A classic album from Idle Race – an incredible pre-ELO group that featured some amazing work from a young Jeff Lynne! The music is a great mix of trippy and catchy styles – and in a way, the work here is almost more ELO than some of the earliest albums issued by that band a few years later – which was sometimes a bit heavier overall. Instead, Idle Race almost work in a 60s version of the pop-styled groove that Lynne would bring to ELO during their mighty mid 70s run – with a great flair for catchy hooks, and a style of production that was in the same flanged-out, cross-speaker compressed mode that would become the Jeff Lynne trademark in years to come (think especially "Mr Blue Sky" or "Diary Of Horace Wimp"). Titles include "On With The Show", "Sitting In My Tree", "I Like My Toys", "The Birthday", "The Skeleton & The Roundabout", "End Of The Road", and "The Lady Who Said She Could Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

Otis, Nelson, Lefty, and Lucky Wilbury play some nice tunes with their friend, Charlie T Jr. – Not to be confused with any of those Idle Race, Mudcrutch, Zimmermans, Kelton Orbison, or Beetle people. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully rich session from bassist Gary Peacock – one that draws equal energy from his three associates on the date – all of whom did some great ECM Records work on their own! Peacock composed the tunes, and his spacious notes on bass provide the core setting – but the album really sparkles with sharp-edged tenor and soprano sax lines from Jan Garbarek, some moody trumpet tones from Tomasz Stanko, and unbridled work on drums from Jack DeJohnette, who almost seems much more free of structure than Peacock on bass. Titles include "Allegory", "Paradigm", "Moor", "Legends", "Voice From The Past", and "Ode For Tomten". LP, Vinyl record album

Don Cherry really breaks out here on his classic Mu sessions from France – using the new freedoms of post-68 Paris to explore themes at a level that would set the tone for generations to come! The album's very spare, and very improvised – with Cherry on pocket trumpet, piano, and wooden flute – plus a bit of percussion too – alongside drummer Ed Blackwell, who's equally unbridled – showing a huge evolution since the time both he and Don spent in the group of Ornette Coleman! There's a few echoes of the global elements that Cherry would later embrace more strongly in the 70s – but the core energy here is mostly improvised jazz, handled at a level that really makes a lot better use of the freedom than some of Don's contemporaries. Titles on this second part include "Bamboo Night", "The Mysticism Of My Sound", "Psycho Drama", "Smiling Faces Going Places", "Teo Teo Can", and "Dollar Brand/Spontaneous Composing/Exert Man On The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Helen sings, Teddy swings, and the album's a great little session from Merrill's key years recording in Japan! There's a simple, unadorned quality to the record that's really great – a mode that Helen wasn't even using back in her earlier years in the US, and which almost helps her recapture a past that had slipped away before its time. Wilson's trio here features Larry Ridley on bass and Lenny McBrowne on drums – and his backing is sensitive and mellow, often letting Helen take center stage with her vocals. Titles include "Summertime", "I Only Have Eyes For You", "I Cover The Waterfront", "I Must Have That Man", "Embraceable You", and "East Of The Sun". Three numbers also feature Ridley and McBrowne replaced by Japanese players. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic turning point for the great Horace Silver – a set that's still got the soul jazz groove of some of his earlier 60s hits – but which also has the pianist really making magic with some of the younger players on the scene – in a lineup that features the young Woody Shaw on trumpet, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Tyrone Washington on tenor sax! As with Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan at the time, there's an openness to some of Silver's writing and arranging here that's really great – as if he's absorbing some of the qualities of the new thing generation, but never going there himself – and instead just finding a way to color his music with really fresh energy and tones. Larry Ridley is on bass and Roger Humphries is on drums – completing a really fantastic lineup – and titles include the title cut "The Jody Grind" – is an enduring funky jazz classic – plus "Blue Silver", "Mary Lou", "Mexican Hip Dance", "Grease Piece", and "Dimples". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy duty hardbop – one of three amazing Epic Records sessions cut by drummer Dave Bailey! Dave didn't ever cut many sessions as a leader – but when he did, they really cooked hard – with a quality level and sharpness of vision that easily rivals the best on Blue Note or Prestige Records at the time! In fact, this album would have been right at home on either imprint – a smoking session of soulful hardbop, with very long songs that allow plenty of room for solos by players who include Charlie Rouse on tenor, Clark Terry on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Horace Parlan on piano – who are all in the group with Dave, alongside bassist Peck Morrison. There's a nicely unbridled feel to the whole set – a real "something extra" that's always made the album a treasure – and titles include the side-long 17 minute "Blues For JP", plus "Slop Jah", "Little Old Mongoose", and "Evad Smurd". LP, Vinyl record album