Sweet electric work from Ron Carter – subtle magic in the best CTI mode! Ron arranged the set himself, but he's working with a core group of CTI players that includes Bob James and Richard Tee on electric piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Ralph MacDonald on percussion, and Billy Cobham on drums – shifting mood, tone, and color with ease as each new track on the album emerges – and uniting the whole proceedings with work on acoustic bass and piccolo bass! Not funky, but very soulful – with a keen sense of space, but never too much so to make things snoozy. Titles include "Blues Farm", "Hymn For Him", "Two Beat Johnson", and "R2, M1". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic collaboration between 2 of the godfathers of Chicago soul – recorded at a time when both of them had emerged as proven big-sales artists, and were given the freedom to experiment in different styles with side projects like this. Here, they're singing in almost a Curtis Mayfield-esque vein, with more of a political edge than their usual stuff from this time – and the album's a righteous batch of soul cuts that shows the growing sophistication and social conscience of the Chicago scene. Arrangements are by Tom Tom Washington and Richard Evans – and tracks include "Ten & Two (Take This Woman Off The Corner)", "You Just Can't Win", "One Hand Washes The Other", "The World Keeps Changing", and "Sho Is Groovin". LP, Vinyl record album

We don't know about you, but we never get tired of Cheech & Chong's jokes about reefer and East LA. Loads of classic material on this first LP: "Blind Melon Chillin", "Wink Dickerson", "Acapulco Gold Filters", "Vietnam", "Trippin In Court", "Dave", "Emergency Ward", "Dave", "Emergency Ward", 'Welcome To Mexico", "The Pope Live At The Vatican", "Cruisin With Pedro De Pacas" and "Waiting For Dave". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible treasure from a lost vocal jazz genius – the little-known Bobby Cole, every bit as great a singer as he was a songwriter, very unusual for the time! Bobby was probably best remembered as the house pianist at Jillys, but at the time of this 1964 recording, he was poised to emerge as a serious vocalist with a rich talent for penning interesting and witty little tunes. The album's got Bobby singing in a style that's halfway between Matt Dennis and Mark Murphy – with the sophisticated talents of both in place, and perhaps a bit of the wit of Bob Dorough or Roy Kral. The core album is completely brilliant – the kind of off-kilter vocal record we die for – and every track's a fresh original by Bobby! The original album features Bobby on piano and vocals, with only bass and drums behind him – and titles include "You Can't Build A Life On A Look", "Heat", "You Could Hear A Pin Drop", "Change Of Scene", "A Perfect Day", "Elegy For Eve", and "Status Quo". LP, Vinyl record album

A really bold step forward for Chicago tenor genius Isaiah Collier – and maybe the first record to showcase his emergence as a multi-instrumentalist instead of just a spiritual jazz musician! There's clearly a lot of improvisation going on here – not just from the larger ensemble, which includes Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Julian Reid on keyboards, and Michael Damani on guitar – but also from Collier, who effortlessly shifts between saxes, flute, vocals, and keyboards without any overdubs or additional production at all! A few moments are tight and funky, others are much more experimental – a blend that that's really great, and which continues the unique spirit into which Collier has evolved in recent years. The record also features some key vocal contributions from the great Jimetta Rose – and titles include "Never Back Down", "Eggun", "Village Song", "Retreat", "Parallel Universe", and "The Last Song". LP, Vinyl record album

By this point in their career, The Commodores have lost Lionel Richie and any sort of funk credibility they had from their early years – but they also somehow manage to reemerge with a great new talent for a sweet mellow groove! The title tune "Nightshift" was one of those tracks that crossed over massively at the time – but to our ears, it also kind of redeemed the group too – as it's got a surprisingly soulful quality that really got the group past the soppiness of their ballads and love songs – gliding along with an almost-righteous quality that makes it a nice later cap to an earlier Motown 70s groove. Other tunes on the album don't always fare as well, but there's still some nice moments here – tunes that benefit from some Dennis Lambert production and hit just the right kind of mellow groove to follow up on the spirit of the single. Tracks include "Nightshift", "Slip Of The Tongue", "Lay Back", "Lightin Up The Night", and "The Woman In My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album of contemporary jazzy grooves – a set issued at the start of the century, and one of the first to really get a blend of classic elements right – after so many others were foundering around in too-remixed, too-programmed work in the 90s! For years, Nicola Conte was a seminal force in the new Italian scene of the 90s – working as a DJ, promoter, producer, and sometimes recording artist under the odd 12" single. Yet this album marks his first full effort – and after years of bubbling under in the Italian scene, Nicola emerged as a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes – put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes to reinvent older jazz, funk, and bossa. The record features great mixes from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully – with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that usually cluttered the dance racks Tracks include "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Trappola Mortale", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "Bossa Per Due". LP, Vinyl record album

Apart from the title's terrible pun on the Glenn Campbell hit of the mid 70s, this album's a real treat – a very soulful batch of smooth funky jazz tunes by The Crusaders, who by this point have fully emerged to claim the throne of the pop soul jazz genre they virtually invented. The record's got razor-sharp production, which you'll hear perfectly in the album's jazz stepping hit "Keep That Same Old Feeling", one of the best tunes ever to come from the pen of Wayne Henderson, and a track that he recorded endlessly with other groups. Other tracks include "Feeling Funky", "Spiral", and "Til The Sun Shines". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible late album from Bobby Darin – and a real treasure! The record was cut after Darin's mid 60s fascination with the work of Tim Hardin, most of which he re-recorded for Atlantic during that time – but it's got a similar style to the Hardin years, yet features some stunning original compositions by Darin. After the confidence of his early show days, it's amazing to hear Bobby D singing songs like this – filled with sadness, insecurity, and kind of a mind-numbing inability to cope with the times. Of course, part of this has to do with Darin's increasingly poor health conditions (he was predicted to live a very short life at an early age) – and the raw honest experimental quality of the album's a real testament to Darin's perpetual struggle to combine a strong professional bent to be a crossover entertainer with an increasing (and surprising) desire to emerge as a creative force on his own. Includes the sublime "I Can See The Wind", plus "Change", "Sunday", "Questions", and "The Proper Gander". LP, Vinyl record album

Volume 2 of Lockjaw's classic early Cookbook sessions – cut for Prestige in a key transitional moment, when Lock was trying to break past the R&B roots of earlier years, and emerge as a more sophisticated jazz soloist, capable of carrying an idea way past the short format of singles and jukebox sides. The sessions provide a perfect format for such an effort – as the tracks are long and open-ended, and match Eddie with a great quintet that includes Shirley Scott on organ and Jerome Richardon on flute. Includes the classic "The Rev", plus "Stardust", "Skillet", and "The Broilers". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the classic early Miles Davis & John Coltrane sessions for Prestige – a well-crafted quintet album that shows Miles finding a stronger voice than ever, and Coltrane beginning to emerge as a key force on his own! Backing is subtle and soulful – handled by the trio of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones – and although the tracks are mostly ballads and standards, they're all nicely given the Davis treatment on the set, turned into beautiful new vehicles for jazz imagination and improvisation! Titles include "If I Were A Bell", "I Could Write A Book", "Oleo", and "Woody'n You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the classic early Miles Davis & John Coltrane sessions for Prestige – a well-crafted quintet album that shows Miles finding a stronger voice than ever, and Coltrane beginning to emerge as a key force on his own! Backing is subtle and soulful – handled by the trio of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Soaring grooves from DD Sound – short for Disco Delivery Sound – a group with European origins, but remixed in America here for the US market! Side one of the album features the side-long title track "Cafe" – a very long number that builds beautifully from percussion, keyboards, and strings – all without vocals! Side two features three shorter numbers – "She's Not A Disco Lady", "Back Street Baby", and "Show Me Your Love" – the first of which has a nice vocoder bit! LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal Ze Records groover from Lizzy Mercier Descloux – a bit disco, a bit post-punk, with some nice European touches! "Fire" is a chanted little track that merges new wave and disco – remaking the Arthur Brown classic in a style that's completely unlike the original, and which features some great spoken bits from Lizzy! "Mission Impossible" is even better – a totally great remake of the Lalo Schifrin theme song, done with acoustic percussion and horns on the best – building the tune up in an almost tribal approach to the groove before the dancefloor beats snap in! There's a snaking sax bit that's really great – giving a moody, almost ethnographic feel to the instrumental tune! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A mighty tribute to one of the coolest bands to emerge from the American underground of the late 70s – and one of the few who were able to both end up on a larger label, and yet still continue the genius that made them such a powerful presence on the arty, edgy Ohio scene from which they sprang! The set spans the gamut of Devo work – and features tracks from albums mixed with rare singles and more obscure material – including some great early rarities! Titles include "Disco Dancer (7" version)", "Mongoloid (Warner version)", "Jocko Homo (Warner version)", "Through Being Cool", "Here To Go (go mix)", "Smart Patrol", "Secret Agent Man", "The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprize", "Whip It", "Gates Of Steel", "Time Out For Fun", "That's Good", "Beautiful World", "Big Mess", "Post Post Modern Man", "Fresh", and "Peek A Boo". LP, Vinyl record album

Dezron Douglas and Brandee Younger are two of our favorite jazz musicians to emerge in the past decade – and this set of duets may well be some of the greatest work that either artist has done on record to date! The setting is unique – material pulled from live stream broadcasts that bassist Douglas and harpist Younger did from their Harlem apartment during the lockdown in Spring of 2020 – and if that makes you think that the material's going to be low-fi or cheap, it's not – as there's a sense of majesty here that's really surprising, given that the album features just two musicians! Dezron's bass has never sounded better – and blended with the harp of Younger, the sound is amazing – as Brandee evokes both Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby on the instrument – but also brings in a spirit that's very much her own. The set features remakes of tracks from both Coltranes, and Pharoah Sanders – plus lots of other surprises and original material too – on titles that include "Gospel Trane", "Force Majeure", "This Woman's Work", "Nothing Stupid", "Sing", "The Creator Has A Master Plan", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "We'll Be Right Back", "You Make Me Feel Brand New", and "Equinox". 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

Amazing stuff – and the beginning of a strong tradition of west coast funky Latin groups! El Chicano were one of a number of groups to emerge from LA of the 60s – rising forth on a wave of Mexican American pride to come up with a west coast version of the Latin Soul sound that had been emanating from Spanish Harlem a few years earlier. The group had an organ-heavy sound that first scored big on their rendition of Gerald Wilson's "Viva Tirado" – done as a single by the group with a stepping jazz beat that was missing from the earlier version, which worked great with their bubbly organ sound. The album was recorded to follow up the hit – done as a live set after hours at the Kabuki Sukiyaki Restaurant in south LA, and filled with tight jazzy covers 60s groovers like "Cantaloupe Island", "Eleanor Rigby", "Hurt So Bad", and "Coming Home Baby". The record's also got an amazing version of "Quiet Village" – and while it may not be as Latin as some of the group's later work, it's the beginning of a great tradition, and has a sound that was copied endlessly – but rarely matched! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record that blew the world away when it was first released – and still continues to delight all these many years later! Brian Eno had first rose to fame in Roxy Music – where his sonic sensibilities and ear for electronic experimentation really added a lot to their initial albums – and here, on his own, he's in somewhat side-stepped territory – mixing things up in the art/glam generation of Roxy and Bowie, but also already showing a darkness that really sets him apart from the pack! The first three songs alone are a hell of a statement from any musician in the 70s, and the titles alone almost get at their impact – "Needles In The Camel's Eye", "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch", and "Baby's On Fire" – all songs that offer a rare blend of ferocity and humor that wouldn't emerge elsewhere until the punk movement. Yet Eno's hardly the forerunner of punk, but he's also not glam, metal, or anything else – a supremely impactful artist with this record, completely in his own space – like a rare breed that might include The Velvet Underground, Gram Parsons, or Bowie. Titles include "Needles In The Camel's Eye", "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch", "Baby's On Fire" "Blank Frank", "Some Of Them Are Old", "Cindy Tells Me", "On Some Faraway Beach", and "Dead Finks Don't Talk". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The keyboards of Greg Foat have a really great setting here in a collaboration with Gigi Masin – served up in a style that's maybe more laidback and spacious than before, yet in a way that makes us fall in love with Greg's electric piano lines all over again! Masin's got roots in more ambient sounds, but the record definitely has a jazz approach at the core – plenty of the increasingly sensitive styles that Foat has developed as the years moved on – shifting from an initial role as a guy who could handle vintage keys, to a point where he's really emerged as a more fully-fledged jazz player overall! The blend of keyboards and a larger sonic palette still has plenty of live instrumentation in the mix – different than a project of this sort by an artist like Bugge Wesseltoft – and titles include "London Nights", "Viento Calido", "Your Move", "Sabena", "Leo Theo", "Love Theme", and "Dolphin". LP, Vinyl record album

A group that's not really folk, but who definitely have a special magic of their own – a collective ensemble who played on the Italian scene of the 70s, and who bring together free improvisation with a range of other earthy and organic elements! There's definitely some global currents going on here – and at points, the record's not far from some of the Don Cherry experiments of this nature – especially on passages that are heavy on percussion elements. But the size of the ensemble really gives them a strong force once they get going – and the saxes and flutes are sometimes merged with use of voice – only conventionally singing on one more straight ahead track on the record. Most musicians are ones that we don't recognize from other jazz efforts of the time – but the group does include flute from Nicola Stilo, who later played with Chet Baker – plus soprano and alto from Giancarlo Maurino, tenor from Mario Fulci, and altos from Sandro Satta and Luciano De Bonis. Titles include "Inno Per L'Imperatore", "Grass Leaf Rag", "Alice Alice Che Piange E Che Ride", "Free Bop New Bop", and "Monkey". LP, Vinyl record album

Fully-formed genius from the amazing Rodney Franklin – one of the best keyboard stars to emerge from the late 70s scene! Franklin's got a great talent for balancing influences from jazz and soul in ways that are similar to contemporaries George Duke and Bobby Lyle – and like both of those players, he still stands strong in jazz, but makes some key nods to soul music on this set – adding in a bit of vocals where needed, and moving into some R&B-drenched fusion lines that all sound pretty darn hip! As on previous records, Rodney plays both acoustic and electric keys – blending them wonderfully for a very deep sound – and the group behind him features some especially nice work on reeds, which bring sharper edges to some of the best tracks on the set. There's a wonderfully deep feel to the whole thing – way more than you'd expect for a major label release at the time – and titles include "Felix Leo", "The Watcher", "The Groove", "Journey", "You'll Never Know", "Return", and "Parkay Man". LP, Vinyl record album

The very first album from Frijid Pink – a heady set from the Detroit scene, yet one that also instantly has the group stepping away from their contemporaries! There's plenty of the freak and fuzz that you'd guess from bigger acts who emerged on the US scene from the Motor City in the years before – but the vocals from Tom Beaudry maybe have this more focused, soaring style that also prefaces some huge shifts in American hard rock at the time – soulful, but not with a soul influence, if that makes sense at all – and perfect next to the incredible guitar work from Gary Ray Thompson. Titles include "Drivin Blues", "I'm On My Way", "God Gave Me You", "I Want To Be Your Lover", "Boozin Blues", "House Of The Rising Sun", "Tell Me Why", and "Cryin Shame". LP, Vinyl record album

Mark Fry was just a young lad when he recorded this album – as you might guess from the cover – a Brit staying in Italy, where he cut this rare gem that's gone onto legendary status over the years – a set that's maybe circulated in far more unofficial copies than its original release! The style is a bit hard to peg – not the traditional folk of the UK scene of the time, but equally acoustic overall, and touched with some occasional older instrumentation – yet delivered with a much trippier vibe, maybe even more in a mode that points towards more addled sounds that would emerge later in the next decade. The structure is great – with some poetic "Dreaming With Alice" passages between most songs – and titles that include "Mandolin Man", "Down Narrow Streets", "The Witch", "A Norman Soldier", "Lute & Flute", and "Roses For Columbus" – all beautifully dark, yet dreamy. LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great 80s albums that really helped Jerry Garcia demonstrate his commitment to deeper currents of American acoustic music – sounds that always colored his contributions to the Grateful Dead, but which by this point have emerged as a fantastic second side of Jerry's genius! And sure, the guy's a superstar, so most folks would lend their ears to anything he does – but the sounds here are really balanced so that Garcia is hardly the leading light of the set – trading guitar lines and vocals with David Nelson, in a group that also features John Kahn on bass, Kenny Kosek on fiddle, David Kemper on snare drum, and Sandy Rothman on mandolin, dobro, and banjo – all of which really add a lot to the set. Titles include "Bright Morning Stars", "Turtle Dove", "Rosa Lee McFall", "Deep Elem Blues", If I Lose", "Ragged But Right", and "I Ain't Never". LP, Vinyl record album

Marvin Gaye shows another wonderful side of his talents in the early Motown years – a classy, crooing approach that was perfect for this tribute to Nat King Cole! There's a great mix of jazz and soul going on here that's a bit different than some of Marvin's other Motown work of the 60s – and although some tracks are quite Cole-like at times, with a surprisingly accurate approximation of Nat's style – there's plenty others that almost seem to point towards the growing sophistication in Gaye's style that would emerge more strongly at the end of the 60s. Titles include "Straighten Up & Fly Right", "Nature Boy", "Unforgettable", "Send For Me", and a pretty great reading of "Calypso Blues", with a nice stepping groove! LP, Vinyl record album

A lovely later recording from Stan Getz – very spare and spacious, and recorded with a casual approach that's quite striking, and really fresh! The album features Stan playing alongside pianist Albert Dailey – with no other rhythm accompaniment, just piano and tenor sax. The tunes are mostly familiar numbers, played in a relaxed, improvised mode that makes the whole thing feel like you're getting a lucky glimpse of Stan and Albert playing together in an after hours session or rehearsal. There's a bit of roughness in the recording, but given the depth of soul and color from both players, that quality also emerges as an honest humanity that only serves to make the recording more compelling! Titles include "Tune Up", "A Child Is Born", "Confirmation", "Round Midnight", and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Bebel Gilberto's really grown a lot over the years – and here, she emerges strongly as a fully-formed artist with a voice that's all her own – and a style that doesn't need to rest on the laurels of her famous family legacy! The album's easily one of the most interesting we've ever heard from Bebel – and it's got this slight spiritual undercurrent that's a real change from just bossa modes – a richer, deeper sound that almost shows echoes of some of the more compelling jazz talents in recent years, yet while still balancing out just the right sort of lovely sound for the vocals! Bass is more pronounced than before – often acoustic, but with a rollingly deep quality – on performances by both Kassin and Liminha – and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson brings in some sweet strings at points, but in a very gentle, subtle way. Seu Jorge joins Bebel on the track "Novas Ideais" – and other titles include "Tout Est Bleu", "Tom De Voz", "Nada Nao", "Somwhere Else", "Lonely In My Heart", "Areia", and "Saudade Vem Correndo". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely sublime work from Beverly Glenn Copeland – a really unique artist who's almost a genre unto herself – and who sings here in a mix of folk, jazz, and soul – maybe resonant with work at the time by Terry Callier or Nina Simone, but every bit as individual as the best from those two giants too! The performance was recorded by CBC at a key moment in Beverly's career – after a time she'd spent on the scene in Montreal, really soaking up different influences and exploring musical pathways away from her American roots – to a point where she emerges here as a very righteous, yet very personal singer – clearly not immediately interested in chart success, even though she's got the power of a young Roberta Flack. Titles include "Northwind", "Swords Of Gold", "Don't Despair", "Nothing Beautiful", "Song From Beads", "Untitled", "Interval", "Reflections", and "Durocher". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of great American albums from Dexter Gordon – back to back in a single set! First up is Tower Of Power – recorded at a time when Dexter Gordon certainly was a tower of power – as his lengthy 60s stay in Europe helped him to work work work, and season his playing considerably – to a point at which he emerged as a masterful soloist far beyond the limits of his early bop recordings! This session features Dexter back with an American group – one that features Barry Harris on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums – plus a very welcome James Moody on tenor on one track, "Monmartre", blowing in that raspier tone of the late 60s we love so much! Other titles include "Stanley The Steamer", "The Rainbow People", and "Those Were The Days" – all nice and long! More Power is one of Dex's few great group sessions from the late 60's. Unlike a lot of other records from the time – in which he solos long and meanderingly with a piano trio backing him up, on standards he's played a million times – this one has him playing with a tight group that includes James Moody, Barry Harris, Buster Williams, and Albert Heath, on a set of nice original material with titles like "Fried Bananas", "Boston Bernie", and "Sticky Wicket". There's also 2 jazz standards – "Lady Bird" and "Meditation" – but they're both taken in a nice tight way, and in keeping with the rest of the album. LP, Vinyl record album

Dexter Gordon certainly was a tower of power by this point – as his lengthy 60s stay in Europe helped him to work work work, and season his playing considerably – to a point at which he emerged as a masterful soloist far beyond the limits of his early bop recordings! This session features Dexter back with an American group – one that features Barry Harris on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums – plus a very welcome James Moody on tenor on one track, "Monmartre", blowing in that raspier tone of the late 60s we love so much! Other titles include "Stanley The Steamer", "The Rainbow People", and "Those Were The Days" – all nice and long! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – one with a depth that goes way beyond its simple roots, and which has gone on to become one of the true Christmas classics of the 20th Century! Although a Christmas soundtrack, the album's more of a tapestry of sadness, longing, and loss – the best qualities that always emerge in true Christmas classics – underscoring the blue side of the season that's always lurking around corners from the happier moments. Vince Guaraldi penned this score back when he was a rising talent on the San Francisco scene – and in a way, it was almost his musical contribution to the cartoon that made it such a lasting favorite – even over and above the appeal of the famous animated characters. Most tunes are simple piano ones, but played with a phrasing that's beautifully timeless – and the few vocal numbers feature voices from the cartoon, singing softly with the music. Titles include the classic "Linus and Lucy" – plus "My Little Drum", "Christmas Is Coming", "Christmas Time Is Here", "Skating", and "Fur Elise". Features a new stereo mix from the original tapes, plus 13 unreleased outtakes from the original sessions! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – one with a depth that goes way beyond its simple roots, and which has gone on to become one of the true Christmas classics of the 20th Century! Although a Christmas soundtrack, the album's more of a tapestry of sadness, longing, and loss – the best qualities that always emerge in true Christmas classics – underscoring the blue side of the season that's always lurking around corners from the happier moments. Vince Guaraldi penned this score back when he was a rising talent on the San Francisco scene – and in a way, it was almost his musical contribution to the cartoon that made it such a lasting favorite – even over and above the appeal of the famous animated characters. Most tunes are simple piano ones, but played with a phrasing that's beautifully timeless – and the few vocal numbers feature voices from the cartoon, singing softly with the music. Titles include the classic "Linus and Lucy" – plus "My Little Drum", "Christmas Is Coming", "Christmas Time Is Here", "Skating", and "Fur Elise". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – one with a depth that goes way beyond its simple roots, and which has gone on to become one of the true Christmas classics of the 20th Century! Although a Christmas soundtrack, the album's more of a tapestry of sadness, longing, and loss – the best qualities that always emerge in true Christmas classics – underscoring the blue side of the season that's always lurking around corners from the happier moments. Vince Guaraldi penned this score back when he was a rising talent on the San Francisco scene – and in a way, it was almost his musical contribution to the cartoon that made it such a lasting favorite – even over and above the appeal of the famous animated characters. Most tunes are simple piano ones, but played with a phrasing that's beautifully timeless – and the few vocal numbers feature voices from the cartoon, singing softly with the music. Titles include the classic "Linus and Lucy" – plus "My Little Drum", "Christmas Is Coming", "Christmas Time Is Here", "Skating", and "Fur Elise". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – one with a depth that goes way beyond its simple roots, and which has gone on to become one of the true Christmas classics of the 20th Century! Although a Christmas soundtrack, the album's more of a tapestry of sadness, longing, and loss – the best qualities that always emerge in true Christmas classics – underscoring the blue side of the season that's always lurking around corners from the happier moments. Vince Guaraldi penned this score back when he was a rising talent on the San Francisco scene – and in a way, it was almost his musical contribution to the cartoon that made it such a lasting favorite – even over and above the appeal of the famous animated characters. Most tunes are simple piano ones, but played with a phrasing that's beautifully timeless – and the few vocal numbers feature voices from the cartoon, singing softly with the music. Titles include the classic "Linus and Lucy" – plus "My Little Drum", "Christmas Is Coming", "Christmas Time Is Here", "Skating", and "Fur Elise". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful step forward for the team of Hall & Oates – and a set that has them moving more into soul than ever before! The album's a tremendous collaboration with the legendary Arif Mardin, who takes the pair's well-crafted vocals into territory that's much more slinkily soulful than some of their previous records – that sound that was always lurking in the background, never quite right, but which emerges here fully in that classic 70s Hall & Oates mode. Daryl and John seem to harmonize more here than before, and the backings are still somewhat rockish, but have a warmth that really suits their singing. We can't argue with the sublime brilliance of "She's Gone", one of those tracks that we've heard a bazillion times, but never cease to respect – and other titles include "Everytime I Look At You", "Had I Known You Better Then", "When The Morning Comes", and "Laughing Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

A real treat – one of the few small group sessions ever recorded by Slide Hampton during the 60s! The session was cut in Paris, where Hampton had taken up residence at the end of the decade – and was done with an all-star group that features Joachim Kuhn on piano, Niels-Henning Orsted-Pederson on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The quality of the work is great – with very long tracks that dance with the freedom you'd expect from Kuhn's piano work, yet which also still swing very nicely in Hampton's usual groove. In all, we'd be tempted to rate this one as one of the more free-thinking trombone jazz sides of the 60s – and it's certainly one of Slide's finest records overall! Titles include "Last Minute Blues", "Lament", "Chop Suey", "Impossible Waltz", and "In Case Of Emergency". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work by The Heath Brothers – a lot slicker and smoother than their earlier album for Strata East, but still filled with a soulful jazzy approach that befits their rich talents! By the point of this set, Jimmy Heath, once a rougher talent on the tenor, had emerged as one of the smooth soul maestros on the instrument – ranking next to Grover Washington Jr and Stanley Turrentine for a mellifluous sound and well-timed approach to the solo. Heath's written some great tracks here that are underpinned nicely by brother Percy's strong work on bass – still acoustic amidst some added electric instrumentation on some of the tracks. Titles include "Passion Flower", "Move to The Groove", "Feelin Dealin", "Project S", "The Voice Of The American Saxophone (from Afro American Suite of Evolution)", and "A Time & A Place (There's)". 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

A soulful classic from The Heptones – easily one of the greatest trios to emerge from the Jamaican scene in the late 60s – and one of the few who were really able to evolve their style as the years went on! The style here is to earlier Heptones material as the early 70s Impressions records on Curtom were to their 60s albums on ABC – more righteous in content, and hipper in overall expression – with this beautiful interplay between the vocals of Leroy Sibbles, Barry Llewellyn, and Earl Morgan – all captured with this warm glow in the Harry J Studio! Includes material originally released in Jamaica on the album Book Of Rules, then issued by Trojan as Cool Rasta with additional tracks. Titles include "Black On Black", "Over & Over", "Peace & Harmony", "Dreadlock", "Suffering So" and and "Wah Go Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of work from one of the hippest bandleaders to emerge in the swing generation – and one of the few to be able to tie his approach to the growing worlds of modern jazz and jump jive too! The set features material from Woody Herman's first three "herds" – the first, his initial recording group with Columbia; the second, his groundbreaking group with the "four brothers" group of horn players who included Stan Getz and Jimmy Giuffre; and the third his mid 50s revival group that had Ralph Burns turning in some great modern arrangements to rework that four brothers sound. The set features very lively notes from Woody himself – and titles include "Non Alcoholic", "Caldonia", "Good Earth", "Four Brothers", "Early Autumn", "Third Herd", "Mulligan Tawny", "Blame Boehm", and "Sidewalks Of Cuba". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual concert from Billie Holiday – one that features narration by Gilbert Millstein, telling the story of Billie's life! The format is quite unusual – almost a live documentary, with the subject of the documentary there in person herself! Millstein narrates from the start, and Billie emerges with songs throughout – using Millstein's narration to bracket portions of her career, then delivering the tunes associated with that portion. Backing is by an all-hip group that includes Coleman Hawkins, Kenny Burrell, Chico Hamilton, Roy Eldridge, and Buck Clayton – and titles include "I Cried For You", "My Man", "Don't Explain", "Lady Sings The Blues", "Body & Soul", "I Love My Man", and "Yesterdays". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest work we've ever seen from Japanese keyboard legend Takehiro Honda – a great batch of trio tracks, recorded with an open spirit and freely soaring vibe! Honda's playing acoustic piano throughout – working in a trio with Yoshio Suzuki and Fumio Watanabe – and his style here is often heavier on the left hand than in later work – clearly influenced by American soul jazz players of the 60s, and carried off with the skill to match! There's some great bluesy undercurrents on the best numbers – but still played with some of the greater freedoms of the Japanese trio style – and titles include "Emergency", "CMT & T", "This Guy's In Love With You", and "Hakai To Jojyo". LP, Vinyl record album

IDK throws his hat into the ring with an entry into one of the better genres of contemporary soul to emerge of late – a well-contained concept album of sorts – a bit of a story along the way, but one that never feels too bound in by its premise to experience a sense of freedom from track to track! The structure really works well for the singer – allowing him a fresh voice for each track, mostly with help from producer Kaytranada – on titles that include "Southeast To Paris", "Drugstore", "Dog Food", "Zaza Tree", "Paris To Southeast", "Breathe", "Taco", and "The Code". LP, Vinyl record album

The original mix of Ruff Draft from J Dilla – a set cut back when he was still going by the name of Jay Dee, as one of the most powerful voices to emerge from the new scene in Detroit – working here alone in the studio, and with a raw power that's really wonderful! The record is supposedly music that Dilla originally made for himself, and which saw an initial limited release – but which, thanks to various reissues and variations, has gone on to become a key part of his too-short musical legacy. Tracks include "Reckless Driving", "Nothing Like This", "Let's Take It Back", "Crushin", "The $", and "Make Em NV" – plus some key interlude tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

A heck of a great record – and we don't mind saying it! After knocking around in territory that ran from new wave to neo ska, retro swing, and other assorted genres, Joe Jackson really emerged with a strong voice on this 1982 classic. The album's a loving tribute to New York – and is steeped in Jackson's growing knowledge of Latin and jazz music – performed here by a great group that really sets things up right, and recorded in a warmly acoustic mode that was quite striking for the time! The tracks on the set hold up incredibly well over the years – getting past the cliches that later plagued Jackson's career, and reminding us of how great he was at his best. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark little record from Grace Jones – a set that started off as one of those "hey, let's see if this model can sing" sort of records – but which has gone onto become an enduring classic! Most of the tunes are older ones, but they're remade with a soaring Sigma Sound groove by the best in Philly – taking sometimes-cloying lyrics and pushing them into hipper disco territory for the 70s – all with that odd wink and subtle sense of irony that would emerge more clearly in Jones' later records. Tom Moulton produced and mixed, and titles include "I Need A Man", "La Vie En Rose", "Sorry", "Tomorrow", "What I Did For Love", and "Send In The Clowns". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark session that features two of the greatest tenor talents to emerge from the rich Chicago scene of the 50s! Jordan was well-known to jazz fans, or would be within a few years – but Gilmore's rarely heard in this sort of setting, as most of his recording career was spent in the company of Sun Ra's Arkestra. The record features the duo in a twin-tenor frontline, with backing by Horace Silver, Curly Russell, and Art Blakey. Ostensibly a blowing session, but much tighter than you'd expect – and with a hard heavy Blue Note groove. Titles include "Evil Eye", "Status Quo", "Bo-Till", and "Blue Lights". LP, Vinyl record album

The first new music we've heard in years from Afro Funk giant Orlando Julius – wonderfully paired here with the always-great Heliocentrics! Orlando's definitely in the lead here – singing, playing tenor, and contributing percussion to the overall groove of the group – which leans a bit more towards a 70s African vibe than some of their other releases, yet still retains all their wonderful style of psychedelic funk! Some of the rhythms have an Ethiopian sense of slinkiness, while others hit more of a full-on Nigerian groove – and the whole thing's never forced, never gimmicky, and instead just the right sort of setting for Julius to re-emerge as a true giant of his generation. Titles include "Buje Buje", "Love Thy Neighbor", "Aseni", "Sangodele", "Jaiyede Afro", "Omo Oba Blues", "In The Middle", and "Be Counted". LP, Vinyl record album

Tenorist Eero Koivistoinen first rose to fame with a handful of groundbreaking records in the 70s – but in more recent years, he's reemerged with maybe an even sharper sound and bolder sense of his talents! The music here feels like that of a young artist spreading his wings and on fire with new ideas – brilliantly fresh tenor lines from the leader, but tied to a unified group sound that's every bit as great – work from Alexi Tuomarila on piano, Jorhi Huhtala on bass, and Jussi Lehtonen on drums – all lesser-known players from the Finnish scene, but who really follow the visionary lead of Koisivistoinen as he moves between equal moments of darkness and light! Titles include "Stammer", "Played Twice", "Casa De Ferro", "Kelo", "Body Language", "Hokum", and "Diversity". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 80s sounds from the legendary Kool & The Gang – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". LP, Vinyl record album

Essential work from vocalist Karin Krog – one in a number of sessions cut with some of the best saxophonists of her time (Dexter Gordon, Archie Shepp, John Surman) – a record that features some incredible late tenor from Warne Marsh, set beautifully alongside one of the few vocalists who could match him! Instrumentation for the record comes only from Warne's tenor and the bass of Red Mitchell – leaving Karin plenty of room to open up with imaginative interpretations of the tunes – and almost letting Marsh emerge as a second "voice" that contributes equally to the album. The approach is wonderful – spare and moody, but extremely soulful – and even familiar chestnuts sound completely fresh in the setting. Titles include "I Remember You", "Trane", "Moody's Mood For Love", "Loverman", and "Speak Low". LP, Vinyl record album

A totally wonderful little record – not just a funky 70s soundtrack, but an excellent jazz outing as well – thanks to the talents of Hubert Laws on flute and Earl Klugh on guitar! Patrick Williams wrote and arranged the whole set – and he merges his jazzier roots with some of his sublime 70s soundtrack skills – in a mix that's still lean enough to keep the album right up there with Laws' best from the time, but also give things a bit more of a funky punch, too. There's lots of great moments in a CTI/Kudu mode – and titles include "Down River", "Piccolo Boogie", "The Edge", "The Caper", "The Scuffle", and "Ready To Run". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic club from Webster Lewis – and much more of an all-out disco affair than some of his later work! The record introduces Lewis' all-encompassing style – as he writes, arranges, and produces the album at a level that easily matches that of Barry White – who would later emerge as a mentor for Lewis, introducing him as part of the later Love Unlimited Orchestra records. The group here is billed as "Webster Lewis & The Post-Pop Space-Rock Be-Bop Gospel Tabernacle Orchestra & Chorus" – a pretty good way to describe the soaringly full sound of the album – one that's built up from Webster's keyboards with lots of added strings and rhythms, plus occasional backing vocals from a female chorus. Most of the focus here is instrumental, though – filled with great tunes that include "On The Town", "Love Is The Way", "Do It With Style", "Song Of Joy", "Goodnight Baby Girl", "Since I've Been Gone", and "Saturday Night Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from The Litter – the Minneapolis psych quintet who first broke big on their Emerge album for ABC/Probe – but who are heard here a year earlier, with a sound that's maybe even more trippy and powerful overall! The back of the album carries the message "play at the loudest volume your equipment, ears, and neighbors will permit" – and that tip's definitely a good one – as the louder the record, the more the fuzzy guitars and freaky vocals will blow you away, although these guys are already pretty darn persuasive even at a lower volume too! Titles include "Apologies To 2069", "Here I Go Again", "Under The Screaming Double Eagle", "Kaleidiscope", "Mindbreaker", and "She's Not There". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Love Sculpture – a heavy British trio from the end of the 60s – and one that features a young Dave Edmunds on guitar! There's a slight bluesy undercurrent in Dave's style, but the music also has that tightly compressed sound that would emerge more strongly during his hit solo years – yet which is presented here with some very nice rough edges. Songwriting is especially great – a fresh approach to territory that was beginning to sound a bit stale in the hands of some of the group's contemporaries – presented here with a clean, lean sound that's almost a precursor to power pop at points, yet which still has a heavier late 60s rock feel. Titles include "In The Land Of The Few", "Seagull", "People People", "Mars", "Sabre Dance", "Farandole", and "You Can't Catch Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's full of many surprises – one of which is the sweet lead vocals of Cissy Houston! Houston works here in a style that merges nicely with the jazzy currents of Herbie Mann – at a level that's different than other soul/fusion sets of the time – like work on CTI or Columbia – drawing a lot of freshness from the inventive arrangements of Pat Rebillot! Pat graced other of the best Herbie Mann records from the time – and his keyboards provide just the right sort of slinky bridge between Mann's flute and the vocals – almost a Bob James-ish sensibility that keeps things laidback and open. Titles include "Draw Your Breaks", "Cajun Moon", "Creepin'", "Easter Rising", "Asa Branca", "The Sound Of Windwood", "Cricket Dance", "The Butterfly In A Stone Garden", and "Anata (I Wish You Were Here With Me)". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible step forward for 60s soul singer Gene McDaniels – so much so, that most folks hearing this album can't believe he's the same guy who recorded for Liberty Records a few years before! The album's incredibly righteous right from the start – and has a genre-busting quality that isn't quite soul, but isn't rock or anything else either – and instead, the kind of progressive, "years ahead of its time" sort of set that guys like David Axelrod were cutting in the same stretch. Apart from the title, the whole record's got a strong political message that's probably best embodied in the statement on the back – "Under conditions of national emergency, like now, there are only two kinds of people – those who work for freedom, and those who do not – the good guys vs the bad guys". With words like that, you can definitely bet that Eugene is on the side of the good guys – really pushing a social agenda with some wonderfully-penned tunes on the album – set to cool musical backdrops from the equally-righteous William S Fischer. Titles include "Love Letter To America", "Black Boy", "Outlaw", and "Sagittarius Red". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the records that put a young Brother Jack McDuff on the map – and a perfect example of the rougher R&B roots that first emerged in his early work on the Hammond! The session's got a much more down-n-dirty feel than some of McDuff's tighter 60s quartet work – and offers a nice bridge between 50s use of the organ in R&B, and the growing soul jazz take on the instrument that McDuff was helping to forge at the time. The group's a real cooker too – with some great work on guitar by a young Grant Green, smoking tenor from Jimmy Forrest, and lyrically dancing drums from the great Ben Dixon. Titles include the great original "Whap!", plus versions of "I Want A Little Girl" and "The Honeydripper" – and an excellent reading of Henry Mancini's "Mr Lucky", virtually worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

An intensely jamming album from guitarist John McLaughlin – and a record that set a whole new tone for electric jazz in the 70s! The album was recorded shortly after McLaughlin's work with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew and Tony Williams on the first Emergency album – and in a way, it's a key piece of the jazz-rock fusion puzzle that has those two sets as cornerstones. McLaughlin's working here with keyboardist Larry Young from the Emergency group – playing both his usual organ on the record, plus a bit of electric piano – and the rest of the group includes bassist Billy Rich, plus superdrummer Buddy Miles – really giving a lot of power to the album's sound at the bottom! McLaughlin is getting into a bit of his mystic trip on the record, but is still playing with a lot of electric power here – plenty distorted and fuzzy on most numbers, and really jamming throughout! Titles include "Devotion", "Dragon Song", "Marbles", "Siren", "Don't Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother", and "Purpose Of When". LP, Vinyl record album

Tenorist James Brandon Lewis is easily one of the most important voices on his instrument in recent years – and also one of the most versatile too, as is shown in this project with the guitar-driven group The Messthetics! Two of the group's members hail from legendary punk band Fugazi, but clearly come across here with a different vibe overall – still using guitar, bass, and drums in ways that echo rock roots – but with a more rhythmic approach, and one that acts as a surprisingly strong setting for Lewis' solos! This isn't some cheap "punk jazz", but instead a wonderfully well-crafted hybrid of modes – one that really notches things up for both Lewis and the group. Titles include "Railroad Tracks Home", "The Time Is The Place", "That Thang", "Emergence", "L'Orso", and "Boatly". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully sensitive work from pianist Mulgrew Miller – an album that's hardly "work" at all, and which seems to have the magical music flowing from his hands with ease! There's a really organic feel to the set – that never-forced approach to piano that made Miller a real standout when he first emerged in the 80s – a new chapter of jazz piano expression, rich with soul from past legacies, but also stating its own identity with a quiet sort of power. One track is a solo number, but the rest feature support from Charnett Moffett on bass and Terri Lyne Carrington on drums – and titles include "Work", "The Sage", "Blues Again", "Sublimity", and "Powell's Prances". LP, Vinyl record album

A gorgeous album of Brazilian vocal jazz – a set that blends bossa roots, Brazilian jazz, and some of the sunnier touches you might find coming from Bay Area interpretations of the music in the late 70s/early 80s – such as work by Joyce Cooling or Viva Brasil! Patricia King handles the lead vocals and piano – and she's got this wonderfully soaring style that's also a bit like some of the hipper European vocalists who emerged in the wake of Tania Maria's important 70s recordings in Paris. Orlando handles guitars and a bit of vocals too – and the group has great basslines, flute, and plenty of percussion to really keep things lively – all of which makes for one of the best examples we've ever heard of this sort of style. Titles include "Sambawalk", "Choro Sambaiao", "Cancao Da Chuva", "Calma Mulher", "Num Dia Azul", and "Sinal Verde". LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing full length debut of Joni Mitchell – and a record that instantly set a whole new tone for singer/songwriter material in the late 60s! Joni had years of folk experience before this set, but the record is something else entirely – dark at times, deeply personal, and inflected with an understanding of jazz phrasing that haunts some of the guitar work, and maybe a bit of the vocals – yet all in a way that's very different than much of Mitchell's later work too. The record is definitely one of those landmarks in this moment of an artist who emerges fully formed, with a sound that's all their own – resonating with a strength that's as powerful now as it was way back then! Titles include "I Had A King", "Sistowbell Lane", "The Dawntreader", "Cactus Tree", "Song To A Seagull", "The Pirate Of Penance", "Nathan La Franeer", and "Night In The City". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost live recording from the legendary Thelonious Monk Quartet of the 60s – done at a time when the group wasn't recording at all, as a small benefit at a high school in California! Yet despite that setting, the vibe here is as relaxed, open, and human as if the combo were playing at an overseas club – very personal presentation of the best ideals inherent in Monk's piano, Charlie Rouse's tenor, Larry Gales' bass, and the drums of Ben Riley! Monk had been having some health issues during the year, but they don't show up at all in his performance – save for maybe a sense of brooding darkness at times, although that was always a quality that might appear in his performance. The music is every bit as essential as the London recordings that would emerge a few years later – and titles include "Blue Monk", "Well You Needn't", "Ruby My Dear", "Don't Blame Me", "Epistrophy", and "I Love You Sweetheart Of All My Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful late work from Lee Morgan! The last five years of Lee's life saw him really stretching out to do some fantastic writing, playing, and leading – and this record stands today as one of the best examples of that period – a pure act of genius, with a sound that really takes off from Lee's earlier Blue Note albums. The styles are a unique blend of soulful hardbop and the more stretched-out spiritualism that would later emerge in the early 70s soul jazz scene – and players include the lesser-known Frank Mitchell on tenor, plus Jackie McLean on alto, Cedar Walton on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – the last of whom provides an amazingly lyrical approach to rhythm, the sort that was key to some of Lee Morgan's best work of the time! Titles include "Afreaka", "Short Count", "The Cry Of My People", "Anti Climax", and "Psychedelic". LP, Vinyl record album