The second album from Incredible String Band – and incredible it is, a UK psychedelic folk gem that finds the group challenging conventions across the board – both artful and inviting, it's wonderful stuff! At this point, Clive Palmer had left, and Mike Heron and Robin Williamson contribute lead vocals with the additional vocalist Licorice also taking lead on a few tunes, the sound is fleshed out with more accompaniment and a rich warmth on a bevy of instruments – guitar, sitar, bowed gimbri, finger cymbals, tamboura, oud, rattles, flute, bass and piano. Includes the lovely and oft-covered "The First Girl I Loved", plus "Chinese White", "No Sleep Blues", "Painting Box", "The Eyes Of Fate", "The Hedgehog's Song", "You Know What I Could Be", "Gently Tender", "Way Back In The 1960s" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A great overview of the Incredible String Band – early material from the group's first three albums on Elektra, all pulled together in a double-length set that's a perfect introduction to their genius! The core talents here are Mike Heron and Robin Williamson – the founders of the group, and architects of most of the songs – tunes that use a fair bit of the acoustic instrumentation that you'd guess from their name, in an compelling inversion of older Brit folk modes – that same balance between modern and ancient that you'd hear from a few of their hippest contemporaries. The whole thing's great – and we really love to lose ourselves in the music. Titles include "Air", "Job's Tears", "October Song", "Everything's Fine Right Now", "Koeeoaddi Death", "A Very Cellular Song", "Maya", "This Moment", "Way Back In The 1960s", "Painting Box", "Log Cabin Home In The Sky", and "Cousin Caterpillar". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully expansive album from The Incredible String Band – initially performed as a stage project with the Stone Monkey dance troupe, and featuring the ISB at their most evocative and creative! Some tunes have a darker, sinister undercurrent – that link between the band and the acid folk underground – but others are more hippy dippy, with playful touches that still seem to have this undercurrent of evil somehow – an offbeat quality that really marks the special way that British groups like this were taking folk in very odd directions at the time – never losing sight of roots, but still never having the sense of optimism or indulgence of American acts. The double-length set has loads of especially nice instrumental moments – both acoustic and electric – and titles include "Bridge Song", "El Wool Suite", "The Juggler's Song", "Bad Sadie Lee", "Partial Belated Overture", "Walking Along With You", "Invocation", and "Robot Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Half of the fourth album from The Incredible String Band and by far their most sprawling work to date – which was originally split into separate LPs for the US release – this bein the more intimate Wee Tam portion! Multi-instrumentalists Mike Heron & Robin Williamson began using studio multi-tracking to incredible effect on their previous LP, and continue on that path here, though accompanied by violin and percussion by Rose. Titles include "Job's Tears", "The Yellow Snake", "Beyond The See", "The Half-Remarkable Question", "Ducks On A Pond" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely subtle album from the Incredible String Band – a set that maybe doesn't have the same sort of fanfare as their earliest albums, but which also has the group really honing their sound! Make no mistake, there's nothing commercial or pop-oriented going on – it's just that Mike Heron and crew have really found a way to make a lot with a little – using acoustic guitar, violin, dulcimer, and bits of other instrumentation in these ways that have the relaxed nature of a folk group, but with more far-reaching power that befits their role in the British scene of the time. Heron's vocals are always wonderful – and Robin Williamson sings as well, as does Licorice McKechnie – and titles include "Black Jack Davy", "The Letter", "This Moment", and "Fair As You". LP, Vinyl record album

A very weird, offbeat set from the Connecticut scene of the 70s! There's not really any brass in the group – but there are a lot of great bluesy moments, acoustic and electric – with a lineup that featuers piano, guitar, washboard, and other unusual instrumentation – all recorded with a loose, laidback vibe that's very nice. Titles include "Little Dead Surfer Girl", "Cocaine", "Grizzly Bear", and "Don't Cry Lady I'll Buy Your God Damned Violets". LP, Vinyl record album

They're not kidding with the title of this one – because although the record was only Wes Montgomery's second album as a leader, he was already making plenty of waves with the sound of his guitar! The session lines Wes up with the very tight rhythm team of Tommy Flanagan on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – all of whom lay back and mostly let Wes take center stage – sparkling on a number of original tunes that include "West Coast Blues", "Mister Walker", and "D Natural Blues". Other tracks include a great fast take on Sonny Rollins' "Airegin", plus "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

A real stormer from Jimmy Smith – done in his first year at Blue Note, but with a sense of power and imagination that cannot be denied! It might be easy to pass up this album, because many of the tunes are standards, done in a simple trio format – but back at the time of this session, Jimmy had a real penchant for unusual phrasings and complicated rhythms – of a sort that rarely showed up on his later Blue Notes, but which made for some incredible sounds overall on a set like this! A key moment here is the crazy cut "Judo Mambo" – which has this wild "chop chop" organ sound that certainly fits with the "judo" theme, and which is followed up by some great raspy guitar work by Thornel Schwartz. Donald Bailey is on drums, doing an excellent job as usual – and other nice moments are the track "Fiddlin' The Minors", plus Jimmy's nice Monkish take on "Well You Needn't" – plus the tracks "Willow Weep For Me" and "Autumn Leaves". If you've ever doubted what a genius Jimmy Smith was on the organ in the early days, check out this one, and prepare to have your mind blown! LP, Vinyl record album

The title's no mistake – both in its pluralization and its acclaim for Kai Winding – as the leader here is working with a brace of additional trombones, all in a groove that's one of his most fluid on record to date! The style builds nicely from the sound that Kai and JJ Johnson forged in the 50s – but it's served up here with a sound that's slightly more modern, filled with colors and tones that really deepen the sound of Winding's music! Other trombonists include Jimmy Knepper, Tony Studd, Paul Faulise, and Johnny Messner – playing differently pitched trombones – and rhythm players include Ron Carter on bass, Bill Evans on piano, and Al Beldini on drums – plus some guest conga by Olatunji. Titles include "Speak Low", "Love Walked In", "Mangos", "Michie", "Impulse", and "Black Coffee". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the mellower albums on the Nilva label – a session of guitar work from John Collins, a player we don't know that well, but who has a really beautiful sound on the set! The album's Collins' first (only?) album as a leader – and it features him soloing in a pretty spare setting on most numbers – working either with a trio that features Jimmy Woode on bass and Alvin Queen on drums, a duo with bassist John Heard, another trio with Heard and trumpeter Harry Edison, and even solo on one track – always with a tone that's great, and a sound that's clean, clear, and creative. One longer track – a version of "All The Things You Are" – features a quintet with Dolo Coker on piano, plus Edison, Woode, and Queen – and other titles include "Nature Boy", "Dearly Beloved", "I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face", and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

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Featuring "Outstanding", "Turn It Out", "Hype it Up", "Get Up & Have A Good Time", "War", and "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

An oft-overlooked funky soul gem from the incredible Roy Ayers – taking turns with both uptempo material and more smoothed out soul sounds – all done with Roy's trademark jazzy approach to the dancefloor! No Stranger To Love is a sly, and often funky set that deserves to be mentioned with his more famous dancefloor ready work of the late 70s – and if it gets an extra point two for the incredibly cool cover photo, the slow burning grooves more than deliver on the promise! The album does a really nice job of rolling out both the sultry jazzy soul and the funkier Ayers modes, with sweet strings in spots, Roy's incomparable vibes, bass and keyboard grooving, and vocals that set the mood for both the slow jams and the funky stuff! Includes the extended mellow number "Don't Let Our Love Slip Away", one of Roy's better downtempo moments, plus great stuff like "Don't Stop The Feeling", plus "What You Won't Do For Love", "No Stranger To Love/Want You", "Shack Up, Pack Up, It's Up (When I'm Gone)", "Don't Hide Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A great batch of early work from Burt Bacharach – one of the first albums to be issued under his own name, and proof that Mr B was head and shoulders above most of the other arrangers and composers of his time! At some level, the style here is a bit more traditional than some of Burt's later work – with strings and vocal chorus used on many numbers – but the tight, focused, syncopated Bacharach groove is already very firmly on place – on a set of all original numbers, done as instrumentals with some really incredible production! Voices float next to tinkling piano, sweeping strings, and stepping rhythms that show that even when things are mellow, they can still be a bit funky – and the record easily takes 60s easy to a whole new level of maturity and sophistication. Titles include "Wives & Lovers", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "What's New Pussycat?", "The Last One To Be Loved", "Saturday Sunshine", "24 Hours From Tulsa", and "A House Is Not A Home". LP, Vinyl record album

An explosive session from an expanded edition of the Jazz Messengers – recorded at a key point when Art Blakey moved the group up to six members instead of five! Although bigger than the group on most Jazz Messenger Blue Notes, the sextet have an energy that's almost tighter – a sense of poise, focus, and vision that's not just driven by Blakey's drum kit alone – but by the kind of unique magic that only happens during rare groupings in classic jazz. A key part of the energy here comes from pianist Cedar Walton – who's replacing the Bobby Timmons soul jazz mode with a sound that's a bit more expansive and visionary. But equally important is the three horn lineup of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Wayne Shorter on tenor – a two-brass frontline that's used far differently than other groups – bold one minute, but personal and sensitive the next. There's a mixture of warmth and driving energy here that's simply incredible – a prime example of Blakey taking things to the next level, when it would have been easy enough for him to sit on his laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again! Includes classic readings of Cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis", and Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" – as well as Shorter's excellent "Children Of The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of amazing early records from Bobby Blue Bland – genre-setting material that was partly blues, partly soul, and still had some of the fuller currents of the earlier R&B years too! Bobby's voice is incredible – one of the most distinct in soul, and up there with Solomon Burke or Otis Redding for its unique sense of power – on titles that include "Jelly Jelly Jelly", "You're The One (That I Adore)", "You're Worth It All", "Your Friends", and "Ain't That Loving You". Fantastic all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

A later gem from Bobby Blue Bland – done in a smooth style that fits the later approach of the Malaco label, but with a vocal style that hasn't dimmed a bit over the years! Bobby's still got that incredible rasp in his voice – that approach that easily made him one of the most soulful bluesmen of his generation – with a sense of sophistication and understanding of the music that holds true throughout the entire record. The vibe's a bit like some of Bland's late work for ABC – and titles include "Members Only", "In The Ghetto", "Heart Open Again", "I Need Your Love So Bad", "Straight From The Shoulder", and "Sweet Woman's Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The biggest sounding Blondie album by far – and a radical leap from New York new wave scene band to a wildly ambitious pop pastiche machine! The band always had a fearless way of filtering far-reaching pop sounds into their material, even when they were still on the CBGBs scene, and while their stylistic reach grew with each successive album, Autoamerican really takes it to extremes. It's somewhat notorious for favoring session players over the core band, but given how crazy the stylistic breadth is – no disrespect to that incredible core band – it's a creative win, as much BECAUSE they bit off more than they could chew production wise, as it is despite that. It's most famous (or infamous, depending on who's talking about it) for "Rapture", and other tracks include "Europa", "Live It Up", their classic, breezy cover of "The Tide Is High", "Here's Looking At You", "Faces", "Follow Me" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The second bright blast of garage psych grooves from Blues Magoos – their excellent Electric Comic Book set for Mercury – just as great as the first album! At this early point, the group brings a deliriously high energy approach, even in the studio – we can only imagine how incredible the live show must have been – but still with catchy harmonies and a wicked sense of humor. The organ and heavy drums is the bedrock for garage rock to come, too! Titles include "Pipe Dream", "There's A Chance We Can Make It", "Gloria", "Summer Is The man", "Baby I Want You", "Take My Love", "Rush Hour" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty great album of mellow jazz tracks – recorded in a very spare setting that has trumpeter Ruby Braff playing with pianist Ellis Larkins, and no other accompaniment! The setting's quite unusual for the time, and it makes for a relaxed intimate meeting between two strong talents that really differs from the work that either of them were recording elsewhere. But even more incredible is the way that the two players come together without additional support – working beautifully in a format that would have others faltering – always swinging the tunes despite the lack of bass or drums, and clearly very at home here with the extra space that lets both of them open up creatively! Titles include "Where Or When", "I Could Write A Book", "The Girl Friend", "Little Girl Blue", and "Thou Swell". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible early work from Brenda & The Tabulations – one of the best male/female soul groups of their era, yet one that's often sadly overlooked! This album will more than display why the group are so great – as they have a unique quality that's soft and sweet, yet also deeply soulful at the same time – making full use of the lead vocals of Brenda Payton, but supporting them with some rich male harmony backings from the rest of the Tabulations. And although the one gal, three guy format is one used by Ruby & The Romantics and Gladys Knight & The Pips, Brenda's take on the format is quite different – more like female soul outright, with some guy soul touches – and often done in a heartbreaking east coast harmony mode! Titles include the group's big early hit "Dry Your Eyes", plus other good originals like "The Wash", "Just Once in a Lifetime", and "Hey Boy". Also with "Stay Together Young Lovers", and "Who's Lovin You" – plus a wonderful remake of "God Only Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

Richly complicated material that really fits the incredible voice of Lenita Bruno! Titles include "Cantigas", "Casinha Pequenina", "Conselhos", "Modinha", and "Se Os Meus Suspiros Pudessem". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing minimalism from the legendary Sandy Bull – an artist who might have had acoustic roots in folk music, but who was instantly turning his music into something else – drawing on modal styles of Eastern music, European generations of expression on guitar, jazz-based improvisation – and maybe even prefiguring work to come from composers like Terry Riley and La Monte Young! This album's one of Bull's first, and it's pure genius right from the start – with a side-long performance on the incredible "Blend", which features slight drums from jazz musician Billy Higgins – which Sandy extrapolates these long passages on acoustic guitar. Side two features the fantastic "Carmina Burana Fantasy" on banjo – a kind of trans-historical performance that's right up there with John Fahey's best of the decade – alongside equally mindblowing "Non Nobis Domine" and "Little Maggie" – and the closing electric guitar genius of "Gospel Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from the team of Donald Byrd and Gigi Gryce – crisp modern jazz, filled with soul, and never failing to swing! During the time of these recordings, Gryce was one hell of an arranger – with a tight ensemble approach that worked magic in a small combo setting. He was also a tremendous alto player – with a tone that was unlike any other musician at the time, magically sharp, with a sound that always seemed to inspire a great deal of energy from his bandmates. He gets plenty of that here from trumpeter Donald Byrd – sounding better on these sides than on most of his other 50s recordings – thanks also to some great accompanists, who include Tommy Flanagan, Wendell Marshall, and Art Taylor. Jackie Paris also joins the group on vocals for a few tunes – "Early Morning Blues" and "Elgy" – and some tunes feature additional horn work from players that include Benny Powell, Julius Watkins, and Sahib Shihab. Other tracks include "Sans Souci", "Speculation", "Stablemates", "Steppin Out", "Social Call", and "Satellite". LP reissues the albums Jazz Lab and Modern Jazz Perspective. LP, Vinyl record album

Not everyone digs the later Captain and crew, but the early 80s efforts have finally gotten their just props after all these years – and we'll we'll come right out and say that this second to last album before Don Van Vliet hung up the music for painting has always sounded great to us! The Magic Band is incredible as always – with Jeff Morris Tepper, Drumbo French and Eric Drew Feldman's antics under the Captain's idiosyncratic vocalese. With "Hot Head", "Ashtray Heart", "A Carrot Is As Close As A Rabbit Gets To A Diamond", "Run Paint Run Run", "Sue Egypt", "Brickbats", "Dirty Blue Gene", "Best Batch Yet", "Telephone", "Flavor Bud Living", "Sherriff Of Hong Kong" and "Making Love To A Vampire With A Monkey On My Knee". LP, Vinyl record album

Totally classic work from John Carpenter – and maybe one of the greatest horror/slasher soundtracks ever! Halloween was already pretty darn great – but here, Carpenter pushes it even further – using all the best elements of the first – including the incredible theme – in ways that go even further, and which shake off any schlocky moments and turn into a total creepfest overall! The keyboards and electronics are wonderful – done with frequent partner Alan Howarth – and the sense of spacing and timing makes every musical moment a horrific delight! Titles include "Halloween II Theme", "Laurie's Theme", "The Shape Stalks Again", "Operation Room", and "Flats In The Parking Lot". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic early sound of the great Johnny Cash – captured here by Sun Records, who really did a great job of bringing out the rhythmic pulse in Johnny's music! As with his best early singles, the style here is very raw – romping guitar riffs next to the man's incredible deep voice – set up perfectly on the sorts of tunes that just seem to get better and better the more you give them a listen! Titles include "Luther's Boogie", "I Just Thought You'd Like To Know", "I Forgot To Remember To Forget", "Katy Too", "You Tell Me", "Just About Time", "You Win Again", "Thanks A Lot", "Get Rhythm", and "I Could Never Be Ashamed Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning live prison performance from the Man In Black, recorded in conjunction with a television special. Titles include "Starkville County Jail", "I Walk The Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", an incredible version of "Wanted Man", and what became the single off the LP, "A Boy Named Sue". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest jazz-meets-classical albums from pianist Eugen Cicero – thanks to a good amount of Rokoko in the grooves! The more flowery, flourishing style of the Rokoko era proves to be a perfect foil for Cicero's incredible approach to the keys – one that lets him bring even more complicated touches to the piano, while still working with tightly jazzy rhythms from the team of Peter Witte on bass and Charlie Antolini on drums! Witte and Antolini are great throughout – keeping things tight and focused, and making the record way more than a virtuostic exploration of classical themes. As much a jazz record as the best Swingle Singers sides from the 60s – with titles that include a great original called "Bach's Softly Sunrise", plus Bach's "Solfeggio C Moll", Couperin's "L'Adoslecente", and Scarlatti's "Sonate C-Dur". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio treasure from the incredible Sonny Clark – a rare non-Blue Note date from the late 50s, and a wonderful illustration of his powers on the piano! The setting is spare, but the sound is never sleepy – as Sonny's working here with Max Roach on drums and George Duvivier on bass – both of whom make for very lively compatriots in the trio – and help Sonny hit some fiercely flowing lines on piano! And apart from Sonny's great playing, the album's also a great showcase for his writing skills too, as nearly never tune's an original – with titles that include "Nica", "Sonia", "My Conception", "Minor Meeting", and "Blues Mambo". Also features a version of "Sonny's Crib" – mis-labeled here as "Sonny's Crip"! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best albums that Al Cohn and Zoot Sims ever cut together – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of their collaborations during the 50s and 60s! The set's got a nice small group feeling, and is a bit more open and relaxed than some of their RCA material – still in the sharp, thoughtful mode that marked both Cohn and Sims' sessions – but also a bit more earthy, too – possibly because they've got Mose Allison in the combo on piano. The album includes the incredible spare sax-only track "Improvisation For Unaccompanied Saxophones", which is an extremely haunting track that sounds unlike anything the pair had ever done together – and other titles have the full quintet playing, tunes that include "The Opener", "The Note" and "You N Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Two generations of Ornette Coleman – making incredible music here together! The album's a freewheeling late 60s outing from the senior Ornette – who plays alto, violin, and trumpet here – working with his young son Ornette D Coleman on drums, just 12 years old at the time – but a surprisingly strong free jazz player overall! Heavyweight help comes from Dewey Redman on tenor – really tremendous here, with energy that's up there with Albert Ayler or Archie Shepp at their 60s best – plus Charlie Haden on bass, really coming strongly back into the music at this point in his career. The album's quite free overall – similar to some of Coleman's Blue Note work of the period – and titles include "COD", "Rainbows", "New York", and "Bells and Chimes". LP, Vinyl record album