Two LP's on one CD. The first set is a later one for Vee Jay, and it brings together half of the Jazz Messengers with a batch of west coast players – in a groove that wonderfully mixes together different traditions and rhythms in jazz – and which steps out with a sound that's far more than the sum of its parts! Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller join a group headed by Buddy De Franco, and featuring Victor Feldman on piano and vibes, plus Victor Sproles on bass and Freddie Hill on trumpet. The sound of the group is quite unusual – and a lot lighter than you'd guess – giving Buddy plenty of room to solo in a breezy style that's grown tremendously since his 50s recordings – pushed along by some heavier soul from Art and the group. Titles include "Rain Dance", "Blues Bag", "Twelve Tone Blues", "Kush", and "Cousin Mary". The second album's one of the few ever cut as a leader by Louis Hayes – a very soulful talent who's probably best known for his work with Horace Silver and Cannonball Adderley during the late 50s. Hayes' has a wonderful approach to the record – borrowing bits of the exoticism of his work with Silver, and bits of the harder soul jazz from Cannonball's group – all of which is played to perfection by a tight quintet that includes Yusef Lateef, Sam Jones, Barry Harris, and Nat Adderley. Tracks are all originals by the group, and titles include "Hazing", "Rip De Boom", "Teef", and "Sassy Ann". CD

Maybe our favorite record ever from 70s mellow rock maestro Ned Doheny – thanks to production from Steve Cropper and arrangements from Jimmie Haskell – both of whom give the record a super-soulful sound! Ned's always had this blue-eyed style that's gotten him equal play on both sides of the 70s fence – respect from the crowds that love his smooth AOR approach, but also nods from the modern soul scene – given how many great midtempo grooves he's offered us over the years. This set's the perfect delivery on all his great promise – and is filled with wonderful cuts that include "Think Like A Lover", "Labor Of Love", "Sweet Friction", "To Prove My Love", "If You Only Knew", "Funky Love", and "Guess Who's Looking For Love Again". CD

A fantastic album from this groundbreaking Latin combo from Chicago – one who've got an inclusive spirit that grabs together so many different elements of music and unifies them as one! The style isn't quite salsa, isn't Latin rock or jazz – but instead has so many strands of sounds coming together at once – not colliding, but really merging and making something beautiful and new in the process – always with a sound that's proud, righteous, and very aware of its power to change! In a time of borders and boundaries, the approach is especially welcome – and it's our guess that we'll be hearing plenty from Dos Santos in years to come. The album features some guest work from the Antibalas horns, arranged by Nick Mazzarella – plus cornet from Ben LaMar Gay – on titles that include "Cordva", "Purisma", "Manos Ajenas", "How Far Are We From Here", "You Are My Revolution", "Caminante", "Logos", "Return Y Regreso", and "Acabame". CD

Somehow, someway, Bob Dylan and Columbia Records can keep returning to the well of unreleased material – and draw jaw droppingly brilliant recordings that are mostly unheard to the general population of non Dylan diehard archaeologists! Here lies the fabled Witmark Demos – early recordings of treasured Dylan classics and rarities alike recorded raw and unencumbered, just Dylan's voice, guitar and occasional harmonica or piano – recorded in 1962 for Leeds Music (a few) and M. Witmark & Sons (most of 'em) in the early-to-mid 60s. Dylan was one of the first wave of 60s folk songwriters brought into the Tin Pan Alley machinations, a pretty amazing moment considering that this gruff, nasal voiced figure was soon to revolutionize popular music and there's no way Witmark could have known it. Hey, maybe this kid will make us a few bucks in the urban folk racket, eh? Wow. Of course many of these songs would be recorded by a who's who of 60s & 70s singers of all stripes, but it's always great to here Dylan's own early, raw sketches. Some of the performances come somewhat close to the way Dylan would cut them for his own landmark albums with just a bit more polish, others are close(ish) to how they sounded in earlier Dylan "bootlegs" (officially and not so official), and most of it has never been officially released commercially. Columbia continues the terrific Official Bootleg Series with a thick booklet of rare photos and notes by Colin Escott. Includes versions of "Hard Times In New York Town", "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall", "Ballad Of Hollis Brown, "Long Time Gone", "Farewell", "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright", "Girl From North Country", "Only A Hobo", "Guess I'm Doing Fine", "Mr Tamborine Man", "I'll Keep It With Mine" and many more. 47 tracks on 2 CDs. CD

Milt Jackson sings, in addition to his familiar vibes on this set – an unusual date done during his Pablo Records run of the late 70s – and a surprisingly great little album overall! As you might guess, Jackson's not the greatest singer in jazz – but it's this quality that also makes the record really great – kind of an honest approach to the tunes that reminds us of the sort of singers we used to catch at south side jam sessions here in Chicago – vocalists whose love of a tune was so great, they were willing to get out and take whatever chances they may – showing a care for the lyrics that's almost greater than a more proficient singer. Electric piano backs up Jackson on most of the vocal numbers – creating a cool, soulful glow – and other players on the record include Cedar Walton on keyboards, Dennis Budimir and John Collins on guitar, Billy Higgins on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – who also produced the session. Titles include "Heartstrings", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Yes Sir That's My Baby", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face", "Someone I Love", and "Parking Lot Blues". CD

Sublime early work from Carmen McRae – a collection of recordings done with backing from pianist Ray Bryant in both small combo and large group settings! The first dozen tracks on the album have Carmen singing in a beautifully fragile mode – with only Ray's piano and a bit of bass and drums to back her up – and it's a real treat to her the McRae vocal approach in such an unfettered format, because even at this earlier age, Carmen had a sense of control, poise, and grace that shines through immediately. Next up are 14 more tunes that also feature Bryant's piano, but over larger backings directed by Jack Pleis – in a way that's more similar to some of McRae's better known recordings from the time, but still quite great – done with a level of sophistication that clearly paved the way for Nancy Wilson and Marlena Shaw in years to come – on a batch of 12 mostly Noel Coward numbers, and 2 other tunes. 26 tracks in all – and titles include "I Can't Escape From You", "Guess Who I Saw Today", "Exactly Like You", "All My Life", "Dream Of Life", "Zigeuner", "A Room With A View", "Never Again", "Invitation", "If Love Were All", "Why Does Love Get In The Way", and "Mad About The Boy". CD

A classic from Wes Montgomery – and exactly the kind of record that made him a legend in the 60s! The set's one of Wes' collaborations with arranger Claus Ogerman – a key talent who was really on the rise at the time, and who understood how to perfectly balance Montgomery's unique sound on the guitar with larger arrangements in the back. There's a slightly Latin feel to some of the rhythms, as you might guess from the title – but it's very slight, and more there just to give the tracks a bit of a slink, in the classic full-on production way that Wes was using for his best Verve and A&M work in the late 60s. Titles include the classic groover "Bumpin On Sunset", plus the cuts "The Big Hurt", "Midnight Mood", "The Thumb", and "What The World Needs Now". Also includes the bonus tracks "Wives & Lovers", "Big Hurt" plus other alternate takes. CD

Despite what you might guess from the title, the record's not a blues-based one – but a great little blowing session from an all-star array of players! It's our guess that Prestige chose to use the word "blues" in the title because "soul jazz" had yet to come into prominence – but the album's definitely a push of the hardbop blowing session mode in the soul jazz direction – using players that include Art Farmer, Idrees Sulieman, Jerome Richardson, Jimmy Forrest, Pepper Adams, Ray Bryant, and Tiny Grimes on a batch of longish tunes that have plenty of bluesy overtones. Arrangements here are by Jerry Valentine, who we don't really know – but he really gets the feel of the record right – and tracks include "Sent For You Yesterday", "Blue Flute", "Jelly Jelly", and "I Wanna Blow Blow Blow". CD

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". CD

A stunning set of modern disco numbers from Bob Sinclar – the maestro of the Paris dancefloor! This album's Bob's third (in case you couldn't guess from the title!) – and it's an even more focused effort than before – filled with tightly grooving tracks that make the whole thing feel like finding a box of singles that have been lost in the back of a DJ booth since the early 80s! Lots of classic late 70s and early 80s sounds – especially those from the New York scene – and tracks feature some great lead vocals by Linda Lee Hopkins and Camille Lefort. Titles include "The Beat Goes On", "Nature Boy", "Who Needs Sleep Tonight", "Sexy Dancer", "Do It", "Metro Blanche", "Beat The Clock", "Europa", and "So High". CD

A huge run of records from Yma Sumac – presented here in a box that collects just about everything she recorded for Capitol Records in the 50s! First up is Voice Of The Xtaby – legendary vocal work from the postwar years – some of the earliest recordings from the enigmatic Yma Sumac – an artist whose records really laid the groundwork for an entire generation of exotica records to come! Sumac's authenticity has been debated over the years – but there's no denying that she's got this incredible vocal range – a many-octave approach that almost makes her sound like a human theremin – as she works with exotic backings from Les Baxter to offer up a take on Peruvian roots, styled towards a 50s bachelor pad listener! Titles include "Xtaby", "Wayra", "Taita Inty", "Monos", and "Tumpa". Legend Of The Sun is early work from Yma Sumac – with that moody mix of other worldly vocals and semi-Latin instrumentation that made her a popular one with the early exotic crowd. Yma runs up and down the vocal scale, while Moises Vivanco leads the band in a set of crashing dramatic orchestrations with a Peruvian feel. Tracks include "Sunray Surita", "Mamallayi", "No Es Vida", "Ccori Canastitay", and "Kon Tiki". The package features selections from the album Flahooley – one of the more obscure Yma Sumac albums from the 50s – a Broadway production with a larger cast – and much more of a musical than Sumac's other records. Yma really stands out in the show, though – singing a few special numbers with music by Moises Vivanco – but the rest is familiar Broadway modes of the early 50s, penned by Sammy Fain & EY Harburg. Sumac titles include "Najala's Song Of Joy", "Najala's Lament", and "Come Back Little Genie Birds". Mambo is quite possibly our favorite album ever by the enigmatic Yma Sumac – thanks to some lively arrangements by Billy May, who gives the set a swinging jazzy groove! As you might guess from the cover, the style here is more in a Latin jazz mode than some of Yma's other more ethereal work – and that style turns out to be a wonderful fit for Sumac's incredible vocals – creating a batch of driving tunes that swing nicely, yet still have a spooky exotic sound on the top! Titles include "Bo Mambo", "Taki Rari", "Goomba Boomba", "Malambo No 1", and "Five Bottles Mambo". Inca Taqui is an early 10" LP – on which Yma Sumac sings chants of the Andes – and authentic or not, the sound's pretty darn great! The record's in the same format as her other early work for Capitol – tunes written by Moises Vivanco, who also conducts the backings in a dramatic early 50s style that's perfect for Yma's wonderful voice! And whether or not these tunes are actually the ones that all the cats in Peru were singing up in the mountains, they still sound pretty darn great as a key part of postwar exotica! Titles include "Incachao", "Llulla Mak'Ta", "Chuncho", "K'Arawi", and "Cumbe-Maita". Legend Of The Jivaro is one of Yma's more "historical" records – and the notes say that the album is "the rare plum of authenticity". We don't know if we'd go that far, but we can tell you that the record features Yma performing songs of the legendary Jivaro headhunters! Supposedly, Yma learned them in her "South American jungle-home", but we keep wondering why the headhunters took the time to teach her, when they could have been shrinking her head. Tracks include "Yawar", "Shou Condor", "Aullay", "Sumac Soratena", and "Hampi". Last up is Fuego Del Ande – one of the most obscure albums by vocalist Yma Sumac – and one of the most compelling too! The album has Yma working in the Andean style of her earlier 10" albums for Capitol – working with Moises Vivanco on a set of tunes that have a much more traditional and almost folkloric style than some of her work with Les Baxter. Titles include "Clamor", "Dale Que Dale", "Llora Corazon", "Gallito Caliente", "La Molina", and "Flor De Canela". CD

Early proof that Nancy Wilson was definitely on the right track with her career – a tremendous little live date recorded without any of the schmaltz or overdone showmanship of her contemporaries! Although the setting is the Cocoanut Grove, Nancy often makes us feel like she's putting over the tunes in a much smaller venue – working in an up-close, personal way that's really wonderful – almost telling stories with the lyrics on the tunes, and always singing, but making her vocals feel more like conversation. Ronnell Bright did some great backings for the performance – and titles include "Fireworks", "Ten Good Years", "Guess Who I Saw Today", "Don't Talk Just Sing", "You Can Have Him", and "The Music That Makes Me Dance". CD

Not only a great follow-up to the first Echoes Of An Era session, but also a standout 80s performance from Nancy Wilson – quite possibly her best of the decade! The setting is nice and laidback – a live date with a core combo that features Joe Henderson on tenor, Chick Corea on piano, Stanley Clarke on acoustic bass, and Lenny White on drums – plus steller vocals from Wilson, who's really at home in the setting – stretching out beautifully on the long tracks, and coming into play with the soloists at a level that's quite different from her more polished studio records. Clarke's bass is a delight, too – a great reminder that his talents didn't always lie in the electric realm during the 80s – and Henderson, as you might guess, provides some soulful undercurrents that reallyg round the whole proceedings. Titles include "500 Miles High", "Round Midnight", "Rhythm A Ning", "My One & Only Love", "Them There Eyes", and "I Want To Be Happy". CD

Features tracks by Bob Dylan, Blue Oyster Cult, Edgar Winter Group, The Box Tops, The Youngbloods, Sly & The Family Stone, The Guess Who, Spirit and more – 69 tracks over 4 discs! CD

Obscure work from Kenny Burrell – material originally issued by Muse Records, most of it with a very laidback feel – as you'd guess from the title! The original sides were produced by Helen Keane, who'd done some of Bill Evans' greatest sets – and who had a real ear for the mellower side of the jazz spectrum. And for the record, she's got Kenny playing in a trio format that's very spacious – with only gentle accompaniment on bass and drums, and most of the sound on the set coming from the strings of Kenny's guitar. Following in the gentle spirit of the set, Kenny even plays an acoustic guitar on some numbers – making for a very different sound than usual. Some tracks are quite long, really letting Kenny open up on his solos – and titles include "So Little Time", "All Blues", "In A Mellow Tone", "In The Still Of The Night", "Tenderly", "Listen To The Dawn", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

Jack DeJohnette's best known as a drummer, but he's also played a bit of piano too – and this album focuses nicely on that side of his talents, in case you couldn't guess from the title! The trio lineup is a great one – with Eddie Gomez on bass and Freddie Waits on drums – both players who'd make any keyboardist sound good, even if they didn't have the chops. Jack, though, definitely brings some skills to the session – playing both a bit inside at times, and also freewheeling and open, as you might expect from his work on drums. There's a bit of synth at points, but most of the record is acoustic and warmly soulful – with titles that include "Minority", "Lydia", "Countdown", "Spiral", "Milton", and "Ahmad The Terrible". CD

A rare set from vocalist Jane Harvey – a singer who managed to cut a handful of wonderful sides over the course of a few decades – none of them hits, but all of them great! This mid 60s session was cut in England with some mature backings from Ray Ellis – arrangements that are never too full or overdone, and which manage to lay back in surprising ways – leaving Harvey's vocals to resonate strongly in the echoey space of the studio! Some numbers have the voice quite upfront in the mix – much more so than other albums of this nature from the time – and the set's got a way of being bold and fragile at the same time, thanks to the care that Harvey brings to her vocals. Titles include "How Long Has This Been Going On", "My Ship", "The Glory Of Love", "It Never Entered My Mind", and "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry". CD

A wonderful set from vocalist Johnny Holiday – recorded in later years, but with a depth that easily matches his classics! The album's got a definite bossa bent – as you'd guess from the title – and Johnny's rich, deep vocals work with the music in ways that are quite similar to Tony Bennett's best bossa-styled recordings of the 60s – surprisingly full of feeling, but with the right sort of careful balance to live up to the best bossa traditions, too! The notes are a bit lacking in detail, but we believe the set was done in collaboration with Sam Most – who plays some great jazzy flute, amidst light rhythms and just a dash of strings. Titles include "Triste", "Wave", "Dindi", "This Happy Madness", "Meditation", and "One Note Samba". CD

A brilliant return from the Hot 8 Brass Band – a New Orleans combo who take tradition into some great funky new territory! As you'd guess from their name, the instrumentation is heavy on brass – played with a gritty, soulful edge – in the way you'd find during some street performance in a corner far from the mainstream Quarter – sometimes accompanied by ensemble vocals, and almost always driven by these great rhythms at the bottom – more than funky enough to set even the heaviest horns on fire with their energy. Titles include "Bingo Bango", "Fine Tuner", "Steamin Blues", "Can't Hide From The Truth", "New Orleans (After The City)", and a nice remake of The Specials' "Ghost Town". CD

Great great work from Keith – one of those overlooked pop talents of the 60s, but one who really came across with a great sound at the time – kind of a mix of Burt Bacharach arrangements with a pop psych sort of edge! The tunes are sweet, but swinging too – and Keith's got this vocal style that slides in nicely with the larger charts – at a level that's almost more A&M-styled pop than you'd guess from the Mercury Records placement of the set! Jerry Ross produced, and brings in some nice soulful undercurrents – of the sort you'd hear on his more famous material – almost a Motown sensibility, but mixed with rolling horns, piano hooks, and great guitar lines – on titles that include the wonderful hit "98.6", plus "Mind If I Hang Around", "Sweet Dreams", "Tell Me To My Face", "I Can't Go Wrong", and "Pretty Little Shy One". CD has loads of bonus tracks – 27 titles in all, including the complete Out Of Crank album – with tracks that include "Sugar Man", "Candy Candy", "Easy As Pie", "Hope Girl", "Be My Girl", "Hurry", "The Pleasure Of Your Company", and "Happy Walking Around". CD

The first Riverside album by Bev Kelly – an obscure ice-blond singer from the late 50s, with a sound that's much more in keeping with some of the vocalists on the Bethlehem label, than the few singers who cut sides for Riverside. Bev's got the great fortune to be working here with Jimmy Jones, who's done some great work for Sarah Vaughn over the years – and the small group backing on the album includes strong players like Kenny Burrell, Jerome Richardson, Milt Hinton, Roy Haynes, and Jones himself. Titles include "My Ship", "Lonelyville", "Lost April", "Love Look Away", "Thursday's Child", "Love Locked Out", and "Gloomy Sunday". A nice sad one – in case you couldn't guess by the titles! CD

Obscure late work from Lee Morgan – the bulk of a live concert recorded in Baltimore in 1968, and featuring a group co-led with the great Clifford Jordan! The recording is one of many taped by Baltimore's Left Bank Jazz Society at the time – and like others you might have heard on disc, it's a rough-hewn effort that shows a very different side of the artists than you'd guess from their studio work of the time. Tracks are all quite long – 15 minutes or more, mostly – and both Jordan and Morgan are playing in a more open, improvised style. Rhythm is by an unusual and compelling trio of Reggie Workman on bass, John Hicks on piano, and Ed Blackwell on drums – who really make for a different groove than usual for either player. The album features a great 21 minute take on Hank Mobley's "The Vamp", plus versions of "Solar", "Straight No Chaser", "Like Someone In Love", and "The Theme". CD

It's been a long time...The return of the 18th letter, still up to par with "New York (Ya Out There)", "The Mystery (Who Is God?)", "When I'm Flowin", "Guess Who's Back", "The Saga Begins", "Remember That", and more, with production by Premier, Pete Rock, Clark Kent and others. CD

A lively little set done strongly in a Basie mode – as you might guess from the title! Buddy's on drums, but the real maestro here is Marty Paich – who handled the arrangements, and most likely brought together the batch of west coast jazzers who inhabit the group – including Pete Condoli on trumpet, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Bob Enevoldsen on valve trombone, Bob Cooper on tenor, Buddy Collette on flute and baritone, and Jimmy Rowles on piano. The set's less Buddy-like than it is Marty-ish – and the grooves here have that very fluid Paich approach throughout – but recast slightly to reflect the strong Basie/Hefti groove of the 50s. Titles include "Shorty George", "Ain't It The Truth", "9:20 Special", "Jump For Me", "Blues For Basie", and "Blue & Sentimental". CD

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". CD

Jonathan Schwartz is the son of composer Arthur Schwartz – and on this sparkling late 70s set, he does a surprisingly great job running through tunes penned by his old man! The group's a big part of the strength of the record – as the combo features Harold Mabern both on acoustic and electric piano, Jack Wilkins on guitar, Buster Williams on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – a hip lineup who make the record a bit more than just a simple "songbook" rehash of familiar standards, nicely opening up in a Muse Records 70s mode. Marvin Stamm plays a bit of trumpet and flugelhorn on the record – and titles include "New Sun In The Sky", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Alone Together", "By Myself", "Where Do I Go From You", and "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan". CD

One of the coolest albums ever recorded by female organist Shirley Scott – a very hip set that's got a very different flavor than her earlier work for Prestige and Impulse Records! As you might guess for a date issued on the Strata East label, the approach here is very soulful, and very far-reaching – much longer, looser tracks than Shirley Scott ever served up before – done with superb accompaniment from Harold Vick on tenor – a player who's also at his hippest here, and really showing off all the many changes in his style that he'd picked up since the 60s! All tracks are originals, and the group features Billy Higgins on drums and Jimmy Hopps on some additional cowbell – leaving Shirley to handle the bass parts with her Hammond, in a way that is groovier and more rhythmic than some of her work in the past. A gem through and through – with titles that include "What Makes Harold Sing", "Do You Know A Good Thing When You See One", "Big George", "Keep On Movin On", and "Don't Look Back". CD

Two killers from Cedar Walton – back to back on a single CD! First up is Mobius – a real revelation from pianist Cedar Walton – an unusual electric album from the 70s – quite a surprise, given the mostly-acoustic sound of most of Cedar's other records! The album's a killer, though – and has this fresh, full take on funky jazz for the time – not the usual CTI copycat mode, and instead this compelling hybrid of elements that includes lots of Fender Rhodes from Walton, sweet guitar likes from Ryo Kawasaki, and lots of rootsy percussion from Ray Mantilla and Omar Clay – two players who really make the album nice and earthy at the bottom. The rest of the group is wonderful, too – and includes tenor from Frank Foster, alto and baritone from Charles Davis, and trumpet from Roy Burrowes – all fresh players who open up a big can of soul for the set – on titles that include a classic break version of "Off Minor", plus "Blue Trane", "Soho", and "Road Island Red". Beyond Mobius is a great electric set from Cedar Walton – and a set that moves beyond his previous Mobius album, in case you couldn't guess from the title! The style here is a bit more tightly arranged – with some backup vocals on a few cuts, which underscore the core jazzy elements from Walton on a range of keyboards and synth, Eddie Harris on tenor, and Blue Mitchell on trumpet – all grooved together with some tight guitar lines from Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree! Keyboards definitely get some great solo time in the spotlight, but the overall sound is quite strong too – a nice instrumental funk approach, save for the added chorus vocals in a few spots. Titles include the moogy "Beyond Mobius", a cover of "Low Rider", and the tracks "Jive Talkin", "The Girl With The Discotheque Eyes", and "Lonely Cathedral". CD

Incredible sounds from the Chess Records catalog – not the blues that you might know the label for, but a huge range of funk, soul, and jazz tracks from the headiest years of the 60s and 70s – a time when the Chicago scene was really turning out some incredible musical hybrids! As you'd guess from the title, all the cuts here have had a new life in recent years – thanks to samples by hip hop artists or other producers – but the original grooves are even better than the tracks that used them, and come together here to make one of the most mindblowing collections of Chess material we've ever heard! The package is nicely heavy on sounds from the Cadet/Concept years of the label – with more than a few contributions from producers Charles Stepney and Richard Evans – and the package features 42 wonderful tracks – including "Fonky Thang Diamon Ring" by The Dells, "Windmills Of Your Mind" by Dorothy Ashby, "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun" by Rotary Connection, "Jelly Jam" by Jack McDuff, "The Getaway" by Alvin Cash, "In My Body's House" by Gene Chandler, "Cross Country" by Archie Whitewater, "Memory Band" by Rotary Connection, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Inside Out" by American Gypsy, "Go Go Power" by Sugar Pie DeSanto, "Shake It Up" by The Vibrations, "Up Above The Rock" by Ray Bryant, "Bad Moon Rising" by Bo Diddley, "Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Be Do Da Day" by Eddie Fisher, "Humpin Bumpin & Thumpin" by Andre Williams, "Who Got The Number" by Pigmeat Markham, "Walk On By" by Jo Ann Garrett, "Chocolate Candy" by Soulful Strings, "Got To Get Your Own (7" version)" by Reuben Wilson, "Hanky's Panky (7" version)" by Shirley Scott, "Liberation Conversation" by Marlena Shaw, "Look Of Love" by Monk Higgins, and "Think About It" by Odell Brown & The Organizers. CD

A fantastic full length debut from Cassowary – aka Miles Shannon, an artist who's equally skilled as a jazz musician and a singer – working here in a really great style that's a strong hybrid of the two sides of his talents! The keyboard lines are wonderful – served up on a variety of instruments, plus piano as well – and maybe often the lead of the track, even when there's a bit of vocals – as the style of singing usually seems to fall in line with the warm glow of the keyboards, instead of the usual mode. Cassowary also plays a bit of tenor – as you might guess from his youthful image on the cover – and the whole thing's got this fantastic vibe that reminds us of some of the hip jazz/soul hybrids that have come from the LA scene in recent years. Titles include "114 Degrees", "Belt Notch", "Price Went Up", "Starlight", "Superhiro", "Roach", and "Cyclical". CD

Gilberto Gil live at Montreux – playing in this spare, stripped-down style that's quite a change from some of his more fully produced albums of the period – a mode that's very much like some of Gilberto's best albums from the start of the 70s! There's a lot of acoustic guitar in the instrumentation – as you'd guess from the cover – and backing is by a jazzy combo who can bring a slight touch of funk at times, but only in these gentle ways that still live Gil holding most of the energy of the performance with his charismatic presence. The tracks are all very long, with the kind of vocal and instrumental jamming that Gil brought to his best live performances – and the set's recorded in such a way that it really draws the audience into the picture. Titles include "Chororo", "Chuck Berry Fields Forever", "Atras Do Trio Electrico", "Tirole", and "Bat Macumba". CD

An album with a groove as fluid as you might guess from the title – and from the nicely stretched image of Oscar Peterson on the cover! The album's one of the best-remembered from Oscar's years at MPS – a session that's got almost as much soul jazz at the bottom as it does the fluid Peterson touch on the top – and a record that benefits, no doubt, from exceptional rhythm work from the team of George Mraz on bass and Ray Price on drums, who hit a groove that's a bit more pronounced than usual. Peterson is tremendous throughout on the keys – all over the place, but always in control – really burning up the 88s with a command of his instrument that few players could match! Titles include "Just Friends", "Teach Me Tonight", "I Love You", "Once Upon A Summertime", "The Windmills Of Your Mind", and "All Of You". CD

Sublime vocal work from Carol Sloane – one of her earliest sessions, and one of her greatest too – recorded in 1959 by Larry Elgart, yet never issued at the time! The album is very intimate, and Carol's vocals really sound beautiful in the setting – moving with more poise and gentle power than on other records – alongside backing that just features light guitar from either Chuck Wayne or Bucky Pizzarelli, plus bass and a bit of cello! There's no drums or piano at all – so the feel is very moody, and nicely blue-tinged through the use of guitar – in ways that make even the familiar tunes sound quite unique and special. Titles include "April Ador Cools", "Summertime", "Angel Eyes", "It Could Happen To You", "Hush-A-Bye", "In The Wee Small Hours", and "Guess Who I Saw Today". CD

Nancy Wilson turns her wonderfully sophisticated vocal style towards a batch of hits from Hollywood films of the 40s, 50s, and 60s – arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones, in that classy blend of jazz and soul that suited Wilson so well in the 60s! The style is really a cut above the usual – handled with great poise by Nancy throughout, but also done in a mode that's relaxed enough to get past some of the stodgier sounds of records like this. The mellower tunes are actually some of the best here – personal, reflective, and echoing the "Guess Who I Saw Today" sound of Wilson in the 60s. Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Almost In Your Arms", "When Did You Leave Heaven?", "My Shining Hour", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Wild Is The Wind". CD features 5 bonus tracks too – "Watch What Happens", "Look Of Love", "Alfie", "More", and "Shadow Of Your Smile". CD

A great 30-track set that spans the breadth of Nancy Wilson's years at Capitol – and which includes many of her big hits, plus some of those excellent label cuts from the early 70s that have never made it onto other anthologies. In fact, even the hits from the 60s can sometimes be elusive – especially when looking over old LPs, since they were always more readily available as singles. Whatever the case, the set finally fills in some holes in the reissue market – and includes loads of nice numbers, like "You'd Better Go", "Guess Who I Saw Today", "Streetrunner", "Life, Love, & Harmony", "Love Has Smiled On Us", "Come Get To This", "All In Love Is Fair", "Face It Girl, It's Over", "Save Your Love For Me", "Peace Of Mind", "The Greatest Performance Of My Life", and "Don't Misunderstand". CD

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD

Three killer albums from pianist Frank Strazzeri – all brought together in a wonderful demonstration of his genius during the 70s! First up is Taurus, a record that's also known as View From Within – a date that has Frank playing Fender Rhodes with a wonderful sound – that open quality he always had in acoustic piano, stretched out even more with the space allowed by The Rhodes! The group features work from Conte Candoli on trumpet, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Don Menza on tenor and flute, in a nicely laidback vibe – with tracks that include "Strazzatonic", "Taurus", "Lazy Moments", "View From Within", "Calcutta", and "Sphinx". Frames is a great overlooked set from the 70s – one that has the mighty Frank Strazzeri working some real magic on Fender Rhodes – with an open style that's completely wonderful, and warmed up even more with help from Don Menza on soprano sax and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Gary Barone on trumpet. Titles include "Frames", "Injun Jo", "Jo Gee", "Ballad Of The Matador", and "La Mosca". After The Rain is filled with funky keyboard work from Frank Strazzeri – a player who's really stretching out here in the 70s, with a massively cosmic vibe you'd never have guessed from his earlier work! Strazzeri had recorded and played heavily around the LA scene by the time of this mid 70s release – but most of his other work was a bit restrained, and hardly as wonderfully soulful as this! Frank's working here on moog and electric piano – in a group that includes Sam Most on tenor, Bobby Shew on trumpet, and Don Alias on percussion – grooving with Frank in a gently funky way that's got a heck of a lot of soul, and which makes for some nice extended tunes. Titles include "After The Rain", "Rush Hour", "Philadelphia Flyer", "Cloudburst", and "The Third Eye". CD

A stone classic from Gene Ammons – and a record that introduced his talents to a whole new audience in the 60s! The album's a more laidback one than some of Jug's more hard-blown honkers – as you might guess from his hit rendition of the ballad in the title – and the instrumentation here varies between organ from Johnny Hammond Smith and piano from Mal Waldron – making for a nice tapestry of dark-tinged, late nite moods. Other players include Frank Wess on tenor and flute, and Art Taylor or Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include the classic "Angel Eyes", plus "You Go To My Head" and "It's The Talk Of The Town" – and slightly more groovin numbers like "Getting Around" and "Water Jug". CD

A fantastic late 70s album from guitar genius John Fahey – his first after a number of years away from the recording studio – and a real back to basics effort overall! There's none of the "orchestra" trappings of other 70s records – nor some of Fahey's more longer-form ideas – and instead, the tracks focus mostly on his incredible sense of texture and timing on the acoustic guitar – heard to perfectly as he folds his own compositions together with songs by Bill Monroe, Bola Sete, Leo Kottke, and Doc Watson! The whole thing's wonderfully understated – even more so than you'd guess from the cover – and titles include "Silver Bell/Cheyenne", "Ann Arbor/Death By Reputation", "The Discovery Of Syliva Scott", "Guitar Lamnento", "Melody McBad", and "The Grand Finale". CD

Drummer Gerry Gibbs has a hell of a trio for this set – and a great batch of guests as well – all of whom help make some real magic on jazz instrumental versions of soul tunes from the 70s! The core trio features Kenny Barron on piano and Ron Carter on bass – both wonderfully sensitive players, without any of the "thrasher" qualities you might guess from the group's name on the cover – and some passages expand things with the addition of Warren Wolf on vibes, Steve Wilson on alto sax, and Larry Goldings on Hammond – all players we really love too. Titles include "Pick Up The Pieces", "Where Is The Love", "What's Going On", "Reasons", "Too High", "Fantasy", "Creepin", and "Brazilian Rhyme". CD

A great illustration of the upbeat, positive vibe that Peggy Lee could serve up when she was at her best – a cool Capitol Records mode that really helped Lee set a whole new tone for singers in the 60s! The great Jack Marshall is at the helm on arrangements – putting things together with a vibe that's bright, but also pretty modern as well – thanks to work from a west coast jazz lineup that includes Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Harnell on piano, Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Barney Kessel on guitar! The set includes Lee's famous version of "Fever" – plus "It's A Wonderful World", "Things Are Swingin'", Alright, Okay, You Win", "Ridin' High", "Alone Together", "Life For Livin'", and"You Don't Know". A classic collaboration between Peggy Lee and Nelson Riddle – and a record that really set the tone for Lee's famous Capitol sides of the 60s! The groove here is very upbeat – as you might guess from the title – with a bouncing, almost syncopated approach that's definitely Riddle's, but which also hints at some of Lee's more soul-based backings of the 60s from Jack Marshall – those slinky-stepping groovers that would really put her back in front of American ears. Many tunes are older numbers, but they're updated nicely by Riddle's playful backings – and cuts include "Jump For Joy", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "Old Devil Moon", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "Just In Time", "Music Music Music", "Four Or Five Times", and "Ain't We Got Fun". CD

A fantastic new chapter in music from Cecile McLorin Salvant – a singer who's only been with us for a little more than a decade, has already gotten a Grammy and a MacArthur Genius Grant – yet hasn't let that stop her from being even more creative than ever! Cecile's still very much a jazz singer at the core, but there's also an expressive range here that we might never have guessed on her earlier records – and that's saying a lot, as those albums really blew us away! The singer's really breaking out of just the world of jazz vocals here – rising with star power, ala Gregory Porter or Esperanza Spaulding – but also maybe going deeper at the same time too. Titles include a surprising remake of "Wuthering Heights", plus "Thunderclouds", "Unquiet Grae", "Moon Song", "Trail Mix", "The World Is Mean", "Obligation", "Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying", "I Lost My Mind", and "Dead Popular". CD

Wonderful early work from Maria Bethania – an album that's put together with a very sophisticated sound, and a really powerful feel overall! The orchestrations are relatively baroque – sometimes using strings in odd ways, other times bringing in bits of voices – all very much in keeping with the genius that was brewing at the time in albums by Gal Costa or Nara Leao. And oddly, the backings for the album are not credited at all – save possibly to Manoel Barenbein, who's listed as the director of the production – and we're guessing that Maria had a good deal to do with the overall sound of the set, not just the vocals! Titles include a wonderful groover called "Mano Caetano", done as a duet with Jorge Ben, and very much in Ben's best style from the time – and other tracks include "Janelas Abertas No 2", "Jesus Cristo", "Que Me Dera", "Folha Morta", "Mariana, Mariana", and "A Tua Presenca Morena". CD