A really fantastic setting for the tenor genius of Pharoah Sanders – and a record that's very different than just about anything else he ever recorded! As the title implies, the album's a duo recording with pianist John Hicks – just his piano and Pharoah's tenor – working beautifully, and warmly together on these long tracks that are full of imagination and subtle spiritual energy – a style that echoes Hicks' own tremendous recordings in a solo mode (including his album for Strata East), yet which definitely has an extra something in the presence of Sanders! Titles include "The Creator Has A Master Plan", "Little Rock's Blues", "Central Park West", and "Heart To Heart". CD

A really lovely album from pianist Michel Sardaby – an artist who's best known for his work on the scene in Paris, but who's had a universal sense of appeal to anyone who digs a hip, soulful player on the keys! This set is maybe one of Sardaby's best known – one of the few to get true worldwide circulation – and it's also one of his best, too – with a slightly different vibe than some of his Parisian records, thanks to work from Tootie Heath on drums and Jay Leonhart on bass. Michel's a master of lyrical fluidity throughout – and the set features some great originals that include "Farewell Tokyo", "Madrugada", "Way Farer", "Maelstrom", and "Night Blossom". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic classic material from Savoy Brown! The approach is maybe familiar blues rock, but the sound is also very special – with a great sense of fusion of all the elements, so that vocals, guitar, and rhythms all seem tightly tied together – still with the kind of bravado you might expect, and plenty of strong guitar from Kim Simmonds – but also given this focus that's really wonderful, especially when heavy piano lines come into the mix to almost give things a Mose Allison vibe, and added horns open up some currents of soul. A strong cut above the competition – with titles that include "Master Hare", "A Hard Way To Go", "That Same Feelin", "A Little More Wine", "I'm Crying", "Is That So", and "Stay While The Night Is Young". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic classic from Savoy Brown – one of those records that shows just why these guys were so great during their short early run! The approach is maybe familiar blues rock, but the sound is also very special – with a great sense of fusion of all the elements, so that vocals, guitar, and rhythms all seem tightly tied together – still with the kind of bravado you might expect, and plenty of strong guitar from Kim Simmonds – but also given this focus that's really wonderful, especially when heavy piano lines come into the mix to almost give things a Mose Allison vibe, and added horns open up some currents of soul. A strong cut above the competition – with titles that include "Master Hare", "Needle & Spoon", "A Hard Way To Go", "That Same Feelin", "A Little More Wine", "I'm Crying", "Is That So", and "Stay While The Night Is Young". CD

Benchmark dub by Scientist – and introduction to a truly pivotal figure! Introducing Scientist is certainly one of his best records – and if it doesn't fully live up to the subtitle boast ("the best dub album in the world"), it really does come pretty darn close! Mixed at master King Tubby's studio and bearing Tubby's influence very strongly, the record features Scientist and dub music at a genuine, pre-Space Invadors peak. A timeless dub masterpiece from one of the greatest ever! Titles include "Steppers", "Rubber Foot", "Elasticated", "Rocking", "Lovers", "Front Line", "Scientific", "Jungle", "Bali-Hi" and "Chemistry". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful batch of instrumentals from the legendary Raymond Scott – and a set that features some of Scott's most wonderful compositions ever! These numbers all date from the 30s, and were originally released as 78s on the Master Records label – but this later Columbia package really brings the sounds together wonderfully, and gives Scott a long-overdue showcase as one of the budding modernists of the pre-war years – a composer who could match swing and whimsy, exoticism and jazz, playfulness and poise – all without every losing his beat! The instrumental is wonderful, the arrangements inventive, and the whole thing's got the same sort of audio appeal as an old Warner Brothers cartoon. Titles include "Twilight In Turkey", "The Penguin", "The Toy Trumpet", "Powerhouse", "New Years Eve In A Haunted House", "War Dance For Wooden Indians", "Peter Tambourine", and "At An Arabian House Party". CD

The record that forever gave this duo their AM radio hit – the classic soft rock gem "Summer Breeze" – alongside other tunes that include "East Of Ginger Trees", "Advance Guard", "The Euphrates", "The Boy Down The Road", "Yellow Dirt", and "Say". LP, Vinyl record album

The great Bud Shank was a real master of many reed forms in the 50s – maybe even in a way that set the scene for Yusef Lateef and Roland Kirk's experiments to come! Here, he blows flute alongside the oboe of Bob Cooper – who's best known as a tenorist – and the pair craft some very cool west coast sounds, all arranged by Cooper! Other players include Howard Roberts on bass and Don Prell on bass – and there's some added work from a small string group, almost tying the thing to some of the Fred Katz experiments of the time. Titles include "Gypsy In My Soul", "In The Blue Of The Evening", "Tequila Time", "I Can't Get Started", "Blues For Delilah", "Sunset & Wine", and "What'll I Do". LP, Vinyl record album

Archie Shepp in Europe is always an amazing thing – and here, the spiritual master is captured right between his late 60s free French recordings, and some of his more tightly-controlled Italian albums of the second half of the decade! There's a great balance here – as Archie's still flowing forth with some of the inspirations of his Impulse sessions, while also pushing that spirituality into an exploration of older jazz material too – at that level that would really evolve in his recordings of the following decade. The lineup here is nicely unusual – with some superb piano from Dave Burrell, plus bass from Donald Garrett, percussion and flute from Zusaan Fasteau Garrett, and drums from Muhammad Ali. Shepp plays piano on one track, and Jasper Van't Hof plays piano on another – and titles include "Dr King The Peaceful Warrior", "Little Willie Leaps", "Round Midnight", "Sonny's Back", "African Blues", and "Sophisticated Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Archie Shepp's most fragile and most beautiful albums – a set of mellower tunes dedicated to John Coltrane, played on tenor and soprano sax with support from a trio that includes Albert Dailey on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums! The album's a real standout in Shepp's aging stretch – a session that's much more straight ahead than his earlier work, but which also benefits from his years of more exploratory blowing – experience that echoes out here in powerful notes and phrasings that he brings into the tunes at delightfully unexpected moments. As with Shepp's earlier Four For Trane album for Impulse, the sound here is not a copycat of Coltrane at all – but a fresh new vision that takes inspiration from the creativity of the master, and works with the same sense of soul and striving. Titles include "Soul Eyes", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Wise One", "Where Are You", and "Theme For Ernie". CD

While there's a couple of tracks produced by Jam Master Jay, it was "Know How Fe Chat" and "Who The Cap Fits" that were cut with the Roots Radics that crossed over to the hip hop crowd. There's also a few numbers produced by Steelie & Clevie. 10 cuts in all, including "Raggamuffin", "The Truth" & "Do It With Ease". CD

Slick Rick's first solo album – one of the vital early front-to-back hip hop albums of the late 80s Def Jam prime era – and up there with the best ever! MC Ricky D introduced the world to a whole new rap style on Doug E Fresh's "The Show" and by the time this album dropped the world was more than ready for a full set of his unique flow. There's no other voice like Slick Rick's, with a skewed sense of humor even at it's most profane, which makes it all the more disarming when he gets serious for a minute. He proves himself the master of the storytelling rap of the period, and the Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler and Jam Master Jay production is top tier, too. Includes "Treat Her Like A Prostitute", "Children's Story", "The Ruler's Back", "Mona Lisa", "Hey Young World", "Teenage Love" and more. Remastered 30th Anniversary edition – classic original tracklist on 2LPs! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most famous early albums from Hammond organ giant Jimmy Smith – and for good reason too, as he was using the instrument to pioneer a whole new field in jazz! Before Jimmy, others had used the organ on short tracks, usually for a bit of color – but here, Smith explodes as a master soloist on very long tracks – allowing strong jam session interplay with an all-star group that also includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, George Coleman and Lou Donaldson on altos, Tina Brooks on tenor, Kenny Burrell and Eddie McFadden on guitars, and Donald Bailey and Art Blakey on drums. The set features three long tracks – "The Sermon", "JOS", and "Flamingo" – with a hard-wailing, jam session feel all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most famous early albums from Hammond organ giant Jimmy Smith – and for good reason too, as he was using the instrument to pioneer a whole new field in jazz! Before Jimmy, others had used the organ on short tracks, usually for a bit of color – but here, Smith explodes as a master soloist on very long tracks – allowing strong jam session interplay with an all-star group that also includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, George Coleman and Lou Donaldson on altos, Tina Brooks on tenor, Kenny Burrell and Eddie McFadden on guitars, and Donald Bailey and Art Blakey on drums. The set features three long tracks – "The Sermon", "JOS", and "Flamingo" – with a hard-wailing, jam session feel all the way through! This early CD reissue collects material from the Sermon & House Party sessions, with a slightly different track list than the original album, or the RVG remaster – includes "The Sermon", "Flamingo", plus "S Wonderful", "Blue Room", "Lover Man", "Confirmation", & "Au Private". CD

One of the most famous early albums from Hammond organ giant Jimmy Smith – and for good reason too, as he was using the instrument to pioneer a whole new field in jazz! Before Jimmy, others had used the organ on short tracks, usually for a bit of color – but here, Smith explodes as a master soloist on very long tracks – allowing strong jam session interplay with an all-star group that also includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, George Coleman and Lou Donaldson on altos, Tina Brooks on tenor, Kenny Burrell and Eddie McFadden on guitars, and Donald Bailey and Art Blakey on drums. The set features three long tracks – "The Sermon", "JOS", and "Flamingo" – with a hard-wailing, jam session feel all the way through! CD

A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is at his soulful best here – working on hard-swinging charts that almost seem to liberate Jimmy and Wes to do even more with their solos – really stretching out, with an especially great sound from Smith on the organ – maybe at a level that makes the record one of his best of all time for Verve! Titles include "James & Wes", "Night Train", "13 (Death March)", and "Down By The Riverside". CD

The mid 90s debut of San Diego MC Jayo Felony – with gritty street centric rhymes and a flow that falls comfortably between the laidback and more manic styles of period west coast gangsta rap of the period. Take A Ride is extra notable for a prominent behind the scenes figure – the legendary Jam Master Jay – working here as a producer in a style that's far removed from the vibe he pioneered in Run-DMC's a decade + earlier! Includes "Lock Down", "The Loc Is On His Own", "I'ma Keep Bangin'", "Homicide", ":Love Boat", "Sherm Stick", "Day 1", "Can't Keep A Gee Down", "Penitentiary Bound", "They Got Me On Medication", "Funk 2 Da Head", "Take A Ride". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare CTI entry from funky flute master Jeremy Steig – a musician whose style is a great fit for the label! There's more of an electric vibe here than on Steig's earlier records – but that creates a nice current of soul that really helps things take off in a nicely different way. The record features Steig's funky flute in front of some larger arrangements by David Matthews – and the style of the record is a blend of CTI electric and some of the choppier bits of earlier Steig albums, blended with some mellow soul lead vocals on three tracks by Googie Coppola – who sings in a manner that's almost like Minnie Riperton! Tracks include the funky groover "Hopscotch", plus the nice soul tracks "Firefly", "Living Inside Your Love", and "Everything Is Coming To The Light". LP, Vinyl record album

Great sounds from Grant Stewart – blowing here in a tribute to Sonny Rollins, with a tone that's got all the bold inventiveness of the master! The album's got a simple, unadorned approach – perfect for getting back to that classic Rollins groove of the late 50s and early 60s – with Grant's tenor proudly in the lead, but getting tight rhythm support from the trio of David Hazeltine on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Phil Stewart on drums! All tunes are either Rollins originals, or tunes he recorded famously as jazz instrumentals – and titles include "Airegin", "Mack The Knife", "Alfie's Theme", "St Thomas", "Paradox", and "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World". CD

That gun on the cover is a great hint at the action within – as UK sound library genius Alan Tew comes up with a whole host of hip cop/crime grooves for the set! Tracks are short, but done brilliantly – with a blend of keyboards and electric basslines amidst warmer jazzy instrumentation – all on tracks that offer up plenty of funk in all the right ways, with killer cuts that make for a fantastic record all the way through! Heck, even the mellower moments are funky too – and titles include Tew's classic "Money Runner", plus "Eyes", "Drama Backcloth", "Scene Change", "The Rub", "Surveillance", "Night Watch", "Master Plan", "The Fence", "Final Statement", and "White Elephant Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". CD features three bonus tracks – a live recording of "Um Um Um" and "Damn Nam" – plus a take on "Night In Tunisia". CD

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". CD include 3 versions of "Take The 'A' Train", 2 takes of "Walkin'", 2 takes of "Willow Weep For Me", and 2 takes of "If It Didn't Hurt So Much". CD

Don't confuse this one with Charles Tolliver's album on Strata East of the same name – because this session's a completely different one for Enja, but equally great! The group here is a quartet – not Tolliver's usual Music Inc lineup, but a combo that features Alvin Queen on drums, Ron Mathewson on bass, and regular partner Stanley Cowell on piano – all hitting a groove that's a bit different than the Tolliver sound of Strata East, and sometimes a bit more filled with energy! The date is a live one, and there's a nice roughness here – not to the recording quality, but more to the rhythms, which feel a bit chunkier than Tolliver's usual groove, and seem to push the flowing sound of his trumpet and Cowell's piano perhaps a bit more. Titles include "Brilliant Circles", "Impact", "Truth", and "Prayer For Peace". CD features the bonus tracks "Abscretions" and "Our Second Father". CD

A much-needed and insanely overstuffed look at the Tremeloes – one of those groups from the 60s who are known for an odd single or two – but who have a tremendous recorded legacy that finally gets its due in this mighty box set! The Tremeloes were perfect at turning out the right sort of pop psych tunes that made the British charts sparkle in the late 60s – numbers that were catchy, but inventive too – never too indulgent, but really well-crafted with just the right attention to guitar work next to the vocals. Their singles did well, but the group recorded a huge amount of material for CBS during their time as a group – all of which is included here, a total of 165 tracks, plus a big booklet of notes. In addition to singles and b-sides, the set features the albums Here Come The Tremeloes and Alan Dave Rick & Chip – both in mono and stereo – the albums World Explosion, Suddenly You Love, Live In Cabaret, and Master – plus a rare unissued soundtrack for the film May Morning! There's lots of bonus material, unreleased tracks, and rare European singles too – which makes for a wonderfully groovy collection overall. CD

One of the most amazing jazz vocalists of our generation returns here with an incredible group – a majestic combo to match all the spiritual inclinations in his music – with work from Kamasi Washington on tenor, Mark De Clive-Lowe on piano, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on viola, and both Carlos Nino and Derf Reklaw on percussion! Dwight Trible on his own is already more than enough to get us to run out and buy a record – but here, the combination of his unique voice with these musicians makes for an album that's an instant masterpiece – and one that even has lots of new colors and styles compared to some of Dwight's previous work! Songs include numbers by older west coast spiritual jazz heavyweights – like Horace Tapscott, Linda Hill, Nate Morgan, James Leary, and Jesse Sharps – mixed with some of Trible's own songs, and versions of work by Carmen Lundy, Oscar Brown Jr, and Donny Hathaway. From top to bottom, start to stop, the album's a treasure – with tracks that include "It's All About Love", "Thank You Master", "Song For My Mother", "Brother Where Are You", "Some Other Time", "These Things You Are To Me", "Desert Fairy Princess", and "Mothership". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most amazing jazz vocalists of our generation returns here with an incredible group – a majestic combo to match all the spiritual inclinations in his music – with work from Kamasi Washington on tenor, Mark De Clive-Lowe on piano, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on viola, and both Carlos Nino and Derf Reklaw on percussion! Dwight Trible on his own is already more than enough to get us to run out and buy a record – but here, the combination of his unique voice with these musicians makes for an album that's an instant masterpiece – and one that even has lots of new colors and styles compared to some of Dwight's previous work! Songs include numbers by older west coast spiritual jazz heavyweights – like Horace Tapscott, Linda Hill, Nate Morgan, James Leary, and Jesse Sharps – mixed with some of Trible's own songs, and versions of work by Carmen Lundy, Oscar Brown Jr, and Donny Hathaway. From top to bottom, start to stop, the album's a treasure – with tracks that include "It's All About Love", "Thank You Master", "Song For My Mother", "Brother Where Are You", "Some Other Time", "These Things You Are To Me", "Desert Fairy Princess", and "Mothership". CD

11 tracks total, including "Ya Cold Wanna Be With Me", "SWAT", "Ask Yo Mama", "So Be It" and "Master-Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual project from the team of tenorist Binker Golding and drummer Moses Boyd – and one that really represents the compelling directions they've taken in recent years! The group here is a trio, with key contributions from Simon Ratcliffe of Basement Jaxx – who provides all these extra sonic touches and additional live instrumentation to create a rich tapestry of different elements, which are still grounded strongly by the acoustic performances of Binker and Moses! Golding is especially great in the setting – almost set free a bit more than usual, which creates some wonderfully soulful passages on his tenor – on titles that include "First Light", "The Spanish Master", "Tigris", "Ted", and "Cesca". CD

An unusual project from the team of tenorist Binker Golding and drummer Moses Boyd – and one that really represents the compelling directions they've taken in recent years! The group here is a trio, with key contributions from Simon Ratcliffe of Basement Jaxx – who provides all these extra sonic touches and additional live instrumentation to create a rich tapestry of different elements, which are still grounded strongly by the acoustic performances of Binker and Moses! Golding is especially great in the setting – almost set free a bit more than usual, which creates some wonderfully soulful passages on his tenor – on titles that include "First Light", "The Spanish Master", "Tigris", "Ted", and "Cesca". LP, Vinyl record album

6 tracks: "BeatWave", "Master Of The Mix", "Nunk (New Wave Funk)", "Light Years Away","Light Years Away (dub version)" and "No Man Is An Island". LP, Vinyl record album

Dinah's in a perfect setting here – one that gets more jazz out of her style than other records at the time! The "after hours" setting has Dinah singing with a relaxed jazz combo – one that features Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Paul Quinichette on tenor, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Junior Mance on piano – as well as some other nice touches, like congas from Candido, and a bit of organ work from Jackie Davis! The tunes still have the slightly bluesy feel of Dinah's other work, but are more jazz-based in their phrasing and presentation – and titles include "A Foggy Day", "Bye Bye Blues", "Am I Blue", "Blue Skies", and "Love For Sale". CD features one bonus track – an unedited "Blue Skies", which runs over three minutes longer than the originally released version! CD

Backings by Eddie Chamblee, on a host of Bessie Smith classics – updated with more of a 50s R&B vibe. CD

Wax Poetics goes nearly all hip hop for this issue – covering original game-changers and the best contemporary revisionists alike – with cover features on Nas, Danny Brown, Master P and his No Limit legacy, and Shabazz Palaces! Wax Poetics, tasked with following up their decade milestone issue, pulls that off brilliantly here. It's got one of the best, realest interviews with Nas we've ever read, a great look at Master P's No Limit and the Beats By The Pound production empire, a resurgent El-P, the legendary Kurtis Blow, Killer Mike, Oddisee, THEESatisfaction, Cities Aviv, modern jazz great Robert Glasper and much more! Magazine

Wax Poetics goes nearly all hip hop for this issue – covering original game-changers and the best contemporary revisionists alike – with cover features on Nas, Danny Brown, Master P and his No Limit legacy, and Shabazz Palaces! Wax Poetics, tasked with following up their decade milestone issue, pulls that off brilliantly here. It's got one of the best, realest interviews with Nas we've ever read, a great look at Master P's No Limit and the Beats By The Pound production empire, a resurgent El-P, the legendary Kurtis Blow, Killer Mike, Oddisee, THEESatisfaction, Cities Aviv, modern jazz great Robert Glasper and much more! Magazine

Weather Report at the height of their 70s fame – captured live in a double-length set, very much the practice for jazz superstars of the time! The format is familiar – but the liveness gives the album a slightly different feel than their studio sets – a sound that echoes out strongly along with thunderous applause from the crowds, who are themselves clearly situated in some very large arenas. And while the studio Weather Report albums are easily documents of the group's power themselves, it's something extra to hear the crowd going nuts for them here – cheering on Jaco Pastorius during a frenetic bass solo, roaring with approval at a Joe Zawinul keyboard bit, or clapping with enthusiasm after Wayne Shorter finishes a snakey solo. Tracks are all longish, and titles include "Scarlet Woman", "Black Market", "Birdland", "Thanks For The Memory", "8:30", "Brown Street", "In A Silent Way", and "Slang". CD

A new sense of focus in the Weather Report sound – that building, soaring groove that would become the group's trademark in the mid 70s – offered up here in one of it's first and finest examples! The approach is one to describe accurately on paper – but which is instantly recognizable as the Weather Report sound of the time – a flowing, stretching, organic vibe that builds equally from the talents of all players, and turns it into a wonderfully righteous groove! Senior members Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, and Miroslav Vitous are still at the core – alongside Dom Um Romaeo, Alphonso Johnson, and Ismael Wilburn. Tracks include "Mysterious Traveller", "Jungle Book", "Nubian Sundance", and "Cucumber Slumber". CD

Beautifully laidback blowing from the great Ben Webster – captured here in perfect late 50s formation, with wonderful rhythm support from the Oscar Peterson Trio! The tunes aren't super-long, but still have a relatively open feel – possibly improvised in the studio, with a mellow but deeply soulful sound throughout, thanks to Webster's massive tone on the tenor sax. Peterson's on piano, and other players include Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – and titles include "The Touch Of Your Lips", "When Your Lover Has Gone", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning", "Sunday", and "This Can't Be Love". CD

A brilliant solo effort from drummer Jim White – a musician who's provided support to a wide range of rock greats – including Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, and Bill Callahan – but one who's also a secret master of the drum kit, with a command of his instrument that's really breathtaking! In some ways, the set's a record of solo drums – maybe not as improvised as on a free jazz album, but pretty open overall – yet Jim also mixes in some other sounds too, mostly just to fill up the background space so that the drums are in the lead – a gentle sonic palette that still emphasizes all the live, spontaneous action on the acoustic drum kit at the core! Titles include "Names Make The Name", "Here Comes", "Soft Material", "Curtains", "Percussion Build", "Marketplace", and "Walking The Block". CD

A brilliant solo effort from drummer Jim White – a musician who's provided support to a wide range of rock greats – including Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, and Bill Callahan – but one who's also a secret master of the drum kit, with a command of his instrument that's really breathtaking! In some ways, the set's a record of solo drums – maybe not as improvised as on a free jazz album, but pretty open overall – yet Jim also mixes in some other sounds too, mostly just to fill up the background space so that the drums are in the lead – a gentle sonic palette that still emphasizes all the live, spontaneous action on the acoustic drum kit at the core! Titles include "Names Make The Name", "Here Comes", "Soft Material", "Curtains", "Percussion Build", "Marketplace", and "Walking The Block". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from Memphis pianist James Williams – already playing like a master at this point, working with a quartet for this strong outing for Concord! The set's a simple one – a mix of standards and originals played by a quartet that includes Bill Pierce on reeds, Billy Hart on drums, and Dennis Irwin on bass – but Williams has an expansive quality to his work on piano, almost like John Hicks, in that he manages to fill in spaces with tones and colors that illuminate all the corners of the record with a wonderful light. Titles include "That's All", "For My Nephews", "Thoughts", "Dedicated To You", and "Everything I Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of excellent albums from master drummer Tony Williams – all brought together in a single package! Believe It is crackling funky fusion from Tony Williams' "new" version of his classic Lifetime group – a quartet that featured some smoking guitar work by jazz rock legend Allan Holdsworth! The sound on the set is very full-on and jamming – fuzzed-out guitars taking over most of the tracks, and Tony jumping into the fray with some really frenetic work on drums – miles away from his earlier jazz work in the 60s, and really taking off with the best sort of rock/jazz fusion energy! Titles include "Snake Oil", "Fred", "Proto Cosmos", "Red Alert", and "Mr Spock". On Million Dollar Legs, Tony Williams is a million miles from his work with the Miles Davis Quintet on this record – grooving in a heavy rock/fusion mode with his New Lifetime group that includes Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Tony Newton on bass and vocals, and Alan Pasqua on keyboards! The tracks have a post Jeff Beck kind of approach – lots of heavy riffing in a way that does create a bit of funk at the right moments, almost in the Alphonze Mouzon/Tommy Bolin mode – and Williams' drums are right at home in the setting, and somehow filled with as much imagination and creativity as before! Titles include "Sweet Revenge", "Inspirations Of Love", "Lady Jade", "What You Do To Me", and "Joy Filled Summer". Joy Of Flying is a key record in the evolution of Tony Williams as a drummer – and kind of a powerful summation of all the changes he'd made in the 70s – before a return to straighter jazz in the next decade! Williams' drumming here is incredibly fierce at points – almost at a Billy Cobham level – but he also shows the sensitivity to deeper sounds that he first brought into play during the 60s – and manages to mix an ear for fusion modes with some freer elements too – thanks to help from a lineup of players that includes Herbie Hancock and Brian Auger on keyboards, Cecil Taylor on piano, Jan Hammer on Fender Rhodes, Stanley Clarke on bass, Ton Scott on lyricon, and Ronnie Montrose on guitar. Titles include "Tony", "Coming Back Home", "Morgan's Motion", "Eris", "Open Fire", and "Hittin On 6". Great CD reissue – full notes, and a 20 page booklet with the usual Reel Music attention to detail! CD

A bit smoother than early days, but still very nice and soulful – and did we expect any less from Stevie? The record's got a nicely flanged-out soul groove – with a style that kind of expands on the vocal and keyboard production of the early 70s, taking the groove towards a sound that many other bands would cop in the 80s. Proof of this is the cut "Master Blaster (Jammin)", which many bands would cover at the time – plus lots of nice LP cuts, like "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me", "Cash In Your Face", "All I Do", and "I Ain't Gonna Stand For It". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic testament to the genius of Stevie Wonder – a collection that brings together some of his most important work of the 70s, plus a few new tracks too – all graced with a back cover note that proudly states "written, arranged, and produced by Stevie Wonder"! That note is key to the strength of the set – as it documents Wonder's rise from child soul phenomenon to adult American composer – a voice that was one of the strongest of the 70s in finding a new sense of pride and power for the generation. The whole thing's great – as you'd expect – and even after all these years, the set stands as one of the best ways to jump into Stevie's work of the 70s. Titles include "Living For The City", "Superstition", "Front Line", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Superwoman", "I Wish", "Sir Duke", "Higher Ground", "Boogie On Reggae Woman", "Do I Do", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Master Blaster (Jammin)", and "Isn't She Lovely". LP, Vinyl record album

Lester Young joins the Oscar Peterson trio – and the result is a classic meeting of the minds from early 50s Verve! Young's tone is tremendous throughout – that sharp-yet-cool style that had such a big influence on other 50s players, and which gets some great support here from Peterson's group, which also features guest guitar from Barney Kessel. Oscar's piano lines are a bit more forceful than usual – possibly because of the presence of Prez – and titles include "I Can't Get Started", "Ad Lib Blues", "Just You Just Me", "Two To Tango", "I'm Confessin", "There Will Never Be Another You", and "Almost Like Being In Love". CD

A great little Verve session from the late 50s – recorded in a very relaxed mode, with plenty of solo room for all the players. The tracks are all pretty extended – and include "Salute To Benny", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Romping", and "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone". Young's tone is worth the price of the set alone! CD

One of the greatest soul albums of the past 20 years – an instant classic the day it was released! When this killer came out in the UK in 1991, it was one of the best soul records we'd heard in years. Carleen Anderson, the then-unknown daughter of Bobby Byrd & Vicki Anderson, sung some of the deepest vocals we'd heard in years – and she was backed by funky soundscapes filled with references and homages to greats like Roy Ayers, Leroy Hutson, Leon Ware, 24-Carat Black, and many others – all now well-remembered artists from the rare groove years of the 70s, but at the time just barely-remembered echoes from the past who were being kept alive in the British soul scene. The record was (and is) impeccable – a wondrous treat for fans of the kind of rare groove material we stock at Dusty Groove – and it features stellar performances by the likes of Carleen Anderson, Master Ace, Johnny Lytle, Maceo Parker, and others! This US version features a few remixes from the original UK album – and titles include "All I Have (Young Ideas mix)", "Funky Yeh Funki (Mek It)", "Talkin What I Feel", "Move On", "Apparently Nothin (Soul River)", "Get Yourself Together (parts 1 & 2)", "Freedom Suite", "Step Right On (original mix)", and "As We Come (To Be)". CD

Excellent! You're probably familiar with the Aquarius Dub set, an early, early dub LP, featuring some great rockers from Herman Chin Loy and Augustus Pablo – this groovy set from Pressure Sounds collects many of the vocal, dee jay and instrumental tracks that those rhythms laid the base for! 2 dozen bouncing numbers from the Scorpio and Aquarius imprints, with Chin Loy's rippling offbeat approach to production and top flight chats, scats and voicing from some of Kingston's finest, including Augustus Pablo & Herman "Aquarius Rock" and "Iggy Iggy", 2 versions of Alton Ellis' "Alton's Official Daughter", The Aquarians "Funky Aquarius", Sounds Unlimited "Roadrunner" and "Middle East Skank", Archie McKay "Pick Up The Pieces", Leroy Parker "Groove With It", Beres Hammond "No More War" plus its version by Herman, Dennis Alcapone "Return Of Sabata", James Eastwood "Darkest Night", Charlie Boy "Funky Strip", The Teacher "Soul Vibration", Dennis Brown "Song My Mother Used To Sing", Herman "Aquarius Dub", "River Nile Version", "Sabata" and "I Man" and Augustus Pablo "The Red Sea", "Snowball & Pudding", "Song Of The East" and "East Of The River Nile". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Rock Dis Funky Joint" by Poor Righteous Teachers, "Music Man" by Master Ace, "Bonita Applebum" by A Tribe Called Quest, "It's Funky Enough" by the DOC, "Erase Racism" by Kool G Rap & DJ Solo, and 10 more early 90s classics! CD

Music from Main Source, Poor Righteous Teachers, Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth, YZ, Master Ace, Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, D-Nice, The D.O.C., Special Ed, and more. CD

Discomix versions of stellar late 70s and early 80s selections from Joe Gibbs & Errol Thompson – giving the extended mix treatment to some stellar singles by a number of great vocalists and augmented by the top notch players! The approach essentially pairs up jams for an extended mix – running 6 to 8 minutes each – and the musician ship is incredible! Players including Sly Dunbar, Lloyd Parks, Ossie Hibbert, Tommy McCook and others. Volume 1 includes "Feeling Soul" from Ruddy Thomas & Trinity, "My Man/Blouse & Skirt" by Marcia Aitken & Trinity, "How Can I Leave You/Bubbling Love" by Dennis Brown & Prince Mohammed, "A Win Them/News Carrier" by Leo Graham & I Roy, "Natty Contractor/Drunken Master" by Michael Black & Ranking Joe and more. CD

Spiritual soul and spoken word with instrumental inflections – a perfect illustration of the righteous sound of the Flying Dutchman label at the start of the 70s! The imprint was famously home to Gil Scott Heron, Lonnie Liston Smith, Leon Thomas, and other hip cats at the time – but also recorded a fair bit of work that was even more progressive and political – including key records from forces helping to carry the legacy of Civil Rights well into the 70s! This package offers up a perfect blend of those modes – great jazz tracks that carry the legacy of John Coltrane forth even further, and political records that were often more powerful than anything in the press at the time. Titles include "Sais" by Lonnie Liston Smith", "Nevertite" by The Esoteric Circle, "The Creator Has A Master Plan" by Louis Armstrong and Leon Thomas, "Lament For John Coltrane" by Bob Thiele Emergency, "Friends & Neighbors" by Ornette Coleman, "Sit Down" by Carl B Stokes with Oliver Nelson, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, "The Giant Is Awakened"b y Horace Tapscot, "Gonna Get Some Right Now" by Chico Hamilton", and "We're Threatening The Oppressors" by Angela Davis. CD

Quite possibly one of the greatest funk compilations ever – and we're not just saying that because we're from the Midwest! The genius compilers at Jazzman spent years scouring the smaller cities of the American hinterlands – tracking down obscure musicians, long-lost labels, and nearly-gone master tapes – all to bring together 23 bits of rare funk that bristle with the same energy and excitement as the day they were first recorded! The package is incredible – not only filled with incredible tunes that somehow manage to push the boundaries and redefine our understanding of classic funk from the time, but also doing so in a package that's filled with liner notes that offer more information on the artists than probably their own mothers know! Plus, the set's also got some previously unissued numbers as well – making it a must-have for any funk fan, even if you've somehow managed to track down original copies of some of these choice bits! Titles include "Whip It" by The New Establishment In Soul, "Let's Do It Today (full version)" by The Us, "Pushin To The Top" by Markus Kelly & The Impassions, "Sissy Walk" by Billy Ball & The Upsetters, "Tell Her" by Fred Williams & The Jewels Band, "The Hatch" by The TMGs, "Boots Groove" by The Soul Tornados, "Po Boy's Dream" by Illinois Connection, "It's Not You For Me (live)" by Billy Joe Holloman, "Funky In Here" by Dayton Sidewinders, "Master Groove" by Henry Peters & The Imperials, and "A Day In The Life" by Chocolate Snow. CD

Wicked tunes hand-picked by the Japanese maestro of the groove – a heady batch of tracks collected by Yukihiro Fukutomi, with a brilliant melding of jazz, soul, and Latin influences! The set compiles 10 tracks from American and European sources – and features many hard-to-find remixes that surfaced briefly on expensive singles, but which have long gone by the wayside – making this collection even more essential to fans of the groove. Fukutomi presents the tracks in their entirety, unmixed – and titles include "Don't Mean A Thing (Incognito mix)" by Space Jazz Dub Men, "I Got Somebody New (original)" by Georg Levin with Clara Hill, "Everything (Yam Who rmx)" by Dwayne Morgan, "Life Rhythms (Raw Deal rmx)" by E Smoove, "Dreams Come True (Afronaught mix for Bugz In The Attic)" by Alison David, "Listen (Just Listen Louie's Master mix)" by Urban Species, "Cosmic Gypsy (Fila Brazilia rmx)" by United Future Organization, "I Just Wanna Say (Domu's Number One Mix)" by Michelle Lawson, and "Cloud 9 (Quenti Harris Shelter mix)" by Donnie. CD

Sun Ra, Parliament, and other soul and jazz acts famously took us into space back in the day – and in the wake of their journeys, countless other artists elected to take the trip too – soaring to the cosmos on a blend of beats, basslines, keyboards, and vocals – all elements that are given an especially electro-tuned vibe in this great second volume of the series! The space age journeys are maybe more akin to the world of Newcleus than Earth Wind & Fire – lots of processing on the vocals, sweet riffing on the keyboards, and basslines that are tightly tied to the rhythms of the grooves – served up here in a way that references sounds of the street, west coast funk, and even earlier hip hop – all brought together in a very well-chosen array of tracks! As always with Soul Jazz, the presentation is as great as the music within – a set list that includes "More Ounce Rap" by Bobby Deemo, "Master Groove (inst)" by Chance, "Shine Your Light" by The Grainers, "Get Right" by Mid City Crew, "Summer Times" by Frank James & Shadow, "Year 2001 Boogie" by Rich Cason & The Galactic Orchestra, "Smurf Trek" by Chapter Three, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "Breakdance" by Command Performance, and "Computer Pop" by Maggotron. CD

Jazz-meets-hip hop-meets-new grooves compilation put together by the folks at the Red Hot organization in the mid 90s. Titles include "Time Is Moving On" by Donald Byrd, Guru, and Ronny Jordan; "Stolen Moments" by United Future Organization; "This Is Madness" by The Last Poets & Pharoah Sanders; "The Scream" by US3 & Joshua Redman; "Trouble Don't Last Always" by Incognito, Carleen Anderson, & Ramsey Lewis; "Nocturnal Sunrise" by Me'Shell NdegeOcello & Herbie Hancock; "Proceed II" by The Roots & Roy Ayers, "Un Ange En Danger" by MC Solaar & Ron Carter, and "The Rubbers Song" by Pharcyde – plus a bonus disc with two versions of "A Love Supreme" and remix of Creator Has A Master Plan". CD

50 Trojan master cuts on 3 CDs – all original, unfettered with deep reggae masters! Many of these 60s & 70s cuts went on to be pop hits in later covers by Blondie, UB40, Selector, Shaggy, and many others, but these reggae, rocksteady, and ska originals are as the title informs, the real deal by the cream of the Trojan roster! 50 cuts on three CDs, including "Cherry Oh, Baby" by Eric Donaldson, "Many Rivers To Cross" by Jimmy Cliff, "I Will Never Let You"by Cornell Campbell, "Wear You To The Ball" by U-Roy, "Mr. Fix It" by Max Romeo, "Sweet Sensation" by the Melodians, "Johnny Too Bad" by the Slickers, "Groovin' Out On Life" by Ken Parker, "Soul Rebel" by Bob Marley & The Wailers, "My Best Girl" & "The Tide Is High" by the Paragons, "Blood & Fire" by Niney the Observer, "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah", "Time Hard" & "Long Shot Kick De Bucket" by The Pioneers, "Red Red Wine" by Tony Tribe, "Crying Over You" & "Everything I Own " by Ken Boothe, "Love Of The Common People" by Nicky Thomas, "Rudy A Message To You" by Dandy Livingstone, "Monkey Man" by the Maytals and tons more! CD