One of Billie's last recordings, and an incredibly striking batch of songs arranged by Ray Ellis with a sad, fragile ege that's perfect for the style of her later work. Billie's voice is faltering, but in a way that only makes the songs sound more personal and more compelling – and although most of the tunes on the set are standards, Billie's presentation of them completely transforms the numbers, and we can bet you'll never heard these songs the same way again after hearing this album! Titles include "Violets For Your Furs", "You've Changed", "But Beautiful", "Glad To Be Unhappy", "I'll Be Around", and "I'm A Fool To Want You". LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly one of the most essential Billie Holiday albums for Verve – a set that carries the same title as her famous autobiography, and which also features many key numbers from her songbook at the time! The feel here is quite easygoing and relaxed – with small group backing behind Billie's vocals, which themselves are recorded cleanly and clearly throughout. One side features backing by a combo that includes Wynton Kelly on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Charlie Shavers on trumpet, and Paul Quinichette on tenor – and the other features a group that includes Bobby Tucker on piano, Charlie Shavers on trumpet, Barney Kessel on guitar, and the great Willie Smith on alto sax. Titles include plenty of classics – including "God Bless The Child", "Strange Fruit", "Lady Sings The Blues", "No Good Man", "Good Morning Heartache", "I Must Have That Man", and "Trav'lin' Light". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful setting for the vibes of Milt Jackson – a record that has his sublime chromatic sound stepping out in front of fuller orchestrations from Quincy Jones – never overdone, but with just the right sort of soulful focus to send Milt over the top! The album's an early example of the great solo path that Jackson would pursue more strongly in the 60s – work away from the MJQ that showed that he may well have been the most multi-faceted member of that group. Barry Galbraith plays guitar on many tracks – and his light hues are a perfect complement to the vibes – on titles that include "The Cylinder", "Makin Whoopee", "Alone Together", "Tenderly", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Nuages", "Deep In A Dream", "I'm A Fool To Want You", "The Midnight Will Never Set", and "Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

The title says it all with this one – as Milt Jackson plays a set of ballads, and a set of blues – but both in ways that really make the best of his warmly chromatic approach to the vibes! The players here vary on different tracks, but apart from MJQ regular John Lewis, the album also presents Jackson with some less-familiar associates who include Barney Kessel on guitar, Lucky Thompson on tenor, and Oscar Pettiford on bass. A few tracks on the album also feature an augmented woodwind section – and titles include "Bright Blues", "Hello", "They Didn't Believe Me", "The Song Is Ended", "So In Love", and "Gerry's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A goofy title track, and a groovy little album from Jan & Dean – a set that has them settling nicely into their role as one of the most playful pairs in west coast pop – with a heck of a lot more staying power than some of their more surf-washed contemporaries! The album's got a number of tracks that follow in the similar LA-environs mode as the title track – but instead of being gimmicky, they almost come across with this whimsical sort of charm – like they're Jan & Dean's version of British tunes from The Kinks – a wonderfully playful picture postcard version of California, with more wit than you might expect! Titles include "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena", "The Anaheim Azusa & Cuckamonga Sewing Circle", "Summer Means Fun", "Old Ladies Seldom Power Shift", "Sidewalk Surfin", "One Piece Topless Bathing Suit", and "Horace The Swinging School Bus Driver". LP, Vinyl record album

Gladys Knight steps out on her own – in her very first solo album, after years of recording with The Pips! The change has maybe a bit more focus on Knight's incredible vocals in the lead, but the approach is also strongly similar to the best work with The Pips at the same period – with the Jim Gilstrap singers providing backup vocals, but at a lighter level, with less harmonies that soar out – so that Knight really carries the tunes in a wonderful way. Most tracks are in that mellow mode that Gladys was really doing so well in the 70s – and titles include "I'm Coming Home Again", "I'm Still Caught Up With You", "The Way It Was", "I'll Take a Melody", "Love Gives You The Power", and "Sail Away/Freedom For The Stallion". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Gladys Knight & The Pips – proof that they already had a great thing going long before their later fame on Motown and Buddah! The tracks here were recorded in the early 60s for the Fury record label – and they show the group coming on strong with a very sharp edge – a style that's still got some traces of R&B at points, but which really sets a new standard for mixed male/female soul groups for the 60s! Gladys' lead vocals are nice and bold – and a lot less cliched than later – and The Pips do their thing with a wonderfully harmonic flair in the background. Titles include their big early single "Letter Full Of Tears" – plus "Operator", "Every Beat Of My Heart", "Room In Your Heart", "Stop Running Around", "What Shall I Do", "Morning Noon & Night", and "I Can't Stand By". LP, Vinyl record album

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The album gives away its premise with the "ballad" in the title – but that's only part of the picture here, as the tenor of Joe Lovano is so wonderfully distinct, the album's got a richness that goes way beyond its cover! As with Coltrane's famous Ballads album of the early 60s, Joe here proves that at the core, past his other settings and experiments, he can still be a hell of a traditionalist on his horn – yet work with a sense of individuality that comes through right from the very first note! His partners in crime here are Hank Jones on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – and titles include "Early Autumn", "Monk's Mood", "Like Someone In Love", "I'm All For You", "Don't Blame Me", "I Waited For You", and "Countdown". LP, Vinyl record album

A key early entry in the "jazz meets Broadway" genre – and a record that was so successful, it went onto inspire countless imitations! Shelly Manne's working here in a lightly playful trio setting – alongside Andre Previn on piano and Leroy Vinnegar on bass, in a reading of tunes originally composed for the musical My Fair Lady. Given Manne's talent for unusual rhythms and melodic percussion, the session's got a bit of a whimsical edge that takes it way past the core compositions that most listeners already knew – into a realm that allows for much great improvisation and play with the melodies. Previn's nicely restrained on the keys, and Vinnegar adds in a good sense of bottom to the set – and titles include "Get Me To The Church On Time", "I Could Have Dance All Night", "Ascot Gavotte", "Show Me", and "With A Little Bit Of Luck". LP, Vinyl record album

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The Mastersounds seem to take a page from the book of the MJQ – especially with a title like this – but as usual, the end results are a fair bit hipper! The album features the classic lineup with Buddy Montgomery on vibes, Monk Montgomery on electric bass, Richie Crabtree on piano, and Benny Barth on drums – all working through a batch of extremely mellow numbers that put Buddy's vibes right out front, ringing out with a clear, clean sound that cuts through any potential sleepiness. Titles include "Little Stevie", "Solar", "Monk's Ballad", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "One Mint Julep", and "The Champ". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great album of mellower ballads that showcase Clyde McPhatter's richly emotional style of singing, one that's on a par with his lead vocal work in The Drifters, and recorded here in a very similar mode! And sure, they're ballads – but they've got a great deep soul edge – as you'll hear on titles that include "Heartaches", "Come What May", Love Has Joined Us Together", and "Let Me Know". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most distinct early dates from reedman Charles McPherson – a unique "with strings" session recorded as a tribute to Billie Holiday – and with a style that shows off sides of McPherson's playing that wouldn't show up on other records for years to come! The album's got a beautifully understated quality – hip, adult arrangements by Ernie Wilkins – neither in his Basie-esque style of the early years, nor in any sort of slavish relationship to the Billie Holiday recordings of the 40s and the 50s either – which makes for a mode that just lets Charles flow with this wonderfully soulful tone on his alto – almost in a way that points towards some of Stanley Turrentine's music to come in such a setting. The core group features piano by Barry Harris, guitar by Earl Dunbar, bass by Sam Jones, and drums by Leroy Williams – plus larger backing by a string section – and titles include "Don't Explain", "Miss Brown To You", "Lover Come Back to Me", "Lover Man", and "God Bless the Child" – but all shaped beautifully and personally by McPherson! LP, Vinyl record album

A very big crossover moment for the Philly sound, and one of the biggest hits by the studio combo that drove the big Gamble/Huff hits of the 70s! The record's a great batch of smooth Philly instrumentals – not really disco, although the tracks certainly crossed over there – more uptempo soul, with the same bouncy sound heard on the vocal hits of the label – a majestic Philly International groove, carefully classy, but still damn soulful too! Includes lots of familiar cuts – like "Zach's Fanfare", "Get Down With The Philly Sound", "Brothers & Sisters", and "South Philly". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic – and one of Mingus' greatest albums ever! This one ranks right up with The Clown and Pithecantropus Erectus for sheer raw power and emotion – and Mingus' writing here is incredibly tight, giving soloists like Charlie Mariano, Jaki Byard, Richard Williams, and Jerome Richardson a real workout. The set's an extended suite of tracks with sort of a semi-ballet form. Don't let this fool you into thinking that the work's some sort of semi-classical snoozer, though – as Mingus uses the structure to hit some brilliant raw emotion, and the "dance" part of the piece gives the work a tight rhythmic form, pushing the soloists into raw urgent grooves, of a nature that never show up on Mingus' other work from the time. Titles include "Trio & Group Dancers", "Solo Dancer", "Group & Solo Dance", and "Duet Solo Dancers". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost hard rock gem from a Milwaukee quartet – produced by Kim Fowley with a sound that's as raw and garagey as his best indie productions from the mid 60s! These guys have all sorts of familiar elements in the mix – an influence from blues, a trippier style of guitar, and some nicely soulful currents in the vocals of Den Geyer – but there's a special brew that takes all of these qualities into special territory, making for the kind of standout set that was mysteriously overlooked at the time – but which makes for one of those rare treasures that lie far below the giants of the classic rock generation. Titles include "Gotta Be Free", "Hope For The Future", "Pearl", "Lady In The Dark", "I'm Walkin", "Trackin Shoes", "Sweet Mother Earth", and the jazzy guitar tune "Gazebo" – dedicated to the great Gabor Szabo! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful music from Chicago, set to another Chicago-themed project – a film based around the Roy stories of writer Barry Gifford! Yet that literary reference aside, the music here has fantastic merits of its own, even if you've never read Gifford at all – a very different, more compositional side of the spectrum from vibist Jason Adasiewicz, yet still music that has a loose small combo vibe as well – serve dup by a cool quintet that features Jonathan Doyle on saxes, Josh Berman on cornet, Joshua Abrams on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums! There's a mix of new tones and modern ideas that take us back to that late 50s time on the Chicago scene when Sun Ra's Arkestra was still in town – and the tunes penned by Adasiewicz are not only superb, but a perfect showcase for his incredible tones on vibes. Doyle is a real revelation too – a player we don't know well at all at this point, but whose sense of timing and presence really makes the whole record sparkle – as does the work of the rest of the better-known players in the group. Titles include "Ballad For Kitty", "River Blindness", "Walkin To Clinton", "Rudy's Basement", "Sand", and "Blue People". LP, Vinyl record album

With The Ladybirds. LP, Vinyl record album

A blistering album of Latin funk – a set that's got a lean vibe but a very classic sound – one that's put together in the same mode as the excellent run of funky 45s from the long-running Original Gravity label! Nestor Alvarez is Neil Anderson – who handles drums, guitars, keyboards, percussion, and plenty more too – layered in with contributions from funky horn combo The O'Gees, and added keyboards, trumpet, trombone, and flute – depending on the cuts. And despite the one man activity at the core, the sound is very live, and very real – especially as the presence of the others really expand out the groove – and make the whole thing feel like a fresh take on the late 60s world of Latin soul and Latin jazz! Titles include "Joanna", "Un Bucanero Mas", "Original Gravity (parts 1 & 2)", "Melting Pot", "En Candela", and "El Ladron En La Noche". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm, mellow, and completely sublime – the mighty America at the height of their powers – working with a quality that nobody else can match! The trio wrap together all the best ideas that were bubbling under in the LA scene of the late 60s – vocal harmonies, studio perfection, and even touches of rootsy instrumentation – yet find a space to work all these elements together in a rich sound that's completely unique – amazingly understated at times, despite a near-perfect level of production! The whole album's great – even their original version of "Muskrat Love" – nestled in here next to "Rainbow Song", "Submarine Ladies", "Molten Love", "Green Monkey", and "Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful solo album from Jon Anderson – best known as the lead singer of Yes, stepping out here with a set that matches the solo projects of Chris Squire and Steve Howe from the same time! Yet unlike those efforts, this one is truly a solo recording – as Anderson not only sings, but handles all the instruments himself – keyboards, guitars, and everything else – folded together in a sound that's very faithful, thanks to work from Mike Dunne, who'd handled a lot of the sound for recordings by Yes! Given that Anderson's not an instrumental virtuoso, like some of his bandmates, the record is a nice change from some of the side-long power jams of mid 70s Yes – tunes that together tell a story, but which have a lyrical, personal vibe that also really suits the charms of Jon's vocals. The set feels nicely like a mid 70s side-chapter of Yes – in ways that are different than the solo records by Howe and Squire – and titles include "Ocean Song", "To The Runner", "Flight Of The Moorglade", "Solid Space", "Dance Of Rampart/Olias", and "Meeting/Sound Out The Galleon". LP, Vinyl record album

A trilogy of albums from this unique group – presented here with all their original artwork, and a bit bonus booklet of notes and images too! First up is Love & Poetry – the killer debut of this heady power trio from the British Isles – one who've got some of the same harder rock leanings as some of the other lean groups of their time, but who also seem to manage to hang onto some psychedelic fuzziness too – a fantastic approach that's always made Andwella such a unique group! The bass is nicely brooding, drums are plenty hard, and the great UK reedman Bob Downes adds a bit of sax and flute to the record. There's a wonderfully unique vibe throughout – and titles include "Clockwork Man", "Man Without A Name", "Sunday", "Andwella", "High On A Mountain", "Shades Of Gray", and "Take My Road". World's End is a set that begins with one of the greatest funky rock tracks ever – then leaps into the fray with a whole host of wonderful tunes! That track is the mighty "Hold On To Your Mind" – well worth the price of the album alone, and a tune that takes all the funky energy of the freakbeat scene, and moves it into more sophisticated rock territory! The rest of the record continues the shift to sophistication that makes this second album from Andwella so great – really well-penned songs that manage to do a lot with a little, use familiar instrumentation in unusual ways, and there's some nice use of flute, piano, and organ along the way – deepening their sound in all the best ways. Titles include "Hold On To Your Mind", "Just How Long", "Michael Fitzhenry", "Lady Love", "I'm Just Happy To See You Get Her", and "World's End (parts 1 & 2)". On the cover of People's People, Andwella are looking a bit shaggier and more mature, and they're sounding that way too – really pushing their vocals with more soulful qualities than before, which are a perfect fit for the searching qualities of the music! There's almost a US roots current to the record at times – the sort of vibe that should have made an already-great band even better – and which really takes Andwella on a surprisingly long musical journey in just a very short span! Titles include "She Taught Me To Love", "World Of Angelique", "Saint Bartholomew", "Are You Ready", "Lazy Days", "Behind The Painted Screen", and "Four Days In September". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful little set of post-folk rock – with lots of lovely baroque touches! Ars Nova were really short-lived group – known for only two rare records – but they've got a sound that perfectly sums up a generation! There's a wonderful LA late 60s sound here – somewhere between Love and The Byrds, with the baroque touches of the former and the best country influences of the latter – all wrapped up in earnest, honest songwriting that makes even the ambitious moments come across with surprising charm. A true lost relic, and the kind of record that should be in any late 60s cannon! Titles include "Album In Your Mind", "Pavan For My Lady", "General Clover Ends A War", "And How Am I To Know", "Fields Of People", "Automatic Love", and "Song To The City". LP, Vinyl record album

An overdue reunion for Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll (now billed as Tippetts) – and a late 70s session that sounds quite a bit different than their mod soul of the 60s! The format here is still somewhat in a soul-based vein – but the sound is much more 70s, and much more "adult" as well – sometimes smooth, sometimes mellow, with Julie singing in a way that's still heartfelt, but not with the clear nod to American soul of her earlier work. Brian's still playing plenty of keyboards, although not getting in as many licks as on his own albums of the decade – yet still with enough space to help transform some of the best tunes. Titles include "Git Up", "Freedom Highway", "Spirit", "Future Pilot", "Rope Ladder To The Moon", "No Time To Live", and "Nothing Will Be As It Was" – a great English remake of a song by Milton Nascimento! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful departure for Kevin Ayers – an album that's a lot lighter and more whimsical than his original fame with Soft Machine! The tunes are extremely playful, and often quite catchy – almost a Donovan-esque blend of folksy roots and jazz inflections – but tuned a bit more towards trippier ends, thanks to instrumentation that includes celeste, electronics, flute, oboe, kazoo, cello, organ, and a wide range of different guitars! David Bedford handled arrangements, and other players on the session include some ex-Soft Machine comrades – like Hugh Hopper and Robert Wyatt! Ayers' vocals are produced with a nicely compressed quality that squeezes them in alongside the instrumentation – and titles include "Joy Of A Toy Continued", "The Lady Rachel", "All This Crazy Gift Of Time", "Eleanor's Cake", and "Girl On A Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

A millennial classic from Erykah Badu – a record that came along right as the current century was starting up, to show a soulful path that would keep things strong for many years to come! The album grabbed a bigger audience than Erykah's first, but still kept things strong – really focusing in on that amazing vocal style that made the singer such a unique talent – and which always had edges that were sharper, and runs that were deeper, than some of her contemporaries who might be able to trick a phrase with a bit of spirit, but never deliver the whole thing in the way that Badu can! Themes are both personal and hinting at her political turns to come – and titles include "Kiss Me On My Neck", "Didn't Cha Know", "My Life", "AD 2000", "Bag Lady", "In Love With You", and "Booty". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardbop albums don't get any better than this – and although drummer Dave Bailey only recorded for a brief stretch as a leader, this session's one that shows that he was a heck of a force to contend with! The record's got an intensity that easily rivals the best by Art Blakey over at Blue Note during the early 60s – but Dave's also got a slightly looser groove too – a bit more sense of humanity, and one that allows for really organic interplay between the players. There's a slight soul jazz undercurrent – especially in the piano lines of Billy Gardner – and other players in the quintet include Bill Hardman on trumpet, Frank Haynes on tenor, and Ben Tucker on bass. The group wails on an early version of Tucker's classic "Comin' Home Baby", plus other great originals like "Coffee Walk", "Lady Iris B", and "Two Feet In the Gutter". A old favorite on the south side of Chicago! LP, Vinyl record album

We know it's hard to think of anyone named Mildred as hip, but take it from us, the lady's actually a great singer with a deep capacity for jazzy blues and mellow R&B. These rare Savoy sides were cut during the years 1946 and 1947, and they feature great backing by pianist Ellis Larkin on nearly every cut, set up in either small combo or large group settings. Titles include "At Sundown", "Love In Vain", "It's A Woman's Prerogative", "You Started Something", and "Born To Be Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Cool moody work from Chet Baker – a very unusual set that has him blowing with a larger group than usual! The set's real star is Jack Montrose – the great west coast arranger who had a perfect talent for taking horns and locking them up tight to create a sound full of gloss and surprise! Montrose plays tenor sax on the set – in a three sax section that also features Herb Geller and Bob Gordon – and the rest of the group includes Russ Freeman on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, and Joe Mondragon on bass. Chet's work is great too – but the real appeal of the set is the Montrose-styled groove – very nice all the way through! Tracks include "Ergo", "A Dandy Line", "Pro Defunctus", "Goodbye", "Headline", and "Little Old Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Italian-only album from Chet Baker – wonderfully cooking small group work that's a far bit greater than his more familiar "with strings" session recorded in Italy during the same period! The album's got Chet working with an array of great players from the local scene – including Gianni Basso on tenor sax, Renato Sellani on drums, and Glauco Masetti on alto sax – all in a groove that shows plenty of traces of that opened-up sound that Baker was exploring in the very late 50s – the modes he was crafting in his group with Phil Urso on tenor, as he started to get a bit more bit in his style! Yet there's also a nicely compressed approach going on here too – that west coast sound that was a strong influence on the Italian players of the postwar years, but which was unfolded to new ends in their hands. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Line For Lyons", "Tune Up", "Cheryl Blues", "Indian Summer", and "Pent Up House". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout set in the later years of trumpet legend Chet Baker – in part because the record features some wonderful tenor work from the equally legendary Warne Marsh! Marsh at this point in his career has really developed a subtle edge – this slight current of darkness that wasn't there at the start, and which works well next to the moody qualities that Baker developed in his final years too. Equally wonderful is the piano of Hod O'Brien – a great and overlooked musician, and one who has this almost broken-down quality that really fits the emotive energy of the date. Other players include Eddie Gladden on drums and Cecil McBee on bass – the latter of whom is a bit of a surprise on such a session – on titles that include "Imagination", "We Know It's Love", "Well Spoken", "Blues For A reason", and "Looking Good Tonight". Features a great bonus track – an alternate of "Looking Good Tonight", on vinyl for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

Barclay James Harvest sound almost a bit more melancholy here than on previous records – maybe just because the leadoff hit track "Hymn" has a brooding message on drug deaths – but also because there seems to be a slightly more intense quality to their overall approach! The group are in very comfortable, confident territory – so much so, they can slow things down a bit and move with a brooding sense of soul that almost seems a precursor to the power ballad scene that would emerge a few years later. These tracks are still nicely free of the schmaltz of those – but definitely have a sense of compression that points the way forward – on titles that include "Hymn", "Love Is Like A Violin", "Leper's Song", "Taking Me Higher", "Spirit On The Water", "Sea Of Tranquility", and "Hard Hearted Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A weird little record from John Barry – the soundtrack to a 1963 television special recorded by Elizabeth Taylor at the height of her early popularity, and featuring Taylor reciting a variety of poems and speeches over music by Barry! There's a relatively high concept feel to the album – as Barry's backings are fairly string-laden and serious, penned to match the mood of Taylor's presentation of material written by William Wordsworth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Pitt, Winston Churchill, and Queen Victoria. And although Taylor speaks on about half the record, the best tracks here are actually the instrumental ones – which have more of the depth of Barry's serious soundtrack work from the time, and manage to have their own sense of presence apart from the star quality of Liz on the set. Arrangements are by Johnnie Spence, and titles include "Elizabeth", "London Theme Jazz Waltz", "Queen Elizabeth At Tilbury", "Queen Victoria", "English Garden", "The Fire Of London", "Lovers & Browning", and "London At Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

The Beatles at their late best – on 1968's self-titled set – now immortalized as The White Album! The White Album capped offed a period of intense creativity for the band with a double that's as freewheeling as anything they'd ever release. It's got raw rockers with wry lyricism, tender acoustic balladry, psych blues jams and some flat out weird bits. As was always the case, John's and Paul's songs cover the majority of the sides, but The White Album also features what's arguably George's most vital moment as a Beatle with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Other tracks include "Back InThe USSR", "Dear Prudence","Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "Martha My Dear", "Rocky Raccoon", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "Julia", "Yer Blues", "Sexy Sadie", "Helter Skelter", "Revolution 1", Good Night" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The Beatles at their late best – on a self-titled set that's been long immortalized as The White Album! The White Album capped offed a period of intense creativity for the band, with a double set that's as freewheeling as anything they'd ever release. It's got raw rockers with wry lyricism, tender acoustic balladry, psych blues jams and some flat out weird bits. As was always the case, John's and Paul's songs cover the majority of the sides, but The White Album also features what's arguably George's most vital moment as a Beatle with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Other tracks include "Back InThe USSR", "Dear Prudence","Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "Martha My Dear", "Rocky Raccoon", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "Julia", "Yer Blues", "Sexy Sadie", "Helter Skelter", "Revolution 1", Good Night" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Crazy Rhythm", "C Jam Blues", "Basin Street Blues", "Jazz Me Blues", "Honeysuckle Rose", and "Oh! Lady Be Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Wild Man Blues" by Sidney Bechet, "Blue Washboard Stomp" by Johnny Dodds, "Apologies" by Mezz Mezzrow, "Glad Rag Doll" by Earl Hines, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Ode To A Kudu", "We As Love", "Lady Blue", "Windsong", "Weekend In LA", "It's All In The Game", and his classic take on "On Broadway". LP, Vinyl record album

A bittersweet set of vocals from Polly Bergen – recorded with a sound that really fits her sad-eyed look on the cover! Although Bergen's voice is sometimes confident and full, it's nicely restrained here – often somewhat dark-toned and moody – in ways that remind us of Morgana King, especially in the way that Polly holds back at just the right moments – keeping things mature by never getting too overly emotive. There's a nice sense of depth to the record that goes way beyond simple pop singing – and Luther Henderson's arrangements further help color the sound of the set – by giving it a sense of unity that almost reminds us of some of Sinatra's best blue-toned late 50s albums for Capitol. Titles include "By Myself", "When The Wind Was Green", "All Alone", "Glad To Be Unhappy", "Too Late Now", "He Didn't Call", and "Not Like Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful session of spiritual soul jazz – and one of the rarer albums on the legendary Strata East label! The obscure combo is led by drummer/percussionist John Betsch – and instrumentation includes guitar, piano, electric piano, and reeds – all used with plenty of warm touches, and a few sharp edges – all very much in the best Strata East mode of the time! The tracks have a soaring sort of sound – similar to some of the Keno Duke material on the label, but also touched with some trippier edges too – a great blend that really brings a lot of depth to the session, and which has made this one of our favorite Strata sides over the years. Titles include "Song For An Untitled Lady", "Ra", "Get Up & Go", and "Ode To Ethiopia". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing first album from Big Star – a set that came out of nowhere, made hardly a ripple on the charts, yet went onto crash in big waves of sound for generations to come! The style here is unlike thing else before – hardly what you'd expect from the group's Memphis roots or Alex Chilton's previous performances – yet the group's music has become a generation-defining sound in the way it blends southern inflections with harder rock influences, and a lean, gritty quality that's arguably in a late 70s space between punk and power pop. Every element is wonderful – guitars that are powerful, but never indulgent – vocals that are moving, but never overly emotive – and a balance between sensitive and searing moments that even The Replacements could never hope to match. A landmark all the way through – with tracks that include "Feel", "Ballad Of El Goodo", "In The Street", "The India Song", "When My Baby's Beside Me", "Give Me Another Chance", "Don't Lie To Me", "Thirteen", "Watch The Sunrise", and "Try Again". LP, Vinyl record album

The second great entry in the Changes series from David Bowie – and, like the first, a well-chosen array of tracks that really get at his creative genius as a pop star – which includes a few great titles from his post-Berlin years! The set does a great job of spanning the 70s – and includes the single-only "John I'm Only Dancing (Again)" – which is a clubbier take on the earlier song that was showcased on Changes One. Other tracks run from the Ziggy years onward – and include another great single, Bowie's take on "Oh You Pretty Things" – which was more famously recorded by Mott The Hoople, although written by Bowie – plus "Aladdin Sane", "Starman", "1984", "Ashes To Ashes", "Sound & Vision", "Fashion", "Wild Is The Wind", and "DJ". LP, Vinyl record album

David Bowie at his most sinister for the 70s – a landmark set that combines the harder rocking sound of the Ziggy Stardust years with the more sophisticated theatrics of Aladdin Sane – in a style that features some of the darkest, most political work of Bowie's career! There's a depth to the record that goes way beyond the silly, sensational cover image – and there's also a sonic complexity that's wonderful too – a songs slide into each other with a deftness that never fails to amaze us! The album grew out of a failed project based around George Orwell's famous book 1984 – but the rights to that story were denied by the family – so Bowie went in his own directly, and honestly came up with work that was far better than if he'd done any sort of slavish reading of the novel (Rick Wakeman famously failed in that territory – and the Eurhythmics fared just slightly better.) The whole thing's great, and titles include "Diamond Dogs", "1984", "Sweet Thing", "Candidate", "Rebel Rebel", and "Big Brother". LP, Vinyl record album

David Bowie at his most sinister for the 70s – a landmark set that combines the harder rocking sound of the Ziggy Stardust years with the more sophisticated theatrics of Aladdin Sane – in a style that features some of the darkest, most political work of Bowie's career! There's a depth to the record that goes way beyond the silly, sensational cover image – and there's also a sonic complexity that's wonderful too – a songs slide into each other with a deftness that never fails to amaze us! The album grew out of a failed project based around George Orwell's famous book 1984 – but the rights to that story were denied by the family – so Bowie went in his own directly, and honestly came up with work that was far better than if he'd done any sort of slavish reading of the novel (Rick Wakeman famously failed in that territory – and the Eurhythmics fared just slightly better.) The whole thing's great, and titles include "Diamond Dogs", "1984", "Sweet Thing", "Candidate", "Rebel Rebel", and "Big Brother". LP, Vinyl record album

A crowning classic from maestro Waltel Branco – a Brazilian talent who could be smooth and sophisticated, but also pretty darn funky too – especially on this famous album from this 70s! The set takes off in a large ensemble vein of Brazilian grooves from a few years before – kind of more of a kick to the Blue Brazil/Odeon generation, as Branco works with a large string and horn section, but also ensures lots of tightness in the rhythms, and sweet electric touches on keyboards. There's a bit of Brazilian percussion at times – which let you know you're not in familiar CTI territory – and as with so many other great Brazilian albums of the time, the production is superb – really different than on American records of this nature. Titles include "Lady Samba", "Jael", "Satiricon", "Walking", "Luar Do SErgao", "Petit Fils", and "Zoraia". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Blam is right – an all-out batch of funky tracks from The Brothers Johnson – captured here right in the middle of their classic period with Quincy Jones! The Q's at the helm on production for the set, and the record's a great extension of their earlier efforts with the man – but a bit more Johnson-tuned (if we can say that in mixed company) – with the bass upfront on some of the best numbers, and a surprisingly strong male ballad approach on some of the gentler tunes. There's a slightly jazzy undercurrent at times, and tracks include "Rocket Countdown/Blastoff", "Ride-O-Rocket", "Streetwave", "Blam", "So You Won't Stay", "Ain't We Funkin Now", and "Mista Cool". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's got all the classic soul vibe you might guess from the title and the cover, but one that's also got some more contemporary elements too – as Bella Brown and the group weave together strands of soulful influences from many decades – all with the feeling as if a 60s act on Atlantic Records were brought forward in time to hear a bit of Afro Funk from the 70s, Brand New Heavies from the late 80s, and other sweet bits which they then brought back to influence their sound! Bella's a very strong singer in the lead, able to shift things into her own mode way past standard retro soul approaches – and titles include "Bang Bang Bang", "Lady Time", "What Will You Leave Behind", "Soul Clap", "There Is Love", and "Fast As Lighting". LP, Vinyl record album

A tasty collection of goodies that Donald recorded with the great Larry Mizell during the early 70s. Certainly not his all-inclusive best, but some of our favorite material by this legendary soul jazz trumpeter. The tracks have a sparkling electric jazz funk sound, with amazing production that keeps them drifting along with a very soulful vibe. Titles include "Sky High", "Street Lady", "Change", "Stepping Into Tomorrow", "Black Byrd", and "Flight Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electric funk from trumpeter Donald Byrd – one of his first forays into an electric mode, and done in a style that's very different than his better-known soul fusion of the mid 70s! Before Byrd hooked up with Larry Mizell and started recording his smooth fusion grooves on records like Blackbyrd and Street Lady – he recorded this gem, kind of a "lost" album that has Donald working in an open-ended electric sound – one that's clearly inspired by the experiments of Miles Davis, but which has a generally funkier feel overall! The tracks are very long – with lots of spiraling keyboard and trumpet solos – and the hip players on the set include Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, David T Walker on guitar, Harold Land on tenor, and Joe Sample on organ – a very cool combo that's got a cross between The Crusaders and the Hutcherson/Land quintet! We love the tracks on this set – especially "The Emperor" and "The Little Rasti", which are both over 15 minutes long, and have a haunting spacey sound that's a departure from Donald's usual work! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from vocalist Betty Carter – not her first time in the recording studio, but maybe one of the first full length sets to really communicate all the genius she was bringing to the field of jazz vocals in the postwar years! The record is one of Carter's more sophisticated sessions, and it's one of the few from the old days to really capture her jazzy vocals well in a large group setting – using arrangements from Richard Wess to bring some nice modern currents to the proceedings. As always, Betty handles the material with a great deal of class, and an incredible sense of poise and emotion – and thee set list is nice, too, and includes many lesser-known tracks – like "For You", "Jazz (Ain't Nothin' But Soul)", "Don't Weep For the Lady", "My Reverie", and "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet soul classic from the young Gene Chandler! The record is built around Gene's hit "Duke Of Earl" – and it features Gene in a ridiculous looking "Duke" costume on the cover – but the record's a great one overall, and features some excellent late-night soul material in a sweet tenor-voiced harmony style! Bill Bunky Sheppard produced the record, and it's got a sophisticated approach that offers a number of different modes for Gene to shine – heartbreaking ballads, rousing uptempo numbers, and some cool exotic tunes. Titles include "Nite Owl", "So Many Ways", "Lonely Island", "Kissin In The Kitchen", "I Wake Up Crying", "Turn On Your Love Light", and "Daddy's Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work by Gene Chandler – but a surprisingly great little set overall, and proof that Carl Davis was really stretching for greatness in the glory years of his Chi Sound label! Rather than rehash the styles he'd hit with on Vee Jay, Constellation, Mercury, or Brunswick – Chandler steps out here almost as a whole new singer overall – one with surprising sensitivity for ballads, and a maturing approach that almost reminds us of Walter Jackson's same stretch on the Chi Sound label. And like Jackson, Chandler also manages to move a bit into clubby territory too – with arrangements from Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders that are quite solid overall – and almost a Chicago take on Philly. Titles include "Do What Comes So Natural", "That Funky Disco Rhythm", "When You're #1", "Dance Fever", "Stay Here In My Heart", and "I'll Remember You". LP, Vinyl record album

The long lost Charizma tapes are unearthed and see the light of day! We're real suckers around here for the salad days of the early 90s, before "underground" became a tag line for savvy promoters and music industry folks, and just meant an emcee straight spitting creative rhymes over tight, spare beats, which is exactly what you'll find here. We're not entirely certain all these tracks were set to be released on the Hollywood Basic album that never saw the light of day, but we are certain they're all dope, and a lost, but very necessary, piece of the West Coast puzzle. Includes "Here's A Smirk", "Methods", "Jack The Mack", "Talk About A Girl", "Tell You Something", "Gatha Round", "Devotion", "My World Premiere", "Ice Cream Truck", "Fair Weathered Friend" and "Soon To Be Large". LP, Vinyl record album

Really sweet later work from The Chi Lites – proof that the group were still going strong long after their initial chart hits! The sound here is less Brunswick Chicago soul than before – and the group step along in warm and sophisticated backings that sparkle in the best Chi-Sound style – uptempo at some times, but sweet and mellow at others. The vocals are superb – easily adaptable to both sorts of settings, but especially great on the ballads – which really seem to benefit from the move away from some of the more cliched styles that the Chi-Lites were falling into during their last years on Brunswick. Eugene Record produced, and titles include "Love Shock", "Round & Round", "Heavenly Body", "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You", "Give Me A Dream", and a remake of "Have You Seen Her". LP, Vinyl record album

Chicago finally gets its due – in this great series that previously gave us the Philadelphia Experiment and Detroit Experiment projects! This time around, though, the lineup is even more top-shelf – filled with the kind of artists who really make us proud to be part of the Windy City – many of them players with slightly different styles and approaches, which is what makes the record such a great break from the usual! Pianist Greg Spero heads up the group, and the septet features work from Makaya McCraven on drums, Jeff Parker on guitar, Joel Ross on vibes, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Darryl Jones on bass, and Irvin Pierce on tenor – working together with a style that's nicely unified, and which has some of the soulful currents of other projects in this series from Ropeadope. That mode is maybe a bit different than you're used to hearing from McCraven, is a perfect showcase for the more soulful side of Parker's talents, and is right on the money for Marquis Hill – on tunes that include "The Chant", "Sizzle Reel", "Cloud Jam", "Always Be", "Double Take", "Maxwell Street", "For Too", "Straight Shooter", and "Tiny Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time – and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an incredibly icy tone on the record, filled with sorrow, regret, and loneliness – all of which are amplified even more deeply by Pete Rugolo's eerie, off-kilter arrangements. Titles include "Something Cool", "It Could Happen To You", "Lonely House", "I'm Thrilled", and "The Night We Called It A Day". Fantastic stuff! Stereo re-recording of the full LP – from the late 50s. LP, Vinyl record album