Zoot Sims on tenor sax, Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. CD

An uptown sound, recorded downtown at the Blue Note – a bold large ensemble outing from McCoy Tyner, and one that reminds us of that great group he was getting in the 70s! The players here are all super-hip – showing that key Tyner ear for picking sidemen – and the lineup includes Virgil Jones and Kamau Adilfu on trumpets, Steve Turre on trombone, Joe Ford and Doug Harris on alto and flute, Ricky Ford and Junior Cook on tenors, and Louis Hayes on drums – all moving with tight formation, over the sort of soaring Tyner numbers that always win our heart! Titles include "Lotus Flower", "Genesis", "Three Flowers", "Blues For Basie", and "Love Surrounds Us". CD

An early masterpiece from Frank Zappa – one of those records that looks like it's going to be a big ol' mess when you first see the cover – but which turns out to be a carefully calculated act of madness in the end! The Mothers have all their freeform freaky brilliance intact here – still some of the snide edges of the early years, but also really learning their craft as well – and stretching out under Zappa's direction into a pastiche of songs that explore the anxieties and inanities of late 60s America! Frank produced the whole thing with an approach that others wouldn't reach for years – shifting styles, instrumentation, and sound sources with effortless ease – over tracks that include "Hot Poop", "The Idiot Bastard", "Lonely Little Girl", "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance", "Harry You're A Beast", "Mom & Dad", "Who Needs The Peace Corps", and "Flower Punk". CD

Seminal work from one of the hippest big bands of the 70s – the legendary ensemble led by pianist Toshiko Akioshi and reedman Lew Tabackin! The group marks a huge shift for Akiyoshi – a move away from the more bop-inflected small combo work of earlier years, into a rich new role as a composer and arranger – one who comes up with fantastic charts for the ensemble, filled with color, tone, and a great sense of swing! Tabackin's reeds are great too – always handled with bold lines, and a strongly visionary sound – and other players on the dates include Bill Perkins and Gary Foster on saxes, Bobby Shew and Ron Raider on trumpets, Britt Woodman and Charlie Loper on trombones, Don Baldwin on bass, and Peter Donald on drums. The 3CD set features 5 albums in all – Kogun, Long Yellow Road, Tales Of A Courtesan, Insights, and March Of The Tadpoles – and titles include "Elegy", "American Ballad", "Henpecked Old Man", "Opus Number Zero", "Since Perry/Yet Another Tear", "Strive For Jive", "Village", "Studio J", "Mobile", "Deracinated Flower", and "Notorious Tourist From The East". CD

One of the deepest albums that Count Basie ever recorded – thanks to some great arrangements and backings by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's working in the same groovy mode he used with Jimmy Smith's excellent Verve sessions – and although the record doesn't have the same sort of star soloist in the lead, the Basie band members do a great job of trading off solos over the enigmatic backings crafted by Nelson. A number of the tracks have a Latin flair – and work on electric bass grooves that push the set farther than the usual Basie outing of the time – with a flavor that's right up there with the hippest Nelson sessions for Flying Dutchman, and maybe even a bit like spiritual ensemble material too. Titles include versions of Albert Ayler's "Love Flower" and Pharoah Sanders' "Japan", plus originals by Nelson like "Afrique", "Kilimanjaro", and "African Sunrise". CD

A great little record that's kind of a prequel for Rubber Soul – filled with short, tuneful tracks that would flower more deeply on that later album – and often served up with a bit more wit and adult consciousness than in any of the group's earlier records! One of those records that we always forget about, until we drop the needle – the revel in its sweet blend of Beatles modes on tracks that include "Help", "The Night Before", "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away", "I've Just Seen A Face", "Yesterday", "Act Naturally", "It's Only Love", "Ticket To Ride", and "I Need You". Original 14 track UK lineup – much different than the American release! CD

A masterful meeting of two 50s modern jazz talents – the trumpet of Miles Davis balanced with the arrangements of Gil Evans – with results that have made the album one of Miles' greatest ever! The sound here is completely sublime – as Davis gets all chromatic and spooky over Evans' edgey arrangements – shimmering nicely in a perfect blend of modernism and lighter, more lyrical touches. The record's filled with loads of the kind of solos that Miles brought to his smaller group records – but they almost flower even more amazingly here in the larger setting. Titles include "Springsville", "Blues For Pablo", "New Rhumba", "Lament", and "Miles Ahead". This is the record that your dad bought to prove that he was cool – so buy it from us and keep up the family tradition! CD

A masterful meeting of two 50s modern jazz talents – the trumpet of Miles Davis balanced with the arrangements of Gil Evans – with results that have made the album one of Miles' greatest ever! The sound here is completely sublime – as Davis gets all chromatic and spooky over Evans' edgey arrangements – shimmering nicely in a perfect blend of modernism and lighter, more lyrical touches. The record's filled with loads of the kind of solos that Miles brought to his smaller group records – but they almost flower even more amazingly here in the larger setting. Titles include "Springsville", "Blues For Pablo", "New Rhumba", "Lament", and "Miles Ahead". This is the record that your dad bought to prove that he was cool – so buy it from us and keep up the family tradition! CD

The crowning achievement of ELO at their best – a double-length set in which the genius of Jeff Lynne gets extra space to fully flower – and his mighty talents don't let up for a minute! The record's given us some classics over the years – standout tracks like "Mr Blue Sky", "Turn To Stone", and "Sweet Talkin Woman" – but the whole thing works perfectly together – as a sublime sonic treat that has all the Lynne studio genius coming into full focus, moving between different textures of electricity and light, through a set of songs that sound infinitely different than the group just a few years before. Other tracks include "It's Over", "Night In The City", "Starlight", "Jungle", "Believe Me Now", "Steppin Out", "Sweet Is The Night", "Standing In The Rain", "Summer & Lightning", "Wild West Hero", "The Whale", and "Birmingham Blues" – plus three previously unreleased bonus tracks. CD

A real treasure trove of music from the legendary Bill Evans – the complete recordings the pianist made for Verve Records in the 60s, including trio sessions, solo material, and interesting larger projects as well – plus alternate takes, unissued material, and lots more gems! Evans hit Verve at the height of his powers – already coming off important early records for the Riverside label, and working with Verve with superb recording quality, and great care for Evans as an artist – which allowed Bill to further flower in his familiar trio setting, and also try out solo recordings, and work with other co-leaders who include arranger Gary McFarland, tenorist Stan Getz, guitarist Jim Hall, and singer Monica Zetterlund – all of whom work closely with Evans on a session. The box features remastering for all sides, and includes over 250 tracks in a really overstuffed package! CD

A bit of jazzy magic from Fagen – stepping out from the cover of Steely Dan after the Gaucho album, and sounding pretty darn great on his own! The record is almost nostalgic, going back to a 50s of Brubeck, abstract expressionism, and pre-Castro Havana – filled with images that are a bit less oblique than those of Fagen's work with Steely Dan, and a love for the subject matter that makes us like the record even more. Musically, the set follows strongly from Gaucho, but has perhaps a bit more straight jazz – and titles include "The Goodbye Look", "Walk Between Raindrops", "IGY", "Green Flower Street", and "New Frontier". CD

Includes the songs "Skunk Hollow Blues", "I Know What You Do", "Your Love Has Faded ", "Tired Socks", "Day Dream", "Good Queen Bess", "That's The Blues, Old Man", "Junior Hop", "Squatty Roo", "Passion Flower", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Goin' Out The Back Way", "You're Driving Me Crazy", "Who Struck John?", "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream", "June's Jumpin'", "Violet Blue", "A Flower Is A Lonesome Thing", "Frisky", "Longhorn Blues", "Far Away Blues", "Searsy's Blues", "A Little Taste", "Charlotte Russe (Lotus Blossom)", and "Let The Zoomers Drool". CD

Features "The High Reel", "Night Town Boy", "Flower Among Them All", "Dearg Doom", "Faster Than The Hound" and more – 20 tracks in all! CD

A record that's as political as you might expect from its title, and a great collaboration between bassist William Parker and spoken word artist Patricia Nicholson! Make no mistake, the set's a jazz record first, with Nicholson's words added in over the top – as the rest of the group features superb contributions from James Brandon Lewis on tenor, Davin Brahja Waldman on alto, and either Gerald Cleaver or Francesco Mela on drums – a core combo that would be great enough on its own! Melanie Dyer adds in some stunning viola lines to the record in a few spots – and titles include "Little Black Kid With The Swollen Stomach", "Struggle", "Wilted Light As Flower", "No Joke", and "Flare Up". CD

Includes the tracks "Cross My Heart", "Flower Lady", "I've Had Her", "Miranda", "The Party", and "The Crucifixion". CD

Solo piano interpretations of "Caravan", "Lush Life", "Hidden Joy", "Satin Doll", "African Flower", and "On Night In The Hotel". 9 tracks total. CD

Rare late 60s psychedelia from blue collar Rockford, Il – a totally great lost album of pop psych tunefulness from Pisces – who had an incredible knack for experimental sounds that weave in and out of the hallucinatory pop structure! The group centered around core players Jim Krein and Paul DiVenti, and a number of the tunes have fragile, beautiful lead vocals by Linda Bruner, bringing in a bit of Velvets style stark, haunting loveliness – and most of the tracks languished unreleased all this time! This is essentially the first real release of almost all of the tunes, and the best shot at finding an adventurous audience any of it has ever had! We think this stuff would have been hugely influential had it found an audience in its time, hell, it sounds to us like it actually did influence countless groups, even though that's hardly even possible! There's a tunefulness at the center that bears the fruits of the experimental pop sounds that came from benchmark scenes of the era, from Haight Ashbury to Abbey Road – but the found sound ephemera, tape manipulations, and tripped out atmospherics really bring in some far out vibes! An essential discovery from Numero that's as exciting, insistently groovy and eclectic as any of the rock oriented stuff they've dug up to date! Titles include "Dear One", "Children Kiss Your Mother Goodnight", "Motley Mary Ann", "Say Goodbye To John", "The Music Box", "Like A Hole In The Wall Where The Rat Lives", "Elephant Eyes", "Circle Of Time" and more – plus the "extended play" bonus tracks "A Flower For All Seasons" and "In The Summer A Grape Grows". CD

It's easy to give the great Freddie Redd due respect – especially when the pianist sounds every bit as wonderful here as he did on his classic Blue Note albums from decades back! Freddie's a hell of a pianist, with a very unique vibe – able to be modern in conception, but lyrical in execution – sharp edges and angles warmed with a sense of humanity that always has Redd's music making this beautifully inherent sense, and drawing us right in, right away! The same seems to also be the case for his sidemen – who really flower in the setting – a lineup that includes John Mosca on trombone, Chris Byars on alto and flute, and Stefano Doglioni on bass clarinet. Mosca's trombone is especially nice – a real treat to hear in Redd's music – and titles include "A Night In Nalen", "Reminiscing", "Blue Hue", "I'm Gonna Be Happy", "OD", "Ole", "Lady J Blues", and "Melanie". CD

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". Plus, the CD includes a bonus alternate take of the track "Dance Cadaverous". CD

Brilliant late work from spiritual saxophone genius Albert Ayler – one of his last truly great albums! The session has none of the jazz-meets-other music feel of some of the other Impulse albums – and is more in the straight expressive style of the ESP recordings. Tracks are more reined in here – with some short themes that are almost a distillation of the freedom Ayler had been expressing for a few years, summed up beautifully in tunes that have a plaintive cry, filled with as much soul and love as Ayler could muster into his horn! Players include Donald Ayler on trumpet, Cal Cobbs on harpsichord, Alan Silva on bass, and Milford Graves on drums – and titles include "Zion Hill", "Love Flower", "Love Cry", "Ghosts", "Omega", and "Dancing Flowers". CD also includes some extra bonus material! CD

One of the deepest albums that Count Basie ever recorded – thanks to some great arrangements and backings by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's working in the same groovy mode he used with Jimmy Smith's excellent Verve sessions – and although the record doesn't have the same sort of star soloist in the lead, the Basie band members do a great job of trading off solos over the enigmatic backings crafted by Nelson. A number of the tracks have a Latin flair – and work on electric bass grooves that push the set farther than the usual Basie outing of the time – with a flavor that's right up there with the hippest Nelson sessions for Flying Dutchman, and maybe even a bit like spiritual ensemble material too. Titles include versions of Albert Ayler's "Love Flower" and Pharoah Sanders' "Japan", plus originals by Nelson like "Afrique", "Kilimanjaro", and "African Sunrise". CD

A beautifully laidback set from Marion Brown – recorded in Japan in 1979, with Dave Burrell on piano, and additional backing on bass and drums. The tracks are very spare, and Burrell's piano gets a lot of focus in the slowly-turning tunes. Brown's alto is in that deeply soulful mode that we really love – and tracks include "Hurry Sundown", "La Placita", "November Cotton Flower", and "Sunshine Road". CD

A landmark album for Donald Byrd – one that marks a key departure in his sound! Donald's really opening up on this one – picking up more of the soulful and the spiritual side of jazz, and moving from the hardbop and modern jazz of his late 50s years – no surprise, since he's surrounded by an incredibly hip group – with Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The tracks are longish and lyrical, with wonderfully-crafted solos, and some fresh writing from both Hancock and Byrd that really mark the album as one of the most inventive Blue Notes of the time! Titles include a great instrumental version of "Pentacostal Feelin", plus the cuts "Nai Nai", "Night Flower", and "French Spice" – all of which were written by Byrd. Plus, this CD also features the bonus cut "Three Wishes", written by Hancock! CD

A landmark album for Donald Byrd – one that marks a key departure in his sound! Donald's really opening up on this one – picking up more of the soulful and the spiritual side of jazz, and moving from the hardbop and modern jazz of his late 50s years – no surprise, since he's surrounded by an incredibly hip group – with Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The tracks are longish and lyrical, with wonderfully-crafted solos, and some fresh writing from both Hancock and Byrd that really mark the album as one of the most inventive Blue Notes of the time! Titles include a great instrumental version of "Pentacostal Feelin", plus the cuts "Nai Nai", "Night Flower", and "French Spice" – all of which were written by Byrd. Plus, this CD also features the bonus cut "Three Wishes", written by Hancock! CD

Rare live work from Johnny Cash – recorded right at the height of his late 60s fame on Columbia Records, but with a style that nicely takes his sound back to its roots! June Carter joins Cash at a few points in the performance – but most of the set jus has Johnny working with the Tennessee Three, in that spare chugging groove the group first developed when Cash was starting to record at Sun Records – presented here in a nicely unfettered way, as a contrast to some of his studio work for Columbia during the same period. The set's got 28 tracks in all – a nice mix of classics and other numbers – with titles that include "Bad News", "Jackson", "Long Black Veil", "Lorena", "Old Apache Squaw", "Guess Things Happen That Way", "Going To Memphis", "Orange Blossom Special", "Forty Shades Of Green", "Don't Take Your Guns To Town", "Ring Of Fire", "Long Legged Guitar Pickin Man", "Foggy Mountain Top", and "Wildwood Flower". CD

An all-star set for Hawk – one that has him blowing with backing from the Oscar Peterson Trio, plus some additional work by Hank Jones, and guest trumpet from Roy Eldridge, and even a bit of additional tenor from Ben Webster! Phew, with all those players on the set, you might expect the album to feature a lot of head-butting – but it's actually one of Hawk's best later sides, and was recorded in a nicely open-ended mode that lets most of the players get in some good moments without having to bump elbows. Titles include "Nabob", "Honey Flower", "Maria", and "Hanid". CD features two bonus tracks "Cocktails For Two" & "Honey Flower (alternate)". CD

A near-forgotten gem from Coleman Hawkins excellent late 50s period – recorded for the short-lived Felsted label, and done in a beautifully relaxed way! The tracks here are long and easy-going – at times even more open than Hawkins' work for Verve, and in the style he'd explore even more deeply for Prestige on some albums recorded right after this set. Hawk is playing in a quintet with Buck Clayton on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Mickey Sheen on drums – and titles include "My One & Only Love", "Bird Of Prey Blues", "Get Set", "Ooh Wee Miss GP", and "You've Changed". Added to that set are 3 bonus tracks from the Verve album Coleman Hawkins & Confreres – featuring a group with Roy Eldridge, on the titles "Hanid", "Honey Flower", and "Nabob". And last up are 2 more live recordings from a show in New York at the Phytian Temple – MC'd by All Jazzbo Collins, and featuring a solo performance of "Foolin Around", plus a take on "The Man I Love", played by a group with Hank Jones. CD

Ahmad Jamal on piano, Ephraim Wolfolk on bass, and Arti Dixson drums. Tracks include "Prelude To A Kiss", "I Got It Bad", "My Flower", "Chelsea Bridge" and "Never Let Me Go". CD

Nice Impulse work from Elvin Jones – 2 albums in a single package! Illumination features an amazingly unique little group – one that kind of stepped in the Impulse Records back door from the Coltrane galaxy, but which features some very unique aspects overall! As the cover states, the ensemble's led by bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones – and also features McCoy Tyner from Coltrane's quartet – yet the real charm of the record comes from the reed men, who include Prince Lasha on flute and clarinet, Sonny Simmons on alto and English horn, and Charles Davis on baritone sax! All players are free-thinking modernists, with ties to some of the farther reaches of 60s jazz – yet they work here in a beautifully inside mode, similar to Lasha's excellent Insight album on CBS UK – a vibe that takes all the most wonderful aspects of the Coltrane generation, but pushes them even further with some deeply personal expressions. Tracks include the seminal "Half & Half" – plus "Aborigine Dance In Scotland", "Oriental Flower", and "Nuttin Out Jones", and "Gettin On Way". Dear John C is one of the stranger albums on Impulse, but a beautiful session that's filled with surprises you wouldn't expect! Elvin Jones leads a group of odd bandmates in a set of tracks that's sort of a "letter" to Coltrane, and the groupings include either Roland Hanna or Hank Jones on piano, plus Richard Davis bass, and Charlie Mariano on alto sax! Mariano is the real highlight of the album, and his sparkling alto playing on the disc is some of his finest work from the 60s – really standing out in one of his few American sessions from the middle part of the decade. Titles include "Love Bird", "Fantazm", "Ballade", "Dear John C", and "Smoke Rings". CD

The title says it all – as Yusef Lateef works here in that wonderful mixture of hardbop, soul jazz, and Eastern stylings that he brought to all of his best early sessions as a leader! Lateef himself is playing tenor, flute, and oboe – which he uses to craft these eerie snakecharmer lines that work perfectly with the modal grooves of the tracks – very unusual rhythms for the time, and a real precursor to some of the world jazz experiments to come from overseas. The rest of the group features pianist Barry Harris, drummer Lex Humphries, and bassist Ernie Farrow, who also plays a strange instrument called a rabat – which further adds to the charm of the record. Titles include "Plum Blossom", "Purple Flower", "Three Faces Of Balal", and "Chinq Miau". CD

2 of Sunny Murray's classic sides for the BYG label, on one CD! Sunshine is one of Sunny's rarest from the time – and a full-on session that features Lester Bowie, Arthur Jones, Roscoe Mitchell, Archie Shepp, Kenneth Terroade, Dave Burrell, and Malachi Favors. The large group wails mightily, with a spiritual edge that's a bridge between Murray's New York avant roots and some of the late 60s work of the AACM. Side one features the extended "Flower Trane", and side two contains "Real" and "Red Cross". Even Break is one of the best-ever BYG/Actuel sessions, and one that has the unlikely pairing of east coast avant players Sonny Murray and Byard Lancaster, with Art Ensemble Of Chicago bassist Malachi Favors! Murray plays drums, and reads a bit of poetry, while the band wails behind him in powerful turgid lines of hard free jazz that represent all there is to say about the freedom of the Paris jazz scene in 1969. 4 long tracks – "Invisible Blues", "Complete Affection", "Giblets – Part 12", and "An Even Break". CD

A surprisingly well-thought out set of tracks that is perhaps the only ever time someone at RCA did a good job with a soul reissue! The filled-to-the brim compilation features 16 tracks from the legendary New Birth Inc. collective that also included the funky combo The Nite Liters and the vocal group Love, Peace, & Happiness – all of whom recorded together under the aegis of ex-Moonglow Harvey Fuqua during his production stint at RCA in the early 70s. The combination of different groups and styles makes for a very lively batch of 70's soul and funk tracks – and the set features both classics and overlooked obscure material, all nicely remastered, and packaged with a great set of notes. Titles include "Got To Get A Knutt", "K Jee", "Comin From All Ends", "Afro Strut", "Wild Flower", "Keep On Doin It", and "I Can Understand It". CD

A killer debut from Rasputin Stash – a funky group who work with all the long-haired inspiration you'd expect from their name! The groove is a mix of guitars and tight horns – undercut by the kind of heavy basslines that later made the group a good fit for Curtom Records, and lots of cool percussion touches that pepper the bottom of the rhythms nicely – with a pretty spontaneous feel! At times, there's almost a Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band vibe to the record, but mixed with some of the trippier influences of the Westbound crew – especially on the guitar – and like those artists, these guys have no trouble at all dipping into a touch of rock here and there to trip out their groove. Titles include "Mr Cool", "You Are My Flower", "Dookey Shoe", "I Want To Say You're Welcome", "Take Me On Back", and "Freaks Prayer". CD

Less of a standard Duke Ellington tribute than you might expect – as trumpeter Clark Terry works here in some wonderfully loose formation – on tunes that are more of an extrapolation of Ellington ideals than simple copycat versions! The lineup features some especially great piano from Jack Wilson and guitar from Joe Pass – both players who work with a relatively airy tone here, which suits Terry's muted horn well. Other players include Ray Brown on bass and Frank Severino on drums – and titles include "Echoes Of Harlem", "Passion Flower", "Sophisticated Lady", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", and "Come Sunday". CD

Heavy Latin grooves from pianist Elio Villafranca – working here with a great large lineup that's filled to the brim with heavyweight players! The session's the kind that you'll find at the best Club Coca Cola presentations – one of those rare moments where big money allows a special sort of performance, but the kind that never dampens its edge for the mainstream – and instead chooses that moment to unleash something really special! Villafranca composed and arranged all the tunes – and even produced the setting – and he makes great use of players who include Sean Jones and Terrell Stafford on trumpet, Vincent Herring on alto, Greg Tardy on tenor, and both Willie Jones III and Lewis Nash on drums. The set's also got a fair bit of added percussion – which really intensifies the sound promised in the title – and tracks include "Caribbean Tinge", "Flower By The Dry River", "Mambo Vivo", "Two To Tango", and "Last Train To Paris". CD

Pure dark magic from Grover Washington – a record that was a megahit back in the 70s, but which still sounds amazing many decades later! There's a sound here that's completely sublime – and the album is to Grover's career what the first 2 CTI sets by Bob James were to his – a stretched-out, masterpiece of sublime jazzy energy – served up with a really spacious sound overall! Grover's sharp-edged sax is at the lead of the set – but the album's also awash in electric piano work from Bob James – and backings that are as lean, clean, and soulful as the best on CTI from the time. Titles include the killer "Black Frost" – a track that we never tire of – plus the hit "Mister Magic", and the cuts "Earth Tones" and "Passion Flower". CD

An early masterpiece from Frank Zappa – one of those records that looks like it's going to be a big ol' mess when you first see the cover – but which turns out to be a carefully calculated act of madness in the end! The Mothers have all their freeform freaky brilliance intact here – still some of the snide edges of the early years, but also really learning their craft as well – and stretching out under Zappa's direction into a pastiche of songs that explore the anxieties and inanities of late 60s America! Frank produced the whole thing with an approach that others wouldn't reach for years – shifting styles, instrumentation, and sound sources with effortless ease – over tracks that include "Hot Poop", "The Idiot Bastard", "Lonely Little Girl", "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance", "Harry You're A Beast", "Mom & Dad", "Who Needs The Peace Corps", and "Flower Punk". CD

A blinding reissue of Roy's early jazz work for Atlantic! Both records are great, and feature super-hip lineups that include players like Herbie Hancock, Sonny Sharrock, Joe Henderson, Reggie Workman, Charles Tolliver, and Ron Carter. Despite the early placement of the material in Roy's career, his conception on the vibes is extremely mature, and both records represent a haunting new conception of the instrument that was to later emerge in full force on Roy's jazz funk albums for Polygram a few years later. These Atlantic sides are essential listening for Roy, and they're amazing little records that show a previously under-recognized side of his career. They're filled with great original tracks like "Ayerloom", "Virgo Vibes", "Glow Flower", "Shadows", and "Daddy Bug" – and the sound and package is excellent! CD

Brilliant late work from Ayler – 2 albums in a single set! The Love Cry session has none of the jazz-meets-other music feel of some of the other Impulse albums – and is more in the straight expressive style of the ESP recordings. Tracks are more reined in here – with some short themes that are almost a distillation of the freedom Ayler had been expressing for a few years, summed up beautifully in tunes that have a plaintive cry, filled with as much soul and love as Ayler could muster into his horn! Players include Don Ayler, Cal Cobbs, Alan Silva, and Milford Graves – and titles include "Zion Hill", "Love Flower", "Love Cry", "Ghosts", "Omega", and "Dancing Flowers". That's followed by Ayler's last album ever – and an incredibly strange batch of tracks that shows perfectly the kind of stylistic and emotional struggle he was going through in the final years of his life. Like the albums New Grass and Love Cry, this one shows Ayler toying with influences from other genres – like rock and soul – in order to better communicate his message to the masses. And while there's some strange odd moments that don't really work, there's others that have a gutsiness that's stunning – especially from the otherwise serious (by this point) NY underground. Players include Bobby Few, Muhammad Ali, and Stafford James – and tracks include "Untitled Duet", "Again Comes The Rising Of The Sun", "Toiling", "Birth Of Mirth", and "Desert Blood". CD

Chief Xcel and Gift Of Gab move it over to Anti- for the long-awaited follow up to Blazing Arrow! The Craft is a much more streamlined effort – so if the stylistic sprawl and sidesteps into the pop realm that characterized the major label album rubbed you the wrong way, this may be the focused effort you were waiting for – plus the crew brings in some live funk elements to build into the solid sound! Of course a solid sound for Blackalicious is still more adventurous than just about any other crew. Elements of live strings, flute, guitar, bass and keys really flesh the tracks out! Soul chanteuse Ledisi contributes hook vocals to several tunes, and additional vocal guests include mothership captain George Clinton, Larry Saunders, PEACE, Lifesavas, Lateef & Pigeon John and others. Tracks include "World Of Vibrations" feat Ledisi, "Supreme People", "Rhythm Sticks", "Powers", "Your Move", "Lotus Flower", "My Pen And Pad", "Automatique" feat Floetry, "Black Diamonds And Pearls" feat Larry Saunders and Ledisi, "Give It To You" and "The Craft". CD

A great new set from Chicago guitarist Bobby Broom – an excellent player, who, apart from a few albums on Artista in the early 80s, has never really gotten his dues! In the intervening years since those albums, Broom's increased his capabilities tremendously – taking off from his Grant Green-inspired sound, into whole new realms of chromatic and melodic expression. This brilliant set was produced with a very subtle flair – a spaciousness that's not part of that fake "brightness" that you'd hear on some of the newer jazz recordings that often ruin classic artists, but which is part of Broom's increasingly complex approach to jazz guitar. The group's a simple trio with bass and drums behind his lead – and tracks include "Stand", "I Will", "Come Back As A Flower", and a version of Phil Upchurch's classic "Monday Monday", who Broom shares a bit of sound with! CD

Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Carl Allen on drums. Tracks include "Blues For Nita", "Elegie", "Brazilian Flower", and "Tenderly". CD

A masterful meeting of two 50s modern jazz talents – the trumpet of Miles Davis balanced with the arrangements of Gil Evans – with results that have made the album one of Miles' greatest ever! The sound here is completely sublime – as Davis gets all chromatic and spooky over Evans' edgey arrangements – shimmering nicely in a perfect blend of modernism and lighter, more lyrical touches. The record's filled with loads of the kind of solos that Miles brought to his smaller group records – but they almost flower even more amazingly here in the larger setting. Titles include "Springsville", "Blues For Pablo", "New Rhumba", "Lament", and "Miles Ahead". This is the record that your dad bought to prove that he was cool – so buy it from us and keep up the family tradition! CD

A completely unique little session – and a record that's every bit as musically striking as you might guess from its title and cover! The date's a rare Latin-tinged one for trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a record that takes his usually smooth sound and sets it up against octet backings with horns from JJ Johnson on trombone, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, and Hank Mobley on tenor – plus piano from Horace Silver, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Art Blakey – plus added congas from Patato Valdes! The expanded group plays with a great sense of power – really pushing Kenny's sound tremendously – and although the album also features a few tracks by a smaller group with less percussion, these also have a bit of a Latin/exotic tinge too. Titles include "Basheer's Dream", "Lotus Flower", "KD's Motion", "Venita's Dance", "Minor's Holiday", "La Villa", and "Afrodisia". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Echo Of Spring (aka KD's Cab Ride)" and "Minor's Holiday (alt take)". CD

An extremely righteous bit of soul jazz – originally issued in a very small pressing by Folkway Records, at a time when the label was doing some great underground recordings! The sound is loose and free – spiritually building in a manner that recalls the work of Ahmed Abdul Malik, Phil Cohran, and some of the AACM – and the album has a style that's exploratory, but never goes too far out, or loses its sense of rhythm and swing. Tracks are longish, and the core group features soprano sax and Korean reeds by Bilal Abdurahman and vibes by Ameen Nuraldeen – plus guest work on bass by James Smith, and appearances by a lot of different world percussion players. There's a nice Eastern feel to some of the tracks, and titles include "Mevlana", "Ti Ti", "Sun Flower", and "Bent El Jerusalem". CD

Killer 70s work by the Four Tops – one of the group's best post-Motown albums, and a really hard-hitting batch of live tunes! There's a sound here that's grittier than just about any other Four Tops album – and that includes the classics for Motown – a style that brings together all the group's best growth of the time, and serves it up with a spontaneous, spirited approach that puts key emphasis on the vocals, and which also offers some tremendous interplay with the audience. Plus, the backing combo on the set are pretty darn funky – so that the rhythms on most tracks are a lot harder and heavier than their studio counterparts! Includes a sublime 9 minute version of "I Am Your Man", plus excellent takes on "Ain't No Woman", "Are You Man Enough", "Baby I Need Your Loving", "Midnight Flower", "Keeper Of The Castle", and "One Chain Don't Make No Prison". CD

Trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez doing what he's always done best – effortlessly bridging the worlds of jazz and Latin – with long tracks that rely more on the the strengths of the soloists than the rhythms to keep them moving along – even though the rhythms of the tunes are pretty darn great overall too! Jerry blows both trumpet and flugelhorn – and the set features superb tenor from John Stubblefield – plus more great work from Joe Ford on alto and soprano, and Larry Willis on piano – all given rock-solid support from Andy Gonzalez on bass and Steve Berrios on drums, marimba, and percussion. Jerry plays a bit of congas at points – and titles include "So Near So Far", "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", "Midnight Train", "Give It Some Thought", "Jungle Plum", and "Dance Cadaverous". 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

The definitive Vince Guaraldi – but with some unreleased material too! The double-length package is a beautiful tribute to one of the grooviest piano players ever – and it does a great job of bringing together some of Vince's more famous moments, mixed with really standout tracks from the Fantasy Records years – including some excellent bits that were penned and played for use in the Peanuts cartoons! There's a massive 31 tracks in the set – with previously unreleased versions of "Autumn Leaves" and "Blues For Peanuts", alongside other goodies that include "Calling Dr Funk", "Fascinating Rhythm", "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise","A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", "Fenwyck's Farfel", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Ginza Samba", "Work Song", "Mr Lucky", "Corcovado", "Great Pumpkin Waltz", "Skating", "Christmas Is Coming", "Thanksgiving Theme", "Theme To Grace", "Linus & Lucy", "El Matador", "Oh Good Grief", and "Christmas Time Is Here (inst)". CD

A key album from the later Charles Lloyd years on ECM – from a moment when the saxophonist seemed to be completely reinvigorated, and exploring very different territories than his music of the 60s! Part of the sound has Lloyd hitting a few ECM vibes – hard not to do with a group that features John Abercrombie on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but there's also moments that are looser and freer, too – really showing the individuality that's always been such a hallmark of Charles' recordings, and which here is hardly going to cowtow to any sort of stricter style for the label. The tenor work is superb – very sinuous and constantly exploring, but never overindulgent – and titles include "Voice In The Night", "Dorotea's Studio", "Homage", "Pocket Full Of Blues", "Forest Flower Sunrise/Sunset", and "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing". CD

An excellent Jon Lucien compilation that's way way better than the one that came out on Razor & Tie! This one features only work from Jon's RCA years – which were easily his best-ever. Plus, it's also got 4 previously unissued tracks that were recorded during the early 70s – but never issued until now. These are titled "Time For Me To Fly", "Child Of Love", "Black Flower", and "Follow Your Heart" – and they're all great! Of course, the other stuff's fantastic, too – and is some of the most godlike jazzy soul ever recorded on this planet. Titles include "Lady Love", "Who Will Buy?", "Adoration", "So Little Time", "Listen Love", "The Pleasure Of Your Garden", and the wonderful groover "Would You Believe In Me". 20 cuts in all! CD

Excellent work from the second half of Aaron Neville's career – when he was recording in a more modern style for the Sansu team of Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn. Funk fans will dig the classic "Hercules", as well as the dark ballad "Make Me Strong", which has a great piano/drum intro. Other titles include "Wild Flower", "Speak To Me", "She's On My Mind", "Mojo Hannah", "Been So Wrong", "The Greatest Love", "All These Things", and "Struttin On Sunday". There's a few cheesy spots, but with 18 tracks and a low price, there's more than enough nice bits! CD

A really great collection of work from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – a set that's a collection of mostly older tracks, but which also includes a dozen unissued numbers – all put together with that special flair that always made the group's mid-70s records so different than work of their contemporaries! In other words, this is hardly a lean "greatest hits" collection – and instead, the 3LP collection has bits from the first decade of the group's career coming together in all sorts of different ways – almost with the longform exploratory sense of Will The Circle Be Unbroken, and the playful interplay of their Stars & Stripes set – both expanded packages like this. There's many gems here in an array of styles – and titles include "Bayou Jubilee/Sally Was A Goodun", "Some Of Shelly's Blues", "Ripplin Waters", "You Are My Flower", "Creepin Round Your Back Door", "Sixteen Tracks", "Honky Tonkin", "Soldier's Joy", "Buy For Me The Rain", "Melissa", "Woody Woodpecker", "Cosmic Cowboy (part 1)", "Mother Earth Provides For Me", "Jamaica Lady", "Gavotte No 2", "All I Have To Do Is Dream", "Visiting An Old Friend", and "Win Or Lose". CD

With the cuts "Passing Me By", "Soul Flower", "Ya Mama", "I'm That Type Of N*gga", and lots more! CD

Titles include "Eternal Caravan Of Reincarnation", "Waves Within", "Look Up", "Just In Time To See The Sun", "All The Love Of The Universe", and "Stone Flower". CD

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". CD

Loads of material from this early jazz guitar genius – early 78rpm tracks, plus material from albums htat include Jazz At NBC, In A Mellow Mood, In A Sentimental Mood, Plays Jimmy Van Heusen, Solos By The Johnny Smith Quaret, Moonlight In Vermont, Moods Moods Moods, New Johnny Smith Quartet, Johnny Smith Foursome, Flower Drum Song, Easy Listening, Johnny Smith Favorites, Designed For You, Johnny Smith Plus The Trio, Sound Of The Johnny Smith Guitar, Man With The Blue Guitar, and Reminiscing. CD

The title's no lie, as the set's filled with all the singles issued by Soundgarden during their legendary run – titles that include "Black Hole Sun", "Loud Love", "Jesus Christ Pose", "Flower", "Nothing To Say", "Hands All Over", "Ty Cobb", "Bleed Together", "Spoonman", "The Day I Tried To Live", "Rusty Cage", "Get On The Snake", "Outshined", "Fell On Black Days", "Pretty Noose", "Burden In My Hand", and "Blow Up The Outside World". CD

Beautiful stuff – and a record we never tire of hearing! This album's a sublime extension of the earlier Brazilian style of the Tamba Trio – in a set that has them adding a fourth member, and picking up some cool new sounds from producer Creed Taylor! The set brings the group's earlier blend of bossa jazz and vocal harmonies into play with Taylor's spacious sensibilities in the early days of CTI – that stretch when the label was partnered with A&M Records, in a mode that also echoes some of the best studio qualities of that imprint too! The songs are longer than usual – nicely stretched out in a beautiful blend of jazz, bossa, and voice – and tracks include a classic reading of Luiz Eca's "The Dolphin", a great take on "Canto De Ossahana", and the tracks "Flower Girl", "We & The Sea", and "Lemanja". CD