A war soundtrack – but with some different touches that make it nicer than you'd think! The music was written by groovy French composer Georges Garvarentz, and performed in the KPM studios by Roland Shaw's orchestra – so despite the fact that the setting of the film is a military thriller, there's also some nice numbers that have kind of a 60s easy feel to them. Tony Allen sings the title song – and other tracks include "Victory Day", "Rendez-vous Of Paulette & Eddie", "Test For Parachute Landing", "Le Bistro De Paulette", and "Elga & Eddie's Farewell". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record from the southern scene of the 70s – a really unique set that's filled with righteous soul touches, and which really stands out from most other southern soul of the time! The feel here is often in a cosmic mode with plenty of jazz at the bottom – a sound that's influenced by Earth Wind & Fire, but which is also carried off here in a more laidback mode that seems to get equal inspiration from soulful fusion of the mid 70s. The group has both male and female singers trading things back and forth nicely and sometimes coming together on the choruses – creating an overall feel that's almost like Roy Ayers at times. And as with Ayers' best work, there's a tightness and focus to the whole record that's really wonderful – a cohesive groove that's way more than just a few ensemble funk tracks cut in the studio, and which really displays a wide musical vision! Titles include "My Queen", "Clock In", "Fantasy Garden", "Clap Song", "Love & Affection", "My Dreams", and "Magnificent Choo Choo". CD

A never-issued studio session from the 70s – one that has Stan Getz working with a really superb group that includes Joanne Brackeen on electric and acoustic piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all exploring the kind of territory that we loved on Stan's classic mid 70s albums on Columbia! The set's on Steeplechase, but this isn't one of those EU live albums with long takes of standards – and instead, the group have a warm, intimate, really cohesive style that's completely great – almost a bridge between Stan's Captain Marvel album and the Concord sessions to come. Titles include some really great song choices – versions of Milton Nascimento's "Cancao Do Sal" and Kenny Wheeler's "Quiso" – plus the classic tune "Litha" by Chick Corea, which Stan recorded so wonderfully in the past. Other titles include "Blue Serge", "I Remember Clifford", and "Lady Sings The Blues". CD features three bonus alternate takes too! CD

One of the grooviest records ever from the lovely Astrud Gilberto – a session that beautifully mixes her usual bossa nova with bits of Sunshine Pop and other hip late 60s grooves – all in a mode that really takes off a lot more than other Gilberto albums on Verve! The style here is really wonderful – upbeat, soaring, and joyous on most of the best numbers – a real transformation of Astrud's usual groove, and a great departure from too familiar bossa nova material. The record's been a little bit lost to the shifting sands of time – possibly because it's not as iconic as it might be – but we totally love it, and really consider it one of Gilberto's best moments ever in the studio. Arrangements are by Albert Gorgoni – and titles include a fantastic long jamming version of the track "Beginnings" that sounds completely different from the Chicago hit, and which is a stunning dancefloor groover! The album also includes an English version of "Canto De Osshana" called "Let's Go", plus a groovy uptempo version of the Bee Gee's "Holiday", and the great cut "Love Is Stronger Than We" from the soundtrack to A Man & A Woman. Other tracks include "Think Of Rain", "A Million Miles Away Behind The Door", "Don't Leave Me Baby", and "Summer Sweet (part 1, part 2 to be continued)". CD

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Two vintage radio broadcasts – the first from Dizzy Gillespie, fronting a small group with Leo Wright and Lalo Schifrin – the second with Art Farmer leading a quartet with Jim Hall and Steve Swallow! CD

A great set of early cool jazz and bop – with cuts that include "Oo La La" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Opus 96" by Bill Harris, "Aishie" by Buddy DeFranco, "Budo" by Miles Davis, and "Overtime" by Charlie Barnet. LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure we've ever seen many computers at the disco – but after hearing this sweet little set from the 80s, we're tempted to bring our laptops along the next time we go clubbing! The tracks are all spare instrumentals with an electro soul core – tunes that are upbeat and rhythmic enough to warrant the "disco" in the title – but which also feature mostly electronic elements, beats, and keyboards – cooked up in a sound library studio, far from the dancefloor – as almost a clearer, starker take on the cosmic vibe of the Italian scene of the time. The set features eight instrumentals – numbered "Disco 1", "Disco 2", "Disco 3", and so on. LP, Vinyl record album

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A surprisingly rich soundtrack for this famous Andy Warhol horror film – one of his key cinematic collaborations with Paul Morrissey! Claudio Gizzi's music is way more than schlock, or even the usual horror bag – as he mixes light orchestrations with these spare instrumental passages in a way that links together older thriller traditions, particularly British ones, with some of the new spareness of the 70s. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most righteous music we've ever heard from keyboardist Robert Glasper – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given his legacy of albums over the years! This project feels different than the previous Black Radio releases by Glasper – different than his initial blending of jazz modes and contemporary soul – and maybe more strongly driven by mission and purpose, with a quality that really comes through right from the very first note! Glasper's piano and keyboards still have that strong sense of shape we love so much – but they're maybe more heady and serious, and really set a fantastic tone for the album's many contributions from important voices like Esperanza Spaulding, BJ The Chicago Kid, Amir Sulaiman, Lalah Hathaway, Common, Posdnuos, Q Tip, Gregory Porter, Ledisi, HER, and others – a lineup who really elevate the already-sublime tone of the record. We've always found inspiration in the music of Robert Glasper – but it's also an amazing thing to see him rise to an almost statesman-like position with a project like this – on titles that include "Black Superhero", "Shine", "Why We Speak", "Better Than I Imagined", "Everybody Love", "It Don't Matter", "Heaven's Here", "Forever", and a surprisingly strong cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty fierce and fantastic album from Golden Earring – one that's very different than you might think if you only know the group from their later hits on radio! The sound here is completely full-on – heavy drums, rumbling bass, and stunning guitar work from George Kooymans – touched with some jazzier elements at times on flute and organ, which links the record a bit to that moment when the UK scene had turned blues inspirations to prog explorations – yet served up by Golden Earring with a much more hard rock approach throughout! Titles include a side-long workout on "Eight Miles High", which takes up all of side two – plus "One Huge Road", "Everyday's Torture", "Landing", and "Song Of A Devil's Servant". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful small combo session from tenorist Benny Golson – one of a few key albums like this from the early years! Although Golson is perhaps best known as a lively arranger in the modern idiom, he's also a kick-ass tenor player when he wants to be – and on this classic, he definitely wants to be! Unlike some of Golson's more tightly arranged records of the early years, this date is a deeply gutsy soul jazz session – support from a group that includes Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Art Blakey on drums, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – all sliding into long tracks that have plenty of room for solos! The whole thing's a bit like the more spontaneous side of the Jazz Messengers groove – and titles include "The Stroller", "Drumboogie", "My Blues House", and a beautiful version of "Yesterdays". CD

A record that really takes on the "phasing" in the title seriously – as it uses all sorts of cool effects to create a special magic with simple sounds – all while managing to serve up some great funky nuggets too! The record's a masterpiece in both sound library instrumentation and inventive studio percussion – as the great Michel Gonet serves up themes that might have been used originally on 70s TV, but which maybe come across in styles that are a lot more trippy and groovy too – more like funk cuts that you'd hear on Doctor Who than anything that might crop up on the daily news! Titles on this first volume include a few variations on most themes – including "Light In The Rains", "Mondial Scoop", "Soul Cathedral", "Mephisto Jet", "Mecanic Bird Song", and "Moon To Light". LP, Vinyl record album

A Sunshine Pop classic from The Gordion Knot – an album that's overflowing with warm late 60s harmonies, all produced to perfection by ex-Hi-Los member Clark Burroughs! The album's got a style that takes the modes Burroughs and his group forged back in the 50s, and updates it with a groovier, modder sort of style – a gently swinging late 60s sound that brings in some trippier elements, and some occasional singer/songwriter inspirations. JD Weatherly steps out in front of the group on bolder lead vocals on a few numbers – but even on these, there's strong harmony support underneath – and some wonderfully dynamic backings that soar up, and support the whole thing on a really groovy pillow of sound! Titles include "It's Gonna Take A Lot", "The World Keeps Spinnin", "Strong Wind Blowin", "One Way Street", "Carraway Stream", "Carnival Lights Again", "Broken Down Ole Merry-Go-Round", "If Only I Could Fly", and "We Must Be Doing Something Right". CD

A Sunshine Pop classic from The Gordion Knot – an album that's overflowing with warm late 60s harmonies, all produced to perfection by ex-Hi-Los member Clark Burroughs! The album's got a style that takes the modes Burroughs and his group forged back in the 50s, and updates it with a groovier, modder sort of style – a gently swinging late 60s sound that brings in some trippier elements, and some occasional singer/songwriter inspirations. JD Weatherly steps out in front of the group on bolder lead vocals on a few numbers – but even on these, there's strong harmony support underneath – and some wonderfully dynamic backings that soar up, and support the whole thing on a really groovy pillow of sound! Titles include "It's Gonna Take A Lot", "The World Keeps Spinnin", "Strong Wind Blowin", "One Way Street", "Carraway Stream", "Carnival Lights Again", "Broken Down Ole Merry-Go-Round", "If Only I Could Fly", and "We Must Be Doing Something Right". LP, Vinyl record album

Rock-solid overseas work from the mighty Dexter Gordon – a studio set instead of one of his live dates from the Danish scene of the time – and a record that seems to have Dex coming across with even more focus and power than ever! The tracks are long, and his solos have this wonderful bite – driven strongly by work from Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all moving sharply and tightly, with maybe an especially sharp crackle in the drums of Higgins, which really seems to energize even the mellower numbers! Titles include the great originals "Catalonian Nights" and "Benji's Bounce" – plus "Easy Living", "Four", and "Billie's Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

Late live recordings from the mighty Dexter Gordon – wonderful material recorded at the Keystone Korner in the late 70s, with an inventively-blown power to match Gordon's earlier live sets from the European scene! The format here is similar – with Dexter out front, laying down incredible lines on tenor sax – and getting support from George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums. But in a way, the music here is even stronger than before – as Gordon's got a sharper edge, focused solo approach, and is working with an agility that really leaves us breathless. The tracks are long, but have the energy of Gordon's shorter studio tracks for Columbia at the time – and although we're not always huge fans of the "soloist in unfettered live setting" style of recording, we've gotta admit that we really love these tracks! 7 numbers in all, including "Easy Living", "It's You Or No One", "Antabus", "Sophisticated Lady", "More Than You Know", "Tangerine", and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked US date from 1970 – a set that Dexter Gordon recorded during a quick stop home from his time abroad – really cooking away in the Prestige studios with a great little rhythm section, in ways that are quite different than his better-known European work of the time! The title cut's a groover that definitely matches the promise of its name – a slinky soul jazz number driven along nicely by a rhythm trio that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Larry Ridley on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. The group keep things interesting on other cuts too – even when Gordon's dominating with the kind of inventive solo lines he was forging in Europe – and most tracks are longish, with plenty of room for action. Titles include "The Panther", "Valse Robin", "Mrs Miniver", and "The Blues Walk". CD

Rare unreleased live material from Dexter Gordon's best years – a 1967 performance that was recorded by Danish Radio at the Cafe Montmartre – the Copenhagen base where Gordon had set up camp overseas, and was very quickly hitting a whole new level of his music! That level is heard here very strongly – on the kind of long tracks that show what a superbly imaginative soloist he'd become – with help from Kenny Drew on piano, Bo Steif on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. All tracks are very long, with that totally solid, totally tight, totally confident solo style that became Gordon's stock-in-trade during these years – and titles include "The Squirrel", "Cheese Cake", "Sonnymoon For Two", and "You've Changed". CD

A dozen previously-unreleased tracks from the great James Govan – presented here with work from some of his rare singles from Fame Records! All the music was recorded at Muscle Shoals when the scene was at its height – headed up by production whiz Rick Hall, and backed by the great Fame studio musicians – but it's Govan himself who really makes these tunes sparkle – singing with this rich voice that's clearly rooted in the 60s modes of Otis Redding, but which also stretch forth in a new style of his own! James has this earnest appeal on record that really echoes his image on the cover of the set – and there's a charm to these tunes that really goes beyond the usual southern soul of the period –far past any overdone cliches or commercial modes. The discovery of these dozen sides is a great thing for fans of southern soul – and they make a great counterpart to the few Fame singles that Govan ever issued. Titles include "I've Gone Too Far", "Something", "Stuck On Her", "Way Over Yonder", "I Shall Be Released", "You Get A Lot To Like", "Just Like A Woman", "Take Me Just As I Am", "Jambalaya", and "Wanted Lover No Experience Necessary". CD

Fantastic unreleased work from one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene from the late 50s onward – and one of the few players who could match the depth and soul of American jazzmen on the instrument! Dusko Goykovich has given us so much great music over the years – in small groups as a leader, in unusual projects as a sideman, and even as a soloist in bigger bands – and here, we capture the trumpet giant at the earliest stage of his career – on some beautiful German radio studio recordings from the end of the 50s and start of the 60s – tight, soulful, boppish material with a slight modern edge – recorded on all tracks with Derek Humble on alto, Karl Drevo (Drewo) on tenor, Franciso Coppieters on piano, and Jonny Fischer on bass. Some tracks feature Kenny Clarke on drums, the rest feature Stuff Combe on the kit – and titles include "Mile Dave", "Omricon", "Perhaps", "Quicksilver", "Solar", "Les Copains", "Salud To Birdland", and "On Green Dolphin Street". CD

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A four-pack of albums from this seminal group – all brought together in a single set! Where Were You is a seminal set from the Sunset Strip scene of the 60s – and just the kind of record that shows why the changes taking place in Cali were so important to the growth of so much other music at the time! A few years before, and The Grass Roots would have been a pop folk combo re-tuning traditional tracks for the coffeehouse scene – but here they're taking off with some post-folk modes that are partly sunshine pop, partly the headier currents that were the darker side of the west coast – all put together with superb production by PF Sloan and Steve Barri – who also penned some of the best tunes on the record. Titles include the great "Where Were You When I Needed You" – plus "Only When You're Lonely", "Look Out Girl", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "I've Got No More To Say", "I Am A Rock", "Tell Me", and "Mr Jones". Let's Live For Today is maybe the most famous record ever given to the world by California quartet The Grass Roots – famous for its title tune, and for the way that it effortlessly blends together folk inclinations and psych inspirations! The record's definitely one of those that showed the world that there was something new in the air at the time – put together with perfect production in the studio from Steve Barri and PF Sloan – who are in territory that's somewhere between the best from Brian Wilson and Abbey Road Studios – but a bit more understated than both! Titles include the classic "Let's Live For Today" – plus "Things I Should Have Said", "Wake Up Wake Up", "No Exit", "This Precious Time", "House Of Stone", "Is It Any Wonder", and "Tip Of My Tongue". Feelings is a great departure for The Grass Roots – a set that has the group taking a stronger role overall in the instrumentation and songwriting on the record – at a level that makes the whole thing a fabulous extension of all the genius they'd given the world on previous sets! There's still that cool blend of post-folk and psychedelic elements taking place here – gently swirled together with acoustic and electric guitars setting the tunes up just right – all with a late 60s Cali vibe that's as great today as when it was recorded. Titles include "The Sins Of A Family Fall On The Daughter", "Melody For You", "You Might As Well Go My Way", "Dinner For Eight", "Good Things Come To An End", "You & Love Are The Same", and "Hey Friend". CD

One of the crowning early moments from the young Grateful Dead – a key Warner studio album that really has the group moving from psychedelic to more roots-oriented modes – maybe a Marin vibe versus a Haight sort of happening – with loads of great guitar and pedal from Jerry Garcia, plus lots more from the rest of the crew too. Robert Hunter wrote the tunes, Mickey Hart added in lots of percussion next to the drums - and titles include the very groovy "Truckin", plus "Box Of Rain", "Candyman", "Operator", "Sugar Magnolia", "Friend Of The Devil", "Ripple", "Brokedown Palace", "Attics Of My Life", and "Till The Morning Comes". Cassette

The Grateful Dead in the early 80s – still going strong in a live setting, and with a vibe that's maybe even closer to their roots than some of their Arista studio material at the time! The set is a massive ten-sided representation of a show that has the group soaring and stretching out on nearly every track – with jamming versions of "Ramble On Rose/El Paso", "Althea", "Feel Like A Stranger", "Stella Blue/Good Lovin", "Space/The Other One", "Uncle John's Band/Drums", "Ship Of Fools", "Estimated Prophet", "China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider/Samson & Delilah", "Deep Elem Blues", "New Minglewood Blues", "Beat It On Down The Line", "US Blues", and "Bird Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing set of recordings, and a fantastic lost chapter in the career of legendary percussionist Milford Graves – material recorded in his home basement studio in the months before his classic album Babi – and done in a style that's often more freewheeling and unbridled than that famous record! Graves is fantastic throughout – but maybe even more mindblowing is saxophonist Arthur Doyle, who appears throughout on the first half of the album – blowing tenor with that incredible tone of his, unlike anyone else – then spelling a bit for flute – as he and Graves work in a trio with Hugh Glover on additional percussion and a klaxon as well! The set then features duo material for most of the second half – with Glover switching to tenor, and sounding amazing – as Graves continues his mindblowing improvisations on drums and percussion – all capped off by a single solo performance that ends the double-length album of unreleased sessions. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful live set from the legendary Great Jazz Trio of Ron Carter, Tony Williams, and Hank Jones – one of the group's key Japanese albums of the 70s! As the title implies, the set was recorded live at the Village Vanguard – in a setting that has the trio stretching out even more than on their already-spacious studio sides of the time. Williams is especially nice on the record – light and free on the kit, and miles away from some of his fusion work of the 70s. Jones' tones are warm and soulful, and Carter's bass work is always a treat in a setting like this. The album features a great take on "Naima", plus the tracks "Moose The Mooche", "Favors", and "12+12" – all done in nice long versions. CD

A wonderful live set from the legendary Great Jazz Trio of Ron Carter, Tony Williams, and Hank Jones – one of the group's key Japanese albums of the 70s! As the title implies, the set was recorded live at the Village Vanguard – in a setting that has the trio stretching out even more than on their already-spacious studio sides of the time. Williams is especially nice on the record – light and free on the kit, and miles away from some of his fusion work of the 70s. Jones' tones are warm and soulful, and Carter's bass work is always a treat in a setting like this. The album features a great take on "Naima", plus the tracks "Moose The Mooche", "Favors", and "12+12" – all done in nice long versions. CD

One of the most open-ended sessions ever recorded by the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Hones, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – a live set from the Village Vanguard, and one that features them really stretching out on 4 longer tracks! Jones' work on piano is an especially nice treat here – as he's still got the poise that we know from his more restrained studio sessions, yet also seems to really loosen up with the warm rhythm accompaniment of Carter and Williams. The session features a great obscure gentle groover titled "Wind Flower", plus a really introspective take on Miles Davis' "Nardis", and the tunes "Lawra" and "Confirmation". CD

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" LP, Vinyl record album

Sublimely spiritual work from trombonist Charles Greenlee – a player who's best remembered for work as a sideman with Archie Shepp, but who really sparkles as a leader on this rare Japanese set! The vibe here is totally great – a righteous approach to soul jazz that rivals the best work of the Strata East scene in the US, but which is carried off with the poise and power of some of the best mid 70s Japanese-only dates of this type – clearly a great deal of respect and freedom given to Greenlee in the studio, but also some good help in putting together the record in as solid a way as possible. Jean Carn makes a great appearance singing on 3 tracks here – with a quality that's even more righteous than her work with Doug Carn on Black Jazz – and one more number features the great Joe Lee Wilson on vocals too. Players include Hubert Eaves and Art Matthews on piano, Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Archie Shepp on tenor and soprano, Buster Williams on bass, and either Charlie Persip or Beaver Harris on drums – and titles include "I Know About The Life", "He's Gone", "Steam", "Someday", "Crusificado", and "Miss Barbara". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool take on the sounds of Studio Ghibli – one that brings classic melodies from the famous animated features into play with the production talents of Grey October Sounds – who delivers the goods with all the low-fi elements promised by the title! The approach is instrumental hip hop, but with a very different approach than usual – as the sweetness and spirit of the originals really grace the whole record in a really wonderful way – so that there's a sense of warmth and redemption that you'd not normally find in a record of beats, keyboards, and samples! Includes tunes from Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle In The Sky, and other Ghibli films – 10 tracks in all. CD

Almost from the start of his career, tenorist Johnny Griffin was heading overseas, delivering searing live performances like this – working as a solo horn player with a pickup group, at a level that was often even more powerful than some of his studio work back home! And here, the combo is hardly just a pickup group – as British modernist Stan Tracey is on piano, working alongside frequent musical partners Malcolm Cecil on bass and Jackie Dougan on drums – a great engine to drive the tenor of Griffin on to new heights – as Johnny blows here with a really raw edge that's amazing, and non-stop imagination that makes for very powerful solos that never seem to let up at all! The set features a smoking 22 minute take on "Indiana", plus long takes on "Blues In Twos" and "The Girl Next Door", both around the 15 minute mark – which means that Tracey also gets in plenty of solo space too. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual groups we've heard from the Lagos scene of the 70s – a combo who definitely have a bit of funk in their style, but also a pretty trippy sound too – one that seems to draw from some of the headier sounds in the UK from a few years before – maybe folk-funk, touched with a bit of acid guitar – set to basslines that groove nicely on some of the album's best tracks – in a way that nicely offsets the unusual vocals! The whole thing's pretty trippy – even when funky – maybe more like some of the Zamrock funk of the period, but very much its own thing too – with tracks that include "Grottic Depression 1", "Change Of Tide", "Doomed", "Funk From Mother", "Grottic Depression 2", and "Bad Times". LP, Vinyl record album

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A mighty deep dig into the overlooked soul scene in Virginia – put together by the same folks who gave us the fantastic Raw Soul/Ol Virginia Soul compilations a number of years back! The set focuses on the special studio productions of Lenis Guess – head of LGA Records, and a strong force in the underground scene in Norfolk – a city east of Richmond, and one that had its own great little soul scene for a number of years too! Some of the material here was issued on very small run 7" singles – but a number of others also never saw the light of day back in the 70s, yet are killers that resonate equally well with the singles – raw soul with a nicely gritty vibe, and some slight traces of the more upbeat modes that were hitting VA at the time. Titles include "Keep My Company With You" and "You Don't Believe I Love You" by Deltones Ltd, "Your Love Gave Me Peace Of Mind" by 35th Street Gang, "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "How Long Have I Been A Fool" by Jato Vondel, "Don't Wake Me Up" by Jack & The Mods, "No Steps Away" by Lenis Guess & The Royal Robins, "Home Ain't Home" and "Find Yourself Another Baby" by The Symbolics, and "Sentimental Love (inst)" by Little Wink & Eddie's 25th Century Band. LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than a snapshot – as the double-length set acts more like a full portrait of the European free jazz scene at the time – with special contributions from a wide array of avant German musicians! The feel here is very FMP – especially in the mode of that label's live recordings, which often feature unique combinations of musicians, really driving each other on. As part of that promise, the album features work from the Berliner Improvisations Quartett, with Hermann Keller on piano, Andread Altenfelder on trumpet, and Manfred Schulze on reeds; the trio of reedman Friedhelm Scholfeld; the Ulrich Gumpert Workshop Band, with Gumpert on piano, Ernst Ludwid Petrowsky on reeds, Heinz Becker on trumpet, and Johannes Bauer on trombone; the duo of Gumpert on piano and Gunter Sommer on drums; the Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky Quartet with Sommer on drums and Heinz Becker on trumpet; the Studio IV group, with Petrowsky on reeds, Hubert Katzenbeier on trombone, Eberhard Weise on piano,a nd Joachim Graswurm on trumpet; a trio with Gumpert on piano, Sommer on drums, and Manfred Hering on alto and tenor; and the Hans Rempel Orchester, with Rempel on piano, plus Becker, Graswurm, Petrowsky, Bauer, and Forsthoff. LP, Vinyl record album

Early Krautrock hugeness from Guru Guru – their epic debut, and a record that was one of the key calling cards of the German scene at the start of the 70s! At first glance, the elements are familiar – but there's a few nice touches in the studio too – yet the real energy of the group come from their fantastic musicianship, spun out on long tracks that make the core bass, drums, and guitar sound far more revolutionary than work from the UK scene at the time. That core is one that so many other groups were using with a blues rock into hard rock mode – but Guru Guru are already into something new and their own here – stepping out on long cuts that include "Stone In", "Girl Call", "Next Time See You At The Dalai Lhama", and "Der LSD – Marsch". CD

A really amazing project from Mats Gustafsson – and one that's a great reminder of his ability to create music in so many different and incredible ways! This time around, Mats acts as the conductor – at the head of NyMusik Trondheim and Avant Art Ensemble – both larger groups who mix together acoustic instrumentation with electronics, but all in these very spare, often subtle ways that hardly make you aware of their size at all. There are moments of full-on sonic activity, but much of the proceedings focus on smaller sounds and more focused expressions – served up with solo work from Anders Nyqvist on trumpets, Colin Stetson on amplified bass sax, Hedvig Mollestad on tuba, Jerome Noetinger on revox tape machines, and Dieb 13 on turntables – next to other work on cello, violin, prepared piano, accordion, and guitar. Titles include "Mirrors 1", "Echoes 1", "Shadows 2", "Outro", "Intro", and "Reflection". CD

Gypsy Lane were produced here by Jacques Morali, of Village People fame – but don't hold that against them, as the set's got a deeper vibe than you might expect! The group seem pretty tight on their own already – and work more as a tight ensemble funk group than the kind of disco studio creations Morali was more tied to – grooving at a level that seems informed by the best mid 70s advances of Earth Wind & Fire, which includes some warmer moments next to the uptempo cuts. Lead vocals are by Alfonso Carey, but other members of the group often harmonize alongside – and titles include "Show Me How To Groove", "We'll Have Love", "Hey Sister", and "I Could Use Some Loving". CD

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Jim Hall on guitars, Derek DiCenzo on steel drum, Terry Clark on drums, Scott Colley on bass, Ryan Kisor on trumpet, Joe Lovano on soprano saxophone, Jim Pugh on trombone, Claudio Roditi on flugelhorn and Gil Goldstein conducting. CD

A rare set of work by Chico Hamilton's original quintet – the groundbreaking lineup that features Buddy Collette on flute and saxes, Fred Katz on cello, Jim Hall on guitar, and Carson Smith on drums – all working together in a really unique blend of rhythm and melody! The sound here is a bit looser than the group's studio albums for Pacific Jazz – given the live setting of the album, at the Strollers club in Long Beach. Yet despite that locale, the sound is quite clear and clean – just right for bringing out the subtle nuances in the string work by Katz and Hall, and some of the lighter notes laid out by Collette's reeds. But there's also a firmer, bolder sound here too – a bit more of a groove than you might expect at times. Titles include "Fast Flute", "Cute Little Deal", "Crazy Rhythm", "Caravan", "Change It", "Free Form", and "A Mood". CD

The start of funky funky Herbie Hancock! This album's the first to feature Herbie really breaking away from his straight jazz work – moving into a groove that's nice and funky, using electric piano along with acoustic, to forge the sound that he'd develop famously over the 70s. The album's got a harder, heavier sound than some of his straight electric ones – and it features a larger group with soloists that include Johnny Coles on trumpet and Joe Henderson on tenor – plus some sweet basslines from Buster Williams – all led by Herbie into a tight soul jazz flurry of excellent tracks! Includes the cuts "Fat Mama" and "Wiggle Waggle", both sample favorites, plus "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" and "Lil Brother". Classic stuff, and one of his best records ever! LP, Vinyl record album

Hanrahan's 3rd LP for American Clave – and slightly more of a confused effort than the first two, although still with a tremendous vision that marks it as an incredibly lucky bit of work to come out of the often-turgid New York scene of the mid 80s! Hanrahan's got no qualms about baring himself in the vocal numbers of the songs – and the range of performers (Milton Cardona, Jack Bruce, Leo Nocentelli, Charles Neville, and many others) he's got to back him up, ensure that his vision is handled with the right degree of professional courtesy. Titles include "Ah Intruder", "Road Song", "The First & Last To Love Me", "American Clave", "Love Is Like A Cigarette", and "A Model Bronx Childhood". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music from Hapshash & The Coloured Coat – a group with a sound that's every bit as freewheeling as their name! The set's a unique collaboration between DJ/producer Guy Stevens and psych poster designers Michael English and Nigel Weymouth – and has this loose, unfettered feel that's almost more like a "happening" in the studio instead of some road-jamming band cutting its music to vinyl – a really hair-down party with instrumentation on trippy percussion, jangly guitar, and other odd sounds that step in and out of the mix – showing a larger studio sense of manipulation for the whole record. There's an odd groove to the record at parts – almost a chaos theory return of the eternal – and titles include "H-O-P-P Why?", "A Mind Blown Is A Mind Shown", "The New Messiah Coming 1985", "Aoum", and the epic side two jam "Empires Of The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

The first time out, these guys seemed more like a mistake or a studio collision (and we mean that in a good way!) – but for this second set, Haphash and crew have really evolved – getting a bit tighter and more focused – yet still sticking to the trippy multi-colored style that made them so great in the first place! There's a bit more emphasis on lyrics than before, and there's actually some great structure to the songs – served up in a blend of acoustic instrumentation and fuzz, often with these whimsical little touches that come across in this oddly spooky sort of way – a mode that really makes these guys a real standout in the late 60s psych generation. Titles include "Colinda", "Chicken Run", "Big Bo Peep", "Milk Shake Knock", "The Wall", "You For Ophelia", and "Fare You Well". LP, Vinyl record album

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A set of unreleased duets between trumpeter Roy Hargrove and pianist Mulgrew Miller – two players who are definitely in harmony throughout the recording! Most tracks are nice and long – taken with an open, lyrical sensibility – one that's driven strongly by Miller's sense of imagination on the piano, and which seems to have Roy Hargrove maybe opening up a bit more than some of his studio recordings of the time! Titles include versions of "Triste", "Con Alma", "This Is Always", "I Remember Clifford", "Never Let Me Go", "Invitation", Ruby My Dear", "Ow", and "Just In Time" – plus a nice reading of the Blue Mitchell tune "Fungii Mama". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album – and for good reason too – a set that's as mysterious as it is funky, and a record that's stayed at the top of our crates for years! The album features a really unusual collective of musicians, pulled together under the guidance of producer Paul Winley – a group that features George Benson on guitar, Dave Baby Cortez on organ, Willis Jackson on tenor sax, and Earl Williams on some massively funky drums! The music's a mix of funky jazz and gritty soul – put together with some really weird studio touches – including an uncredited male voice that comes in and out of the tracks, bad-rapping along with some very hip commentary. Ann Winley sings the female vocals on the set – often egged on by the dude – but the real charm of the record lies at the bottom – the wicked drums, funky basslines, and choppy instrumental bits that have gotten the set sampled plenty over the years. Titles include the classic "Smokin Cheeba Cheeba" alone, the groovy "Finger In It", a great breakbeat version of "Ain't No Sunshine" with a tenor solo by Willis Jackson, and the slow bluesy talking cut "Fed Up", a baaaad rap about a couple splitting up – done here in both vocal and instrumental versions. CD

Great new collection of the fantastic magical work of the great Harper's Bizarre. One of the jewels in the crown of the LA studio scene of the late 60's, this superb pop group was sort of a mix of Brian Wilson-style vocals, soundtrack kitsch, and Now Sound instrumentation – with lots of little Warner bits like Van Dyke Parks and Randy Newman thrown in. Great 14 track comp, with some of the best LP cuts, like "Come to the Sunshine", "Biggest Night of Her Life", "Witchi Tai To", "Poly High", and "Happyland". Crazy and wonderful. CD

A beautiful collection of early Sansu Records material from Betty Harris – a fantastic funky female singer from New Orleans – and one who rose up in the same generation as greats like Lee Dorsey and Ernie K Doe! And like some of her best Crescent City contemporaries, Betty gets key help here from the young Allen Toussaint, working with his studio partner Marshall Sehorn – in a style that really creates all these tight, sharp corners on the tunes – all elements that really underscore the funky depth of Betty's vocals. Titles include "Ride Your Pony", "What A Sad Feeling", "I'm Evil Tonight", "What'd I Do Wrong", "I Don't Wanna Hear It", "Bad Luck", and "Mean Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A spiritual jazz classic from the hip LA scene of the late 70s – led by saxophonist Billie Harris, and featuring a group that includes Horace Tapscott on piano! We don't know much about Harris, but he's got a freewheeling spiritual sound that's very much in the Coltrane-inspired mode, yet also steeped in the creative improvised style of Tapscott's scene in LA. Tracks are all long, with a sound that builds majestically over time – and the set leaves us wondering why Harris wasn't a bigger player at the time. The core tracks of the CD were recorded in the studio – with Tapscott, Harris, and added bass, percussion, and guest vocals by the enigmatic Lorelei. An additional longer track was recorded live, with a larger group that also includes Adele Sebastian on flute and Sabia Mateen on tenor. And a last track is an 8 minute solo piano number by Tapscott. Titles include "Why Don't You Listen", "I Want Some Water", "Many Nights Ago", "The Advocate", and "Prayer Of Happiness". CD

A "live in studio" set done in Japan by this California guitarist – joined here by a few overseas players! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best 70s mellow soul talents at Atlantic Records – sounding completely sublime here in a full set of Philly arrangements! The set was recorded at Sigma Sound – and is a great reminder that even during the disco years, the studio was still a great place to cut a heartbreaking ballad – the sort of number that younger Philly groups would have done for indie labels at the start of the 70s – polished up and given some real maturity here by The Major! There's also a few great groovers on the record too – but with that Philly poise that also still holds onto all the personality of the singer – and the arrangements are great throughout – handled by Norman Harris, Ron Kersey, and Bobby Eli – a perfect Philly team. Titles include "Walkin In The Footsteps", "Jealousy", "I Got Over Love", "Tynisa", "It's Got To Be Magic", and "What's The Use In The Truth". LP, Vinyl record album

Dan Hartman cut some big records in the late 70s disco years, but this set has him returning to more of the blue-eyed soul of his debut – music that's well-produced and tight, and at times almost an update of older rockish modes through the lens of 70s AOR! There's a really well-crafted approach to the record – music that might have hit the heights of AM radio a few years before, had Dan put this one out instead of his clubbier music – and most tracks have warm production on the vocals, often overdubbed slightly – so that Dan harmonizes with himself in a great way. Titles include "Forever In A Moment", "It Hurts To Be In Love", "All I Need", "Heaven In Your Arms", "My Desire", "Letting In A Song", and "Hello Again". CD features bonus tracks – "Rejection" and "Go Go". CD

One of the lasting moments of genius from trumpeter Jon Hassell – his second entry in Brian Eno's 4th World series, and a set that's even more mindblowing than the first! As with that one, the approach here mixes together electric and acoustic sounds, with an imagined landscape of possibilities – music that sometimes feels as if it's come from ethnographic sources, but other times feels as if it's floated down from the future! Hassell blows trumpet on all tracks, often with a fair bit of electronic processing – alongside lots of percussion from other players, all mixed up by Daniel Lanois in the studio. The sound is almost a more abstract extension of the mixture of jazz and global elements that Don Cherry first explored about a decade before – and titles include "These Times", "Gift Of Fire", "Chor Moire", "Courage", and "Dream Theory". Features the bonus track "Ordinary Mind". CD

Strange soundtrack to a weird early 70s film about a Jesus-peddler – with songs that are mostly in a folk-rock mode similar to some of the drippier tunes showing up on AIP soundtracks of a few years before. The best tunes are the instrumentals by Hatcher, which have kind of a biker bluesy sound to them – but the bulk of the album is vocal numbers, sung by Matthew Crowe & His Travelin Band. Oh for the days when the studios had this much money to throw away! Titles include "Send Me A Friend", "Brian's Theme", "Heleana's Love Theme", "San Diego Blues", "Soul Hustler", and "Set Me Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". One CD bonus cut, "A Dream", is previously unissued. CD

The complete sessions by the best-known early version of The Hampton Hawes Trio – one that featured Red Mitchell on bass and Chuck Thompson on drums, heard here on the group's first three albums for the Contemporary label! The Hawes approach to the keys was a very popular one at the time – a mix of bop invention and older-styled phrasing – played mostly over standards, but creative and inventive enough to put Hampton on a par with Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, and some of the other rising trio talents of the 50s. Most of the set's 35 tracks were done in studio mode – but the package also features 3 bonus live numbers from the Embers night club in 1956, plus 3 more bonus tracks from live LA recordings – featuring either Mel Lewis or Shelly Manne in the drum chair. Titles include "Hamp's Blues", "Feeling Fine", "I Got Rhythm", "Round Midnight", "Blues For Jacques", "Section Blues", "Yesterdays", "Carioca", "Just Squeeze Me", "Body & Soul", "Coolin The Blues", "Walkin", and "The Champ". CD

Featuring undated 50s recordings with the Teddy Wilson Trio, with Milt Hinton, Jo Jones, and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as a 1959 date with the Eddie Higgins Trio. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful duet set from Isaac Hayes and Dionne Warwick – one that draws on the classiest side of the Hayes spectrum, and uses his groove to help Dionne find some great new energy! Even in performance, the music has that great rich quality that Isaac always brought to his solo recordings in the 70s – with strings, backup singers, and some tight undercurrents that help keep things soulful throughout – really cutting through the schmaltz of Ike's shiny tux on the cover! Dionne really sparkles in his company – and the record features duo numbers, solo spots, and even some nice medley tracks. The band behind the pair are electric, mellow, and very soulful – and titles include "Can't Hide Love", "Chocolate Chip", "Then Came You", "Come Live With Me", "Unity", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "I Say A Little Prayer", done nicely in a medley together. CD

Rare live work from Tubby Hayes – recorded for Swedish Radio in one of the last years of his life, and a really rock-solid set! Given the professional recording of the performance, the set's quite different than some of the more dodgy Hayes live dates – and given Tubby's disappearance from the studio during these later years, the record may well stand as one of the few good documents of his talents at the time! Backing is by a hip trio that features Staffan Abeleen on piano, Niels Henning Ordsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and all tracks are quite long, with beautifully-crafted solos that spin out nicely – all in ways that are a bit looser and more free than some of Tubby's 60s work. Titles include "C Minor Bird", "Off The Wagon", "Vierd Blues", "I Thought About You", and "Without A Song". CD

A fantastically hip, free live performance from British saxophone giant Tubby Hayes – one that's much more open than some of his studio work from the time, and way different than the usual Ronnie Scotts live recording too! The album features one long track – "Modes & Blues" – a brilliantly flowering tune that features Hayes on both flute and tenor, blowing in a way that reminds us yet again why he was maybe the most important reedman on the British scene of the 60s – and an artist who was growing in leaps and bounds as the years went on. The group also features trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar, even hipper than usual in this setting – plus Terry Shannon on piano, Freddy Logan on bass, and Allan Ganley on drums – all players who shape the sound, and get a chance to solo – but always next to the much brighter light of their leader! LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual moment from the young tenor Tubby Hayes – a live date recorded at the familiar Flamingo nightclub, a spot Tubby played often in London – but featuring a group who appear here on record in contrast to some of the smaller combo work that Hayes was recording in the studio! The lineup is large – not a big band, but not a quartet either – and Tubby turns out to be a master as a leader, working together different contributions from players who include Ronnie Scott, Terry Shannon, Jeff Clyne, Stuart Hamer, and Alan Branscombe – coming together in sharp ensemble formation, but breaking out into great individual solos too. The material shows the sharply modern voice that Hayes would soon bring to British jazz on his 60s recordings for Fontana – on titles that include "But Not For Me", "Ow", "Treble Gold", "Sonny Sounds", "Tour De Force", "Design For Drums", and "Lifeline". CD

A two part album that features the trio in the studio and again in a live set, recorded at a small club in Boston. Roy Haynes on drums, Danilo Perez on piano, and John Patitucci on bass. CD

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If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too. CD

The start of a legend – a huge amount of material that introduced the world to the tenor genius of the young Joe Henderson – recorded over the space of a few short years, on records that feature Joe as both the leader and a sideman on some of the hippest Blue Note records of the time! Henderson was amazing right at the start – able to play a soulful hardbop lead at one moment, then slide into edgier modern territory the next – a quality that made him a key artist to work with some of the other strong Blue Note innovators of the period – as you'll hear in this overstuffed set! The set features a total of 47 gems – including some alternate takes – all wrapped up with the usual top-shelf Mosaic Records booklet of notes, photos, and other key details on the material. Includes the full albums Page One, Our Thing, In N Out, Mode For Joe, and Inner Urge – all recorded under the leadership of Joe Henderson – plus tracks from the albums Unity by Larry Young, The Kicker by Bobby Hutcherson, Little Johnny C by Johnny Coles, and Step Lightly by Blue Mitchell – and the full Kenny Dorham albums Una Mas and Trompeta Toccatta, both of which are essential in Henderson's career! CD

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A true classic by Jimi with the original Experience lineup – the third of three straight up masterpiece LPs to come out in just over a year's time by the group! You could call the leftfield astral effects in the mix experimental if you had to – innovations in the studio with echo, that hallucinatory backwards sound effect and other stranger bits – but the passionate, naturally expressive playing and singing by Jimi makes it all fell just right, and the Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell still don't get enough credit for being at the heart of such greatness. A massive 2LP effort that includes "Voodoo Chile", "Crosstown Traffic", "Electric Ladyland", "Little Miss Strange", "Moon Turn The Tides", "Still Raining Still Dreaming" and "All Along The Watchtower". LP, Vinyl record album

A soulful classic from The Heptones – easily one of the greatest trios to emerge from the Jamaican scene in the late 60s – and one of the few who were really able to evolve their style as the years went on! The style here is to earlier Heptones material as the early 70s Impressions records on Curtom were to their 60s albums on ABC – more righteous in content, and hipper in overall expression – with this beautiful interplay between the vocals of Leroy Sibbles, Barry Llewellyn, and Earl Morgan – all captured with this warm glow in the Harry J Studio! Includes material originally released in Jamaica on the album Book Of Rules, then issued by Trojan as Cool Rasta with additional tracks. Titles include "Black On Black", "Over & Over", "Peace & Harmony", "Dreadlock", "Suffering So" and and "Wah Go Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A great live date from this ultra-hip combo – one that has them really settling in to their new home at Blue Note, by taking on a host of classics from the label – along with key tracks of their own composition as well! The sound here is even more wonderful than on some of their studio sets – almost a bit more earthy, and human – given the spontaneity of the concert performance, especially in the rhythm section. Fabrizio Bosso's trumpet and flugelhorn are right out front, matched proudly by the tenor of Daniele Scannapieco – and rhythm is from Luca Mannutza on piano, Pietro Ciancaglini on bass, and Lorenzo Tucci on drums. Titles include great versions of "Adams Apple", "Passion Dance", and "Inception" – plus "Five For Fun", "On The Way Home", and "Pandaguru". CD

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