The second PJ Harvey album and the last with a stripped down, raw rock trio sound – and a tense, quiet-loud dynamic that's as thrilling today as the day it came out! Includes the challenging, masterful title track that's taut and chilling from beginning to end, but starts so quiet, you're almost forced to crank the volume only to blow your eardrums when the chorus rages in – for our money it's one greatest songs of the early 90s alt rock boom – and that's just beginning! Includes her great cover of "Highway 61 Revisited", "Legs", "Man-Size", "50 Queenie", Yuri-G", "Snake" and "Ecstasy". CD

More than a decade of work from Incognito, and Bluey's still going strong! The group here are picking up some of the 21st Century Soul touches of late 90s Talking Loud – but that's a great thing by us, as they forge together the warmth of their earlier tunes with the crisp freshness of the London scene of the future – hence the title, wethinks! Tracks include "Black Rain", "I Can See The Future", "Nights Over Egypt", "Wild & Peaceful", "Get Into My Groove", "Yesterday's Dream", and "It Ain't Easy". CD

A classic bit of London funky guitar from Ronny Jordan – the heir apparent to Grant Green and Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones – and one of the best new players of his generation! The set takes the older funky guitar styles of the 60s soul jazz generation, and fuses it with a 90s nujazz approach – to come up with some tight groovers that have a surprisingly classic feel, yet which also sparkle with the fresher sounds of the time – some of the hip rhythms that were bubbling around in London during the Talking Loud and early Acid Jazz years. Titles include a great remake of "So What", the jazz/hip hop classic "Get To Grips", and the cuts "Cool & Funky", "Summer Smile", "Show Me", "Nite Spice", and "After Hours". CD

A landmark album from Kiss – the set that really broke them out of the hard rock underground and firmly put them on the rock and roll map – thanks to an all-great set list, and overall presentation of the group at their best! Maybe it's the cover image, but there's a rock-solid quality to the record that seems to make this set stand out just a bit more from the group's 70s classics – a balance between hard rockers, crossover cuts, and even the album's lone ballad, "Beth" which certainly won over a few fans who might have been holding out a bit – nestled alongside other tunes that include "Detroit Rock City", "King Of The Night Time World", "God Of Thunder", "Flaming Youth", "Shout It Out Loud", "Sweet Pain", and "Do You Love Me". CD

It may not be the BeAllEndAll that the Matador hype machine is trying to cook up, but Large Professor's waaaay too long in the making first LP (first to be officially released, anyway) is a very solid effort, and a strong, raw head bumper all the way through. Nothing fancy, just tried and true hip hop, with a loud and clear, confident verbal flow and stable beats and samples. A welcome trip back to not so distant era of hip hop that the Professor first made his mark (Breaking Atoms, Illmatic, etc) without sounding self-consciously retro. Includes "'Bout That Time", " Kool", "Blaze Rhymes", "Stay Chisel" featuring Nas, "In The Sun" featuring Q Tip, "Born To Ball", "Alive In Stereo", and more. CD

What can we say? This is one of the greatest albums of all time – and it's made even better through the addition of a bunch of previously unissued tracks! The record's got a sound that's completely unique – as crack LA garage punk rock meets Hollywood baroque production, and the result is an amazing bit of loud guitar noise backed by strings and horns, all graced by the godlike vocals of the great Arthur Lee. Forever Changes is a milestone in rock – an incredibly bleak document about insanity, escape, and the coming revolution that never happened. Think of all the best moments of Wild In The Streets, Zabriske Point, and Invocation of My Demon Brother rolled into one – and you'll only have a tiny slice of the picture! A record that will haunt us until the day we die – filled with incredible songs like "Alone Again Or", "Old Man", "Daily Planet", "Red Telephone", and "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale". CD version also includes "Hummingbirds (demo)", "Laughing Stock", "Wonder People (I Do Wonder) (outtake)", "Your Mind & We Belong Together", and alternate mixes of tracks on the LP. CD

Stunning! This is one of Jackie McLean's best-ever albums, and it's a haunting mix of hard bop and some of the more modernist tendencies that would inform his "new thing" period. Butch Warren plays bass, and he drives the set with an intensity that reminds us of Mingus – and which fits perfectly with Jackie's writing, which is influenced here clearly by the time he spent with Mingus. The title cut is one of the best tracks you'll ever hear on Blue Note, and both Jackie's alto and Tommy Turrentine's trumpet play fantastic solos all the way through. Sonny Clark's on piano, compin' hard and loud, and the whole LP rolls along with a fantastic sense of urgency that you don't always hear on Blue Note. Bass is by Butch Warren, drums by Billy Higgins, and titles include "Enitnerrut", "Lost", "Five Will Get You Ten", "A Fickle Sonance", and "Sundu". CD

Stunning! This is one of Jackie McLean's best-ever albums, and it's a haunting mix of hard bop and some of the more modernist tendencies that would inform his "new thing" period. Butch Warren plays bass, and he drives the set with an intensity that reminds us of Mingus – and which fits perfectly with Jackie's writing, which is influenced here clearly by the time he spent with Mingus. The title cut is one of the best tracks you'll ever hear on Blue Note, and both Jackie's alto and Tommy Turrentine's trumpet play fantastic solos all the way through. Sonny Clark's on piano, compin' hard and loud, and the whole LP rolls along with a fantastic sense of urgency that you don't always hear on Blue Note. Bass is by Butch Warren, drums by Billy Higgins, and titles include "Enitnerrut", "Lost", "Five Will Get You Ten", "A Fickle Sonance", and "Sundu". CD

Stunning! This is one of Jackie McLean's best-ever albums, and it's a haunting mix of hard bop and some of the more modernist tendencies that would inform his "new thing" period. Butch Warren plays bass, and he drives the set with an intensity that reminds us of Mingus – and which fits perfectly with Jackie's writing, which is influenced here clearly by the time he spent with Mingus. The title cut is one of the best tracks you'll ever hear on Blue Note, and both Jackie's alto and Tommy Turrentine's trumpet play fantastic solos all the way through. Sonny Clark's on piano, compin' hard and loud, and the whole LP rolls along with a fantastic sense of urgency that you don't always hear on Blue Note. Bass is by Butch Warren, drums by Billy Higgins, and titles include "Enitnerrut", "Lost", "Five Will Get You Ten", "A Fickle Sonance", and "Sundu". CD

A searing live set by Charles Mingus – a double-length performance recorded in Antibes during his classic years for Atlantic Records, but not issued by the label until many years later! The album's a great extrapolation of the sound that Mingus had forged on sessions for Columbia, Atlantic, and Candid – the latter label especially, as the tunes here are all quite long, and really put a lot of emphasis on the solo voices of the players in the group. Given that those players include Ted Curson on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Eric Dolphy on alto sax, the sound here is proud and loud throughout – with plenty of fire from all three horns! Bud Powell makes a guest appearance on the set – and titles include "Prayer For Passive Resistance", "What Love", "I'll Remember April", "Folk Forms 1", and "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting". CD

A searing live set by Charles Mingus – a double-length performance recorded in Antibes during his classic years for Atlantic Records, but not issued by the label until many years later! The album's a great extrapolation of the sound that Mingus had forged on sessions for Columbia, Atlantic, and Candid – the latter label especially, as the tunes here are all quite long, and really put a lot of emphasis on the solo voices of the players in the group. Given that those players include Ted Curson on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Eric Dolphy on alto sax, the sound here is proud and loud throughout – with plenty of fire from all three horns! Bud Powell makes a guest appearance on the set – and titles include "Prayer For Passive Resistance", "What Love", "I'll Remember April", "Folk Forms 1", and "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting". CD

The jazz message of Hank Mobley here is loud, proud, and plenty soulful – a key early illustration of his massive talents on the tenor sax, recorded in the relaxed company of top-shelf players of his generation! The format's a bit less structured than Mobley on Blue Note – more in a Prestige mode, although not as loose as a blowing session, given the length of the tunes. Two groups work with Hank on the set – one that includes John LaPorta on alto, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Horace Silver on piano – another with Byrd on trumpet and Ronnie Ball on piano. La Porta's alto is an especially nice treat – quite an unusual modern pairing with Mobley – and rhythm is from either Doug Watkins or Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Cattin", "Madeline", "When I Fall In Love", "Budo", "I Married An Angel", and "The Jazz Message". CD

Motorhead tearing it up in the early 80s and arguably hitting their absolute peak – the final album with the classic trio lineup of Lemmy, Fast Eddie Clarke and Philthy Animal Taylor – capping off one of the most trailblazing periods for any band in rock & roll history! Iron Fist is as unrelenting and stubbornly gruff as the preceding Overkill and Ace Of Spades LPs, a loud and clear statement that this band was committed in full to the sound they created. Includes "Iron Fist", "Hert Of Stone", "I'm The Doctor", "Loser", "Shut It Down", "Speedfreak", "(Don't Need) Religion", "Bang To Rights" and more. CD

The gritty and heavy debut of Onyx – mostly produced by the mighty Jam Master Jay – and whether you dig the style or not, it's one of the most distinctive group rap records of the early 90s! Back in the day, "Slam" got overplayed on cable TV rap video shows, to the point that you could be forgiven the think they were a one trick pony, but nowadays this is a fun record to revisit. A loud, brash, grimy good time, if you ask us! Includes "Bacdafucup", "Bichasniguz", "Throw Ya Gunz", "Blac Vagina Finda", "Slam", "Shifftee" and more – 18 cuts in all. CD

The sound of the trio is loud and clear on this set – captured before a very appreciative crowd at the London House in Chicago, and featuring Peterson at his inventive best! The tracks on the set stretch out longer than most of the group's studio sessions from the time, and the album's recorded in a great way that also includes Oscar's mumbling at the keys – that humming and grunting style that isn't always caught on record, but which adds a great deal of grit and humanity to the record – especially considering his fluid grace on the piano! As usual, Ray Brown is on bass and Ed Thigpen's on drums – and titles include "Tricotism", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Thag's Dance", and "Kadota's Blues". Includes 5 bonus tracks. CD

2 albums recorded by Esther in the years before she broke into big fame on the Kudu label. Burnin is a stunning live set that marked Esther's move from being a loud young R&B singer into an older, more mature interpreter of material in a more jazzy style. She's backed here by a good group that includes Jack Wilson on piano, Richard Tee on organ, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Cornell Dupree on guitar – and she moves through a heartbreaking set of material that heralds her later 70's recordings for Kudu. Tracks include "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream", "And I Love Him", "Shangri-La", and "Please Send Me Someone To Love". Confessin points back at Esther's earlier career in R&B, but has a nice jazzy finish – thanks to players like Sonny Criss, Teddy Edwards, and Herb Ellis – and the record also features a few more sides from the Burnin sessions at Freddie Jett's Nightclub in LA. Titles include "Romance In The Dark", "I Wonder", "I'm Getting Long Alright", "In The Evenin", and "I Love Paris". Due to time limit restrictions, the CD excludes the cuts "I'm Getting Long Alright" and "It Could Happen To You" from the LPs. CD

Classic spiritual soul jazz from Pharoah – recorded with an all star lineup that includes Lonnie Liston Smith, Cecil McBee, Roy Haynes, and Michael White. The album's got a strong influence from the members on the set – particularly Lonnie Liston Smith, who seems to bring in a very nicely soulful approach to a few of the numbers, and Michael White, whose spiritual consciousness is still a bit rough-hewn and personal at this point. The record oddly shifts mood from track to track – going from the mellow soul of "Astral Traveling", into the loud free jazz of "Red Black & Green", to the modal grooving of "Thembi", and into the spiritual joy of "Love" and "Bailophone Dance" – all of which makes for a really wonderful album, one of Pharoah's strongest statements of the time! CD

Sault have always been fantastic, but it also seems that with each new release, they get even more powerful and progressive – opening up a more radical agenda that really comes through in their music! The group don't state their position with the title of the record – which is essentially untitled – but their message comes through loud and clear in the way the righteous lyrics mix perfectly with their spare, stark instrumentation – a range of rhythms that often make it hard to tie Sault to any one category or scene, but which also makes the record bristle with excitement – on titles that include "Don't Shoot Guns Down", "Wildfires", "Sorry Ain't Enough", "Black Is", "Stop Dem", "Hard Life", "Hold Me", "Only Synth In Church", "Why We Cry When We Die", and "Bow", which features a guest appearance from Michael Kiwanuka. CD

A mad mix of loud guitar, wild samples, and heavy Brazilian percussion – all nicely topped with the soulful vocals of Chico Science! The record's one of the group's earlier ones, and it's filled with a sense of raw power and experimentation that easily demonstrates why the band grabbed so much attention so quickly. Forget all those cliches you keep hearing about the postmodern power of Tropicalia – this stuff's equally as complex, and filled with bits and pieces you wouldn't even imagine! Titles include "Da Lama Ao Caos", "Salusatiano Song", "Riso Flora", "Coco Dub", "Rios, Pontes & Overdrives", and "A Cidade", which has a nice little snippet from Mark E Smith! CD

Music from "Just My Luck", "King For A Day", "High And Mighty", "Protocol", "Make Me", "The Nag", "Georgia On My Mind", "Blue Matter", "Wabash", "Loud Jazz", "Science And Religion", and "The Boss's Car". CD

Shabazz Palaces takes spacey hip hop further out then they've every done before, while still somehow holding ground in hazy, headnodding beats and rhymes – delivering 2 separate albums loosely centered around a cosmic character called Quazarz! Far out as concept is and as thickly atmospheric as the vocals are record, Born On A Gangster Star and Quazarz Vs The Jealous Machines still manage to come across as some of the most immediately accessible music the duo have recorded to date – but still a far murkier, moodier outer space experience than Ishmael Butler's pioneering legendary work with jazz rap pioneers Digable Planets or the underrated Cherrywine. Includes "Since CAYA", "When Cats Claw", "Shine A Light" feat Thaddillac, "Deese Du Sang", "Eel Dreams" feat Loud Eyes Lou, "Parallax" feat The Palaceer Lazaro, "The Neurchem Mixalogue", "That's How City Life Goes", "Moon Whip Quaz" feat Darrius and "Federalist Papers". CD

Titles include "Genevieve", "Little Liza Jane", "Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu", "Just A Lonely Clown", "Free, Single And Disengaged", "For Cryin' Out Loud", and more – 24 tracks total. CD

The early 70s glam masterpiece from T Rex – setting the standard for the sounds to come – and pop landmark status aside, it's probably the best album Bolan, Mickey Finn and the group ever cut! On Electric Warrior, T Rex resurrects the primitive spirit of the seediest rock of their predecessors, with a sound that's loud and anthemic. They hide sax, fluegelhorn and classical-styled strings under loud guitars, making this some of prettiest sleaze of the 70s! Classic! Includes the classics "Jeepster", "Bang A Gong (Get It On)", "Life's A Gas", "Monolith", "Planet Queen, "Girl" and more. CD

Uncle Tupelo's excellent, unfussy, fairly timeless final album – with equally good songs written by Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy that sound great together even if it's pretty clear in retrospect that they were soon to split up for good. The difference between Uncle Tupelo's loud guitar ragers and folk and roots infused songcraft got a lot more seamless over their years as a band, and on Anodyne they tend to let their rootsier influences shine a little brighter without sacrificing the grit and muscle of the more electric material. This one notably features John Stirratt and Ken Coomer, soon to join Tweedy in Wilco. Includes "Slate", "Acuff-Rose", "The Long Cut", a cover of Doug Sahm's "Give Back The Key To My Heart" featuring Sahm himself on vocals, "Chickamauga", "Anodyne", "15 Keys", "High Water", "Steal The Crumbs" and more. CD

A previously unreleased live date from late in the career of Ben Webster – recorded at The Renaissance in Hollywood in 1960, but unissued until nearly 25 years later! The group features Jim Hall on guitar, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and tracks are all longish, and live-feeling – with that sense of fragility that marked some of Webster's later recordings in this mode, and even further deepened the humanity in his tone. And while the recording quality is definitely "live" at times, Ben's tone comes through loud and clear – different than on some of the tighter Verve recordings of a few years before, but in a way that's really great. Titles include "Georgia On My Mind, "Caravan", "Stardust", and "Ole Miss Blues". CD features 4 more bonus tracks – "Gone With The Wind", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Mop Mop", and "Renaissance Blues". CD

In pretty much any bio of the pioneering art punk band Wire you'll read about how between 1977 and 1979, the group made three of the best, most forward looking rock albums of the era. First they perfected punk rock (Pink Flag), a year later they opened the doors to the more melodic new wave (Chairs Missing), and followed that up by introducing experimental electronics and metronomic beats (154), clearing the way for the aggro-post-punk-dance music of the early 80s. 10 years from now, there will probably be an addendum to all of those bios, stating that in 2002/2003 Wire finally returned to form – and they were as great as they ever were! We love our hyperbole around here, there's no denying that, but we really can't overstate how amazing Send is for Wire fans. As much as they've been around in various forms, Colin Newman and co. have not sounded this vital since 1979. None of the million billion indie rock kids emulating the old boys are even in the same universe, despite what your local hipster papers and zines might say. The album is basically a collection of the comeback EPs Wire self-released in 2002 – Read And Burn 1 & 2 – plus four newer, equally ferocious tracks. The first half kind of serves as the logical 2002/3 equivalent of their razor melody guitar sound of the late 70s, and the second half adds the aggro/electro beat-driven stuff that was bastardized by others (and at times by Wire themselves) all through the 80s and 90s. The whole thing is consistent, aggressive as all-get-out, and a stunningly loud comeback that we never saw coming. It's all the more rewarding because of it. "In The Art Of Stopping", "Mr. Marx's Table", "Being Watched", "The Agfers Of Kodack", "Nice Streets Above", "Spent", "Read And Burn", "You Can't Leave Now", "Half Eaten", "99.9." CD

One of the best funky compilations ever! The folks at Stones Throw Records – home of some of the most funk-inspired hip hop of the past decade – have dug through the crates to come up with this incredible batch of 22 tunes, all well-researched, nicely remastered, and offered up here on a 100% legit basis! But even more than that, the selection of music is incredible – killer funky tunes of the sort that you'd shell out plenty for on 45, moving way past the standard loud funk mode, into a hip realm of jazz-tinged expression, complicated enough for today's beatheads, yet straightforward enough to keep the groove going! Titles include "Fish Head" by Slim & The Soulful Saints, "The Dump" by Soul Vibrations, "What About You" by Co Real Artists, "The Kick" by The Rhythm Machine, "Kashmere" by Kashmere Stage Band, "Tighten Up Tighter" by Billy Ball & The Upsetters, "Beautiful Day" by Spider Harrison, "Southside Funk" by Soul Seven, "In The Rain" by The Wooden Glass with Billy Wooten, and "Go To Work" by Revolution Compared To What. CD version includes 2 bonus cuts too! CD

The fourth fantastic chapter in this wonderful trip through the 60s – headed up by author Jon Savage, as a great soundtrack to his documents of the time! If you know Savage at all, you'll know to expect something different and fresh – an unusual take on the period, and one that goes way past the chart hits and overplayed oldies – to instead uncover currents of cultural activity at a much deeper level! And sure, there's a number of familiar songs here – but they're mixed with lesser-known gems, and presented in this great double-length package that features 48 tracks in all – all with notes from Savage himself. Titles include "Talkin About The Good Times" by Pretty Things, "Eastern Organ" by Brother Dan All Stars, "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "Say It Loud (part 1)" by James Brown, "Omnibus" by The Move, "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth, "Everydays" by Buffalo Springfield", "How Does It Feel To Feel" by The Creation, "Dear Delilah" by Grapefruit, "Machines" by Lothar & The Hand People, "Tomorrow Street Puzzle" by Fairport Convention, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit, "Kick Out The Jams (preview pressing)" by MC5, "World In A Jug" by Canned Heat, "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, and "Why Does It Feel So Right" by The Shades Of Jade. CD

A massive batch of music – and almost as worth it for the overall package as it is for the great tunes inside! Like other volumes in this series, this set is beautifully put together – not only stuffed with an amazing array of classic soul from a key year in the 60s – but also done with a full color booklet that's over 60 pages long – filled with track-by-track notes on the tunes, and filled with great photos, images, and historical data! The whole thing's a perfect soul music time capsule – with the depth of production that we've always loved in Bear Family releases for other genres. Titles include "Take Time To Know Her" by Percy Sledge, "Stay In My Corner (single edit)" by The Dells, "Cloud Nine" by The Temptations, "I'm In Love" by Wilson Pickett, "Tighten Up (part 1)" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Slip Away" by Clarence Carter, "Grazing In The Grass" by Hugh Masekela, "Funky Street" by Arthur Conley, "The Snake" by Al Wilson, "Girl Watcher" by The O'Kaysions, "Say It Loud I'm Black & I'm Proud" by James Brown, and "I've Never Found A Girl" by Eddie Floyd. CD

Given that Chick Corea first got his start working in the New York Latin scene back in the 60s, the album's a bit of a return to his roots – even if the general theme here is Spanish, and not Afro-Cuban! The Corea Spanish Heart here is cast in some darker, more contemplative tones than more traditional Latin sides – but it borrows a wonderful array of modes from genres past – including bits of strings, percussion, and an overall more ambitious approach that sometimes shows up in Chick's piano work, or in the general construction of the tunes. The double-length set features a wide variety of Spanish-influenced numbers – played by Corea on acoustic piano and a variety of keyboards, with other players who include Don Alias, Jean Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke, and Steve Gadd. Titles include "Love Castle", "The Gardens", "Night Streets", "The Hilltop", "Armando's Rhumba", "Prelude To El Bozo", "Spanish Fantasy", and "My Spanish Heart". CD includes the bonus track, "The Clouds". CD

The only 2 trio sessions recorded by pianist and vibist Eddie Costa – both done in the late 50s, a few years before Eddie's untimely early death! The first 9 tracks on the CD feature work from the Eddie Costa/Vinnie Burke Trio album – a spare and sweet little set from the team of Costa and Burke – one of the best of the east coast chamber jazz pairings of the 50s! The duo's trio has Eddie on piano and vibes, Vinnie on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – all working together to craft light, rhythmic versions of tunes that really change them up rhythmically – working in the most playful mode of the time to freely create over the top of familiar numbers that include "Fascinating Rhythm", "It Could Happen To You", "Sweet & Lovely", "Yesterdays", and "Let's Do It". The set also features two nice originals – "Unison Blues" and "Pile Driver". House Of Blue Lights is a quite different record altogether – one that has Eddie playing with a much heavier touch on the left hand – inflecting the keys in a bluesier mode, but also working here with some modern touches from drummer Paul Motian, who's in the trio along with bassist Wendell Marshall. Costa's tone has changed decidedly for the record – and he's often got a loudly flowing approach to the keys that echoes later work by McCoy Tyner, Steve Kuhn, and other key 60s innovators. And even though tracks are again mostly familiar numbers, Costa's really pushing them to new levels – pushing, pausing, and twisting them into unusual time structures and melodic progressions. Titles include "House Of Blue Lights", "Diane", "When I Fall In Love", "My Funny Valentine", "What's To Ya", and "Anabelle". 15 tracks in all – 9 from the Costa/Burke Trio album, and 6 from Blue Lights. CD

The second LP from Cypress Hill, and as far as we're concerned, the last good one. Muggs' beats get a bit darker on this album, but are still sharp enough to cut through even the thickest clouds of smoke. 14 tracks in all, including "I Wanna Get High", "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That", "Insane In The Brain", "When The Sh** Goes Down", "Hits FromThe Bong", "A To The K", "Hand On The Glock" and "Break 'Em Off Some". CD

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With "Europa & The Pirate Twins", "Flying North", "Weightless", "Windpower", "She Blinded Me With Science", "Commercial Breakup", "Airwaves", "Radio Silence" and "Cloudburst At Shingle Street". CD

Includes the songs "Come Sunday", "Don't You Know I Care", "I Didn't Know About You", "Mood To Be Woo'd", "Everything But You", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So", "Memphis Blues", "Royal Garden Blues", "Golden Cress", "Stomp, Look And Listen", "On A Turquoise Cloud", "New York City Blues", "Fancy Dan", "The Hawk Talks", "V.I.P.'s Boogie", "Jam With Sam", "Perdido", "Skin Deep", and "Satin Doll". CD

Daniel Erdmann on saxophone, Frank Mobus on guitar, Vincent Courtois on cello, and Samuel Rohrer on drums. CD

Tremendous guitar work from the great Tal Farlow – easily one of our favorite jazz guitarists ever, and a player with a wonderful sense of tone and timing! This early album has Tal declaring himself loudly and firmly – using a style that's got some slightly raspy edges, and which is a nice change from some of the too-clean modes of other 50s guitarists. The album features a core original 10" album session with a group that includes Oscar Pettiford on bass, Barry Galbraith on guitar, and Joe Morello on drums – plus 4 more tracks from a trio with Red Mitchell on bass and Claude Williamson on piano. Titles include "This Is Always", "Tea For Two", "Blues In The Closet", "Gibson Boy", "My Old Flame", "Is There Somebody Lovelier Than You", "Everything I've Got", "You And The Night and Music", "Love Nest", and "When The Wind And The Rain Are In Your Hair". CD