The Dave Brubeck Quartet goes to college – a pretty good place for the combo, considering how many fans they had on campus in the 50s! The sound here is never too academic for the setting, though – just the same sort of Brubeck groove first forged in the small clubs in San Francisco – played beautifully by an incarnation of the quartet that includes Paul Desmond on alto sax, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. The long, bluesy "Balcony Rock" is a real gem, with some standout work by Desmond that reminds us that he could be a great improvisor in an extended format – and other tracks include "Out Of Nowhere, "Le Souk", "The Song Is You", "Don't Worry Bout Me", and "Take The A Train". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Brubeck takes on the Eurasian scene – with wonderfully groovy results! The album's one of Brubeck's first in the "impressions" series, and it's a really colorful assortment of tunes – tracks with some lyrical and exotic moments that come through strongly, and which really offer a slightly different take on the Brubeck groove. Paul Desmond's alto sax is key to the sound here, and so is the progressive percussion of Joe Morello – and in addition to Brubeck's piano, the quartet also features bass from Joe Benjamin. Titles are all originals by Dave, and they include "Calcutta Blues", "Marble Arch", "Brandenburg Gate", "Nomad", and "The Golden Horn". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The classic recording of Chico Buarque's opera Malandro – done with the supervision of Chico himself, who also stars on vocals along with singers that include Gal Costa, Zizi Possi, MPB4, Nara Leao, Alcione, Moreira Da Silva, and Francis Hime. Hime handled the arrangements and directed the music – and titles include "O Malandro", "Viver De Amor", "Hino De Duran", "Terezinha", "O Meu Amor", "Pedaco De Mim", and "Opera". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing slow-burn track from the Ghetto Boy, where Dr. Wolfgang Von tells the introspective tale of his battle with alcohol-fueled madness that famously cost him his eye. 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the great ones! No kidding, Jaki Byard was an amazing talent in the 60s – and records like this one are rare treasures to be sought-after by any serious jazz fan. Byard had an incredible range of talents and influences – and, like his frequent bandmate Roland Kirk, he could often run through all of them in a very short stretch, packing each song with a wealth of feeling, technique, and sheer raw fun. This album's a darn tough one to find on vinyl. The group includes Byard on piano and alto, plus Jimmy Owens, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins. Tracks include "Spanish Tinge", "Olean Visit", "Geb Piano Roll", "Second Balcony Jump", and "On The Spot". LP, Vinyl record album

Good compilation of gold discs by this Brazilian diva. Includes a number of her earlier bossa sides, some of which were recorded with the Zimbo Trio and Jacob do Bandolim. Cuts inlcude "Tempo Feliz", "Luz Negra", "Minhas Madrugadas", and "Pela Rua" LP, Vinyl record album

A set recorded very early in the career of drummer Terri Lyne Carrington – an album that's tight, and full of fantastic work from both the leader and the all-star quartet on the date! Terri's already amazing on drums – shining through here in a more soaring, familiar jazz mode than on some of her later dates – unadorned, and with a great ear for both arrangements and work as a leader – guiding a group that features superb work from Kenny Barron on piano, George Coleman on tenor, and Buster Williams on bass. Sonny Carrington plays guest tenor on "Sonnymoon For Two" – and other cuts include "La Bonita", "St Thomas", "Seven Steps To Heaven", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that just makes us say "wow" right from the very first note – a perfect showcase for all musicians involved, and a really mighty meeting of the creative minds! We've really loved the strong return to form that Matthew Shipp has given us on piano in recent years – and of course, the basswork of William Parker is always tremendous – but they both somehow rise even more to the top alongside the drums of Gerald Cleaver and reeds of Daniel Carter – in a session that's wonderfully spiritual, very rhythmic, and often quite straight at times! There's a balance between the avant impulses of the players and the collective action of the group – almost recalling the loft jazz years, but more contemporarily righteous too – and this second volume features titles that include "Wordwide", "Mask Production", "Da Rest Is Story", and "Blinking Down". LP, Vinyl record album

With production by DJ EMZ on "VIP", The Alchemist on "I Gotta", and Dante Ross on "Turf Dirt". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Veronique Chalot sings in French, but she cut this beautiful album for the Materiali Sonori label in Italy – with a really groundbreaking mix of styles that definitely loves up to the other gems we love on the label at the time! As you might guess from the cover, Veronique plays dulcimer, and sings in a dreamy style that befits her image on the front – but the small group behind her also brings in all sorts of other unusual instrumentation – flutes, percussion, bass, and violin – used in these eerie ways alongside Chalot's moody vocals – creating a vibe that's somewhere between early solo work by Nico, and the soundtrack to Wicker Man! A really haunting record throughout – a lot like the best experiments on the Saravah label – with titles that include "L'Empoisonneusse", "Chant De La Montagne", "Le Souliers De La Belle", "Danse Des Sorcieres", "Chant De La Mer", "An Dro-Ronde", and "Bourree". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

We don't know about you, but we never get tired of Cheech & Chong's jokes about reefer and East LA. Loads of classic material on this first LP: "Blind Melon Chillin", "Wink Dickerson", "Acapulco Gold Filters", "Vietnam", "Trippin In Court", "Dave", "Emergency Ward", "Dave", "Emergency Ward", 'Welcome To Mexico", "The Pope Live At The Vatican", "Cruisin With Pedro De Pacas" and "Waiting For Dave". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent stuff – and one of Don Cherry's first global jazz experiments on record! The set is a super-hip concert performance recorded at the US Embassy in Turkey, featuring a band of eastern-flavored players that includes Okay Temiz on percussion, Selcuk Sun on bass, and Irfan Sumer on tenor. Tracks are shorter and a bit tighter than some of Cherry's other work from the early 70s – but they also have a strong amount of world influences, and the record is perhaps one of his greatest achievements at cross-breeding musical cultures. Tunes include "Gandalf's Travels", "St John & The Dragon", "Water Boy", "Kara Deniz", "Man On The Moon", and "Two Flutes". LP, Vinyl record album

Important 70s work from Don Cherry – one of the first albums to bring his overseas experiments to a larger US audience! The set builds nicely off of styles that Don forged earlier in France and Scandinavia – a freer style of music than his work with Ornette Coleman, and a richly organic groove that builds up strongly from the bottom, often with elements of world music settled in alongside the jazz – but there's also some funkier moments here too, a bit like the Brown Rice album, but looser overall! The groups on most numbers are relatively large and spiritual – almost like Alice Coltrane at times, but a bit more electric and funky at others – and players include Collin Walcott on sitar, Michael Brecker on saxes, Cliff Carter on keyboards, Lenny White and Tony Williams on drums, Lois Colin on harp, and Raphael Cruz on percussion. Cherry himself plays conch shells, bells, and flute in addition to his usual trumpet – and he even sings a bit on a few numbers, in a soulful, scatting sort of groove. Narada Michael Walden produced, and the whole set's got a very righteous feel – with tracks that include "Universal Mother", "Buddah's Blues", "Eagle Eye", "Mahakali", "Karmapa Chenno", "Surrender Rose", and "Journey Of Milarepa". LP, Vinyl record album

A mellow but striking blend of world and jazz styles – featuring Walcott on a variety of Indian instruments, Cherry on trumpet, flute, Doussn'Gouni, and voice, and Vasconcelos on berimbau, cuica, and percussion. Titles include "Codona", "Mumakata", "New Light", and "Colemanwonder", a blending of Stevie Wonder and Ornette Coleman tunes! LP, Vinyl record album

The second album by this wonderful world jazz ensemble – a trio featuring sitar, tabla, and vocals by Colin Wolcott; trumpet, melodica, and percussion by Cherry; and assorted percussion and voice from Nana Vasconcelos. The tracks are mostly atmospheric and exploratory, but work in a style that's better than other examples of this sort of session – and which have made the Codona records stand longer than some other world jazz sessions from the time. Titles include "Walking On Eggs", "Malinye", "Que Faser", "Drip Dry", and "Again & Again Again". LP, Vinyl record album

The third meeting of this world jazz ensemble, with Colin Walcott of Oregon on sitar, tabla and hammered dulcimer, Don Cherry on trumpet, organ and doussn'gouni and Nana Vasconcelos on berimbau and percussion. All three players have always had a very wide reaching approach to playing, even incorporating international elements in their less overtly "world music" projects, and this set finds them once again vibing well off each other. The tunes feature a wide open approach with improvised excursions on traditional and contemporary themes, with 7 tracks in all: "Goshakabuchi", "Hey Da Ba Doom", "Travel By Night", "Lullaby", "Trayra Boia", "Clicky Clacky" and "Inner Organs". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really inventive album from the key years of the British psych scene – and a set that goes way beyond even the important experiments of the bigger names of the time! Clark Hutchinson is just a duo – Mick Hutchinson on guitars, piano, and lots of percussion – and Andy Clark on keyboards, saxes, and flute – both members of the group Sam Gopal's Dream, stepping out here on a series of long tracks that draw from jazz, Indian music, and other global styles! The titles hint at a lot of improvisation – but in a style that's more proggish than free jazz and it's clear that budding studio modes were used to nicely layer the performances by both musicians, for an even fuller sound. Titles include "Improvisation On A Modal Scale", "Textures In 3/4", "Improvisation On An Indian Scale", and "Acapulco Gold". LP, Vinyl record album

A large group in a small club – the legendary Clarke Boland Big Band, playing at the home turf of one of their key members – tenorist Ronnie Scott! The set features a very legendary performance by the ensemble – a crack lineup that's easily one of the best ever sported by the CBBB – perfectly mixing American rhythms, and a trans-Atlantic lineup of soloists – all tied together with just the sort of rich arrangements that make the group so great! Things groove right from the get-go – thanks to a rhythm lineup that features Kenny Clarke on drums, and Francy Boland on piano – plus bassist Ron Matthewson, sitting in for the usual Jimmy Woode. The horn players really send things off, though – tight trumpets from Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, and Dusko Goykovich; bold trombones from Ake Persson and Nat Peck; and some searing reed lines from Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Derek Humble on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Tony Coe on both tenor and clarinet. This album features the full "first set" at Scotts by the group – with titles that include "Volcano", "Griff's Groove", "Now Hear My Meanin", "Box 703 Washington DC", and "Thence We Issued Out Again to See the Stars". LP, Vinyl record album

Groovy girl pop from late 60s France – a treasure trove of under-discovered numbers from the lovely Clothilde! Clothilde's from the same vintage as France Gall and Francoise Hardy – but she's got a style that's a bit sweeter vocally, yet still set to the mod-styled backings that really make 60s French pop so great! Tunes are plenty groovy, with a few trippy touches from time to time – and most numbers have a bouncy groove that really keeps things interesting – especially when odd instrumentation creeps into the mix – like bits of musical saw, oddball percussion, and bells and whistles! Titles include "Fallait Pas Ecraser Lau Queue Du Chat", "La Chanson Bete Et Mechante", "Le Boa", " "Saperlipopette", "102-103", "La Ballade Du Bossu", "A Ora Sos'e", and "Qualcosa Che Non Va". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy-jamming fusion from Billy Cobham – done at a time when he was already cutting plenty of heavy-jamming fusion! The album was recorded live in Switzerland and London – all very much in a post Bitches Brew approach to jazz that has all players going pedal to the metal in pursuit of their ends – thankfully working together well here, and really propelled into the cosmos by Billy's mighty work on the drums! Players include John Abercrombie, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, and Milcho Leviv – and the tracks are all long, with titles that include "Red Baron (Revisited)", "Tenth Pinn", "Shabazz", and "Tauranian Matador (revisited)". LP, Vinyl record album

About as classic as you can get for the great Eddie Cochran – no surprise, since the album was put together to mourn his untimely early passing, and is filled with some of the best tracks he ever cut for Liberty Records! The music here is Cochran at his prime – that post-country, pre-pop sound that has Eddie drawing on a lot of southern roots, but really giving the music a raw focus – with that sound that went onto make him a huge influence for years to come – through mod scenes, punk years, and beyond! Titles include "Lovin Time", "Drive In Show", "Teenage Heaven", "Sittin In The Balcony", "Summertime Blues", "C'Mon Everybody", "Cut Across Shorty", and "Somethin Else". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums by Nat King Cole – done with a bit more depth and feeling than some of his other Capitol sets of the time – and some great jazzy backings, too! Arrangements are by Dave Cavanaugh, but there's almost a Basie-like quality to the group at times – never too hard-swinging, but definitely that slow-burning quality the Count could hit so well with a singer, especially on the horns! The group is awash with Basie-ites – and saxes are by Marshall Royal, Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell, and Frank Wess; trumpets include Joe Newman and Thad Jones; trombones feature Al Grey, Henry Coker, and Benny Powell; and rhythm features guitar from Freddie Greene, piano from Gerald Wiggins, and drums from Sonny Payne – definitely a swinging lineup. Titles include the great "Welcome To The Club" – plus "Anytime Anyday Anywhere", "The Late Late Show", "Wee Baby Blues", "Avalon", "She's Funny That Way", and "The Blues Don't Care". LP, Vinyl record album

A 2 LP retrospective of some of the more spiritual exploratory sides 'Trane was cutting in the mid to late '60's for Impulse. A number of cuts feature the classic quartet with Jimmy Garrison, McCoy Tyner & Elvin Jones, but a few feature some of the later lineups with Pharoah Sanders, Reggie Worman & Alice Coltrane. Tracks arte "Dear Lord", "Chasin the Trane", "Up 'Gainst the Wall", "Crescent", "Nature Boy", "Welcome", "Cosmos", "Dedicated to You", "Expression" & "Living Space". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from John Coltrane – but a record that's sometimes eclipsed by the genius of A Love Supreme! The feel here is very similar to that one – long tracks that introduce a new mode of searching, spiritual jazz for the 60s – one that's performed by a core quintet with Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones – but which also features added players on the side-long title track! "Kulu Se Mama" is a tremendously bold statement in music – one that features a bit of spiritual vocals from Juno Lewis, plus added bass clarinet from Donald Garrett, tenor from Pharoah Sanders, and drums from Frank Butler. The two other tracks – "Vigil" and "Welcome" – are performed by a quartet, but are still equally great! LP, Vinyl record album

"I rap with the Passion of Christ, Ni**a, cross me!" BE isn't exactly a back-to-basics LP in the vein of his classic work for Relativity – but it is indeed a return to a focused, genuinely soulful, no BS approach – and it's a very welcome one at that! It seems like Com was a bit affected by some of the criticism folks had for the spacious, astral Electric Circus LP – if you ask us Common had no reason to apologize, but we'd be lyin' if we said we weren't hoping for another batch of tracks that sound like they could have been written on a front porch on the southside of Chicago. This is indeed that record – 12 tracks, few guest appearances, and a warm, consistent sound all the way through. There's a 3 track span on this album, from "Chi-City" through "Real People", that's seriously close to perfection. Welcome home, Common! Ruggedly produced by Kanye West, with a couple of stellar production contributions from Jay Dee! Other tracks include "The Corner" feat Last Poets, "Go!", "Faithful", "Testify", "Love Is. . .", "The Food (live)" (this great track has been circulating for a while since it was performed on Chappelle's Show, and we're thrilled Common and Kanye had the good sense to include it on the album), "They Say" featuring John Legend and "It's Your World (Part 1 &2)". LP, Vinyl record album

BE isn't exactly a back-to-basics LP in the vein of his classic work for Relativity – but it is indeed a return to a focused, genuinely soulful, no BS approach – and it's a very welcome one at that! It seems like Com was a bit affected by some of the criticism folks had for the spacious, astral Electric Circus LP – if you ask us Common had no reason to apologize, but we'd be lyin' if we said we weren't hoping for another batch of tracks that sound like they could have been written on a front porch on the southside of Chicago. This is indeed that record – 12 tracks, few guest appearances, and a warm, consistent sound all the way through. There's a 3 track span on this album, from "Chi-City" through "Real People", that's seriously close to perfection. Welcome home, Common! Ruggedly produced by Kanye West, with a couple of stellar production contributions from Jay Dee! Other tracks include "The Corner" feat Last Poets, "Go!", "Faithful", "Testify", "Love Is. . .", "The Food (live)" (this great track has been circulating for a while since it was performed on Chappelle's Show, and we're thrilled Common and Kanye had the good sense to include it on the album), "They Say" featuring John Legend and "It's Your World (Part 1 &2)". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Soft & Gentle", "Imp's Welcome", "Lenore", "Reverie", "Looking At The World", and "Nite Sprite". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Larry Coryell really changes it up from before – shedding both some of his electric modes and his vocal inclinations – and also working with a completely different group, who give the record a very unusual sound! Coryell plays a lot of acoustic guitar here, in addition to some electric – and the group also features additional guitar from Ralph Towner – whose open, airy approach really shapes the sound in a different way – but, alongside Larry, also has more force than on his own ECM recordings. The group also features Glen Moore on acoustic bass – but the real highlight may well be Collin Wolcott, who plays tablas and congas – bringing in earthy, global elements that really make some of the best moments shine. Titles include "Julie La Belle", "Song For Jim Webb", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Ann Arbor", and some improvisations on music by Robert De Visee. LP, Vinyl record album

Stefano Cosi's the drummer at the core of the album, but he welcomes in a large array of guests, each of whom add in their own melodies and lyrics – in ways that make the album a very warmly collaborative record, maybe a lot more so than you might guess from the moody image on the cover! There's a jazzy vibe to much of the instrumentation – which includes plenty of keyboards, guitar, flute, tenor, and trumpet – and singers include Xantone Blacq, Chauncey Yearwood, Taite Imogen, Yah Supreme, and Yvonne Park – on titles that include "Bird On Fire", "Only Good Vibes", "Shine", "After The Butterflies", "Keep It Simple", and "Flower Child". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Mystery Dance", "Pay It Back", "Alison", "Blame It On Cain", "Watching The Detectives", "Miracle Man", "Welcome To The Working Week", "Less Than Zero", and "The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual American release for this Italian soundtrack duo! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An excellent album of funky drumbreaks – cut by a drummer who's a legend among funk fans, but who hardly ever gets mentioned in history books of jazz! Les DeMerle was a lesser-known LA player, and he had a monster approach to the kit – which is why most of the few albums he cut are very in demand for fans of a good funky drum break, as well as the longer grooves! This one's a stellar session that mixes together straight funk with some strong choppy fusion numbers – and it was issued on the tiny Dobre label, which came out with some excellent obscure sides during the 70s. Raul De Souza's on trombone, Milcho Leview plays piano, and Robby Robinson plays plenty of nice electric keyboards. Includes the break-heavy tracks "Moondial" and "Funk It!", the jazz dance cut "Canned Heat Suite", the choppy funky "Bacchanal", and the great groover "Kaballa". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

With Montell Jordan on "Showdown", Ice Cube on "Earthquake", and Jayo Felony on "Maddoggin". 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Montell Jordan on "Showdown", Ice Cube on "Earthquake", and Jayo Felony on "Maddoggin". 12-inch, Vinyl record

A wickedly sharp album from Earl Sweatshirt – a set that comes on strong from the very first notes, then keeps on with a tightness that really makes a nice difference from some of Earl's other albums – an approach that's maybe more compact in terms of the way the songs are laid out, especially compared to sprawling efforts from bigger names – at a level that shows that there's plenty to learn from the left side of the spectrum in hip hop! Production is by Black Noise and The Alchemist, Armand Hammer make a guest appearance on "Tabula Rasa", and other cuts include "Old Friend", "2010", "Sick", "Fire In The Hole", "Titanic", "Vision", "God Laughs", and "Lye". LP, Vinyl record album

Earl Sweatshirt has always been at the forefront of hip hop – and here, he really continues that legacy, by also reaching backwards for the production skills of The Alchemist – whose special touch on the record really creates a whole new milieu for Earl's lyrics! There's a dreamlike quality to the record, but one that's also stripped-down enough to feel personal – a refinement of Alchemist's style, often with a great focus on just one or two instrumental elements – almost like spare spicing to really keep the vocals in the lead. Titles include "Dead Zone", "Free The Ruler", "27 Braids", "Mac Deuce", "My Brother The Wind", "100 High Street", "Sentry", "Sirius Black", "The Caliphate", and "Mancala" – the last two of which feature Vince Staples! LP, Vinyl record album

Really inventive sounds from this hip Italian trio – a combo who have a way of mixing acoustic and electric elements in ways that echo recent experiments on both the Chicago and London scenes! The music is jazz, but with a strong reliance on larger soundscapes – a quality that's echoed here by the appearance of Rob Mazurek on one track, who seems to be a great inspiration for the way the group approaches their music! The core trio features Gabriele Mitelli on trumpets and electronics, Cristiano Calcagnile on drums and percussion, and Pasquale Mirra on vibes and korg minilogue – all of which makes for a great layering of creative sounds. The set also features guest work from Damon Locks and Cristina Dona – and titles include "The Black Shining Of The Sea", "Hey Mary", "The Elephant", "Fata Morgana", "Cherry Juice In A Box", and "Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled album from trumpeter Don Ellis – as the set soars to the skies from the very first note! The album's got a dynamic energy that almost beats Don's American work of the time – lots of funky rhythms, and a cool MPS groove that shows the label's strong 70s legacy of larger group jazz recordings! Like other MPS dates of the time, there's a nice mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation in the lineup – bass and guitar that kick the rhythms up strongly, plus keyboards and electrified strings that bring in their own unique sounds. Milcho Leviev handles the keys on the session – and titles are a fresh batch of numbers that include "Sidonie", "Image Of Maria", "Sladka Pitka", "Go Back Home", "Whiplash", "The Devil Made Me Write This Piece", and "Invincible". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album, and very unique! Sarah Webster Fabio was a hip 70s poet with a very righteous sound – and she's working here with funky backings by a tight group that includes family members, in a style that's similar to early 70s work by artists like Wanda Robinson and Camille Yarborough – both of whom also mixed together funk and poetry! The album's got a massive funky cut called "Sweet Songs" – the kind of groover we never tire of, with tight drums, great guitar, and wonderful vocals by Sarah herself. There's lots of other great tunes too – with titles that include "Juju For Grandma", "Still A Red Hot Axe", "Chromo", "If We Come As Soft Rain", and "Jujus/Alchemy Of The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Fairport Convention are down to a quartet here, but still sounds fantastic – with Simon Nicol on guitar and dulcimer, Dave Pegg on bass and violin, Dave Swarbrick on mandolin and violin, and Dave Mattacks on drums and piano – and vocals from all members of the group. LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Maybe the heaviest set of sound library grooves you'll ever hear – but that's probably no surprise, given that the package features some key Heliocentrics elements in the mix – including lots of psychedelic production next to fierce work on drums from Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson! There's plenty of breaks on the record, but settled in nicely amidst keyboards and other electronics from the great Jessica Lauren – an artist we've loved for years – plus bass and lots of other instruments from Jake, and bits of flute and trumpet too. Tracks are mostly instrumental, and while the record follows the sound library style of tight funky grooves, there's also some of the darker, more brooding Heliocentrics elements in the mix too. Titles include "Dune", "M For Drums", "Emotions Run Dry", "Freestyling", "Well Well Well", "String Fantasy", "Train A Coming", and "I Wonder". LP, Vinyl record album

A great leap forward for the 5th Dimension – a record that seems to have better vocals than any of their previous efforts – a strongly soulful quality that moves past just pop, and which hits even deeper territory than before! Jimmy Webb's not in the lineup this time around, but Bones Howe is still fully in charge of the sound – producing and doing part of the arrangements, alongside help from Ray Pohlman, Bob Alcivar, and Bill Holman. Instrumentation's got a dreamy, late 60s LA mode – studio, but plenty darn groovy – thanks to performances from Hal Blaine, Larry Bunker, Tommy Tedesco, and Jimmy Rowles. Titles include the group's hit version of "Stoned Soul Picnic" – plus "California Soul", "Bobbie's Blues", "It's A Great Life", "Sweet Blindness", "Broken Wing Bird", "Good News", and "The Eleventh Song (What A Groovy Day)". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A group that's not really folk, but who definitely have a special magic of their own – a collective ensemble who played on the Italian scene of the 70s, and who bring together free improvisation with a range of other earthy and organic elements! There's definitely some global currents going on here – and at points, the record's not far from some of the Don Cherry experiments of this nature – especially on passages that are heavy on percussion elements. But the size of the ensemble really gives them a strong force once they get going – and the saxes and flutes are sometimes merged with use of voice – only conventionally singing on one more straight ahead track on the record. Most musicians are ones that we don't recognize from other jazz efforts of the time – but the group does include flute from Nicola Stilo, who later played with Chet Baker – plus soprano and alto from Giancarlo Maurino, tenor from Mario Fulci, and altos from Sandro Satta and Luciano De Bonis. Titles include "Inno Per L'Imperatore", "Grass Leaf Rag", "Alice Alice Che Piange E Che Ride", "Free Bop New Bop", and "Monkey". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning batch of tracks from a very unusual LA group of the early 70s – a funk combo at the core, but one that was also equally comfortable with bits of psych and redneck rock as well! The music here was all recorded within a short span of years, and mostly issued on the small Alpha label as a handful of funky 45s – but the style is surprisingly spacious, and shows a strong sense of musicianship from the members of the group – so much so that they seem equally comfortable and right on top of their game, no matter what direction they choose to take! And don't think that this multi-style description means that these guys are too all over the map, because there's a really unified sense of soul that holds the whole thing together – so that when they get a bit rootsy, the result is country soul – or when they get a bit trippy, they hit some Funkadelic-styled sounds. The collection includes great notes on the setting that produced these tracks – penned by Egon, who put the set together with help from Malcolm Catto, DJ Shadow, and others. Titles include "Don't Let Him Take Away Your Mind", "Strange Things", "Heaven & Earth", "Take Time", "We Got Love", "Waterloo At Watergate", "Why Don't You Trust In Me", "Cruising Central Ave", "The Dead Don't Die Alive", and "You're My Precious Someone". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Arguably one of the greatest concept albums of the 80s – and the only really strong full length album cut by Frankie Goes To Hollywood! At the time of the set, the group was riding high on the success and controversy of their singles "Relax" and "Two Tribes" – but in the ambitious ZTT mode, sought to expand their sound way past familiar hits, and into a realm of sonic exploration that rivaled that of labelmates Art Of Noise. Don't get us wrong, because the Frankie of this album is still very much in groove-oriented territory – but they also let Horn take over with some more striking tunes that are both longer and shorter than the usual pop track – offsetting the vocal numbers on the record with a rich tapestry of musical backdrops that also more firmly forward the group's social and sexual leanings. The album features surprising covers of "War", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", and "Born To Run" – plus the hits "Relax" and "Two Tribes", and the original numbers "Welcome To the Pleasure Dome", "Krisco Kisses", "The Ballad Of 32", "Wish The Lads Were Here", "Black Night White Light", "The Only Star In Heaven", "The Power Of Love", and "Bang". LP, Vinyl record album

Aretha Arrives in great style – and a mixture between her earlier vocal jazz years at Columbia, and her later southern soul sides of the 60s! Arif Mardin is already arranging Aretha's work at this point, and the backing group includes southern soul studio giants like Spooner Oldham, Tommy Cogbill, and Roger Hawkins – but there's also a number of tracks that have mellow strings and horns by Ralph Burns, very much in the lush style of Burns' work for other vocalists – and a bit different than some of Franklin's other Atlantic work. The Sweet Inspirations back up Aretha on "Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around)", and a few other tracks feature backings by sisters Erma and Carolyn – who are always a welcome addition! Titles include "Prove It", "Never Let Me Go", "I Wonder", "Going Down Slow", and "Night Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Four very kicking tracks hand-picked by Volcov – each nicely different, but equally great! Fred P steps in with "Time Well Spent" – a driving number with a great kick in the rhythms – followed by "Etius Motif" by Rest Symbol, a much more laidback, airy, and cosmic number! J707 follows with "Resonating" – a skittish groove that folds back nicely on itself with some very robotic keyboards – and the set ends with "Untitled (beat version)" by Patrice Scott, a tune that bubbles with all sorts of cool percolations! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Bill Frisell goes to Nashville – and finds a whole new outlet for his tremendous talents on guitar! The record's definitely got some of the elements you'd expect – some dobro from Jerry Douglas on another of tracks – plus bits of banjo, mandolin, and even some harmonica – but the whole thing is often in a very Frisell-familiar mode, with a sense of color, space and sound – just given a bit of a Nashville pitch! Robin Holcomb sings on three of the album's 14 tracks – and titles include "Family", "Pipe Down", "Go Jake", "One Of These Days", "Brother", "Mr Memory", "Gimme A Holler", "Shucks", and "The End Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare spiritual jazz session from the Full Moon Ensemble – a very groovy French group headed up by drummer Claude Delcloo – who was better known for his avant jazz work on sides for the BYG/Actuel series of albums! This time around, Delcloo is working in much trippier territory – a style that still shows some of the freedoms of the post-68 generation of French jazz, but which also takes on some strong spiritual tones too – mixing spoken passages with rich organic sounds on percussion – and these bold, snaking lines on Fender Rhodes and guitar that really help hold the whole thing together! The record works as one long suite on side one, and continues that groove on side two – and although the band's jamming great in the studio, there's still a sense of structure and purpose that really drives the music. In addition to Delcloo on drums, the group also features Jeff Sicard on alto and tenor, Gerard Coppere on tenor and soprano sax, Mratine Tourreil on Rhodes, and Joseph Dejean on guitar – and the vocals bits are by the enigmatic "Sarah". Titles include the side a suite "Tribute To Bob Kaufman" – plus "101 W 85th Street" and "King Kong". LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo set from Peter Gabriel – and a record that was quite a surprise upon initial release – kind of a stripped-down variant of the energy that Gabriel brought to his early work with Genesis, presented in a nicely lean way that allowed for all the best focus on his key ideas! The style here is light years away from the last moments Gabriel was with Genesis – although there's still a few nice touches of the Lamb Lies Down generation, too – and the vocals are more pointed, more focused, and arguably more personal too. Instrumentation holds up better than you might expect – especially as there was no move at all to nod to the nascent punk generation – and titles include the hit "Solsbury Hill", plus "Modern Love", "Slowburn", "Humdrum", "Waiting For The Big One", "Down The Dolce Vita", and "Here Comes The Flood". LP, Vinyl record album

Life after Peter Gabriel – with Phil Collins doing a surprisingly great job on vocals – free from all the tripe of later years! The group are still very much in the mode of their early prog years, but balance things out with a few catchier tunes – a mode that's a bit like the Selling England By The Pound album, sans Gabriel. Collins is learning how to express himself soulfully, but not in a commercial way – and the few off moments are more than balanced with some wonderfully tight instrumental work – on tracks that include "Dance On A Volcano", "Robbery Assault & Battery", "Ripples", "Trick Of The Tail", and "Mad Man Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful dreamy album that's quite different from the classic Getz/Gilberto collaboration – but which also shares much of that set's lyrical beauty! This album was recorded live, in 1964, when Stan Getz was playing with his quartet that included Gary Burton on vibes – an incredible lineup that made for some wonderfully moody sounds! The vibes/tenor approach was a high point in Getz's career – especially as the young Burton could create these beautiful washes of sound that were a perfect counterpoint to Getz's breathy playing. And although Astrud Gilberto is thrown into the mix here to give the album a bit of bossa appeal – vocals on 6 titles that include "Corovado", "Eu E Voce", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "One Note Samba", "Only Trust Your Heart", and "The Telephone Song" – there's also 4 more tracks that are all instrumental, and which show the Getz/Burton union in all of its glory! These tracks include "6 Nix Pix Flix", "The Singing Song", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "Summertime". And for reference, the rest of the group includes Gene Cherico on bass and Joe Hunt on drums – but on 3 tracks, Chuck Israels plays bass instead of Cherico, and on a few others, Helcio Milito plays drums instead of Hunt, and Kenny Burrell joins in on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

A hip collection of some of Gilberto Gil's best compositions – performed by Gil and some of the best talents of his generation. The material is mostly lifted from other LPs on Philips in Brazil, but the whole set works very well together, due to the strength of Gil's writing. Titles include "Lugar Comum" by Joao Donato, "Louvacao" by Elis Regina & Jair Rodriguez, "Ladainha" by Nara Leao, "Expresso 2222" by MPB 4, "Preciso Aprender A So Ser" by Maria Bethania, "Mancada" by Claudette Soares, "Procissao" by Quinteto Violado, "O Sonho Acabou" by Alcione, and "Copo Vazio" by Chico Buarque. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Movie Themes For Lovers Only is a great one – a set that takes some of the best film themes of the early 60s, and turns them into great vehicles for that mellow Gleason sound – that warm mix of orchestrations and some very light jazz touches – heard here on solos from Charlie Ventura on trumpet and Pee Wee Erwin on tenor. That Gleason touch is impeccable, as always – and titles include "My Romance", "La Dolce Vita", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "The Man That Got Away", and "Lawrence Of Arabia". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Dexter Gordon at his European best – working at his very familiar haunt, the Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen – a city that welcome Dexter Gordon with welcome arms in the 60s, as Dex left America to take care of himself and renew his energy overseas – expanding his sound and styles in ways that made him a much more revolutionary tenorist than during his earlier time on the US scene! The group features Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pederson on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – and tracks are all nice and long. LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Blue Note work from Dexter Gordon – an album that was recorded during Gordon's legendary run for the label in the 60s, but not issued until a brief vinyl pressing nearly 15 years later! The record's got Gordon vamping in tight hardbop formation – a sound that's strongly 60s Blue Note all the way through, and which shows the great control that the label helped bring to Dex's music – giving him new focus and energy to take off on much freer flights later in the 60s. Other players on the date include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass – and Hubbard's trumpet is an especially welcome element here on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "Hanky Panky", "Jodi", "Lady Iris B", "Clubhouse", and "Devilette". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Blue Note work from Dexter Gordon – an album that was recorded during Gordon's legendary run for the label in the 60s, but not issued until a brief vinyl pressing nearly 15 years later! The record's got Gordon vamping in tight hardbop formation – a sound that's strongly 60s Blue Note all the way through, and which shows the great control that the label helped bring to Dex's music – giving him new focus and energy to take off on much freer flights later in the 60s. Other players on the date include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass – and Hubbard's trumpet is an especially welcome element here on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "Hanky Panky", "Jodi", "Lady Iris B", "Clubhouse", and "Devilette". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set of work from the Blue Note scene of the 60s – a record that's not just noteworthy for its role in helping return tenorist Dexter Gordon to the spotlight, but also for the fantastic work of pianist Sonny Clark in the quartet! Sonny's in wonderful form throughout – and seems to be even more relaxed and inventive than in the company of some of the other horn players he'd work with on Blue Note – and that's saying a lot, given the company he would keep! Gordon's solos are confident and mature, but deeply personal too – and the rest of the group features Butch Warren on bass and the great Billy Higgins on drums – a percussionist whose sense of looseness and imagination really matches that of Dex. Titles include "Where Are You", "Three O'Clock In The Morning", "Cheese Cake", "Second Balcony Jump", and "Love For Sale". LP, Vinyl record album