Solo guitar by Joe Pass – a beautiful little album that's a perfect showcase for the new sensitivity in his music during his years at Pablo records! The Joe Pass heard here is light years away from the guitar player who made a few gimmicky records a decade before – and this album has Joe coming across with a gentle, but sophisticated approach to his instrument that we never would have expected in the past! Titles include "Blues For Basie", "Blues For OP", "Misty", "Grooveyard", "Giant Steps", "Five Hundred Miles High", and "Limehouse Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime work from trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson – a rare set that really shows him at the top of his game! There's a depth here you don't always find in other Hannibal records – a careful, complex sound that's also still deeply soulful as well – building up from the work of a tight quintet (tagged as an "orchestra" on the cover) – and set loose over a handful of long tracks that have a really righteous sound! Peterson's trumpet hits some of its sharpest notes ever here – really bold musical statements that show none of his fire dimming as the 70s were coming to a close – supported by wonderful piano work from the amazing Michael Cochrane, plus cello from Diedre Murray, bass from Errol Walters, and drums from Makaya Ntshoko. Titles include a searing version of Coltrane's "Dahomey Dance", a take on Monk's "Well You Needn't", and one of the hippest readings of "Misty" you'll ever hear – plus Peterson's own tune "Even Steven". CD

Joy Dan's a little-known singer from Chicago – but she confidently takes on a variety of soul hits here – working with arrangements that are somewhat modern, but still earthy enough to live up to the indie soul look of the set! Joy's vocals are a bit shaky at times, but that's the great thing about them – as she makes her way through more familiar soul covers – slowly unmaking their cliches as she does so! Think of the album as an appealing lounge set caught at a small club – and enjoy the record's versions of tracks that include "For Your Precious Love", "Midnight Train To Georgia", "Try Me", "Release Me", "Misty", "Stand By Me", "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and "Unchained Melody". LP, Vinyl record album

The continuing evolution of the great Jess Roden – an lesser-known 70s talent who emerged from the jazz rock scene in the UK at the end of the 60s – but who's working here in a much more sophisticated mode! Jess always had a lot of soul in his style right from the start – that 60s London love of R&B and American roots – and here he fuses it with some hip arrangements from Leon Pendarvis, who takes the older Roden groove into sweet New York territory that comes across with a surprising degree of modern soul at times. There's lots of jazz in the instrumentation – including sax solos from Harold Vick and Scott Hamilton – and Jess has honestly never sounded better – extremely expressive, even on the mellower moments. Titles include "The Hardest Blow", "Drinking Again", "Sensation", "Misty Roses", "Woman Across The Water", and "The Quiet Sound Of You & I". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare moment in the David Axelrod years at Capitol Records – a set that has the Axe producing sounds by older maestro David Rose! Rose is a lot groovier in the setting – as you might expect – and all the instrumental tunes are new compositions for the record. Tracks include "Look Above", "Busy Afternoon", "Victoria", and "On a Misty Day". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing collection of work from Jackie Ross – a singer who was arguably the greatest female soul artist in Chicago during the 60s! Jackie's got a really wonderful approach – sweet on top, but with a hard punch below – very much at the best level of some of Motown's heavyweights of the same period – but not nearly as well-known! That aspect makes this set a really fresh discovery – not just Jackie's few hits, but lots of other rare album and single material too – including a few unreleased tracks that really round out the collection wonderfully. And as you'd guess from Ace/Kent, the packaging and presentation is wonderful – not just crystal-clear quality to the recordings, but really rich notes and images that make the whole thing sparkle way more than any previous collection of Ross' work for Chess. Titles include "Everything But Love", "Selfish One", "Misty", "Wasting Time", "You Really Know How To Hurt A Girl", "Honey Dear", "My Square", "Stick To One", "Dynamite Lovin", "Take Me For A Little While", "I Dig His Style", "Trust In Me", "It's Going All The Way", "Jerk & Twine", "I've Got The Skill", and "Haste Makes Waste". CD

With Buster Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Titles include "Straight Street", "Arrival", "One For Hakim", "Medi II", and "Misty Thursday". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking set from The Silver Apples – one of those records that almost didn't get fully appreciated until many decades later! The sound here is quite unique, even for the late 60s psych rock underground – and The Apples work in a blend of spacey electronics, driving percussion, and simple, stark guitar parts – a sound that's almost to their generation what the music of Suicide was to the underground of a decade later. Most tunes pulsate with an almost organic sort of quality, and the lyrics of the songs are often quite tuneful at times – a nice contrast to some of the colder styles of the instrumentation. The album's had a huge influence on countless groups in the past decade or so – for good reasons – and titles include "Oscillations", "Lovefingers", "Velvet Cave", "Whirly-Bird", "Dust", "Misty Mountain", "Program", and "Dancing Gods". LP, Vinyl record album

Both of the rare original albums by this legendary 60s electronic group – out now on one lovely 18 track CD! The Apples were one of the most unique groups of their era, and they mixed electronics with a throbbing rock groove in a way that not only predicted lots of the musical trends of the 70's, but which has also been taken up again in the 90's by a host of young bands. The group has reformed these days, but these two albums are still their best. Titles include "Velvet Cave", "Oscillations", "Whirly-Bird", "Dust", "Misty Mountain", "Water", "Pox On You", "Confusion", and "Fantasies". CD

An overlooked gem from organ jazz giant Johnny Hammond Smith! The album was cut during a time when Hammond was picking a page from the book of Groove Holmes – tightening up the tracks a bit, and going for a punchy sound that would hit big with the crossover and jukebox crowd. The tracks are all short and tight, and the approach to the tunes is a lot hipper than some of Johnny's earlier work. The group features Virgil Jones on trumpet, Houston Person on tenor, Thornel Schwartz on guitar, and Jimmy Lewis playing some mean Fender bass – which gives the set a driving soulful groove that's certainly appreciated by our ears! Johnny clearly digs it too, as he's a monster on the keys – wailing away like we've hardly ever heard him, blowing it off like he's Jimmy Smith or Jack McDuff from the same period. Titles include "The Sin In", "Summertime", "Getting Up", "The In Crowd", and a great reading of "Ebb Tide", possibly Johnny's bid at a "Misty". LP, Vinyl record album

A Johnny Hammond 2-fer – a pair of very early albums, back to back on a single CD! First up is Talk That Talk – subtle early magic from Johnny Hammond Smith, and the kind of sweet organ jazz set that really set Smith apart from his contemporaries in the 60s! There's a slightly offbeat vibe here that's hard to peg, but which already marks Hammond as one of the more inventive players of his generation – never content to just rehash R&B modes for jazz organ, and instead really exploratory in terms of timings and phrasings – using his instrument to great effect in a hip combo that features George Tucker on bass, Art Taylor on drums, and Ray Barretto on congas – plus some excellent tenor from Oliver Nelson on three tracks! Titles include "Talk That Talk", "Bennie's Diggin", "Portrait Of Jennie", "An Affair To Remember", "The End Of A Love Affair", "Riptide", "Misty", and "Minors Allowed". Getting The Message is a vibes and organ delight – a rare early set from Johnny Hammond Smith, and a date that features a key appearance from vibist Lem Winchester! Winchester only cut a handful of dates before shuffling off this mortal coil far too soon – and he's a hell of a player, with a richly chromatic tone that works beautifully next to Smith's organ lines – a pairing that's quite different than other organ/vibes duos you might know from the time, and one that's got to be heard to be fully appreciated! There's a complexity here that we love, even when things are straight and swinging – and titles include "Lid Flippin", "Getting The Message", "Princess", and "Dementia". CD

The Johnny Smith sound is a wonderful one – not just the sound that he makes with his groundbreaking work on the strings of the guitar, but also the way he records the instrument – which set a new standard in jazz guitar albums, and also helped pave the way for countless generations to come! A date like this is a great example of the standard-setting work that Smith was able to give us in his prime – and the approach slightly updates the Smith guitar sound of the early 50s – clarifying it a bit, but still keeping that great tone right out front – with a group that includes Hank Jones on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Ed Shaughnessey on drums. Titles include "Misty", "Embraceable You", "Blues Chorale", "Prelude", "As Long As There's Music", and "Round Midnight". CD

An incredible live set by Dr. Lonnie Smith – recorded during his 75th birthday celebration at NYC's Jazz Standard! It's mostly in a trio setting with Jonathan Kreisberg on guitar and Johnathan Blake on drums, working through raucous and intimate moments with equal skill. We saw Lonnie play not too long before this impeccable set was recorded, so believe us when we tell you, the next best thing to seeing him do his inimitable thing in person – even as late in the game as his 75th year – is right here! He wastes no time pulling us in with a great take on Wayne Shorter's "Juju", which feels SO good with Lonnie's electric keys, along with some great space for Kreisberg to shine, and the set has some wonderful mellower moments, too. Includes a killer cover of Paul Simon's "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover", Smith's own "Alhambra" and "All In My Mind", plus "Devika", "On A Misty Night"and "Up Jumped Spring". LP, Vinyl record album

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". CD

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". CD

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". LP, Vinyl record album

A truly unbelievable album from Billy Stewart – maybe his standout moment of the 60s, and a record that set him apart from every other singer of his time! Stewart's famous vocals break out instantly on the huge hit "Summertime" – a leadoff number that really sets the record on fire – and sets the scene for an amazing batch of tunes that follow a similar format – familiar tracks that are completely recast in a new mode by Billy – pyrotechnic soul vocals that are as filled with feeling as they are shaped by technique! Backings are great, too – full and a bit jazzy at points – and with just the right sort of energy to keep things bouncing along all the way through. Titles include "Summertime", "A Foggy Day", "Canadian Sunset", "Time After Time", "Misty", "Moon River", "My Funny Valentine", and "That Old Black Magic". LP, Vinyl record album

A richly-recorded album, one that really brings out the best of the bass of Yoshio Chin Suzuki and the piano of Tsuyoshi Yamamoto! The sound quality is a bit like some of those classic Three Blind Mice dates from the 70s – familiar jazz territory, but a bit different too – and opened up with a tremendous ear for the color and tone of the individual players, especially Suzuki – who gets to open up a number of tracks with solo bass passages that are really beautiful! Titles include "Last Tango In Paris", "Blues For Edith", "The Loving Touch", "Summertime", "Misty", "Cleopatra's Dream", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great groove from guitarist Gabor Szabo – a set that has the musician working with legendary producer Wayne Henderson, in a mode that moves into soul while still keeping all the best jazz elements intact! Szabo plays acoustic guitar alongside electric from Marlon McClain, with both players wrapped up nicely by Fender Rhodes work from the great Bobby Lyle – whose keyboard lines really act as the glue for all the grooves, while Henderson works to give them all the right sort of punch from the bottom! The mix of talents here comes together perfectly – like some of the best work on the Fantasy label at the time, or maybe a bit like some of the Mizell productions – but in a different way. Titles include "The Biz", "Magic Mystic Faces", "Gloomy Day", "Desiring You", "Misty Malarky Ying Yang", "Alicia", "The Last Song", and "Estate". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great groove from guitarist Gabor Szabo – a set that has the musician working with legendary producer Wayne Henderson, in a mode that moves into soul while still keeping all the best jazz elements intact! Szabo plays acoustic guitar alongside electric from Marlon McClain, with both players wrapped up nicely by Fender Rhodes work from the great Bobby Lyle – whose keyboard lines really act as the glue for all the grooves, while Henderson works to give them all the right sort of punch from the bottom! The mix of talents here comes together perfectly – like some of the best work on the Fantasy label at the time, or maybe a bit like some of the Mizell productions – but in a different way. Titles include "The Biz", "Magic Mystic Faces", "Gloomy Day", "Desiring You", "Misty Malarky Ying Yang", "Alicia", "The Last Song", and "Estate". CD features two bonus tracks – "The Biz (edit)" and "Alicia (edit)". CD

Sweet 80s grooves from the Turkish scene – served up in a mode that mixes earlier styles with instrumentation that's a bit more fitting for the decade – drum machine rhythms and keyboard lines coming into play with more exotic melodies, and vocals served up in a variety of styles! Some of the tunes here are tagged as "disco", but in a way that's really refracted through the span of space and time that led to these recordings – hardly familiar club modes, but still plenty darn groovy – and a nice take on Andaolu modes from a few years before! Titles include "Fiance", "Fidayda", "Emmoglu", "If You Want My Love", "Sunglasses Belly Dance", "Tabancamin Sapini", "Misty Mountain Melodies", and "Eminem". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s set from Sarah Vaughan, but one that's recorded in a classic small combo mode – acoustic overall, and a bit of a change from her other sessions for Mainstream Records! The date's a live one, and the tracks are taken at a looser level than some of Vaughan's studio work – a bit more open, and with a bit of conversation too – which is a nice surprise, and which has the singer really hitting this personal vibe that's great – even though we also love her when she's polished too! The group's a trio – with Carl Schroeder on piano, John Gianelli on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "I Could Write A Book", "Love Story", "The Nearness Of You", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Wave", "Misty", "There Will Never Be Another You", "A Foggy Day", and "Round Midnight". CD

Great 70s live work from Sarah Vaughan – material that easily stands alongside her best for the Pablo label at the same time, but which is far more obscure overall! The notes on the CD aren't much – and obviously help enforce the obscurity of the sessions – but we can say that all the performances are from live dates, and backing appears to be from a trio led by Bob James on acoustic piano on some tracks – and by a larger group with Hank Mobley and Dizzy Gillespie on a few more. Sarah's vocals are simple and straightforward, but have a confidence and poise that's totally great – qualities that have always almost made her a better singer live than in the studio. Titles include "Sassy's Blues", "Scat Blues", "Alfie", "Misty", "I Had A Ball", "The Theme", "Lover Man", "What Now My Love", and "Lover Come Back To Me". CD

Great 70s live work from Sarah Vaughan – material that easily stands alongside her best for the Pablo label at the same time, but which is far more obscure overall! The notes on the CD aren't much – and obviously help enforce the obscurity of the sessions – but we can say that all the performances are from live dates, and backing appears to be from a trio led by Bob James on acoustic piano on some tracks – and by a larger group with Hank Mobley and Dizzy Gillespie on a few more. Sarah's vocals are simple and straightforward, but have a confidence and poise that's totally great – qualities that have always almost made her a better singer live than in the studio. Titles include "Sassy's Blues", "Scat Blues", "Alfie", "Misty", "I Had A Ball", "The Theme", "Lover Man", "What Now My Love", and "Lover Come Back To Me". CD

Classics from sassy Sarah Vaughan's Mercury years, including "Misty", "Broken Hearted Melody", "Make Yourself Comfortable", "Autumn In New York", "Moonlight In Vermont", "How Important Can It Be", "Smooth Operator", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Eternally", "Poor Butterfly" and "Close To You". CD includes six bonus tracks not included on the original LP release. CD

A dozen classics from sassy Sarah Vaughan's Mercury years, including "Misty", "Broken Hearted Melody", "Make Yourself Comfortable", "Autumn In New York", "Moonlight In Vermont", "How Important Can It Be", "Smooth Operator", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Eternally", "Poor Butterfly" and "Close To You". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s set from Sarah Vaughan, but one that's recorded in a classic small combo mode – acoustic overall, and a bit of a change from her other sessions for Mainstream Records! The date's a live one, and the tracks are taken at a looser level than some of Vaughan's studio work – a bit more open, and with a bit of conversation too – which is a nice surprise. The group's a trio – with Carl Schroeder on piano, John Gianelli on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "I Could Write A Book", "Love Story", "The Nearness Of You", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Wave", "Misty", "There Will Never Be Another You", "A Foggy Day", and "Round Midnight". CD

A 70s set from Sarah Vaughan, but one that's recorded in a classic small combo mode – acoustic overall, and a bit of a change from her other sessions for Mainstream Records! The date's a live one, and the tracks are taken at a looser level than some of Vaughan's studio work – a bit more open, and with a bit of conversation too – which is a nice surprise. The group's a trio – with Carl Schroeder on piano, John Gianelli on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "I Could Write A Book", "Love Story", "The Nearness Of You", "Wave", "Misty", "There Will Never Be Another You", "A Foggy Day", and "Round Midnight". CD

Ben Webster on tenor saxophone, Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. Tracks include "Perdido", "Over The Rainbow", "Indiana", "Misty", "Set Call", and "Yesterdays". CD

Pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto gave us some sublime records in the 70s on the Three Blind Mice label from Japan – and he really continues the spirit of those records here, on a set of tracks that demonstrate that, if anything, his sense of space and timing have gotten even more amazing as the years have gone on! With Yamamoto, it's never a matter of the material he chooses, which is usually common – but the way he puts the tune over while working with a trio – and the way that trio is recorded, which was always a key aspect of Tsuyoshi's records in the 70s. His classic Blues For Tee album was dedicated to his older producer back in the day – as this set is dedicated to Yoshihiko Kannari, who did a great job of capturing the magic from a trio that also features Hiroshi Kagawa on bass and Toshio Osumi on drums. Titles include "You Go To My Head", "Darn That Dream", "Blues In The Closet", "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You", "Love Theme From Sunflower", "Gentle Blues", and "Blues For K". CD features both volumes of the vinyl releases – plus bonus tracks "Misty" and "Midnight Sugar". CD

Pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto gave us some sublime records in the 70s on the Three Blind Mice label from Japan – and he really continues the spirit of those records here, on a set of tracks that demonstrate that, if anything, his sense of space and timing have gotten even more amazing as the years have gone on! With Yamamoto, it's never a matter of the material he chooses, which is usually common – but the way he puts the tune over while working with a trio – and the way that trio is recorded, which was always a key aspect of Tsuyoshi's records in the 70s. His classic Blues For Tee album was dedicated to his older producer back in the day – as this set is dedicated to Yoshihiko Kannari, who did a great job of capturing the magic from a trio that also features Hiroshi Kagawa on bass and Toshio Osumi on drums. Titles on this first volume include "You Go To My Head", "Misty", "Blues For K", "But Not For Me", and "I'm Glad There Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a really beautiful sound – not just from the core work of the piano trio, but also from the guy who recorded the whole thing too – the legendary engineer for the Three Blind Mice label in Japan, Yoshihiko Kaminari! It's not often that the engineer gets billed on the back cover alongside the members of a jazz combo – but that credit is very well due here, as the album does a beautiful job of capturing all the subtle brilliance of Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on the keys of the piano – stepping gently next to the bass of Hiroshi Kagawa and drums of Toshio Ohsumi – both very subtle players who let the pianist dominate the proceedings! The set features a fair bit of Erroll Garner numbers, which creates a nicely different setting for Yamamoto – and his pairing here with Kaminari reunites the same forces that gave the world Tsuyoshi's classic TBM albums Midnight Sugar and Misty. Titles include "Dreamy", "Mood Island", "Solitaire", "Night Wind", "Paris Bounce", "Garner Talk", "Sweet For K", and "When Paris Cries". CD

An album with a really beautiful sound – not just from the core work of the piano trio, but also from the guy who recorded the whole thing too – the legendary engineer for the Three Blind Mice label in Japan, Yoshihiko Kaminari! It's not often that the engineer gets billed on the back cover alongside the members of a jazz combo – but that credit is very well due here, as the album does a beautiful job of capturing all the subtle brilliance of Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on the keys of the piano – stepping gently next to the bass of Hiroshi Kagawa and drums of Toshio Ohsumi – both very subtle players who let the pianist dominate the proceedings! The set features a fair bit of Erroll Garner numbers, which creates a nicely different setting for Yamamoto – and his pairing here with Kaminari reunites the same forces that gave the world Tsuyoshi's classic TBM albums Midnight Sugar and Misty. Titles include "Dreamy", "Mood Island", "Solitaire", "Night Wind", "Paris Bounce", "Garner Talk", "Sweet For K", and "When Paris Cries". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a really beautiful sound – not just from the core work of the piano trio, but also from the guy who recorded the whole thing too – the legendary engineer for the Three Blind Mice label in Japan, Yoshihiko Kaminari! It's not often that the engineer gets billed on the back cover alongside the members of a jazz combo – but that credit is very well due here, as the album does a beautiful job of capturing all the subtle brilliance of Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on the keys of the piano – stepping gently next to the bass of Hiroshi Kagawa and drums of Toshio Ohsumi – both very subtle players who let the pianist dominate the proceedings! The set features a fair bit of Erroll Garner numbers, which creates a nicely different setting for Yamamoto – and his pairing here with Kaminari reunites the same forces that gave the world Tsuyoshi's classic TBM albums Midnight Sugar and Misty. Titles include "Dreamy", "Mood Island", "Solitaire", "Night Wind", "Paris Bounce", "Garner Talk", "Sweet For K", and "When Paris Cries". CD

A jazz guitar/Hammond organ session – the former by Shoji Yokouchi, the latter by Yuri Tashiro – but a variation on the form that's quite different than usual, and very much in the groundbreaking style of the Three Blind Mice label! Shoji plays a few different guitars – both acoustic and electric – and rather than just ape an American use of guitar next to organ, the style here is often nicely changed up – partly because the phrasing can be different when the guitar is acoustic, but also because in true Three Blind Mice form, the arrangements are often very inventive and unusual. Other players include Kunimitsu Inaba on bass and Hajime Ishimatsu on drums – and titles include "New Orleans Sunday", "Drink Up Vodka Martini", "Misty", "Moanin", "Greensleeves", and "Your Watch Is Ten Minutes Slow". CD

A jazz guitar/Hammond organ session – the former by Shoji Yokouchi, the latter by Yuri Tashiro – but a variation on the form that's quite different than usual, and very much in the groundbreaking style of the Three Blind Mice label! Shoji plays a few different guitars – both acoustic and electric – and rather than just ape an American use of guitar next to organ, the style here is often nicely changed up – partly because the phrasing can be different when the guitar is acoustic, but also because in true Three Blind Mice form, the arrangements are often very inventive and unusual. Other players include Kunimitsu Inaba on bass and Hajime Ishimatsu on drums – and titles include "New Orleans Sunday", "Drink Up Vodka Martini", "Misty", "Moanin", "Greensleeves", and "Your Watch Is Ten Minutes Slow". CD

A really fantastic little collection – a look at the way that sounds from the Caribbean changed over nicely when brought to the UK scene – where immigrants from former British territory really helped to transform the sound of London in the 70s! The music here is served up in a range of different styles – certainly reggae, but with plenty of funk and soul too, mixed with other elements from the islands – all brought into new play together when taken up in the UK! Right from the start, the English artists were starting to put their own spin on things – so the cuts within offer up all these great new directions – maybe even more surprises than you're used to finding on some of the other collections from the Soul Jazz label! The presentation of material is superb, and there's some very detailed notes as well – with cuts that include "No Time For Hello" by Harry Beckett, "Ooh Boy" by Sandra Reid, "Don't Call Us Immigrants" by Tabby Cat Kelly, "RK1" by The Terrorist, "Black Pride" by Brown Sugar, "Don't Let It Go To Your Head" by Black Harmony, "Positive Vibrations" by Pebbles, "Love Money" by Funk Masters, "Ragga Trip" by Ragga Twins, "Be Thankful For What You've Got" by Winston Curtis, "Fug" by Cymande, "Sticks Man" by Black Slate, "Rising To The Top" by Dee Sharp, "Misty Winter" by Digital Mystikz, "Compelled" by Cosmic Irden, and "Still In Love" by Janet Kay & Alton Ellis, and "Java Bass" by Shut Up & Dance. CD

Wonderfully tripped-out pop from the late 60s – served up by a few famous names and an even better band of lesser-knowns – all of whom recorded for Warner Brothers and related labels at the time! The package does a great job of showing the "pop" side of psychedelia – a sound that's a lot harder than the Sunshine Pop end of the spectrum, but which also shares a similar love of groovy themes, sweet vocals, and cool production techniques! A few of the tunes get a bit way out, but most of the numbers manage to pack a whole trip's punch within a short little 3 or 4 minute song – leaving us to marvel even more at the deft economy in the studio, and the wonderful quality this kind of music had before it succumbed to too many of its own excesses. Titles include "Her Name Is A Melody" by Adrian Pride, "It's Love" by The Misty Wizards, "Break Away" by Next Exit, "Hallucinations" by Baker Knight & The Knightmares, "That's The Way It's Gonna Be" by Lee Mallory, "Wildflowers" by The Holy Mackerel, "Smell Of Incense" by West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, "My Mind Goes High" by MC2, "Straight Aero" by Jeff Thomas, and "The White Pony" by Ellen Margulies. CD

If this is what they call an Encyclopedia, the folks at Britannica can sign us up! The set's a smoking selection of older soul jazz numbers from the glory days of Prestige Records – that key late 50s/1960s time when the label was helping forge a whole new sound in jazz – mixing in elements of R&B, hardbop, and gospel – and letting fly with a whole range of great tenor and organ players! The tracks here are all classics, all presented in nice long full versions that show what music like this can really do when let loose in the studio – and titles include "Seed Shack" by Gene Ammons, "Nother Futher" by Sonny Stitt & Jack McDuff, "Misty" by Groove Holmes, "Soul Meeting" by King Curtis, "The Honeydripper" by Jack McDuff, "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" by Arnett Cobb, "In The Kitchen" by Eddie Lockjaw Davis, "More Today Than Yesterday" by Charles Earland, "Please Mr Jackson" by Willis Jackson, and "Dirty Apple" by Johnny Hammond Smith. CD

Few songwriters have had such a lasting impact on modern music as Leonard Cohen – an incredible songsmith when he first emerged in the late 60s, and one who continued to create songs at the top of his game for many years after! And although Cohen's own recordings are the stuff of legend – essential to any collection of hip, thoughtful music – many others have picked up his tunes and really done great things with them – a fair bit of whom are included in this set! The package has an unusual scope – in that it includes selections by some of the artists recording right when Leonard was getting his start on record – then jumps forward to the 21st Century, to showcase a number of more contemporary recordings that show just how timeless Cohen's lyrics can be. As always with Ace, the presentation is wonderful – with detailed notes on all the selections – and titles include "So Long Marianne" by Noel Harrison, "Joan Of Arc" by Anna Calvi, "Show Me The Place" by The Webb Sisters, "Anthem" by Father John Misty, "The Stranger Song" by Emmylou Harris, "Blue Alert" by Madeleine Peyroux, "Closing Time" by Fairport Convention, "A Thousand Kisses Deep" by Ann Wilson, "Nightingale" by Anjani, "Is This What You Wanted" by Last Shadow Puppets, "Story Of Isaac" by Judy Collins, "Here It Is" by Jonathan Richman, and "You Know Who I Am" by Mama Cass. CD

Killer guitar work from a legendary label – tracks that were all recorded for the Groove Merchant imprint in the 70s – a company that really valued the sound that a hip guitarist could bring to the funky side of jazz! Some of the tracks here feature a Hammond player in the lead, but also showcase a great guitar solo in the middle – while others are by guitarists as leaders, including some players who maybe sounded their best when recording for Groove Merchant! Titles include "Misty", "We've Only Just Begun", "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", and "Love Will Never Die" by O'Donel Levy – plus "Happy Fingers" and "Groovy lady" by George Freeman, "A Clue" by Jimmy Ponder, "When The Night Is Right" and "Favors" by Lonnie Smith, "Soul Sermon" by Joe Thomas, "Blues Train To Georgia" by Jimmy McGriff, and "Soft Winds" by Buddy Rich. CD

Super-heady work from the global psychedelic underground – exactly the kind of work we've come to love from the Now Again reissue projects over the years! The label has its roots in the hip hop and funk world of parent company Stones Throw – and has used that legacy to open up an understanding of unique moments in rock music where funk, soul, and other elements can creep into the mix too – heard here in a blend of really wonderful cuts that are all the sort that normally change hands for high-dollar prices in impossible-to-find originals, but which finally get full exposure on a collection like this! Titles include "Tickets For Doomsday" by Chucky Thurmon, "All Bundled In Love" by Water Color, "In Your Time" by Christopher, "Time" by JB Green & Band, "Leavin" by Misty, "Hari Yang Mulya" by Golden Wing, "Sad Man's Story" by Icecross, "Paradise Lost" by Upheaval,a nd "I Don't Mind (part 1)" by Stephen David Heitkotter. CD