Richly complex later work from Larry "Mr Fingers" Heard – proof that he wasn't just a simple house musician on the Chicago scene! The album's a great illustration of the bridge that Heard helped provide from original house towards some of the deeper, more complicated modes that took hold once the 21st Century approached – a style that was especially important in paving the way for some of the bigger names from the London scene, especially those most strongly influenced by jazz. Heard's keyboard lines here are supposedly improvised over rhythm programs – and while they're not as openly jazzy as you might expect, they're certainly a far distance from basic house music – making the album an adventurous instrumental affair for the time! Titles include "Snowcaps", "One Three Five Seven", "Midnight Movement", and "Dolphin Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

Larry Coryell began his career as a fuzzy fusion monster – often leaning into rock with both his sound and his solos – but over the 70s, he also really developed his talents as an acoustic artist – which come into beautiful focus here on a set of mostly solo recordings! Larry almost seems to channel previous acoustic giants – like Baden Powell or Paco DeLucia – but all while making a sound that's completely his own – quite rhythmic in its pulse, with some very hard action on the strings – but also with a level of sensitivity that you never would have heard in his music a decade before! The album's got a fantastic blending of the Horace Silver tunes "Song For My Father" and "Sister Sadie" – and other tracks include "Toronto Under The Sign Of Capricorn", "April Seventh", "Copenhagen Impressions", and "For Phillip & Django". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from the man that changed the way the world hears the Hammond! This album was Larry Young's first for Blue Note – and it's a mindblowing batch of tunes that push the organ into realms that had never been heard of in jazz. Young's got a real penchant for a modal groove – no doubt inspired by his friend and sometimes collaborator John Coltrane – and he's working here with a totally hip group that includes Sam Rivers, Grant Green, and Elvin Jones. The tunes are amazing – dancing with delight as they push the envelope, but never go too far to get overindulgent – and the album's filled with classics that include Green's wonderful composition "Plaza De Toros", plus originals by Young like "Tyrone", "Backup", and "Ritha". LP, Vinyl record album

A never-heard live set from the mighty Donald Byrd – recording here with live accompaniment from the Mizell Brothers – at a level that's every bit as wonderful as their work with the trumpeter in the studio! The material was originally recorded during a same series of albums that Blue Note issued with live material from Marlena Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, and Bobbi Humphrey – and the approach here is wonderfully similar, with long tracks that really showcase a hip, creative quality that may well beat that of Byrd's studio albums of the time! There's some many wonderful elements going on in the music – Fender Rhodes from Kevin Toney, bass from Henry Franklin, and both tenor and soprano sax from Nathan Davis – a wonderful surprise in the lineup. And while Larry Mizell adds in a bit of electronics, Fonce Mizell is alongside Donald on a second trumpet – on titles that include "Kwame", "Poco Mania", "The East", "Black Byrd", and a sweet remake of the Stevie Wonder tune "You've Got It Bad Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous soul, and the only record ever cut by East Coast – a group led by Larry Blackmon of later Cameo fame – and featuring vocals from a young Gwen Guthrie – heard here for the first time on LP, long before her later hits! The style is very hip – a mixture of funk and progressive grooving, all held together with a sound that's young, proud, and which moves easily between influences from a number of different camps. In a way, the group's almost a cross between early Earth Wind & Fire and The Voices Of East Harlem – with a style that's got some nicely soulful jazz elements, but served up with a dose of sweeter soul. Gregory Johnson plays some great keyboards on the set, and titles include "I've Got To Reclaim You", "Something Deep Inside", "Any Thing You Have In Mind", "Miss Gigi", "Keep On Trying", "I Found You", and "You Can't Let It Get You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

The first widely-circulated album issued by the stunning saxophonist Muriel Grossman – an artist we've been stocking on imports for the past decade or so, and who quickly became one of or favorites in jazz! If you've not heard Muriel before, this album's a perfect introduction to her music – and if you've been following her already, you'll definitely be pleased – as Grossman really opens up that mix of modal and spiritual styles she does so well – working with an expanded lineup of instrumentation that adds in her own work on flute, percussion, bass, kalimba, harmonium, and tambura next to the core tenor and soprano sax – in a combo that also features great Hammond B3 from Abel Boquera, guitar from Radomir Milojkovic, and drums from Uros Stamenkovic. At times, the organ is used almost in a Larry Young sort of way – but other moments have the instrument in moodier waves of sound, especially when things get slightly exotic – and the double-length set opens up with beautiful tunes throughout, on long selections that include "Mother Of All", "Absolute Truth", "Calm", "Care", "All Heart", "Devotion", and "Knowledge & Wisdom". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best records we've ever heard from pianist Lou Levy – a record that steps past the simple format of earlier records, into a style that's slightly modern, and very cool – thanks to the addition of vibes to his usual trio format. Larry Bunker plays vibes on the record, and rhythm's by Stan Levy and Leroy Vinnegar – both of whom hip things up nicely, and give the album a soulful bottom that offsets Levy's sprightly piano lines in a wonderful way. A real delight, even on the familiar tunes – and titles include "Gray Fox", "Tune Up", "Without You", "Wail Street", "Star Eyes", "Imagination", and "Indiana". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal MPS session – and quite possibly the greatest record ever cut by French organist Eddie Louiss! The album features a trio that includes John Surman on soprano and baritone sax and Daniel Humair on drums – with a guest appearance on one track by bassist Niels Henning Orsted-Pedersen. The real strength, though, is Louiss – whose amazing post-Coltrane organ riffing is unlike anything else we've ever heard, rolling out in spiritual sheets of sound that provide a perfect foil for the gutsy soloing of Surman. The record's got a mix of outside and inside playing – with some breakout modal moments in an MPS mode, and other freer passages that reflect the label's commitment to new music. The whole thing feels almost like some of the more challenging work that Larry Young did for Blue Note – and it's got four long tracks that include "Our Kind Of Sabi", "Zafe Ko Ida", "Song For Martine", and "Out Of The Sorcellery". LP, Vinyl record album

Sure, you've heard it a million times – but it's still a fantastic soundtrack! Henry Mancini's whimsical scoring is a perfect touch for this classic Peter Sellers film – and it's made even better by the LA group of musicians who play the music – including Plas Johnson on tenor, Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, and Larry Bunker on percussion – all very groovy players who really know how to make the whole thing sparkle with just the right touches of jazz! The classic "Pink Panther Theme" should be familiar enough to you, but there's loads of other nice numbers – like "Something For Sellers", "Piano & Strings", "The Village Inn", "The Tiber Tiwst", and "Cortina". Lots of jaunty jazz numbers – with clever breakaway solos in the Mancini mode! LP, Vinyl record album

If you ask us, this is Larry Heard's finest moment, combining the raw energy of early Chicago house with a jazzy sensibility, warm tones on the keyboards and a spare approach that gives all the elements room to breath. A modern classic! 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the most baroque singles we've ever heard from Taana Gardner – a long number that starts out with a spare and spacey vocal on the first minute or two, then which suddenly leaps into a tightly-crafted uptempo groove – running for over 10 minutes, and featuring lots of instrumental solo work in between Taana's vocal madness! Mixed by Larry Levan, too. 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first widely-circulated album issued by the stunning saxophonist Muriel Grossman – an artist we've been stocking on imports for the past decade or so, and who quickly became one of or favorites in jazz! If you've not heard Muriel before, this album's a perfect introduction to her music – and if you've been following her already, you'll definitely be pleased – as Grossman really opens up that mix of modal and spiritual styles she does so well – working with an expanded lineup of instrumentation that adds in her own work on flute, percussion, bass, kalimba, harmonium, and tambura next to the core tenor and soprano sax – in a combo that also features great Hammond B3 from Abel Boquera, guitar from Radomir Milojkovic, and drums from Uros Stamenkovic. At times, the organ is used almost in a Larry Young sort of way – but other moments have the instrument in moodier waves of sound, especially when things get slightly exotic – and the double-length set opens up with beautiful tunes throughout, on long selections that include "Mother Of All", "Absolute Truth", "Calm", "Care", "All Heart", "Devotion", and "Knowledge & Wisdom". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". This stunning version adds in some killer bonus tracks – 6 never-heard cuts from the Milestone vaults, including "Song For My Family", "Funky Native", "Detroit Rainbow", "Can't We Smile (alt)", and slow and fast versions of "A Child's Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Robin Kenyatta's hipper records of the 70s – mostly because it features material recorded during his late 60s years! The bulk of the set features a 1969 live recording – with Kenyatta leading a quartet with Larry Willis on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums – running through some longish tracks that have a beautifully spiritual approach – one that's almost a blend of Ayler, Coltrane, and Pharoah-like sensibilities – and which features some of the best tenor work we've ever heard from Kenyatta on record! Titles include "Nairobi Hot 5", "Dream Bug", and "Beggars & Stealers" – and the set's capped off by a 1975 studio take on "Ruby My Dear" – one that features Robin on alto, alongside some wonderfully introspective piano work by Muhal Richard Abrams! LP, Vinyl record album

A sort of a lost Larry Heard record, from the late 80s, when he was briefly basking in the spotlight in England and Europe. The set here has a stripped down sound, with Fingers' warm keys over nice bubbling mid tempo rhythm tracks, most with a laid back clubby approach, but others with a very soulful or slightly hip hop sound creeping in. 10 tracks in all, including "In This Place Called Nowhere", "Endless Journey", "Brazilian Love Dance", 'When Will We Learn", "On Top Of The World (the It Theme)" and "Never Let You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A key 70s album from Blue Mitchell – and a set that's perfectly balanced between the lyricism of his mid 60s sides for Blue Note, and the electric funk of later years! The tracks are long, and have a really great vibe – plenty of room for Mitchell's sweet trumpet in the lead, with longer solos than on his last funk albums for Blue Note – and given a nice sense of bounce, a groove that's almost modal at times, by a group that features Walter Bishop on piano, Larry gales on bass, and Doug Sides on drums. Bishop's clearly playing some Fender Rhodes at times – ala his Black Jazz albums – and the group also features some of the most righteous tenor work we've ever heard from Jimmy Forrest, an artist we really know best for sides from a decade before. Titles include a killer reading of "Soul Village" – later recorded famously by Bishop – plus "Blues For Thelma", "Queen Bey", "Mi Hermano", and "Are You Real". LP, Vinyl record album

Amnesia? We don't know about you, but we still haven't forgotten these seminal house tracks from Larry Heard – easily some of the most exciting work of the Chicago scene – and music that really marked a bit step forward for the sound of the dancefloor at the time! Larry's working here on some really amazing keyboards – often used in ways that have a direct link back to 70s electronics from Herbie Hancock and others, yet served up in a leaner, stripped-down mode that went onto influence a whole batch of British musicians in the next decade as well. The whole thing's way more interesting than just the usual batch of dance tracks – and although the analogue keys have plenty of "acid" elements – they're also really a cut above that genre too. Titles include "Can You Feel It", "Washing Machine", "Beyond The Clouds", "Stars", "Waterfalls", "For So Long", "Amnesia" and "Mystery Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent bit of spare soulful house produced by Larry Heard! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great little session that features some of the best 70s work from these two tenorists – a great little record that has Warn Marsh and Lew Tabackin really opening up next to each other! Toshiko Akiyoshi produced the album for the pair – and although she plays piano on one track, most of the set is piano-less – and opens with this great reed interplay over rhythms from Larry Bunker on drums and John Heard on bass – a very cool setting that's kind of an update of older west coast modes, but with more 70s edges overall! Titles include "Basic #2", "Easy", "March Of The Tadpoles", and "Hangin Loose". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky Funky New Orleans is back – in this 2-part part 2 series! (Confusing, ain't it?) Like the now-famous first volume, both of these second volumes feature a stunning array of rare funky tunes from the Crescent City – obscure funky 45 numbers that go way way past the hits you might find on some of the more general New Orleans compilations, to feature a wealth of material that even we haven't heard before. The sound is a bit rough on a few of these numbers – in a stone-heavy garage funk style that makes the grooves come across even more strikingly than they might otherwise – and there's also a fair bit of 70s jazz funk jamming on these tunes, freer and more upbeat than the usual heavy New Orleans groove. Titles on this first volume include "Quiet Village (parts 1 & 2)" by Dome City Rock Orchestra, "Dull Knifin" by Trick Bag, "Git It" by Sam & The Soul Machine, "Get Down (parts 1 & 2)" by Gary Brown & Soul Machine 2, "Funky Sweep" by Isaac Price II, "Thief" by The Enticers, "Keep The News To Yourself" by Larry Hamilton, "The Joke" by Leonard Harris, and "Gossip" by Larry Hamilton. LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Italian drummer Tullio De Piscopo is at his most dynamic here – effortlessly blending funky jazz, soul, and bits of prog – all at that level that soon made him a legend in the clubs! Tullio's a hell of a drummer at the core – you'll know that if you've ever heard his solo work – and here, he uses his masterful style on the kit alongside bits of vocals, guitar, and bass – plus some great work on saxes and flute from Larry Nocella and Giorgio Baiocco! There's some added percussion at many points too – and Tullio handles rototom, congas, and timpani next to his work on drums – stretching out with some help on arrangements from jazz talents Sante Palumbo and Mario Rusca too. Titles include the longer "Concerto Per Napoli", plus "Afelio", "Fiesta", "Sipario", "Funiculi Funicula", "Periello", "Guainella", "O Stadio", and "Il Mondo Gira". LP, Vinyl record album