A wonderful live set from the Seven Steps-era Miles group – with rhythm by Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and tunes that are all in that transformative mode that really showed Miles hitting a new voice at the time! Tenorist George Coleman's playing with the group on the set – proving again that he's got a depth that few people ever seem to give him credit for – and that it wasn't just Wayne Shorter who made the 60s Davis quintet so great. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "All Of You", "Walkin", and "Joshua". CD

A nice bit of funky crime work from Italy – a soundtrack to an obscure payback film from the 70s, done here with a nice mix of heavy beats, tight guitar, and some cool keyboards! The groove here is very much in the style of some of the best compilations of Italian cop soundtrack work we've stocked – and unlike some other thrillers of the time, the set's overflowing with funky tracks, so that you get way more than just a few funky numbers for your money! The blazing image on the cover is a great idea of what you'll hear inside – and titles include "Drivin All Around", "Goodbye My Friend", and "Il Cittadino Si Rebella". CD

45 tracks on 2CDs! CD

A really unique little record from vocalist Frank D'Rone – one that's got a very different approach than some of his more pop-oriented sets! The album's recorded live at San Francisco's legendary Hungry I – often a haven to beats and folkies, and a venue that seems to have brought out a whole new level of Frank's talents! D'Rone's singing here with much lighter accompaniment than usual – just a small rhythm section – but the key part of the set is that Frank's also accompanying himself on guitar, strumming along with his vocals in a way that's sometimes gentle, sometimes jazzy – and which reminds us a lot of similarly swinging sides by vocalist Eddie Hazell (not the P-Funk guitarist!) Given the early 60s date of the set, there's a nice flexibility here with rhythms – and Frank opens up with slight bossa, swinging, and syncopated sounds on a few numbers – and sounds even better on the gentler tracks, which really mostly feature just voice and guitar. Titles include "Tea For Two", "Nancy", "But Not For Me", "Teach Me Tonight", "I Am In Love", "Out Of This World", and "I'll Remember April". CD

Earth Wind & Fire cut this one a few years before the actual turn of the century – but that's a-ok with us, because Maurice White & company were always years ahead of their time! The record steps nicely off the modes used by EWF during the 80s – the tighter, more focused approach to the groove that showed up on their later Columbia sides, but which was still quite a bit better than most of their contemporaries – especially the legions of groups who grew up to copy their sound through the years! Production and percussion are a bit 90s-sounding, but surprisingly undated years later – thanks to a continuing commitment to righteous themes and jazz-based flourishes in the tunes – as well as some nice use of kalimba interludes to give the record occasional earthy moments! Philip Bailey still holds sway on some of the mellower ballads – and titles include "Even If You Wonder", "Sunday Morning", "Blood Brothers", "Divine", "Honor The Magic", "Super Hero", "Just Another Lonely Night", "Love Across The Wire", and "Chicago Blues". CD

The name, and the title, give the whole game away – as Eliane performs a set of older Brazilian tunes, all in that wonderful light-hearted style of hers! About half the tracks feature Eliane on vocals, the rest just piano – working with players that include Eddie Gomez, Jack DeJohnette, Marc Johnson, Oscar Castro-Neves, and Nana Vasconcelos. The overall style is a bit bossa, a bit MPB – but overall, mostly jazz-based – as Eliane uses older standards like "Chega De Saudade", "Passarim", "Waters Of March", "Garota De Ipanema", and "Cravo E Canela" to work out some warm and jazzy stylings. The tracks are collected from older albums, but come together very nicely as a unified set! CD

Three slices of rare work by Duke Ellington – all recorded previously as semi-private recordings, and issued here in a short-lived 70s set! As you'd guess by the title, the tracks are all in "suite" form – that broader compositional style that dominated Ellington's later work, one in which he brought together complicated ideas with a very unified feel – often based around a single theme, but fleshed out beautifully with modes that were even more sophisticated than in his earlier work. Side one features "The Queen's Suite", recorded in 1959 with mostly full orchestra, but also a spare passage of just piano and bass – and side two features "The Goutelas Suite" from 1971, and "The Uwis Suite" from 1972. CD

A superstar performance from the Antibes jazz festival at Cote D'Azur – one that features Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington sharing the stage, in a concert that was also recorded for a film! Most numbers here feature the full Ellington orchestra backing Ella up – but a few other numbers feature just backings from a trio with Jimmy Jones on piano and Grady Tate on drums. Duke and Ella trade the spotlight nicely – and Fitzgerald only sings on about half of the set, numbers that include "Mack The Knife", "The More I See You", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Jazz Samba", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "Going Out Of My Head". Ellington's heard on other instrumental performances – some of which are a bit more upbeat and unbridled than usual – almost in a Basie mode. These tunes include "Trombonio Bustosolssimo", "Diminuendo In Blue & Blow By Blow", "The Old Circus Train Turn Around Blues", and "The Matador". CD

One of the great Pablo Records efforts to revisit the jazz sound of the 50s – but in fresh new ways allowed by the freer recording modes of the 70s! The album features Ella Fitgerald and Joe Pass, plus nobody else – just voice and guitar coming together in quiet, introspective ways that are completely sublime, and a very nice change from some of Ella's fuller band recordings of the few years before this album. And far from being sleepy, the intimacy of the record almost seems to set a new kind of fire – one that comes from the gentle persona of Ella, which is a far cry from the glass-breaking singer that she'd come to be known as in the mainstream! Titles include "Take Love Easy", "Once I Loved", "Lush Life", "You're Blase", "A Foggy Day", "I Want To Talk About You", and "You Go To My Head". CD

One of the few sides ever cut as a leader by guitarist Dick Garcia – and a record that's maybe as noteworthy for the work of its leader as it is for the presence of some very hip sidemen! The album's one of those late 50s outings that features Bill Evans on piano, from a time when he wasn't just leading his own groups – and other musicians include the great Gene Quill on alto sax, whose breathy talents always completely win us over – as well as pianist Terry Pollard, a female musician from Detroit who's most famously worked with Dorothy Ashby. Garcia gets plenty of space upfront to do his thing, and also contributed some nice originals to the record – which also features shifting instrumentation on just about every track. Titles include "The Deacon", "Potatoes", "Like Someone In Love", "If I'm Lucky", and "Kimona My House". CD

An incredible record from the southern scene of the 70s – a really unique set that's filled with righteous soul touches, and which really stands out from most other southern soul of the time! The feel here is often in a cosmic mode with plenty of jazz at the bottom – a sound that's influenced by Earth Wind & Fire, but which is also carried off here in a more laidback mode that seems to get equal inspiration from soulful fusion of the mid 70s. The group has both male and female singers trading things back and forth nicely and sometimes coming together on the choruses – creating an overall feel that's almost like Roy Ayers at times. And as with Ayers' best work, there's a tightness and focus to the whole record that's really wonderful – a cohesive groove that's way more than just a few ensemble funk tracks cut in the studio, and which really displays a wide musical vision! Titles include "My Queen", "Clock In", "Fantasy Garden", "Clap Song", "Love & Affection", "My Dreams", and "Magnificent Choo Choo". CD

Dizzy's Big 4 here are a quartet of players that includes Ray Brown on bass, Joe Pass on guitar, and Mickey Roker on drums – all of whom work with Dizzy in a lightly skipping groove that's a nice contrast to some of his other 70s work! The style certainly has some of the spacious qualities that Dizzy was bringing to his records of the 70s – that post-bop "little says more than a lot" style that we really love – but the overall mode is somewhat gentler too, and with just a guitar to emphasize some of the rhythms of the tune, there's some airiness to the numbers that's really compelling. Dizzy's trumpet is often muted, and titles include "Birk's Works", "Frelimo", "Hurry Home", "Russian Lullaby", and "September Song". CD

An amazing album produced and arranged by legendary Philly mastermind Larry Gold – the cello player/writer/arranger for MFSB – and a key player in the best Philly soul of the last several decades! Don Cello & Friends features Gold as Don Cello – and the friends include Black Thought of the Roots, McFadden & Whitehead, Carol Riddick, Gerald Levert, Kindred The Family Soul, Jaguar Wright, Bunny Sigler and others. The goal for the set was not only to celebrate the depth and rich history of Philly soul with a variety of vocalists, but to draw a direct parallel with the best of today's scene. It succeeds at both masterfully. Gold's production and arranging is lush and sparkling – and the vocalists bring the very best of their games. Black Thought's rhymes on the lead off remake of "No Stoppin'", with McFadden & Whitehead, sets the stage perfectly – think the Roots on Curtom, and that's about half the picture! Much of the album carries more of a classic soul sheen – smooth and sparkling, with just enough grit for a nice edge! In the liner notes, Gold explains that he loves songs from "Gamble, Huff to Timbaland" – and this album is the perfect sonic encapsulation of that aesthetic! Possibly the best album yet with the relatively fledgling Beat Generation imprint – and a great signpost for the future of underground soul! 12 tracks including "Loving You" with Carol Riddick, "Dance" with Gerald Levert, "And I Hope" featuring Floetry, "Travelin'" with Kameelah Waheed, ""All That You Are" featuring Kindred, "Nothin'" with Jaguar Wright, "Just A Dream" with Erro, "Everybody" with Cristal Oliver, "Can I" with Bunny Sigler, and Larry Gold's "Outro". CD

Al Green and Willie Mitchell return for another soul treasure – delivering on the promise of 2003's wonderful I Can't Stop as strongly as we could have hoped for! This one may be credited to The Reverend Al Green rather than just Al Green – but that's the biggest difference between this album and its predecessor. Once again, it's hard to imagine another legend of the late 60s through the 70s jumping back in the ring with such magnificent results as The Reverend – and his partner Willie Mitchell brings his best, too! Every note Al hits resonates warmth and joy, and Willie Mitchell's production is on fire. Everything's OK, indeed! Tracks include "Everything's OK", a great Memphis soul version of "You Are So Beautiful", "Perfect To Me", "Real Love", "I Can Make Music", "Magic Road", "I Wanna Hold You", "All The Time" and more. CD

A stunner! Al Green returns to the glorious, exuberant soul brilliance of the Hi Records years for his Blue Note debut – an amazing return to form that we could kick ourselves for not anticipating! Al Green asserted long, long ago that he had no intention of ever making another secular soul album – and God bless Rev. Green for turning around on that. Of course we wouldn't try to tell you that anything on I Can't Stop is as revelatory as "I'm Still In Love With You" or "Let's Stay Together", but a lot of it comes pretty damn close, believe or not. Al's voice has held up almost unbelievably well over the years, having picked up just enough rough edges to make Willie Mitchell's wonderfully tight, smooth and heavy Memphis soul arrangements that much more striking, but still hitting those knee-shaking high notes and that famous vibrato. And yes, you read the previous sentence correctly – the legendary Willie Mitchell's back in Al's corner for the set – and his horn-drenched Memphis sound is as big and beautiful as ever. If projects like this are going to characterize how Blue Note is going to spend all of that Norah Jones money, we should nominate that girl for president next time. Let's hope Al and Willie live up to the title and keep on going after this one. Another classic from one of the greatest artist/producer teams in the history of modern music! 12 tracks in all, including "I Can't Stop", "Play To Win", "Rainin' In My Heart", "You", "Not Tonight", "Million To One", "Too Many" and more. CD

Really wonderful work from trombonist Al Grey – sounding hipper here than at any other point in his career! One of the great reason for Al's sound here is the presence of tenorist Billy Mitchell – a partner with Al in the Basie band, and a great player who gives just about any session a deeply soulful finish. The rest of the group is equally nice too – with work by Dave Burns and Donald Byrd on trumpet, Floyd Morris and Herbie Hancock on piano, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. The use of vibes is especially striking for a set like this, and really gives the proceedings a different feel than you might think. Titles include "R.B.Q.", "Minor On Top", "African Lady", and "Hi Fly". CD

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". CD

Wow! We can never get enough of Eddie Harris. Despite all of the silly situations he's ended up in over the years, an album like In Sound still stands as a beautiful testament to all of the raw power in Eddie's playing. His tone is perfect, and totally unique – and he plays here with Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and the great Ray Codrington on trumpet, who also played with the JFK Quintet. No tricks here, just incredibly solid jazz playing, on tracks like Eddie's famous "Freedom Jazz Dance", plus "Born To Be Blue" and "Cryin' Blues". Mean Greens is another example of classic 60s soul jazz material by Eddie – and proof that the move to Atlantic was a good one! As usual with Eddie's 60s sessions, the players are very hip – and feature an amalgamation of younger and lesser-known talents like Melvin Jackson, Ray Codrington, and Sonny Philips. Cedar Walton also plays some lovely piano on the record, giving a few tracks a bit more of a lyrical touch than usual – and Eddie responds to this nicely in his solos. Includes an early take of "Listen Here", with Eddie on electric piano, next to Sonny Philips' organ. Also with "Goin' Home", "Blues In the Basement", and "Mean Greens". CD

A great recent album on Blue Note, and one that's an incredibly loving hommage to the label's great history. The group features Greg Osby on alto, Mark Shim on tenor, Stefon Harris on vibes, and Jason Moran on piano – and the four of them play together in a tight, soulful style that brings back memories of some of Blue Note's best mid 60s recordings. It's no surprise that the group runs through some of the better known cuts from the label's earlier years – like "Theme From Blow Up", "No Room For Squares", "Tom Thumb", "Ping Pong", and "Song For My Father" – but the mix of vibes and horns also transforms the sound into something new and fresh, and keeps the album from being just a rehash of old stuff. Quite nice, and nice and long! CD

A great later set from The Heath Brothers – proof that the family stayed plenty darn hip into their older years! Although issued by Concord, there's a nicely soulful bent to the record – some slightly angular modern moments, inflected with a lot of warmth on the solos – not just from Jimmy Heath on tenor and soprano sax, but also from guest players who include Roland Hanna and Stanley Cowell on piano, Jon Faddis on trumpet, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Mark Elf on guitar. Jimmy Heath's work really makes the album sparkle – and rhythm from Albert Heath on drums and Percy Heath on bass is as rock-solid as ever. Titles include "This Is What It Is", "The Newest One", "Bop Again", "South Filthy", "For Seven's Sake", and "Dave's Haze". CD

An early moment of brilliance from Vincent Herring – and just the sort of set to make him one of the strongest young talents to emerge in jazz during the 90s! There's a rock-solid feel to the set – an approach that's steeped in classic hardbop modes, but which has traces of modernism too – never too overstated, but some sharper undercurrents that mark Herring's playing nicely as a bit deeper than the usual altoist. The rest of the group should get a good deal of credit, too – as players like Wallace Roney on trumpet and Mulgrew Miller on piano really share this sensibility with Herring. Titles include "I Sing A Song", "Never Forget", "Soul Leo", "Mr Wizard", "Voyage", and "Evidence". CD also features the bonus track "Hindsight". CD

A flagship record from the wonderful Dome label – one of the hippest homes to contemporary soul on the other side of the Atlantic – and a company that's given us great music for over two decades! This set is one of their key early releases – a brilliant set from Hil St Soul – a singer who just grew and grew in popularity after this release. Hil's got a sweetly jazzy style – a bit like some of the underground NuSoul singers in the US in at the same time, but maybe with some of the crispness of the London scene too – and she sings here with some nicely restrained arrangements that have a good focus on beats and lots of warm instrumentation over the top, never too hype, just right for her personal style. Titles include "Strictly A Vibe Thing", "Just A Matter Of Time", "Nostalgia", "Concrete Jungle", "Free Spirit", "There For Me", "Until You Come Back To Me", "For Your Love", and "Props". CD

A wonderful pairing of this German pianist and American tenor star Zoot Sims – and an album that may well be the greatest that Jutta Hipp ever cut! Hipp was one of the rising stars of the German postwar jazz scene in the 50s – and although she issued other American albums in the decade for Blue Note and Decca, this side's probably the best-remembered of the bunch – thanks to the presence of Zoot, and support from a great rhythm section that includes Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – both of whom match the modern tones of Jutta's piano, but also give a solidly soulful Blue Note feel to the set. The group's completed by trumpeter Jerry Lloyd, who helps bring a nice sparkle to the frontline – and titles include "Just Blues", "Wee Dot", "Almost Like Being In Love", and "Down Home". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "S'Wonderful" and "These Foolish Things". CD

Great vocals and modern production – a mix of James Ingram's older roots in soul music, and some of the more contemporary soul modes coming down at the end of the 80s! Ingram's got a power in his voice that just won't quit – soaring out wonderfully and warmly, even when the rhythms are stark and electric – never buried too far in the mix, like some of his contemporaries on the scene. The album's split into two sides – "It's Real Hard" and "It's Real Soft" – the former of which is mostly upbeat, pop-soul material, the latter more ballads and key quiet storm tracks. Titles include "Call On Me", "It's Real", "So Fine", "Love Come Down", "Baby Be Mine", "Love 1 Day At A Time", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "A Natural Man". CD

Quite an unusual project from Jazzanova – a mixture of older tracks and newer ones, all brought together for an erotic German stage production! The theme of the show really unifies the tracks in a great way – bringing out qualities in Jazzanova's music that we've never noticed before, especially as their own tracks come into play with other numbers from different Sonar Kollektiv artists. There's a groove here that's straightforwardly slinky, and often a bit funky too – one that shakes off some of the too-abstract moments that sometimes get in the way with recent Jazznova projects, and focuses on the most cohesive part of their groove! Titles include the Jazzanova tracks "Behold These Days (Berlin 74)", "This Is The Place", "Glow & Glare", "Theme From Belle Et Fou", "That Night (Live At The SK Office with Clara Hill)", "Keep On Making Me High", and "Am I Losing You" – plus "Maybe Now" by Clara Hill, "Just A Lil Lovin (DJ edit)" by Outlines, "Flickermood" by Forss, "Sun In My Candlelight" by Wahoo, and "Caprice" by Extended Spirit. CD

A very soulful set of big band material from Quincy Jones – recorded during that tight early 60s period when his arrangements just couldn't fail! The album's his only session for Impulse, and it's got a slightly deeper style than his work from the time for Mercury – a bit more sophisticated, with nice modern touches that take the tunes in surprising directions. Part of the greatness of the set lies in the players – as the album features work by Curtis Fuller, Thad Jones, Stu Martin, Freddie Hubbard, Patty Brown, Phil Woods, and Jerome Richardson – and titles include "Robot Portrait", "Hard Sock Dance", "The Twitch", and "For Lena & Lennie". CD

Wonderful live work from Joyce – a singer we love in any sort of setting, but one who really seems to open up nicely in front of an audience! The approach here is very much in classic Joyce mode – very intimate and personal, with instrumentation that just includes Joyce on guitar, Tutty Moreno on drums, plus a bit of bass and added guitar – all served up in a warmly jazzy style that fits beautifully with Joyce's legendary vocals. Most tunes have a breezy sort of feel, even when mellow – and the album features guest appearances by Joao Donato, Dori Caymmi, Leila Pinheiro, and Monica Salmaso – who all join Joyce here in a celebration of her 40 years in music. Titles include "Samba De Mulher", "E Era Copacabana", "Misterios", "Clareana", "E Passa O Carrossel", "Samba Da Zona", "Monsieur Binot", "Feminina", "Havana Me", and "Revendo Amigos". CD

Valerie June's been bubbling under for almost a decade – recording work with other artists, doing a variety of projects, and finally getting her chance to shine in the spotlight with her previous debut – yet it may well be this well-crafted second album that finally puts the singer over the top! Valerie's completely her own woman here – not beholden to any sort of easy tags or cliches – including the "rootsy soul" or "folksy diva" tags that we heard batted around before – and instead, almost inventing her own genre for the record – which has a vibe that makes us guess that it's going to be the start of a huge legacy of fame to come for June. Her voice is timeless, the instrumentation is nicely understated, and the production is very easygoing – yet the whole thing comes across with a crispily compelling sound that could appeal to both hipsters and their more mainstream friends. That might sound like a dig, but it's not – just our way of illustrating the soon-to-be universal appeal of the singer! Titles include "The Front Door", "Astral Plane", "Long Lonely Road", "Just IN Time", "Slip Slide On By", "Two Hearts", and "Got Soul". CD

Beautiful ballads from Dutch singer Greetje Kauffeld – a host of rare recordings from the 60s, 70s, and 80s – all pulled together in one nicely unified set! Kauffeld sings in English throughout, with a lush style that's very much on par with the most mature American vocalists of the time – a mode that's a great later extension of older jazz torch modes – but with a refined, sophisticated style that's pretty darn compelling! Arrangements are by Rob Pronk, Jerry Van Rooyen, Addy Flor, and Rogier Van Otterloo – but tunes work together with a very similar feel – almost making the whole thing sound more like a well-conceived album than just a compilation. Titles include "Vincent", "Andorinha", "Spring Is Here", "You Must Believe In Spring", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Dear Death", "Miss Otis Regrets", and a haunting wordless version of "The Way We Were". CD

A surprisingly wonderful set from deep soul diva Bettye Lavette – a record that's actually as good as most of her older work, and that's something we didn't expect! We'll be honest in saying that we're always pretty darn suspicious of comeback albums by older soul singers – and usually, we find them lacking in spirit compared to the older work, thanks to bad production and song selection choices. Here, though, Lavette actually seems to sound even stronger than before – stepping out on some numbers with especially raw backings that have guitar ripping alongside her heartfelt vocals – in a groove that almost recalls 70s work by Betty Davis. Other tunes are sparer, or mellower – but Bettye's vocals burn strongly throughout – and the album's easily set a new standard for this sort of session! Titles include "Down To Zero", "The High Road", "On The Surface", "Little Sparrow", "Just Say So", "How Am I Different", and "Only Time Will Tell Me". CD

Really fantastic work from Jarrod Lawson – one of those underground singers who should be huge, if the world had any justice! Lawson's a cut above, and completely his own singer – the kind of individual talent that comes along once in a generation, like Al Jarreau or Michael Franks – and like both of them, he's got a way of singing in a style that's steeped in jazz, but which comes across with a soulful palette that's all his own – the kind of mode that grabs you right away, and makes you know that you're listening to something really unique, really different, and really special! And while we've loved Lawson before, this album is his crowning achievement to date – the kind of set that really pushes him over the top, and which earns the term "instant classic" in our book. Lawson plays plenty of sweet keyboards next to his amazing vocals – and titles include "Be The Change", "Universal Chord", "Evalee", "Connected", "Embrace What We Are", "Soul Symphony", "Love Isn't Always Enough", "I'll Be Your Radio", and "How Long". CD

Great later work from Abbey Lincoln – music from that time when she's found just the right setting for the magnificent instrument that was her maturing voice! Abbey always had one of the most distinct styles of any jazz singer around – but in later years, the slight rasp that came in was even more present – adding almost this sort of wisdom that made the lyrics feel even more pointed, especially at some of the more understated moments. The vibe here is nicely laidback – work from a core trio that features Brandon McCune on piano – and guest performances from Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet and Joe Lovano on tenor. Titles include "Tender As Rose", "Windmills Of Your Mind", "Lucky To Be Me", "I'm Not Supposed To Know", "I Could Sing It For A Song", "A Heart Is Not A Toy", "Blackberry Blossoms", and "Somos Novios". CD

First up is one of Julie London's strongest overall albums – a great session that features small group backings with a warm and intimate feel! There's less of the languid sadness of some of Julie's other records, and more of the dreamy floating style of singers like Chris Connor or June Christy on this one. The feeling of the album's great, and it shows that Julie was much more than a pop singer with sexy looks and a smoky finish – although we're happy to hear that on here too! Titles include "Let There Be Love", "Goodbye", "You've Changed", "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To", "Lonesome Road", "They Didn't Believe Me", and "The Thrill Is Gone". Around Midnight's just about the best time to listen to Julie London – especially given her sultry late-night style of singing! This album's one that definitely follows in that mode – setting Julie's vocals to backings by Dick Reynolds – a bit fuller than some of her earliest Liberty albums, but still quite moody, and very much in the best spirit of the album's songs of adult love and loss. The song choices are especially great too – with some key mid-century classics that include "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning", "Lush Life", "Lonely In Paris", "Something Cool", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

A stunning set from bassist Brandon Lopez – a younger player, but one who's already becoming a real standout for solo performances like this – working at a level that's completely breathtaking, and which seems to unlock all these new elements and sound in this once-familiar instrument! Stretching out at a solo level isn't an easy task on the bass – but Lopez has a way of matching a very short list of important improvisers from years past, really finding his own voice in the way he resonates all the qualities of the instrument at once, often with a cyclical sort of energy that just has the performance growing and flowing in all these magnificent ways. Titles include "Billie", "Piri", "Realbadvibes", "Como El Filo Del Machete", "PonceNewYork", and "The Real Bad Vibe". CD

A sweet live set from guitarist Pat Martino – recorded with a nice gritty feel, and just the right blend of organ and tenor that Pat would get on his Prestige Records dates of the 60s! The tracks are all nice and long, with the kind of open, freewheeling energy that we love back in the 60s soul jazz days when Martino got his start – and as on some other excellent recent dates, the move back to basics works perfectly for Pat's deep talents on the guitar – augmented nicely here by organ lines form Tony Monaco, and some especially tight tenor from Eric Alexander. The group's completed by drummer Jeff Tain Watts – and titles include "Lean Years", "Inside Out", "Side Effect", "Goin To A Meeting", and "Double Play". CD

Maupin plays bass clarinet, tenor and soprano saxes, alto flute, and piano, and is accompanied by Darek Oleszkiewica on bass, Michael Stephans on drums and percussionist Daryl Munyungo Jackson. 14 numbers in all, including "Neophilia 2006", "Walter Bishop Jr", "Level Three", "Blinkers", "Penumbra", "Mirror Image", "Message To Prez", "Tapping Things", "Vapors", "One For Eric Dolphy", "See The Positive", 'Trope On A Rope", "The 12th Day" and "Equal Justice". CD

One of the best of the early 60s comeback albums by the legendary bop trumpeter Howard McGhee – and a record that really has the player finding a whole new groove in his music! At this point, Maggie's got a fantastic tone that was missing from his earlier records, filled with pain and raw emotion – but also measured with a maturity that gives his solos an incredible sense of economy that delivers a whole hell of a lot with just a few simple notes – a balance that comes through beautifully here, maybe even more so than on any other record by Howard from the time! He's playing here in a great group that includes Roland Alexander on tenor, Bennie Green on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Pepper Adams on baritone – and tracks include "Dusty Blue", "Groovin High", "Cottage For Sale", "Flyin Colors", and "With Malice Towards None". CD

A really great later effort from Helen Merrill – one recorded in Paris at the end of the 80s with some excellent tenor sax work from Stan Getz! The mode of the record is similar to other Merrill records from the time – spare, gentle, and moody – sometimes threatening to lapse into its own blueness, but wonderfully redeemed by Stan's solo lines – which push a boldness and raspy edge into the tunes that really livens things up. The album's a great demonstration of the Getz power on a vocal session – a sound that never overtakes the presence of the singer, but really brings in something fresh – a voice of its own that helps redefine the tunes and create some of the most exciting moments on the record. Other players include Joachim Kuhn and Torrie Zito on piano, JF Jenny-Clark on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – and titles include "Music Makers", "Cavatina", "It's Not Easy Being Green", "Yesterdays", "If You Go Away", and "Just Friends". CD

A beautiful live set from the legendary Thelonious Monk Quartet – that magical lineup you'll know from Monk's early 60s albums on Columbia Records, captured here in a concert performance that really opens up so many different currents of the group's sound! Monk is crucial, of course, on piano – but the group also moves with a perfect sense of timing for his music, thanks to the work of John Ore on bass and Frankie Dunlop on drums – a group who are then topped by some fantastic tenor work from the amazing Charlie Rouse – a hell of player at many levels, but one who always seemed to hit new heights with Monk! The double-length package really gives the group a lot of room to open up – and tracks move nicely between extended numbers and a few nice shorter bits – on titles that include "Just A Gigolo", "Well You Needn't", "Round Midnight", "Bemsha Swing", "Balu Bolivar Balues Are", "Crepuscule With Nellie", "Jackie-Ing", and "Blue Monk". CD

The session's billed as "very personal treatments of great standards" – and it's a great twist on familiar material, all given the Thelonius touch! There's less of Monk's creative composition and angular group arrangements going on here – and instead, the album's almost a rewriting of 40 years of popular compositions, all taken into the modern world of Monk's piano. The group's a trio, with Oscar Pettiford on bass and Art Blakey on drums – and titles include nicely reworked versions of "Just You Just Me", "Memories Of You", "Liza", "Darn That Dream", and "Tea For Two". CD

A fitting title for this scorching set tracks led by the incomparable Lee Morgan – captured over several dates throughout 1960 at the legendary Birdland club – and backed up by Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers! Nothing but legends on the stage here – with Morgan's trumpet out front of Blakey on the kit, Bobby Timmons on piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Jymie Merrit on bass. The tracks on the first disc were recorded on three dates in the spring and summer of '60, and they include "The Chess Players", "This Here", "The Midget", "Nelly Bly", "Dat Dere", "Justice", Night In Tunisia" and more. Disc two features numbers recorded in the summer and fall of the same year, and it includes "Lester Left Town" with Lester Young sitting in on piano, "It's Only A Paper Moon", "This Here", Sakeena's Vision", "Koko's Waltz" and more. CD

Nice to know that we've lived past the year 2000 – and have managed to miss the holocaust that Kirk Douglas fought in this late 70s film! The movie's just the kind of overdone thriller that Kirk handled late in his career – but thankfully, the music from Ennio Morricone is much deeper overall – done in that brilliant blend of creepy styles that could make anything come together on the screen, even without any good special effects or dialogue! Some numbers have spooky, spare passages with earthy percussion and woodwinds, others have offbeat strings, some have some light electric elements – and overall, the music is nicely understated, always classy, and years ahead of some of the cheaper horror scoring of the time. CD features a whopping 33 tracks in all – the fullest version of the soundtrack we've ever seen – with titles that include "Holocaust", "Computer", "Slogan", "Jesus", "Il Bene Cattivo", "Serie Di Tre", "Strofa Monodica", and "Telefonata Interrotta". CD

A fantastically beautiful record – easily one of Ennio Morricone's dreamiest scores of the 70s! Although the film itself is a western, Morricone's soundtrack is far different than usual – with hardly any traditional western themes at all, and mostly just music that's in that mellow, floating, dream-like style that's been so heavily represented in recent years by the Mondo Morricone series! Strange voices interweave with plucked instrumental passages, all underpinned by warm haunting washes of sound that carry the music on beautifully airy waves! Titles include "Giu La Testa", "Amore", "Mesa Verde", "Rivoluzione Contro", "Dopop L'Esplosione", "Scherzi A Parte", and "Invenzione Per John". Expanded 2CD version features a whopping 15 bonus tracks that are alternates from the film – all of them dreamy, and all of them wonderful! CD

One of the greatest jazz voices on the bass clarinet – save perhaps for the late Eric Dolphy – working here in a wonderful batch of ballads and gentle groovers! The set's quite different from the usual jazz date to bear "ballads" in the title – as David Murray's not ruminating over standards with too much strings – and instead still works in a hip small combo mode that's filled with swing and soul. In fact, most tunes are hardly ballads in the traditional style – and just showcase a slightly gentler, more personal side of Murray's music – but one that still has plenty of darkness around the edges. The group's a quartet – with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and tunes include "Portrait Of A Black Woman", "Waltz To Heaven", "Elegy For Fannie Lou", "Lyons Street", "Chazz", and "New Life". CD

One of the greatest albums we've heard from David Murray in many years – a beautifully spiritual set that really reminds us of the promise we first heard in his music decades ago! Murray's working here with a lean, soulful ensemble that includes Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – all in a groove that has plenty of sharp edges, but which is also nicely inside – very focused, and with a sense of depth that's really wonderful! All tracks are originals by Murray – penned with the sensitivity of an older soul jazz recording – and two numbers feature lyrics by Ishmael Reed, sung by Cassandra Wilson on guest vocals. Titles include "Sacred Ground", "Transitions", "Family Reunion", "The Prophet Of Doom", "Believe In Love", and "Banished". CD

A gentler sort of session from vibist Steve Nelson – one that doesn't have some of the edges of his earlier work, but which still comes off quite nicely! Nelson's working here in a broad palette of tones and sounds – using the vibes with an approach that seems to ring out afresh on each new tune – exploring that rich tonal range that's always made us love his work, and doing so without some of the overly-aggressive modes of other sets. The group's a trio, with Kirk Lightsey on piano and Ray Drummond on bass – and titles include "Original #2", "Laila In Blues", "Kirk's New Delight", and "Song For Justine". CD

Maybe the strongest statement so far as a leader by Javier Nero – a larger group recording that really bristles with energy – full of all sorts of fantastic twists and turns amidst a set of original compositions by Nero, all every bit as soulful as you might guess from the album's title! Nero blow trombone, but he's an equally strong leader – and the group features some key guest work from Sean Jones on trumpet and Warren Wolf on vibes – the latter of whom gets two especially nice solos on the set! Titles include "Reflections On The Dark Tranquil Water", "Discord", "One Day", "Kemet The Black Land", "Time", "Nostalgic Haiku", and "Just Let Go". CD

Even these many years into his career, pianist Mike Nock is still one of the most dynamic, rhythmic players we can think of – a really bold voice on the acoustic keys, and one who never fails to delight our ears! This recent album is simple and elegant, yet steps forth with the same sense of power that first made Nock a talent to watch back in the 60s – a way of playing the piano that almost challenges the bass and drums for rhythmic supremacy, participating equally in the warmly flowing groove of the tunes. Members of Nock's trio here include Toby Hall on drums and Brett Hirst on bass – and the session's filled with great original numbers that include "Communion", "Three Dee", "Drowning Joyfully", "Gravity Adjustment", "Acceptance", and "Changing Seasons Winter To Spring" – as well as a great version of Wayne Shorter's "ESP". CD

Really beautiful work from bassist William Parker – a set of tracks that are every bit as righteous as some of his other albums, but in a completely different way! The music here is from a musical production that Parker's been creating over the past two-decades – beautiful vocal tunes that are some of the most poetic he's ever penned – sung here by Lisa Sokolov, alongside piano from Cooper Moore – a stripped-down approach that really gets to the heart of the lyrics, but never with any sort of sleepy presentation, given the vibrancy of Sokolov's approach. One tune features an additional cello, but overall the album is just voice and piano – Parker just acts as composer and producer – and titles include "The Death Of Death", "Footnote To A Dream", "For Jeanne Lee", "Poem For June Jordan", "Invocation (for David S Ware)", "Angel's Tear", and "Soul In Heaven". CD

A now-legendary set from the Philadelphia underground at the start of the century – a package that reminds us just how much great music has always been going on in the city, often far from the mainstream! This set corrected that fact, by bringing together a trio of three genre-stepping musicians – drummer Questlove, jazz bassist Christian McBride, and keyboardist Uri Caine, who plays some great Fender Rhodes and Hammond B-3 on the set! The core grooves are by the trio, working together in a way that's not that different from the freestyle funk of Medeski, Martin, & Wood back when they used to care a bit more about the groove – and the group's joined on a few tracks by guests, including Pat Martino on guitar, Jon Swana on trumpet, and Larry Gold on cello. The best cuts on the set have a hard beat underneath, warm rolling basslines, and washes of keyboards over the top to keep things nice and sweet. Titles include "The Miles Hit", "Call For All Demons", "Grover", "Ain't It The Truth", "Mister Magic", "Philadelphia Freedom", and "Lesson #4". CD

A great live album from Poco, one that has the group sounding nicely different than the warmth of their studio albums – in front of a crowd that's clearly going nuts for their special blend of country and rock elements! The setting gives Poco an edge that really gets at the newness of the sound at the time – very different than a few years later, when it was more arena-filling fare – and almost in the territory of a Flying Burritos live set from the same time. Timothy B Schmidt's vocals are great – and titles include "C'Mon", "You'd Better Think Twice", "Man Like Me", "I Guess You Made It", "Hear That Music", and two great medley tracks – "Hard Luck/Child's Claim To Fame/Pickin Up The Pieces" and "Just In Case It Happens/Grand Junction/Consequently So Long". CD

Gregory Porter arrives on Blue Note Records – and the result is Porter's most fully-formed set so far – just the kind of album that will push him firmly into the limelight – a place that we've felt he's deserved for quite a few years! Porter's a hell of a singer, and a hell of a songwriter too – and although his roots are in jazz, he's got a rare ability to step between genres with plenty of soul – a special space that belongs to a very rare few – like Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, or Gil Scott-Heron! Gregory's voice is amazing, his lyrics are both personal and pointed – and he does so much here with so little, the album should be handed out to the hundreds of mis-directed vocalists who think that a few extra tweaks in the studio is all they really need. Most numbers just feature small combo backing, with wonderfully warm piano from Chip Crawford – and the whole thing's got a timeless feel that makes us think this is the beginning of a rich new season for Porter. Titles include "Free", "Water Under Bridges", "Lonesome Lover", "Liquid Spirit", "No Love Dying", "Brown Grass", "When Love Was King", and "Wind Song". CD

The greatness of Gregory Porter continues to grow and grow – as the vocalist keeps moving past the straighter jazz of his roots, into a role as one of the greatest soul singers of the 21st Century! Porter's got a depth and maturity that few folks have had in recent years – especially in the realm of male vocals – very much that manner of important 70s singers like Bill Withers, Billy Paul, or Al Jarreau – who were schooled in jazz, but worked more in soulful styles that gave them a wider reach, and helped them to find a very personal voice in the process! We'd easily place Gregory in that legacy – one that he's definitely earned by this point – and he sounds arguably even better here than on his debut for Blue Note – working with arrangements from co-producer Kamau Kenyatta, who mixes in just the right current of jazz to keep things on track with the energy we first loved in Porter's first records – while still really letting his new energy open up and soar. Titles include "Holding On", "Insanity", "Don't Lose Your Steam", "Daydream", "Don't Be A Fool", "More Than A Woman", and "French African Queen". Also features different versions of two songs, with guest appearances – "Holding On" with Kem, and "Insanity" with Lalah Hathaway. CD

A gem of a session from the European expatriot scene of the postwar years – not really a tribute to Cannonball Adderley, but a rare meeting of Bud Powell and Don Byas in the studio, produced by Cannonball in Paris in 1961! The record has a tremendous amount of fire and focus – especially on the part of Powell, who could sometimes falter in a European setting – and although Byas' horn might seem a contrasting choice for Bud, he really burns with a lot of energy here – arcing, soaring, and turning with lines that show that his talents hadn't dimmed at all out of the American limelight. As always with his few productions from the time, Cannonball shows a great deal of sensitivity and patience with the players – probably a key factor of the success of the set. Also noteworthy is the rest of the group – which includes Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Jeannine", "Just One Of Those Things", "All The Things You Are", "I Remember Clifford", and "Jackie My Little Cat". CD

An unreleased live set from Rare Earth – done on stage in the Windy City in the mid 70s, and with a raw vibe that's maybe even more funky than some of their studio albums from the time! Instrumentation is nice and lean – with heavy drums and bass, and some great fuzz on the guitar that almost gives them a psychedelic soul style at points – as if Norman Whitfield were up there on stage, conducting the whole proceedings! Another great element is the strong use of percussion and congas – which create this Curtom sense of righteousness, and underscore the spontaneity of the live performance – on titles that include "Hey Big Brother", "Big John Is My Name", "Born To Wander", "Get Ready", "I Just Want To Celebrate", and a great two-part take on "I Know I'm Losing You". CD

The complete Blue Note recordings of trumpeter Dizzy Reece – an amazing West Indian player who made some big waves on the London scene of the late 50s, then came to the US to cut a few key sides! Reece had an approach to the trumpet that shared some of the boldness of his US contemporaries on the hardbop scene, but which also occasionally had a few more exotic touches as well – not just in Dizzy's phrasing, but also in the way he liked to set up a tune – mixing modern and soulful modes together nicely, in a way that made him a perfect match for the Blue Note era that boasted work by Horace Silver and Art Blakey! The 3CD set features Dizzy's three Blue Note albums Blues In Trinity, Star Bright, and Soundin Off – plus material that was unissued at the time, but later appeared on the now-deleted Comin On CD – a real lost treasure of a session that has Dizzy stepping out even more strongly than before. Players include Hank Mobley, Tubby Hayes, Donald Byrd, Art Taylor, Walter Bishop Jr, Stanley Turrentine, Musa Kaleem, and Art Blakey – and titles include "Blues In Trinity", "Color Blind", "Shepherd's Serenade", "Groovesville", "The Rebound", "A Variation On Monk", "Blue Streak", "Ye Olde Blues", "Comin On", "Sands", "Goose Dance", "Achmet", and "The Case Of The Frightened Lover". CD

Every single song the great Jimmie Rodgers ever recorded! Jimmie Rodgers might be THE forefather of traditional country music, and one of the great hard times poets of the century. Bear Family has gone all out to include his entire recorded history, and if justice served this set would be celebrated in the same manner as Harry Smith's Antholology Of American Folk Music. The recorded history here is every bit as important, if not more so, to the maturation of American music – but even more importantly, it's filled with breathlessly great songs! Everything's here – "The Soldier's Sweetheart", "Sleep, Baby, Sleep", "Ben Dewberry's Final Run", "Mother Was A Lady", "Blue Yodel", "Treasure's Untold", "Mississippi Moon", "You And My Old Guitar", "I'm Lonely And Blue", "My California Sunshine Girl", "Mississippi River Blues", "Nobody Knows But Me", "She Was Happy 'Til She Met You", "For The Sake Of Day's Gone By", "Jimmie's Mean Mama Blues", "In The Jailhouse Now", "T.B. Blues", "Let Me Be Your Sidekick", and tons more. Tuberculosis took Jimmie away while he was still in his 30s, but he left an incredible legacy – unprecedented music that fused old time gospel, blues, and mountain folk into a new American art form. Nearly 150 tracks, including many alternate versions, and a great booklet crammed with biographical information and photos. CD

The Stones may be old, but they ain't dumb! Mick & co. must have noticed the huge shot of artistic credibility Justin Timberlake received after the Neptunes hopped aboard, which is something the Stones haven't had in a couple of decades. The 'Tunes do a pretty great re-imagined take on the classic rock staple – adding some sitar and Eastern string touches on top of their patented minimal claps, snaps, and thumps. On top of the full length Neptunes mix and an edit you get Fatboy Slim's mix, also in epic form plus radio edit. Cook's is a fine, bubble gum club mix with a Happy Mondays kind of vibe. The Full Phat mix strays the most from the original, keeping Mick's vocal and the whoo-whoos, but completely strips the band and adds all electronic beats. The original version is here for you kids who didn't realize there was one! CD