Titles include "On The Run", "Money", "Us & Them", "Any Colour You Like", "Brain Damage", "The Great Gig In The Sky", and "Time". CD

Titles include "On The Run", "Money", "Us & Them", "Any Colour You Like", "Brain Damage", "The Great Gig In The Sky", and "Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare slice of the career of this famous and short-lived jazz duo – tapes that were recorded in 1955 at the legendary Bee Hive niteclub in Chicago, but not issued until the end of the 70s, in this smashing 2CD set that was produced by Max himself! The material offers a strong contrast to the sometimes more staid work the pair recorded for Mercury before Brown's untimely death – as it features unbridled playing in a rougher environment than usual – and a break from the original format of the famous group, with only Roach, Brown, and bassist George Morrow intact – plus appearances from Chicagoans Nicky Hill on tenor, Billy Wallace on piano, and Leo Blevins on guitar. Sonny Rollins makes an early appearance on tenor – and titles include long versions of "Walkin", "Cherokee", "I'll Remember April", and "Woody N You". If you've ever wondered what hard bop sounded like to the average crowd at the time of its popularity, this is the record to dig – and even though the recording quality is sometimes a bit "live", it's still a great document! The 2CD package expands on the original 2LP set – and also features work from Basin Street performances from 1956, and a Copenhagen gig from 1953 – making for a total of 12 tracks in all! CD

Johnny returns to prison for another incredible set, released in its entirety for the first time with the 9 songs left off of the original LP! Like the Folsom gig, the set was captured by producer Bob Johnston, who also so masterfully recorded Bob Dylan at his most primal. Unlike the Folsom set, in which Johnny was famously accompanied by the Tennessee Three, the San Quentin band was fleshed out to include all of the still performing Carter women, Carl Perkins and the Statler Brothers. Another breathtaking prison recording, featuring the famous version of "A Boy Named Sue" where you hear the crowd going completely nuts. Tracks include "I Walk The Line", "Darlin' Companion", "San Quentin", "Wanted Man", "There'll Be Peace In The Valley", "Ring Of Fire", "He Turned The Water Into Wine", "Daddy Sang Bass", "I Don't Know Where I'm Bound" and more. 18 tracks in all, with lots of previously unreleased photos and essays, including some insight from Merle Haggard – who had, uh, his own little gig at San Quentin if you catch my meaning. CD

One of our favorite-ever Miles Davis albums – even if it is a soundtrack that he recorded in France! The CD issue of this material features a whopping 20 minutes of extra material, for a total of 26 moody jazz tracks that were originally recorded for the French film Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud (Elevator To The Gallows). Miles recorded this material during late-night post-gig sessions with a great group that includes French players Barney Wilen, Rene Urtreger, and Pierre Michelot, plus American ex-patriot Kenny Clarke. Wilen's playing is fantastic, and it's great to hear him and Miles together on the score's spooky meandering passages. Titles include "Nuit Sur Les Champs-Elysees", "Assassinat", "Le Petit Bal", and "Au Bar Du Petit Bac". Great stuff, and one of the best jazz soundtracks ever! CD

The battle of the funky 45s! No gunslinger should be without this excellent t-shirt from Dusty Groove – a double-barrelled delight, with a real old-timey look, perfect for standing down your competition wherever they may be – a DJ gig, a record fair, flea market, or behind the counter at DGA! Not only that, the shirt's also got the Dusty Groove logo on the back! Measurements – Length: 32", Chest: 50", Waist 50". Clothing

Why was it that the left end of jazz in the 80s often produced some of the most unexpected alliances? Perhaps it was because it was so tough to gig and earn on one own's creative vision that it made more sense to play together with other leaders. Or perhaps the dearth of really creative music in the mainstream made more avant players try to fill the void. Whatever the case, this album's a very typical batch of 80s avant – featuring the unlikely alliance of Peter Brotzmann, Bill Laswell, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and Sonny Sharrock, all playing with noisy whimsy on tracks like "Panzer Be Bop", "Blind Willie", "Straw Dog", and "Pig Cheese". CD

Reissue of a rare Teddy Charles album that also featured Booker Little and Booker Ervin. The album features the inventive vibist caught live in New York at a Metronome sponsored gig featuring Mingus alums Mal Waldron, Booker Ervin and Booker Little. The set includes one expansive Charles original, "Take Three Parts Jazz", a Little original "The Confined Few", Ervin's "Scoochie" and Waldron's "Cycles", along with a few standards. The music is fantastic, and is a mix of modernist modal themes with rich soul jazz playing. Ervin and Little are fantastic, and their sharp edgey sounds are a perfect contrast with Charles' moody vibes. Very little of Teddy Charles' work, which ranged from introspective avant garde pieces with Jimmy Giuffre to more swing based collaborations with Mingus, has been documented, this piece showcases his New Directions Quartet in a unique setting, with inspired guests. LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic greasy grooves – hot off the grill from chef Jack McDuff! Hot Barbeque is one of our favorite all-time Jack McDuff albums, and one that features his classic quartet in totally amazing form. George Benson's wailing on guitar, and proving that he was a genius, even at this tender young age (and in fact, maybe only at this age!), Red Holloway's on tenor, and the amazing Joe Dukes' is skipping away on drums, dancing all over the place under Brother Jack's great groovy solos. With the short vocal ditty that comprises the title cut, plus other long groovers including "The Party's Over", "Happy Dip", and "Cry Me A River". All this, and the cover's got a great photo of Jack chompin' on a slab of ribs! The other half of this CD is one of three live sides McDuff cut, all with similar covers, but this one's got the red and orange lettering. Red Holloway blows and hollers over the fingerpoppin' grooves delivered by a young George Benson on his first major gig, and the soulful drums of Joe Dukes. Features cookin' live versions of "Rock Candy", "Sanctified Samba" and "A Real Goodun'". Jack McDuff Live is a killer, and one of three live sides McDuff cut for Prestige during the 60s – a monster session of stretched-out jazzy grooves, with many fine little dancers, and a raw soulful feel throughout! The group's one of Jack's best – as Red Holloway's tenor blows and hollers over the fingerpoppin' grooves delivered by a young George Benson on his first major guitar gig – and the soulful drums of Joe Dukes scatter across the place, taking the whole band into some incredible rhythms! Titles include cookin' live versions of "Rock Candy", "Sanctified Samba", "Undecided", and "A Real Goodun'". CD

Guitarist Jeff Parker left our fair city of Chicago a number of years ago, headed out to the sunny climes of LA – where he's not only really opened up his music, but also helped contribute a heck of a lot to the local scene as well! Both of those aspects of Parker's development are showcased here – on material from a regular gig at the Enfield Tennis Academy, presented here on four different selections that have Parker's guitar alongside the alto of Josh Johnson, drums and percussion of Jay Bellerose, and bass of Anna Butteress – all nicely unfamiliar players compared to Parker's Chicago and global regulars – working with Jeff on these open tunes that build with a style that's open and organic, yet surprisingly melodic too! Both Parker and Johnson use some pedals alongside their instruments, but never in a way that's overfly forced – and the difference in sound and feeling on the four long tracks from three different dates is really wonderful to hear. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal soulful bop! Horace Parlan's Blue Note sides remain some of the most collectible recordings in the label's discography, and this dynamite collection brings all of the pianists work as a leader into one place! This set includes all of the albums Movin' & Groovin', Us Three, Speakin' My Piece, Headin' South, On The Spur Of The Moment, Up & Down and Happy Frame Of Mind. Sidemen include Stanley and Tommy Turrentine, Booker Ervin, Grant Green, Johnny Coles, George Tucker, Ray Barretto and Al Harewood. There's a total of 52 tracks spread out over 5 discs, with titles that include "Up In Cynthia's Room", "Lady Bird", "Us Three", "Wadin'", "Return Engagement", "Headin' South", "Low Down", "Congalegre", "Borderline", "Rastus", "Speakin' My Piece", "On The Spur Of The Moment", "Skoo Chee", "Al's Tune", "The Book's Beat", "Fugee", "The Other Part Of Town", "Lonely One", "Home Is Africa", "A Tune For Richard", "Back From The Gig", "Dexi", "Kucheza Blues", and "Happy Frame Of Mind". CD

Strong work from the Peterson Trio's London House gig in Chicago in 1961 – material that offers some slightly longer than usual takes on the group's sound, especially on a few numbers that really let Oscar open up on the keys! The group here is the legendary combo with Ed Thigpen on drums and Ray Brown on bass – but on the album's long versions of "Sometimes I'm Happy", "In The Wee Small Hours" and "Chicago", it's Oscar's inventive work on the keys that really dominates the nearly 10 minute run of each track. Other shorter tunes include "Billy Boy", "Whisper Not", and "The Night We Called It A Day". Includes five bonus tracks. CD

Maybe not the wildest record in the genre of 60s monster rock, but a set that's still got plenty of weird and wonderful stuff going on! There's not really any vocals, so the set avoids the "Monster Mash" novelty vibe – but it more than makes up for it with the use of plenty of odd sound effects amidst the echoey production of the rocking instrumentation – almost as if some surf/hot rod combo showed up to play a gig in a spot that turned out to be a haunted house – and they kept on rocking while all the ghouls showed up for the party! Titles include "Fly Me To The Goon", "Chained", "A Taste Of Poison", "Mummy's Little Boy", "Good Noose", "The Wrist Twist", and "Shoot A Nanny". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the title put you off, as these aren't tracks recorded at some soundcheck before a gig by British piano legend Stan Tracey – and instead, they're some incredible recordings from late in his career, showing the modernist to be every bit as vibrant as back in the day! CD1 features duets between Stan and son Clark Tracey on drums – a pair who'd been working together for many years by the time of this date, and who have fantastic energy that will instantly blow away any idea of nepotism you might have in mind! Clark is as dynamic on the drums as Stan is on the keys – and the pair work some amazing magic on original tunes that include "Stick Chops", "Foregone Conclusion", "M25", "Curry Favour", "Soundcheck", "Gambons", and "Midnight Around". CD2 features a trio performance, as bassist Andrew Clyndert joins Stan and Clark – as the group move through a mix of wonderfully reworked jazz classics, and a strong tune of Stan's own – titles that include "Lil Ol Pottsville", "Let's Cool One", "Angelica", "Goodbye", "Blue Monk", and "Chelsea Bridge". CD

An unusual little set from Pennsylvania's Case – a group who were decidedly younger and maybe geekier than some of their heady contemporaries in the early 70s underground – and who come across here with a garagey vibe that maybe recalls indie sets from the decade before! The album was recorded on a four track in the group's school music classroom over Christmas break – which gives the whole thing a nice sense of "room", and a relatively live feel – more like you were catching these youthful cats starting to practice before a gig. Titles include "Crystal Ball", "Coming Home", "Ali On The Run", "Lover", "Out Of It", and "Someday". CD

The first-ever full length set from The Grasshoppers – a killer combo who made plenty of waves on the live music scene in the Twin Cities during the 60s, but one who only ever issued a single 45 at the time! Yet despite that lack of wax, the group have the sort of razor sharp sound that so many hard working combos of the generation had – really tight, groovy performances of material that's mostly original by members of the group – served up with twin guitars, bass, drums, and these great vocals from lead singer Jiggs Lee – an artist who knows how to put just the right sort of presence in the music! The whole thing is plenty darn catchy, and has the feel of stumbling onto a cool combo at some great backroom gig during these key years of homegrown scenes – on titles that include "Watch People", "Let It Be That Way", "Lonely Me", "Paper Cup Beggar", "Riding In My Car", "Still In Love With You Baby", "Sugar & Spice", and "Our Love". CD

Searing work as a leader from drummer Elvin Jones – a set recorded very early on in his years at Blue Note, just a few weeks after the death of John Coltrane – yet one that was never issued by the label at the time! The location is a regular gig that Jones was holding down in New York – and already, he's starting to find that special place that makes his work as a leader so different than the work he did with John Coltrane – really embracing the talents of a young Joe Farrell on tenor sax, who gets plenty of space to soar out with long, bracing solos – as he will soon do on other Elvin Jones albums for the label! The rest of the group features Billy Greene on piano and Wilbur Little on bass – and titles include very long takes of "Keiko's Birthday March", "ME", "On The Trail", "13 Avenue B", "My Funny Valentine", "Oleo", and "Softly In A Morning Sunrise" – plus a version of "Gingerbread Boy" with Larry Young on piano! CD

Searing work as a leader from drummer Elvin Jones – a set recorded very early on in his years at Blue Note, just a few weeks after the death of John Coltrane – yet one that was never issued by the label at the time! The location is a regular gig that Jones was holding down in New York – and already, he's starting to find that special place that makes his work as a leader so different than the work he did with John Coltrane – really embracing the talents of a young Joe Farrell on tenor sax, who gets plenty of space to soar out with long, bracing solos – as he will soon do on other Elvin Jones albums for the label! The rest of the group features Billy Greene on piano and Wilbur Little on bass – and titles include very long takes of "Keiko's Birthday March", "ME", "On The Trail", "13 Avenue B", "My Funny Valentine", "Oleo", and "Softly In A Morning Sunrise" – plus a version of "Gingerbread Boy" with Larry Young on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "On The Run", "Money", "Us & Them", "Any Colour You Like", "Brain Damage", "The Great Gig In The Sky", and "Time". CD

Throw away your crates and just pack this album under your arm for a gig – and you'll have 16 classic funky tracks to get the party started right! As with other volumes, the focus here is on 70s tracks sampled by hip hoppers during the mid and late 90s – with full sample credits for all tunes, so that you can remember where you remember them from! Titles include "Strollin" by Jack McDuff, "Danube Incident" by Lalo Schifrin, "Born to be Blue" by Jack Bruce, "Lovely Is Today" by Eddie Harris, "Little Lady Maria (skit)" by Ohio Players, "Pastures (skit)" by Ahmad Jamal, "Ready Or Not" by The Delfonics, "Tripping Out" by Curtis Mayfield, "I Can't Stand The Rain" by Ann Peebles, "Vallarta (skit)" by Les McCann, "ET Boogie" by Extra T's, "Sign Song" by Buddy Baker, "American Fruit, African Roots" by Zulema, "Shamboozie" by Bob James, and "The World Is A Place" by Rhythm. LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from the team of Gigi Gryce and Donald Byrd – material recorded during their Jazz Lab sessions for Columbia Records in the 50s, but unissued at the time! The duo are pure genius together – able to open up with all the modern jazz currents that altoist Gryce was bringing to his writing and arranging, yet still swing with all the sense of soul that you'd know from later work from the famous trumpeter Byrd! The blend is great – kind of like all the best 50s modern jazz ideas rolled into one – a record with plenty of new ideas, but a rock-solid swing to match the best on Blue Note or Prestige – driven strongly by the rhythm trio of Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Gryce is especially nice – maybe a bit more biting than on some of his earlier records with Art Farmer, and a hell of a soloist throughout. Titles include "Exhibit A", "Capri", "Splittin", "Byrd In Hand", "Ergo The Blues", and "Passade". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal early work from Art Farmer – and one of the first full albums to capture his brilliance! The record has Farmer playing in a quintet, with able accompaniment from Gigi Gryce, a young newcomer at this point, with a post-bop complication to his style that was not to dissimilar from Farmer's. Gryce's mode is perhaps a bit more academic than Farmer's, but Art's lyricism offsets that tendency nicely, and the pair work together in a mode that's every bit as pleasing as Gigi's work with Donald Byrd. The set features some great tracks in sort of an exoticist hardbop mode – and titles include "Satellite", "Shabozz", "Sans Souci", and "Evening In Casablanca". CD

Seminal early work from Art Farmer – and one of the first full albums to capture his brilliance! The record has Farmer playing in a quintet, with able accompaniment from Gigi Gryce, a young newcomer at this point, with a post-bop complication to his style that was not to dissimilar from Farmer's. Gryce's mode is perhaps a bit more academic than Farmer's, but Art's lyricism offsets that tendency nicely, and the pair work together in a mode that's every bit as pleasing as Gigi's work with Donald Byrd. The set features some great tracks in sort of an exoticist hardbop mode – and titles include "Satellite", "Shabozz", "Sans Souci", and "Evening In Casablanca". LP, Vinyl record album

The keyboards of Greg Foat have a really great setting here in a collaboration with Gigi Masin – served up in a style that's maybe more laidback and spacious than before, yet in a way that makes us fall in love with Greg's electric piano lines all over again! Masin's got roots in more ambient sounds, but the record definitely has a jazz approach at the core – plenty of the increasingly sensitive styles that Foat has developed as the years moved on – shifting from an initial role as a guy who could handle vintage keys, to a point where he's really emerged as a more fully-fledged jazz player overall! The blend of keyboards and a larger sonic palette still has plenty of live instrumentation in the mix – different than a project of this sort by an artist like Bugge Wesseltoft – and titles include "London Nights", "Viento Calido", "Your Move", "Sabena", "Leo Theo", "Love Theme", and "Dolphin". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

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A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – both players of Gryce's same postwar generation, and coincidentally recording for Mercury at the same time. Although the groove here is definitely different – less emphasis on the bottom, and more on the top – not just Gryce's wonderfully raspy alto, but also the trumpet of Richard Williams too. All other players are great as well – and Eddie Costa brings in some sweet vibes – in a lineup that also features Richard Wyands on piano, and either Reggie Workman or George Duvivier on bass, and either Walter Perkins or Bob Thomas on drums. Tracks include "Reminiscing", "Gee Blues Gee", "Blue Light", and "Night In Tunisia". CD

A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – both players of Gryce's same postwar generation, and coincidentally recording for Mercury at the same time. Although the groove here is definitely different – less emphasis on the bottom, and more on the top – not just Gryce's wonderfully raspy alto, but also the trumpet of Richard Williams too. All other players are great as well – and Eddie Costa brings in some sweet vibes – in a lineup that also features Richard Wyands on piano, and either Reggie Workman or George Duvivier on bass, and either Walter Perkins or Bob Thomas on drums. Tracks include "Reminiscing", "Gee Blues Gee", "Blue Light", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work by Lee Morgan – easily one of his greatest albums, and a soaring session of modal energy that easily rivals the best work of the Impulse era! The album's got a slightly different feel than usual for Blue Note – a sense of freedom, joy, and soaring energy that's totally great – explored by a crack group that features Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all coming together with a unique sense of creativity! The rhythm section is one of the key factors here – as Mabern, Cranshaw, and Higgins have a fluid groove that really sets the tone for the record – letting Morgan and Shorter stretch out to the height of their powers, and explore some incredible modal and soulful themes. Titles include the seminal 11 minute reading of "The Gigolo", plus "Yes I Can No You Can't", "Speedball", and "Trapped" – as well as an excellent reading of "You Go To My Head" that completely opens up the old standard! CD

Early work by pianist Mel Powell, captured here in a variety of settings including trio, quintet, septet, and larger formations. CD

Seminal modern jazz from Art Farmer & Gigi Gryce – a pair of records the players recorded together on Prestige Records in the mid 50s! First up is When Farmer Met Gryce – one of Art Farmer's pivotal mid 50s sides – recorded in the company of altoist Gigi Gryce, a great player and a budding young arranger who helped Farmer really formulate the best side of his sound! The tracks are lyrically modern – but still have a nice dose of soul in them – a wonderful blend that really sets the stage for the move that Art was making away from earlier trumpeters in jazz – into that hip territory that was neither too cool, nor too overblown – and which would almost be known as "Farmer-like" in years to come! The album features Gryce and Farmer in 2 different groups – one with Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – the other with Freddie Redd on piano, Addison Farmer on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Social Call", "Capri", "Deltitnu", "Stupendous Lee", and "Blue Concept". Art Farmer Quintet has Farmer playing in a quintet (natch!), with able accompaniment from Gigi Gryce, a young newcomer at this point, with a post-bop complication to his style that was not to dissimilar from Farmer's. Gryce's mode is perhaps a bit more academic than Farmer's, but Art's lyricism offsets that tendency nicely, and the pair work together in a mode that's every bit as pleasing as Gigi's work with Donald Byrd. The set features some great tracks in sort of an exoticist hardbop mode – and titles include "Satellite", "Shabozz", "Sans Souci", and "Evening In Casablanca". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great slice of work from the early years of Ernestine Anderson – one of her key swingers for Mercury, and the kind of record that should have made her huge at the time! There's a hip-stepping quality here that points nicely towards the 60s – a bit more of a bounce in the backings, almost a Basie-esque quality at times – thanks to arrangements from Ernie Wilkins and Gigi Gryce, both of whom bring a great ear for horn charts to the date. Anderson's inherent sense of soul really opens up strongly with both arrangers – swinging with poise one minute, but bluesy undercurrents the next – in ways that really mark the record as coming from the more jazz-based side of late 50s Mercury spectrum. Titles include "Harlem Nocturne", "A New Town Is A Blue Town", "Nobody's Heart", "I Got Rhythm", "Beale Street Blues", "My Heart Belongs To Daddy", and "I Wish I Was Back In My Baby's Arms" LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime second solo effort from Syd Barrett – and maybe his most perfectly-formed album ever! There's a sinister balance to the record right from the start – a gentle approach to the offbeat themes that is almost more unsettling than if the matter was undertaken more forcefully – weird little bits just tossed off by Syd as if they're really the ramblings of the madman promised on the cover of his first LP – almost with a deadpan quality that makes the whole thing even more unsettling with repeated listenings! Instrumentation is relatively lean – almost a folksy mix of acoustic guitar, electric, sullen bass, and some haunting keyboards – all as if someone picked apart Pink Floyd, then started to construct a rough sketch from the parts that lay scattered on the floor. The album's had an influence from psych through punk and many years beyond – and titles include "Baby Lemonade", "Gigolo Aunt", "Wolfpack", "Effervescing Elephant", "Winde & Dined", "Rats", and "It Is Obvious". CD

Black Sabbath live recordings from the height of their early glory years! The heart of it is heavy classics recorded at gigs in Manchester and London in 1973 – originally released as Live At Last, without the band's and their label's oversight, and with poor sound – remixed and remastered gloriously here to showcase the band at their menacing best! The second CD features recordings never released before 2002, equally powerful recordings from Paris in 1970 and Asbury Park, NJ in '75. Many of the most beloved Sabbath stormers are featured, faster and more ferocious than the studio versions in some cases. Includes "Tomorrow's Dream", "Iron Man", "Snow Blind", "Sweet Leaf", "NIB", "War Pigs", "Hand Of Doom", "Black Sabbath", "Fairies Wear Boots" and more. CD

A classic set of clubby soul from the All-Platinum New Jersey soul empire of the 70s – the third album from a group who started in funk territory a few years before, but who've definitely sharpened up their groove for the dancefloors here! Brother To Brother are a great example of a group from pre-disco years who evolved very strongly to the best modes of the time – still very underground, and with instrumentation that's schooled from many years gigging together. Billy Jones arranged and produced – that's him on the front, next to Chuck Carrado – both of whom play guitar – in a mix of keyboards, saxes, bass, and drums – often with some nice jazzy currents. Titles include "Dancin Singin", "We Love To Party", "Brother To Brother", "Vibrations", and "I'm Gonna Take Your Love". CD

A nice album compiling of some of the less-collected work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings done in Europe for the Metronome and Vogue labels, recorded with a great larger group. Sides feature Brown working with Quincy Jones, Gigi Gryce, Anthony Ortega, Juimmy Cleveland, and others alongside Parisian and European players that include Henri Renaud and Pierre Michelot. The set features "Brown Skins", "Keeping Up With Jonesy", "Bum's Rush", "Chez Moi", "All Weird" and "No Start No End". CD

A nice album compiling of some of the less-collected work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings done in Europe for the Metronome and Vogue labels, recorded with a great larger group. Sides feature Brown working with Quincy Jones, Gigi Gryce, Anthony Ortega, Juimmy Cleveland, and others alongside Parisian and European players that include Henri Renaud and Pierre Michelot. The set features 9 tracks in all – with a couple of multiple takes, and titles include "Brownskins", "Keeping Up With Jonesy", "Bum's Rush", "Chez Moi", "All Weird" and "No Start No End". CD

A nice album compiling of some of the less-collected work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings done in Europe for the Metronome and Vogue labels, recorded with a great larger group. Sides feature Brown working with Quincy Jones, Gigi Gryce, Anthony Ortega, Juimmy Cleveland, and others alongside Parisian and European players that include Henri Renaud and Pierre Michelot. The set features 9 tracks in all – with a couple of multiple takes, and titles include "Brownskins", "Keeping Up With Jonesy", "Bum's Rush", "Chez Moi", "All Weird" and "No Start No End". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to get work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings originally done in Europe for the Vogue label! On the first record, Brown's working in front of a Parisian trio that features Henri Renaud, Pierre Michelot, and Benny Bennett. There's 11 tracks in all, including "I Can Dream, Can't I?", "The Song Is You", "You're A Lucky Guy" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine" plus "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "Blue & Brown". On record 2, Brown's working here with Gigi Gryce in a sextet that features Henri Renaud, Pierre Michelot, and Benny Bennett – plus some big band material too. LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to get work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings originally done in Europe for the Vogue label! Brown's working here with Gigi Gryce in front of a Parisian quartet that features Henri Renaud, Pierre Michelot, and Benny Bennett. There's 12 tracks in all, including 2 takes each of "All The Things You Are", "Salute To The Bandbox", "Blue Concept" and "Minority", plus "Goofin With Me", "Strictly Romantic", "Baby" and "I Cover The Waterfront". CD

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Donald Byrd's first albums on Blue Note – tight, soulful, and a firm statement of hardbop truth – a record that showed that Byrd was firmly on the map! The ensemble features Jackie McLean on alto, and the rhythm section includes Duke Pearson, Doug Watkins, and Lex Humphries – all of whom bring in a sense of lyrical interplay that really shows off a newer side of Byrd's trumpet that didn't emerge in earlier 50s recordings – one that opens up in the individuality of the Blue Note mode, and shakes off some of the more academic trappings of his early work with Gigi Gryce. All tunes are proud originals by Byrd himself – written with a real sense of color, tone, and timing – and titles include "Bup A Loup", "Funky Mama", "Lament", and "Amen". CD

One of Donald Byrd's first albums on Blue Note – tight, soulful, and a firm statement of hardbop truth – a record that showed that Byrd was firmly on the map! The ensemble features Jackie McLean on alto, and the rhythm section includes Duke Pearson, Doug Watkins, and Lex Humphries – all of whom bring in a sense of lyrical interplay that really shows off a newer side of Byrd's trumpet that didn't emerge in earlier 50s recordings – one that opens up in the individuality of the Blue Note mode, and shakes off some of the more academic trappings of his early work with Gigi Gryce. All tunes are proud originals by Byrd himself – written with a real sense of color, tone, and timing – and titles include "Bup A Loup", "Funky Mama", "Lament", and "Amen". CD

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD

A fantastic session from the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record was cut in 1961, under the aegis of Gigi Campi – and it features a core group that would later grow into the much-respected CBBB unit during the MPS years – working here as a smaller combo on a rare date for Blue Note. Players include Jimmy Woode on bass, Derek Humble on alto, Karl Drewo on tenor, and the fantastic Dusko Goykovich on trumpet – all very unusual musicians to be working on a Blue Note date, and some of the best European soloists at the time. Tracks are shorter than on later albums by the ensemble – but no less filled with fire and imagination – and the solos are all totally wonderful! Titles include "Strange Me", "Basse Cuite", "Dorian 043", "La Campimania", and "High Notes". CD

Way more than an "encore" of the legendary Clarke Boland album Golden Eight – and instead a whole different set of recordings, done way back in 1961, but unissued until now! The album's a killer through and through – every bit the same sort of gem you'd get with the early Clarke Boland albums of the pre-MPS years – extremely tight large ensemble jazz, driven with plenty of soul in the rhythm section, and swinging with some incredible solos that further deepen the sound! Right from the start, the pair were totally on the money – and work here with a lineup that's filled with key European soloists, including Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Derek Humble on alto sax, Karl Drewo on tenor, and Fats Sadi on percussion – not to mention the core crack rhythm trio of Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include the great Boland originals "A Ball For Othello", "La Campimania", "You Dig It", "Pape Satan Aleppe", and "Free Wheel" – plus a great version of "Invitation". LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly the strongest album ever recorded by mellow-voiced jazz vocalist Earl Coleman – a singer with a deeper style that's very much in the classic Billy Eckstine mode, but which swings a bit more freely in a small combo! The set's got a nicely open style – with longer tracks than usual for a jazz vocal date, and lots of room for jazz soloists that include Art Farmer on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto, and Hank Jones on piano. The backing is in a great small group mode, and in a way, the album's almost unique for the time – and really predates a lot of later male vocal sides of this nature – offering Coleman more of a fresh start than just a standard "return" – and really paving the way for Johnny Hartman sides in the 60s. Titles include "Say It Isn't So", "Reminiscing", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "No Love No Nothin", and a great version of "Social Call". LP, Vinyl record album

Tomorrow may be the question, but the record screams "today!" – and even this many years after its recording, this early set by Ornette Coleman has an energy and presence that cannot be denied! The sound here is kind of a rougher take on the mode that would gel more strongly on Ornette's Atlantic albums – but even so, it's still incredibly fresh, and well worth seeking out – especially as an example of the sharper edges that were bursting forth from the once-cool west coast scene! Coleman's on alto sax and Don Cherry is on trumpet – but they're not joined by their more familiar associates, and are instead working with a more conventional rhythm team that includes either Percy Heath or Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – all clearly trying to make a bit of sense of Ornette's approach here, but in a way that also creates a great sense of tension on the record! Tracks are shortish, with great solos by Ornette and Cherry – and titles include "Tomorrow Is The Question", "Endless", "Rejoicing", "Lorraine", "Turnaround", "Tears Inside", and "Giggin". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer hardbop session from the early years of MPS/Saba Records – and one of the boldest statements on record from the mighty American reedman Nathan Davis – then residing in Europe, and really making some great waves on the scene! As with so many of the best Saba gems, the record has a way of taking Blue Note/Prestige Records inspiration, and pushing it with a fresher sensibility picked up overseas – elements of spiritual and modal jazz in the mix, served up by Davis on tenor, flute and soprano – in a wonderful combo that also features Carmell Jones on trumpet – with Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – that ultra-hip rhythm section who opened up so many Gigi Campi productions! The album's a prize in the collection of any serious jazz collector – and titles include "The Hip Walk", "Train Of Thought", "B's Blues", and the nice groover "That Kaycee Thing". CD

A killer hardbop session from the early years of MPS/Saba Records – and one of the boldest statements on record from the mighty American reedman Nathan Davis – then residing in Europe, and really making some great waves on the scene! As with so many of the best Saba gems, the record has a way of taking Blue Note/Prestige Records inspiration, and pushing it with a fresher sensibility picked up overseas – elements of spiritual and modal jazz in the mix, served up by Davis on tenor, flute and soprano – in a wonderful combo that also features Carmell Jones on trumpet – with Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – that ultra-hip rhythm section who opened up so many Gigi Campi productions! The album's a prize in the collection of any serious jazz collector – and titles include "The Hip Walk", "Train Of Thought", "B's Blues", and the nice groover "That Kaycee Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "When Your Lover Has Gone", "Yesterdays", "Why Was I Born", "Ghost Of A Chance With You", "She's Funny That Way", "Just A Gigolo", "After You've Gone", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Memories Of You", "St. James Infirmary Blues", "Blues In The Air", "Sunday", "Blue And Broken Hearted", "Save It Pretty Mama", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "Blue Turning Grey Over You", "Empty Arms", and "I'll Build A Fence Around You". CD

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". CD

Righteous soul, and the only record ever cut by East Coast – a group led by Larry Blackmon of later Cameo fame – and featuring vocals from a young Gwen Guthrie – heard here for the first time on LP, long before her later hits! The style is very hip – a mixture of funk and progressive grooving, all held together with a sound that's young, proud, and which moves easily between influences from a number of different camps. In a way, the group's almost a cross between early Earth Wind & Fire and The Voices Of East Harlem – with a style that's got some nicely soulful jazz elements, but served up with a dose of sweeter soul. Gregory Johnson plays some great keyboards on the set, and titles include "I've Got To Reclaim You", "Something Deep Inside", "Any Thing You Have In Mind", "Miss Gigi", "Keep On Trying", "I Found You", and "You Can't Let It Get You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the pieces "The Degas Suite", "The River", "The Spring", "The Run", "The Meander", "The Giggling Rapids", "The Lake", "The Falls", "The Whirlpool", "The River", "The Neo-Hip-Hot Kiddies Community", "The Village Of The Virgins", "Her Majesty The Sea", and "The Spring". CD