... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really strong late 80s set from Regina – bringing in more smooth soul touches than the more dancefloor ready predecessor – which make for an even finer showcase for Regina's beautiful voice. Titles include "Baby Come To Me", "When Will You Be Mine", "What Goes Around", "It Doesn't Hurt Anymore", "This Is Love" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Duets with Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, BB King, Stevie Wonder, and Ray Charles. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A killer late set by Bloodstone – one that holds on to all the excellent harmonies they brought to their 70s work, but which pushes their groove forward in a whole new direction! There's a warm modern glow to the set – one that works perfectly with the vocals – and the quintet still have a hell of a way with a ballad – singing in that slow-tripping style that was never too overly emotive, yet could pack a hell of a punch back in the day – especially in the wee hours! The tunes here are longer than before, and inflected by some rich arrangements by both the Isley Brothers and McKinley Jackson – and the set's got an Isleys-like approach by putting all the ballads on one side, and the groovers on another. These groovers really hold onto the harmonies wonderfully – making for a great follow-up to the ballads – and titles include the sublime smooth stepping track "We Go A Long Way Back", plus "Go On & Cry", "How Does It Feel", "Nite Time Fun", "My Love Grows Stronger", and "My Kind Of Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer late set by Bloodstone – one that holds on to all the excellent harmonies they brought to their 70s work, but which pushes their groove forward in a whole new direction! There's a warm modern glow to the set – one that works perfectly with the vocals – and the quintet still have a hell of a way with a ballad – singing in that slow-tripping style that was never too overly emotive, yet could pack a hell of a punch back in the day – especially in the wee hours! The tunes here are longer than before, and inflected by some rich arrangements by both the Isley Brothers and McKinley Jackson – and the set's got an Isleys-like approach by putting all the ballads on one side, and the groovers on another. These groovers really hold onto the harmonies wonderfully – making for a great follow-up to the ballads – and titles include the sublime smooth stepping track "We Go A Long Way Back", plus "Go On & Cry", "How Does It Feel", "Nite Time Fun", "My Love Grows Stronger", and "My Kind Of Woman". CD features great bonus tracks too – "My Love Grows Stronger (part 2)", "Go On & Cry (7" mix)", and "We Go A Long Way Back (12" mix)". CD

... CD

Excellent compilation of the early solo tracks recorded by this beautiful vocalist from The Zombies. The tracks are culled from his first 3 records – One Year, Ennismore, and Journey – all of which are pretty darn tough to find on wax! If you don't know this stuff, it's some of the most godlike pop ever created in the world, and it mixes Colin's heavenly voice with swirling strings and haunting arrangements that are a perfect extension from the late Zombies material. Titles include "I Don't Believe In Miracles", "Wonderful", "Say You Don't Mind", "Misty Roses", "Though You Are Far Away", "Let Me Come Closer To You", "How Could We Dare To Be Wrong", and "Caroline Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

Features great work on tenor by Joe Henderson – alongside Eddie Gomez on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album in the British folk scene at the start of the 70s – one of those records that was maybe a bit ignored at the time, but which has gone on to shape the sound of generations in the decades that followed! Anne Briggs has a really haunting voice – one that's got this spare, eerie quality that maybe follows from earlier American work by a singer like Jean Ritchie – and she's also a hell of a guitarist too, playing here with a complexity and sense of sound that instantly rivals some of the greats of both the Takoma Records generation, and UK contemporaries like Bert Jansch and John Renbourn. The album mixes vocals and instrumentals beautifully – and although the sound is lean, the whole thing has a tremendously powerful sound – on titles that include "Standing On The Shore", "Tangled Man", "Clea Caught A Rabbit", "Fire & Wine", "Highlodge Hare", "Sandman's Song", "Time Has Come", and "Tidewave". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Features very early work with Chris Powell & His Blue Flames – on "Ida Red" and "I Come From Jamaica" – plus 3 longer Philly sides from 1956, with Billy Root on tenor and Sam Dockery on piano – on titles that include "Walkin", "Donna Lee", and "Night In Tunisia". CD

A bit of a comeback for James Brown – a mid 80s outing recorded with Dan Hartman, who gives the record a "contemporary" sound that's definitely a great way to slide James in with the younger crowd at the time! The style's still funky, but has more street soul elements too – and the record sports guest appearances by Alison Moyet, Steve Winwood, and Stevie Ray Vaughan – and although the production is a bit stiff at points, there's some undeniable quality in James that still makes some nice moments shine through! Titles include "Gravity", "Let's Get Personal", "How Do You Stop", "Living In America", "Goliath", "Repeat The Beat", and "Return To Me". CD

A very cool Japanese-only collection of early Columbia Records material from Dave Brubeck – with titles that include "Blue Rondo A La Turk", "Unsquare Dance", "Bossa Nova USA", "Elven Four", "It's A Raggy Waltz", and "Take Five". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully gentle album from vocalist Ann Burton – recorded with sublime accompaniment from the trio of pianist Louis Van Dyke, a fragile and spare talent on the keys – and a perfect match for Burton on the mood of the album! Ann's vocals really come across with the mature grace that's always made us love her so much – and overall, the session's got a strength that goes far beyond most of her indie albums from later years. Most tunes are extremely spare – with bass stepping out first behind Ann's vocals, as Louis' piano lines sneak in with just a few quiet lines that slowly grow as the tune progresses – all in a style that's neither a cliche of older torch, nor the too-adult mode of more pop jazz vocal albums of the time. Piet Noordjik plays alto sax on a few of the tunes on the set – and titles include "You've Changed", "The Good Life", "Go Away Little Boy", "It's Easy To Remember", "But Not For Me", "He Was Too Good To Me", and "Sunny". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "My Back Pages", "Mr. Spaceman", "It Happens Each Day", "Reputation", "I Am A Pilgrim", and "Draft Morning" – 24 tracks total. CD

Titles include "Chestnut Mare", "Just Like A Woman", "Glory, Glory", "Truck Stop Girl", "Lazy Waters", "Turn! Turn! Turn!", "Paths Of Victory", and "Tiffany Queen" – 21 tracks total. CD

Titles include "Positively 4th Street", "Hickory Wind", "Lazy Days", "Ballad Of Easy Rider", "Lay Lady Lay", "Lover Of The Bayou", "This Wheel's On Fire", and "Nothing Was Delivered" – 22 tracks total, including quite a few previously unissued songs or alternate takes. CD

A great collection of rare work from The Byrds – from the early lineup that included David Crosby and Gene Clark – on titles that include "It Happens Each Day", "Triad", "Never Before", "She Has A Way", and "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" – plus rare alternate versions of other cuts! CD

Features Jonah Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Cozy Cole, Milt Honton, Hilton Jefferson, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure Brazilian soundtrack – with songs by Roberto Carlos, and music by Roberto Farais! LP, Vinyl record album

Wendy Carlos was known best for her important early experiments in electronic music – most recorded as Walter Carlos – but she had a great early 80s moment with this well-crafted soundtrack to the film Tron – a mix of her own electronics and some surprisingly strong orchestrations – recorded in a way that really shows the evolution of the Carlos' style since the early days! In fact, there's a richness to the music that may well surpass the quality of the images on the screen – which has made the whole thing a surprisingly durable sci fi soundtrack over the years. Journey performs the tracks "Only Solutions" and "1990s Theme" – but the rest is Carlos and the London Philharmonic! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record from the glory days of the acid folk scene in the UK – a set served up by Clive Palmer, who you might know from work in Incredible String Band and Wizz Jones – sounding even more enigmatic here at the helm of a trio who were produced by the legendary Ralph McTell! The style is light years from the more traditional sounds of some of Ralph's music – very moody and dark, with instrumentation that comes from guitar, recorder, and a variety of other instruments – including the unusual dulcitar, which was invented by trio member John Bidwell! Lead vocals are from Clive and Mick Bennett – alternating on different tracks, and harmonizing with a very eerie vibe, one that's further expanded by the unusual production modes too. A few tracks add in other elements, but just lightly – really keeping the solitary, spooky vibe of the record intact. Titles include "Evening Air", "Serpent's Kiss", "Wade In The Water", "Soft Touches Of Love", "Music Of The Ages", Spirit Of Love", and "Sweet Slavery". CD

An early session from German pianist Wolfgang Dauner – one with a sound that's every bit as great as you'd expect from the title! The "dream talk" component here is one that comes from Dauner's gentle, yet modern approach to the keys – one that's clearly learning lessons from 50s modernists like George Russell or Bill Evans, but which is stretching out here in some of the bolder freedoms of the European scene at the time – a precursor to later modes on MPS and Saba, but performed here with a bit more careful restraint. The record's nicely free from some of the overindulgences of some of Dauner's 70s sides, and is an acoustic effort throughout – extremely imaginative, with a "set free" quality that's also never too "out", nor too full of itself – a bit like the best early recordings by Steve Kuhn. Wolfgang's approach to the keys is nothing less than revelatory – and he receives well matched accompaniment from bassist Eberhard Weber and drummer Fred Braceful. Titles include "Free Fall", "Dammerung", "Soul Eyes", "A Long Night", "Dream Talk", and "Bird Food". CD

A surprisingly nice set of tracks that were recorded for Columbia during the 60s, but not issued until the time of this 1981 compilation. Tunes run the gamut from early modal to freer electric – and Miles works with players that include Joe Zawinul, Tony Williams, Airto, Hank Mobley, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, Steve Grossman, Herbie Hancock, Gil Evans, and Chick Corea. Tracks include "Ascent", "Willie Nelson", "Konda", "Duran", "Fun", "Directions 1 & 2", "Limbo", "So Near, So Far", and "Song Of Our Country". CD

Import collection of some more obscure Miles moments from the late 50s Columbia years! There's 4 tracks recorded with the orchestra of Michel Legrand – and players that include Coltrane, Phil Woods, Jerome Richardson, and Bill Evans: "Jitterbug Waltz", "Round Midnight", "Wild Man Blues", and "Django". 2 tracks from a recording by the Brass Ensemble Of The Jazz & Classical Music Society, one led by John Lewis, the other by Gunther Schuller, are surprisingly wonderful – very much in the mode of Miles' work with Gil Evans, with a similar glistening sound on Miles' trumpet, and warm chromatic washes of sound underneath to provide the perfect soloing vehicle. And there are 4 numbers, a pair each from the Coltrane/Garland incarnation of the quintet, "Sweet Sue" & "Budo", and a transitional sextet from 1962, "Devil May Care" & "Blue Xmas". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterful meeting of two 50s modern jazz talents – the trumpet of Miles Davis balanced with the arrangements of Gil Evans – with results that have made the album one of Miles' greatest ever! The sound here is completely sublime – as Davis gets all chromatic and spooky over Evans' edgey arrangements – shimmering nicely in a perfect blend of modernism and lighter, more lyrical touches. The record's filled with loads of the kind of solos that Miles brought to his smaller group records – but they almost flower even more amazingly here in the larger setting. Titles include "Springsville", "Blues For Pablo", "New Rhumba", "Lament", and "Miles Ahead". This is the record that your dad bought to prove that he was cool – so buy it from us and keep up the family tradition! CD

A nice collection of Davis/Coltrane material for Columbia – a special European set from the 70s! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful live set from the Seven Steps-era Miles group – with rhythm by Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and tunes that are all in that transformative mode that really showed Miles hitting a new voice at the time! Tenorist George Coleman's playing with the group on the set – proving again that he's got a depth that few people ever seem to give him credit for – and that it wasn't just Wayne Shorter who made the 60s Davis quintet so great. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "All Of You", "Walkin", and "Joshua". CD

A really great bit of live work from Miles Davis – and the first-ever recorded appearance of the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – even though the album was never issued in the US at the time! The set follows very strongly in the mode of the group's work at the Plugged Nickel – with a pace that's faster than usual, and bristling with freely exploratory energy. Titles include "Milestones", "So What", "Walkin", and a nicely stepped-up version of "Autumn Leaves". Shorter's solos are worth the price of the record alone, but Williams' work on the kit never ceases to amaze! LP, Vinyl record album

Miles Davis' first-ever performance in Japan – a really unique concert that featured the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by a young Sam Rivers on tenor! The presence of Rivers really gives the set an edge – and although Miles is holding Sam a bit more in check than on some of his "new thing" albums from the time, there's an overall quality here that's different than the other Davis quintet albums of the time. The set was one of a number of important Miles Davis live sessions from the period – including albums from Berlin, Antibes, and Chicago – and titles include "If I Were A Bell", "My Funny Valentine", "So What", "Walkin'" and "All Of You". CD

Japanese electric Miles, featuring 2 long tracks – "Zimbabwe" and "Gondwana" – spread out over the course of a sweet double live set! The album gives Miles and the group plenty of room to groove and stretch out – hitting notes that are both funky and noisy, often at the same time! Michael Henderson lays down some great bass work on the set, and major solos are by Sonny Fortune, Pete Cosey, and Reggie Lucas! Great stuff – and more proof that Miles in the 70s was a very very deep place! CD

A beautiful collaboration between Miles Davis and the great Gil Evans – and perhaps the most perfectly realized of all their projects! The album's got a wonderfully unified feel – as it begins with long compositions that have a distinct Spanish-tinge (and not a Latin-tinge, which is an important distinction to the way the album progresses.) Evans' arrangements have a majesty that takes the songs to the next level – working them as lush, lively backings for Davis' equally majestic trumpet solos, some of the finest he ever recorded with large group backing. Wonderful all the way through – and with the tracks "Concierto De Aranjuez", "Saeta", "The Pan Piper", and "Solea". CD

Gimmicky titles, but some of Doris Day's best album work of the 50s! Both records feature Doris singing to backings by Paul Weston – mostly in an easy mode on the "night" record, and a bit more driving and jazzy on the "day" album. Titles include "Gone With The Wind", "Soft As The Starlight", "The Lamp Is Low", "Close Your Eyes", "You Do Something To Me", "But Not For Me", "The Song Is You", "I Remember You", "But Beautiful", "Don't Take Your Love From Me", and "Dream A Little Dream Of Me". CD

With Johnny Ventura and orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Spiritual, soulful, and oh, so beautiful! This record captures Earth Wind & Fire at a perfect transition moment – when they've still got some of their avant jazz roots, but are leaning towards the smooth soulful funk sound that put them on the charts a few years later. The whole thing's a wonderful mix of spiritualism and funky jazz – and it includes their massive cover of "Mighty Mighty", plus a lot of tracks with cool instrumentation, like "Kalimba Story", "Drum Song", and "Caribou". Great jazzy groovers, all of them! Contains 4 previously unissued tracks – "Ain't No Harm To Moan", "Step's Tune", "Dreams", and "Fair But So Uncool (Walkin In N'Awlins mix)". CD

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and Afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth, Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid-70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid 70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD also features 5 bonus tracks – "Shining Star (future star)", "All About Love (first impressions)", "Happy Feelin (anatomy of a groove)", "Caribou Chaser (jazzy jam)", and "That's The Way Of The World (Latin expedition)". CD

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid 70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD also features 5 bonus tracks – "Shining Star (future star)", "All About Love (first impressions)", "Happy Feelin (anatomy of a groove)", "Caribou Chaser (jazzy jam)", and "That's The Way Of The World (Latin expedition)". CD

Includes the excellent "Diary Of Horace Wimp" – one of our favorite ELO songs ever! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from the Spanish scene of the 70s – one divided up into sections of "Angeles" and "Demonios" – the last of which is pretty darn funky! The album starts with the demonic material – which has these great heavy drums and percussion – driving fast and frenzied, while basslines rumble and acoustic guitar provides some nice touches that borrow lots from flamenco, then turn towards hipper 70s styles – all with vocal refrains that really keep things moving! The Angeles material is a bit more laidback, but still pretty great – kind of slow funk overall – and there's this really cool energy to the whole record, part of that young Spanish generation trying to find the best elements of their musical roots, then push them forward with a more soulful, youthful vibe. Titles include "Abran Paso Ahoa", "Jibaro", "Mama High Mama Way", "Ay Mulata Mia", "Tema De Amor", "Anacaona", "Los Invitamos", "Tubalo", "Rosa Rosa", and a nice take on "Ain't No Sunshine". CD features bonus tracks – "Samba Samba", "A Caballo", and "Vamanos". CD

Includes sessions by Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra, Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra, and Cootie Williams & His Rug Cutters. LP, Vinyl record album

With Shelton Hemphill, Harold Baker, Francis Williams, and Wilbur Bascomb, and Ray Nance on trumpets; Claude Jones, Lawrence Brown, and Tyree Glenn on trombones; Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet and tenor; Johnny Hodges and Russel Procope on alto; Al Tears on tenor; Harry Carney on baritone; Fred Guy on guitar; Oscar Pettiford on bass; and Sonny Greer on drums. Titles include "Hy A Sue", "Golden Cress", "The Clothed Woman", "Stop Look & Listen", "Sultry Serenade", "Women", "Fancy Dan", "Brown Betty", and "Smada". LP, Vinyl record album

Soloists include Quentin Jackson and Tyree Glenn on trombone, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Ray Nance and Harold Baker on trumpets, and Johnny Hodges on alto. Lil Greewood sings on one track – and titles include "B Sharp Boston", "Cop Out", "Suburban Beauty", "Boogie Bop Blues", and "Snibor". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost Duke Ellington gem from the late 50s – a session that has a decidedly different look than some of his other records of the time! We don't know if the Duke was into Sun Ra – but it almost seems like he was copping his thunder with this title and band name – a fair bit more flashy than the usual presentation for the Ellington group! The record's not nearly as trippy as you'd expect – but it's still a prime set of Ellingtonia from those key late 50s years – material played by a smaller group of "Spacemen" than Duke's fuller orchestra – with a bit more room for small group interaction, almost in a Verve mode. Players include Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Clark Terry on trumpet, Paul Gonzalves on tenor, Quentin Jackson on trombone, and Jimmy Woode on bass – and titles include "Avalon", "Midnight Sun", "Spacemen", "Bass-ment", "Early Autumn", and "Jones". CD also features a bonus alternate take of "Jones". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant return to Montreux from Bill Evans – working here with a trio that includes some killer bass work by Eddie Gomez! The set's an acoustic one – despite its appearance on electric powerhouse CTI – but Evans' work on the piano has an electricity that's all its own, magically crafting waves and shapes of sound and tone. And despite the CTI setting, there's a nicely spacious sound to the way the album was recorded – one that's got a bit less of the "perfection" than on some of Bill's other 70s live dates – a sense of humanity that comes through wonderfully, and which makes this one a very special record! Titles include "Very Early", "34 Skidoo", "Israel", and "Peri's Scope". CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of Joe Farrell's first LPs as a leader – and a stellar session that's easily one of the early high points for the legendary CTI label! Farrell had been making some great noise in the underground during the late 60s – but here, he bursts forth as one heck of a soulful cat – working on these great modal grooves that slide out wonderfully and really have a sense of flow – a style that's different than Joe's later material, but equally powerful! Part of the strength of the record comes from the lineup – a key quintet of like-mined up-and-comers that includes Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – players who definitely know the farther reaches of jazz, yet hang just on the inside here with Joe – providing some amazing accompaniment for his lines on soprano, tenor, and flute. Titles include "Molten Glass", "Song Of The Wind", "Motion", "Follow Your Heart", and "Circle In The Square". CD

... CD

Titles include "Drinking Again", "Trouble In Mind", "Without The One You Love", "Take A Look", "Evil Gal Blues", "Muddy Water", "What A Difference A Day Made", "Maybe I'm A Fool", and "Only The Lonely". CD

Tremendous early work from German saxophonist Joki Freund – a player who would go onto much greater fame in the progressive years at the end of the 60s, but who already sounds plenty darn great on this early combo side from 1963! The style of the work is incredibly hip – with a definite John Coltrane modal groove in place, but also a sense of globally conscious jazz that's very much in the spirit of classic Saba/MPS work, but which predates most of that by a number of years! Freund plays tenor and soprano sax here – in a sextet with Wolfgang Dauner on piano, Emil Mangelsdorff on flute and alto, Eberhard Weber on bass, Karl Theodor Geier on bass, and Peter Baumeister on drums – and the record is overflowing with great tunes that more than live up to the compelling title and cover image! Lots of "Eastern" styled numbers – and titles include "Aisha", "Carribean Ringo", "Yogiana", "HL 20", and "Killer Joe". CD

Tremendous early work from German saxophonist Joki Freund – a player who would go onto much greater fame in the progressive years at the end of the 60s, but who already sounds plenty darn great on this early combo side from 1963! The style of the work is incredibly hip – with a definite John Coltrane modal groove in place, but also a sense of globally conscious jazz that's very much in the spirit of classic Saba/MPS work, but which predates most of that by a number of years! Freund plays tenor and soprano sax here – in a sextet with Wolfgang Dauner on piano, Emil Mangelsdorff on flute and alto, Eberhard Weber on bass, Karl Theodor Geier on bass, and Peter Baumeister on drums – and the record is overflowing with great tunes that more than live up to the compelling title and cover image! Lots of "Eastern" styled numbers – and titles include "Aisha", "Carribean Ringo", "Yogiana", "HL 20", and "Killer Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really joyous groove from Michel Fugain and his Big Bazar group – a sound that's a bit hard to describe, but which really grabs us right away! There's definitely some groovy rhythms going on in the set – and the style is kind of an updated French pop mode from the late 60s – swinging in a way that absorbs plenty of influences from the outside scenes, particularly some Brazilian ones – but with a sound that's definitely French all the way through. Fugain's vocals are in the lead, often supported by a chorus – and the backings by Jean Bouchety have this really cool soundtrack feel at points – especially when the rhythms are upbeat and grooving. Titles include "Allez Bouge-Toi", "Attention Mesdames Et Messieurs", "Notre Societe", "Les Gens Irremplacables", "Leda Leda", and "L'Arche De Noe". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare spiritual jazz session from the Full Moon Ensemble – a very groovy French group headed up by drummer Claude Delcloo – who was better known for his avant jazz work on sides for the BYG/Actuel series of albums! This time around, Delcloo is working in much trippier territory – a style that still shows some of the freedoms of the post-68 generation of French jazz, but which also takes on some strong spiritual tones too – mixing spoken passages with rich organic sounds on percussion – and these bold, snaking lines on Fender Rhodes and guitar that really help hold the whole thing together! The record works as one long suite on side one, and continues that groove on side two – and although the band's jamming great in the studio, there's still a sense of structure and purpose that really drives the music. In addition to Delcloo on drums, the group also features Jeff Sicard on alto and tenor, Gerard Coppere on tenor and soprano sax, Mratine Tourreil on Rhodes, and Joseph Dejean on guitar – and the vocals bits are by the enigmatic "Sarah". Titles include the side a suite "Tribute To Bob Kaufman" – plus "101 W 85th Street" and "King Kong". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool set, with work by players who include Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, Ack Van Rooyen and Manfred Schoof on trumpets, Gunter Lenz on bass, Wolfgang Dauner on piano, and Rolf Kuhn, Heinz Saur, Gerd Dudek, and Emil Mangelsdorff on saxes! LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the 80s-styled cover, and the word "dance" put you off – as the set's filled with beautiful music from Philip Glass – two works done at a time when the composer was maybe at his greatest power, each for two difference dance-related projects! Side one features "In The Upper Room" – done for choreographer Twyla Tharp, and with full orchestrations that are wonderful – very much in the spirit of some of his soundtrack material for Koyaanisqatsi – but without some of the deeper tones and vocal chorus parts. At times, the piano is at the forefront – played by Michael Riesman – but strings and woodwinds are key, too, as the piece shifts through five different dances. "Glasspiece" was done for Jerome Robbins, and has a bit more keyboards at the start, like some of Glass' smaller group 70s work – but then brings in woodwinds and strings in a nice way, before moving back to more keyboards in the final third, which is a reworking of a passage from the opera Akhnaten. CD

Loads of amazing keyboard lines – Glass on organ, intertwined with more keyboards and reeds! Titles include "Opening", "Floe", "Islands"," Rubric", "Facades", and "Closing". CD

Loads of amazing keyboard lines –- Glass on organ, intertwined with more keyboards and reeds! Titles include "Opening", "Floe", "Islands"," Rubric", "Facades", and "Closing". LP, Vinyl record album