Excellent small group material from modern alto genius Art Pepper – a set that might well be our favorite of all the classic albums he cut for Contemporary Records! The album's got quite a strange title – Smack Up, a very strange choice, given Pepper's well-known experience as a junkie – and the set features some edgey work that really pushes Art away from the sweeter sounds of a few years before – material that maybe reflects some of the troubles he'd been going through, which shows up in the music in some really great ways. The group is a lean quintet – with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and there's some slightly off-kilter tracks on the set that really make it sparkle, including Duane Tatro's "Maybe Next Year", Ornette's "Tears Inside", and Harold Land's "Smack Up" – the irony of which, we're sure, was not lost on Art Pepper! Also includes Pepper's own "Las Cuevas De Mario". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive work from one of the funkiest drummers of all time – the legendary Bernard Pretty Purdie, stepping out here in a batch of instrumentals that may well be his greatest album ever! Bernard's drums are right up front in the mix – leading off all tunes with a full, funky, echoey sort of approach that's unlike anything else we can think of – and certainly different from any other late 60s albums of this type! The production is totally great – and has a way of pulling out some of the weirdest aspects of the music – which itself features guitar from Billy Butler and Eric Gale, bass from Bob Bushnell, tenor and flute from Seldon Powell, and organ and piano from Richard Tee – who also handled all the arrangements on the set! The centerpiece is the hit single "Funky Donkey", but just about every track's a groover in its own way – and titles include "Soul Drums", "Bill's Groove", "Jimmy's Back", "Testifyin", "Modern Jive", "Blow Your Lid", "Bee N Tee", and "Soul Bossa Nova". This new edition includes 8 bonus tracks, with a couple rare 45 tracks and more that have never been released – all soulful & funky – well paired with the Soul Drums album! Bonus tracks are in stereo, and include "Alexander's Rag Time Band", "Genuine John", "Soul Clappin", "If You Never Cried", "Stop" and "Time Is Tight". Also comes with a nice booklet with new liner notes, and choice quotes from Purdie's peers and those he influenced, from Galt MacDermot to Large Professor. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album from Latin leader/trumpeter Willie Rodriguez – one of his gems for the Fonseca label, with vocals from Leo Casino – a tight mix of Latin Soul, descarga, and salsa tracks that hit hard from the start and don't let up! Rodriguez leads a great band, and they're joined by vocalist Casino some of the tracks – with tunes that have an uncommon, heated intensity without sacrificing the groove – some of it with the feel of an after hours session full of players just hit with a mighty second wind, and others that are just straight up tirelessly driven. The whole set cooks really nicely! Titles include "Dig It", "Descarga DJ", "Pussycat Bugaloo", "Simon", A Mi Negra". "Golden Bugaloo", and "Chickie's Choice". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge breakout moment for disco in the 70s – the first album from Silver Convention, a very early example of the European power on the club scene! The group's the brainchild of arranger Sylvester Levay and producer Michael Kunze – who come up with some great German disco rhythms for the record, mixed with soaring female trio vocals, by a group that includes two German gals and American soul singer Roberta Kelly! The vocal approach is similar to that 70s Philly group mode – popularized by First Choice, Three Degrees, and others – and pumped it up with the Munich sound of throbbing bass and heavy beats, which was arguably one of the first steps towards house music in the 80s. Titles include the huge hit "Fly Robin Fly", plus "Save Me", "I Like It", "Chains Of Love", "Tiger Baby", "Always Another Girl", and "Heart Of Stone". LP, Vinyl record album

Jeri Southern can be a hell of a jazz singer when she wants – and that was definitely the case on this gem of a record – a laidback small combo setting with excellent guitar accompaniment from Johnny Smith! Smith's trademark tones really color the record in a great way – enriching the sound and offsetting some of the more understated vocals from Jeri – but in a way that also lets us really hear her phrasing, too. The setting is spare and simple – and the song choice is great, too – with shifts between standards and a few more obscure numbers that show Jeri working at a deeper range than we know from other records. Titles include "Robins & Roses", "Without A Warning", "Where Or When", "Two Sleepy People", "Isn't It Romantic", and "Until The Real Thing Comes Along". LP, Vinyl record album

Standout solo work from Mavis Staples – a set that really expands the Stax sound nicely with a bit of strings to sweeten up the groove! Steve Cropper's at the production helm, and there's still enough grit in the grooves to remind us we're down in Memphis – but the choice of tunes and range of Staples' vocals show a growing sense of power that's really great – a mode that pulls itself up past simple southern soul cliches, and aims nicely at the mainstream! Yet even in that mode, the album's never too commercial, and certainly not pop-oriented at all – just proof that Stax was growing wonderfully at the time, and had plenty to offer a great talent like Mavis. Titles include a funky version of "Son Of A Preacher Man", plus "Pick Up The Pieces", "You're Driving Me", "Security", "Until I Met You", "Sweet Things You Do", "Good To Me", and "Chained". LP, Vinyl record album

A very nicely selected 2LP set of tracks from Stitt's oft-overlooked years at Argo/Chess! The tracks have him in great company that includes the pianists Barry Harris, John Young, and Ronnie Matthews – and if you know Stitt's style from the time, you know that his choice of piano player made a very important difference in the sound of his playing. Most of the cuts are easily blown quartet material – with a lot of creative imagination applied to tunes that would otherwise be top-snooze material in the hands of a lesser player. Titles include "Ko Ko", "It's Hipper Than That", "A Natural Fox", "Wee", "Reed & A Half", "Flame & Frost", and "A Minor Sax". LP, Vinyl record album

The Philly trio gets some great live work done in this tasty little set – hitting the stage with backings from Richard Barrett, and singing before a very enthusiastic crowd in the UK! The style's almost a bit more like the Motown live albums from years back than most Philly International sets – still in the soaring clubby mood of the group's studio work, but with a lot more interplay with the audience, and a style that's sometimes looser and more entertainment-oriented – especially in the choice of a few of the tunes. Titles include "For The Love Of Money", "Living For The City", "Love Train", "Harlem", "When Will I See You Again", "Year Of Decision", and "Free Ride". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite recordings ever of George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess – done by Bethlehem Records in the mid 50s, and featuring nearly every one of the label's great talents at the time! The choice of the lead characters is a bit odd – as Mel Torme plays Porgy and Francis Faye plays Bess – but both singers are actually pretty darn great for the set, and really bring a lot out of the tunes. Plus, the other artists on the set really keep things interesting – as the collection features vocal performances by Johnny Hartman, Frank Rosolino, Betty Roche, Bob Dorough, and Sallie Blair. Plus, the whole thing's presented as Gershwin wrote it – complete with narration by Al Jazzbo Collins, and a number of strong instrumental passages. Music is performed by groups led by Russ Garcia, Duke Ellington, Pat Moran, and Stan Levy – and players are an array of the best of both the New York and LA scenes at the time! LP, Vinyl record album

A record that has Jr Walker and the group stepping out with some of the righteous touches promised in the title – partly in the choice of songs on the set, which are all nicely tucked into that strong mix of deep soul vocals and saxophone lines that had become the Jr Walker groove! The set features work from a number of different arrangers – all the hipper side of Motown in the early 70s, as the list includes, Willie Hutch, Gene Page, and James Carmichael – and tunes include two great originals, one by Hutch, one by Leon Ware. Tracks include "It's Alright Do What You Gotta Do", "Soul Clappin'", "Gimme that Beat (parts 1 & 2)", "It's Too Late", and "Peace & Understanding Is Hard To Find". LP, Vinyl record album

Billed as "The Original Walker Brothers" on the cover, this one features tracks that Scott cut in the US with John Stewart, in the years before he moved to England and became super-huge stars. The tracks have less of that "wall of sound" style than their later work, and more of a rock n roll type groove. Titles include "Greens", "Diskoteque", "Without Your Love", "Wallflower", "Ham Hocks", "Chick's Choice", and "Swingin At The Batcave". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredibly groovy album – filled with instrumental tracks that shift between funky big band and groovy 60s soundtrack – all arranged by Mike Nesmith and Shorty Rogers! The feel here is like that of some of Rogers' other groovy late 60s instrumental one-off albums – like his hot rod, dune buggy, or surf-orchestra sides – and Nesmith brings in a slightly cynical tone that manifests itself in the choice of some of the instrumentation for the tracks, and the overall setting of the record. Think Monkees instrumentals gone groovier, and you've got part of the picture – but there's also plenty of snippets of Sunset Strip hip and Warner Brothers longing for the past too! Titles include "While I Cried", "Don't Cry Now", "Tapioca Tundra", "Nine Times Blue", "Carlisle Wheeling", and "You Told Me". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album of funky electric jazz – and possibly the best one that Phil Woods cut with his European group! The quartet's a very hip group that's way hipper than its clunky name – with Gordon Beck on electric piano and organ, Daniel Humair on percussion and drums, and Henri Texier on bass, flute, and African percussion – all instrumentalists who dip heavily into the deep bag of their mighty talents for the date, helping to push Phil's music into some very cool new territory! The album cooks a lot harder than Woods' previous MGM date with the Rhythm Machine group in Europe – and has a really freewheeling vibe, and a sound that's almost outside at points. All tracks are long, with a modal electric approach that's very nice – and funky in the best parts – and titles include "Chromatic Banana", "Ultimate Choice", "The Last Page", and "The Day When The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure dynamite throughout – a really killer batch of cuts that easily steps between 60s and 70s styles in Jamaican music – shaking things up with soulful late 60s numbers, funky 70s gems, and some dubbier tracks from a time when production styles really opened up! As with other volumes in this excellent series, the choice of cuts is wonderful – really well-chosen tracks that go past the hits, but also feature some numbers that have become underground classics over the years – but all at a level that's got a lot more bite than some of the oft-played reggae that's been keeping dorm rooms running for decades. There's a total of 14 tracks in all – and titles include "Rocker's Rock" by Augustus Pablo, "No No No" by KC White, "Ring The Alarm" by Tenor Saw, "One Two" by Sister Nancy, "Woman Of The Ghetto" by Kim Harriott, "Heatwave" by Johnny Organ, "King Tubby Dub" by Tommy McCook & The Agrovators, "Earthquake" by Jackie Mittoo, and "Ready Or Not" by Johnny Osborne. LP, Vinyl record album

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. LP, Vinyl record album

Fuzzy guitars, analog electronics, moody production, and slightly sinister vocals – all elements you'll find in abundance here, in this well done look at UK work from a generation when the US scene was dipping into modes that were later dubbed "post-rock" – and helped to define the style of a generation! The British take on this territory is nicely different from American work of the time – and there's maybe a larger, wider palette of approaches going on – elements borrowed from other styles and generations, but woven into these wonderful waves of sound that made for a great farewell to the 20th century! The collection is in a slightly newer range than we're used to hearing from Ace Records, but they do an equally great job with the material – as the choice of cuts is superb, and the detailed notes provide plenty of direction throughout the musical journey. Titles include "City Poison" by Moonshake, "Second Language" by Disco Inferno, "Darling Effect" by Insides, "Starry Night" by Laika, "Every Day Shines (D mix)" by Earwig, "Play Away" by Electric Sound Of Joy, "Through You" by Seefeel, "Loose Threads" by Pram, "In The Light Of Time" by Flying Saucer Attack, "The Weight" by Hood, "A Street Scene" by Bark Psychosis, "Naturally Occurring Anchors" by Spoonfed Hybrid, In The Event Of Just Looking" by Appliance, "Sun Drawing" by Movietone, and "A Cherry Wave From Stranded Youngsters" by Mogwai. LP, Vinyl record album

A second volume of underground disco and unstoppable dancefloor soul from NYC in the late 70s and early 80s – M&M Mixes Vol 2, highlighting rare and previously unreleased mixes by John Morales! It features a roster of legendary names, particularly to diggers of deeper disco tracks, but also some soul stars who worked well in that groove – a batch of tunes mixed & engineered by Morales back in the day at M&M Studios and elsewhere. Great numbers by Brass Construction, Inner Life feat Jocelyn Brown, War and First Choice! The vinyl version comes in 2 separate parts –both 2LPs and featuring all exclusive extended vinyl versions – each each of which fills a whole side! Part A includes "Caught Up (John's Missing M+M Extended 12" Mix)" by Inner Life feat Jocelyn Brown, "Now Is Tomorrow (John's M+M Today Groove Mix)" by Brass Construction, "The Player (John's North Philly M+M Groove Mix)" by First Choice and "Slipping Into Darkness (John's M+M Out Of The Light Mix)" by War. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collection – and one that fills in a crucially under-documented side of the New York dancefloor generation – the wealth of special mixes and edits that were made for that city's important DJs for their own use in clubs! The package sorts through a mountain of never-issued acetates, and goes way past conventional disco or rare club collections – to showcase the special mixing talents these DJs brought to their re-presentation of the material – which was usually done on tape, then pressed onto acetate discs for their own private use! Those rare treasures are brought forth here – in a beautiful package that's also overflowing with fantastic notes that finally give this lost history its due – all handled by Al Kent – who's a hell of a mixer himself, as well as an underground club historian. Vinyl part 2 features five full records – all with lots of space for the tracks to stretch out – and titles include "My Number's Up (Tee Scott rmx)" by The Salsoul Orchestra, "The Love Bug Done Bit Me Again (David Todd rmx)" by Skyliners, "LA Sunshine (Robert Ouimet rmx)" by Aura, "Love Has Come My Way (Jim Burgess rmx)" by Tony Valor Sound Orchestra, "Handsome Ma (Bobby DJ Guttadoro rmx)" by Sparkle Tuhran & Friends, "Love Thang (Tee Scott rmx)" by First Choice, "Burn Me Up (Jellybean Benitez edit)" by Kay Gees, "Love Is The Message (Tee Scott rmx)" by Brooklyn Express, "Changes (Jellybean Benitez rmx)" by Chain Reaction, "J'Ouvert (Frank Sestito rmx)" by John Gibbs & The Jam Band, "By The Way You Dance (Bobby DJ Guttadaro rmx)" by Bunny Sigler, "It's Good For The Soul (Walter Gibbons disco madness version)" by Salsoul Orchestra, and "It's A Better Than Good Time (Walter Gibbons rmx)" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique take on the familiar territory of the funky soul compilation – a set that seems to dig up music that's a genre all unto itself – with very little ties to the popular modes in the mainstream at the time! It's really hard to describe the appeal of these tunes in just a few words – some are very personal and intimate, all are very soulful – but the range of approaches is very different, and in ways that we might even dare call experimental – even though all the tunes here are straight and tuneful! A number of cuts almost seem to mix sweet soul vocals with more psychedelic inspirations, but that's only the start of the sound here – a really rich world of discovery, with titles that include "Just A Star" by Smiles, "Never Get A Chance" by Nature's Choice, "You Got That Right" by Antwans, "We Need Each Other" by Joe Walker, "Come Inside" by Stride, "Slacking Off" by Massauvians, "Swave Villi Us" by Aka Shaic, "Norfolk Sound" by Ray T Jones, "Changes" by No ID, "Just Loving You" by Small Society, and "For Old Times Sakes" by Spice. LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from Pepper Adams – one of those players we sometimes forget about, then drop the needle on a record like this and fall in love with his music all over again! Adams blows baritone sax like nobody else – with a sensitivity that you'd normally hear on tenor, and a mix of modes that should have made him one of the most respected saxophonists of his generation – something that maybe didn't happen because of his unusual horn! Yet although big, there's nothing heavy about the way Pepper handles his horn – as you'll hear especially on the few ballads – and as usual for Adams, his choice of a group is great too – a sharp lineup with Walter Norris on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Makaya Ntshoko on drums. Titles include "Julian", "Ad Astra", "Jirge", "Spacemaker", and "Three & One". LP, Vinyl record album

After some great records on Verve, Capitol, and Fontana, Blossom made a surprising move and started up her own small label – issuing recordings herself, and selling them to the small but dedicated market who continued to come to her live shows, and support her work even as vocal jazz was disappearing from the music scene in the 70s. The set was produced by Bob Dorough in 1973, with a wonderful choice of tunes, and includes some great lesser-known numbers that get past the standards that Blossom was so often forced to record for bigger labels – and the instrumentation on most tracks is gentle piano trio, with some great electric keys on a number of tracks. Titles include "Home", "I'm Shadowing You", "Saving My Feeling For You", "Flame To Fire" and "You Have Lived In Autumn". LP, Vinyl record album

A wild little concept album from the Four Seasons – one that's packaged in newspaper-style cover, and which presents tunes that almost have that late 60s British "snapshots of life" approach to pop – particularly that put forth by The Kinks on Village Green Preservation Society. The album's a true genius effort from Bob Gaudio – now risen to the ranks of producer for the group, and also the key songwriter for the album too – working here in tandem with the great Jake Holmes, a wonderful choice for a record like this! Arrangements are inventive, playful, and definitely at a level that shows some influence from Pet Sounds or Sgt Peppers – but there's also a focused, all-pop approach to the tunes too – one that's hook-heavy even when trippy, and which shows that the Four Seasons were as great at psychedelic and Sunshine Pop as any of the groups they'd inspired over the years. Titles include "Saturday's Father", "Wall Street Village Day", "Wonder What You'll Be", "Soul Of A Woman", "Something's On Her Mind", "American Crucifixion Resurrection", and "Mrs Stately's Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most brilliant moments of genius from Paul McCartney & Wings – and a set that has Paul working with the group in perfect album formation – able to craft enough songs that became hit singles, yet also fit the whole thing together in a superb sonic reality that made the whole thing even more wonderful as a full length record! The shift of moods, tones, and sounds are as varied as the choice of celebrities appearing with the group on the cover – and the interplay between Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine has really hit its stride – on titles that include one of our all-time Wings favorites, "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five" – plus "Band On The Run", "Bluebird", "Jet", "Mrs Vanderbilt", "Let Me Roll It", "Mamunia", "No Words", and "Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me)". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album from Latin leader/trumpeter Willie Rodriguez – one of his gems for the Fonseca label, with vocals from Leo Casino – a tight mix of Latin Soul, descarga, and salsa tracks that hit hard from the start and don't let up! Rodriguez leads a great band, and they're joined by vocalist Casino some of the tracks – with tunes that have an uncommon, heated intensity without sacrificing the groove – some of it with the feel of an after hours session full of players just hit with a mighty second wind, and others that are just straight up tirelessly driven. The whole set cooks really nicely! Titles include "Dig It", "Descarga DJ", "Pussycat Bugaloo", "Simon", A Mi Negra". "Golden Bugaloo", and "Chickie's Choice". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work by Three Degrees – stepping proudly here from their girl group roots, into a dramatic pre-disco mode that's clearly influenced by similar Philly work by First Choice – some of the finest material ever! The music is by MFSB, with arrangements by Philly maestros like Bobby Martin and John Davis – and given that pedigree it's as wonderful as you'd imagine. Paired with the sweetly beautiful singing by the lovely voices of Three Degrees, this is some truly great Philadelphia International soul! Titles include "TSOP", "Loving Cup", "Get Your Love Back", "Long Lost Lover", "Take Good Care Of Yourself", "Another Heartache", and a nice cover of Marvin Gaye's "Distant Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most compelling compilations we've heard in ages – a set of tunes by and about Muhammad Ali! It's no secret that back in the day, Ali was way more than just a boxer – he was an international celebrity whose pride and power were a symbol for millions worldwide. At the height of his glory, not only did Ali himself record a number of albums, but he was also graced with countless tribute songs – not only from American artists, but British, Brazilian, and African as well! This festive little set brings together 22 of those great recordings, including a few about boxing in general – with genres that include soul, reggae, and Brazilian grooves – as well as some very catchy novelty numbers that defy classification! Titles include "The People's Choice" and "I'm The Greatest" by Ali himself – plus "8ieme Round" by Trio Madjesi, "Cassius Marcellus Clay" by Jorge Ben, "Muhammad Ali" by Sir Mack Rice, "Muhammad Ali" by Dennis Alcapone, "The Louisville Lip" by Eddie Curtis, "Rumble In The Jungle" by Don Covay, "Foreman Vs Frazier" by Big Youth, "Try It Again" by Joe Frazier, and "Ali Shuffle" by JW Grasshopper & The Butterfly. LP, Vinyl record album

Salsoul classics, given the extended remix treatment for this greatest hits sampler! Titles include "Hit & Run" by Loleatta Holloway and "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure, both remixed by Walter Gibbons, plus "Doctor Love" by First Choice remixed by Tom Moulton, and "Magic Bird Of Fire" by The Salsoul Orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

Some choice Bunny Lee produced Aggrovators tracks, mixed mostly by King Tubby. 16 tracks in all, including "A Version Of Class", "Jah Jah Dub", "Creation Dub", "Forward Version", "Don't Try To Dub I", "A Thankful Version", "A Traditional Dub", "A Stalawatt Dub" and "Full A Manners". LP, Vinyl record album

More of an EP than and LP, since the tracks are pretty short, and there's only 6 of them: "Freedom Of Choice Theme Song", "Whip It", "Girl U Want", "Gates Of Steel", "Be Stiff" and "Planet Earth". This was only available for a brief period of time, more or less a limited edition release. LP, Vinyl record album

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

One of the first albums to really show Blue Mitchell's genius as a leader – recorded past the more formulaic bop modes of some of his other Riverside sessions, and handled with a lyrical edge that really gets at the best aspects of his playing. Of course, part of the reason for this is that Blue's in the company of some of his Horace Silver bandmates – including drummer Roy Brooks, tenorist Junior Cook, and bassist Gene Taylor – but even more than that, the presence of a young Cedar Walton on piano really makes the set sparkle, as does the choice of some extremely strong material – such as "The Cup Bearers" and "Capers", both written by that young and glowing jazz compositional lumiary, Tom McIntosh, and the tunes "Turquoise, written by Walton, and "Dingbat Blues", written by Charles Davis. Forgive the long sentence, but the quality of this one's best expressed in a single breath! LP, Vinyl record album

Nas' debut LP masterpiece Illmatic – a record that will probably stand forever as one of the greatest hip hop full lengths of its time! Nas has had some creative ups-and-downs over the years, but nothing can take away the impact of this damn near perfect slice of east coast street hop – truly one of the great, filler free, beginning-to-end classics with not a wasted second! Part of the strength of the record is the top-shelf choice of production – work from DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock and Q-Tip – all of whom help the young Nas really find his voice with the right sort of vibe – on titles that include "NY State Of Mind", "Life's A B***h", "Half Time", "One Love", "Memory Lane", "Represent", "The World Is Yours", and "It Ain't Hard To Tell". LP, Vinyl record album

Nas' debut LP masterpiece Illmatic – a record that will probably stand forever as one of the greatest hip hop full lengths of its time! Nas has had some creative ups-and-downs over the years, but nothing can take away the impact of this damn near perfect slice of east coast street hop – truly one of the great, filler free, beginning-to-end classics with not a wasted second! Part of the strength of the record is the top-shelf choice of production – work from DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock and Q-Tip – all of whom help the young Nas really find his voice with the right sort of vibe – on titles that include "NY State Of Mind", "Life's A B***h", "Half Time", "One Love", "Memory Lane", "Represent", "The World Is Yours", and "It Ain't Hard To Tell". Columbia has gone all out with the reverence on this double LP reissue, with remastered sound polish and a bonus LP with remixes of "World Is Yours", "Life's A B***h", "One Love" and "It Ain't Hard To Tell", plus bonus tracks "On The Real" and "Star Wars". LP, Vinyl record album

Oliver Nelson's follow-up to his classic Blues & The Abstract Truth session for Impulse – and like that one, a tremendous little album – filled with deep tones and wonderful colors in sound! The group here's a bit larger than before – an ensemble that includes Phil Woods on alto, Ben Webster on tenor, Thad Jones on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone, Roger Kellaway on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Grady Tate on drums. The album includes some superb original compositions by Nelson – just the kind of overlooked jazz numbers that make the set great – and as with most of his arrangements from the time, there's a perfect balance between group force and intimate solo space! Titles include "The Critic's Choice", "Blues & The Abstract Truth", "One For Bob", and 2 versions of Dave Brubeck's "Theme From Mr. Broadway". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure salsa set from the start of the 70s, and a stone cooker too – thanks to top-shelf production from Joe Bataan – a great artist in his own right, and a surprising choice to helm this set! Yet the credit here really goes to leader Paul Ortiz – who plays piano and leads the group through some very fresh salsa changes – that new young spirit of pride and power that was bubbling on on Fania at the time, handled here with equal care, and arrangements from Jose Madera Jr, who plays timbales in the group! Papo Felix delivers lead vocals, and the group has a bold four-trumpet frontline – which really soars on titles that include "Guajiron", "Quien Quita", "Total", "Mi Amiga", "Son Los Que Son", "Despierta Puertoriqueno", and "Me Negra Va A Gozar". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent small group material from modern alto genius Art Pepper – a set that might well be our favorite of all the classic albums he cut for Contemporary Records! The album's got quite a strange title – Smack Up, a very strange choice, given Pepper's well-known experience as a junkie – and the set features some edgey work that really pushes Art away from the sweeter sounds of a few years before – material that maybe reflects some of the troubles he'd been going through, which shows up in the music in some really great ways. The group is a lean quintet – with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and there's some slightly off-kilter tracks on the set that really make it sparkle, including Duane Tatro's "Maybe Next Year", Ornette's "Tears Inside", and Harold Land's "Smack Up" – the irony of which, we're sure, was not lost on Art Pepper! Also includes Pepper's own "Las Cuevas De Mario". LP, Vinyl record album

Procol Harum are definitely on home turf here – really honing, really focusing their energy – with a sound that seems to create this almost perfect interplay between the guitars of Robin Trower and vocals of Gary Brooker – two key elements of the group's sound that are even better here than on previous elements, especially when augmented by all the cool, unusual elements they always give us with their music. Brooker's got this bluesy quality, but the lyrics by Keith Reid often have this uniquely poetic vibe – one that's never overdone or pretentious, maybe because of the vocal quality – and which finds its own special space here on tunes that include "The Dead Man's Dream", "Whisky Train", "Barnyard Story", "Whaling Stories", "Your Own Choice", and "Still There'll Be More". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky club soul from Stargard – a group who pick up on the guitar-based styles of Labelle, but who have the sweeter soul approach of Three Degrees or First Choice! The bass dominates the arrangements, and there's some surprisingly soulful numbers on the set – despite the silly costumes on the cover! Titles include "Sensuous Woman", "Disco People", "Blue Rain", "Chameleon Lady", and "Starbob". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth female soul from one of Philly's hottest female trios – Gamble & Huff's big answer to First Choice, and an equally important force in 70s female soul! The album's got a nice mixture of Philly groove and tighter crossover arrangements from the likes of Norman Harris, Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula, and Richard Rome – all top-shelf Philly soul talents who really help move the album past the territory of the girl group soul of the trio's earlier work! Titles include the hit "When Will I See You Again", plus the long-running classic "Dirty Ol' Man", and the cuts "Can't You See What You're Doing To Me", "I Didn't Know", "I Like Being A Woman", and "Year Of Decision". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great album from Nancy Wilson – a set that still has her working with the jazzy undercurrents of her best 60s work for Capitol Records – yet also moving into some hipper, more sophisticated soul styles too! There's a really strong adult vibe to the record – not that Nancy didn't have one before, but this time around there's even more sense of personality and experiential depth that really comes through in the choice of songs – and in Wilson's wonderful treatment of them. Tunes that might be stiff in the hands of someone else are really transformed here – with added thanks to Phil Wright for great arrangements on the record. Titles include a version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne", Burt Bacharach's obscure "Waitin For Charlie To Come Home", and the tracks "Trip With Me", "This Girl Is A Woman Now", "Mixed Up Girl", and "Words & Music". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just a disco collection – a great album that features a few tunes that we haven't seen elsewhere! A number of the tracks are uptown groovers lifted from RCA albums – like "Pressure Cookin" by Labelle, "The Happy Hooker" by Nite-Liters, "Sex Trip" by Crown Heights Affair, "Have You Ever Tried It" by The Main Ingredient, and "Hook It Up" by The Choice Four – but the album's also got some killer obscure tunes that rank with the best early indie disco at the time! These tracks include "How Have You Been" by Blood Hollins with vocals by Jean Lang, "Free And Easy" by Satyr, "One Way Street" by Beckett Brown, and "I Wanna Know" by Sunny Gale – all excellent early disco groovers, with a really soulful finish! LP, Vinyl record album

Grandmaster Flash is best known for his work in the world of hip hop, not the sort of club scene that Salsoul helped feed back in the day – yet this surprisingly great package has Flash adding in some hip hop energy to the catalog of the legendary label – spinning tracks that emphasize the funkier currents of Salsoul, and drawing a link between disco singles and the sorts of rhythms that first helped feed the old school street party scene! Titles include "High" by Skyy, "Doctor Love" by First Choice, "Make Up Your Mind" by Aurra, "Runaway" by Salsoul Orchestra, "Let's Celebrate" by Skyy, "Slap Slap Lickedy Lap" by Instant Funk, "Love Sensation" by Loleatta Holloway, "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure", "I Got My Mind Made Up" by Instant Funk, "Spring Rain" by Silvetti, "Ooh I Love It" by Salsoul Orchestra, and "Checkin You Out" by Aurra. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of rare gospel tracks from the postwar years – done with the same thoughtful choice of cuts that Mississippi has been bringing to its compilations of soul and blues, but with a leaner approach overall! The collection digs deeper than the big names of the time, and has a strong focus on the kinds of group harmonies that were also having a big impact on soul music – heard especially well in some of the smaller groupings here. Titles include "Love Hides All Faults" by The Holy Light Jrs, "Beams Of Heaven" by Church Of To-Morrow, "Lord You Are My Burden Brother" by The Hubbard Heavyweight Gospel Singers, "When The Gates Swing Open" by Joyful Souls Of Dallas, "Trouble Of The World" by Soul Revivals, and "I Thank the Lord" by Dynamic True Tones. LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous look at one of the coolest jazz labels of all time – and one that has an especially strong focus on the more spiritual side of its music! The paired Black Saint and Soul Note labels came along from the Italian scene right at a time when so many other American companies were shutting their doors – former spiritual jazz powerhouses like Strata East, Impulse, and Black Jazz were moving beyond the music, or disappearing entirely – which made the role of Black Saint/Soul Note such a crucial one! The company came into the game at a time of boundless creativity in American jazz – and really captured a post-Coltrane generation that was brimming over with fire and new ideas, but just needed a place to find expression – which it did at the label, who recorded dozens of albums in the space of less than a decade, nearly all of which have gone onto become classics over the years. And while there's a side of the label that's much more free jazz and avant garde, the cuts here reflect a Black Saint/Soul Note that's just slightly inside – tunes that are still freewheeling, but also have a rhythmic core – and the kinds of open, soaring solos that were first inspired in the 60s generation of Coltrane and Shepp. The choice of cuts is great – similar to the others in the If Music series – and titles include "Mr Seven" by M'Booom, "Joycie Girl" by Don Pullen with Sam Rivers, "Il Giro Del Giorno In 80 Mondi" by Enrico Rava, "Oasis" by Hamiet Bluiett, "Confessin" by John Stubblefield, "Joobubie" by George Adams & Dannie Richmond, "Verde Que Eu Te Quero Ver" by Rava String Band, "Down Home In New York" by Archie Shepp, "BK" by Air, and "The Nagual Julian" by Billy Bang Sextet. LP, Vinyl record album

Basie hits the hits of the 50s and early 60s – working here with some tight Billy Byers arrangements that really help transform the tunes! The groove is upbeat, bright, and brilliantly soulful – that punctuated Basie groove first formed when Neal Hefti was with the group, still carried off here wonderfully by a lineup that includes Frank Wess and Frank Foster on saxes, Snooky Young and Al Aarons on trumpets, Benny Powell and Henry Coker on trombones, and Freddie Green on guitar. Titles include "The Second Time Around", "Hey Jealous Lover", "All Of Me", "This Love Of Mine", "Saturday Night", "Come Fly With Me", and "South Of The Border" – almost a Sinatra album in spirit, given the choice of tunes like these! LP, Vinyl record album

A completely righteous mix of jazz and African percussion – put together by drummer Art Blakey at a time when he was riding high with the Jazz Messengers, but also was willing to work on great experiments like this! The album's years ahead of its time – and arguably opens the door for countless spiritual jazz projects like this in the 70s, more proof that Blakey was a groundbreaking artist who was always opening doors for others! Blakey's own work on drums is joined by percussion from Montego Joe, Chief Bey, Garvin Masseux, James Ola, Folami, Robert Crowder, and Solomon Ilori – the last of whom would record his own record for Blue Note – and the rest of the group features Yusef Lateef on flute and tenor, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and the great Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass – a great choice for the record, given that he was mixing together similar modes on his own records of the time. Titles include "Tobi Ilu", "Love, The Mystery Of", and "Obirin African". LP, Vinyl record album

A sparkling Christmas set from Mary J Blige – one that takes full advantage of those wonderful vocals, and lets them loose on a whole host of Holiday tunes! The album's on Verve, and has a feel that's a lot more classic than some of Mary's other work – a vibe that's somewhere between contemporary R&B and the older vocal jazz you'd hear on Christmas favorites from years past – an approach that comes through strongly in Mary's choice of tunes. Most of the numbers are favorite standards from the Holiday season, given a special Blige twist – arranged by David Foster, and titles include "Little Drummer Boy", "My Favorite Things", "This Christmas", "The Christmas Song", "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", "Do You Hear What I Hear", "The First Noel", and "Petit Papa Noel". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 70s funk from the great Oscar Brown – quite a change from his jazz-based work of the 60s, but a great new sitting for all of his wonderful wit and warmth! Brown's still a hell of a songwriter, and one with a very socially-conscious eye – sharper here than before, with lots of comments on the changes in society in the 70s, mixed with a few more heartfelt, personal moments too. There's still a bit of jazz in the mix – thanks to work from Seldon Powell on reeds, and Joe Sample on keyboards – and arrangements are by old friends Floyd Morris, the underground Chicago soul genius – and Sivuca, best known for his Brazilian music, but a great choice here to expand the groove. Brown wrote all the tunes on the record – and titles include "From My Window", "Like A Flower", "Brother Where Are YOu", ""The Lone Ranger", "If You Come Back", and "The Joneses". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Evans' first famous appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival – a great 60s trio session, with Eddie Gomez on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The tunes are mostly relatively familiar ones, but the ensemble on the set gives them a freer and more lyrical feel than you might expect – especially with DeJohnette on drums, who is a somewhat more powerful choice than some of Bill's other drummers of the 60s. Eddie Gomez is great, as always – with that round bass sound that we totally love – and titles include "Nardis", "Sleepin Bee", "Embraceable You", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Mother Of Earl", "One For Helen", and "Walkin Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". LP, Vinyl record album