Jimmy Smith serves up a bucket of soul here – on an album that's one of his last for Blue Note, and still very much in the strong trio mode that launched his work for the label! The group's that super-sharp early 60s combo of Jimmy's – with Quentin Warren on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums – both players who have a groove that's maybe a bit under-stated at times, but which really lets Smith dominate the record – on both the keys of the Hammond, and the great work he brings to the bass pedals too. The tracks are short, but very groovy – with a tighter sound than on some of Smith's early Blue Note trio albums, and the same kind of in-the-pocket sound that made his Crazy Baby album a big hit. Includes a very groovy remake of "John Brown's Body", the original groovers "Bucket" and "Sassy Mae", and a nice modal tune called "3 for 4". LP, Vinyl record album

After hitting big success with Paul Simon's Graceland album in the mid 80s, Warners kind of had a little burst of renewed activity in recording the sorts of artists they paid attention to more in the glory days of the late 60s/early 70s record industry boom. Fortunately, Miriam Makeba benefitted from that surge of activity, and was able to cut this excellent album in a style that was far rootsier than any she'd used in years! The record has a pretty spare feel overall, and most tracks only feature vocals and percussion – with some occasional extra instrumentation, and production that's very much in the Ladysmith Black Mambazo mode from the time. titles include "Sabumoya", "Congo", "Icala", "Ihoyiya", and "Embahaceni". LP, Vinyl record album

An astounding collection that brings together work from a roots reggae legend! Niney's productions stand as some of the strongest benchmarks for golden era roots reggae, with his ability to fuse heavy rhythms with righteous messages and some of the better vocal performances that these singers would turn in for any producer. This great double LP set pulls together some of his biggest numbers as well as great versions, dubs, discomixes and a few hard to get alternate versions for a hefty showcase of one of the elite in Kingston's roster of master producers. Backing is by the Soul Syndicate, the Aggrovators, the Revolutionaries, the Cimarons and Steely & Clevie, with 28 tracks in all, including "Blood & Fire" by Niney, "Whole Lot Of Fire" by Big Youth, "Rascal Man" by Delroy Wilson, "Rasta No Born Yah (ext)" by Sang Hugh & The Lionaires, "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner/Clap The Barber" by Michael Rose, "I Need Your Loving" by Slim Smith, "Rock On" by Gregory Isaacs, "Silver Words" by Ken Boothe, "Warrior" by Johnny Clarke, "Chant It Down" by Freddie McGregor, "No More Will I Roam (ext)" by Dennis Brown, "Materialist" by Horace Andy, "Moses" by Jacob Miller, "Temptation, Botheration & Tribulation" by the Heptones, "Lover's Race" by Sugar Minott and "Thank You Mama" by Barry Brown. LP, Vinyl record album

That's a country-looking Mike Nesmith on the cover – which is no surprise, as these cuts were all recorded during Nesmith's great early 70s country rock years on RCA – although none of them were issued at the time! Those in the know love Mike's fantastic records with The First National Band – done after his time in The Monkees, at a time when he was really letting his hair down and his songwriting skills flow – to a point where he was joining the hipper country-inspired world of The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Byrds! Those modes are in full flourish here – in a set that features 16 vocal numbers from the RCA years, including many rare alternates – and 8 more instrumentals, which show the wonderful use of pedal steel from Red Rhodes, and some of the other hip players on the sessions. Titles include "American Airman", "Six Days On The Road", and "Circle Sky" – plus rare alternates of "Some Of Shelly's Blues", "Marie's Theme", "Roll With The Flow", "Different Drum", "Tengo Amore", "Dedicated Friend", "Texas Morning", "Rene", "Listen To The Band", and other vocal tunes – some in very different arrangements. Instrumental tunes include "Hollywood", "Tan My Hide", "You Are My One", "Born To Love You", and "Magnolia Simms" – and the set also features a bonus "Loose Salute" radio spot too! LP, Vinyl record album

A great Japanese issue of this early material from trumpet genius Chet Baker – featuring his quartet with Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Larry Bunker on drums! The set features titles that include "Moon Love", "Bea's Flat", "Band Aid", "Happy Little Sunbeam", and "Carson City Stage" – and a few alternate takes. LP, Vinyl record album

Raw, rootsy blues – recorded by a trio of gals who are definitely old enough to have taught your mom a few songs! The set's got a mixed blues/jazz vibe – that sweet 20s/30s mode when the two genres would often blur nicely together – and players include Sidney De Paris on tuba, JC Higginbotham on trombone, Buster Bailey on clarinet, Cliff Jackson on piano, Henry Goodwin on trumpet, Cecil Scott on clarinet, and Willie The Lion Smith on piano. Singers alternate tracks on the set – and titles include Albert Hunter singing "I Got Myself A Workin Man" and "I Got A Mind To Ramble", Lucille Hegamin singing "St Louis Blues" and "You'll Want My Love", and Victoria Spivey singing "Black Snake Blues" and "Got The Blues So Bad". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare non-Impulse Records album from the early days of Pharoah Sanders – but a set that ranks right up there with his classics for that legendary label! The album's one of the classics in Strata East's Dolphy Series – and it's a uniquely collaborative session from 1969, one that has Sanders working with a largeish group that includes Sonny Fortune on alto sax, Sonny Sharrock on guitar, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Leon Thomas on vocals, and Cecil McBee on bass – all coming together with a freely exploratory sort of energy, one that's a bit like some of Archie Shepp's most righteous sides from the same time. Sanders' tenor still dominates most numbers, but not as much as on some of the Impulse sides – and there's a nicely relaxed and personal feel to the whole album. The album features 3 long tracks – "Prince Of Peace", which has Leon Thomas doing his "Creator Has A Master Plan" thing, and the cuts "Balance" and "Izipho Zam", the latter of which jams for a full 28 minutes! LP, Vinyl record album