Titles include "June Bug", "Vessel", "Sierra Leone", "Ogden Road", "House Of Wax", "Hungry Heart", "Orrington's Escape", "Roots In The Sky", and "Longing So Long". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great one from The Byrds – who deliver an iconic mix of breezy country rock and folk harmonies, over songs that range from laidback to soaring! The Byrds seemed to always be in a state of flux, line-up wise, and that actually seems to bring out a pretty great mix of styles on their best albums. We'd put this one in that category, with titles that includes "Ballad Of Easy Rider", the country funk-flavored "Fido", the effectively tradtional "Jack Tarr The Sailor", "Oil In My Lamp", "Tulsa County", "Jesus Is Just Alright", "It's All Over Now, "Baby Blue", "There Must Be Someone (I Can Turn To)", "Gunga Din", "Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)" and "Armstrong, Aldrin And Collins". LP, Vinyl record album

With Sun Araw, Butchy Fuego, M Geddes Gendras, and Tony Lowe. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning batch of tracks from a very unusual LA group of the early 70s – a funk combo at the core, but one that was also equally comfortable with bits of psych and redneck rock as well! The music here was all recorded within a short span of years, and mostly issued on the small Alpha label as a handful of funky 45s – but the style is surprisingly spacious, and shows a strong sense of musicianship from the members of the group – so much so that they seem equally comfortable and right on top of their game, no matter what direction they choose to take! And don't think that this multi-style description means that these guys are too all over the map, because there's a really unified sense of soul that holds the whole thing together – so that when they get a bit rootsy, the result is country soul – or when they get a bit trippy, they hit some Funkadelic-styled sounds. The collection includes great notes on the setting that produced these tracks – penned by Egon, who put the set together with help from Malcolm Catto, DJ Shadow, and others. Titles include "Don't Let Him Take Away Your Mind", "Strange Things", "Heaven & Earth", "Take Time", "We Got Love", "Waterloo At Watergate", "Why Don't You Trust In Me", "Cruising Central Ave", "The Dead Don't Die Alive", and "You're My Precious Someone". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most fully-formed albums from The Fugs – still quite hippy dippy, but with a focus that's sometimes missing in their other work! And despite the somewhat major label placement of the set, there's arguably even more power here than on the group's earlier indie sides – thanks to strong use of the best elements that make up the tunes. There's still a great mix of styles going on – from Buddist chanting, to sing-song poetry, to some countrified rock – and the album's got enough room for playful detours, but always snaps back into some stronger song-based modes. Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso both make guest appearances, and titles include "Exorcising The Evil Spirits From The Pentagon October 21, 1967", "War Song", "Dover Beach", "Turn On/Tune In/Drop Out", "Wet Dream", "Hare Krishna", and "Aphrodite Mass". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Early genius from British saxophonist Mike Osborne – his first session as a leader, recorded in the company of some of the greatest players on his scene! Osborne's got a strong vision here that's apparent from the first note of the set – a mixture of freedom and cohesive energy that resonates with the best modes of the ESP albums cut a few years before this one – stretching out with the new imagination that was setting the London jazz scene on fire at the start of the 70s. Osborne's alto is at the lead of a quintet that also includes Harry Beckett on trumpet, Chris McGregor on piano, Harry Miller on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums – and the sound is a mixture of some of the post-Blue Notes work of McGregor with bolder-blown trumpet/sax lines from Beckett and Osborne. The album features 2 long tracks – the stark, angular "So It Is", and the slower-building "Outback", which features some especially nice solos from Beckett. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully rich session from bassist Gary Peacock – one that draws equal energy from his three associates on the date – all of whom did some great ECM Records work on their own! Peacock composed the tunes, and his spacious notes on bass provide the core setting – but the album really sparkles with sharp-edged tenor and soprano sax lines from Jan Garbarek, some moody trumpet tones from Tomasz Stanko, and unbridled work on drums from Jack DeJohnette, who almost seems much more free of structure than Peacock on bass. Titles include "Allegory", "Paradigm", "Moor", "Legends", "Voice From The Past", and "Ode For Tomten". LP, Vinyl record album

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Features arrangements by Rene Hernandez and Arthur Azenzer – and titles include "Fiesta De Besos", "Nadie Me Ama", "Ya Tu Lo Ves", "San Juan", "Llego El Sonero", and "Boogaloo In Puerto Rico". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from Setenta – a Parisian combo who work with a great blend of Latin roots and funk – served up with lots of percussion at the core, topped with Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from jazz genius Florian Pellissier! The acoustic percussion and electric keys are perfectly balanced – as you might find on a mid 70s album from Mongo Santamaria, but with a different flavor too – given that these guys explore some Afro roots in their music as well, which creates shifting patterns of rhythms throughout the set. Most tracks have vocals, and titles include "If We Ever Get There", "Permiso", "Mecanica Bestial", "DIA (parts 1 & 2)", "Materia Negra", and "Llego El Malo". LP, Vinyl record album

Horace Silver's last record for Blue Note – and an amazing end to his decades of work for the legendary label! The set's a perfect summation of all the new directions that Horace took in the 70s – new territory that's deeply spiritual, and undeniably righteous – yet which also has a fully focused approach too – one that's showcased here wonderfully in an expansive suite of tracks with a really positive message! The "strings" in the title isn't really accurate – as the set's more of a large arrangement session that feels Strata East spiritual – done in collaboration with Wade Marcus, but with jazzier, more acoustic tones than most of Marcus' other music. In addition to Silver's piano, key core players include Tom Harrell on flugelhorn, Larry Schneider on tenor and soprano sax, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – who play beautifully together, with a very fluid vibe. The set also features some key vocal passages at points – sung by Brenda Alford, Chapman Roberts, Carol Lynn Maillard, and a young Gregory Hines – on titles that include "The Soul & Its Expression", "Self Portrait No 1", "The Conscious & Its Desire For Change", "Inner Feelings", "Expansion", and "The Creator Guides Us". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Morgan Heritage & Marcia Griffiths, Benji Myaz, Freddie McGregor, Sanchez, Cocoa Tea, Richie Stephens, Junior Kelly, Fiona, Ambelique, Glen Washington, and Tanya Stephens. LP, Vinyl record album

Sad and dreamy early 60s work by Alaide Costa – one of the early divas of bossa nova! The album's one of Alaide's most solid from the time – and features backing either by a small combo led by Cesar Camargo, or by a larger group led by Maestro Lindolfo Gaya, the force behind more great Brazilian vocal sessions than we could ever hope to name! Alaide's voice is wonderful – kind of in a compressed emotional mode that's a striking contrast from some of her more overblown contemporaries – and it works well next to the lightly jazzy backings of the album. Titles include "Afinal", "E Agora?", "Igrejinha", "Ouvi Tua Voz", "Historinha", "Como E Gosto De Voce", and "Manha Chegou". LP, Vinyl record album

A selection of tracks from Illinois Jacquet's late 60s albums for Prestige, featuring Milt Buckner, Barry Harris, and Wynton Kelly on piano, Alan Dawson, Al Foster, Jo Jones, and Oliver Jackson on drums, Frank Foster on tenor, Matthew Gee on trombone, Tiny Grimes, Billy Butler, and Wally Richardson on guitar, Montego Joe on congas, Joe Newman and Ernie Royal on trumpet, and Ben Tucker and Buster Williams on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of a gimmicky session, but a great one nonetheless! It was Leonard Feather who first thought of rounding up all the "Jones" in jazz he could find, bringing them together for this unique date for the Period label – but fortunately, the quality of the work and strength of the players goes way past the goofy strategy of the date! The record's an especially great chance to hear Thad Jones in small group mode – blowing with that sweet, warm tone that we love in his Blue Note work, captured here in a slightly more informal setting. Also noteworthy is the piano of Jimmy Jones, the drums of Jo Jones, and the flugelhorn playing of Quincy Jones, who appears on 3 of the album's 9 tracks. Titles include "No Other Love", "The Jones Bash", "Jones Beach", "You've Changed", "Montego Bay", and "Salute To The Blue Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

70s work from Machito – still very much in the mode of his classics from earlier years, but with an undeniable punch on a few numbers, thanks to the smoking salsa groove of the Coco Records label! The album's got one really standout track entitled "Macho" – a 13 minute descarga number that spins out with lots of different changes, and which features some nice electric jazzy touches! Harvey Averne produced the entire session, with a nice undercurrent of Latin soul – and the album also features Charlie Palmieri on both organ and piano. Other tracks include "Mi Ritmo Llego", "Soy Salsero", "No Seras Para Mi", and "Desilusion". LP, Vinyl record album

Bobby Quesada's definitely earning his nickname of "the hard one" here – not just for his tough mafia look on the cover of the record, but also for the lively grooves underneath! The record's got a rougher and more ragged edge than some of Bobby's contemporaries – bold trumpet in the lead of most of the tunes, and a chunky percussive bottom that often has a fair bit of rootsy rhythms. Rhythms are wider ranging than you might expect – and vocals are by Luis Rodriguez and Felo Barrie. Titles include "Los Siete Refranes", "La Rosa Oriental", "La Mafia Del Guaguanco", "Le Duele Una Pata Al Pato", "Hay Un Fuego En Cienfuego", and "Guajira El Son Te Llama". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip set of live tracks from Nina Simone – very dark and moody, with backing by only a small combo that includes two guitars, bass, and drums by Montego Joe! Nina handles all the arrangements herself – with a quality that really shows her stepping forward from straight jazz, and finding that special, unique sound that really set her apart from all other singers of the 60s! The songs are incredibly spare, with an approach that's intimate and emotional – almost stunningly so, considering the size and scope of the venue – and titles include a 7 minute reading of "The Other Woman/Cotton Eyed Joe" – plus "Black Swan", "If You Knew", "Theme From Sayonara", and "Will I Find My Love Today". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the truly great albums from The Soft Boys – a masterpiece that skirts easy categorization, strolling from the post psych blues stomp, to angular post punk and skronky guitar pop – held together brilliantly by Robyn Hitchcock's wry, brainy and on this record, cynically humorous lyricism. Titles include "Human Music", the should be classic, snarky riff on late era Beatles "The Pigworker", "The Rats Prayer", "Do The Chisel", "School Dinner Blues", "Wading Through A Ventilator", "Return Of The Sacred Crab" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Features tracks by Gregory Isaacs, Sugar Minott, Josey Wales, Shabba Ranks, Johnny P, Tuffest, Dillinger, Singing Melody and John Mouse. LP, Vinyl record album

The first album ever cut by George Benson as a leader – a cooker of a soul jazz set, recorded back when George was the guitarist in Jack McDuff's classic 60s quartet! The album's almost a McDuff Quartet one – since Jack's on Hammond and Red Holloway is on tenor – but the group's slightly different too, with the surprising additions of Montego Joe on drums, and Ronnie Boykins on bass! Benson's guitar is amazing throughout – sharp-edged and played with a tightness that's quite different than most of his later work – and titles include "Shadow Dancers", "The Sweet Alice Blues", "Just Another Sunday", "Easy Living", and "Rock A Bye". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning Columbia Records debut from Arthur Blythe – recorded at a time when the label was really sinking its teeth back into quality jazz, and helping artists like Arthur get some great new exposure! At the time of the date, Blythe had already spent years working in the jazz undergrounds on both coasts – developing a searing sound on alto sax that's perfect for the focused structure of this album – almost a tone poem of sorts, offering up a portrait of the Harlem scene that was a key part of Arthur's life at the time. The sounds are sharp, but also have a sense of energy that really holds them together – guiding the players through long readings of well-penned tunes by Blythe that are filled with loads of energy and life! Players include James Newton on flute, James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Bob Stewart on tuba, Cecil McBee on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Guillermo Franco on percussion – and titles include "Odessa", "Slidin Through", "Down San Diego Way", and "Lenox Avenue Breakdown". LP, Vinyl record album

Despite the fame of their big hits – like "Reach Out I'll Be There", "I Can't Help Myself", "Baby I Need Your Loving", and "It's The Same Old Song", all of which are on this set, and which have been heard ad infinitum – the Four Tops are actually a heck of a great vocal group, with harmonies that blew away many of their contemporaries, and which keep their work shining long past the hits. This set's got some nice cuts that fall into that category – like "Bernadette", and "Ask The Lonely" – and the package is about as solid as you'd expect. LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of a mad LP for Jacquet – ostensibly trad on the outside, but with some weird little elements once you give it a closer listen. The lineup is conventional enough – with players that include Joe Newman, Milt Buckner, Billy Butler, Jo Jones, and Montego Joe – but it's the way they come together that makes the set really work. Jacquet's tone is rough and growly on most numbers – and the rhythm has a scattered finish that keeps things a bit off-guard. Titles include "The King", "Caravan", "A Haunting Melody", and "How High The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Elvin Jones rose to fame in the company of one of the greatest saxophone players ever – the mighty John Coltrane – and his post-Coltrane work like this really continues a keen respect for the role of the reeds in jazz – and really does a lot to push it forward as well! There's a compelling edge to the record that's light years from Elvin's work with Coltrane – a completely new sensibility that can be spacious one minute, extremely powerful the next – and quite possibly realized to its fullest potential here, thanks to the mindblowing contributions of Dave Liebman on tenor and soprano sax, Frank Foster on tenor and flute, and Joe Farrell on alto and soprano sax. All three players work together on each track – and all shift reeds throughout the session – opening up majestically with inspiration from Elvin's drums, and some wonderful work from Gene Perla on bass. The sound is beyond easy categorization or simple style – and the record's filled with wonderful titles that include "PP Phoenix", "For All The Other Times", "Three Card Monty", and "Cecilia Is Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Accompanied by Chuck Loeb on guitar, Mark Soskin and Jose Gallegos on keyboards, Brian Brake and Portinho on drums, Paul Socolow on bass, Manolo Badrena on percussion, and Mauricio Smith on flute and sax. LP, Vinyl record album

With Oliver Lake on alto, soprano, and flute – plus Michael Gregory Jackson on guitar, Pheeroan Ak Laff on drums, Anthony Davis on piano, and Abdul Wadud on cello. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent solo set as a leader from drummer Mel Lewis – one that reminds us that he can still cook very strongly away from his big band with trumpeter Thad Jones! The set has Lewis in different groupings with an excellent set of the friends mentioned in the title – a top-shelf lineup that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Michael Brecker on tenor, Gregory Herbert on alto, Hank Jones on piano, and Ron Carter on bass – working their way through a mix of different material that really takes on some great new energy in Lewis' hands – that mix of swing and complexity he forged in the group with Jones, but maybe even more compelling here in a smaller combo format. Titles include "Windflower", "De Samba", "Ain't Nothin Nu", "A Child Is Born", and "Sho Nuff Did". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic session of pounding percussion – quite possibly the most successful entry into this earthy genre that hit the recording scene at the end of the 50s! Babatunde Olatunji is joined here by a great assemblage of players – including Montego Joe and Baba Hawthorne Bey on percussion, who further flesh out the rumbling, rhythmic groove at the bottom. There's also a group of vocalists on the record, soaring over the top of the percussion with a nicely righteous feel – and the record's a key crossover moment that heralds later African expressions in the American mainstream. Titles include "Odun De Odun De", "Oya", "Jin Go Lo Ba", "Baba Jinde", and "Shango". LP, Vinyl record album

We love Oscar Peterson with strings – a setting he never got to use that often, given the popularity of his famous trio recordings! When Oscar gets set up with strings, he seems to play even more freely than with a combo – let loose from rhythm a bit more than before, and instead focusing strongly on melody – which often comes off with a warmly lyrical feel. This album's a rare entry into the Peterson strings category – a great 50s date with Russ Garcia backing Oscar up – giving the album just the right mix of mellow and modern to match Peterson's magical work on the keys! In a way, the album's a link between two different styles of 50s jazz – some of the warmer string-laden work of the piano mainstream, and some of the sharper sounds of the Verve modern approach to the style – served up here by Oscar in ways that bring both modes together perfectly, with just the right dash of both. Titles include "Laura" and "Tenderly" – both tracks you'd have to have on an album like this – plus "Black Coffee", "Ruby", "Stella By Starlight", "A Sunday Kind Of Love", and "I Thought About You". LP, Vinyl record album

Great US double LP set compiling two of Baden Powell's MPS recordings from the late 60s! First up is Canto On Guitar – a stone classic from Baden Powell – and one of the greatest meetings of his Brazilian guitar with the European production styles of the late 60s! The sound is incredible – with backing is by a small group that includes bass, drums, and Brazilian percussion – all used sparely and subtly alongside Baden's fragile lines on guitar, and his moody, echoey vocals – which are recorded here in a nicely subdued way. Tracks include "Tributo A Un Amigo", "Ciegos De Noreste", "Samba En Preludio", "Hijo", and the beautiful "Tres Temas De Fe Afro-Brasilena", which evokes a lot of the feel of his classic Afro Sambas set! Next is Tristeza On Guitar – one of Baden Powell's first great bossa sessions in Europe – recorded in a light and lively MPS mode that's a bit different than some of his work at the time in Brazil! Rhythm is by the team of Eberhard Weber on bass and Charly Antolini on drums – both players with non-bossa roots, but who push Powell's groove into some slightly new directions – almost hailing the Brazilian influence that would show up even more strongly in European jazz in years to come! Sidney Smith also adds a bit of flute into some of the tracks on the album – underscoring the moodier moments with a subtle tone next to Powell's more pronounced guitar – and the whole thing's got a sense of poise, grace, and beauty that's simply tremendous! Titles include "Euridice", "Consolacao", "Feitinha Pro Poeta", "Dindi", "Reza", "Samba Triste", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

Early blue eyed soul work from Boz Scaggs – an album that's got a lot more rootsy touches than some of his bigger crossover hits! At one level, the album seems to have a Bay Area-styled approach – genre-blending soul, R&B, and rock influences into a sound that proudly steps forth without any care for categorization. But at another, Boz already displays a keen ear for a sweeter soul track – and comes across nicely with a compressed AOR mellow groove on the album's best tracks. The set was put together with a lot of heavy production work and investment (despite a homey "hey we're just the band" sort of cover image) – illustrating the fact that CBS clearly already saw a lot of promise in Boz – and titles include "Monkey Time", "Flames Of Love", "You're So Good", "Here To Stay", and the nicely funky "Why Why". LP, Vinyl record album

The mid 90s debut of San Diego MC Jayo Felony – with gritty street centric rhymes and a flow that falls comfortably between the laidback and more manic styles of period west coast gangsta rap of the period. Take A Ride is extra notable for a prominent behind the scenes figure – the legendary Jam Master Jay – working here as a producer in a style that's far removed from the vibe he pioneered in Run-DMC's a decade + earlier! Includes "Lock Down", "The Loc Is On His Own", "I'ma Keep Bangin'", "Homicide", ":Love Boat", "Sherm Stick", "Day 1", "Can't Keep A Gee Down", "Penitentiary Bound", "They Got Me On Medication", "Funk 2 Da Head", "Take A Ride". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark early moment from Doris Troy – a set that has her shining not just as a key 60s soul singer for Atlantic Records – but also as a heck of a great songwriter too! She's got a really fresh approach here – one that's right up front for the time – with a mix of raw vocals and classy production, in a style that's partly New York uptown – but which also has the kind of strongly individual vibe you'd get from singers like Maxine Brown or Barbara Lewis too! Arrangements on the record are by Gregory Carroll, who also wrote the bulk of the material with Doris – including tracks like "Lazy Days", "Bossa Nova Blues", "Whatcha Gonna Do About It", "Time", and "Just One Look". Other tracks include "Stormy Weather", "School For Fools", and "Somewhere Along The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from Roger Troutman and Zapp – a killer batch of cuts that forever changed the sound of funk! The group's "wheeeeeeet/whomp!" sound is very firmly in place by the time of this release – and the sound here is even more electric than their debut – a groundbreaking style that went onto inspire countless acts of the electro generation, and a fair bit of hip hoppers too! Vocals are by Roger, Bad Bobby Glover, and Gregory Jackson – and Zapp's basslines really kick the whole thing into gear – as do the keyboards, too. Titles include "A Touch Of Jazz (Playin Kinda Ruff Part 2)", "Dance Floor", "Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)", "Come On", "Do You Really Want An Answer", and "Playin Kinda Ruff". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album that shaped Latin jazz for years to come! The format of the set borrows heavily from the previous Cuban Jam Session LPs, but gives it a real New York twist that made the Alegre albums much stronger overall – and much more influential in a wider spectrum. A core group fo well-known players – Charlie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco, Kako, Jose Chombo Silva, and others – come together in the studio magically – setting egos aside, and bringing their best work to the table in a hard-jamming style that defined the crackling jazz-based "descarga" style of the time. In addition to that, the production style has lots of conversation and hanging out sounds between the tracks, really setting the feel for the album with a great spirit that goes on to touch the music as well! A treasure that's still one of the best examples of the jam session at work – and with titles that include "Soy Feliz, "Ay Camino Y Ven", "Almendra", "Para Ti", and "Estoy Buscando a Kako". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that's every bit as great as the title might imply – heavy guitar-based funk from the second version of The Bar-Kays – one that uses the new instrumental focus to push a groove that's much more black rock than before! There's still a bit of trumpet from the past, but the sound here is much heavier on the bottom – and really fuzzes up the guitar nicely at times to create a hipper sort of soul instrumental vibe! The rhythms are quite hip too – with echoes of the experiments in soul going on at Stax in the work of Isaac Hayes and others – and the album's miles away from the work that the group was laying down a few years before! Definitely one of the hardest-hitting Stax albums of the early 70s – and filled with great tracks like "You Don't Know Like I Know", "Dance To The Music", "Piece Of Your Peace", "Montego Bay", and "Baby I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

Tighter than Jorge Ben's funky work from the early 70s – but still pretty darn great! The record's got Jorge working in a smoother vein than on his Philips sides, with the same sort of modern soul approach that Marcos Valle and other older Brazilian singers were using at the time. But since Jorge's always been a soulster from the start, the style works perfectly for his warm vocals and his keen talent for putting over a groove. Arrangements have kind of a brassy funky samba groove – and titles include "Ma Ma Ma Ma Mae", "Solitario Surfista", "Olha A Pipa", "Cae Cae Caetano", "Alo Alo, Como Vai?", and "A Cegohna Me Deixou Em Mardureira". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Pa Bravo you", "Corazon Herido", "Sigo Bravo", "Lagrimas Y Tristezas", "Vete Y Pregona", and "Tu Y Tu Guarapo". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A fantastic illustration of the live music tradition on Brazil – one that really arose on records during the 60s, and blossomed strongly on 70s records like this – which feel almost more like an event than a recorded document! The concert features a magnificent meeting of Chico Buarque and Maria Bethania – both very strong talents on their own, balanced in this really great way amidst larger backings from Maestro Gaya – duetting on tunes that really turn into something special from their performance – never a challenge of egos, but instead a wonderful folding of strong ideals. Terra Trio provide the rhythms – and most numbers are Buarque originals – with titles that include "Flor Da Idade", "Vai Levando", "Bem Querer", "Noite Dos Mascarados", "Tanto Mar", "Gota D'Agua", "Com Acucar E Com Afeto", and "Sem Fantasia". LP, Vinyl record album

Mon Rivera gets a great revival here during the height of the 70s salsa era – thanks to backings from Willie Colon, and a sound as solid as any of the best on Fania Records at the time! The album has Willie working with a tight combo that's heavy on trombone, piano, and percussion – backing up Mon's lead vocals, and also featuring Rivera a bit on guiro. The tunes are mostly lively bombas or plenas – romping around with a lot of joyous energy – with arrangements from Mon, Willie, and Jorge Millet. Titles include "Mosaico", "Baila Mi Bomba", "Pena De Amor", "Ya Llego", "La Humanidad", and "Si Te Vas". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice early 80s show with a strong "Scarlet Begonias – Fire On The Mountain". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the finer Dead studio albums of the mid 70s for sure – managing to catch a bit of the spontaneous energy that made them such a vaunted live band on some tunes, really delivering on the wry yet easygoing songcraft they don't really get enough credit for, and even some cool facets of their far-reaching sound they captured better in the studio than they ever did on stage. Those include the lightly lush ballad-y "China Doll" and the eccentric sounds that weave in and out of the standout "Unbroken Chain", but the whole thing is solid! Other cuts include "US Blues", "Loose Lucy", "Scarlet Begonias", "Pride Of Cucamonga", "Money Money" & "Ship Of Fools". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Chico's classic recordings for Impulse, and a weird batch of tracks that have an off-beat sound to them that's hard to categorize. The group includes Ernie Hayes on organ, Arnie Lawrence on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, and a guest appearance by Archie Shepp on piano. Tracks include "For Mods Only", "A Trip", "Baby, You Know", and "Larry Of Arabia". Very groovy, and with a wonderful array of offbeat influences running through the groove! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer all-star session of funky fusion tracks – with a nice tight sound produced by Skip Drinkwater! Yesterday's Dreams differs a little from Alphonso's other strong mid 70s efforts in that it's not as spacey as a whole – but the rubbery, cleanly funky grooves are just as strong – and the record as a whole makes for more of a showcase for his excellent group of players! Bassist Johnson leads the session, but there's a huge amount of guests, such as Grover Washington, Patrice Rushen, Mike Clark, and Sheila Escovedo. Plus, Jon Lucien, Diane Reeves, Flora Purim, and Phillip Bailey all sing on the record! Titles include "One To One", "As Little As You", "Scapegoat", "Show Us The Way", "Tales Of Barcelona", and the future soul classic "Love's The Way I Feel 'Bout Cha". LP, Vinyl record album

The Dude at the height of his powers – serving up a smooth blend of soul and jazz that set the standard for an entire generation! As with some of his other 70s albums, Quincy's working here with a host of great talents that make the record sizzle – guests that include Hubert Laws, Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Luther Vandross, Gwen Guthrie, Eric Gale, and others – all of whom put their egos aside, and bring their best bits to the table working under Quincy's guidance! The album includes a great version of "Superwoman", plus the tracks "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Love Me By Name", and "Love, I Never Had it So Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A great setting for guitarist Calvin Keys – one that has the famous Black Jazz funk artist of the 70s working with the younger energy of the Wide Hive Ensemble! The set's got a similar vibe to the recent Wide Hive album that featured Keys in the group – but this time around, Calvin's solos are much more prominent, and carved up with that hard-edged tone we've always loved so much in his music! The tunes are all pretty fresh – and include originals by Keys and others from Wide Hive members Gregory Howe and Matt Montgomery – really perfect settings for Calvin's wonderful work on his instrument, heard here at a level that's tighter than on most recent recordings. Tracks include "Telegraph Blues", "Shaw-Neeq", "The Hernia", "Touch", "You Know The Game", "Electric Keys", and "Backyard". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold slice of work from the Daptone musical universe – a hip project that features work from members of The Dap Kings, El Michels Affair, Budos Band, and Antibalas – all put together with a range of sounds that really show the full spectrum of their styles! The groove's quite unique – even for the ultra-cool Daptone scene – as Menahan Street Band bring in bits of dub, funk, Latin, and Afro-styled sounds to their music – often working with a sense of spareness that seems influenced by 70s Ethiopia, but which comes off with a heavier Wu-inspired sound! There's no vocals at all – just really raw, stark instrumental bits – played on vibes, organ, tenor, flute, piano, trumpet, and some kickass percussion – produced with just the right sort of grit to make all tunes sound great. Titles include "Tired Of Fighting", "Home Again", "Montego Sunset", "The Traitor", "The Contendor", "Birds", "Esma", and "Going The Distance". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully hard-to-categorize album from the start of the 80s – a Mexican record that mixes folkloric roots with electronic instrumentation – but all in a way that sounds much more ancient than you'd expect for the time! The fusion of modes here is wonderful – almost at a level that reminds us of some of the Graeme Revell experiments of the mid 80s, or some of the more organic electronics from Japan – as the whole thing feels a lot more acoustic than electric, with a wonderful blend of woody sounds, percussion, and other great elements. Titles include "In Altepetal Tonal", "I Pan In Xiktli Metztli", "Xochiyaoyoloh", and "Ketzalkoatl Yauh Miktlan". LP, Vinyl record album

A later salsa set from this timbales giant – with titles that include "Keeping Busy", "Preparen Candela", "El Mujeriego", "Llora Timbero", "Tu Estas Final", and "Amandote Y Sonandote". LP, Vinyl record album

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Essentially an Oregon record – given that the set also features oboe from Paul McCandless and tabla from Collin Walcott. LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the best jazz album that Phil Upchurch ever cut! Phil plays in two settings here – one with a funky large group, arranged and conducted by Ed Bland (who did a lot of the work for Perception records in the early 70s) – the other with a quintet that includes Wynton Kelly, Richard Davis, Jimmy Cobb, and Montego Joe! To our ears, the best stuff's the large group material, because Upchurch's years of studio work seem to come to the forefront as he wails with the large arrangements – but the quartet material's also pretty darn great, as Phil rarely got a chance to play in such a tight small combo jazz setting, and Montego Joe's conga work really grooves those tunes up nicely as well! Tracks include "Feeling Blue", "Stop & Listen", "Muscle Soul", "Israel", and "Subaceous Lament". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album of soulful hardbop from the mid 70s – one that features the classic VSOP group with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all nicely returned to the acoustic splendor of their early years! After the excesses of some of the more fusion-based jazz supergroups of the time, VSOP are a real breath of fresh air – proving that straight, strong work in a classic Blue Note mode could still be as captivating as ever – even in the highly electric decade of the 70s! Tracks were recorded live in Berkeley and San Diego – and titles include "One Of A Kind", "Jessica", "Little Waltz", "Byrdlike", "Dolores", and "Third Plane". LP, Vinyl record album

A Japanese only release of most of the material from the original US VSOP set – a classic album of soulful hardbop from the mid 70s – one that features the classic VSOP group with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all nicely returned to the acoustic splendor of their early years! After the excesses of some of the more fusion-based jazz supergroups of the time, VSOP are a real breath of fresh air – proving that straight, strong work in a classic Blue Note mode could still be as captivating as ever – even in the highly electric decade of the 70s! Tracks were recorded live in Berkeley and San Diego – and titles include "One Of A Kind", "Jessica", "Darts", "Byrdlike", "Dolores", and "Third Plane". LP, Vinyl record album

An early one from Waits – his second album – and it's a great one! Like a lot of his early oeuvre, this is a kind of like a street-savvy, hipster cabaret affair, with less of the eccentricity that would reveal itself later in his career. Still a great record though, rendered with a Bukowski-esque salt of the earth palette. Includes "Fumblin' With The Blues", "Please Call Me, Baby", "Diamonds On My Windshield", "New Coat Of Paint", "The Heart Of Saturday Night", "Drunk On The Moon", "Shiver Me Timbers", "San Diego Serenade", "Semi Suite", "Depot, Depot", and "The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone's Pizza House)". LP, Vinyl record album

A now-legendary compilation – an early effort to reissue funk on the Stones Throw label – and a set that virtually gave birth to all the fantastic projects they've done under the Now Again banner over the years! Compiler Egon has gone through a range of rare singles, masters, and demos – and has come up with tunes that burn with a brightness that's undeniable. The grooves are all on the harder end of the James Brown Funky People side of the spectrum – and the whole thing is a massive dig into the funky 45 underground – featuring a few groups who rose to new fame over the years, thanks to the legendary status of this project! Titles include "Don't Go" by Aristocrats Organization, "Loaded To The Gills (edit)" by Michael Liggins & The Supersouls, "Mr Chicken (alternate)" by The Soul Seven, "Slipping Into Darkness" by Dayton Sidewinders, "James Brown Medley" by The Apollo Commanders, "Scorpio" by Kashmere Stage Band, "Sad Chicken" by Leroy & The Drivers, "Street Scene" by Leon Mitchinson, "Free Your Mind" by Amnesty, "The Thing" by Carleen & The Groovers, "Go For Yourself (edit)" by Kenny Smith & The Loveliters, and "The Stretch (edit)" by Detroit Sex Machines. LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Blues Busters, Alton & Eddie, Tony Gregory, Skatalites, Wailers, Jackie Opel, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With Beres Hammond, Junior Tucker, Errol Dunkley, Lukie D, Gregory Isaacs, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

This very hip series just got a whole lot hipper – thanks to the selection talents of Brazilian soul legend Ed Motta – who serves up a huge host of rare tracks from Brazil! Ed's always had a deep love of the AOR sound of the 70s – and he's not only a great soul singer on his own records, but also a hell of a record collector too – one whose knowledge of rare grooves goes way beyond most other folks we've ever met! This set opens up a huge amount of Brazilian soul we'd never heard before – music that takes off from the late 70s territory of Azimuth and Banda Black Rio, and soars with sweet jazzy grooves that are completely sublime – most from the 80s, and most by artists who've never gotten their due on the reissue market. Killer all the way through – with titles that include "Pra Voce" by Carlinhos & Soninha Querioz, "Acordes E Sementes" by Gelso Oliveira & Luiz Ewerling, "Joia Rara" by Brylho, "Rota Mar" by Zeca Do Trombone, "Clarear" by Roupa Nova, "Quero Pouco Quero Muito" by Filo Machado, "Guarde Minha Voz" by Sandra Sa, "Debora" by Altay Veloso, "Copacabana Suite" by Junior Mendes, "Renascendo En Mim"b y Don Beto, "Toda Manha Brilha O Sol" by Lucinha Turnbull, "Coisas Do Brasil" by Guilerhmes Arantes, "Mare" by Carlos Bivar, "Leao Ferido" by Biafra, "Mais Uma Chance" by Santa Cruz, "Rio Best Seller" by Cassiano, and "Se Eu Te Pego De Jeito" by Jane Duboc. LP, Vinyl record album