the Livewired label! Making Love To The Dark Ages is a weirdly apt title, starting out with kind of dark, bluesy soul backdrop for Lisala's vocal in the beginning of the opening three part suite "Chains And Waters", slowly building into a tense, free jazz groove that's unafraid to pepper it up with some psyche rock guitar, heady/heavy bass, keys and synth, sax and drums. Guitarist and group leader Greg Tate conducts a sprawling chamber with slightly altered lineups depending on the piece, with players including vocal chanteuse Lisala, fellow vocalists Jeremiah, Karma Johnson, Justice Dilla X (who moonlights on piano, too) and others, alto & tenor sax by Matana Roberts and Petre Radu Scafaru, synth by Bruce Mack, cello by Will Martina, acoustic and electric bass by Jason DiMatteo and Jared Michael Nicherson, drums by Chris Eddleton and Trevor Holden & others, guitars by Rene Akan, Vernon Reid, trombone by David Smith, trumpet by Lewis 'Flip' Barnes, Jr, – lots more instrumentation and orchestration. The record rolls in and out of evocative soul, bits of electro and hip hop soundcraft, spaced out astral jazz, sharp solos and textured bursts of noise – never sacrificing a confluent sense of togetherness for all of the diverse sounds. Titles include the suites "Chains And Water" and the title track, plus "Thorazine/81", "Love To Tical" and "Dominata (The Gabri Ballad)". CD

Wonderfully righteous work from Burnt Sugar Arkestra – a group who've been giving us great records for years, but who are maybe even more important to the scene than ever before! The core of the record is the long title track – a very jazzy tune that builds up over loops set down by composer Greg Tate, with a flowing, snakey vibe that allows for plenty of long trumpet, tenor, flute, and alto solos over the guitars and Fender Rhodes that work the rhythms – maybe almost in electric Miles territory, but more laidback. That tune is then reworked on a number of variations that are very different – mostly instrumental, as the main track – but finishing up with a bit of vocals near the end of the record – a great contribution from singer Lisala Beatty! Titles include "Angels Over Oakanda", "Repatriation Of The Midnight Moores", "Oakanda Overdrive", and "Lisala Oer Inna Oakanda". CD

A nicely fresh setting for pianist Stanley Cowell – a record that moves past his more frequent trio format, to feature the longstanding genius in a quartet with Bruce Williams on alto and flute! Williams has a laidback, lyrical tone that seems to bring out a different side in Cowell's music – especially as the album mostly features the pianist's own compositions – a way of building up his sound slowly, with a more quiet-burning version of the spiritual energy of Stanley's youth – yet still with end results that are equally redemptive, and very beautiful overall. The rest of the group features Jay Anderson on bass and Billy Drummond on drums – and Cowell also plays a bit of thumb piano and kyma too. Titles include "Celestial Women", "No Illusions", "Miss TE & O", "Sunlight Shifting", "B Minor Folksong", and "Nostalgia For Homelands". CD

Sarde soundtracks for 2 Roman Polanski films – Tess and The Tenant. Given that Tess is based on the Thomas Hardy novel, the soundtrack's relatively traditional – with warmly sentimental themes that capture the emotion of the settings. The Tenant is much more in the spookier Polanski mode – darkly moody, with spare orchestral themes trickling out and building suspense. Carlo Savina directed the orchestra of Nat Peck on both soundtracks – and there's a total of 22 tracks that include "Le Viol", "Le Cimetere", "Cour D'Immeuble", "Le Locateire", "Conspiration", and "Le Retour D'Angel". CD

One of Cecil Taylor's most spiritual sessions of the 70s – a live set recorded in Yugoslavia in 1976, and done with this really open sound, but one that comes as much from the horns as it does from Cecil's piano! In fact, we might well say that the horns are the best attraction here – as the record features strong tenor from a young David S Ware – as well as trumpet from Raphe Malik and alto from Jimmy Lyons – who all spin out with freewheeling creativity, alongside Taylor's bold lines on piano, and the drums of Marc Edwards. As with other Taylor albums of the time, the set's built around one long performance – of a tune entitled "Streams & Chorus Of Seed" – put together in a way that have the horns layering over one another, building up sound next to Taylor's free piano improvisations – then taking off on their own! Extremely spirited work – and a great showcase for the young Ware! CD

Reed player Zoh Amba is in some fantastic company here – every bit as great as you'd guess in a trio setting with William Parker on bass and Francisco Mela on drums! Yet even amidst these giants, Amba more than holds her own – especially on tenor, which she blows in this raw, raspy quality that almost has echoes of Albert Ayler at times – in terms of individuality and spirit! The tracks are all quite long, and build with a nice sort of intensity – and Zoh also plays flute on the record as well. Titles include "O Life O Light", "Mountains In The Predawn Light", and "Mother's Hymn" – plus the shorter "Satya". CD

Reed player Zoh Amba is in some fantastic company here – every bit as great as you'd guess in a trio setting with William Parker on bass and Francisco Mela on drums! Yet even amidst these giants, Amba more than holds her own – especially on tenor, which she blows in this raw, raspy quality that almost has echoes of Albert Ayler at times – in terms of individuality and spirit! The tracks are all quite long, and build with a nice sort of intensity – and Zoh also plays flute on the record as well. Titles include "O Life O Light", "Mountains In The Predawn Light", and "Mother's Hymn" – plus the shorter "Satya". CD

One of those landmark meetings of mighty talents that sounds even better on record than it does on paper – as the set somehow finds this really special space that's completely between all the best early 70s modes of both Terry Riley and John Cale! Cale was really coming into his own at the time as a solo act – creating amazing records after leaving the Velvet Underground, but also still tied to the deeper art scene from which he emerged. Riley was on the way to becoming one of the most popular of the more modern composers – thanks to a nod from The Who, and a big audience for his wonderfully trippy records on Columbia. The label allowed the pair to create this really special music here – sounds that borrow from Riley's minimalism, while also having some of the darkness of Cale's own compositions – and coming across with this jagged, almost modal sort of approach that's really great. Cale only sings on one song, and the rest of the set is instrumental – as Riley plays piano, organ, and soprano sax – and Cale joins in on bass, guitar, viola, and harpsichord. The two of them groove together in these totally cool tracks that build and build, with minimal lines repeating over and over in endlessly fascinating groove – in a way that touches on a weirdly funky mode! The cut "Ides Of March" has the potential to be dancefloor groover in the jazz dance scene, and there's lots of other great tracks like "Church of Anthrax", "The Protege", and "The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles". CD

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

One of Cecil Taylor's most spiritual sessions of the 70s – a live set recorded in Yugoslavia in 1976, and done with this really open sound, but one that comes as much from the horns as it does from Cecil's piano! In fact, we might well say that the horns are the best attraction here – as the record features strong tenor from a young David S Ware – as well as trumpet from Raphe Malik and alto from Jimmy Lyons – who all spin out with freewheeling creativity, alongside Taylor's bold lines on piano, and the drums of Marc Edwards. As with other Taylor albums of the time, the set's built around one long performance – of a tune entitled "Streams & Chorus Of Seed" – put together in a way that have the horns layering over one another, building up sound next to Taylor's free piano improvisations – then taking off on their own! Extremely spirited work – and a great showcase for the young Ware! CD

Heavy funk from the Bahamas – a whole bunch of groups that will show you that Nassau had a lot more to offer than The Beginning Of The End! The groove here is totally wonderful – somewhat like American funk of the late 60s and early 70s, but served up with some very unusual rhythmic patterns too – a bit Jamaican at times, but certainly not reggae – and somewhat sunny and Caribbean styled, but not in a way that's cheesy or filled with any hokey island-styled stereotypes. Instead, the tunes are deeply funk and soulful – grooving with plenty of dark edges and gritty instrumentation that's often heavy on the guitar. Many numbers have vocals, and those are great too – and as usual with the Numero label, the whole thing's put together with amazing notes and packaging, so that you get a full history lesson and a heck of a lot of photos to support the music too! Titles include "Gonna Build A Nation" by Cyril Ferguson, "Mustang Sally", "I Am The Man For You Baby", and "Funky Fever" by Jay Mitchell, "Theme From Shaft" by Esquires LTD, "Gimme Some Skin (inst)" by Frank Penn, "Words To My Song" by Dry Bread, "People Won't Change" by Willpower, "Take Five" by Ozzie Hall, "Watcha Gonna Do Bout It" and "The Time For Loving Is Now" by Mustangs, "Honesty Is The Best Policy" by Gospel Chandeliers, and "Don't Touch That Thing" by Sylvia Hall. CD

Wonderfully righteous work from Burnt Sugar Arkestra – a group who've been giving us great records for years, but who are maybe even more important to the scene than ever before! The core of the record is the long title track – a very jazzy tune that builds up over loops set down by composer Greg Tate, with a flowing, snakey vibe that allows for plenty of long trumpet, tenor, flute, and alto solos over the guitars and Fender Rhodes that work the rhythms – maybe almost in electric Miles territory, but more laidback. That tune is then reworked on a number of variations that are very different – mostly instrumental, as the main track – but finishing up with a bit of vocals near the end of the record – a great contribution from singer Lisala Beatty! Titles include "Angels Over Oakanda", "Repatriation Of The Midnight Moores", "Oakanda Overdrive", and "Lisala Oer Inna Oakanda". CD

Fantastic longform grooves from the Tabansi Studio Band – a cool combo who worked to support Nigerian artists on the Tabansi label, but who have a sound here that's very much their own! These tracks are a lot wilder and more freewheeling than any of the group's music behind a singer – and although there's some vocalizations on the record, the main focus is in the ever-shifting, always-groovy rhythms – and the brilliant mix of guitar, basslines, and sax parts that criss-cross the tunes! Most numbers are around the 15 minute mark, but build up in ways that are very different than more familiar Afro Funk – and titles include "Kama Sofoa", "Aka Ji Ego Ga Anu Nwam", "Wakar Alhazai", and "Lokoel Azumi Ta Wuce". CD

A tremendous step forward for the young Muhal Richard Abrams – a set that still shows his early roots in the AACM, but which also blossoms with some of his more serious compositional efforts to come! There's a sensitivity here that really stands out – even among Abrams' contemporaries – a striving for a wider range of expression – some as bold as before, some much more deeply personal and intimate. The tracks feature a shifting array of players – working alongside Abrams piano, and building up the sound in a number of different ways. Players include Wallace McMillan on flute and sax, Edwin Daugherty on sax, Richard Brown on sax, Emanuel Cranshaw on vibes, Rufus Reid on bass, and Steve McCall and Wilbur Campbell on drums. Ella Jackson provides vocals on "How Are You?" – and other titles include "Ballad For New Souls", "Things To Come From Those Now Gone", "In Retrospect", "Ballad For Old Souls", "1 & 4 Plus 2 & 7", and "March Of The Transients". CD

An incredible treasure from a lost vocal jazz genius – the little-known Bobby Cole, every bit as great a singer as he was a songwriter, very unusual for the time! Bobby was probably best remembered as the house pianist at Jillys, but at the time of this 1964 recording, he was poised to emerge as a serious vocalist with a rich talent for penning interesting and witty little tunes. The album's got Bobby singing in a style that's halfway between Matt Dennis and Mark Murphy – with the sophisticated talents of both in place, and perhaps a bit of the wit of Bob Dorough or Roy Kral. The original album features Bobby on piano and vocals, with only bass and drums behind him – and the CD features a bonus 6 tracks recorded in more recent years, with larger backings. The core album is completely brilliant – the kind of off-kilter vocal record we die for – and every track's a fresh original by Bobby! Titles include "You Can't Build A Life On A Look", "Heat", "You Could Hear A Pin Drop", "Change Of Scene", "A Perfect Day", "Elegy For Eve", and "Status Quo". CD

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

Dark and moody work from Keith Jarrett – a record that builds strongly off his ensemble feeling of the Impulse years, but which also seems to carry a bit more of the introspective vibe he was building up in some of his more stripped down solo recordings! The group's still a great one here – with Dewey Redman on reeds, Charlie Haden on bass, Paul Motian on drums, and Guilhermo Franco on percussion – and the tunes, although long and somewhat free, still show Jarrett's great ear for a lyrical melody – carried off wonderfully without cliche, and still with more sharp edges than you might expect. Titles include "Rotation", "Everything That Lives Laments", "Flame", and "Mysteries". CD

An incomparable soul vocalist finally gets his due – in a beautiful collection of work by the overlooked Lou Johnson! Johnson recorded in the same New York scene as Chuck Jackson and other smooth make singers in the mid 60s – but working on the relatively small Big Top label, his contributions to music haven't gotten nearly the exposure of others over the years – which is a damn shame, because Lou's got one hell of a fantastic vocal approach! His style's definitely a bit like that of Jackson – and not too far from Jerry Butler, Walter Jackson, Garland Green, and a few other sophisticated male singers of the 60s we can think of – soul music that's definitely a cut above, sung with careful class that you'd be hard-pressed to find in many other vocalists of the period. Lou's still got a nice sort of bite in his approach – which means that he's never too smooth, and certainly never poppy – and this full-length collection is really the first time that his incredible singles have ever been collected together in one place. Titles include "This Night", "Just Be A Woman", "Park Avenue", "Magic Potion", "The Panic Is On", "Reach Out For Me", "Time To Love A Time To Cry", "If I Never Get To Love You", "Unsatisfied", "No Other Guy", "Love Build A Fence", and "Little Girl". CD

An amazing record from Chicago musician/artist Damon Locks – maybe the album he's been waiting his entire life to make – and the first to really bring together the mighty sum of his many talents! The material was recorded live in performance at Chicago's Garfield Park Conservatory – at an event that also included a group of singers and dancers to augment the musical performance – in a setting that gives Damon's majestic vision the proper setting it really deserves! Locks himself moves between electronics and vocal performances – in a core instrumental group that's heavy on drums and percussion from Dana Hall, clarinets from Angel Bat Dawid, and more percussion from Arif Smith – making music that's even more beautiful when the singers come into the mix, and take the energy to the sky with a very cosmic, righteous vibe. Locks has given us a glimpse of his vision in artwork, music, and writings over the years – but this time around, it feels like we're seeing the full scope at once – with more power and meaning than ever before. Titles include "Solar Power", "Rebuild A Nation", "Which I Believe It Will", "The Colors That You Bring", "The Future", "From A Spark To A Fire", "Black Monument Theme", and "Sounds Like Now". CD

A nice live snapshot of a later P Funk incarnation, circa 1983 – with players like Dennis Chambers and Michael Hampton aboard the mothership with Clinton's family of funk all stars! The rest of the crew includes includes stalwarts Bernie Worrell, Eddie Hazel, Blackbird McKnight, Maceo Parker, Mudbone Cooper and George Clinton working hard to extend their legendary style of live funk into the 80s. There's a slow build up of energy that's works well – kicking off slowly but surely with a laidback intro and band intro before busts open in a big way, and from there it's one exciting classic after another 'til the very end! Includes lengthy live riffs on P-funk classics like "Cosmic Slop", "(Not Just) Knee Deep", "Maggot Brain", "Atomic Dog"and "Flashlight", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", "Do That Stuff", "Cosmic Slop" plus a medley of "Let's Take It To The Stage", "Mothership Connection (Starchild)" and "I Call My Baby Pussycat" in a nearly 100 minute set! CD

2 funky classics from the legendary Pretty Purdie! Purdie Good is Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of the early 70s – tightly vamping rhythms that draw heavily from Purdie's monstrous drums – and which also offer solo showcase space for Harold Wheeler on electric piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Tippy Larkin on trumpet, and Charlie Brown and Warren Daniels on tenor. Rhythm is augmented by Gordon Edwards on Fender bass and Norman Pride on congas – and the grooves hit a variety of modes that show that Purdie could sometimes be a more open-thinking rhythmatist than his funky contemporary Idris Muhammad. Titles include great instrumental versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Montego Bay", plus the originals "Wasteland", "You Turn Me On", and "Purdie Good". Shaft is a full funky session from master drummer Bernard Purdie – a set that expands out his previous Prestige vibe, and almost goes for a soundtrack scope to match the record's Shaft title! The set leads off with a great take on the Isaac Hayes hit – one that follows in the same fully-flowing, slow-building mode as Ike's – but which comes across here as an instrumental with some great solo work from Houston Person – playing here almost in a Stanley Turrentine sort of mode! Other tracks continue the hip mix of jazz and larger backings – and feature a lineup of players that includes Neal Creque on electric piano, Gerry Thomas and Danny Moore on trumpets, Willie Bridges and Houston Person on tenors, Billy Nichols and Lloyd Davis on guitars, Gordon Edwards on Fender bass, and Norman Pride on congas. The sound is warm without ever sounding too smooth – and Purdie's funky drums at the bottom ensure that most tunes are nicely lively. Titles include "Shaft", "Butterfingers", "Summer Melody", "Changes", "Way Back Home", and "Attica". CD

2 funky classics from the legendary Pretty Purdie! Purdie Good is Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of the early 70s – tightly vamping rhythms that draw heavily from Purdie's monstrous drums – and which also offer solo showcase space for Harold Wheeler on electric piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Tippy Larkin on trumpet, and Charlie Brown and Warren Daniels on tenor. Rhythm is augmented by Gordon Edwards on Fender bass and Norman Pride on congas – and the grooves hit a variety of modes that show that Purdie could sometimes be a more open-thinking rhythmatist than his funky contemporary Idris Muhammad. Titles include great instrumental versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Montego Bay", plus the originals "Wasteland", "You Turn Me On", and "Purdie Good". Shaft is a full funky session from master drummer Bernard Purdie – a set that expands out his previous Prestige vibe, and almost goes for a soundtrack scope to match the record's Shaft title! The set leads off with a great take on the Isaac Hayes hit – one that follows in the same fully-flowing, slow-building mode as Ike's – but which comes across here as an instrumental with some great solo work from Houston Person – playing here almost in a Stanley Turrentine sort of mode! Other tracks continue the hip mix of jazz and larger backings – and feature a lineup of players that includes Neal Creque on electric piano, Gerry Thomas and Danny Moore on trumpets, Willie Bridges and Houston Person on tenors, Billy Nichols and Lloyd Davis on guitars, Gordon Edwards on Fender bass, and Norman Pride on congas. The sound is warm without ever sounding too smooth – and Purdie's funky drums at the bottom ensure that most tunes are nicely lively. Titles include "Shaft", "Butterfingers", "Summer Melody", "Changes", "Way Back Home", and "Attica". CD

Michael Thomas really shines here as an altoist – blowing his instrument with this crisp, sometimes-spacious quality that's totally great – and which shows us that there's still plenty to be opened up in the instrument – especially when matched with all the great original material that Thomas brings to the session, which features almost all tunes penned by the leader himself! The rhythm trio also has a lot to do with the fresh expression that Michael gets from his horn – a lineup that features Manuel Valera on piano, Matt Brewer on bass, and Obed Calvaire on drums – very unified at most moments, with this way of building up sound in steps, which Thomas responds to wonderfully. Titles include "Mnemosyne", "Hokkeshu", "Information Paradox", "Shades Of Green", "Darkness & Light", and "The Other Side". CD

Really evocative work from pianist Mal Waldron – a rare Japanese session cut with trumpeter Terumasa Hino, and a hip group of players who really make the set sparkle! The album's easily one of the most spiritual that Mal ever cut – and features two side long tracks that build beautifully, with soaring, searching rhythms that are unlike anything else we've ever heard in another Waldron record. Other players include Takao Uematsu on tenor, Isao Suzuki on bass, and Motohiko Hino on drums – and the set also feature added percussion, which really adds to the spiritual quality of the music. Titles include "Reminiscent Suite" and "Black Forest". CD

A new sense of focus in the Weather Report sound – that building, soaring groove that would become the group's trademark in the mid 70s – offered up here in one of it's first and finest examples! The approach is one to describe accurately on paper – but which is instantly recognizable as the Weather Report sound of the time – a flowing, stretching, organic vibe that builds equally from the talents of all players, and turns it into a wonderfully righteous groove! Senior members Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, and Miroslav Vitous are still at the core – alongside Dom Um Romaeo, Alphonso Johnson, and Ismael Wilburn. Tracks include "Mysterious Traveller", "Jungle Book", "Nubian Sundance", and "Cucumber Slumber". CD

A landmark set from the German prog scene – the first amazing utterance of Ash Ra Tempel, and a standard-setting album that few others could ever hope to match! The sound here builds beautifully – coming out of abstract, noisy territory, then finding shape as the record goes on – a perfect blend between the instruments and new studio modes that really help the textures and tones come to the forefront! The group features Klaus Schulze on drums and electronics, Manuel Gotsching on guitar, and Hartmut Enke on bass – and Conny Plank worked the knobs, to help the whole thing come together like magic! Each song takes up a side of the record – and titles include "Amboss" and "Traummaschine". CD

A beautifully building score from Ennio Morricone – one that's filled with tracks that start out slow, then layer on elements in a really wonderful way! The main theme is a bit dreamy, but some others are a bit dark – and are done in an arry of jagged sounds and offbeat instrumental tunings that reminds us a bit of Morricone's brilliance on the score for The Burglars (Gli Scassinatori). As with that one, piano figures strongly on some of the tunes here – recorded with spare, echoey qualities – but in ways that are hardly the sweeter tones of Morricone's more famous scores of later years. CD features a total of 19 tracks in all – a nicely expanded version of the soundtrack! CD

One long piece, played with searing intensity by the trio of Cene Resnik on tenor, Giorgio Pacorig on piano, and Mark Lasic on drums – joined here by Rob Mazurek on some great pocket trumpet too! The piece builds with this resonant interplay between all four forces in the quartet – and Mazurek sometimes steps back, to wait for his space, then provides just the right punctuation – in a manner that really reminds us of the way that he can be an improviser who's patient, but powerful too! CD

A somewhat somber set from Wynton Marsalis – the second chapter in his Soul Gestures trilogy, and a ruminative effort that's filled with dark tones and textures! The album builds slowly – trumpet from Wynton and tenor from Todd Williams providing some bluer colors on top of rhythm from Marcus Roberts on piano, Reginald Veal on bass, and Herlin Riley on drums – and despite the supposed southern focus of the record, there's more of a sense of New York cool, echoes of the modernism of Marsalis' earlier albums in the 80s. Titles include "Psalm 26", "Uptown Ruler", "Prayer", "The Burglar", and "Down Home With Homey". CD

One of the most earthy, organic offerings of the Herbie Hancock scene of the 70s – a session that's led by Headhunter reedman Bennie Maupin, and which also features Herbie on acoustic and electric piano – all in a sound that's quite different from his own work of the time! The tracks here have a very spacious, slow-building approach – a sound that's often quite stark at times, and not nearly as funky or soul-directed as you might expect. Maupin shows incredible sensitivity in his way of putting together a tune – letting things come together quite naturally, almost with the botanical quality you might expect from the title. Other players include Buster Williams on bass, Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums, Bill Summers on percussion, and Charles Sullivan on trumpet – all used quite spaciously and sparingly. Titles include "Esenada", "Mappo", "Excursion", "Past Is Past", "The Jewel In The Lotus", and "Song For Tracie Dixon Summers". CD

A new sense of focus in the Weather Report sound – that building, soaring groove that would become the group's trademark in the mid 70s – offered up here in one of it's first and finest examples! The approach is one to describe accurately on paper – but which is instantly recognizable as the Weather Report sound of the time – a flowing, stretching, organic vibe that builds equally from the talents of all players, and turns it into a wonderfully righteous groove! Senior members Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, and Miroslav Vitous are still at the core – alongside Dom Um Romaeo, Alphonso Johnson, and Ismael Wilburn. Tracks include "Mysterious Traveller", "Jungle Book", "Nubian Sundance", and "Cucumber Slumber". CD

A brilliant solo effort from drummer Jim White – a musician who's provided support to a wide range of rock greats – including Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, and Bill Callahan – but one who's also a secret master of the drum kit, with a command of his instrument that's really breathtaking! In some ways, the set's a record of solo drums – maybe not as improvised as on a free jazz album, but pretty open overall – yet Jim also mixes in some other sounds too, mostly just to fill up the background space so that the drums are in the lead – a gentle sonic palette that still emphasizes all the live, spontaneous action on the acoustic drum kit at the core! Titles include "Names Make The Name", "Here Comes", "Soft Material", "Curtains", "Percussion Build", "Marketplace", and "Walking The Block". CD

One of the last recordings made by Ed Blackwell before his early passing in 1992 – an Oakland live date recorded with an excellent lineup that includes Graham Haynes on cornet, Carlos Ward on alto and flute, Mark Helias on bass, and a bit of guest trumpet from Don Cherry! The style here is earthy and organic – never overly modern, and building in a way that echoes Blackwell's angular roots, but transforms that sound into more spiritually exploratory lines. Ward's work is especially great, and the absence of a piano means that the interplay between cornet and sax is the main driving force of most tunes. Titles include "Nebula", "Grandma's Shoes", "Pentahouse", "First Love", and the extended "Lito" suite in 3 parts. CD

One of the last recordings made by Ed Blackwell before his early passing in 1992 – an Oakland live date recorded with an excellent lineup that includes Graham Haynes on cornet, Carlos Ward on alto and flute, and Mark Helias on bass – working without any piano, at a level that maybe echoes some of Ed's earlier work with Ornette Coleman, but with a voice that's completely his own. The style here is earthy and organic – never overly modern, and building in a way that echoes Blackwell's angular roots, but transforms that sound into more spiritually exploratory lines. Ward's work is especially great, and the absence of a piano means that the interplay between cornet and sax is the main driving force of most tunes. Titles include "Nette", "Pettiford Bridge", "Thumbs Up", "Rosa Takes A Stand", and "Mallet Song". CD

The second half of Bowie's Thin White Duke years in the studio – a record that's more cool and condensed than his Young American album – but equally sublime in its own sort of way! The format here is much more compact – with a small group working alongside Bowie, still with some currents of Philly soul – but also some of the darker tones that would come to the forefront during the Berlin years after this album's release – a mode that's maybe hinted at by the Man Who Fell To Earth image on the cover. A few tracks are long, and build up beautifully – showing a new sort of subtlety from Bowie – and titles include the classic "Station To Station", plus "Golden Years", "Word On A Wing", "TVC 15", "Stay", and "Wild Is The Wind". CD

The second half of Bowie's Thin White Duke years in the studio – a record that's more cool and condensed than his Young American album – but equally sublime in its own sort of way! The format here is much more compact – with a small group working alongside Bowie, still with some currents of Philly soul – but also some of the darker tones that would come to the forefront during the Berlin years after this album's release – a mode that's maybe hinted at by the Man Who Fell To Earth image on the cover. A few tracks are long, and build up beautifully – showing a new sort of subtlety from Bowie – and titles include the classic "Station To Station", plus "Golden Years", "Word On A Wing", "TVC 15", "Stay", and "Wild Is The Wind". CD

An incredible treasure from a lost vocal jazz genius – the little-known Bobby Cole, every bit as great a singer as he was a songwriter, very unusual for the time! Bobby was probably best remembered as the house pianist at Jillys, but at the time of this 1964 recording, he was poised to emerge as a serious vocalist with a rich talent for penning interesting and witty little tunes. The album's got Bobby singing in a style that's halfway between Matt Dennis and Mark Murphy – with the sophisticated talents of both in place, and perhaps a bit of the wit of Bob Dorough or Roy Kral. The original album features Bobby on piano and vocals, with only bass and drums behind him – and the CD features a bonus 6 tracks recorded in more recent years, with larger backings. The core album is completely brilliant – the kind of off-kilter vocal record we die for – and every track's a fresh original by Bobby! Titles include "You Can't Build A Life On A Look", "Heat", "You Could Hear A Pin Drop", "Change Of Scene", "A Perfect Day", "Elegy For Eve", and "Status Quo". CD