A definite monster from Herbie Hancock – one of those great records from Hancock's second chapter at Columbia Records – a time when he was really evolving as an artist, and able to take on the world of soul as well as he did with jazz and fusion! The groove is a great fusion of the funky elements that Herbie created on some of his wilder earlier records, and the tighter style of funky soul at the time – a mode that's much hipper than disco, with almost a CTI current at times – but qualities that are even groovier in the hands of Herbie! The set's got some vocals – leads by Gavin Christopher, and backup by The Waters – and there's plenty of sweet keyboard lines as well – at a level that still blows away all the younger cats who were trying to horn in on Herbie's action. Includes the funky classic "Stars In Your Eyes" – which has a bassline that just won't quit – a sweet stepper called "Making Love", and the cuts "It All Comes Round", "Don't Hold It", and "Saturday Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice late Blue Note change from Herbie Hancock – a very different album than his previous sets for the label – in that it features a slightly larger group, and a sound that really points the way towards his directions in the 70s! There's a slightly ambitious feel to some of these cuts – not in a way that's over-arranged, but just a new sort of thinking for Herbie's kind of groove – a mode that's partially informed by the seriousness of 60s jazz soundtracks, but which also has the beginnings of some more righteous modes of expression too. Players are all great – and include Joe Henderson on tenor and flute, Johnny Coles on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, Hubert Laws on flute, Jerome Richardson on bass clarinet, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums. Herbie plays both acoustic and electric piano – using the latter here in one of his first recordings on the instrument – and titles include "Firewater", "I Have A Dream", "The Prisoner", and "He Who Lives In Fear". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer electric work from Herbie Hancock – right on par with his groundbreaking Headhunters set, but a bit spacier too! The album features a Headhunters-solid lineup – with Bennie Maupin on saxes, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – all grooving wonderfully with Herbie on a set of super-long tracks! Hancock himself handles a host of incredible keyboards – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, Arp, and lots more – all in a lean electric style that still sounds as fresh today as it did way back in the mid 70s – perhaps even more so, given the return to this sort of basic groove that has happened in recent years! Tracks are long, tight, and super funky – and titles include "Actual Proof", "Palm Grease", "Spank-A-Lee", and "Butterfly". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice trio side from the rhythm section that fueled Miles' classic quintet. Ron, Herbie & Tony developed an advanced interplay backing Miles, almost telepathic, with just the right amount of space & a great harmonic underpinning, and this is one of the few trio sides they cut. Most of the tunes are penned by the members of the group, and include the great title track, "Dolphin Dance", "United Blues" & "Lawra". LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of small combo work with Herbie on piano, Dex on tenor, Pierre Michelot or Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams or Billy Higgins on drums. Titles include "Still Time", "Minuit Aux Champs Elysees", "Chan's Song", "Fair Weather", "The Peacocks", and "Body & Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal jazz funk session of the 70s – Herbie Hancock's legendary meeting with The Headhunters, and a killer batch of tunes that really gave the combo their name! Herbie's playing a wide range of keys here – including Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and Arp – but almost even better is the work from the rest of the group – including Bennie Maupin on soprano and tenor sax, Paul Jackson on bass, Harvey Mason on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion! The earthier elements of the rhythm players really keep Herbie on track – bringing him back to the planet from previous trips into space, and helping him hit an all-solid, all-righteous funky groove! Titles include a great remake of "Watermelon Man", the classic original recording of "Chameleon", and the cuts "Vein Melter" and "Sly" – all nice and long! LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of early Herbie Hancock work for Blue Note Records – done in his pre-electric years, but with a sound that's already ahead of the pack – as Herbie's mixing modernism with 60s soul jazz – alongside players that include Freddie Hubbard and Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley and Joe Henderson on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, Grachan Moncur on trombone, Ron Carter and Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins and Tony Williams on drums! Titles include "Cantaloupe Island", "Blind Man Blind Man", "Maiden Voyage", "Empty Pockets", "Speak Like A Child", "Toys", "Three Bags Full", "Triangle", "And What If I Don't", "Drifitin", "Goodbye To Childhood", and "The Prisoner". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Hancock in his best 80s electric mode – not just working in the style of his electro-influenced hit "Rockit" – but also stretching things out a bit more in a live setting too! The lineup here features all the key elements that made this criss-crossing of cultures such a key point in Herbie's career – with the legendary DST on the turntables, plus Anton Fier and JT Lewis on drums, Bernard Fowler on keyboards and vocals, and Foda Musa Suso on talking drum and percussion! Titles include "Crazy Cuts/Chameleon", "Rockit", "Future Shock", "Autodrive", "Rough", "Stars In Your Eyes", and "Earth Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant Japanese-only album from Herbie – quite different than his US work at the time! Although the Herbie in America in 1981 was very heavily involved in electric keyboard work and more R&B-oriented styles of expression – this Japanese-recorded Herbie's an all-acoustic one, working here in a great trio with Ron Carter and Tony Williams, grooving nicely on some long lyrically soulful tracks! The record's straight and sweet – and Herbie's work on piano is stunning – easily flowing with inventive solos that never cease to delight. And the warm accompaniment he gets from Carter and Williams really make the album sparkle – easily the best sort of session of its sort you'll find from the time. Titles include "Stablemates", "Dolphin Dance", "A Slight Smile", and "La Maison Goree". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique little record from Herbie Hancock – one that's almost completely improvised over Latin percussion! The setup is quite spare – and quite different than Herbie's other Blue Note work – and the group features improvised backgrounds by bassist Paul Chambers and 2 Latin percussionists, Willie Bobo and Osvaldo "Chihuahau" Martinez. Herbie only wrote simple sketches for the songs on the album, and most of the work on the tracks was done live, spontaneously, in the studio – creating a very free groove that never goes too far out, but which is far more adventurous than usual. All tracks are long, and titles include "Succotash", "Triangle", and "Mimosa". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent session that was one of Herbie Hancock's first free-flowing fusion records of the 70s! Herbie's playing Fender Rhodes with a sound that's at once cosmically beautiful, soulfully fragile, and spacily grooving – and he gets some excellent accompaniment from an all-hip group of players that includes Benny Maupin on bass clarinet and flute, Buster Williams on bass, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, and Julian Priester on trombone – plus percussion from Jose Areas and Ndugu Chancler. The roots of later classics like Sextet and Flood all start with this session – and the album contains 3 long tracks – "You'll Know When You Get There", "Ostinato", and "Wandering Sprit Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Herbie Hancock from the early years – and a great mix of soul jazz and modernist inspiration! The record include a nice groovy "hit" – Herbie's "Blind Man Blind Man" – an obvious follow-up to "Watermelon Man", but still a standout track with a lot of imagination, and a fierce soul jazz hook that just won't quit! The rest of the record, while also groovy, starts to show many more signs of Herbie's far-reaching conception – especially shared with players like Tony Williams on drums, Grachan Moncur on trombone, and Chuck Israels on bass – who all work with Herbie in a larger than usual group that also includes Grant Green on guitar, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Hank Mobley on tenor. The lineup is as great as it sounds on paper – and the larger setting really helps expand Herbie's new ideas – on tunes that include "Blind Man Blind Man", "And What If I Don't", "A Tribute To Someone", "King Cobra", and "The Pleasure Is Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime live moment from the CTI scene of the 70s – an album that brings together some of the label's best lead players, into a special live supergroup that stretches out in a mighty nice way! In case you ever though the CTI genius came from the studio production of Creed Taylor, think again – as the focus here is on the core group of instrumentalists – as they soar to the skies on these long tracks that are filled with massively freewheeling solos! Herbie Hancock plays Fender Rhodes, Freddie Hubbard is on trumpet, Eric Gale on guitar, and Stanley Turrentine on tenor – sounding harder here than on some of his other albums for the label – and rhythm is by Ron Carter on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums, two players who are more than loose enough to keep things grooving but also give the soloists some space. Titles include two long takes on Herbie's freaky funky classic "Hornets", done in a hard-wailing style – and side two contains Freddie's "Gibraltar", more of a straight jazz track – but still done here with some excellent electric piano, and a tight soulful groove! LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

A wonderful Herbie Hancock session from the 60s – a Blue Note album that's sometimes overlooked, but which really shows Herbie taking off – as he adds a nice dose of lyricism into his usual soul jazz approach from the 60s! The sound's a bit farther-reaching than on some of Hancock's smaller group sessions – and the record features a sextet that includes Jerry Dodgion on flute, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, and Peter Phillips on bass trombone – an instrument that combines wonderfully with Thad's horn, to create all these cool, compressed elements. Herbie plays piano alongside Ron Carter on bass and the great Mickey Roker on drums. The harder-hitting soul jazz riffs and hooks of Herbie's first few records are nicely replaced by more thoughtful lines that get a bit deeper, soulfully – and nearly all tracks on the set are originals by Hancock! The album's filled with great moments – and tracks include "The Sorcerer", "Riot", and "Goodbye To Childhood". LP, Vinyl record album

The hands of Webster Lewis are on a classic Fender Rhodes on the cover – and you'll hear plenty of that instrument on this collection, along with all the other many keyboards that Lewis can handle so well! Webster started out as a straighter jazzman in his early years, but by the time of these tracks he was at the top of his game in the world of soulful fusion – picking up a torch first lit by Herbie Hancock and Ramsey Lewis, and blending it with more influences from soul music too – which means that in addition to great keyboard solos from Lewis, you'll also hear wonderful vocals on most of these cuts – a key element that really helped Webster cross over into so many worlds at the time. As with work from the same period by Patrice Rushen, there's a sublime blend going on here – one that still sounds tremendous all these many years later, and which is presented with a great selection of cuts – including the rare "Japanese Umbrella" and "Boston" – plus "El Bobo", "Barbara Ann", "Hideaway", "Give Me Some Emotion", "Dancer", "Do It With Style", "Let Me Be The One", "Touch My Love", "Reach Out", "Love Won't Harm No One", and "There's A Happy Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

The album's great cover image is an homage to the Death Wish soundtrack by Herbie Hancock, and Mantle references 70s funk group Mandrill in his name – but the sound here is very different than either of those two references might make you expect, more in a contemporary hip hop vein, but equally cool overall! The 70s sonic hints are delivered in the well-produced beats, which are peppered with great samples – all to provide a killer backdrop for a rotating cast of rappers who work in both English and Japanese – a lineup that includes BES, King104, Tetrad The Gang Of Four, Jomo, Jackson2, Vikn, A-Thug, and BD – on titles that include "Rest In Peace", "Only My Lyrics Is Real", "2Face", "Level The Vibes", "OG Theory", "Moment Of The Sexorcist", "Run the World", "Tied In A Row", and "Front Of Underground". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of electric keyboards – with a groove that stretches from wigged-out Herbie Hancock to the laidback style of Bob James on CTI! Mikio Masuda plays a range of different instruments – from Fender Rhodes to Clavinet, Yamaha organ, ARP, and mini-Korg – and the group behind him includes guitar, bass, drums, soprano sax, and lots of percussion – all jamming together on the fiercest tracks like a full-on version of The Headhunters! Tracks are all long, and the album's proof that Japan was turning out some amazing electric jazz albums in the 70s – real classics that stand with the best from America at the time. Titles include "Hello Jess", "What's Happening", "I Saw The Light", and "Airplane". LP, Vinyl record album

It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally "out there" as some of his other ones from this period, but it's a seminal release in Jackie's modernist period – and it's one of the hardest to find from the era. Filled with warmly wonderful original compositions like "Revillot", "Snuff", "Truth", and "Das Dat" – the record is unpacked and remodeled nicely by the trio of young players, aided by Jackie's moody alto, and given a great spin by Roy Haynes on drums. Striking cover, too – with a huge field of exclamation points! LP, Vinyl record album

It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally "out there" as some of his other ones from this period, but it's a seminal release in Jackie's modernist period – and it's one of the hardest to find from the era. Filled with warmly wonderful original compositions like "Revillot", "Snuff", "Truth", and "Das Dat" – the record is unpacked and remodeled nicely by the trio of young players, aided by Jackie's moody alto, and given a great spin by Roy Haynes on drums. Striking cover, too – with a huge field of exclamation points! LP, Vinyl record album

No room for squares with grooves this great – a classic Hank Mobley session from the mid 60s, and one that really shows the growth in his style at the time! The work's still strongly in a hardbop style, but modal elements are definitely creeping into the mix – a bolder sense of rhythm that really transforms the music from before – and lets Mobley reach out in a whole different way with his solos! The album features material from two different sessions – each of which have Mobley's tenor coming into play with other inventive artists on Blue Note at the time. One date features Lee Morgan on trumpet, Andrew Hill on piano, John Ore on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and the other features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Jones again on drums. Titles include "Up A Step", "Me N You", "Three Way Split", "Carolyn", and the classic "No Room For Squares". LP, Vinyl record album

No room for squares with grooves this great – a classic Hank Mobley session from the mid 60s, and one that really shows the growth in his style at the time! The work's still strongly in a hardbop style, but modal elements are definitely creeping into the mix – a bolder sense of rhythm that really transforms the music from before – and lets Mobley reach out in a whole different way with his solos! The album features material from two different sessions – each of which have Mobley's tenor coming into play with other inventive artists on Blue Note at the time. One date features Lee Morgan on trumpet, Andrew Hill on piano, John Ore on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and the other features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Jones again on drums. Titles include "Up A Step", "Me N You", "Three Way Split", "Carolyn", and the classic "No Room For Squares". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully lofty work from the great Wes Montgomery – a set that was recorded quite late in his too-short career, and really points the way towards some of the sophisticated sounds that might have followed, had Wes not left this planet all too soon! Don Sebesky is at the head of the charts this time around, and while the vibe echoes some of the other work that Montgomery did with larger backings in the period, there's also a nice current of darkness too – this intensity that can come through, even if the tune is a familiar pop number. The ensemble is filled with great players – Herbie Hancock and Hank Jones on piano, Stan Webb on flute, Grady Tate on drums, and Ray Barretto on percussion – and titles include "I'll Be Back", "Road Song", "Yesterday", "Serene", "Green Leaves Of Summer", and "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

Funky trio Nautilus plays standards, but not the kind of over-recorded songs from Cole Porter and Irving Berlin – and instead a whole host of mighty cool cuts from the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, and Woody Shaw! As with the group's other records, the approach is that of a trio – Mariko Nakabayashi on keyboards, Shigeki Umezawa on bass, and Toshihuki Sasaki on drums – but the format is nicely different, as these guys shift up rhythms in all sorts of cool, creative ways – a bit like the Indigo Jam Unit and other Japanese groups who proceeded them – which does great things to some of these already-great cuts! Mizuki Kamata provides guest vocals on the track "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" – and other titles include "The Eye Of The Hurricane", "Little B's Poem", "Sweet Love Of Mine", and "Solitude". LP, Vinyl record album

The only album ever from this trippy little combo from the 60s Berkeley scene! Notes From The Underground were contemporaries of Country Joe & The Fish, and share a similar mix of folk and country-styled roots mixed with a bit of pre-hippie rock – but their overall sound is a bit more focused, and gets some nice jazzy inflections here from keyboardist Skip Rose – who plays piano, organ, and even a bit of harpsichord on the set! Rose's lines really help spin the album in a different path from some of its contemporaries – not just on the set's unusual instrumental take on Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island", but also on the vocal numbers as well – where rolling piano lines offset the guitar nicely. Titles include "Who Needs Me", "Tristesse", "Where I'm At", "Follow Me Down", "I Wish I Was A Punk", and "Down In The Basement". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album from Sonny Rollins' prime 60s years at RCA – almost a return to basics, but always with that edge that makes Rollins stand out way more than most of his contemporaries – a subtle balance between straight and modern that really makes the album crackle! The album features Sonny working with Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter or Bob Cranshaw on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums – and a bit of welcome additional cornet from Thad Jones – sounding great here in a small group setting. Tracks are mostly jazz standards, but done with an incredible poise on the solos – completely transforming the tunes with Rollins' rich imagination! Titles include "52nd St Theme", "Round Midnight", "Four", "Afternoon In Paris", "St Thomas", and "I Remember Clifford". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit jazzier than usual – thanks to work from Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Wayne Shorter on saxes, Ron Carter on bass, and both Tony Williams and Harvey Mason on drums! Titles include "Love Theme From Spartacus", "Golden Hours", "Gardenia", "La Llave", "Jharma Kala", and "Song For My Brother" LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – one of our favorite Blue Notes ever! Despite the fact that the album's a spare quartet session, the record is one of Wayne Shorter's richest – and features his gutsy young tenor soloing insanely with a rhythmically intense combo that includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a wonderfully free-thinking rhythm trio! Workman's bass is especially strong, and it underpins the cuts with a throbbing pulse that takes them past any simple hardbop conventions. Every cut's a winner – and this is one album we reach for time and time again over the years! Titles include "Adam's Apple", "El Gaucho", "Footprints", and "Teru". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album from this genius tenorist – a classic session from the late 60s that has Wayne Shorter pushing into a searching, spiritual groove, but one that's still filled with all the taught electricity of his earlier recordings on Blue Note! Shorter's accompanied by youthful modernists like James Spaulding on alto, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – plus the mighty Curtis Fuller on trombone, whose instrument here proves to be the same key extra ingredient that it was on the best Art Blakey sextet sessions of the 60s – bringing some deeper currents to the album that are completely sublime! There's a tight, soulful feel here that's sublime – an Adams Apple sort of groove, but a bit fuller – and titles include the classic "Tom Thumb", plus "Playground", "Schizophrenia", "Kryptonite", "Miyako", and "Go". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone smoker from the great Stanley Turrentine – an album that's got a lot more of an edge than some of his other Blue Note dates from the time – yet, for some odd reason, wasn't issued until the end of the 70s! The group's a crackling septet – yet still put together relatively loosely, not with the tighter arrangements that would show up so often in Turrentine's years. Stan's got a nice raw tone on tenor – and other players include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Herbie Hancock on piano – plus great rhythms from Bob Cranshaw on bass, Otis Finch on drums, and Mickey Roker on percussion. The percussion brings in a nice extra kick – almost a bit of a Latin vibe at times – and titles include "Make Someone Happy", "In Memory Of", "Niger Mambo", "Fried Pies", and "Jodi's Cha Cha". LP, Vinyl record album

A key record in the evolution of Tony Williams as a drummer – and kind of a powerful summation of all the changes he'd made in the 70s – before a return to straighter jazz in the next decade! Williams' drumming here is incredibly fierce at points – almost at a Billy Cobham level – but he also shows the sensitivity to deeper sounds that he first brought into play during the 60s – and manages to mix an ear for fusion modes with some freer elements too – thanks to help from a lineup of players that includes Herbie Hancock and Brian Auger on keyboards, Cecil Taylor on piano, Jan Hammer on Fender Rhodes, Stanley Clarke on bass, Ton Scott on lyricon, and Ronnie Montrose on guitar. Titles include "Tony", "Coming Back Home", "Morgan's Motion", "Eris", "Open Fire", and "Hittin On 6". LP, Vinyl record album

Hypnotic organ funk from Lyman Woodard – an old bandmate of Dennis Coffey, and one of the shining lights of the 70s Detroit scene! This is amazing, amazing stuff – Woodard's electric piano, organ and occasional mellotron and Norma Bell's alto saxophone lend a cosmic funk aspect throughout, very much like Death Wish-era Herbie Hancock – with a laidback, tripped-out groove that's really mindblowing! Ron English accents the thing perfectly with his languid guitar and bass groove, while Leonard King and Lorenzo Brown's drumming and percussion can keep the groove adrift, or tear it up in a funky maelstrom depending on the mission of the cut. It's totally essential Strata jazz funk – and a record we've rarely seen in the original pressing. Tracks include "Saturday Night Special", "Joy Road", "Belle Isle Daze", "Creative Musicians", "Cheeba", "On Your Mind", "Allen Barnes", and "Help Me Get Away". Features bonus tracks "Saturday Night Special (lost alt mix)" and "Bell Isle Daze (lost alt mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

A soaring collection of rare jazz from the Tokyo scene – all music originally recorded by the Japanese branch of Columbia Records – the same imprint that put out some exclusive and very hip Japanese-only albums from Miles Davis, Roy Ayers, and Herbie Hancock! The musicians here are all Japanese, and play with a vibe that definitely lives up to the label's legacy with American artists – mixing spiritual jazz, funky styles, and other soulful modes in a really great way – with a sense of variety that not only makes the collection a stellar listen throughout, but also really opens up your ears to the wealth of excellent Japanese jazz recordings that were never issued in the US! Titles include "Trial Road" by Tomoki Takahashi, "A Muddy Muffin" by Masahiko Sato, "Toppu" by Shigeharu Mukai, "Scramble" by Hiromasa Suzuki, "Samba De Negrito" by Takashi Mizuhashi & Herbie Hancock, "Ogi Denju Shiki" by Toshiyuki Miyama & His New Herd, "The Ground For Peace" by Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media, "Chakkiri Bushi" by Nobuo Hara with Hozan Yamamoto, "Mickey's Samba" by Mikio Masuda, and "Jones Street" by Kiyoshi Sugimoto. LP, Vinyl record album

Jungle Brothers - "Doin' Good For Yourself", Newkirk - "Small Thing", Terminator X - "The Blues", Nice & Smooth - "Paranoia", Slick Rick With Mr. Lee - "Slick Rick - The Ruler", Slick Rick - "I Shouldn't Have Done It", The Famlee - "Love Me", Jungle Brothers - "718 Kit", Alyson Williams - "She's Not Your Fool", Downtown Science - "If I Was", Herbie Hancock & The Don - "Livin' Large" LP, Vinyl record album

With performances by Nat Adderley, Art Blakey, Gary Burton, Jaki Byard, George Duke, Harry Edison, Tyree Glenn, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Elvin Jones, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Howard McGhee, Zoot Sims, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Stitt, Tony Williams, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

Early magic from Kirk Degiorgio – tracks recorded in the first few years of the 90s, but which already show him to be one of the freest-thinking talents of the decade! Kirk's name may not have topped as many lists as others back in the day, but a record like this had an undeniable influence on grooves for a few generations to come – providing a key link between the older fusion modes of the 70s and some of the more complicated rhythms of the 90s – all with a wonderfully understated approach and a real lack of ego. Keyboards are in the front on all tracks, played with a spacey sensibility that shows Kirk's keen love of Herbie Hancock – and titles include "Orchilla", "Meridian", "Mihara", "Shambala", "Asa Nisi Masa", "Moon Over The Moab", and "Star Gaze". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the seminal sides cut by Donald Byrd in his partnership with Pepper Adams – a high-up, low-down set that's a smoker all the way through! Byrd's brightness on trumpet is nicely matched by Adams' fluid work on baritone sax – and the pair are wonderfully supported by a rhythm trio that includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all players who can hit a sock-hard groove one minute, then let loose with a lyrical flourish the next. The approach of the record is tightly soulful, with loads of great changes – and some surprising dark edges that really add in a whole new dimension to the Donald Byrd sound of the time. Titles include "Shangri-La", "Jorgies", "Hush", "6 M's", and the moody "Requiem"! LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly nice set of tracks that were recorded for Columbia during the 60s, but not issued until the time of this 1981 compilation. Tunes run the gamut from early modal to freer electric – and Miles works with players that include Joe Zawinul, Tony Williams, Airto, Hank Mobley, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, Steve Grossman, Herbie Hancock, Gil Evans, and Chick Corea. Tracks include "Ascent", "Willie Nelson", "Konda", "Duran", "Fun", "Directions 1 & 2", "Limbo", "So Near, So Far", and "Song Of Our Country". LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! LP, Vinyl record album

A really great bit of live work from Miles Davis – and the first-ever recorded appearance of the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – even though the album was never issued in the US at the time! The set follows very strongly in the mode of the group's work at the Plugged Nickel – with a pace that's faster than usual, and bristling with freely exploratory energy. Titles include "Milestones", "So What", "Walkin", and a nicely stepped-up version of "Autumn Leaves". Shorter's solos are worth the price of the record alone, but Williams' work on the kit never ceases to amaze! LP, Vinyl record album

Miles Smiles, but his grin is a wry one – given the angular energy of the set! The album's a landmark effort from the mid 60s quintet that includes Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all of whom work without fail to capture Davis' newly emerging approach to jazz – a style that's touched with some of the light lyricism of the late 50s, but which has much sharper edges overall – and really approaches some of the best "new thing" modes that were going down at labels like Blue Note or Impulse! Many tunes have a subtly spare quality, but nonetheless work with a tremendous amount of power – and titles include a classic version of "Freedom Jazz Dance", a haunting take on Shorter's "Footprints", and the titles "Orbits", "Circle", "Dolores", and "Gingerbread Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

A key point in the development of the Miles Davis sound of the 60s – his first album to feature work from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by some equally nice work on other tracks from Victor Feldman and Frank Butler! The sound here is beautifully spare – a wonderful exploration of ideas that Miles had been putting forth on some other albums for Columbia, but crafted here with a vision that's apparent in the very first note – and which transforms both the tunes and the work of the players into a focused, near-perfect sound all the way through. Titles include "So Near So Far", "Seven Steps To Heaven", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Joshua", and "Basin Street Blues" – which even sounds great in this setting! LP, Vinyl record album

Killer keyboards from the legendary George Duke – and one of his most righteous albums for the MPS label! The album's a spectacular set that showcases both sides of Duke's genius at the time – his spacey, soulful approach to a laidback tune – and his more jamming styles on the harder cuts! Instrumentation is somewhat spare – just keyboards and piano from George, who also sings a bit – plus Ndugu Chancler on drums and John Heard on bass – both playing with a freely creative energy that's definitely motivated by Duke. There's a beautiful mix of electricity and acoustic warmth on the set – never too forced, and clearly an inspiration for countless players in years to come – maybe even more so than Herbie Hancock's work of the time. Drums are great too – and snap tightly for plenty of nice breaks on the set – which are in turn augmented by mellower keys from Duke, who also sings with a sweetly electric soul style. Titles include "Capricorn", "The Opening", "Psychosomatic Dung", "North Beach", "Faces In Reflection", "Maria Tres Filhos", and "Da Somba". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazz funk genius from Freddie Hubbard in the mid 70s! Gleam was a Japanese-only double album from the jazz giant in its original release – mighty funky at times, too – right up there with some of the best Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock Japanese sets from the 70s! It's a live set captured in March of '75 at Tokyo's Yubin Chokin Hall – long numbers played by a group that includes Freddie on trumpet, Carl Randall on tenor and flute, George Cables on electric piano, Henry Franklin on bass, Carl Burnett on drums, and Buck Clark on percussion! Each player has plenty of space to groove, and it's very well captured – you can hear the most expressive solos and the most subtle nuances. Some great solos by Freddie and the rest of the players – breathless tenor & flute by Randall, keys by Cables that are jazz funk perfection and interplay between Burnett's drums and Clark's congas & percussion that's somehow tense and comfortable at the same time. The shortest number in the set runs more than the 7 minutes and the longest is more than 20 minutes – and none is one second shorter than necessary, actually leaving us pining for more – making it all the more vital in the double album format. Released on 2CDs for the first time ever here! How this great album has been so hard to find over the years is a mystery. Titles include "Kuntu", "Spirits Of Trane", an amazing cover of Stevie Wonder's "Too High", "Midnight At The Oasis", "Ebony Moonbeams", and "Put It In The Pocket". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Bobby Hutcherson albums for Blue Note – a classic session recorded in quartet form, with a style that seems to set a whole new standard for the vibes in modern jazz! The group here is sublime – Herbie Hancock on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all working with Bobby in cool, blocky chords, with a sound that lies somewhere on the road to "out", but has more of a swing than Hutcherson's "new thing" recordings! The balance is a perfect one – exciting and fresh, but still always soulfully grooving – and titles include a sublime version of Herbie's "Maiden Voyage" – plus originals by Hutcherson that include "The Omen", "Aquarian Moon", "Rojo", and "Head Start". LP, Vinyl record album

A real step forward for Quincy Jones – a record that really shows the jazzman moving into sophisticated new territory – a sound that's just right for the CTI generation! The album's got a vibe that's a bit similar to Quincy's Walking In Space album, but it's a lot deeper too – touched with some of the African elements you might guess from the title – arranged in ways that are often quite spacious, so that the tunes really take some time to find just the right groove! Backings are large, but show the leaner elements that Jones was bringing to his soundtrack work – and instrumentation includes vibes from Milt Jackson, marimba from Don Elliott, flute from Hubert Laws, soprano sax from Jerome Richardson, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, trombone from Al Grey, and guitar from Eric Gale. Keyboards figure strongly – played by Herbie Hancock and Bob James – and special features include a bit of guitar and whistling from Toots Thielemans, plus some soulful vocals from Valerie Simpson. "Gula Matari" is an incredible 12 minute tribal groove – and other titles include a killer take on Nat Adderley's "Hummin", plus "Walkin" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever Hank Mobley albums on Blue Note – and a killer batch of soulful hardbop that was cut right around the same time as the classic No Room For Squares LP. In fact, the album contains work from 2 different sessions that filtered over to the Squares album – one that featured Mobley with Freddie Hubbard, Barry Harris, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins; and another that included Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Butch Warren, and Philly Joe Jones. The work is incredibly sharp – with that wonderful mix of soul jazz, hardbop, and nascent spiritualism that Mobley brought to his best work of the 60s. Titles include "My Sin", "Straight Ahead", "The Turnaround", and "East Of The Village". 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 keep roof 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

An important American album for the great Milton Nascimento – his first recorded in the US since the earlier Courage set for A&M – and like that record, a perfect bridge between the sound of his work in Brazil and the global modes that he had to offer! A key part of the set is the participation of Wayne Shorter on saxes – an artist that Milton had recorded with on the Native Dancer record – and the group also features work from Herbie Hancock on piano, Raul De Souza on trombone, Toninho Horta on guitar, and Airto on percussion – all jazzy talents who really keep things lean and groovy – in a style that's different than some of Nascimento's 70s work in Brazil. Tracks include "Raca", "The Call", "Os Povos", "Fairy Tale Song", "Francisco", "One Coin",and a nice remake of the classic "Cravo E Canela". LP, Vinyl record album

This is the one that really nailed it for Jaco Pastorious – a brilliant showcase for all his many talents on the bass, and a key illustration of the way that he influenced an entire generation! Sure, Jaco in Weather Report was already pretty darn great – but here, on his own, he really gets to sparkle – jamming hard with heavyweights on some funky numbers, sliding out in spacey territory on mellow cuts, and even trying out a few more experimental moments that are far beyond what most other bassists might imagine for a debut of this nature. Players on the date include Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Don Alias on percussion, Lenny White on drums, Hubert Laws on flute, and Randy Brecker on trumpet – and titles include "Portrait Of Tracy", "Donna Lee", "Continuum", "Okonkole Y Trompa", "Kuru/Speak Like a Child", "Opus Pocus", and "Come On Come Over". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album of spacey jazz funk! Eddie Russ was a 70s keyboard genius – right up there with Lonnie Liston Smith and Herbie Hancock in our book, although he never reached the fame of either of those players. This album's one of Eddie's best – and it's got a smoothly produced soul jazz sound that's almost a takeoff on the style of Smith's excellent records for Flying Dutchman – but a bit cooler overall, and with a great feel that links back to Russ' years in the Detroit scene. Tracks are uptempo and jazzy, with a strongly soulful vibe that features lots of electric keyboard work over the top of fast dancing rhythms. A few cuts have sweet female soul backup vocals, and additional instrumentation includes trumpet, sax, and guitar. Tracks include "Zaius", "Salem Avenue", "Poko Nose", and "See The Light". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more avant-oriented 60s sessions cut by Wayne Shorter for Blue Note – a record that's not entirely part of the "new thing" generation, but which definitely has Shorter pushing the boundaries from his previous records for the label! The lineup here is a key batch of players who can handle both sides of the fence – inside and outside – Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Grachan Moncur on trombone, Herbie Hancock on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Ron Carter on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all players who were really breaking their own boundaries at the time. The set also features work from Wayne's Brother on one track – avant trumpeter Alan Shorter, who's only known for a few records under his own name, and who really brings a great sound to play here. At times, the record builds into a sound that's freer and more challenging than on some of Shorter's other albums from the time – but less in a free jazz mode, than with an overall sense of purpose that really keeps the message clear. Features all original compositions by the Shorter brothers – and cuts include "Chaos", "Face Of The Deep", "Mephistopheles", and "Genesis". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A beautiful little album, very different than Wayne Shorter's other work, and sort of a "return of the favor" to the nation of Brazil for the country's rich musical influence on his music! Milton Nascimento sings vocals on most cuts, and if anything, the album resembles Nascimento's work of the mid 70s quite strongly – with similar airy arrangements and a very full, polished sound. Brazilian jazz musicians Airto, Roberto Silva, and Wagner Tiso play on the record – which also features work by Herbie Hancock. Titles include "Ponta De Areia", "Tarde", "Miracle Of The Fishes", "From The Lonely Afternoon", and "Ana Maria". LP, Vinyl record album

The pinnacle of Blue Note's "new thing" era! This amazing album was led by drummer Tony Williams (then just a wee lad, playing with Miles Davis, in his legendary 60s quintet) – but it's more of a "roundtable" session that features equal contributions by some of Blue Note's best avant garde players from the time, all of them young fiery geniuses like Williams. The configurations of the players change drastically from track to track – and some feature Sam Rivers, Richard Davis, and Gary Peacock playing in a 2-bass and tenor lineup with Williams; others feature Bobby Hutcherson and Herbie Hancock playing heavily percussive vibes and piano solos next to Williams' assorted percussion playing; and one track doesn't even feature Williams at all, but has Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter in a beautifully moody bass and piano duet! The record is a treasure – and it's a landmark recording that's probably one of the greatest that Blue Note (or any other label) released during the 60s! Titles include "Barb's Song to The Wizard", "Memory", and "Two Pieces Of One: Red & Green". LP, Vinyl record album

A great vintage-styled record – but one that features a host of contemporary artists, all working in the best spirit of 70s funky reggae! The set features tunes by Herbie Hancock, The Commodores, The Sugarhill Gang, and others – but all served up as dubby numbers with lots of funky elements – in the same style as the recent run of excellent 45s from the Stix Records label. A few of these cuts originally appeared as those singles, and they're mixed here with other tracks showing up for the first time ever – a great run of grooves that includes "Chameleon (Taggy Matcher disco mix)", "Money (7 Samurai disco 12" version)", "Music (The Dynamics disco 7" version)", "Brick House (Taggy Matcher disco mix)", "Suit & Tie (John Milk reggae version)", "Everybody's Talkin (Blundetto & Granmagneto orig 7" version)", "Rapper's Delight (Taggy Matcher dub)", and "Saturday Night Fever (Grandmagneto orig 7" version)". LP, Vinyl record album

The third volume in this wonderful series – and like the other volumes, a record that really lives up to its name! The groove here mixes together 70s roots in disco and reggae – and comes up with a cool contemporary blend that's mighty nice – held together through top-shelf production from key French talents who include Mato and Patchworks – in a groove that's nicely unified throughout! Many tunes are covers and remakes – the set includes great versions of songs by Herbie Hancock, Rolling Stones, Donna Summer, and others – but all done in these very fresh new ways that are completely unique. Titles include "Feel Like Makin Love" by The Dynamics, "Disco Illusion" by Taggy Matcher, "Melt The Night (Mato reggae rmx)" by Lucas Arruda, "Miss You (ext disco version)" by The Dynamics, "Shake It Dub (ext 12" version)" by 7 Samurai, "Cantaloupe Island" by Taggy Matcher, "Movin In The Right Direction" by Mato, and "Loev To Love You Baby" by Rosemary Martins. LP, Vinyl record album