A fantastic live performance from Alice Coltrane – and one that features a very heavy-hitting group – stretching out here in a beautiful performance of extended tracks that maybe takes off even more than some of Coltrane's famous albums for Impulse Records! The group is great – and features features both Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp on tenor, in a spirit that's as strong and righteous as Alice's Ptah The El Daoud album – plus more doubling from two bassists – Jimmy Garrison and Cecil McBee – two drummers – Ed Blackwell and Clifford Jarvis – plus tambura from Tulsi and harmonium from Kumar Kramer – all laid out with both piano and harp from Alice Coltrane herself. The set features four very long tracks – "Shiva Loka", "Africa", "Leo", and "Journey In Satchidananda". LP, Vinyl record album

A perennial favorite in the John Coltrane catalog – a beautiful set of standards, handled in a warm laidback style – but which still has some of the depth of soul that John Coltrane brought to his more experimental work on Impulse Records! The album's a classic introduction to the music of Trane – and maybe is tied more closely to the spirit of some of his work on Atlantic Records, and makes a 'ally transforms them, thanks in part to the sublime work of Jimmy Garrison on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, and McCoy Tyner on piano. The album's completely solid all the way through – and although it won't change your life as much as A Love Supreme, it will show what a fantastically strong player Coltrane was, in any sort of setting! Titles include "I Wish I Knew", "What's New", "Nancy", "You Don't Know What Love Is", and "All Or Nothing At All". LP, Vinyl record album

A perennial favorite in the John Coltrane catalog – a beautiful set of standards, handled in a warm laidback style – but which still has some of the depth of soul that John Coltrane brought to his more experimental work on Impulse Records! The album's a classic introduction to the music of Trane – and maybe is tied more closely to the spirit of some of his work on Atlantic Records, and makes a nice bridge between the two bodies of work – as the Great One takes on older jazz tunes, but really transforms them, thanks in part to the sublime work of Jimmy Garrison on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, and McCoy Tyner on piano. The album's completely solid all the way through – and although it won't change your life as much as A Love Supreme, it will show what a fantastically strong player Coltrane was, in any sort of setting! Titles include "I Wish I Knew", "What's New", "Nancy", "You Don't Know What Love Is", and "All Or Nothing At All". LP, Vinyl record album

A perennial favorite in the John Coltrane catalog – a beautiful set of standards, handled in a warm laidback style – but which still has some of the depth of soul that John Coltrane brought to his more experimental work on Impulse Records! The album's a classic introduction to the music of Trane – and maybe is tied more closely to the spirit of some of his work on Atlantic Records, and makes a nice bridge between the two bodies of work – as the Great One takes on older jazz tunes, but really transforms them, thanks in part to the sublime work of Jimmy Garrison on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, and McCoy Tyner on piano. The album's completely solid all the way through – and although it won't change your life as much as A Love Supreme, it will show what a fantastically strong player Coltrane was, in any sort of setting! Titles include "I Wish I Knew", "What's New", "Nancy", "You Don't Know What Love Is", and "All Or Nothing At All". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – material recorded as the soundtrack for the Canadian film Le Chat Danse Le Sac – which features new recordings of material that Coltrane had done in previous years, but really updated by the fresh version of this group! Although the music was used in the film, which was an art house hit at best, it's never been issued on record before – and in fact, its existence was something of a mystery until not that long ago – quite a surprise, given that the sessions were done at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, and have a quality level that really matches the Impulse Records best by these musicians! The tunes are almost like this amazing bridge between the mid 60s Impulse years and the Coltrane sound at the start of the decade on Atlantic – as the grooves are modal, and most music is more inside than the group was hitting by 1965 – yet still burning with that searching spirit that made them so great. The lineup, of course, features John Coltrane on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the whole thing is an instant key addition to the catalog of this tremendous quartet. Titles include two takes on "Naima", three takes on "Village Blues", and the tracks "Like Sonny", "Traneing In", and "Blue World". LP, Vinyl record album

One of John Coltrane's best early albums for Impulse – a warm set of modally grooving tracks, and one that picks up where My Favorite Things left off! The group here features McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really magical rhythm section that pulsates with life throughout, and propels Coltrane with a lot more soaring energy than he was getting on records a few years before! Coltrane plays both tenor and soprano sax – the latter of which is especially great, again in ways that have a My Favorite Things sort of feel – edgey, almost exotic at times, with a snakey sublime quality. The album includes wonderful readings of "The Inch Worm" and "Out Of This World" – plus the tracks "Soul Eyes", "Tunji", and "Miles' Mode". Great stuff – and an essential album for any jazz collection! LP, Vinyl record album

The title may be a simple one, but the record really marks a key point in John Coltrane's development – an embrace of the newer freedoms allowed to him at Atlantic Records, but in a way that's a bit more subtle than some of his other work for the label! At one level, the record moves at the same groove as Trane's later Prestige years – with rhythm mostly from Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – carving out some sharp lines for Coltrane to cascade over on tenor sax. Yet there's also a new sense of darkness here too – one that moves into edgier territory, and which isn't nearly as settled in as before. These qualities sneak out of both original numbers like "Harmonique", "Fifth House", and "Like Sonny" – as well as standards like "My Shining Hour" and "Little Old Lady". And they really come to the forefront on the classic "Village Blues" – the one track that features the new Coltrane group of McCoy Tyner, Steve Davis, and Elvin Jones! LP, Vinyl record album

Modal Coltrane at its finest – a record that almost returns the great one to the territory explored at the end of his years at Atlantic Records, but which still incorporates all of the new ideas learned afterwards! The album's actually one of the straightest that John Coltrane cut after 1964 – and it features 4 long, beautiful tracks that soar with rhythms from McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones – topped with searing, searching work on tenor and soprano sax from Coltrane! Titles include one of the greatest readings of "Chim Chim Cheree" we've ever heard – a version that remakes the tune almost as a part 2 of "My Favorite Things" – and other titles include "Song of Praise", the classic "Nature Boy" and "Brazilia". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublimely spiritual work from the great John Coltrane – a live album, but one that's easily one of his most important contributions to music in the early 60s – and a set that we'd rank right up there with his best studio sides for Impulse or Atlantic Records at the time! The group here features McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – plus the very important addition of Eric Dolphy on the leadoff tune "Spiritual" – a number that features Dolphy on bass clarinet alongside Coltrane's tremendous tenor, as both players open up on extended solos that take the tune to nearly 14 minutes in length! Other numbers omit Dolphy, but are still totally great – and Coltrane picks up the soprano sax for a classic reading of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" – and the group shifts slightly for the freer "Chasin The Trane", a 16 minute romp done with only tenor sax, drums, and bass – the latter of which is handled here by Jimmy Garrison instead of Workman. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic addition to the John Coltrane catalog, and a set that's wonderful for so many different reasons it's hard to fit them all in one short passage! As the title implies, the album features a rare live performance of "Love Supreme" – done in 1965, when the work was new both to the world, and the classic Coltrane quartet with McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Yet the version here is also very different than the album reading – looser, with more "interlude" passages – at a level that already has the group drinking in the spirit of the tune, and finding a way to rise with a new spiritual majesty! Another key part of the recording is the presence of Pharoah Sanders on tenor – making a very early appearance with the group – amidst a septet lineup that also features a very young Carlos Ward on alto, and Donald Rafael Garrett on bass – players who expand the lineup in ways that show some of Coltrane's growing experiments past the quartet structure. The whole thing was recorded at the Penthouse Club in Seattle – a place that's given us some other fantastic "lost" recordings from the 60s in recent years – and the record is essential listening, even if you own the studio Love Supreme record, or any other Coltrane records at all. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiraling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that's quite different than you might expect from the title – one of the most adventurous records issued on Impulse during the life of John Coltrane! The tracks here are all quite free and far-reaching – hardly the mellow "meditations" you might expect – and more the new unbridled sense of energy that Trane was letting loose in the post-Love Supreme years. The group here features some tremendous tenor from Pharoah Sanders – joining the core lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – who himself is inspired to new heights by the addition of Rashied Ali as a second drummer. The work has a searing emotive quality that goes beyond most that Coltrane had recorded before this point – and titles include the classic "The Father The Son & The Holy Ghost", plus "Love", "Consequences", "Serenity", and "Compassion". LP, Vinyl record album

Richly soulful sounds from Nicola Conte – his first album for Far Out Records, but a set that shows the spiritual journey he's been on for the past decade or so on a variety of other labels! Conte has really matured into a jazz visionary – using the same energy here with live musicians that he used to bring to studio projects – in a warm blend of classic soulful styles, with work from an excellent lineup that includes Zara McFarlane and Myles Sanko on vocals, Alberto Parmegiani on guitar, Timo Lassy on tenor, Simon Mullier on vibes, Milena Jancuric on flute, and Ameen Saleem on bass. All players are wonderful – pushing past anything we might have expected – and McFarlane is especially great on the record, almost hitting heights that feel like Dee Dee Bridgewater back in the day! Titles include "Arise", "Dance Of Love & Peace", "Flying Circles", "Freedom & Progress", "Soul Of The People", "Into The Light Of Love", "Umoja Unity", and "Heritage". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking Hammond work from the young Dave Cortez – sounding grittier here than on some of his other albums of the time – less pop, and almost with a soul jazz vibe overall – especially given some of his snakey solos! The record may be the closest that Cortez ever came to sounding like Jimmy McGriff – and the backings are tight and soulful, very similar to McGriff at Sue Records – handled by Henry Grover, who also produced. There's an uncredited tenor player on the record who's mighty nice – and a few cuts feature cool female backing vocals – and titles include "Belly Rub (parts 1 & 2)", "In Orbit", "Countdown (parts 1 & 2)", "Sticks & Stones", and "Peg Leg". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful group – and one who might also be called the Chicago Creative Construction Company – as the combo has a fair bit of contributions from members of the AACM! There's an openly inventive spirit here that's quite similar to early Art Ensemble Of Chicago records, with similar instrumental variety between the members of the group – a fantastic lineup that includes Anthony Braxton on saxes, flute, and clarinets; Leroy Jenkins on violin, viola, recorder, harmonica, and xylophone; Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet, seal horn, flugelhorn, and French Horn; Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, cello, and clarinet; Richard Davis on bass; and Steve McCall on drums and percussion. Ornette Coleman produced the performance, which was recorded live at the Peace Church in New York – and this second volume features one long track, titled "No More White Gloves". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

De La Soul take on the world of hip hop with a record that's very much at the top of their game – leaner in production than before, but at a level that also brings a bit more bite to their rhymes – a good thing too, as the group take on some of their contemporaries as they assess the state of hip hop in the shadow of the 21st Century! The shift from previous records is almost like that taken by Tribe Called Quest on Low End Theory – focusing their music, while still throwing in some of their trademark skits – and maybe even making the group sound more serious, yet never in some of the "too hard" styles that they rail against on the set. The set has two key moments for the up-and-coming generation – great cut "The Bizness", with a guest appearance by Common, and "Big Brother Beat" with help from Mos Def – next to other tracks that include "Supa Emcees", "Itzsoweezee", and "Betta Listen". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – one that we'd never part with! The session is one of Blossom Dearie's greatest records ever – a sublime set of tunes recorded in London, at the end of the 60s, with larger arrangements than usual, and a feel that's almost psychedelic. Backings were arranged and conducted by Brian Gascoigne – with a host of Brit underground jazz players that include Harold McNair, Ian Carr, Kenny Wheeler, and Ray Warleigh. More incredibly than that, though, is the set of tunes that Blossom wrote and chose for the record – tunes that have really dark edges, playful turns, and which go past the simplicity of some of her other work. The whole thing's truly amazing – really – and is a record that we've been coming back to again and again and again over the years! Titles include "I Know The Moon", "Long Daddy Green", "Hey John", "That's Just The Way I Want To Be", "Dusty Springfield", "Will There Really Be A Morning", and "I Like London In The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin". LP, Vinyl record album

Great keyboard funk from Deodato – one of his excellent mid 70s sessions for MCA, all of which are sometimes eclipsed by his CTI work, but still equally groovy! As with most of the other MCA records, the songs here are shorter than before – but in a way that allows for even more punch in the groove – especially on the bottom end of the tracks, which hit hard in a space that's somewhere between 70s soundtrack funk and more conventional fusion. The style's not nearly as slick as some of D's contemporaries were going at the time – and there's a nice range of material here that really makes for a complex vibe! Titles include "Theme From Star Trek", "Peter Gunn", "I Shot The Sherriff", "Black Widow", "Amani", "Juanita", and "Univac Loves You". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant album from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a set that's maybe a bit less-known than some of his records for Blue Note, but a set that shares a lot with those classics – as it's got that similar mix of larger compositional structures and more open solo moments! Kenny's own playing is tremendous, and the rest of the group is wonderful – a unique lineup with Jackie McLean on alto, Bobby Timmons on piano, Teddy Smith on bass, and JC Moses on drums – all working with Kenny in a slightly Latin tinged mode that features some really shimmering trumpet work! The record features a stunning three part reading of McLean's haunting tune "Melanie" (done under his name on the album A Fickle Sonance) – plus the tracks "Prelude", "El Matador", "Smile", and "There Goes My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Lamont Dozier's biggest albums of the 70s – a sweet debut for Warner Brothers, but one that still keeps all the best elements of his ABC albums firmly intact! Arrangements are still by Lamont and McKinley Jackson – who really know how to help Dozier find that tightness brewed up in the Detroit scene, while also pushing things further with some upbeat grooves that really find new territory too! Dozier's vocals are great – that slightly less than perfect style that always makes his work sound so personal and meaningful next to some of his slicker 70s contemporaries – a really appealing style that always has his 70s records at the top of our listening stack. Titles include "Joy", "Groovin On a Natural High", "Right There", "With A Little Bit Of Mending (We Could Be As Good As New)", "Ain't Never Loved Nobody", and a great remake of "It's the Same Old Song". LP, Vinyl record album

The golden hits of The Drifters, but a set that mostly features on the group's great second chapter at Atlantic Records – a time when original singer Clyde McPhatter had left the group, and Ben E King and Rudy Lewis came in with a very different style in the lead! Lieber & Stoller were strongly behind the group at this point, really making magic with the rhythms of the tunes too – those unusual rhythms that really set the early 60s Drifters apart from the pack – as you'll hear on cuts that include "There Goes My Baby", "(If You Cry) True Love, True Love", "Dance With Me", "This Magic Moment", "Save The Last Dance For Me", "I Count The Tears", "Some Kind Of Wonderful", "Up On The Roof", "On Broadway","Under The Boardwalk", "I've Got Sand In My Shoes", and "Saturday Night At The Movies". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare one from Teddy – and one of his hippest records! Unlike some of Edwards other 60s sides, which are competent but uncompelling bop-inflected ones, this set grooves in a soulful way that's clearly influenced by the Blue Note sound of the mid 60s, and which has Edwards really stretching out his solos to meet the energy of the players on the set. Jimmy Owens is on trumpet, Cedar Walton plays piano, and the rest of the group includes Garnett Brown, Ben Tucker, and Lenny McBrowne. Tracks are all pretty darn groovy – and trust us, Edwards will blow your socks off! Titles include "Afraid Of Love", "Mamacita Lisa", "Back Alley Blues", "The Cellar Dweller", "Moving In", and "It's All Right". LP, Vinyl record album

Two of the best west coast boppers of the postwar years – back together again in a killer revival date cut by Contemporary Records! As the title implies, the set's got a backward-looking sort of feel – at least for the early 60s recording date – but from the perspective of our generation, the whole thing merges nicely into the classic sound of LA bop – perhaps extending out the original Central Ave groove a bit more, thanks to the generous recording spirit of Contemporary, and the longer tracks on the date. Edwards plays tenor, McGhee plays trumpet, and other players include Phineas Newborn on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include "Together Again", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "Up There", "Perhaps", "Misty" and "Sandy". LP, Vinyl record album

Two of the best west coast boppers of the postwar years – back together again in a killer revival date cut by Contemporary Records! As the title implies, the set's got a backward-looking sort of feel – at least for the early 60s recording date – but from the perspective of our generation, the whole thing merges nicely into the classic sound of LA bop – perhaps extending out the original Central Ave groove a bit more, thanks to the generous recording spirit of Contemporary, and the longer tracks on the date. Edwards plays tenor, McGhee plays trumpet, and other players include Phineas Newborn on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include "Together Again", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "Up There", "Perhaps", "Misty" and "Sandy". LP, Vinyl record album

2 great 60s sessions from Duke Ellington – both with a key tenorist! First up is Duke Ellington & Coleman Hawkins – the meeting of two classic talents late in their careers – in a setting that's ideal to bring out all the complexity of their well-honed genius! The approach of the album is mostly an Ellington one – as the group features some of Duke's stalwarts, like Ray Nance, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Lawrence Brown, and Aaron Bell – but Coleman Hawkins gets plenty of space as the main soloist on each number, alongside Duke, who also solos strongly on piano! As with most later records by the players, the writing is great – with a lot more dark moments than you'd expect – and titles include "The Rictic", "You Dirty Dog", "Limbo Jazz", "Wanderlust", and "Self Portrait Of The Bean". Next is Duke Ellington & John Coltrane – a seminal meeting of the old and new generations of jazz in the 60s – put together in perfect Impulse fashion! At some level, this is actually an early 60s John Coltrane Quartet album – with Duke Ellington sitting in for McCoy Tyner on piano, as that's the lineup on about half of the album – tracks that feature Coltrane on tenor, Elvin Jones on drums, and Jimmy Garrison on bass, all working with Ellington on the keys. On other titles, though, the album features Coltrane playing with a Duke-ish trio that has Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums – slightly less modern, but with a nice sense of depth throughout! Overall, the the record does a great job of balancing between the best talents of both players – and titles include "Big Nick", "The Feeling Of Jazz", "Take The Coltrane", and "My Little Brown Book". LP, Vinyl record album

Great small combo work by Roberta Flack, recorded early in her career, when she was still one of the hippest things around – and it's among her best records! Roberta's really come into her own as vocalist at this point and solidifying here personal style – with that clear tone and perfectly controlled style and phrasing – balancing a jazzy sensibility with the emotions of her gospel roots. A few tracks have some large arrangements by Arif Mardin, William Eaton, or Deodato – but most tracks feature a core group of studio jazz players that includes players like Joe Farrell, Richard Tee, Chuck Rainey, Hubert Laws, and Bernard Purdie. Includes a version of Eugene McDaniels' "Sunday & Sister Jones", plus "Go Up Moses", "To Love Somebody", "Let Them Talk", and "Sweet Bitter Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The cover image may look a bit sinister, but the album's a perfect early example of the genius of Fleetwood Mac during their heavy blues years – a non-nonsense approach to the music that still manages to move the whole genre forward from the styles of the mod generation! The legendary Peter Green is in amazing form on guitar – maybe not as experimental as on records to come, but already able to challenge his inspirations with razor-sharp dexterity and a real sense of feeling. The rest of the group features Mick Fleetwood on drums, John McVie on bass, and Jeremy Spencer on slide guitar and piano – and titles include the originals "Stop Messin Around", "Rollin Man", "Love That Burns", "Evenin Boogie", "Trying So Hard To Forget", and "Coming Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Aretha Franklin's definitely growing into her role as a soul sister here – a later date for Columbia Records that hints a bit at the sounds to come on Atlantic! Backings are by Robert Mersey and Belford Hendricks – both of whom use some relatively full orchestrations and occasional backing vocals – in ways that almost translate a 60s country soul aesthetic to a leaner, cleaner sound for Aretha's strong vocals. Franklin, as always, is great – the kind of singer that really illuminates any tune she gets – even familiar numbers that seem to take on new life in her hands. The material is a bit deeper-digging than before on Columbia – less covers, and more tunes that are well-suited to Aretha's sensibilities – including a few penned by Van McCoy or Hendricks. Titles include "Until You Were Gone", "Follow Your Heart", "A Mother's Love", "I'm Losing You", "Take A Look", and "Can't You See Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Streetwise raps from Freddie Gibbs, backed by inventive production from Madlib – here on one of the best records yet on 'Lib's own Madlib Invazion imprint! If you'll forgive us a little bit of repetition – because we KNOW we've written this before – there's just something extra riveting about Madlib's production work for straight shooting, street lingo slinging, no nonsense MCs. The freewheeling inspiration and bottomless depth of unpredictable sample funk is there, as always. It's leaner, tighter and with a thicker backdrop of beats. Gibbs is sharply on point throughout here, and if it seems like an oddball pairing at first glance, rest assured, these guys work GREAT together. Guests include Danny Brown – who drops some top shelf wordplay of his own on "High" – plus the Wu legend Raekwon on "Bomb", Domo Genius & Earl Sweatshirt on "Robes", Domo Genius, G-Whiz, Mac Miller and more on the title cut, and more. Other titles include "Supplier", "Scarface", "Deeper", "Harold's", "Thuggin'", "Real" and "Uno". LP, Vinyl record album

Streetwise raps from Freddie Gibbs, backed by inventive production from Madlib – here on one of the best records yet on 'Lib's own Madlib Invazion imprint! If you'll forgive us a little bit of repetition – because we KNOW we've written this before – there's just something extra riveting about Madlib's production work for straight shooting, street lingo slinging, no nonsense MCs. The freewheeling inspiration and bottomless depth of unpredictable sample funk is there, as always. It's leaner, tighter and with a thicker backdrop of beats. Gibbs is sharply on point throughout here, and if it seems like an oddball pairing at first glance, rest assured, these guys work GREAT together. Guests include Danny Brown – who drops some top shelf wordplay of his own on "High" – plus the Wu legend Raekwon on "Bomb", Domo Genius & Earl Sweatshirt on "Robes", Domo Genius, G-Whiz, Mac Miller and more on the title cut, and more. Other titles include "Supplier", "Scarface", "Deeper", "Harold's", "Thuggin'", "Real" and "Uno". LP, Vinyl record album

The last solo Jerry Garcia album, and a record that's a great illustration of just how far Garcia had come as an artist away from the Grateful Dead! The tunes are still full of that sunnier, more compact energy the group were doing on their own records in the period – but Jerry's also stepping out more with a sense of presence in the lead – and working in a lineup that has a lot more focus and punch than his more acoustic outings. There's plenty of great organ on the record – a bit by Merl Saunders, most by Melvin Seals – and bassist John Khan handles other instruments as well, and arranges most of the tunes. Titles include Jerry's version of the Dylan classic "Knockin On Heaven's Door" – plus "Midnight Getaway", "Run For The Roses", "Leave The Little Girl Alone", and "Valerie" – plus Garcia's take on the Clyde McPhatter soul tune "Without Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic mid 60s album from Grant Green – but one that never got its due originally, because it was unreleased at the time – and didn't come out until a Japanese version in the late 70s! Despite that oddly long gap, Matador is truly one Grant's best ever records – a really inventive session that goes way past his standard soul jazz roots – and which really shows the guitarist stretching out towards future styles of jazz! The session's a spare quartet date – with Green's guitar playing modal grooves over rhythm by by his incredible combo – with Bob Cranshaw on bass, Elvin Jones on drums and the incomparable McCoy Tyner on piano – blocking out bold changes that really drive the record strongly. Cuts are long, and there's a freewheeling quality to the material that's only ever matched by some of the Grant Green/Larry Young sessions from the same time – especially the Street Of Dreams Record. Titles include "Matador", "Bedouin", Green Jeans", and a killer version of "My Favorite Things", done in a very Coltrane-esque style. LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the Detroit scene of the early 80s – played by a group who came after the generation of Tribe and Strata Records, but who went on to have some really slow-burning influence in their own sort of way! The music definitely has echoes of the loft and spiritual jazz scenes of the 70s – but the quintet also really open things up with some of the more flexible rhythms that were coming out of New York during the same period, and working with a slight touch of more ambitious structures – of the sort you might have heard on overseas labels recording American jazz musicians during the 80s. Reeds are at the core of the set – playec by the trio of Faruq Z Bey on tenor and alto, Anthony Holland on alto and soprano, and David McMurray on tenor, alto, soprano, and flute – given very creative energy by Tani Tabbal on drums, and Jaribu Shahid on both acoustic and electric bass. Titles include "Xy-Moch", "Zycron", "Zenelog Aintro", "Androgeny", "Kins", and "Xy Moch". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful albums that Charlie Haden ever recorded – and if he only ever appeared on one record in his life, we'd still love him tremendously for this one! The album has a feel that's very much in keeping with both the "liberation" and "orchestra" in the title – "liberation", in that the music is filled with inspiration from South American sources, and has a strongly political feel at times; and "orchestra" because the group here is somewhat large, and filled with a tremendous array of expressive players – including Gato Barbieri on tenor, Dewey Redman on alto and tenor, Don Cherry on cornet and flutes, Michael Mantler on trumpet, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Robert Northern on French horn, Paul Motian and Andrew Cyrille on percussion, Carla Bley on piano, and Perry Robinson on clarinet. Haden leads these disparate talents through a set of tremendously focused music – filled with as many ideas as it is with a sense of humanity and soul – all to brilliantly point the way forward for the new sound of Impulse Records in the years after Coltrane's death! Titles include the classic "Song For Che", plus Ornette's "War Orphans", Carla Bley's "The Interlude", and "Song Of The United Front", by Hans Eisler, and with words by Brecht! LP, Vinyl record album

A great live set from pianist Barry Harris – material recorded on the same date that gave us the excellent Live In Tokyo album from reedman Charles McPherson – but done in a very different way that shows that Barry's clearly the leader on these tracks! The rhythm duo is wonderful – the mighty Sam Jones on bass and Leroy Williams on drums – players who can crackle when Harris wants them to, yet also lay back and give Barry lots of spacious territory to work some incredibly deft, personal magic on the keys. The sound almost takes us back to the initial Harris recordings of the early 60s, but also has some of those colors that would flow even more freely in some of his sessions for the Japanese market – on titles that include "I'll Remember April", "Fukai Aijo", "A Soft Spot", "Round Midnight", and "Un Poco Loco". LP, Vinyl record album

A real treasure from the Detroit scene of the 70s – a never-issued Tribe Records album by Wendell Harrison, and one that's got a bit more of a soul/funk vibe than some of the other sessions on the label! The album's a key missing piece of the puzzle in Harrison's career – not as avant as some of his earlier recordings, but still a bit less polished than his later work too – with a strongly spiritual group that also features Ron English on guitar, Harold McKinney on keyboards and moog, and the great Phil Ranelin on trombone! Tracks are long, and overflowing with soul and spirit – and titles include "Tons & Tons Of BS", "Farewell To The Welfare", "Heavenese", "He's The One We All Know", and "Where Am I". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from reedman Wendell Harrison and the Tribe Records scene – a set that's got a slightly tighter feel than some of his earlier work, but still a relatively soulful vibe overall! Harrison leads the group on tenor, flute, and clarinet – but there's definitely a collective vibe to the music – which also features Harold McKinney on piano, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Ralph Jones on soprano sax – part of a shifting lineup of artists who change from track to track – including Leon Thomas and Pamela Wise, who each sing a bit on the record. Thomas appears on the great tracks "Where Am I" and "Love Dream", both of which have a great mellow soul jazz vibe – and other cuts get a bit more out, and have more of the soaring spiritualism that got the Tribe scene going in the early 70s. Other titles include "Tons & Tons Of BS", "Winter", and "He's The One We All Knew". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album that Jimmy Heath ever gave the world – and a record that makes us miss him even more – as the whole thing takes Heath back to that spectacular mix of solo expressionist, thoughtful composer, and sensitive arranger territory of his best early years! And if you want proof of Jimmy's warm, open spirit – the set begins with a one minute bowed bass solo before Heath's horn even comes into play – then works sublime magic on a number of original numbers, and a few well-chosen classics – all put together by Jimmy as a "ballads" album, but in a way that's hugely different from some of the more facile songbook sessions of over-recorded standards. Instead, the Heath arrangements throughout are wonderfully fresh, and have a soulful quality that really blows us away – more than even on some of his other late records, which is what makes this final session so bittersweet. The core group features Kenny Barron on piano, Monte Croft on vibes, Russell Malone on guitar, and Lewis Nash on drums – and the set features vocals from Gregory Porter on one track, and Cecile McLorin Salvant on another – and Wynton Marsalis blows a trumpet solo on a third track. Titles include "Ballad From Upper Neighbors Suiter", "Left Alone", "Inside Your Heart", "La Mesha", "Con Alma", "Fasion Or Passion", and "Don't Explain". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic session of 60s "new thing" jazz – and one of our favorite early records by Joe Henderson – exactly the kind of album to show why his emergence in the decade was such an important new voice in jazz! The album features some incredibly hard playing from Joe – with a very dark edge to his solos that's nicely offset by McCoy Tyner's lyrical piano, and the supple rhythms of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Elvin Jones drums – a really magical quartet who come across very different here than you might expect from the Coltrane legacies of Tyner and Jones! Instead, Henderson makes his presence known right from the very first note – as his voice on the tenor is completely singular – and titles include the Henderson originals "Inner Urge", "Isotope" and "El Barrio" – plus the great Duke Pearson song "You Know I Care", and the standard "Night & Day". LP, Vinyl record album

An early cooker from Richard Groove Holmes – and one of the most important Hammond jazz sets to come out of the west coast at the time! At a point when most folks think the east has a lock on the instrument, Groove bursts forth here with a great hard-edged sound – proof that the LA scene didn't just go for cool jazz and the occasional hardbop date – and the start of a great run of records that would have Holmes sounding great all through the 60s! The lineup is nicely unusual, too – with guitar from Chicagoan George Freeman, then on the west coast – and a key part of Holmes' group for years – and trombone from the excellent Lawrence Tricky Lofton, a player who rarely recorded, but made some great sides with Carmell Jones. The group also features Les McCann on piano, a nice combo with the organ – plus Ben Webster on tenor and Ron Jefferson on drums. Titles include "Good Groove", "That Healin' Feelin'", "Them That's Got", and "Deep Purple". LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely mellow album from blue-eyed soul veteran James Hunter – still done with the same deep soul currents as his other Daptone records, but slowed down a peg and with a nice focus on ballads and love songs! There's a moody, late nite vibe going on at some of the best moments – almost in the territory of early 60s uptown soul by singers like Jerry Butler or Clyde McPhatter during his Mercury Records years – but given a different spin with the leaner instrumentation of the group – who get the best sort of Daptone treatment in the studio, with a raw edge that really makes Hunter sound great! All tracks are originals, penned with almost a Sam Cooke sort of vibe – and titles include "I Don't Wanna Be Without You", "Something's Calling", "It Was Gonna Be You", "This Is Where We Came In", "He's Your Could've Been", "Mm Hmm", "Heartbreak", and "Who's Fooling Who". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most dynamic, most on-fire blues albums recorded during the 60s by Delmark Records – a set that bursts right out of the Chicago clubs with the guitar of JB Hutto firmly in the lead! Hutto's a killer right from the start – singing and playing with a ferocity that easily matches, if not beats, the bigger 60s names on Chess Records – and his style of inflection leaves us wondering how often he must have to change the strings, or maybe even his entire guitar! The album's got some great help in the small combo too – with Sunnyland Slim on organ and piano, and the unlikely Maurice McIntyre on tenor sax – blowing very well in a bluesy mode, before rising to later avant territory as Kalaparusha. Titles include "If You Change Your Mind", "Speak My Mind", "What Can You Get Outside That You Can't Get At Home", "20% Alcohol", "Hip Shakin", and "Send Her Home To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gospel gem on Chess Records – with production by Monk Higgins and Cash McCall! LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked 60s soul killer on Atlantic Records! We love Deon Jackson – we love his sweetly honest vocal style, we love his songs, and we love the great production he gets from the legendary Ollie McLaughlin! This album is the only one he ever cut – and it's a masterpiece all the way through! Ollie's production mixes some wonderful lilting qualities with rollicking hard soul – it's a far-reaching approach that works incredibly well with Deon's unique approach to the vocals! Includes the super-hit "Love Makes The World Go Round" and a charming uptown soul take on "King Of The Road", plus "Come Back Home", "1-2-3", "You Said You Love Me", "SOS", "Love Is What You Make It" and "Hush Little Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Jackson, Johnson, Brown, and company – and a few more too – a nicely laidback sextet date from the later years of Pablo Records, done in the great mode that always made the label's work a 70s extension of the Verve Records ethos! Key players here, obviously, are Milt Jackson on vibes, JJ Johnson on trombone, and Ray Brown on bass – Brown also produced the set – and the group also features John Collins on guitar, Tom Rainer on piano, and Roy McCurdy on drums. Tracks are shorter and tighter than a jam session mode for three such heavy players – and titles include "Jaybone", "Lament", "Our Delight", "Bag's Groove", "Watch What Happens", and "The Jumpin Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the key records that helped cement the role of tenorist Willis Jackson in the soul jazz scene of the 60s – a record that not only features some killer Hammond from Jack McDuff, but also plenty of guitar from the great Bill Jennings! Unlike some other McDuff sessions, there's bass on this one – plus conga work from Buck Clarke on one cut, who really keeps things kicking. Titles include "The Man I Love", "Blue Strollin", "A Smooth One", and "Keep On A Blowin". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 40 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 30 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice work from this funky jazz combo – a group who owe plenty to the sound of 60s soul jazz on Prestige and Verve Records, but who also do plenty to make their own mark as well! The album's issued on the same label as the Haggis Horns, and these guys definitely use strong interplay between the horns to make their mark – the trumpet of Nick Malcolm and tenor of Jake McMurchie, set out over some nice grooves from keyboardist George Cooper – who plays piano, organ, and Wurlitzer – plus a bit of vibes as well! There's vocals on one track from Doc Brown – the cut "Rolling On A High" – and all others are instrumental, and include "The Long Haul", "Chasing Fantasies", "Snakebite Playfight", "Net Zero", and "Enigma" – which was recorded live in Paris. LP, Vinyl record album

Forget the hokey pun in the title, as the album's a sharp-edged set that has way more going on than that bad wit might imply – a brilliant record that has the same sort of post-loft vibe as some of the best Black Saint/Soul Note sessions from the time! The group here features players who worked on many of those records too – the mighty Billy Bang on violin, sounding incredible, and so different than generations of others touching that instrument in jazz – sharp, soulful, and almost "blown" more like a saxophone! Frank Lowe's tenor follows with a similarly bold voice – and the group features very urgent work on bass from Rafael Garrett and drums from Dennis Charles. Titles include great readings of Jackie McLean's "Little Melonae" and Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – plus the tracks "Loweology", "Ballad With One L", and "Blood On The Cross". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early work from Jethro Tull – a formative set that really has the group deepening both their themes and their music! There's still a bit of blues rock at the core – but also some richer, more lyrical modes too – and Ian Anderson does a perfect job of bridging both worlds with his sublime work on flute – an instrument that must have seemed like an odd lead for a rock group at the time, but which is no surprise in the same generation that artists like Herbie Mann and Roland Kirk were making their own hip records – not to mention the great Harold McNair, who was a UK contemporary of Andreson. The whole thing's great – a record that's ripe for rediscovery, and which really gives back year after year – and titles include "A New Day Yesterday", "Back To The Family", "Fat Man", "Reasons For Waiting", "Nothing Is Easy", and the classic instrumental "Bouree". LP, Vinyl record album

The crowning achievement of a young Elton John – and the record that took an already-great run of earlier records, and pushed it even further with a new depth of songwriting and imagination! The double-length set isn't exactly a concept album – at least not one with a unified narrative – but it works beautifully as a set of little pictures of the world seen through the eyes of Elton and Bernie Taupin – both at the height of their powers, and able to balance catchy commercial tunes with some grittier undercurrents. The set's filled with classics – and titles include "Candle In The Wind", "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", "Bennie & The Jets", "Social Disease", "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", "Harmony", "Jamaica Jerk-Off", and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most tightly-produced of BB King's albums for MCA, but a set that's still filled with undeniable charm – and which really shows King more than able to step up to some well-deserved superstardom! There's a bit of an LA finish to the backings, but things are never too smooth – and BB's vocals and guitar both really shine in this setting – with inflections and edges that are just wonderful throughout! The balance is great – that rare ability that MCA had to serve up such records at the time – and titles include "A World Full Of Strangers", "Midnight Believer", "Never Make A Move Too Soon", "Hold On", "I Just Can't Leave Your Love Alone", and "When It All Comes Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that has BB King teaming up with southern soul maestro Dave Crawford – an arranger/producer who helps BB find a whole new groove! Crawford's approach is wonderfully warm and soulful – almost a Hi Records sort of take on the music, which brings King's traditional blues into much fresher territory – an update of older Memphis modes, with a really great sound for the 70s. In addition to The Memphis Horns, there's also a bit of Philly help on the record too – thanks to Vince Montana's vibes, Norman Harris' guitar, Ron Kersey's keyboards, and Ronnie Baker's bass. Stevie Wonder makes a brief guest appearance on keyboards too – and titles include "Oh To Me", "Love", "Respect Yourself", "I Like To Live The Love", "Who Are You", "I Can't Leave", and "Thank You For Loving The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from the short time that saxophonist King Curtis recorded for Prestige records – mostly on their R&B-tinged Tru-Sound label! Players include Paul Griffin on piano, Billy Butler on guitar, and Jack McDuff on Hammond! LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work by John Klemmer – filled with the kind of fire and emotion that you don't get on many of his other records! The set was recorded live at two different venues – and it's a choppy slightly-funky batch of modal soul jazz tunes, with an approach that makes it feel like a lost album on Strata East. On side one, Mike Nock is on Fender Rhodes, Wilton Felder plays bass, and Eddie Marshall is on drums. Titles on that set include "Blood Of The Sun" and "How Cum Ya Got Ta Rip Off Your Brothers?". Side two was recorded live at Montreux, and features more Fender Rhodes, plus backing by Cecil McBee and Alphonze Mouzon. Klemmer plays tenor with echoplex processing, and titles include "Free Love" and "Tree Of Forbidden Fruit". LP, Vinyl record album

The second anniversary of Gladys Knight & The Pips on Buddah Records – and an album that really shows the new level of depth the group were able to hit at the label! A key factor on the album is work by Eugene McDaniels – who produced the record, and wrote a good number of tracks too – really pushing Gladys and the group into righteous territory they wouldn't have touched a few years before – a deeper groove that really matches some of their best soundtrack material of the mid 70s! Gladys really stretches out wonderfully with her leads – and the Pips provide just the right sort of warm backdrop to hold things together. Titles include "Street Brother", "At Every End There's A Beginning", "Summer Sun", "Feel Like Making Love", and "Money". LP, Vinyl record album

The last record we've ever seen by this funky vocal combo – and every bit as tasty as their early work for Fantasy Records! Part of the reason for that is because the group's getting production here from Augie Johnson – who picked up plenty of funky jazz touches through his work with Wayne Henderson, and had a long relationship with the group that clearly shows them in their best light. The vocals are great – harmonic and floating, without being hokey – and the tracks groove along with the same sort of gentle bounce you'd expect from late 70s Fantasy sides by the Boppers, Side Effect, and others. Tracks include "Dog House", "Perfect Love", "If You Go", "Wrap You Up", "Christy", and "Well Deserved Rest". LP, Vinyl record album

An organ trio, and one with plenty of soul – romping drums, riffing guitar, and some mighty sweet work on the Hammond by Delvon Lamarr! This is the first we've ever heard of the group, but they're rock solid and right on the money – working with a lean, hard style that's completely classic, but also a bit contemporary too – maybe swinging in the best sort of space between the Jack McDuff Quartet of the 60s and the Sugarman Three group of Desco Records fame! David McGraw handles the drums with a clear love of funk, and Jimmy James is wonderfully wicked on guitar – never trying to dominate too much, as there's no need – given how much he brings to the overall groove. Delvon's a hell of an organist too – the kind that knows that a little can often go much farther than a lot when handling the electric keys – which he does to set up some sweet solos on cuts that include "Ain't It Funky", "Al Greenery", "Can I Change My Mind", "Walk On By", "Between The Mustard & The Mayo", "Raymond Brings The Greens", and "Little Booker T". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album from brother Yusef, and one that's got the haunting mix of hardbop and exotic instrumentation that made these early records so great. Yusef plays argol and flute, in addition to straight tenor, and he's backed by a Detroit group that includes Bernard McKinney on euphonium , Terry Pollard on piano, William Austin on bass, and Frank Gant on drums. The set has a great rendition of Lateef's own "Valse Bouk", plus the tracks "Moon Tree", "Half Breed", and "Stella By Starlight". Long tracks, a nice moody feel, and a cool cover, to boot! LP, Vinyl record album

One of a few rare albums from Hammond player Sam Lazar – a lesser-known artist from the same searing generation as Baby Face Willette and Jack McDuff, but a musician who never full got his due! This record was done for the Argo side of Chess Records, and it's got a raw sound that's equal parts soul jazz and R&B – with Sam doing some great work on the keys, and the obscure tenorist Miller Brisker in the group too – a really great musician who works with lots of unique twists – and spurs Lazar onto new heights of playing, with maybe an even farther reach on the keys than his other albums. Lazar wrote most of the set, and the tracks include "Deep", "Fuzz Buzz", "S&S", "Scootin", and "Long Gone". A nice bit of soul jazz, with a deep rootsy sound all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album