Etta Jones is definitely nice and warm here – working with some great backings from Oliver Nelson, who mixes in a bit of strings with the usual jazzy punch he was delivering at the time! Jones' vocals are at the height of her early powers here – working with poise, class, and a heck of a lot of soul – and titles on the set include "You Better Go Now", "All My Life", "And This Is My Beloved", "Unchained Melody", "If You Were Mine", "Hurry Home", and "I Laughed At Love". CD

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

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

Sure, Rickie Lee Jones went onto become a bit of a cliche in later years, but this early album's still got an undeniable power – and was a great breath of fresh air, at a time when it seemed like most of modern music was forgetting its roots! What is it with the LA scene from the 60s onward that they always seemed to find their best inspiration in the past? Artists like Harpers Bizarre, Randy Newman, Tom Waits and others set the stage for a record like this – by reaching back into older styles and bringing them forward with a more contemporary spin. (And why was it that LA seemed to be the center of this mode – and New York, Chicago, and other cities never worked that way?) Rickie serves up a nice assortment of older-styled vocal cuts – performed with a mixture of traditional and 70s jazz backings, supported by some extra-classy Warner production from Lenny Waronker. Titles are all originals, but done with an older hipser sort of feel – and titles include "Easy Money", "Chuck E's In Love", "Young Blood", "The Last Chance Texaco", "Danny's All Star Joint", "Weasel & The White Boys Cool", "Company", "Coolsville", and "On Saturday Afternoons In 1963". CD

Sure, Rickie Lee Jones went onto become a bit of a cliche in later years, but this early album's still got an undeniable power – and was a great breath of fresh air, at a time when it seemed like most of modern music was forgetting its roots! What is it with the LA scene from the 60s onward that they always seemed to find their best inspiration in the past? Artists like Harpers Bizarre, Randy Newman, Tom Waits and others set the stage for a record like this – by reaching back into older styles and bringing them forward with a more contemporary spin. (And why was it that LA seemed to be the center of this mode – and New York, Chicago, and other cities never worked that way?) Rickie serves up a nice assortment of older-styled vocal cuts – performed with a mixture of traditional and 70s jazz backings, supported by some extra-classy Warner production from Lenny Waronker. Titles are all originals, but done with an older hipser sort of feel – and titles include "Easy Money", "Chuck E's In Love", "Young Blood", "The Last Chance Texaco", "Danny's All Star Joint", "Weasel & The White Boys Cool", "Company", "Coolsville", and "On Saturday Afternoons In 1963". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from this overlooked singer – an east coast vocalist from the 50s, working here on one of the few sessions she ever recorded! Teal's got an exotic look on the cover, but the presentation of the music is right up there in the best mainstream jazz modes of the time – and unlike some of the other small combo vocal work on Bethlehem in the 50s, this album has the fuller feel of the sorts of records you might hear on a label like Capitol or Verve at the time. Ted Steele handles the arrangements – and is also credited with discovering Teal in Atlantic City – and the backings are a mix of jazzy flourishes and larger strings – never poppy or overdone. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "El Cumbanchero", "Deed I Do", "For You My Love", "Who's Sorry Now", "Let's Fall In Love", and "Easy To Remember". CD also features three bonus alternate takes! CD

Fantastic French grooves from the end of the 60s – a killer set of jazz-based tracks recorded by trumpeter Ivan Jullien, with help from funky arranger Michel Colombier! Jullien recorded a fair bit of jazz and studio work around the time, and his playing here is razor-sharp – and supported by Colombier grooves that rival his best soundtrack material, his experiments with Pierre Henry, or his backings for singers like Serge Gainsbourg or Brigitte Bardot! Colombier also plays keyboards on the record, as does the great Maurice Vander – amidst a host of other great French jazzmen who include Pierre Gossez on sax, Roger Guerin on additional trumpet, and Eddie Louiss on organ. Drums are nice and funky on most cuts – and the whole thing kicks even more than most funky big band records on MPS! Includes the great break cut "I Remember Otis" – plus "Sonoro", "The Looser", "Talk", "An Oscar For Eddy", "Wake The Monster", "Edith", and "Crescendo". CD

A real cooker of a set – and one that features Wynton's piano over some great larger backings from Claus Ogerman! The style of the set is really wonderful – as Wynton plays with a core smaller group that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, plus regulars Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – all of whom make more than ample space for Ogerman to come into the mix and fill up the tunes with some sweetly grooving 60s backings – often using electric bass to punch up the bottom, and rollick things around in a stepping style that's a nice mainstream take on the soul jazz groove that Kelly virtually helped invent! A few tracks are more in a small combo mode, but even those manage a pretty darn smoking groove – and overall, the album's got a lot more depth than even some of Kelly's best for the Vee Jay label from previous years! Titles include the bossa groover "Cesar & Cleopatra" – plus "Quiet Village", "If That's The Way You Want It", "Comin' In The Back Door", and "Theme From Burke's Law". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by singer Beverly Kenny – a great 50s jazz vocalist who never got her due, but who managed to make some pretty fine records at the time! This album's one of them, and features backings from Ralph Burns – not as dark and moody as some of his other work of the 50s, and in a lightly, sprightly swinging style that really works well for Bev – often with a nice gentle swing that works well with the jazz modes of her vocals. Titles include "If I Were A Bell", "This Can't Be Love", "Give Me The Simple Life", "You Make Me Feel So Young", and "You Go To My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

Very jazzy work from vocalist Beverly Kenny – sung with small combo backings throughout, and a style that's always fresh and lean! Some of the titles here are from earlier years, as implied by the title – but the sound of the record is in the best late 50s vocal jazz mode, thanks especially to the lineup of players on the set. Some musicians are stated outright – including Jerome Richardson on reeds, Chuck Wayne on guitar, Johnny Rae on vibes, and Eddie Bert on trombone – while other players are listed simply as "a flautist" or "a trumpeter", most likely due to contractual reasons! But even with this obscured identity in the notes, the players are all plenty darn great – and really help shape the sound of the record throughout. Titles include "Undecided", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "More Than You Know", "The Dipsy Doodle", "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", "A Sunday Kind Of Love",a nd "Tampico". CD

Some of the earliest work ever recorded by vocalist Beverly Kenny – early 50s sides done before her rise to fame on Roost and Decca, and a much-needed addition to her too-short career! The tracks were originally part of transcription discs done for radio stations, and they've got a surprisingly full, professional feel – not like the quieter material showcased on SSJ's other Kenny collection, Snuggled On Your Shoulder – but recorded with jazzy backings from arranger Eddie Safranski! The lineup includes tenor, alto, baritone, and trumpet – plus piano by either Dick Hyman and Moe Wexler, and guitar from Mundell Lowe – all to perfectly set the blue mood that Beverly's going for with her vocals. Many of the tracks here are nicely less familiar, and not overdone standards – and titles include "That Pyramid Jazz", "Long Lean & Lanky", "It's A Mean Old World", "Too Bad", "The Stars The Night The Moon", "Yours Sincerely", and "Let's Try It Again". CD

A silly title, but a surprisingly nice LP – one that takes Chaka back to the style she used on her classic Echoes Of An Era session – the 80s jazz side in which she recreated an older style of jazz vocal work! Chaka's working here with backings by the London Symphony Orchestra, but the sound's pretty darn jazzy overall – with a seemingly small piano combo from the orchestra providing most of the rhythm, as the strings and woodwinds come in on the larger, lusher moments. Tracks are mostly older numbers, and include some surprisingly nice 60s tunes – with titles that include "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever", "To Sir With Love", "Teach Me Tonight", "Is That All There Is", "The Best Is Yet To Come", "Hey Big Spender", and "Hazel's Hips" – plus a Japanese excluive remix of "To Sir With Love". CD

Soulful blues and bluesy soul – a sweet split CD of work from Al King and Arthur Adams – both singers originally from the south, but relocated to the California scene for the best recordings of their career! Al King's got a great vocal approach – not really blues, and more in the soulful style that certain 60s singers were taking as a new approach to the genre – somewhere in the territory of Bobby Blue Bland, but without Bobby's trademark rasp. The cuts here all feature laidback backings and a mellow groove that really lets King inflect the notes wonderfully – and titles include "Without A Warning", "Get Lost", "Maybe My Last Song", "My Name Is Misery", and "Better To Be Yourself". Arthur Adams is a name you're bound to recognize from countless 70s sessions – with singers, on soundtracks, and even with jazz artists like The Crusaders – but the cuts here represent Art at the earliest point in his career – fresh on the LA scene from Texas, singing and playing guitar with plenty of soulful southern modes! Tracks here feature both Adams on his own, and dueting with either Edna Wright or Mary Love – on titles that include "She Drives Me Out Of My Mind", "I'm Lonely For You", "I Need You", "Is That You", "Let's Get Together", and "Gimme Some Of Your Lovin". CD

An album named after a genre, but one that offers up the very special focus that BB King brought to blues music – especially in these early years of his career! King's a giant at this point – a hell of a singer, with a sound that's a key bridge between gospel and soul – and a equally solid guitarist, able to grace his tunes with searing solos, but in a way that's never as showy or overcrowded as all the later bluesmen who tried to copy his act! Instead, King's balance here is perfect – and often set to romping backings that link his approach not only to a postwar R&B tradition, but maybe even to the jazz world as well – with a vibe that's a lot less downtrodden than you might expect from a record called "the blues". If you've never dug BB at this early point in his career, you'll find plenty here to love – and titles include "When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer", "What Can I Do", "Troubles Troubles Troubles", "Early In The Morning", "You Don't' Have To Cry", and "Why Do Everything Happen To Me". CD features bonus tracks – "Sweet Little Angel", "Tickle Britches", "I'm In Love", "Bye Bye Baby", "Don't Keep Me Waiting", and "Don't Break Your Promise". CD

BB King brings in a sweet dose of jazz to his work – just a touch of the funkier backings that some of his electric contemporaries were getting at the time – maybe not as hard-wailing as some of the Chess funky blues records, but definitely somewhere in that direction! Players on the date include Mel Brown and Jesse Davis on guitars, Bobby Bryant on trumpet, Red Holloway on tenor, Plas Johnson on baritone, Clifford Coulter and Victor Feldman on piano, and the great Earl Palmer on drums. Titles include "Help The Poor", "Can't You Hear Me Talking To You", "Midnight", "I Got Some Help I Don't Need", "I've Been Blue Too Long", "Lucille's Granny, and "Can't You Hear Me Talking To You". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package of work from the mighty Kool & The Gang – 6 full albums from the 80s, served up here in a 3CD set! First up is Ladies Night – a shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". The next album is Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight". As One is solid 80s grooving from Kool & The Gang – a group who inspired so many others in the early 80s soul generation, but who could still do it better than most of the rest! The style here is tight and smooth, but never too slick – and Deodato's giving the group some really great production for the album – helping them to focus their energy and soar soulfully, but without resorting to any stiff gimmicks or cliches! There's a great groove running through most of the numbers here – a confident quality that's never too commercial, and which bubbles along nicely throughout. Titles include "Street Kids", "Big Fun", "As One", "Hi De Hi Hi De Ho", "Let's Go Dancin", and "Pretty Baby". In The Heart is a sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". Last up is Emergency – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". CD

A beautiful little record from Tony Kosinec – a lesser-known songwriter from the late 60s scene, and one with a pretty unusual sound as well! Tony originally hails from the UK, but was working in Canada at the time of this set – and the album's an unusual blend of folksy roots with jazzier phrasing – a set that sits nicely in the company of Columbia contemporaries like Leonard Cohen or Tim Hardin, and which also has a voice that's as uniquely formed as theirs! Tony's tunes are quite poetic, but never too much so – and his way of singing is sometimes fluid, but never flowery – almost informed by jazz, but not jazzy – if we can get away with that many qualifiers in one sentence. There's a slight hint of roots in the backings, but Tony's accent and performance never lapse into simple country cliches. Titles include "Mystic Fifties", "Tyrant", "Down On Words", "Cleopatra", "Feather Of A Boy", "Summer/Spring", and "I Can't Sing". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite singers and one of our favorite composers – brought together in a dream of a vocal jazz album! We've always loved the tunes that Michel Legrand penned for films of the 60s and 70s – as they've got a depth, sincerity, and jazziness that goes beyond most of his contemporaries – but they've also never sounded better than in the hands of vocalist Karin Krog and arranger Palle Mikkelborg, who both really deliver a unique twist on the Legrand sound! Mikkelborg's arrangements for the set are extremely beautiful – sometimes using funky backings, sometimes softer strings – but always getting the right balance between emotion and grooviness that Legrand brought to his original recordings of the work. And guitarist Philip Catherine plays some nicely complicated lines that electrify the tunes with a weird, moody feel – often "singing" alongside Karin's deeply icy vocals in a really wonderful way. The tracks are all taken at slightly longer readings than you might expect, which makes for even more room for creative invention – and titles include "Watch What Happens", "Ask Yourself Why", "I Will Wait For You", "Once Upon A Summertime", and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky organ and plenty of vamping – a really tight little set from the mighty Charles Kynard – who's working here with a really wide-ranging command of the keyboard! As with some of the other Mainstream Records sessions of the time, the backings here are somewhat full – arranged and conducted by Richard Fritz with a style that's almost soundtrack funk at points, but which still has a more jazzy feel overall – thanks to the space given to Kynard's organ solos, and to backings from players who include George Bohannon on trombone, Arthur Adams on guitar, and Paul Humphrey on drums. The set features a surprising cover of Joe Quarterman's classic "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind" – one that's almost as funky as the vocal original – plus "The World Is A Ghetto", "Superstition", "Zambezi", "Summer Breeze", "Momma Jive", and "You've Got It Bad Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool collection of keyboard Christmas tunes – recorded in Brazil, and with a vibe that's a bit different than other records of this nature! This isn't familiar jazz organ Christmas music, but it's also not more traditional styles too – as Lafayette handles his keys with kind of a quirky vibe, getting some nice instrumental backings from Os Tremendoes – almost with currents of 60s instrumental rock, but somewhat groovier overall! Titles include "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas", "O Holy Night", "O Tannenbaum", "Christmas In Rio", "Angels We Have Heard On High", and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas". CD

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. This album wasn't their first – but it was the first to really break them with the masses, and it's a vocal jazz classic if there ever was one. Backings are by the Ike Isaacs Trio, plus Harry Edison on trumpet – and titles include "Moanin", "Twisted", "Cloudburst", "Everybody's Boppin", and "Sermonette". CD

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. This album wasn't their first – but it was the first to really break them with the masses, and it's a vocal jazz classic if there ever was one. Backings are by the Ike Isaacs Trio, plus Harry Edison on trumpet – and titles include "Moanin", "Twisted", "Cloudburst", "Everybody's Boppin", and "Sermonette". CD

A groundbreaking set from Yusef Lateef – one that mixes together a number of different soul jazz styles! In a way, Atlantic records tried to handle Yusef Lateef in the same way they did Roland Kirk – by creating recordings that either let him express himself strongly as an arch-modernist, or those that focused on his solo talents in material that was a bit more funky and soulful. This album's got a bit of both – as side one has Yusef playing with slightly electric groups on short tracks that feature vocal backings by the Sweet Inspirations, and side two features Yusef playing with the Cologne Radio Orchestra, conducted by William Fischer, on an extended work called "The Symphonic Blues Suite". We dig the shorter tracks better, and those titles include "Nocturne", "Buddy & Lou", and "Down In Atlanta". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking record from flautist Hubert Laws – a mixture of classical themes and jazz, handled with an airy CTI approach – and set to arrangements by Don Sebesky that are simply mindblowing! The album's a wonderful example of the way that CTI really pushed the boundaries of instrumental expression in the 70s – taking Laws wonderfully breathy work on flute, and mixing it with some well-crafted backings that also feature electric piano by Bob James, bass by Ron Carter, and percussion by Airto and Jack DeJohnette. The larger group is handled by Sebesky, who really brings some magic to the record – a sense of sound, space, and timing that's still a heck of a lot more mature and sophisticated than most instrumental recordings coming out today! Titles include "Syrinx", "Rite Of Spring", "Brandenburg Concerto No 3", and "Pavane". CD

A groundbreaking record from flautist Hubert Laws – a mixture of classical themes and jazz, handled with an airy CTI approach – and set to arrangements by Don Sebesky that are simply mindblowing! The album's a wonderful example of the way that CTI really pushed the boundaries of instrumental expression in the 70s – taking Laws wonderfully breathy work on flute, and mixing it with some well-crafted backings that also feature electric piano by Bob James, bass by Ron Carter, and percussion by Airto and Jack DeJohnette. The larger group is handled by Sebesky, who really brings some magic to the record – a sense of sound, space, and timing that's still a heck of a lot more mature and sophisticated than most instrumental recordings coming out today! Titles include "Syrinx", "Rite Of Spring", "Brandenburg Concerto No 3", and "Pavane". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that's smoother than some of Ronnie's earlier work, and perhaps without the same dark edge – but still a nice batch of soulful fusion tunes, with production by Wayne Henderson, in his classic 70s At-Home Productions mode! By that, we mean that a number of the tracks have a good stepping feel that mixes standout jazz solos with smoother backings – in a way that still keeps a lot of soul, but which also takes on kind of an R&B finish. Titles include "Let's Keep it Together", "Captain Midnite", "Night Breeze", and "Stay Still". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning debut from Jarrod Lawson – a singer we fell in love with right away – and who we'd rank right up there with some our favorite mellow soul artists of the 70s! Yes, the cover's got a look that's more indie rock – but Jarrod's got this righteous vibe and sense of flow that seems to tie together distant strands of influence – from Marvin Gaye to Gil Scott Heron to jazz singers like Al Jarreau, Kurt Elling, or Mark Murphy! Backings are jazzy, but with a focused, soulful groove – warmed up by keyboards, but kept fresh with lots of live instrumentation that really matches the rich sense of inflection in Lawson's voice – an amazing range, but one that's never overstated, overdone, or overused. All the tracks are originals – and the record's one that you'll be spinning for years to come! Titles include "Sleepwalkers", "Walk In The Park", "Redemption", "Needed", "Everything I Need", "All That Surrounds", "Spiritual Eyes", and "Together We'll Stand". CD

Incredible early work by Nara Leao – some of the most groundbreaking vocals of the bossa era! The arrangements are by Luiz Eca, pianist of the Tamba Trio – and backing is by a small group that includes Eca, Dori Caymmi, and other jazz-tinged players. The overall quality of the backings sounds a lot more like an album recorded five years after the mid 60s – and Nara's mix of bohemian hip and honest bossa sincerity really makes the tracks sparkle wonderfully. Titles include "Samba Da Legalidade", "Canto Livre", "Corisco", "Carcara", "Aleluia", "Incelenca", and "Suite Dos Pescadores". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set of material from the Bay Area bassist James Leary – a package that brings together one rare album, and a whole host of unreleased recordings as well! The core album is Legacy – originally issued on the tiny Blue Collar label at the start of the 80s, and a wonderful set that features plenty of tenor work from Joe Henderson – a really much-needed document of Joe's tremendous sound during this under-recorded period of his career – and very heavy in those sharp, dark tones he used on the Mirror Mirror album! The rest of the group is great – a core combo with George Cables on piano, Eddie Marshall on drums, and Kenneth Nash on percussion – augmented by some larger backings at times, but always in a relatively subtle way that preserves the energy of the core. Titles from that session include "Twenty Five/Mister X", "Remember To Smile", "Today's Song", "So Far So Good", "Legacy", and "Wajumbe". CD also then features 90s recordings made by Leary with some mighty hip players in the southern Cali scene – a shifting lineup that features vocals from Dwight Trible on two numbers, plus trumpet from James Smith, tenor from George Harper, and piano from Eric Reed. Titles include "Song For My Mother", "Little Birds", "Come & Talk", "Together", and "Expose". CD

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

A sweet bit of funk from Hawaii – and a legendary bit of free soul that's been winning global fame for decades! Lemuria is the brainchild of Kirk Thompson – who plays piano, bass, keyboards, and vibes on this very spiritual set of tracks. Master Henry Gibson was one of the executive producers, and he also plays conga on the set – which recalls some of the more spiritual collective funky projects from the early 70s Chicago scene, given a bit of a tropical twist. Many tracks feature vocals by "The Ladies Of Lemuria" – a lovely trio that's got a bit of an Emotions sort of sound – but the jazziness of the tracks is a lot freer than the backings the Emotions ever got, with more of a west coast Fantasy Records kind of approach, touched with some Stevie Wonder-like warmth. Really great all the way through – and impeccably put together, despite the indie origins of the record. Titles include "Get That Happy Feeling", "Hunk Of Heaven", "Dreams", "Mister U", "The Making Of You", and "Mystery Love". CD

A sweet bit of funk from Hawaii – and a legendary bit of free soul that's been winning global fame for decades! Lemuria is the brainchild of Kirk Thompson – who plays piano, bass, keyboards, and vibes on this very spiritual set of tracks. Master Henry Gibson was one of the executive producers, and he also plays conga on the set – which recalls some of the more spiritual collective funky projects from the early 70s Chicago scene, given a bit of a tropical twist. Many tracks feature vocals by "The Ladies Of Lemuria" – a lovely trio that's got a bit of an Emotions sort of sound – but the jazziness of the tracks is a lot freer than the backings the Emotions ever got, with more of a west coast Fantasy Records kind of approach, touched with some Stevie Wonder-like warmth. Really great all the way through – and impeccably put together, despite the indie origins of the record. Titles include "Get That Happy Feeling", "Hunk Of Heaven", "Dreams", "Mister U", "The Making Of You", and "Mystery Love". Features a full record of rare bonus tracks – including "Don't Say There Ain't No Heaven", "Somebody's Talkin", "Who Do You Love", "All I've Got To Give (alt)", and "Mister U (alt)". LP, Vinyl record album

Despite the title, this doesn't really seem to be an anthology of Ketty's other work – so much as it is a new set of recordings with a very traditional feel. Ketty's voice is in great form, and the backings are spare and jazzy – with arrangements by Lincoln Mayorga, in a style that's similar to some of Ketty's classic work from the 60s. Titles include "West Coast", "Secret Love", "When I Fall", "Moscow", and "That's Not The Answer". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of funky guitar gems – all served up in a single set! Black Velvet is a stone laidback set from O'Donel Levy – one of the greatest soul jazz guitarists of the 70s, and a player who sounds fresher and fresher to us over the years! This album's a bit more laidback than some of Levy's other sets for Groove Merchant – with larger arrangements that feature Charles Covington on electric piano and organ, Fats Theus on tenor and flute, and Billy Skinner on trumpet – but the approach actually works well, as the slow-moving tracks trip out over a lot of space, giving O'Donel plenty of room to craft his uniquely spacious and chromatic solos. Titles include versions of "Watch What Happens", "Love Story", "Call Me", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", plus the originals "Granny" and "Nature's Child", both of which have a nice little groove! Windows is a great later album from O'Donel Levy – recorded after his initial flurry of work for the Groove Merchant label, but still plenty darn nice! The sound here is slightly smoother and a bit more electric than before – with Levy's sweet guitar work snaking out over some larger backings that almost have a funky soundtrack feel. The groove is still great, and O'Donel brings plenty of his trademark chromatic lines to the set – guitar parts that almost sound even better in this setting! Titles include "Moisturizer", "Green Machine", "Panama Red", and a track called "I Believe In Miracles", which is not the Jackson Sisters' hit, but a nice mellow groove with vocals that sounds like some of the George Duke soul cuts! Dawn Of A New Day features totally wicked guitar work from the mighty O'Donel Levy – easily one of the hippest talents to ever work for the Groove Merchant label! Levy's got a sound here that's a bit like Wes Montgomery on some of his late 60s sides, but also a fair bit funkier overall – a style that's steeped in soul and schooled on advancements in the 70s generation of funk fusion and blacksploitation soundtracks. Backings are relatively large – arranged by Manny Album, with players who include Charles Covington on organ and electric piano and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet. Tracks include covers like "I Wanna Be Where You Are", "People Make the World Go Round", and "Maiden Voyage" – plus some nice originals, like "Dawn Of A New Day" and "Baa Waa". CD

The cover of this one might make the album one of the campiest records on Verve – but the session's a surprisingly great one, with a straighter vocal approach than you'd guess! Monica's got a really sweet vocal style – a bit sexy, and certainly adult – arranged here with some nice jazzy touches from Frank DeVol, working in backings that are a lot hipper than those we remember him using with other singers from the time. Monica handles herself like a big girl in front of all those Marines – all-woman, but clearly not giving it away to the first man in blue who walks down the street. Titles include "Blues In The Night", "Miss You", "Rough Ridin", "All Alone", "The Song Is You", "Undecided", and "I'll Be Seeing You". CD

The Ramsey Lewis Trio gets some additional orchestral backings – and with great results! The set features Ramsey, Eldee Young, and Red Holt – all playing their usual pyrotechnic blend of soul jazz and swing – supported by larger arrangements handled by Riley Hampton, done in a style that never gets in the way – but which creates some really cook banks for Ramsey and crew to soar off of! Titles include "Spring Fever", "Sound Of Spring", "Truly Truly Spring", "Soft Winds", and "Blue Spring". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the strangest things about Abbey Lincoln's career is the fact that, despite her hip affiliations with the left end of the jazz spectrum, she's actually been slotted into a fair number of straighter projects, not only in music, but in film as well. This album's a perfect example of that – and may well be the reason for Abbey's later leanings towards the left – as here, in her debut LP, she comes off as a dreamy girl singer, recorded by Liberty almost in a mode that's similar to Julie London or some of their other gal stars – with complicated backings from Benny Carter and Marty Paich. The record is lacking the stark captivating quality of Abbey's later records, but it does have a certain kind of charm – especially as the love themes in the set are all-adult, at a mature level that you'd really only hear from a rare few other singers, like Shirley Horn or Lorez Alexandria. Titles include "Two Cigarettes In The Dark", "Take Me In Your Arms", "No More", "Affair", "This Can't Be Love", "I Wake Up Smiling", and "Love Walked In". CD

One of the strangest things about Abbey Lincoln's career is the fact that, despite her hip affiliations with the left end of the jazz spectrum, she's actually been slotted into a fair number of straighter projects, not only in music, but in film as well. This album's a perfect example of that – and may well be the reason for Abbey's later leanings towards the left – as here, in her debut LP, she comes off as a dreamy girl singer, recorded by Liberty almost in a mode that's similar to Julie London or some of their other gal stars – with complicated backings from Benny Carter and Marty Paich. The record is lacking the stark captivating quality of Abbey's later records, but it does have a certain kind of charm – especially as the love themes in the set are all-adult, at a mature level that you'd really only hear from a rare few other singers, like Shirley Horn or Lorez Alexandria. Titles include "Two Cigarettes In The Dark", "Take Me In Your Arms", "No More", "Affair", "This Can't Be Love", "I Wake Up Smiling", and "Love Walked In". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful later album from Ivan Lins – recorded in that wonderfully mature style he developed in the 80s, a mixture of his earlier vocal work, with touches of jazz, and some of the Brazilian soulfulness of the Milton Nascimento generation. The backings on the tracks is relatively electric – produced with a lot of "space", in a style that helps the instruments drift around Lins' always-captivating vocals. The album's got a soaring righteousness that prevails despite a few tinnier touches here and there – and it's filled with strong tracks that include "Vieste", "Maos", "Illuminados", "Paixo Secreta", and "O Ceu Mudou". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer batch of funky guitar work from the Miami scene of the 70s – very different than the later disco hits the city would be known for! Little Beaver is one of those players we'd put right up there with Shuggie Otis, O'Donell Levy, or Eddie Fisher (of "Third Cup" fame) – a player who was more underground, and worked in a blend of soul, jazz and funk – delivered superbly here over these spare backings that almost echo work at the time by Timmy Thomas! The lean groove brings plenty of focus on Beaver's guitar – and that hollow-body he's holding on the front cover has a warm and wonderful sound. Beaver also sings a bit too – and titles include "I Can Dig It Baby", "Money Vibrations", "Let The Good Times Roll", and "Party Down (parts 1 & 2)". CD

Plenty of body, and even more soul – a great little groove on the record at points, in that slinky, vampy sort of mode that Julie London picked up in the 60s! The album's got Julie taking on a fair bit of R&B and bluesy numbers – still singing in her more jazz-based style, but getting a nice groove on most numbers from Kirk Stuart – balancing out some piano-led grooves with more brassy backings, all very much in the style of Peggy Lee over at Capitol in the early 60s – yet completely different too, given London's vocal approach. Titles include "Romance In The Dark", "I Got A Sweetie", "The Comeback", "Come On By", "If You Want This Love", and "Treat Me Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to imagine that Julie London would ever have to ask anyone to make love to her – at least not when she looks as sexy as this on the cover! The album's a key early classic for Liberty – still very fragile, personal, and up-close enough to make you think you might just be able to jump inside the cover and spend the night with Julie! Russ Garcia handles the backings with great care – a bit of gentle strings here, some light jazz there – but always letting London's breathy vocals come up very high in the mix. Titles include "Go Slow", "Lover Man", "Body & Soul", "Snuggled On Your Shoulder", and "Make Love To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Old songs, but swung the Julie London way – and given a really cool feel here, thanks to jazzy backings from the great Jimmy Rowles! The group's clearly got some key west coast hornmen in the lineup – as some points feature some standout sax or trumpet bits that really help flavor the tunes – taking them way past Julie's usual sensual style, and offering up a great second element that really makes the record worth checking out! The tunes come across in ways you'd hardly expect – and titles include "Row Row Row", "By The Beautiful Sea", "Comin Thru The Rye", "After The Ball", "Cuddle Up A Little Closer", and "Old Folks At Home". LP, Vinyl record album

We love the vibes-heavy music of Chien Chien Lu, and love it in an even different way here, as she collaborates with bassist Richie Goods – an artist who really helps deepen the sound of her music, and creates this great balance between bass and vibes that's completely amazing! You might not be likely to put the two instruments together right away, but they sounds fantastic here – as Goods has this melodic way of handling his instrument that stems from some of the best electric bass advances in 70s jazz, yet leaned out with a more contemporary vibe – and given these gentle funky elements in the backings that are mighty nice. All those touches make for a perfect setting for Chien's vibes – every bit as spacious, soulful, and seductive as before. The set features guest vocals from Sy Smith and Jamison Ross, plus keyboards from Big Yuki – and titles include "Rain", "Water", "Dull Ice Flower", "Embrace The Now", and a great remake of the Donny Hathaway tune "Someday We'll All Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

We love the vibes-heavy music of Chien Chien Lu, and love it in an even different way here, as she collaborates with bassist Richie Goods – an artist who really helps deepen the sound of her music, and creates this great balance between bass and vibes that's completely amazing! You might not be likely to put the two instruments together right away, but they sounds fantastic here – as Goods has this melodic way of handling his instrument that stems from some of the best electric bass advances in 70s jazz, yet leaned out with a more contemporary vibe – and given these gentle funky elements in the backings that are mighty nice. All those touches make for a perfect setting for Chien's vibes – every bit as spacious, soulful, and seductive as before. The set features guest vocals from Sy Smith and Jamison Ross, plus keyboards from Big Yuki – and titles include "Rain", "Water", "Dull Ice Flower", "Embrace The Now", and a great remake of the Donny Hathaway tune "Someday We'll All Be Free" – plus a bonus radio edit of "Someday We'll All Be Free"! CD

A wonderful album of sad-tinged bossa tunes sung by the enigmatic Ana Lucia – a really great vocalist who gets superb backings here from Oscar Castro Neves and the Zimbo Trio! The style of the album is slightly more emotive than the usual bossa album of the time – with a dreamy approach to the vocals that reminds us of some of our favorite French or Italian singers of the early 60s, all nicely juxtaposed with a mixture of jazz and string arrangements from Castro-Neves, and produced with a light and floating finish. There's kind of a watery brilliance to the whole thing that really matches the look of the cover – and titles include "Amei Tanto", "Andam Dizendo", "Acalanto", "Derradeira Primavera", "Valsa De Euridice", "Homem De Verdade", and "Tem Do". CD

A contemporary set, but one that's unlike any other recent Brazilian recording we can think of – given the very unique vibe that Mauricio Maestro is going for! You might know Mauricio from his mid 70s work with Joyce on Visions Of Dawn – and although this set is a recent recording, it has a same sort of classic feel overall. The sound here has deep rhythms and folksy touches – a warm acoustic mode, but topped with some slight electricity and larger arrangements – a bit like some of the more creative sounds in the Brazilian underground during the post-Tropicalia years – yet with a richness that takes it much farther too! Maestro handled the arrangements, and he brings in a jazz-tinged quality that's not unlike the Milton Nascimento generation – yet the overall approach is earthier too, and vocals are handled by Mauricio, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, and Kay Lyra – swirled up with a bit of light string backings that really help the record soar to the skies! We'd rank this one right up there with classics from the 70s by Joyce or Edu Lobo – but we also recognize that it's very much it's own record too. Titles include "Jungle Bells", "Agua Clara", "Canto Do Paje", "Todos Os Santos", "Ciclo Da Vida", "Ouvindo Estrelas", "Upside Down", and "Horizonte". CD

A great set of tracks – even if it is a discographer's nightmare! 12 tracks on the album are from a session originally done under the name of Machito – and features Herbie as the main soloist, over a set of wonderfully lush Latin jazz backings! The feel is nicely exotic – right up there with Herbie's best work of this nature, and done with a heavy groove, thanks to Machito's touch – sounding very similar to his legendary Kenya album. The remaining 8 tracks on the set are pulled from a late 50s session for the tiny Mode label – a tasty bit of west coast jazz that has a very different feel than the Machito material, but which is equally nice! Herbie plays piccolo and tenor in addition to flute – working with a small group that includes Jimmy Rowles, Mel Lewis, and Buddy Colette. Titles on the CD include "Answer Me", "Give A Little Whistle", "Bacao", "Perdido", "Afternoon Death", "Brazilian Soft Shoe", "African Flute", "The Davis Cup", and "Carabunta". CD

A great revisiting of Michael Mantler's Jazz Composer's Orchestra – that crucial large ensemble that gave the New York underground a great chance to express larger ideas in the 60s and 70s! This version of the group has a much more international vibe – as the music was recorded in Vienna, with Mantler on trumpet, Harry Sokal on tenor, Bjarne Roupe on guitar, David Helbock on piano, and Wolfgang Puschnig on alto – along with larger backings from the Nouvelle Cuisine Big Band, and added string quartet as well. But overall, the sound has that great mix of larger vision and personal moments that we loved in Mantler's music decades back – and even the use of guitar here underscores some of the darker currents that he'd sometimes use on his best records. CD

Wonderful work from Tania Maria – a singer who's completely back on track these days, and really making classic work again! The format here is simple, and a return to the basics of Tania's early days – keyboards, bass, and percussion mostly in the backings, with Tania singing in that loving lyrical voice that no other singer has ever been able to match (despite legions of countless imitators!) The tunes include a lot of original numbers – really well crafted Brazilian jazz tracks that have a sound that's both light and soulful at the same time – and titles include "Sangria", "Amei Demais", "It's Only Love", "Encanto Meu", "Sebastina", "Ta Tudo Certo", and "Florzinha". CD

A beautifully moody record from the Japanese jazz scene of the postwar years – a set that features plenty of guitar solos from Shoichiro Matsumiya – over spare backings by Shin Watanabe and his Six Joes! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from Makoto Matsushita – and one of those Japanese city pop records that slides right into the best sort of jazzy soul from the US during the late 70s! Makoto sings in English and Japanese, and the backings are wonderfully jazzy – lots of fusion at the core, which keeps things warm and soulful throughout – better than mainstream AOR, but with equally superb sorts of production! There's a perfection here that rivals the strength of Steely Dan at their late 70s best – with just the right balance of vocals and instrumentation. Titles include "First Light", "One Hot Love", "Lazy Night", "I Know", "Love Was Really Gone", "This Is All I Have For You", and both English and Japanese versions of "September Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky early 70s work by Jimmy McGriff – a mix of tight groovers and more open soul jazz numbers – all of which represent some of his best moments for the Groove Merchant label! Jimmy's got a lean, mean sound on these tracks – and even when the backings are full, they've got the tightness of a 70s soundtrack – nice and jazzy, and with a great funky punch on the bottom! The McGriff keyboard sound has plenty of room to roam around, even when the cuts are short – and titles include a great cover of "Ain't It Funky Now", plus "Super Funk", "Fat Cakes", "Dig It On", "Bug Out", "If You're Ready Come Go With Me", "Let's Saty Together", "The Bird", "Plain Brown Bag", "Jumpin' The Blues", "Tiki", and "Shuckin & Jivin". LP, Vinyl record album

Mel Torme gives Barbara McNair some mighty big props in the notes to this one – and hearing the set, we certainly have to agree! The record may well be McNair's most dramatic of the 60s – still a mix of vocal and jazz styles with a touch of soul – but also done with a bit more dynamism in the arrangements, and sung in a bold, powerful voice that's quite different from some of her more easy-going Motown recordings of later years. A good portion of the work here is from 60s shows, but Barbara sings the tunes with a personal style that gets past their roots – and backings are by Ralph Carmichael, in a way that's sweet one minute, swinging the next! Titles include "The Best Is Yet To Come", "My Love Is A Wanderer", "The Friendliest Thing", "On The Other Side Of The Tracks", "If Love Ain't There", and "For Lonesome Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Here's a rare one from Carmen – a beautifully understated session recorded for the tiny Focus label, done with spare and soulful backings from Norman Simmons, who leads the album's small combo on the backing. Tracks are nice and mellow – very different than some of the later work Carmen would do for Atlantic, and with a solid jazz-based approach that really lets her work through some wonderful vocal inflections. Titles include "How Did He Look", "Ghost Of Yesterday", "I'm Lost", "Come Sunday", "Second Chance", "If You Could Love Me", and "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Hip early work from Carmen McCrae – with jazzy arrangements by Fred Katz, featuring mostly west coast players running through some off-kilter backings that give Carmen a different sound than usual. The album's definitely got the "cool" in the title, but Carmen's sophisticated phrasing of the songs brings a lot of warmth to the tracks – in a kind of counterpoint that works really well with the music. Titles include "I Remember Clifford", "What's New", "Weak For The Man", "A Shoulder To Cry On", "Any Old Time", "Without A Word Of Warning", and "The Night We Called It A Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Carmen McRae – small combo, jazzy, and a nicely different set than some of her other work of the 50s! Backings are by two groups – one headed by accordionist Mat Mathews, the other by saxophonist Tony Scott – both quartets, and both of them working with a nicely lean sense of swing that seems to bring the same out of Carmen! The album's not as dark or moody as you might expect from these years – and that's a great thing to us, because it illuminates another side of Carmen's talents that don't always get as much exposure. Titles include "Easy To Love", "If I'm Lucky", "Tip Toe Gently", "Old Devil Moon", "Misery", and "Too Much In Love To Care". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Memphis Slim – recorded with a few rock luminaries (John Paul Jones, Chris Spedding, Peter Winfield, Peter Green), in a sweetly electric mode that has Slim singing some excellent laidback lyrics. There's a bit of jazz to the backings, which gives the album a slick sparkle without dampening its spirit – and tracks include "Youth Wants To Know", "Mason Dixon Line", "Chicago Seven", "Otis Spann & Earl Hooker", and the extended "Blue Memphis Suite". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever comprehensive collection of Johnny Mercer's work for Capitol Records in the 40s – the label he helped found at the time, and home to some of his greatest recordings ever! Mercer's best known as a swing-era songwriter, but he's also a hell of a singer too – a playful male vocalist who was a strong precursor to 50s singers like Jackie Paris, Matt Dennis, and Mark Murphy – like those artists, one who's both sensitive and swinging at the same time. The package features a whopping 79 tracks in all – most of which only ever appeared on 78rpm singles – and Mercers' usually got some great jazz backings behind him, from players who include Billy Butterfield, Cootie Williams, Jack Teagarden, and Nat King Cole. One of the best archival Mosaic sets in recent years – filled with great tracks that include "Box Bar Blues", "Cecilia", "Moon Faced Starry Eyed", "That's The Way He Does It", "Would Ya", "I've Been Hit", "Hooray For Love", "I Never Knew", "I May Be Wrong", "Sweet Lorraine", "Baby I'm True To You", "Ugly Chile", "San Fernando Valley", "GI Jive", "Evelina", and lots lots more! CD

Fantastic early work from Helen Merrill – with some of the best backings we've ever heard for her chilling vocals! The record has a core jazz group made up of Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, Barry Galbraith on guitar, and Sol Gubin on drums – and they're augmented by string arrangements by Richard Hayman, used in an economical manner that never overtakes Helen's voice, instead providing a breathy pillow that gives her sometimes-thin vocals a nice push. The jazzier side of the record is nicely preserved throughout – and the moody Merrill vocals get some of their best support of the early days! Titles include "Comes Love", "Lilac Wine", "Just You, Just Me", "You Won't Forget Me", and "End Of A Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

A great one from Monday Michiru – sweet, soulful, and totally right on the money! The set's almost a return to the warm soul territory that first won us over in Monday's work from the 90s – as she takes on a whole host of older American soul tunes by Stevie Wonder, Teena Marie, and others – sung with a wonderfully mature vocal approach, and set to jazzy backings that really help change things up – and make the record way more than just a simple set of cover versions! There's a great blend here – the instrumental depth that Monday's shown in recent recordings, and the straightforward soul of the early years – all handled with just the right production balance to make it come off perfectly. Titles include "Best Of My Love", "Um Amigo", "I Can't Help It", "Ooh La La La", "Don't Disturb This Groove", "You Are The Universe", and "As". LP, Vinyl record album

A great blend of funky jazz and wooden flute – the Japanese shakuhachi reed instrument, blown by Kifu Mitsuhashi here – then mixed with some larger backings that almost have a CTI Records sort of groove! The approach is similar to some of the best 70s projects from Hozan Yamamoto – and like those, updates older Japanese styles with just the right dose of jazz – never getting in the way of the soulful lines from the lead instrument, but also really warming things up nicely with Fender Rhodes, bass, guitar, and drums – in wonderful arrangements put together by Kiyoshi Yamaya. Titles include "Yagi Bushi", "Yosakoi Bushi", "Hokkai Bon Uta", "Kuroda Bushi", "Otemoyan", and "Mamuro Gawa Ondo". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki". CD

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki". LP, Vinyl record album

The last train to skaville, and a record that should be the first in line when you're digging for rare instrumental ska – as the collection offers up a mix of the mighty Hammond skills of Jackie Mittoo and the searing rhythms of the Soul Brothers – who also serve up great solos on tenor, trumpet, and trombone! This isn't the sleepy ska of the revival years – and is instead the kind of hard-burning music that was strongly inspired by American instrumental soul in the late 60s, and really made waves on both the scenes in London and Kingston! All cuts are from the original run of gems from Studio One – and titles include "Voodoo Moon", "Ska Shuffle", "Dr Ring Ding", "Got My Boogaloo", "Home Made", "Hot & Cold", "One Stop", "James Bond", and "Mr Flint". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked album of blue-eyed soul from Essra Mohawk – a singer who seemed to get better as the 70s moved on, and who works here with some nice jazzy touches in the backings! The album's got some great arrangements from Sonny Burke, who also plays keyboards – and the overall presentation of the album is more soul than you might expect, right down to some of the clubbier rhythms at the bottom, which are the more familiar approach of the Private Stock label at the time! Essra's vocals are great throughout – very distinct, in ways that make the album a surprising treasure – on titles that include "Summersong", "I Wanna Feel Ya", "God Help It", "Appointment With A Dream", and "Holy Trinity". CD

Very groovy work from Marian Montgomery – an overlooked 60s singer who had a wonderful "punch" in her voice! At the time, Marian often recorded in a mode that was a lot like that used over at Reprise Records – a Ray Charles-inspired, Jimmy Bowen-popularized blend of pop, soul, and blues influences – often set to snappy syncopated backings that featured a good dose of Hammond organ behind the vocals! The songs on this set are a great example of Marian's lively style – with backings by Dave Cavanaugh that are very much in a Bowen mode – supported by arrangements from some of Capitol's grooviest talents of the time – including Jack Marshall, Bob Bain, Gerald Wilson, and Cavanaugh himself. And although this is the kind of a sound that should be hokey, it's oddly not – and we find ourselves really loving Marian's work more and more over the years. It's light, swinging, and always plenty positive and playful. Titles on this set include "Romance In The Dark", "Let There Be Love", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Danke Schoen", "Kansas City", "Alright, Okay You Win", "The Good Life", and "Candy". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic on Verve! Back in the 60s, Wes Montgomery must have been California Dreaming – because by the time of this LP, he'd come a long way from his Indiana roots – and had used the best part of the hip west coast scene to add a lot to his style – fuller rhythms and tighter production that never dampened his sound, and instead really let him open up into a whole new range of sounds! As with some of his other albums on Verve, Montgomery plays warmly chromatic riffs over dark jazzy backings by Don Sebesky – and although tracks are short, Wes gets a lot into his solos on the set – a masterful approach that was almost better in a tighter setting than a looser one! Titles include "Sun Down", "Without You", "Sunny", "Green Peppers", "Mr Walker", and "Winds Of Barcelona". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous lost chapter in the career of guitar genius Wes Montgomery – material recorded in Germany in the mid 60s – complete with backings by a large group who give the whole thing a vibe that's a bit like some of the charts that Oliver Nelson would score for Wes on Verve! The recording quality is great, and the tracks really stretch out beautifully – with some arrangements by Wes, and others by saxophonists Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Ross – who both play on the record as well! The setting is live, tracks are long, and Montgomery seems to have even more bite than on some of his studio recordings – on titles that include "Four On Six", "Last Of The Wine", "Leopard Walks", "Blue Grass", "Opening 2", and "West Coast Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic bossa mixed with more ambitious touches for the 70s – easily one of the greatest records ever to come from the team of Vinicius and Toquinho! The record has vocals by both, often layered on top of each other with a wonderfully spacious feel that spreads out beautifully between the speakers – and instrumentation features Toquinho's acoustic guitar supported by fuller, jazzier backings from Francis Hime and Edu Lobo – both of whom hit that sublime blend of warmth and space that made their own early 70s Brazilian albums so great! Titles include "Carta Ao Tom 74", "Como E Duro Trabalhar", "Samba Da Volta", "Samba Pra Vinicus", "Samba Do Jato", and "Canto E Contraponto", with a guest performance by Quarteto Em Cy. LP, Vinyl record album

Two groovy Ennio Morricone scores from the 60s – both of them pretty darn great! La Trappola Scatta A Beirut is a hip spy thriller from the time – done with some bold, jazzy inflections on the instrumentation – and styles that echo American and British thrillers of a similar nature. There's some great use of flute and saxophone over more complicated backings – and although there's a bit less of the Morricone sense of space in the overall composition, there's still some key darker touches that are definitely the mark of the maestro. Titles include "Relax Per Un Agente Segreto", "Inseguimento", "Attesa E Fuga", "Agente 505 Missione Compiuta", and "Langiudamente". Next up is the equally jazzy score to Il Successo – a beautiful blend of tenor, vibes, flute, and other sweet instrumental touches – very much in the best Italian soundtrack jazz style of the early 60s. The whole thing's great, and a very overlooked chapter in Morricone's music – with titles that include "Malinconico", "Il Successo", "Per Vittorio", "Allegra Sambina", and "Sarabanda Twist". CD

Great work from Ella May Morse – material that's still got some of the raw edge of her postwar 78s, but which also features Billy May bringing a bit more jazz to the backings! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time". CD

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time". CD

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album – a lot better than you might think from the concept! After the death of JFK, Oliver Nelson penned this extremely strong tribute to the man – featuring snippets of speeches made by Kennedy during his time in office as president, used as bridges between jazz based backings by Nelson that are filled with some of his strongest writing of the time. The notes are more devoted to Kennedy's memory and Nelson's genius than the usual liner notes – so we're not sure who the players are – but the overall style is right up there with some of Nelson's best serious work from the time, and features a striking use of strings against jazz solo instrumentation, almost in a manner that recalls Ralph Burns' best styles of the 50s. Titles include "The Artists Rightful Place", "Jacqueline", "Day In Dallas", "Let The Word Go Forth", and "John Kennedy Memory Waltz". CD

A great little album – a lot better than you might think from the concept! After the death of JFK, Oliver Nelson penned this extremely strong tribute to the man – featuring snippets of speeches made by Kennedy during his time in office as president, used as bridges between jazz based backings by Nelson that are filled with some of his strongest writing of the time. The notes are more devoted to Kennedy's memory and Nelson's genius than the usual liner notes – so we're not sure who the players are – but the overall style is right up there with some of Nelson's best serious work from the time, and features a striking use of strings against jazz solo instrumentation, almost in a manner that recalls Ralph Burns' best styles of the 50s. Titles include "The Artists Rightful Place", "Jacqueline", "Day In Dallas", "Let The Word Go Forth", and "John Kennedy Memory Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful blend of spoken word and jazz – contemporary, but put together with the strength of similar records from the 70s – those secret texts of knowledge that often used to be sold as much in bookstores as in the record racks! AK Toney and Jasik provide the spoken passages, set to avant spiritual backings from players who include Jamael Dean on piano and keyboards, Carlos Nino on percussion, Aaron Shaw on saxes, and Mekala Shaw Session on drums – musicians who shift their presence depending on the needs of the tracks – as Toney and Jasik weave a wonderfully blend of poetic language and deeper ideas. Sharada Shashidar sings on a few tracks too – and titles include "Amun", "Neptune", "Our Greatness", "Major & Minor Aspects", "House Of Good Spirit", "We Wear The Mask", and "Afronauts". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweetly soulful set from the Aloha soul scene of the late 70s – a record that features plenty of warm trombone work from Ira Nepus, mixed with some R&B-styled backings – all at a level that's a fair bit like the best US work of Raul DeSouza at the time! The blend of jazz and soul is great – almost in Wayne Henderson territory – and the cuts have vocals, but always still save plenty of room for great solos from Nepus – a player we don't know much at all, but who really captures the best sort of jazzy soul vibe that Fantasy records was putting out at the time! And speaking vibes, Rich Margolis delivers some great work on that instrument too – on titles that include "Trickey Mickey", "Trombone Feeling", "Flamenco Jazz", "Slide Vibin", "Limbo Jazz", and "Journey To Paricutin". LP, Vinyl record album