One of the most stripped-down albums from legendary jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby – and one of her earliest records too! The set's got Dorothy right out front in a trio setting – working with bassist Herman Wright and drummer John Tooley – in a wonderfully jazzy take on the sound of the harp – an instrument used here in a way that's never flowery, or linked to classical modes at all – but instead in a very unique space that's somewhere between jazz bass and guitar – as Ashby plucks these hip notes with a very soulful vibe! The album's got a special Chess/Argo sort of vibe – one that really opens up Ashby's Detroit roots. Dorothy wrote two originals for the set – "John R" and "Booze" – and other titles include "Lonely Melody", "Django", "Gloomy Sunday", and "Lil Darlin". LP, Vinyl record album

"Fantastic" is right – because Dorothy Ashby is one of the coolest, grooviest people to ever lay her fingers on a harp – and just about one of the few who've ever found a way to use the instrument in a jazz-based setting! This mid 60s date is a pivotal one for Ashby – as it has her opening up with some groovier touches than on her previous jazz records for Savoy and Prestige – a bit more of the sound that would showcase more strongly on her Chess/Cadet albums, given a nice sort of Atlantic sense of soul here! Players here are very hip – and include Richard Davis on bass, Grady Tate on drums, and Willie Bobo on percussion – plus an expanded trombone section on a few titles too. Tracks include "Flighty", "Nabu Corfa", "Dodi Li", "Invitation", "I Will Follow You", "House Of The Rising Sun", and "Essence of Sapphire". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby – a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam – one of the forces guiding Dorothy's more spiritual sound at the end of the 60s, clearly opened up in a way that's not unlike the direction of Alice Coltrane's work, but a lot more focused and a lot more funky! Ashby not only plays her usual jazz harp, but also koto as well, and even sings a bit too – and the larger group directed by Evans features work by Stu Katz on vibes and kalimba, Lenny Druss on flutes, and Cash McCall on guitar – all in a groove that's really a precursor to the Earth Wind & Fire generation of the Chicago scene! Titles include the amazing break "The Moving Finger" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Dust", "Joyful Grass & Grape", "Heaven & Hell", "Wax & Wane", "Shadow Shapes", "For Some When Young", "Myself When Young", and "Drink". LP, Vinyl record album

Debut album from Japanese harpist Tadao Hayashi – with personnel that includes Shoji Yokouchi on guitar, Yuri Tashiro on organ, Kunimitsu Inaba on bass, and Takeshi Inomata and Hajime Ishimatsu alternating on drums. Titles include "With Strings Attached" composed by Dorothy Ashby, "This Masquerade", "Green Dolphin Street", "All In Love Is Fair", "So In Love", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A bundle of soul from Freddie Hubbard – one that has him blowing beautifully over full arrangements from Bert DeCoteux – the 70s super-soul maestro who really brings a new sound to Hubbard's music! The style's a bit smoother than other Freddie albums of the time, but still really great – a wonderful plenty of his well-timed, well-punctuated work on trumpet with warm grooves supplied by Bert – filled with instrumentation that includes David T Walker on guitar, Ernie Watts on sax and flute, Azar Lawrence on tenor, David Garfield on keyboards, and even Dorothy Ashby on flute. Titles include "Portrait Of Jenny", "Rainy Day Song", "Bundle Of Joy", "From Now On", "From Behind", and "Rahsaan". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth soulful jazz from Harvey Mason – one of his strong 70s winners for the Arista album, and a record that really brings a new level of class to his sound! There's less of the grit in the grooves than you might expect from the down-home reference of the title – and in a way, the record's a similar shift to well-produced R&B as Michael Henderson or Norman Connor's work from the same time – a soaring, fluid groove that's still supported by solid jazz instrumentation, but which also has a nice dose of soul in the mix! Players here are a real all-star lineup – with talents that include Dorothy Ashby, George Benson, Ronnie Foster, Bob James, and Phil Upchurch – and most cuts have vocals, by The Waters and others. But possibly best of all is the production – which is by Harvey, and really wonderful – sophisticated and smooth, but never slick – a really careful balance that really puts him right up there with Norman Connors or Roy Ayers! Titles include "Pack Up Your Bags", "Till You Take My Love", "Funk In A Mason Jar", "What's Going On", "Set It Free", "Space Cadets" and "Freedom Either Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite different from Flora's earlier work, but in a way that we find quite compelling! The record was produced by Leon Ndugu Chancler, and it's got a smooth fusion sound that's kind of in a southern California R&B mode, played by a huge range of excellent Brazilian and west coast talents that include Patrice Rushen, Dorothy Ashby, Fred Jackson, Raul De Souza, Toninho Horta, and Airto. While this sound overwhelms the core of Flora's usual Brazilian jazz approach, it also expands some of the tracks to a great groove – with Flora's vocals on top, stretching out in a whole new way! Includes a great English language version of the Milton Nascimento classic "Nada Sera Como Antes", plus the cuts "You Love Me Only", "I'm Coming For Your Love", "Corre Nina", "Angels", "Bridges", and "Fairy Tale Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky fusion classic from the 70s – totally great work from Chocolate Jam Company, a hip little group headed up by percussionist Leon Ndugu Chancler! The core sound is soul, but there's plenty of fusion touches as well – thanks to a great lineup of players that includes Oscar Brashear on trumpet, George Duke on keyboards, David T Walker on guitar, and even Dorothy Ashby on harp! Chancler sings lead vocals on most cuts – but he's also joined by Virginia Ayers and Leo Mille on some cuts too – making for a really well-rounded sound that's easily one of the best jazz-into-soul sessions like this from the 70s – almost topping the more famous work from folks like Lenny White or Mtume! Titles include "Don't Leave Me Now Stay With Me", "Feeling", "This Time", "Looking Glass", and the extended "Suite Chocolate". LP, Vinyl record album

With Ndugu Chancler on persussion, Bill Kanengiser on guitar, and Bob Magnusson on bass on "New Earth Sonata"; and with John Beasley on Yamaha DX7 and Dorothy Ashby on harp on "Amazing Grace". LP, Vinyl record album