Landmark work from The Dead Kennedys – and maybe still one of the greatest punk records to ever come from the American scene! There's so much here that so many other records are missing – razor-sharp instrumentation, a great sense of pacing, and most importantly, a biting wit that always keeps the whole thing from ever lapsing into any sort of over-serious cliches! Yet unlike their LA contemporaries, the group were also never ones to just lay into the jokes – as the political commentary here is especially pointed, and nearly every single song is a blistering attack on late 70s California mores and national obsessions. Every track's a gem – and titles include "Kill The Poor", "Forward To Death", "Let's Lynch The Landlord", "Your Emotions", "Holiday In Cambodia", "California Uber Alles", and "Stealing People's Mail" – plus a killer cover of "Viva Las Vegas". LP, Vinyl record album

Fairly funky set of tracks in which Klemmer plays electric and acoustic tenor, and in which he's accompanied by LA studio jazz talents like Harvey Mason, Wilton Felder, and Victor Feldman. Sounds a bit like some of the Eddie Harris Varitone albums from the time, with a rolling funky groove. Cuts include "Fresh Feathers", "Uhmmm! It Feels Good", "Wizards Revenge", "Music For People", and "Stinger". LP, Vinyl record album

The seminal turntable cut up track reissued with a reproduction of the original sleeve. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great mid 80s Pop Art release, and even though Marley Marl gets credit for mixing this single it's basically Roxanne rhyming over the Biz beatboxing with some canned crowd noise in the background. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A nice mix set from Medina Gree! 12 tracks in all: "Green Boogie" (produced by Diamond D), "Red Light Green Light", "Medina Green Giants", "Full Court Press" and "Physical Challenge" by Medina Green, "Fla-La-Lashe" and "Yo-Yo-Yo" by Medina Green & Mos Def, "Workin' It Out" by Mos Def, "Momma Said" by Fly Target & Luchyna, "Sometimes" and "How Many Times" by Illson & Ali Shine. LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Totally great work from White Lighnin – a group with a bluegrass duo at the core, but who are open to all sorts of great country rock touches! Obray Ramsey plays banjo, Byard Ray plays fiddle, and both sing together – with help from Eric Anderson, Dave Frishberg, Judy Collins, Herbie Lovelle, and many others! LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique little record from Jackie & Roy – one that has them singing a super-fresh batch of tunes from budding songwriters Andre and Dory (nee Langdon) Previn! The tunes are all really great – the kind of playful material that seems to bring out the best in Jackie & Roy, on a level that matches all those excellent Tommy Wolf/Fran Landesman tunes that sparkled so much on the pair's 50s albums for ABC. Backing is in a small combo mode, and the set has the best energy of Jackie & Roy's earlier years – in a format that sometimes has them singing duet, sometimes trading lines, and sometimes stepping out solo. Titles include "Like Love", "The Runaround", "Sing Me An Abstract Song", "Control Yourself", "You're Married", and "Where, I Wonder". LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost session from tenorist Willis Jackson – who also plays his gator horn here – right up there with some of his best groovers of the 60s, and recorded with a nice little group of fresh players! The lesser-known organist Jackie Ivory is on the session, and Wild Bill Jennings makes a good reappearance on guitar – sounding leaner than on some of his earlier work, in a great way. Richard Landrum plays conga behind the drums of Jerry Potter, which gives the set a nice kick, and a Gator Groove! Titles include "Brother Ray", "This Is The Way I Feel", "Blue Jays", "Stolen Sweets", and "Long Tall Dexter". LP, Vinyl record album

Magical early work from Ahmad Jamal – a scintillating blend of piano, percussion, and bass – with a sound that was incredibly fresh at the time, and which still sounds pretty much so to our ears! The album crackles with imagination and rhythm – really hitting on all burners without burning itself out – and showing that even in these early days, Jamal's approach was one that could be as striking as it was mellow. Bass is by the incredible Israel Crosby, and drums are by Vernell Fournier – and tracks include "Taboo", "The Girl Next Door", "Should I", "Secret Love", and "Squatty Roo". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lesser-known JJ Johnson albums of the mid 60s – and nice little session that's done with a fresh sort of style! The album's got JJ playing mostly with larger arrangements – penned by Dick Hyman, Slide Hampton, and Billy Byaers – in modes that range from upbeat, mod, and swinging – to mellow, lush, and soulful. A few cuts have vocalists – like the lovely Marlene Ver Planck, who sings wordlessly on the album's amazing groover "Pense A Moi" – a sweetly skipping jazz waltz that's almost worth the price of the record alone! Marlene returns on a great version of "Agua De Beber", and Osie Johnson sings on versions of "The Seventh Son" and "In The Name Of Love" – and other nice tracks include "008", "Feeling Good", and "G'Won Train". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album of heartfelt vocal tracks by a young Etta Jones – featuring arrangements by Oliver Nelson that rank among the best sort that he was penning for vocalists of this sort during the 60s. Etta's got a nice mix of material here, and although some of the tracks are a bit well-known, the arrangements and performance keep them fresh enough throughout. Titles include "By The Bend In The River", "There Goes My Heart", "Look For The Silver Lining", "Good Morning Heartache", and "I'll Never Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

A holy grail from the prime years of Blue Note hardbop – and one of the first records ever recorded by Clifford Jordan, then a fresh young tenor talent, just blown in from Chicago! The album has Jordan working with an all-star lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Sonny Clark on piano, and Louis Hayes in drums – blowing with a style that is a bit looser than other Blue Notes from the time, with touches of lyrical expression, brought on by the presence of Farmer and Hayes. Great overall – as tight as a bop side, but with a much deeper soul! Titles include "Confirmation", "Laconia", "Soul-Lo Blues", and "Cliff Craft". LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by Mannie Fresh. 12-inch, Vinyl record

"Gold Digger" is another great single from Kanye West – with a minimalist funky clappin' beat track and a Ray Charles sample – plus an appearance by Ray-incarnate Jamie Foxx. The subject matter couldn't be more tired, but Kanye's vocal approach is still fresh, and the production is nice! The subject matter of the flip "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" is anything BUT tired – and this remix features a rhyme by Jay-Z! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Early work by singer Beverly Kenny – a great 50s jazz vocalist who never got her due, but who managed to make some pretty fine records at the time! This album's one of them, and features backings from Ralph Burns – not as dark and moody as some of his other work of the 50s, and in a lightly, sprightly swinging style that really works well for Bev – often with a nice gentle swing that works well with the jazz modes of her vocals. Titles include "If I Were A Bell", "This Can't Be Love", "Give Me The Simple Life", "You Make Me Feel So Young", and "You Go To My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a live set from Sonny Knight & The Lakers – a record that's twice as long as the group's studio session, and maybe twice as smoking as well! Sonny's an older soul singer from years back, but he's never sounded better than working here with funky backings from The Lakers – a combo who've fused a style with the singer that few other groups can match – one of those rare cases where an older artist can find a really fresh breath of life while still moving forward, and where the younger talents seem to really hit a level of mature focus in the presence of the older artist. The recording quality is great – very sharp and on point – at a level that captures all the spontaneous energy of the group as they really stretch out and do their thing! Some tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Juicy Lucy", "Get Up And Dance", "Through With You", "Sonny's Boogaloo", "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", "Day Tripper", "Baby Baby Baby", "It's You For Me", "Sock A Poo Poo", "When You're Gone", "Cave Man", "I'm Still Here" (parts 1 & 2), "Sugar Man", and "Hey Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Flute man Moe Koffman was one of the strongest jazz talents on his instrument in the late 50s – an artist whose work on records like this may well have paved the ground for the success of Herbie Mann and others to come! The title's a play on Moe's earlier work on the "Swingin Shepherd" tune – a surprise instrumental hit, with a very sprightly groove – but the approach here is much more jazz overall, and really lets Koffman show off his chops – including a few points at which he blows alto sax too! The arrangements are fresh, and slightly modern – and the group features Ed Bickert on guitar, Hugh Currie on bass, and Ron Rully on drums – on titles that include "Marty's Mourge", "What Can You Do", "Doxy", "Sure It Is", "Alone Together", and "Cloud Nine". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning second album from Love – a set that's still without the fuller orchestrations and baroque touches of Forever Changes – but which already shows the group moving in that direction! The rough, gritty edge of the group is very firmly intact – but they've already got a really fresh way of putting over a song – by complicating the rhythms a bit, going for unusual tonal colors, and furthering the really imaginative songwriting of Arthur Lee. Side one features some incredibly haunting shorter tunes that point the way towards Forever Changes – including the insanely wonderful "She Comes In Colors", the Latin-tinged "Que Vida", and the cuts "Stephanie Knows Who", "The Castle", and "Seven & Seven Is". Side two is a total freak-out – an 18 minute bluesy guitar jam, very over the top stuff – and quite unusual in length for a rock album in 1966! LP, Vinyl record album

Love's first album – a seminal bit of Sunset Strip rock, and every bit as powerful today as it was in the 60s! The style's a bit sharper-edged than the group's classic and more familiar Forever Changes set, but it's still pretty darn great – a completely fresh batch of guitar-heavy tunes that bristle with a sound that's a lot more sinister than some of the group's contemporaries. There's a few folksy or bluesy elements in the mix, but they're almost used in a way that parodies bigger acts of the time – turning the familiar into the freaky, all with a sense of power that's simply mindblowing. Titles include the group's excellent version of Burt Bacharach's "My Little Red Book", plus "Hey Joe", "Emotions", "A Message To Pretty", "Mushroom Clouds", "And More", and "Coloured Balls Falling". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Love Sculpture – a heavy British trio from the end of the 60s – and one that features a young Dave Edmunds on guitar! There's a slight bluesy undercurrent in Dave's style, but the music also has that tightly compressed sound that would emerge more strongly during his hit solo years – yet which is presented here with some very nice rough edges. Songwriting is especially great – a fresh approach to territory that was beginning to sound a bit stale in the hands of some of the group's contemporaries – presented here with a clean, lean sound that's almost a precursor to power pop at points, yet which still has a heavier late 60s rock feel. Titles include "In The Land Of The Few", "Seagull", "People People", "Mars", "Sabre Dance", "Farandole", and "You Can't Catch Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive work from the great Cheryl Lynn – and a key bridge between late 70s disco and the newer grooves of the 80s club scene! The album's a mix of midtempo groovers with a few mellower tracks – and it's got a tight, slightly jazzy sound that was very fresh at the time, and which still holds up incredibly well today. The standout cut on the record is the landmark groover "Got To Be Real" – but there's loads of other great ones, like "Star Love", "Daybreak (Storybook Children)", "Give My Love To You", "All My Lovin", and "Come In From The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest work as a leader by Charlie Mariano – 2 early 50s 10" LPs, compiled back to back on one LP! Even at this early stage, Charlie's got a sound that's extremely strong – blowing alto sax with a soulfulness that was rarely heard on the instrument, using a strong boppish style, but one that didn't owe as much to Bird as most other players of his generation. The set's got a total of 16 tracks in all, many written by Mariano or Jaki Byard – and titles include "Diane's Melody", "My Nancy", "This Is Heaven", "Ryan's Love", "Jan", "Chanticleer", "It's Magic", "April Afternoon", and "American Indian". LP, Vinyl record album

The Marketts take to wheels here – making the move to hot rod themes that so many other surf instrumental groups were doing at the time – yet also finding their own unique groove in the process! The Marketts always had more of an overall studio sound than some of the more live rock instrumental acts of the time – but here they really turn that quality to their advantage, by using great Bones Howe production to bring out all the most unusual qualities of their instrumental lineup – fresh sax notes, oddball guitar phrasing, and lots of extra twists and turns to keep things interesting. Titles include "Woody Wagon", "Limbo Buggy", "Cobra", "Night Capades", "No Wheels", "Sting Ray", "Cha Cha Buggy", "Twice Pipes", "Bucket Seats", and "Makin Rubber". LP, Vinyl record album

An early vocal set from Les McCann – quite unusual, and pretty darn soulful as well! The album's done in a mode that foreshadows Les' move to soul during the 70s, and features him singing to some hip arrangements by Gerald Wilson – in a soulful, jazzy style that was common for LA of the mid 60s – somewhere in a space between Lou Rawls and Arthur Prysock – with all the hip, adult aspects you'd expect from those references! Tunes include a fair bit of standards, but swung in really fresh ways by Wilson – and McCann's got this restrained style of singing that's really great – almost as if he's hiding a broken heart beneath his groove. Tracks include "It's Way Past Suppertime", "Next Spring", "Bye Bye Black Bird", "Deed I Do", "I Cried for You", and "Wonder Why". LP, Vinyl record album

Key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best blue-eyed soul of the 70s – material by a really wonderful group with raspy soul leads and full, soaring harmonies! The Mob had a groove that was partly influenced by crossover soul of the late 60s, but which also had a touch of the jazz/rock modes of their generation – tight horns that swing along with the rhythms wonderfully – all in a way that almost links the group to some of the southern party circuit combos, like The Swinging Medallions or Tempests. Lead vocalist Al Herrero has a totally great way of putting over a tune – a style that never tries too hard, and which always keeps things right on the edge without going over the top. This approach is heard especially well on the classic "I Dig Everything About You", but the whole album's great too – overflowing with fresh original tracks that include "Maybe I'll Find A Way", "Lost", "Give It To Me", "Love's Got A Hold On Me", and "For A Little While". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best ever efforts from the Monkees – really the first album where Mickey, Peter, Davy and Mike took creative control from the TV people – and created and album of groovy late 60s pop to rival those of their influences! Headquarters famously features a lot more original material than previous LPs – and it still sounds remarkably fresh! It really doesn't feature any of their huge hits, so it stands up really well without the crutch of nostalgia! Titles include "You Told Me", "I'll Spend My Life With You", "Band 6", "I Can't Get Her Off My Mind", "Mr Webster", "Sunny Girlfriend", "Zilch", "No Time", "Early Morning Blues And Greens", "Randy Scouse Git". LP, Vinyl record album

A prime Argo gem from James Moody – and key proof that when he wanted to, he could be one of the hippest cats working in 60s jazz! The approach here is subtle, but amazing – a blend of hardbop with some of the more modern ideas that were coming up in the post-bop generation from the team of Moody and Dizzy Gillespie. The rhythms are quite complicated at times – very fresh and vibrant, but without any of the easy gimmicks that other 60s artists would fall into – like vamping soul jazz or borrowed bossa lines. Instead, working in a combo with a young Kenny Barron, Moody concentrates on fresh timings and complicated changes – modes that push his own work on alto, tenor, and flute far from expected territory – and which also features Barron on piano and organ, George Eskridge on guitar, Chris White on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums. Tracks include "Zanzibar", "Dizzy", "Ole", "Sonnymoon For Two", and a nice version of "Fly Me To The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant album that proves that even at the height of his success, Lee Morgan was one of the freest thinkers on Blue Note – always coming up with fresh ideas that continued to grow his talents! The first cut on the album is keen poof of that fact – the title track "Search For The New Land" – a beautiful 16 minute exploration of modal jazz themes, with an unusual stop/start device as a means of ushering solos by different bandmates – including Wayne Shorter on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, and Herbie Hancock on piano! The approach is unlike anything that Morgan ever did before – and unlike most of other Blue Note as well – and it also benefits from great rhythmic help from Reggie Workman on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Other tunes are a bit more conventional, but still pretty special – like some of Morgan's inventive work on the Rajah albums – with titles that include "The Joker", "Melancholee", "Mr. Kenyatta" and "Morgan The Pirate". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collection of live work from Gerry's early 60s Concert Jazz Band – a really forward-thinking large group that was one of Mulligan's greatest accomplishments of the time! In some ways, the ensemble worked in a sound that was like that of Mulligan's small group recordings of the 50s – with the horns moving around in free space, interacting beautifully in a fresh, modern, unfettered style. Gerry himself plays a bit of piano on the session, but most of the strength of the set is from the horn interplay from the larger group – from players that include Gene Quill, Bob Brookmeyer, Nick Travis, Gene Allen, Conte Candoli, and star soloist Zoot Sims. Material was recorded on a European tour of the time – and titles include "Go Home", "Barbara's Theme", I Want To Live", "Red Door", and "Apple Core". LP, Vinyl record album

Beats by LES, Chucky Thompson and Salaam Remi, with guests Olu Dara, Kelis, Ludacris, Doug E Fresh, Busta Rhymes, Maxwell, and others. Titles include "Nazareth Savage", "American Way", "These Are Out Heroes", "Disciple", 'Rest OF My Life", "Suicide bounce", "Streets Disciple", "Unauthorized Biography Of Rakim", "Remember The Times", "The Makings Of A Perfect B****", "Bridging The Gap" and 'War". LP, Vinyl record album

An ambitious mix of rootsy samba and soaring orchestrations – one of the strongest 70s albums by Clara Nunes, and set to arrangements by Francis Hime, Nelsinho, and Maestro Gaya! The record manages to sit on both sides of a sound with tremendous ease – never getting bogged down in its own ambition, yet still pushing Clara forward with a fresh approach. Titles include "Canto Das Tres Racas", "Fuzue", "Risos E Lagrimas", "Ai Quem Me Dera", "Tenha Paciencia" and "Retrato Falado". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool work from Anita O'Day – a session cut with Jimmy Giuffre arrangements, in a style that's a bit different than some of her other 50s work for Verve! Jimmy brings a nice touch of modernism to the record – casting the horns in ways that show his own love of creative colors and careful phrasing, which makes for a bit more sensitivity than you'd hear on some of her dates with Billy May. Anita really responds to this shift with her vocals – stepping around the tunes carefully, and seeming to slide in alongside Giuffre's horn charts in a really fresh way. The vibe's a bit like that of June Christy on Capitol with Pete Rugolo – which is a great recommendation to us – and titles include "Hershey Bar", "A Lover Is Blue", "Mack The Knife", "You're A Clown", and "Orphan Annie". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent swinging Bethlehem session from the mid 50s – one that's recorded in LA, but with a sound that's way hotter than most of the label's other west coast sides! The group's extremely tight – and features Marty Paich on piano as the leader, next to great trombone from Herbie Harper and vibes from Larry Bunker! Bunker's vibes offer a nice contrast to the usual smooth west coast group from the time – as he hits the bars with a nice hard clang that wakes everyone up to groove – and Jack Costanzo is on bongos on all tracks, and he adds a great little kick that keeps things fresh, too. Mickey Lynne sings vocals on "That Old Black Magic", and all other tunes – like "Zing! Went The Strings", "Blues In The Closet", and "The Natives Are Restless Tonight" – are instrumental. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful group soul vocals effort from the Persuasions in the early 70s – working in a throwback acapella mode, but still with a fresh feel – thanks to a hip dawn of the 70s sound, and a stripped-down feel that you'd probably have never gotten back in the day! It's amazing how fresh it sounds, even today – each individual voice captured with crystal clarity, and strong genuine emotion – with an honest and real sound that's not overly polished. Wonderful! Titles include "Chain Gang", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Gypsy Woman", "Another Night With The Boys", "Let It Be", "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home", and "The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A mad bit of psychedelic soul from Prince – a record that sounds better and better over the years, and which stands out from most of his 80s work thanks to some really unique production and songwriting! After Purple Rain, Prince did anything but freeze up in the face of living up to such a massive crossover smash – and instead stepped sideways nicely with a fresh approach to his sound – on a record that puts the "Paisley" in Paisley Park! The album mixes core Prince funk with some nicely playful touches – hardly classic psych, but that refined version that was floating around in the mid 80s – maybe mis-named, but used to great effect here. The album's a gem through and through – and titles include"Raspberry Beret", "Paisley Park","Around The World In A Day", "America", "Temptation", "Pop Life", and "Condition Of The Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary overview of jazz on the Italian scene at the start of the 60s – a great document of the new modes that was really setting the work of Italian jazz musicians apart from those in other parts of Europe – working with fresh ideas and a new conception that's completely sublime! The work here often has a great balance between structure and individual voice – and many numbers feature strong soloists who'd go on to great fame in a variety of settings – already graced here with talents that seem greater than their young years. Trumpeter Enrico Rava leads things off in a quartet with pianist Maurizio Lama, on a version of the tune "Line For Lyons" – and Lama follows with a trio reading of his own "Tema For Franco". Trumpeter Sergio Fanni is joined by the great Eraldo Volante on tenor and baritone on the tunes "Duo" and "Circeo". Later soundtrack artist Piero Umiliani serves up his "Picolla Suite Americana" – followed by the Modern Jazz Gang of saxophonist Sandro Brugnolini (with later sound library giants Enzo Scoppa and Cicci Santucci), on the tracks "The Drum Is A Tramp" and "Blue Mirria". Trombonist Dino Piana delivers the tune "Tempo Di Febbraio" with help from the great Gianni Basso on tenor – and the set also features a reading of "Bag's Groove" with Giorgio Azzolini on bass, Piano on trombone, and Attilio Donadio on alto. LP, Vinyl record album

A Spanish album that brings together two classic early records from this great guitarist! First up is the self-titled John Renbourn – the first full album from acoustic genius Renbourn – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Next is Another Monday – one of Renbourn's most obscure records, and a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Parker may live again in the title of this set – but given the strengths of the group, the album would be great even without a reference to Bird! The setting's a bop one, as you'd guess – but there's also a lot more going on here too, given that some of the tunes are longer and open – and almost show some of the maturation of all the players on the date – especially saxophonist Charles McPherson and pianist Barry Harris, both of whom got their start with boppish ideas, but who were really branching out by the time of this early 70s session. The quintet also features some excellent rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Roy Brooks on drums – both players who bring plenty of fresh ideas to the table – and Red Rodney's work on trumpet has lots of earthy notes that show a strong sense of personality too. Titles include "Big Foot", "I'll Remember April", "Donna Lee", "Chasing The Bird", "Round Midnight", and "52nd Street Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

Key recordings from Sonny's breakout year of 1954 – tracks from 2 different sessions, brought together into one album that packs a hell of a punch! The modernist Rollins tenor is at its early peak here – fresh, bold, and highly creative – yet equally concerned with the role of the ensemble as well. And with players like Kenny Dorham, Elmo Hope, Thelonious Monk, and Art Blakey helping things out, the sessions are both cookers all the way through! Titles include 4 by a group with Dorham, Hope, and Blakey – "Solid", "Moving Out", "Swingin For Bumsy", and "Silk N Satin" – plus 1 more by a quartet with Monk, Tommy Potter, and Art Taylor – the longer "More Than You Know". LP, Vinyl record album

About as classic as you can get for Sonny Rollins during the 50s – from the cover right down to the incredible solos on the set! The album's got Rollins really stretching out – still not finding the freer trio mode of his Vanguard session, but still bringing in plenty of fresh ideas in both his phrasing and the construction of his tunes – way more than just the roots of his (still excellent) years as a boppish player. The group's nice and loose – with Wynton Kelly on soulful piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all able to snap into a groove when needed, but also letting Rollins really lay back into a solo too. Titles include the sublime "Asiatic Raes", plus "Namely You", "Tune Up", "Wonderful Wonderful", and "Blues For Philly Joe". If you've ever needed a record to convince you how great Rollins is, this might just be the one! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing debut from Rufus – a group so great, they were virtually a genre unto themselves during the 70s! Rufus came from the same totally hip Chicago scene that gave the world Minnie Riperton and Earth Wind & Fire – and like both of those greats, these guys have a way of drawing from mighty deep roots, then creating an incredible sound that's completely fresh – a mode that's funky in all the right places, plenty soulful from Chaka Khan's great lead vocals, yet fused together with a freshness that marks Rufus as one of the most inventive acts of their generation! And sure, lots of other folks copped their act as the years went on – but nobody could do it like these guys – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Haulin Coal", "Satisfied", "Feel Good", "Keep It Coming", "Slip N Slide", and "There's No Tellin". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic from Jimmy Rushing – recorded at a time when he was really finding a new audience for his vocals! In a style that Columbia was using on a number of sides in the late 50s and early 60s, Jimmy and Buck do a bit of educatin' – and trace a progression of jazz styles from New Orleans, to Chicago, to Kansas City, and New York. The Odyssey's not really Jimmy's, so much as it is the jazz that was defined by the white liberal tastes that always were the main force between Columbia in the early years – but the set's still a nice one, like all of Jimmy's later work for Columbia, which features some of the best-recorded vocal work of his career. Titles include "New Orleans", "Doctor Blues", "Rosetta", "Piney Brown Blues", "Lullaby Of Broadway", and "Some Of These Days". LP, Vinyl record album

An interesting set – kind of a parody of the Girl Meets Boy album that had been issued a year or two before on Columbia – done with vocals by Jimmy and Ada Moore, and recorded as a "story in jazz" about love, love found, and love lost. Jimmy and Ada sing both separately and together, Buck Clayton plays a few instrumental sides – and titles include "The Blues", "Cool Breeze Woman", "Ain't She Sweet", "If I Could Be With You", and "Pretty Little Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy heady funk from the 70s Nigerian scene – a wicked little record that's unlike anything else we've heard before! SJOB is a combo made from ex-members of the group of Sonny Okosuns – all top-shelf players who've clearly got their chops down in the groove department, but are also really willing to experiment with their sound as well! There's some hip spacey elements to the music – cool keyboards that weave in and out of the guitar and tighter rhythms – creating a sense of darkness that's totally great, even when things are still pretty funky. The structure of the tunes is far from familiar Afro Funk too – pretty offbeat and jagged – familiar rhythms one minute, then fresh ones the next! Titles include "Countrylove", "No One Cares", "Stone Funk", "Omo Oloro", and "You Only Live Once". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful document of some of the most laidback jazz ever recorded – the sublime 50s recordings of the Johnny Smith quintet, done at a time when the lineup included Stan Getz! The tunes on the set feature Johnny's mellow electric guitar setting the pace, alongside wonderfully-blown early solos from Stan. The tunes are mostly standards, but done in a great style that's not exactly cool jazz, but which has a groundbreakingly easy groove that's simply sublime! Titles include "Tenderly", "Vilia", "A Ghost Of A Chance", "Jaguar", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Tabu", and "Where Or When". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful Roost material from Sonny Stitt – solid, mature, and extremely well-placed lines on the alto sax – all caught at a level that's higher than most of his contemporaries were dising out at the time! The boppier side of Stitt's roots is nicely suppressed here – and in its place is a focused and deeply personal approach to the music – one that's wonderfully complemented by the "New Yorkers" combo of Hank Jones on piano, Shadow Wilson on drums, and Wendell Marshall on bass. The record's one of the jewels in the crown of his Roost catalog – and titles include "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Engos, The Bloos", and "Bloosey". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Too Short, and like the first, a set that firmly established both the Cali scene and the Bay Area as a hotbed of harder-hitting hip hop! And sure, there were countless later gangsta acts that slide into the sorts of cliches that often marred the genre – but back at the start, folks like Too Short, Ice T, and NWA were really exploding with a sense of message that was quite a surprise to anyone whose ears were pointed to the east – really opening the door for countless other scenes to add their two cents – including the big wave that would soon rise from the south. The whole thing still sounds surprisingly fresh all these many years later – and titles include "Life Is Too Short", "I Ain't Trippin", "Nobody Does It Better", "Cuss Words", "City Of Dope", "Don't Fight The Feelin", "Rhymes", and "Pimp The Ho". LP, Vinyl record album