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Stevie Ray Vaughan plays and is the producer! Titles include "Hound Dog Man", "Stop", "Long Way From Memphis", "Strike Like Lightning", and "You Ain't Got Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A comeback album of sorts for Lonnie Mack, recorded for Elektra with a really down-home sound that's almost verging on southern soul at points! In a way, the set's kind of a nod to the sorts of genres in rock that Mack's music first helped unlock in earlier years – done at a time when it was a bit more acceptable to cross boundaries and reference roots that weren't actually yours in your music! The execution here is surprisingly strong and without hoke – a few notches up from Leon Russell – and Mack's guitar is in fine fine form, supported by a good deal of organ in the backings. Titles include "Gotta Be An Answer", "Untouched By Human Love", "I Found A Love", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Mt Healthy Blues", "What Kind Of World Is This", and "Things Have Gone To Pieces". LP, Vinyl record album

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An incredible look at an obscure Detroit soul label – a tiny little company, but home to some really great funk and soul! The Big Mack label ran somewhat sporadically through the 60s and into the early 70s – but during that time, it managed to cut some incredible tunes with a really unique feel – work that had a rougher edge than most of the Detroit soul on the bigger labels and indies – often with an earthy quality that's miles and miles from Motown! Label owner Ed McCoy had a great ear for male singers, instrumental combos, and vocal groups – but as the 60s rolled on, he also picked up a few hip female acts as well – and throughout the whole stretch, he had a way of producing a tune that we can only describe best as slightly messed up – a sound that's often slightly tripped up, oddly spacious, and which makes the elements of the music fall into each other with a crashingly intense kind of sound! Far from being a mess, this approach only seems to cook things up more – giving an edge to tracks that might have sounded more lackluster with conventional production – and further electrifying these obscure utterings from the Detroit underground. As with other Numero collections, the work here is wonderfully worth discovering – and presented with full notes, photos, and a history of the label. CD features 19 tracks that include "Bui Bui" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "Get It Right" by Soul President, "Crooked Woman" by Edd Henry, "Fever" by Essence, "If You Feel It" by Ms Tyree Sugar Jones, "The Feeling Is Mutual" by Manhattens, "I See Her Pretty Face" by The Grand Prix's, "Let's Give Our Love A Try" by Mae Young, "I'll Be On My Way" by Bob & Fred, "Mini Skirt" by The Sleepwalkers, "Monkey Time Shine" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "The Man Puts Sugar In My Soul" by Mae Young, "You Drive Me Crazy" by The Grand Prix's, "Got To Have It" by Soul President, and "Your Replacement Is Here" by Edd Henry. CD

Music from George Shearing, Eastern Rebellion featuring Cedar Walton, Anita O'Day & Paul Smith Trio, Terry Gibbs Quartet, Pillars Of West Coast Jazz and Les McCann. CD

A stunning document of culture in and around the Texas scene of the postwar years – never-heard recordings done by blues enthusiast Robert Mack McCormick, who also photographed most of his subjects as well – a lost legacy that finally gets exposure to the world at large here in a big box set that includes both music and a big book that includes 128 pages of rare photos and other blues artifacts! The whole thing is like discovering a lost side room in the world of postwar field recordings of blues – material from the generation of similar projects by Alan Lomax, Chris Strachwitz, and George Mitchell, but which has never been tapped until now – brought out with a great level of care by the Smithsonian, who currently house McCormick's life's work. The package is almost worth it alone for the book – but you also get 3CDs with 68 tracks in all – music by Bongo Joe Coleman, Lightnin Hopkins, Hop Wilson, Jimmy Womack, Walter Britten, Buster Pickens, Andrew Everett, James Tisdom, Doc Webster, Mance Lipscomb, Leroy Country Johnson, RC Forest, Billy Bizor, and many others CD

A stunning document of culture in and around the Texas scene of the postwar years – never-heard recordings done by blues enthusiast Robert Mack McCormick, who also photographed most of his subjects as well – a lost legacy that finally gets exposure to the world at large here in a big box set that includes both music and a big book that includes 128 pages of rare photos and other blues artifacts! The whole thing is like discovering a lost side room in the world of postwar field recordings of blues – material from the generation of similar projects by Alan Lomax, Chris Strachwitz, and George Mitchell, but which has never been tapped until now – brought out with a great level of care by the Smithsonian, who currently house McCormick's life's work. The package is almost worth it alone for the book – but you also get 6LPs with 68 tracks in all – music by Bongo Joe Coleman, Lightnin Hopkins, Hop Wilson, Jimmy Womack, Walter Britten, Buster Pickens, Andrew Everett, James Tisdom, Doc Webster, Mance Lipscomb, Leroy Country Johnson, RC Forest, Billy Bizor, and many others. LP, Vinyl record album

Bassist Christian McBride's always got a great ear for the players he chooses to work with – and that's definitely the case here, as the group features the great Warren Wolf on vibes and reedman Steve Wilson on both alto and soprano sax! Wilson and Wolf have this great way of balancing each other out – the sometimes-sharp edges of Steve's saxophones, and the inherent warmth of Warren's vibes – dancing together joyfully and really opening up the sound, in the company of other players who include Peter Martin on piano and Carl Allen on drums. As always, McBride proves to be a really special sort of bassist-as-leader – and titles include "Ms Angelou", "The Shade Of The Cedar Tree", "Fair Hope Theme", and "Gang Gang" – all nice and long! CD

Bassist Christian McBride's always got a great ear for the players he chooses to work with – and that's definitely the case here, as the group features the great Warren Wolf on vibes and reedman Steve Wilson on both alto and soprano sax! Wilson and Wolf have this great way of balancing each other out – the sometimes-sharp edges of Steve's saxophones, and the inherent warmth of Warren's vibes – dancing together joyfully and really opening up the sound, in the company of other players who include Peter Martin on piano and Carl Allen on drums. As always, McBride proves to be a really special sort of bassist-as-leader – and titles include "Ms Angelou", "The Shade Of The Cedar Tree", "Fair Hope Theme", and "Gang Gang" – all nice and long! LP, Vinyl record album

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Beautifully intimate sounds from the great Cecile McLorin Salvant – a set that has the singer working with only piano or organ for accompaniment, but at a level that has her voice still flowing with marvelous ease! We've loved Cecile right from the start – but here, she maybe blows us away even more – doing a heck of a lot with just a little, managing to hit Betty Carter-like levels of expression and inflection with her vocals – while Sullivan Fortner plays piano on some tracks, organ on the others! The arrangements are wonderful – as inventive as Cecile's vocals – so that even if you think you know the tune, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Titles include "One Step Ahead", "Visions", "Somewhere", "Trouble Is A Man", "Were Thin That Special FAce", "Tell My Why", "The Peacocks", "J'Ai L'Cafard", and the original tune "A Clef". CD

A sublime debut from the up-and-coming Cecile McLorin Salvant – a fresh new jazz singer with really rich roots – and a vocalist who's equally at home with both contemporary styles, and modes from the earliest years of jazz! There's a really complex approach to this record – both stylistically and referentially – and Salvant wants to show right from the start that she's a force to be reckoned with – a singer who can resonate with the best of the contemporary jazz underground, yet one who's got a special attention to creative roots as well. The tunes are a really surprising blend of well-chosen nuggets and a few original numbers – and Cecile gets some killer backing from a creative quartet that features Aaron Diehl on piano and Rodney Whitaker on bass. Cecile's got a sound that's right up there with the best work by Dee Dee Bridgewater or Carmen Lundy in recent years – yet an approach that's definitely all her own as well! Titles include "Baby Have Pity On Me", "Woman Child", "Nobody", "Le Front Cache Sur Tes Genoux", "You Bring Out The Savage In Me", and "Deep Dark Blue". CD

Includes the songs "Daniela's Chronicles ", "Galactic Panama", "Historia de un Amor", "Bridge of Life, Part I", "Providencia", "Irremediablemente Solo", "The Oracle", "Bridge of Life, Part II", "The Maze: The Beginning", "Cobilla", and "The Maze: The End". CD

With Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums. CD

With Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Herlin Riley – a drummer with plenty of New Orleans in his roots, but also a jazzman who never tries to hit you over the head with that legacy either! There's definitely a complexity in the rhythms that reflects Herlin's background – but the modes of expression are more contemporary, and more universal – as the songs feature some great criss-crossing between the trumpet of Bruce Harris and alto of Godwin Louis – the latter of whom might well be reason enough to check out the album! The horn lines are bold and soulful – and Riley gets great support from pianist Emmet Cohen and bassist Russell Hall – on titles that include "Perpetual Optimism", "Rush Hour", "Be There When I Get There", "Twelve's It", "Wings & Roots", and "Borders Without Lines". CD

A record that's recorded by a duo, but one that's got a much fuller sound than you might expect – thanks to the magic of overdub, and to some great production help from Quincy Jones! Alfredo Rodriguez plays piano, Fender Rhodes, and keyboards – Pedro Martinez plays percussion – and both artists sing a bit too – and the whole thing sounds a lot richer than just a keyboard and percussion album might, as the songs bristle with the energy of a small combo – mixing together elements of Latin jazz and other global elements, in a mode that's warmly soulful and sometimes funky. Titles include a nice remake of "Thriller", plus "Estamos Llegando", "Yo Volvere", "Mariposa", "Cosas Del Amor", "Duologue", "Africa", and "El Punto Cubano". CD

Features Jeremy Pelt and Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Kamasi Washington on tenor, Gary Smulyan on baritone sax, and Renee Rosnes on piano1 CD

Ella Fitzgerald in Budapest – but swinging just as hard as on any of her other records from the time! The set's a later issue of an unreleased live date recorded in 1970 – a set that captures Fitzgerald right at the height of her international fame, at a time when she could captivate just about any audience with her inherent charm and amazing vocals! Backings are by a trio that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Frank De La Rosa on bass, and Ed Thigpen on bass – and titles are a hip mix of tunes that include a funky take on "Spinning Wheel", plus "Hello Young Lovers", "The Girl From Ipanema", "You Better Love Me", "As Time Goes By", "Crazy Rhythm", "People", "Mack The Knife", "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", and "Dancing In The Dark". CD

Ella Fitzgerald recorded one of her most successful albums in Berlin – a smoking live set that gave the world her take on "Mack The Knife" – and this set marks a fantastic second chapter to that record – unreleased tapes that appear here for the first time ever! The concert's from a different year than the previous record, but done in a very similar mode – Ella in front of a very enthusiastic concert crowd, running through upbeat, swinging takes on a variety of classics – all at a moment when both her vocal skills and onstage personality were at an all-time high! The group is just a trio – Paul Smith on piano, Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Stan Levey on drums – but they swing things as hard as an orchestra, and merge with the vocals in a really wonderful way. Titles include a great version of "My Kind Of Boy" – with Ella switching around a lot of the lyrics – plus "C'Est Magnifique", "Good Morning Heartache", "Hallelujah I Love Him So", "Summertime", "Mr Paganini", "Mack The Knife", "Angel Eyes", "Cheek To Cheek", "Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie", "Taking A Chance On Me", and "Jersey Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

A hugely expanded version of the classic double live album by Ella Fitzgerald – featuring a total of 48 tracks in all, recorded over 2 nights at a French jazz festival in 1964, with backing by a group that includes Roy Eldridge and Tommy Flanagan. More than half of the set appears to be previously unissued – and the whole thing's packaged in a wonderful wraparound cover, with great art and notes, and new remastering on the CD. Titles include "Day In Day Out", "Just A Sittin & A Rockin", "People", "Someone To Watch Over Me", "Boy From Ipanema", "The Cricket Song", "Perdido", "Summertime", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "I Love Being Here With You", "Goody Goody", "Cutie Pants", and "Mack The Knife". Some of the cuts repeat over the course of the performance, but they're done in slightly different versions. CD

A great live set from Ella Fitzgerald – one that's never been issued before, but which stands nicely next to some of her Verve releases of this nature, especially her previous Ella In Berlin record! The group here is a quartet – with great piano from Lou Levy, who's a wonderfully sensitive accompanist in all the right spots – plus guitar from Herb Ellis, bass from Wilfred Middlebrooks, and drums from Gus Johnson – an easily-grooving group who really let Fitzgerald open up with a soulfully swinging sound! Titles include a great take on "Mack The Knife", a seven minute reading of "St Louis Blues", and the titles "I've Got A Crush On You", "Lorelei", "Won't You Please Let Me In", "Too Close For Comfort", "That Old Black Magic", and "Lover Come Back To Me". CD

Massive music from Ella Fitzgerald – 4CDs worth of sublime small group recordings – all of them live, and all of them previously unissued! The set follows the same format of the Verve Ella In Hollywood album – recorded in a small club setting, with combo backing that really lets Fitzgerald open up and swing – inflecting the tunes with the kind of warmth and spontaneity that she brought to her famous live performances of the time – which were almost always more compelling than her studio sides, no matter how great those were too! The first 3CDs feature material from two weeks' worth of recording in May of 1961 – with backing from Jim Hall on guitar, Lou Levy on piano, Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Gus Johnson on drums – and CD four features Ella returning to Hollywood for two more nights in 1962, with trio backing from Paul Smith on piano, Middlebrooks on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. There's a massive 77 tracks in all – handsomely package in a hardcover 7" square book – which also features beautiful color pages inside, lots of notes on the music, and design that's every bit as groovy as the old albums on Verve. Titles include "Joe Williams' Blues", "It's De-Lovely", "Lorelei", "I Can't Get Started", "Round Midnight", "Perdido", "Little White Lies", "Lover Come Back To Me", "Across The Alley From The Alamo", "Love For Sale", "Exactly Like You", "Mack The Knife", "Teach Me Tonight", "My Kind Of Boy", "It Had To Be You", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "All Of Me", and "Too Darn Hot/Ella's Twist". And, in case you're wondering, there's almost no repetition in the set at all – all discreet, unique tunes – not just the sort of rehash you might get in other concert box sets of this nature! CD

A superstar performance from the Antibes jazz festival at Cote D'Azur – one that features Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington sharing the stage, in a concert that was also recorded for a film! Most numbers here feature the full Ellington orchestra backing Ella up – but a few other numbers feature just backings from a trio with Jimmy Jones on piano and Grady Tate on drums. Duke and Ella trade the spotlight nicely – and Fitzgerald only sings on about half of the set, numbers that include "Mack The Knife", "The More I See You", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Jazz Samba", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "Going Out Of My Head". Ellington's heard on other instrumental performances – some of which are a bit more upbeat and unbridled than usual – almost in a Basie mode. These tunes include "Trombonio Bustosolssimo", "Diminuendo In Blue & Blow By Blow", "The Old Circus Train Turn Around Blues", and "The Matador". CD

A superstar performance from the Antibes jazz festival at Cote D'Azur – one that features Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington sharing the stage, in a concert that was also recorded for a film! Most numbers here feature the full Ellington orchestra backing Ella up – but a few other numbers feature just backings from a trio with Jimmy Jones on piano and Grady Tate on drums. Duke and Ella trade the spotlight nicely – and Fitzgerald only sings on about half of the set, numbers that include "Mack The Knife", "The More I See You", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Jazz Samba", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "Going Out Of My Head". Ellington's heard on other instrumental performances – some of which are a bit more upbeat and unbridled than usual – almost in a Basie mode. These tunes include "Trombonio Bustosolssimo", "Diminuendo In Blue & Blow By Blow", "The Old Circus Train Turn Around Blues", and "The Matador". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked later set from Stax Records giant Eddie Floyd – a Malaco records album that has Eddie transforming his sound nicely for the time – picking up a slightly clubby groove while he still keeps his vocals right on the money! Arrangements are by Wardell Quezerque, who keeps plenty of southern soul roots at the core – while also bringing in a modern soul approach that's quite different than the Eddie Floyd sound of a decade before. Production is by Floyd and Mack Rice – and the pair also wrote most of the songs on the set, some great original material that really helps strengthen this new voice of Eddie's. Titles include "Prove it To Me", "Feel My Body", "Take A Chance On Me", and "You're Gonna Walk Out On Me". CD

Featuring Ghostface Killah, Keith Murray, and Craig Mack. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great Erroll Garner double-header – two 60s albums back to back on a single CD! First up is Dreamstreet – a record in which Garner grooves nicely, finding an almost renewed energy for the 60s, but still hitting all those highly-rhythmic modes we love so much in his early work! The recording quality is great – lots of bold echo from the piano, and even a bit of Erroll's grunting vocalizations somewhere in the mix – kind of an extra added emphasis that sounds great next to the bass of Eddie Calhoun and drums of Kelly Martin. Titles include "Just One Of Those Things", "Blue Lou", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "Dreamstreet", and the groovy "Mambo Gotham" – an especially jaunty little number! One World Concert is a set with an ambitious title, but a nicely earthy feel – a live recording that features Erroll Garner's trio with Eddie Calhoun on bass and Kelly Martin on drums – stretching out strongly in front of a live audience. Titles include "Mack The Knife", "Misty", "Dancing Tambourine", "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe", and "Sweet & Lovely". CD

A set with an ambitious title, but a nicely earthy feel – a live recording that features Erroll Garner's trio with Eddie Calhoun on bass and Kelly Martin on drums – stretching out strongly in front of a live audience – recorded live at the Seattle World's Fair, but with a vibe that's maybe more in keeping from some great small club performance by the trio! Titles include "Mack The Knife", "Misty", "Dancing Tambourine", "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe", and "Sweet & Lovely". LP, Vinyl record album

Long, lean, and later work by Coleman Hawkins – recorded in a beautifully stripped-down and free setting at the Village Gate! The tracks are all pushing the 10 minute mark – and feature Hawk soloing in that open, exploratory way he was using during the time – a mix of older traditions and slight moments of modernism – carried off with gentle accompaniment from a trio led by Tommy Flanagan on piano. The tenor dominates – and dominates beautifully – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "Mack The Knife", and "Talk Of The Town". LP, Vinyl record album

Long, lean, and later work by Coleman Hawkins – recorded in a beautifully stripped-down and free setting at the Village Gate! The tracks are all pushing the 10 minute mark – and feature Hawk soloing in that open, exploratory way he was using during the time – a mix of older traditions and slight moments of modernism – carried off with gentle accompaniment from a trio led by Tommy Flanagan on piano. The tenor dominates – and dominates beautifully – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "Mack The Knife", "Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho" and "Talk Of The Town". CD

Something wonderful happened to Coleman Hawkins at the end of his career – record companies started letting him record in really long formats, stretching out creatively on extended solos that continued to push the boundaries of his talents! This set is a prime example of that shift – as it features Hawkins alongside Roy Eldridge and Johnny Hodges – all working with trio backing by Tommy Flanagan, Major Holley, and Eddie Locke in a live setting at the Village Gate. Tracks are all well over ten minutes long – 2 at eleven minutes, and 1 at sixteen – and they allow the three lead soloists to really stretch out in a warmly improvisatory manner that surpasses even the easygoing Verve studio sessions of the 50s. Titles include "Satin Doll", "Perdido", and "The Rabbit In Jazz". Plus, added to these 3 are 4 more bonus tracks from the Hawkins Alive album – recorded at the same time, but without the other 2 soloists. These titles include "It's The Talk Of The Town", "Mack The Knife", "Caravan", and "Bean & The Boys". CD

Shirley Horn's definitely swinging here – in a set of tracks that features groovy numbers from two different points in her career! Some of the work on the set is from her early 60s years on Mercury and ABC Records – and the other half's from that great stretch in the 90s when her career had really been revived, thanks to a host of excellent recordings for Verve! The mix of material is really great, and shows a wider range of Horn's talents than you'll normally find on other collections – mixing 60s swingers in with some more mature numbers from the later years. Titles include "Big City", "The Great City", "Mack The Knife", "That's No Joke", "I Got Plenty O Nuttin", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "Peel Me A Grape", "How Am I To Know", "Come Dance With Me", and "The Best Is Yet To Come". CD

A rare 12" single with one of Willie Hutch's greatest tracks! The driving funky groove of "Brothers Gonna Work It Out" was one of the best things about the film The Mack – and the cut's been a classic for years with just about everyone, from funk fans, to hip hoppers, to early house folks, who played the track like mad! "In & Out" is less good, but still decent enough. 12-inch, Vinyl record