A smooth set from reedman John Klemmer, but a pretty darn soulful one too – and a great illustration of the way that Klemmer could still hold onto his roots a lot more strongly than some of his contemporaries! The backings are gentle and fusiony – often with some great keyboard work from Russell Ferrante – and Klemmer soars out wonderfully in the lead – with a depth of tone and creativity of solos that goes far beyond anything that might have been needed for the date – a real "something extra" that shows that John's still got all the deep elements of his Impulse years in place. Tracks include "Finesse", "Man & Woman", "Sometimes", "Heart", "Sun, Moon And The Stars", and "Beloved". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a strange mix of elements on the outside – a confusing title, a proggy-cover image – but one that's got a sound that's a perfect maturation of the fantastic sound of Alexis Korner in the 60s! Korner's one of the overlooked heroes in British music – a strong devotee of American blues, and maybe so much so that sounds more like his inspirations than most – but never in a slavish way, as Alexis is always able to full absorb the sound, and make you feel like it's coming from his own deep soul – and over the years, he really shifted things in these slight, but powerful ways – making his music a huge influence on a big generation of UK rock acts to come. Here, the double-length set is almost a "thanks back" affair – as Korner records with a huge all-star array that includes folks like Robert Plant, Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, Ginger Baker, Graham Bond, Lol Coxhill, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Ray Warleigh, Harry Beckett, and many more – a fantastic crossroads of all that's hip in British rock, blues, and jazz at the start of the 70s. Titles include "I Got A Woman", "Rockin", "She Foold Me", "I Wonder Who", "Dee", "Love Is Gonna Go", "Clay House Inn", "Evil Hearted Woman", "Mighty Mighty", "Sunrise", and "Hellhound On My Tail". LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of a reprise of earlier days – one that reunites Krupa with Anita O'Day and Roy Eldridge, as the group runs through some material from earlier years. Arrangements are by Quincy Jones, Billy Byers, and Nat Pierce – and the set actually swings more cleanly than some of Krupa's material from the 40s. Titles include "Drummin Man", "Drum Boogie", "Slow Down", "Wire Brush Stomp", "That's What You Think", "Rockin Chair", and "Opus 1". LP, Vinyl record album

A tasty early 50s session for Verve – one that has Gene reprising some tunes and a style he used in the Benny Goodman years, but in a way that's more open and laidback – in keeping with Verve's swing-based small group sessions of the time! Even more important, though, is the fact that the set's a unique trio outing – billed as an "orchestra" set, but only featuring Gene on drums, Teddy Napoleon on piano, and Eddie Shu on clarinet and tenor! Shu's the real star of the set, and the spare and open style of the tunes really lets him take off in ways we'd never heard before – making him a real improvisatory genius, in the best mode of Verve stars like Flip Philips or Ben Webster at the time. Titles include "Booted", "Sing Sing Sing", "Love For Sale", and "September Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A great document of an early all-star jazz concert – recorded at Town Hall by a young Bob Shad – who's clearly working here in the same live territory as producer Norman Granz! There's a great sense of variety going on here – and the record's maybe worth it alone for an excellent performance by a trio with Gene Krupa on drums and Charlie Ventura on tenor – with only piano, and no other instrumentation – a great mode for both players! The album also features work from a quintet led by pianist Teddy Wilson with Flip Phillips on tenor – on the tune "Sweet & Lovely"; a trio with Billy Taylor on piano and Stuff Smith on violin, on "Perdido"; a fantastic duet between Don Byas' tenor and Slam Stewart's bass on "I Got Rhythm"; and a Red Norvo group with Shorty Rogers on trumpet and Flip Phillips on tenor, on the tunes "The Man I Love" and "One Note Jive". LP, Vinyl record album

The Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross tradition lives on – in a smoking live set that features Indian singer Yolanda Bavan joining the group in place of recently-departed Ross! Bavan's ability to groove and improvise is every bit as great as that of Annie Ross – and she fits in nicely next to the warm lyrics of John Hendricks, and the sweetly crackling bop vocals of Dave Lambert. Plus, the live setting seems to open the whole group up even more – as they're working with a great combo that features Coleman Hawkins and Clark Terry sitting in with the Gildo Mahones trio that includes George Tucker on bass and Jimmie Smith on drums. The tunes are all very soulful and swinging – and the album easily sits with the best Columbia work by the older version of the group! Titles include "Watermelon Man", "Sack o Woe", "Deedle-Lee Deedle-Lum", and "Walkin", taken in a nice long stretch1 LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums ever by this legendary jazz vocal group! LHR do the incredible – and create a set of vocal renditions of standards by the Basie band, putting jazzy lyrics in to replace the instrumental solos, but keeping the same vibe as the original tracks. The sound and approach is amazing – and it's no wonder this record made them instant legends. Titles include "Down For The Count", "Fiesta In Blue", "Blues Backstage", and "It's Sand, Man!" LP, Vinyl record album

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A pretty weird one! Vicky Lane's always been one of the more dramatic singers from RCA's 50s gal catalog – and she's working here with LA jazzer Pete Condoli, who conducts a small jazz combo with lots of added percussion! The style's halfway between straight vocals and hi-fi type numbers with lots of added instrumental twists – and players on the set include Barney Kessel, Jimmy Rowles, Alvin Stoller, and Joe Mondragon, plus percussionists Milt Holland, Gene Estes, Larry Bunker, and Lou Singer. Tracks include "I Love You", "My Heart Stood Still", "My Romance", "Our Very Own", "The Trolley Song", "The Song Is You", and "Love Isn't Born". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic marriage of disco and progressive rock – served up in this mini "opera" of sorts by DC LaRue! The album's got a very odd feel – almost spare and thoughtful at times, yet always moving in an uptempo disco groove throughout. Michael Zager plays organ on the record, and arrangements are by Aram Schefrin. Titles include "Deep Dark Delicious Night", "Cathedrals", "I Don't Want To Lose You", and "I'll Still Be Here For You". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's definitely all woman – thanks to the sexy sounds of Monica Lassen on vocals! The singer works at a wordless level here – breezily scatting alongside these slinky, jazzy lines from The Sounds – a Japanese group who've clearly drunk deep from the well of bossa nova and European soundtrack influences of the 60s – and find a way to create their own small combo variation of those styles! The music has bits of organ, guitar, flute, and even what feels like electronics at points – and Monica's often more than content to step back, and let the group groove, then come in for a sigh, a moan, or a lighter vocalized passage. Titles are as sexy as the image on the cover – and include "Three Woman", "Love Touch", "Whimper", "Incitation", and "Happiness" – plus the long "Tie In/Double Bed/Enjoy Time". LP, Vinyl record album

The massive debut of reedman Ronnie Laws – a groundbreaking set of funky fusion tracks that set the standard for years to come! Ronnie's the kid brother of Hubert Laws – who was already having great fame at CTI – but here, the younger Laws works with producer Wayne Henderson – who was just getting his At Home Productions team off the ground, a force that was maybe only second to the Mizell Brothers when it came to soulful fusion in the 70s! The approach here is sharper, deeper, and edgier than some of Ronnie's later work – as complicated as it is funky, but always right on the money – and graced with some excellent keyboard work by other members of Henderson's Crusaders – including Wilton Felder on bass and Joe Sample on keyboards. The album includes the original, seminal version of the oft-recorded classic "Always There" – plus the deep mellow jam "Tidal Wave", which gained great fame as a hip hop sample – as well as "Momma", "Never Be The Same", "Why Do You Laugh At Me", "Nothing To Lose", and "Tell Me Something Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Here's a nice one – the only album we've ever seen by vocalist Dee Lawson, an icy yet soulful singer with a style that's clearly forged in the June Christy mode! The set features some nice small combo backing that really matches the late night mood of the tunes – more jazz-based overall than some of the vocal sets with larger orchestrations on Roulette – and featuring some of the great little unusual tunes that used to show up on that label's better vocal sides of the time. Highlights include "A Ballad At 5am", "It Was Nice While The Money Rolled In", "You Can't Hardly Get Them No More", "If The Moon Turns Green", and "Lost Within A Dream". Players include Jimmy Cleveland, Doc Severenson, and Eddie Safranski. LP, Vinyl record album

Led Zeppelin at peak power – mixing hard rock bombast with deep, genuine love for blues and folk guitars! Houses Of The Holy is the essential the blueprint for countless imitators to come – but it's also got smarts, subtleties and creative ambitious that's just plain lost on the watered wannabes that floated up in Zeppelin's wake. Titles include "The Crunge", "Over The Hills & Far Away", "The Song Remains The Same", "The Rain Song", "Dancing Days", "Dyer Maker", "No Quarter", and "The Ocean". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff – and a key example of the penetration of psychoanalysis in the US during the postwar years! The tunes here are all vocal parodies of familiar themes from Freud – sung by Katie Lee in a way that's a bit jazz, but possibly a bit folksy too – very playful at times, with the dry wit that you'd get in some of Tom Lehrer's famous records of the same period. Instrumentation is arranged by Bob Thompson, who really emphasizes the whimsy in the tunes – and titles include "The Will To Fail", "Repressed Hostility Blues", "Gunslinger", "Properly Loved", "Real Sick Sounds", "Shrinker Man", and "Schizophrenic Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Thumping underground soul from Shawn Lee! "So Much Trouble" is a moody little track with a deep, bassy thump propelling the track along with some wickedly dense drumming and bouncy production touches that make is thick and funky as it is lean! The Sparo remix keeps everything that's crucial to the core groove of the original, spacing out the lyrics a bit to give it more of a moody club feel. Nice stuff! 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of our favorite soundtracks ever – a jazzy swinging ode to love found and love lost – all penned by the legendary Michel Legrand! The work was composed in collaboration with director Jacques Demy for his 1966 film of the same name – and, like the previous Demy/Legrand collaboration, Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, the movie's a story in song – one that has much of the dialogue presented as sung lyrics to the tunes. The mode takes off from a Hollywood musical style, and pushes the genre into territory that's much hipper, very French, and with a soaring approach that's filled with plenty of mod 60s jazz grooves. Legrand's genius has never sparkled so brightly – and his ability to interweave different themes, stories, and grooves is simply amazing! This US package is even better than the original French one – with a nice colored book inside the gatefold cover that has some great photos and lyrics (translated) for the songs. Titles include "Nous Voyagons De Ville En Ville", "Depart De Camionners", "Arivee Des Camionneurs", "Chanson De Maxence", "Marins, Amins, Amants Ou Maris", and "Chanson De Jumelles". LP, Vinyl record album

Dynamic sounds from this overlooked 60s leader – played in a sharp mix of swing and modern styles – with work from Levitt on trombone, plus Bill Berry on trumpet, Buzz Renn on alto and flute, George Marge on tenor and flute, and Gene Allen on baritone and bass clarinet! LP, Vinyl record album

Tight hard swinging big band set, with really complicated arrangements and some great writing. Not all of the players are names you'll recognize, but Levitt's talent for arrangement and leadership ensure a tight tight band, and the album wails nicely. Tracks include "Stop Those Men!", "Vera Cruz", "Insight", and "The Mayor Of Vermont Village". Levitt's always talked about in hipster musician circles. Get this and find out why. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best records we've ever heard from pianist Lou Levy – a record that steps past the simple format of earlier records, into a style that's slightly modern, and very cool – thanks to the addition of vibes to his usual trio format. Larry Bunker plays vibes on the record, and rhythm's by Stan Levy and Leroy Vinnegar – both of whom hip things up nicely, and give the album a soulful bottom that offsets Levy's sprightly piano lines in a wonderful way. A real delight, even on the familiar tunes – and titles include "Gray Fox", "Tune Up", "Without You", "Wail Street", "Star Eyes", "Imagination", and "Indiana". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most soulful sounds we've ever heard from tenorist James Brandon Lewis a reworking of themes from the music of Mahalia Jackson into jazz – all at a level that keeps all the spirit of the originals, while unlocking the songs as vehicles for freer improvisation! Given the mix of freedom and spirit here, there's almost a vibe that takes us back to the brilliance of Albert Ayler at the start – served up through the intertwining magic of Lewis' tenor, the cornet of Kirk Knuffke, cello of Chris Hoffman, bass of William Parker, and drums of Chad Taylor – all tremendous players, but resonating even more strongly in the presence of this project! James has been getting plenty of attention in recent years, but this could be the album that catapults him into the canon of contemporary jazz – thanks to amazing takes of "Elijah Rock", "Were You There", "Go Down Moses", "Precious Lord", "Deep River", "Wade In The Water", "Swing Low", and "Sparrow". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the strongest sessions recorded by pianist John Lewis in the 50s – a date that shows depths of his talents that run even greater than his work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, quite possibly because is work on piano is at the forefront of the record throughout! There's a sense of darkness here that really fits the image on the cover – a style that's stated clearly on piano lines that are often as spacious as they are gentle, but which also have a moodier undercurrent below, thanks to Lewis' careful choice of keys and notes. The backing is often quite spare – Lewis sometimes plays just with Connie Kay's drums, or the guitar of either Jim Hall or Barry Galbraith – and at its fullest, the record features 2 trio numbers with the bass of Percy Heath and drums of Connie Kay. Tracks are lyrically and thoughtfully composed – and titles include "Two Lyric Pieces", "Harlequin", "D&E", "Little Girl Blue", and "Warmeland". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest jazz albums of the 60s – and a crucial crossover set from the legendary Ramsey Lewis trio! The record's a live one, which gives the group a perfect chance to show off their special genius – not just soulful grooves from Ramsey on piano, but wickedly sharp and playful basslines from the great Eldee Young, and equally inventive work on drums from Redd Holt – both fantastic players who would soon break out on their own as Young Holt Unlimited! There's a surprising mix of modes on the record, too – as Ramsey begins with the group's classic reading of "The In Crowd" – formerly a soul tune, but maybe more of a hit here in their instrumental reading – then runs through material that really showcases the creative depth of the group, on titles that include "Love Theme From Spartacus", "Felicidade", "Come Sunday", and "You Been Talkin Bout Me Baby". CD features 2 non-LP bonus tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer live set from Ramsey Lewis and his classic early 60s trio – a record that's not nearly as well known as The In Crowd, but every bit as great! Drummer Red Holt and bassist Eldee Young really get in some great elements here – working with Ramsey's piano in a groove that's far more than the standard trio mode of the time – and much more in a triangulated exchange of energy that's filled with life and joy throughout! Side one begins with a 12 minute "West Side Story Medley" – one that starts slow, but really builds with excitement as the tune rolls on – and other tunes include a version of "My Babe", with some funky cello work by Eldee Young; a soul-stepping take on "Something You Got"; Ramsey's original "The Caves"; and versions of "People", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "The Shelter Of Your Arms". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic pop soul jazz from the inventor of the genre! Ramsey's funky piano is backed by some soulful arrangements handled by Richard Evans – in a really tight style that includes great percussion, electric bass, and an all-out kicking style that makes even the mellowest tunes groove! Evans really adds a lot to the set – expanding the core groove of the Lewis trio with a proud and righteous Chicago approach – really bringing some "soul" to the soul jazz sound of the group, with incredible results! Titles include "Money In the Pocket", "Wade In the Water", "Ain't That Peculiar", "Up Tight", and "Hold It Right There". LP, Vinyl record album

Liberace takes on the sound of "today" – with backings from the Gordon Robinson orchestra, and 60s tunes that include "Two For The Road", "A Man & A Woman", "The Impossible Dream", and "Georgy Girl". Lee even taps and narrates a bit too! LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Little Bob – aka Lil Bob, aka Camille Bob – a New Orleans soul singer with a nicely funky edge! The album's almost got more of a mid 60s James Brown inspiration than some of Bob's southern contemporaries – with backing from the super-tight Lollipops, who really know how to make all the instruments come down on the groove – but also still leave room for one of the horn players to step out with a smoking solo from time to time! Bob's got a mellow, heartbreaking vibe on some of the more laidback tracks – but then can really soar on the more upbeat numbers – showing an emotional range that's really wonderful, and which makes the album as much a deep soul treasure as it is incredibly rare. Titles include "I Got Loaded", "The Way It's Got To Be", "Nobody But You", "My Heart's On Fire", "Are You Ever Coming Home", "So In Need", "With These Hands", and "Look Out Mr Heartache". LP, Vinyl record album

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

The original soundtrack to Trouble Man is nothing short of a masterpiece – a full-on moment of studio genius from Marvin Gaye, right in the middle of his classic 70s run – a record that's given a fantastic new treatment here by Lo Res, who delivers exactly what's promised in the title! The record's not a straight rehash of the original – as Lo Res clearly knows and loves, and has completely absorbed the original – so that he can take the whole thing and open it up with new arrangements, interesting instrumentation, and a mix of strings, jazz, and funky elements that are completely sublime. If anything, the set seems to more fully expand on the orchestrations of the original, while losing none of the sense of the soul – and apart from a vocal appearance by Blackwolf, most of the focus is instrumental – on titles that include "Cleo's Apartment", "T Plays It Cool", "Don't Mess With Mr T", "T Stands For Trouble", "Theme From Trouble Man", "Poor Abbey Walsh", "The Break In", and "Deep In It". LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Loco was one of the most amazing early Latin piano talents, and in an album like this, you can really hear him go to work in a savage way! On this set, Joe moves all over the keys in a number of different ways – from heavy left-handed stride playing, to light and lovely jazz soloing, to hard and rhythmic Latin grooving. The backing is spare, with mostly conga and bongo behind Joe, so you hear his amazing piano work right up front, in a way that doesn't always happen on other albums of his. Titles include "El Baion", "Gee", "Why Don't You Do Right", and "Don't Be That Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to imagine that Julie London would ever have to ask anyone to make love to her – at least not when she looks as sexy as this on the cover! The album's a key early classic for Liberty – still very fragile, personal, and up-close enough to make you think you might just be able to jump inside the cover and spend the night with Julie! Russ Garcia handles the backings with great care – a bit of gentle strings here, some light jazz there – but always letting London's breathy vocals come up very high in the mix. Titles include "Go Slow", "Lover Man", "Body & Soul", "Snuggled On Your Shoulder", and "Make Love To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

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Deep funk, but with a compelling twist – bits of South American styles filtering into the mix from time to time, but in subtle ways that never lose the groove! The album's a soundtrack, but works more like a funk album on its own – and is a great full length follow-up to some of the hip 45 work we've heard from the Colemine label – showing that they may well be on the deeper path of a label like Daptone! The added elements make for some hip exotic inflections from time to time – almost echoes of El Michels, but in a different way – and titles include "Pablo's Dilemma", "High Noon", "Sigamos El Sol", "El Conquistador", "Nadie Puede Escpar", "Andean Folk Song", and "Mirror Door". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great lost chapter in the career of Darlene Love – a soul singer who's maybe known best for her early work with Phil Spector in The Crystals – but who ended up with a long legacy in music, which is partly added to by this collection! The core of the set features some mid 60s recordings that Love made as the lead singer in The Blossoms – a great west coast female soul trio, represented here by a number of excellent singles for Reprise Records – including "That's When The Tears Start", "Good Good Lovin", "My Love Come Home", "Lover Boy", "Deep Into My Heart", and "Let Your Love Shine On Me". Those cuts are followed by two solo efforts for Reprise by Darlene – "Too Late To Say You're Sorry" and "If" – then preceded by a few other unusual sessions, including the track "TV Commercials" with guitarist Barney Kessel, and two Lee Hazlewood-related projects on "What Are We Gonna Do In 64" and "3625 Groovy Street", both issued under the name of The Wildcats. The set ends with a few cuts from later years – that time when Darlene was getting attention from a whole new generation – on the tracks "River Deep Mountain High", "He's Sure The Boy I Love", and two versions of "Mr Fix It". LP, Vinyl record album

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Here it is – the first Spoonful LP in all its sunny, groovy glory – and the sum is so much more than just a great single! Like the Byrds, the group is built on traditionally structured back-porch melodies. In the case of the Spoonful, jug band influences provide the core rhythmic groove, but the stratospheric tendencies of mid-to-late 60s pop really pushes them into something special and all their own. Tracks include "Younger Girl", "Other Side Of This Life", "Sportin Life", "You Baby", "My Gal", "Do You Believe In Magic", and "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind". Timeless, sunny, wistful groovy grooves for the ages! LP, Vinyl record album

Deeply soulful blowing from tenorist Frank Lowe – working here in a wonderfully hip group that includes Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Grachan Moncur III on trombone, Geri Allen on piano, Charnett Moffett on bass, and Charles Moffett on drums. The date really lives up to the promise you might expect from the players listed – and has a really classic, deep-rooted sound that makes the album feel like some lost avant set from a decade before – very well-crafted and thoughtful, with a great balance between focus and freedom. Lowe wrote most of the songs – and titles include "Decision In Paradise", "Cherryco", "I'll Whistle Your Name", "Lowe-ologie", "You Dig", and "Dues & Don'ts". LP, Vinyl record album

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A rare album as a leader from Teo Macero – one of the driving forces behind some of the key Miles Davis albums on Columbia Records – and other great jazz on that label too! Although Teo Macero is probably best known as Columbia's jazz producer during their successful early 60s run with Miles, he's also quite a composer in his own right, as you'll hear on this striking set of sides from the late 50s! Macero splits the album with Bob Prince – and each of these lesser-known modernists get a side apiece, and fairly free reign in coming up with some wild material. The sound has a little bit of that hip east coast chamber sound that you'd hear in Hal McKusick recordings – but there's also a bit more influences from 20th century modernism, as well as some of the larger Kenton-esque experiments of the early 50s. Macero's group includes John LaPorta, Eddie Bert, and George Barrow – and Prince is assisted by Jon Eardley, Phil Woods, and Frank Socolow. A great slice of lost avant playing, and one of the more striking jazz sides in the Columbia catalog! Titles include "Sounds Of May", "Ground Base", "Germination", "24+ 18+", and "Neally". LP, Vinyl record album

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Shelly picks up on a very successful format for his trio of the late 50s – begun with the My Fair Lady album, and followed through with this one – a batch of jazz-based readings of tracks from the hit Broadway musical based on the comic strip Lil Abner. Apart from that bit of history, and the goofy cover, which has Manne dressed as Abner, the overall feel is straight trio work in Shelly's most popular mode of the time – with Andre Previn on the ivories and Leroy Vinnegar on bass. Titles include "Matrimonial Stomp", "Jubilation T Cornpone", "Oh Happy Day", "Namely You", "Past My Prime", and "Progress Is The Root Of All Evil". LP, Vinyl record album

A key early entry in the "jazz meets Broadway" genre – and a record that was so successful, it went onto inspire countless imitations! Shelly Manne's working here in a lightly playful trio setting – alongside Andre Previn on piano and Leroy Vinnegar on bass, in a reading of tunes originally composed for the musical My Fair Lady. Given Manne's talent for unusual rhythms and melodic percussion, the session's got a bit of a whimsical edge that takes it way past the core compositions that most listeners already knew – into a realm that allows for much great improvisation and play with the melodies. Previn's nicely restrained on the keys, and Vinnegar adds in a good sense of bottom to the set – and titles include "Get Me To The Church On Time", "I Could Have Dance All Night", "Ascot Gavotte", "Show Me", and "With A Little Bit Of Luck". LP, Vinyl record album

A short detour in the 60s career of Chet Baker – one that we sure like a heck of a lot! This side is one of a couple that were recorded as an answer to the big success of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – with Chet's trumpet was backed by jaunty, brassy arrangements penned by Jack Nitzsche, and George Tipton. And while it might be easy to dismiss the tunes as copycat sound-a-likes, they're really not – as Nitszche brings in a much fuller groove to most of the numbers than Herb Alpert ever did – more of a sunny LA pop feel that has the whole group really gliding along on bold waves of sound all topped off by Baker's horn – sounding stronger and more confident here than on many of his other recordings of the 60s! Some numbers have a Latin undercurrent while others lean towards mainstream pop – a style that's bolder than A&M's approach to Tijuana – and one that explodes with some youthful LA energies! 12 tracks in all, including "Happiness Is", "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)", "The Phoenix Love Theme (Senza Fine)", "On The Street Where You Live", 'Armen's Theme", "You Baby" and "It's Too Late". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange 60s chapter in the career of trumpeter Chet Baker – but one that we sure like a heck of a lot! These sides were recorded as an answer to the big success of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass over at A&M Records – and for the sessions, Chet's trumpet was backed by jaunty, brassy arrangements penned by Jack Nitzsche. And while it might be easy to dismiss the tunes as copycat sound-a-likes, they're really not – as Nitszche brings in a much fuller groove to most of the numbers than Herb Alpert ever did – more of a sunny LA pop feel that has the whole group really gliding along on bold waves of sound all topped off by Baker's horn – sounding stronger and more confident here than on most of his other recordings of the 60s! There's a definite Latin undercurrent to most of the numbers, but also a fair bit of mainstream pop instrumentation as well – a style that's bolder and not nearly as compressed as the A&M approach to Tijuana – and one that explodes with some youthful LA energies! 10 numbers in all, including "Flowers On The Wall", "Mexico", "Hot Toddy", "El Paso", "Come A Little Bit Closer", "Speedy Gonzales", "Cuando Calienta El Sol", and "24 Hours To Tulsa". LP, Vinyl record album

As the liner notes say, "The Magic Beat is not primitive or ritualistic. To the contrary, it emphasizes the more sophisticated and romantic aspects of rhythmic sorcery." We won't say more, except to tell you that tracks include "Fever", "Ziganette", "Lover", "Rots O Ruck", "Colonel Bogey", and "Hot Sombrero". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that definitely lives up to its title – but which also offers a lot more than you might expect – way more than just a few cash-in dancefloor tunes! True, the whole thing's pretty lively – and titles include the group's seminal version of "Dancing In The Street" – still the only version you'll really ever need, despite years and years of countless covers that always fall short of the mark. But the set's also got a wonderful range that really displays the lead power of Martha Reeves – hewn tightly to the supporting Vandellas backups – and filled with a rich sense of feeling on titles that include the classic "Nowhere To Run", plus other Motown goodies like "Hitch Hike", "Mickey's Monkey", and "The Jerk". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Motown's best girl groups, caught here on a classic batch of album tracks with a great mix of material. Includes their classic reading of "Jimmy Mack", plus "I'll Follow You", "Let This Day Be", "I'm Ready For Love", "He Doesn't Love Her Anymore", and "What Am I Going To Do Without Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little Stereo Action set from Ray Martin, recorded with a very dynamic edge – hence the title! The feel here is a bit in the Esquivel mode – with orchestrations that swing all over the map, and use the stereo recording technology to their best advantage. And although Ray's perhaps a bit more sedate than Juan Garcia, lots of the tunes have some interesting instrumentation that keeps things interesting – sly little bits that sneak in under the radar, and crop up in the song to jazz things up a bit! Titles include "Mood Indigo", "Cry Me A River", "Bye Bye Blues", "Humoresque", "The Moon Was Yellow", and "Pagan Love Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Mason's first solo album – and a pretty a great one! Alone Together wasn't a huge hit back in the day, but man is a ever a pleasing set. It's rich with blues & soul steeped lead vocals and sweet backing harmonies and bed of acoustic guitars at the core of most of the tunes – sometimes with a driving intensity, others with a lightly gliding pace. The production is a nice mix of blue-eyed blues and southern skewing wah wah rock – with great musicians in the mix, from Leon Russell to Eric Clapton. Tracks include "Only You Know And I Know", "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving", "Waitin' On You", "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave", "World In Changes", "Sand And Deep As You", "Just A Song" and "Look At You, Look At Me". LP, Vinyl record album